EP2541689A1 - Connector with a number of long pins and at least one advance mass guiding pin - Google Patents

Abstract

The plug (1) has elongated metallic pins (3, 5) protruded from a plug body (7) and cooperated with contacts of a socket such that the plug and the socket are electrically interconnected with each other. One of the pins is protruded away from the plug body as a leading pin in a pressure-free state. The leading pin is shortened along longitudinal direction such that a distal end portion (9) of the plug is displaced toward the plug body by exerting pressure along longitudinal direction of the leading pin. An independent claim is also included for a plug and socket combination.

Description

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a plug having a plurality of elongated pins which protrude from a plug body and which are each adapted to produce, by cooperation with a respective contact of a socket, a corresponding plurality of electrical connections between the plug and the socket. The invention further relates to a correspondingly designed plug-socket combination.

STATE OF THE ART

In motor vehicles control units are nowadays provided which communicate via a cable harness with a plurality of individual cables with a wide variety of devices, sensors, actuators, etc. For contacting with the wiring harness while a designated as a male connector plug is often provided which is equipped with a plurality of protruding metallic pins, which are connected to a circuit board inside the controller.

To connect the controller to the wiring harness, a coupling member having a corresponding plurality of contacts is provided on the wiring harness, each contact being adapted to cooperate with an associated pin of the connector and to make an electrical connection. When the coupling element is plugged into the male connector, usually contact all the contacts in the coupling element with all the pins of the male connector as part of a tolerance structure quasi simultaneously.

A conventional plug with a plurality of projecting pins is for example in the DE 202 20 456 U 1 described.

While the use of a plurality of identical pins in the male connector can simplify manufacture and reduce the associated cost of the male connector, it has been observed that mating the male connector of a controller with a coupling element of a cable harness may result in failure or interference in the controller.

DISCLOSURE OF THE INVENTION

With a plug or a plug-socket combination according to the independent claims failures in control devices, which could be caused by the mating with the wiring harness, are largely avoided. Furthermore, the structure of the plug remains relatively simple and the manufacturing costs can be kept low accordingly. Advantageous embodiments of the plug or the plug-socket combination are defined in the dependent claims.

Aspects of the present invention are based on the following finding: In the conventional connection of a wiring harness to a control unit via a male-female combination in which the connector has all identical pins, in a few cases, when mated, it may become excessively electric ("electrical overstress", EOS) come through electrical voltage spikes. To avoid this, a responsible for the preparation of a ground connection pin can be formed longer than the other pins in the plug and thus be designed as a so-called leading mass pin. Due to the longer length of this leading ground pin, however, a correspondingly large special contact must also be provided on the side of the socket since the contacts otherwise conventionally used in the socket generally do not have a sufficient insertion depth for an extended pin. In such an embodiment of a single longer ground pin in the plug and a single correspondingly deeper special contact in the socket, however, the fact that these two components are required only in very small numbers compared to the otherwise standardized pins and contacts, lead to the provision of a leading mass pin can lead to significantly higher costs in the production of the plug-socket combination.

According to the invention, a plug with a plurality of elongate pins is now proposed, in which at least one of the pins as leading pin in the pressure-free state further protrudes from a pins carrying the plug body than other pins, this leading pin is formed such shortened in the longitudinal direction that a displaced distal end portion of the pin upon exertion of pressure in the longitudinal direction of the pin toward the plug body. At least one or preferably the plurality of elongated pins provided in the plug are in this case designed as conventional standard pins, that is to say in one piece and rigidly. Preferably, only a single one of the pins of the plug is designed as a leading pin, that is, with a longitudinally displaceable end portion.

Characterized in that in the proposed connector at least one of the pins as leading pin further protruding from a plug body is formed as other pins, as long as the plug is not plugged together with a socket, it can be achieved that at a mating of the plug with the socket first this leading pin comes into contact with a correspondingly assigned contact of the socket. The anticipatory pin is preferably connected to the ground, so that in the subsequent remaining mating plug and socket no excessive voltage spikes can lead to damage in the controller.

Further, since the overall length of the leading pen can be shortened by displacing this end portion in the longitudinal direction of the pin toward the plug body upon pressure on the distal end portion of the pin, the overall length of the leading pin may shorten during insertion into the sleeve.

