阅读说明：本技术 用于电插头连接器的接触套筒 (Contact sleeve for an electrical plug connector ) 是由 曼纽尔·佩姆维塞尔 马丁·谢柏豪泽 克里斯汀·翁丰格 于 2016-02-26 设计创作，主要内容包括：涉及一种中空圆柱形的接触套筒(10),具有壳壁(12),接触套筒的中心纵向轴线(14)用于电连接器建立与配合连接器(32)的电接触；接触套筒在其壳壁(12)上具有至少两对接触弹簧片(18)；每对接触弹簧片在接触套筒上彼此径向相对设置；每个接触弹簧片具有形成电接触区域(22)的径向凸起部分(20)；彼此相对设置的一对接触弹簧片的凸起部分(20)设置在接触套筒沿轴向方向上相同的位置,使得该对接触弹簧片的接触区域(22)位于与接触套筒的中心纵向轴线垂直相交的直线(24)上。至少第一对接触弹簧片的凸起部分相对于至少第二对接触弹簧片的凸起部分,以在接触套筒的轴向方向上偏移预定轴向偏移长度的方式设置。(To a hollow-cylindrical contact sleeve (10) having a housing wall (12), the central longitudinal axis (14) of the contact sleeve being used for an electrical connector to establish electrical contact with a mating connector (32); the contact sleeve has at least two pairs of contact spring strips (18) on its housing wall (12); each pair of contact spring pieces is arranged on the contact sleeve and is opposite to each other in the radial direction; each contact spring plate has a radial raised portion (20) forming an electrical contact area (22); the convex portions (20) of a pair of contact spring pieces disposed opposite to each other are disposed at the same position in the axial direction of the contact sleeve such that the contact areas (22) of the pair of contact spring pieces are located on a straight line (24) perpendicularly intersecting the central longitudinal axis of the contact sleeve. The convex portions of at least the first pair of contact spring pieces are arranged offset by a predetermined axial offset length in the axial direction of the contact sleeve with respect to the convex portions of at least the second pair of contact spring pieces.)

1. A hollow cylindrical contact sleeve (10), the contact sleeve (10) having a housing wall (12), a central longitudinal axis (14) of the contact sleeve (10) being for an electrical connector to establish electrical contact with a mating connector (32); wherein the contact sleeve (10) has at least two pairs of contact spring strips (18) on its housing wall (12);

wherein each pair of said contact spring strips (18) is arranged diametrically opposite to each other on said contact sleeve (10);

wherein each contact spring plate (18) has a radially protruding portion (20) forming an electrical contact area (22);

wherein the convex portions (20) of a pair of contact spring pieces (18) disposed opposite to each other are disposed at the same position in the axial direction of the contact sleeve (10) such that the contact areas (22) of the pair of contact spring pieces are located on a straight line (24) perpendicularly intersecting the central longitudinal axis (14) of the contact sleeve (10);

wherein the raised portions (20) of at least a first pair of contact spring strips (18) are arranged offset in the axial direction of the contact sleeve (10) by a predetermined axial offset length (26) with respect to the raised portions (20) of at least a second pair of contact spring strips (18);

wherein the contact spring plate (18) is formed in the form of a groove (16) of the contact sleeve (10), the grooves (16) being arranged at a distance from one another in the circumferential direction.

2. The contact sleeve according to claim 1, wherein the raised portion (20) projects radially inwardly and/or outwardly from the contact sleeve (10).

3. The contact sleeve (10) according to claim 1 or 2, wherein three pairs of contact spring strips (18) with respective convex portions (20) are formed on the contact sleeve (10), wherein the convex portions (20) of each pair of contact spring strips (18) are arranged in an offset manner in the axial direction with respect to the convex portions (20) of all other pairs of contact spring strips (18).

4. The contact sleeve (10) according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the contact spring strips (18) are connected to the contact sleeve (10) at both axial ends in an interlocking manner.

5. The contact sleeve (10) according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the raised portion (20) is arcuate.

6. The contact sleeve (10) according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein an axial offset length (26) between the convex portions (20) of axially adjacent pairs of contact spring tabs (18) is 0.1mm to 0.3 mm.

7. The contact sleeve (10) according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein an axial offset length (26) between the convex portions (20) of axially adjacent pairs of contact spring tabs (18) is 0.2 mm.

8. The contact sleeve (10) according to one of the preceding claims, wherein n pairs of contact spring strips (18) are formed on the contact sleeve (10), n ≧ 2.

9. The contact sleeve (10) according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the contact spring tabs (18) are at a distance from each other in the circumferential direction at an angle of 360 °/(2 x n), n ≧ 2.

Technical Field

The invention relates to a contact sleeve, in particular to a hollow cylindrical contact sleeve. For example, a contact sleeve that may be used in an electrical plug connector.

