Electrical connectors – With coupling movement-actuating means or retaining means in... – Coupling part with relatively pivotable concentric...
Reexamination Certificate
2000-08-30
2002-09-10
Ta, Tho D. (Department: 2833)
Electrical connectors
With coupling movement-actuating means or retaining means in...
Coupling part with relatively pivotable concentric...
C439S273000, C439S460000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06447320
ABSTRACT:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The invention relates to a circular plug and socket connector for producing electrical line connections, consisting of a housing, accommodating and holding, in the region of one of its ends, an insulating base as contact carrier and, in the region of its other end, a sealing cable lead-in, as well as, on the one hand, a coupling ring, which makes possible a screwed connection with a second plug and socket connector half of complementary construction and is mounted rotatably on the outer periphery of the housing and secured against being pulled off in the axial direction and, on the other, a covering cap fixed mechanically to the housing.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
Such a circular plug and socket connector, forming a component of a two-part plug and socket coupling, is known, for example, from the German Publication No. 197 43 212 and is distinguished essentially by a three-part construction. In this connection, a hollow, cylindrical housing, as a basic body forms the core of the plug and socket connector. The basic housing accommodates the contact carrier together with contact sleeves and is furthermore equipped with a clamping cage or a similar clamping means, which acts in the same way on the cable sheath of the cable that is to be introduced and prevents the cable from being pulled out. At the basic housing, on the one hand, an essentially pot-shaped covering cap, the bottom region of which has an inlet opening for a cable, is fastened, for example, over a clamping device. For the purpose of the intended attainment of a tension-proof connection between the basic housing, the covering cap and the cable sheath, the clamping device must be connected in a rigid manner with the basic body, so that the connection can no longer be undone, at least from the outside, after the installation. Adjacent to the covering cap, an overlapping coupling ring, the end face of which is assigned to the contact carrier, is mounted rotatably on a cylindrical jacket-shaped outer surface of the basic body of the plug and socket coupling. The function of the coupling ring is to produce a tension-resistant connection between one half of the plug and socket coupling and a second half of the plug and socket coupling of a complementary configuration. Due to the relatively large axial longitudinal extent of the covering cap in the case of such a construction of a plug and socket connector coupling, only a relatively small axial length can be provided for the coupling ring. Such an arrangement results in problems relating to the handling of the plug and socket connector coupling, especially in the service area. Since plug and socket connector couplings of this type have to be frequently opened and closed under extremely spatially limited conditions, the short length of the coupling ring, which must be loosened or tightened for the opening or closing of the coupling ring, presents the problem that such loosening or tightening can only be carried out by partial rotations, thus, making the procedure very tedious. This problem is not limited exclusively to the configuration of a plug and socket connector coupling secured by means of a coupling ring as mentioned here, but also arises in all cases, where a coupling ring is used to secure a plug and socket connector coupling.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
It is an object of the invention to improve a circular plug and socket connector of the construction described above so that, while adequate strain relief for the cable is retained, adequate sealing of the housing against moisture and ease of installation and service of the plug and socket connector coupling are improved so that the aforementioned disadvantages are eliminated.
Pursuant to the invention, this objective is accomplished due to the fact that a coupling ring, extending over more than the total length of the plug and socket connector half, is supported in the region of its free end, protruding over the contact carrier, on a cylindrical peripheral surface of the housing and, in the region of its other end, on a longitudinal, cylindrical section of a neck continuation of the covering cap. Irrespective of the problem-free accessibility of the interior of the housing, the inventive insertion of housing, covering cap and coupling ring into one another makes it possible to have a support at both ends and the realization of a long coupling ring, which preferably overlaps at least three quarters of the total length of the plug and socket connector half. Such an arrangement improves the ease of service of the plug and socket connector coupling. The ability to economically produce the circular plug and socket connect arises due to the fact that the assembly of the plug and socket connector requires merely the insertion of the individual, necessary components, such as the contact carriers, optionally the connection of an EMV shielding and a seal or clamping cage for stress relief, into the housing and the subsequent closing of the latter by the covering cap. Simultaneous with the fastening of the covering cap, the components of the plug and socket connector can also be put under tension with respect to one another and with respect to the housing. Overall, the resultant circular plug and socket connector are simple and fast to assemble. Naturally, this also corresponds to savings in time for repair and maintenance work.
In the case of electrical plug and socket connector couplings, which are not identical to the present invention, it is, known from German Publication No. 43 01 504 that the two halves of the plug and socket connector, which belong together, may be equipped with a coupling ring, which extends over the greater part of their axial length. However, this known arrangement of coupling rings is tied, on the one hand, to the use of a housing, which is gated into the cable sheath or connected to water vapor-tight in an equivalent manner with the cable sheath and, on the other hand, unalterably tied to the use of a pull-off safeguard for the coupling ring, disposed at the rear (in the plug-in direction) that is, towards the cable feed-through. Exchanging or repairing individual line connections within the multi-pole plug and socket connector are neither intended nor possible with this known construction.
In a preferred embodiment of the invention, provisions are made for the purpose of ease of service even, in very long coupling rings, that the covering cap, having an opening in its bottom for the passage of a cable, is constructed to embrace the housing and be detachably connected with the housing by a threaded joint. With respect to the construction of the threaded joint, any construction, which is suitable for producing a certain axial clamping force and makes it possible for a problem-free, detachable connection between the covering cap and the housing, may be used for reaching the objective. Preferably however, the threaded joint, for the connection between the covering cap and the housing, comprises at least one screw bolt, which is aligned parallel to the axis of the housing, and at least one corresponding threaded borehole in the housing. This one screw bolt can also be a central screw, which is configured as a hollow screw for the cable feed-through.
However, the configurational shape of the threaded joint between the covering cap and the housing, which is the most technically advantageous in its effort and ease of installation and service, is the threaded joint comprising two screw bolts, which are disposed opposite to one another with respect to a longitudinal center plane of the housing. By known and customary means, the individual screw bolts can also be disposed undetachably in the covering cap.
In connection with such a configuration of the covering cap with the threaded joint for connection with the housing, which may of course, where necessary or appropriate, also comprise more than two screw bolts, a particularly preferred construction of the housing arises from the fact that in each case a threaded borehole, disposed in a rib of the housing protruding radially towards
Interconnectron GmbH
Nguyen Truc
Sidley Austin Brown & Wood LLP
Ta Tho D.
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