Preferably, the anticipatory pen shortens to a length corresponding to the length of the other, non-shortenable pins. As a result, it can be achieved that on the side of the socket no individual special contacts need be provided for excessively long leading pins, but for all contacts of the Socket the same standard contacts can be provided. As a result, in particular the costs for the socket can be kept low.

The leading pin of the plug can be configured in various ways. By way of example, the leading pin can have at least two pieces and a region fixed in the plug body and an end region which can be displaced along the longitudinal direction. The displaceable end region can be guided, for example, in a guide connected to the defined region, so that, although it can be displaced in the longitudinal direction, it can not be displaced transversely to the longitudinal direction. A lateral bending or kinking can thus be avoided.

This can be achieved that the leading pin when mating the plug with the socket first with a corresponding contact in the socket easily mechanically comes into contact and in this way an electrical connection is made, before subsequently in a further compression of the plug and socket leading pen and then the rest of the standard pins in the associated contacts of the socket, which are preferably hollow and complementary to the pins of the plug, are pushed or positively engage in this.

Preferably, in the advancing pin, an elastic spring biases the distal end portion away from the plug body. This can be achieved that the distal end region in the unloaded state always protrudes further from the plug body than the other standard pins. In the loaded state, that is, when the plug and the socket are plugged together, the distal end portion can be pushed against the spring force of the elastic spring in the direction of the plug body until its end is substantially at the level of the ends of the other pins. The elastic spring or a stop for the distal end region can be configured in such a way that the end region can not be pushed further in the direction of the plug body and thus the leading pin in the pressurized state has at least the same length as the other standard pins.

The anticipatory pen may be telescopic. In this case, different areas of a multi-piece pin can be telescoped into each other due to, for example, their different circumferences or diameter, so that in this way the length of the anticipatory pen can be changed. Again, an elastic spring disposed in the telescoping pin can cause the leading pin to be biased to its maximum length.

The proposed plug can be used in particular as a male connector on a control unit or as a harness connector for connection to a control unit in a motor vehicle.

Possible embodiments and advantages of the invention proposed herein will be described in part with reference to plugs according to the invention and in part with reference to a plug-socket combination according to the invention. A person skilled in the art will recognize that the individual features can be combined in any way with one another and can also be transmitted from the plug to the plug-socket combination or vice versa in order to be able to achieve synergy effects in this way.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Hereinafter, embodiments of the invention will be further explained with reference to the accompanying drawings, wherein neither the drawings nor the description are to be construed as limiting the invention.

Fig. 1 shows a side view of a plug according to an embodiment of the present invention.

Fig. 2 shows a sectional view of a male-female combination according to an embodiment of the present invention.

The figures are only schematic and not to scale. Like reference numerals designate like or equivalent components.

EMBODIMENTS OF THE INVENTION

Fig. 1 shows very schematically a side view of a plug 1 according to an embodiment of the present invention. On a plug body 7, a plurality of projecting metallic pins 3, 5 are provided in a row next to each other. It is also possible for a plurality of rows of pins 3, 5 to be arranged one behind the other so that the pins protrude from the plug body 7 within a two-dimensional field. Each of the pins may be connected to an associated cable, wherein a cable may be secured mechanically and electrically conductive respectively at a proximal end of a pin by crimping or soldering. Alternatively, the proximal ends of the pins may communicate directly with circuit traces of a circuit board.

The plug body 7 can be part of a separate plug. Alternatively, the plug body 7 may also be part of a male connector, as provided, for example, to control devices of a motor vehicle for connection to the lines of a cable harness.

The terms "plug" and "socket" are intended to be interpreted broadly in this description. In particular, the in Fig. 1 Connector element shown as a connector, since the projecting pins 3, 5 can engage in receiving contacts of a counter element. This counter element is referred to herein as a socket. However, the counter element could itself be referred to as a plug, since it can be inserted, for example, in a frame 13 which surrounds the pins 3, 5 of the plug 1. In particular, in vehicle construction in this regard, the term "harness connector" for the socket-like counter-element is in use.

In the plug 1, most of the pins 3, 5 are formed as standard, one-piece and rigid pins 3. These standard pins 3 are all identical and in particular have the same length and thus protrude all at the same distance from the surface of the plug body 7. Only a single pin 5 has a considerably greater length and therefore protrudes much further from the plug body 7.