Background

A connector, in particular a coaxial connector, for releasably connecting a coaxial cable. The coaxial connector has a coaxial design like a coaxial cable, so that the coaxial connector has the advantages of a coaxial cable, in particular low electromagnetic influence and radiation, as well as good electrical shielding and impedance corresponding to the connected coaxial cable, in order to avoid reflection phenomena at the transition point between the coaxial connector and the coaxial cable. In this context, a coaxial cable (also referred to as coax cable) is understood to be a concentrically designed bipolar cable having an inner conductor (also referred to as core) which is surrounded by a hollow cylindrical outer conductor at a constant distance. The outer conductor shields the inner conductor from electromagnetic interference radiation. An insulator or dielectric is disposed in the intermediate space between the inner conductor and the outer conductor.

The coaxial connector is designed to provide a predetermined characteristic impedance, e.g., 50 Ω, to ensure reflection-free transmission of Radio Frequency (RF-Radio Frequency) signals. The characteristic impedance of a coaxial connector depends inter alia on the ratio of the inner diameter of the outer conductor to the diameter of the inner conductor. Thus, electrical connection of a coaxial cable to a coaxial connector requires a coaxial connector that matches the respective inner and outer diameters of the coaxial cable.

Disclosure of Invention

It is an object of some embodiments of the invention to provide an improved contact sleeve which improves manual handling during connection to a mating connector.

To this end, for a contact sleeve of the type described above, some embodiments of the invention provide that the convex portions of at least a first pair of contact spring strips are arranged offset in the axial direction of the contact sleeve by a predetermined axial offset length with respect to the convex portions of at least a second pair of contact spring strips.

This has the advantage that when the contact sleeve is inserted into the mating plug in the axial direction, the raised portions are only in mechanical and electrical contact with the mating plug one after the other, thereby reducing the insertion force.

In some embodiments, the projecting portion projects radially inwardly and/or outwardly of the contact sleeve or beyond the housing wall in order to make a corresponding electrical and mechanical contact with the mating plug radially on the inside or outside relative to the contact sleeve.

In some embodiments, a particularly advantageous reduction of the insertion force is achieved when three pairs of contact spring strips with corresponding convex portions are formed on the contact sleeve, wherein the convex portions of each pair of contact spring strips are arranged in an offset manner in the axial direction with respect to all other pairs of convex portions when a large number of electrical contact regions are present at the same time.

In some embodiments, the contact sleeve or the recesses in the housing wall of the contact sleeve form contact spring tongues, which are arranged at a distance from one another in the circumferential direction, thus achieving a particularly simple production of the contact sleeve.

In some embodiments, the axial ends of the contact spring strips are connected to the contact sleeve or to the housing wall of the contact sleeve in an interlocking manner, so that the contact spring strips are particularly stable and mechanically resistant, while at the same time having a strong spring force for achieving a good electrical contact with a strong contact force.

In some embodiments, the convex portion is arched, so that a contact area with low horizontal mechanical stress during compression of the contact spring plate is achieved.

In some embodiments, the axial offset length between the convex portions of different or axially adjacent pairs of contact spring blades is 0.1mm to 0.3mm, in particular 0.2mm, or a multiple thereof. This achieves a particularly advantageous grading (grading) of the mating force when the contact sleeve is inserted into the mating plug.

In some embodiments, the contact sleeve is formed with n (where n ≧ 2) pairs of contact spring tabs. In some embodiments, the contact spring blades are at a distance from each other in the circumferential direction at an angle of 360 °/(2 × n). This achieves a symmetrical arrangement of the contact spring plate on the contact sleeve.

Drawings

The invention will be described in more detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 shows a side view of a preferred embodiment of a contact sleeve according to the present invention;

FIG. 2 illustrates a perspective view of a contact sleeve according to the preferred embodiment of the present invention shown in FIG. 1;

fig. 3 shows a side view of the contact sleeve according to the preferred embodiment of the invention shown in fig. 1 before insertion into a mating connector;

fig. 4 shows a side view of a first partially inserted state of the contact sleeve according to the preferred embodiment of the invention shown in fig. 1 during insertion into a mating connector;

fig. 5 shows a side view of a second partially inserted state of the contact sleeve according to the preferred embodiment of the invention shown in fig. 1 during insertion into a mating connector;

fig. 6 shows a side view of the contact sleeve according to the preferred embodiment of the invention shown in fig. 1 in a fully inserted state during insertion into a mating connector.

Detailed Description

The preferred embodiment of the contact sleeve 10 according to the invention shown in fig. 1 and 2 is designed in the form of a hollow cylinder with a housing wall 12 and a central longitudinal axis 14. Three pairs of contact spring tabs 18 are formed by the recesses 16 at uniform distances from one another in the circumferential direction, wherein the two contact spring tabs 18 of each pair are arranged diametrically opposite one another on the housing wall 12. Each contact spring tab 18 extends in an axial direction substantially parallel to the central longitudinal axis 14. The respective axial ends of each contact spring piece 18 are formed to interlock with the housing wall 12 of the contact sleeve 10.