This longer pin 5 is formed in two parts and has a lower portion 11 which is similar to the standard pins 3 firmly anchored in the plug body 7. In addition, this pin 5 has a longitudinally displaceable end region 9. This displaceable end portion 9 is guided in a guide connected to the lower portion 11 and by a recorded in the pin coil spring (in Fig. 1 not shown) biased in a direction away from the plug body 7. Accordingly, the pin 5 has its maximum length, as long as it is not pushed together by a compressive force.

By a pressing force occurring, for example, when assembling the plug 1 with a socket, the displaceable end portion 9 is displaced maximally by the distance .DELTA.x down to the plug body 7, before it is prevented by a stop it, to move further in the direction of the plug body 7 ,

In Fig. 2 is an intermediate state during insertion of serving as a socket 19 harness connector shown in a plug 1 according to the invention. The sleeve 19 is only partially inserted into the frame 13 of the plug 1, but without already reaching its cause.

In this state, it can be clearly seen that the longer leading pin 5 with its end portion 9 is already in electrical and mechanical contact with a contact 15 of the socket 19. On the other hand, a shorter standard pin 3 still has no contact with a correspondingly assigned contact 17 of the socket 19. The longer contact 5 can therefore serve as an anticipatory contact and, for example, already produce a ground fault, before one of the other pins 3 in contact with other contacts 17 of the socket 19 is coming.

Since the end portion 9 is biased by a coil spring 23 which is received in the hollow interior of the pin 5, it can when inserting the sleeve 19 into the frame 13 of the plug 1, first in the hollow interior and complementary shaped receptacle 21 of the associated contact 15th intervention. When the end portion 9 has reached the maximum insertion depth .DELTA.y of the contact 15, the spring 23 is increasingly compressed upon further insertion of the sleeve 19 and the total length of the pin 5 is shortened.

This can be achieved that when plugging in the socket 19 in the connector 1 in advance a reliable short to ground is generated via the pin 5 and then engage in the further insertion of the socket 19 and the remaining pins 3 in the associated contacts 17, wherein the length of leading pen 5 increasingly shortened. The permissible insertion depth of the leading pin 5 in the contact 15 is not exceeded.

It can thus be used in the sleeve 19 exclusively contacts 15, 17, all of which have the same insertion depth and in principle may be the same, although, as in Fig. 2 shown, and various contacts 15, 17 may be provided in the socket. Due to the possibility of using only identical contacts in the socket, the manufacturing costs for these contacts and thus for the socket can be minimized.

Claims (10)

A plug (1) having a plurality of elongated pins (3, 5) projecting from a plug body (7) and each formed to cooperate with a respective contact (15, 17) of a socket (19) for a corresponding plurality thereof of electrical connections between the plug (1) and the socket (19),
characterized in that
at least one of the pins (3, 5) as an advancing pin (5) in the pressure-free state further protrudes from the plug body (7) than the other of the plurality of pins and the leading pin (5) is formed such shortened in the longitudinal direction that a distal End region (9) of the pin (1) upon application of pressure in the longitudinal direction of the pin (5) moves towards the plug body (7). A plug according to claim 1, wherein the leading pin (5) biases the distal end portion (9) away from the plug body (7) by an elastic spring (23). A plug according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the leading pin (5) is at least two-piece and has a region (11) fixed in the plug body (7) and an end region (9) displaceable along the longitudinal direction. Plug according to one of claims 1 to 3, wherein leading pin (5) is formed telescopically. Plug according to one of claims 1 to 4, wherein at least one of the pins (3) is integral and rigid. Plug according to one of claims 1 to 5, wherein only a single (5) of the pins (3, 5) of the plug is formed with a longitudinally displaceable end portion (9). Plug according to one of claims 1 to 6, wherein the plug (1) is a male connector to a control unit or a harness connector for connection to a control unit in a motor vehicle. Plug-socket combination comprising: a plug (1) according to any one of claims 1 to 7, and a bushing (19), wherein the bush (19) has a plurality of contacts (15, 17), such that by a cooperation of the pins (3, 5) of the plug (1) with associated contacts (15, 17) of the bushing (19) a corresponding A plurality of electrical connections between the plug (1) and the socket (19) is generated. Plug-socket combination according to claim 8, wherein all the contacts (17) of the bushing (19) are identical. Plug-socket combination according to claim 8 or 9, wherein the contacts (15, 17) of the bushing (19) are hollow and complementary to the pins (3, 5) of the plug (1) such that a pin (3, 5) each in an associated contact (15, 17) can engage frictionally.

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