Each contact spring piece 18 has an arcuate radially convex portion 20. In the exemplary embodiment shown, the raised portion extends radially outward to contact the wall 12 of the sleeve 10. Each radial projection forms at its highest point (indicated by a dashed line) a contact area 22 designed to make electrical and mechanical contact with a mating connector. In the illustrated exemplary embodiment, the contact region 22 is rectangular in shape and extends substantially at right angles to the central longitudinal axis 14. The convex portions of the pair of diametrically opposed contact spring tabs 18 lie on a line 24, the line 24 intersecting the central longitudinal axis 14 at right angles.

According to the invention, the convex portions 20 or contact areas 22 of different pairs of contact spring strips 18 are spaced apart from one another or offset in the axial direction by a predetermined axial offset length 26 with respect to the contact sleeve 10. In the present example according to fig. 1 and 2, three pairs of contact spring tabs 18 are provided on the contact sleeve 10, and the respective contact regions 22 are axially separated from one another by an axial offset length 26. The axial offset length 26 extends substantially parallel to the central longitudinal axis 14.

In the exemplary embodiment shown, the contact sleeve 10 is stamped and bent to form and thus has an engagement groove 28. Furthermore, the contact sleeve 10 is made of an electrically conductive spring-elastic material, so that the contact spring plate 18 can be deflected in an elastically resilient manner. As shown in fig. 3 to 6, during the insertion of the contact sleeve 10, the contact regions 22 of the projecting portions 20 come into contact with the inner surface 30 (fig. 3) of the mating connector 32 (fig. 3) in such a way that the contact spring strips 18 of the portion which accordingly forms the projecting portions 20 are deflected radially inwards in a spring-elastic manner. The resulting spring-back force of the contact spring 18 generates a contact force which presses the contact region 2 against the inner side 30 of the mating connector 32, so that an electrical contact is established between the contact spring 18 and the inner side 30 of the mating connector 32 by means of the contact force and the contact region 22. The corresponding contact pressure is then derived from the quotient of the contact force and the contact area 22.

The contact spring tabs 18 are thus deflected radially inward when the contact sleeve 10 is inserted into the mating connector 32, which results in the correspondingly required insertion force having to be overcome when inserting the contact sleeve 10 into the mating connector 32. According to the invention, this required insertion force is reduced, since the raised portions 20 are arranged in an axially offset manner with respect to each other.

The insertion process will be described below with reference to fig. 3 to 6. Fig. 3 shows a contact sleeve 10 and a corresponding mating connector 32 according to the invention immediately before the plug-in connection. The contact sleeve 10 and the mating connector 32 are oriented in alignment with their respective longitudinal axes and are moved towards each other in the direction of arrow 36 for insertion purposes.

Fig. 4 shows a first mechanical contact between the contact sleeve 10 and the mating connector 32. In this case, the convex portions 20 of the first pair of contact spring strips 18 are in contact with the inner surface 30 of the mating connector 32, as indicated by the arrow 34, wherein at the same time the convex portions 20 of the other two pairs of contact spring strips 18 are still axially spaced from the inner surface 30 of the mating connector 32, so that they are not yet in mechanical contact with the mating connector 32. Therefore, only the contact spring pieces 18 of the first pair of contact spring pieces 18 need to be radially deflected inward during insertion, which requires less force than the force required for all the contact spring pieces 18 of the pair of contact spring pieces 18 to be radially deflected inward at the same time.

In fig. 5, the contact spring strips 18 of the first pair of contact spring strips 18 have been fully deflected radially inwardly, and the raised portions 20 of the second pair of contact spring strips 18 are in mechanical contact with the inner surface 30 of the mating insertion connector 32, as indicated by arrows 38. Thus, only the contact spring strips 18 of the second pair of contact spring strips 18 need to be radially offset inwards when the contact sleeve 10 is further inserted into the mating connector 32. At the same time, the remaining raised portions 20 of the third pair of contact spring tabs 18 remain axially spaced from the inner surface 30 of the mating connector 32, and therefore they have not yet come into mechanical contact with the mating connector 32. The contact spring pieces 18 of the first pair of contact spring pieces 18 bring about the insertion force only due to the frictional resistance, so that, overall, at this stage of the insertion connecting operation, the insertion force is still smaller than the force required for the contact spring pieces 18 of all the pairs of contact spring pieces 18 to be simultaneously radially offset inward.

In fig. 6, the contact spring strips 18 of the second pair of contact spring strips 18 have now also been fully deflected radially inwardly, and the convex portions 20 of the third pair of contact spring strips 18 are now in mechanical contact with the inner surface 30 of the mating plug-in connector 32, as indicated by arrows 40. Like the contact spring strips 18 of the first pair of contact springs 18, the contact spring strips 18 of the second pair of contact spring strips 18 now bring about the insertion force only as a result of frictional resistance. At this stage of the plug-in operation, only the contact spring strips 18 of the third pair of contact spring strips 18 correspondingly need to be offset radially inwards. In addition, in general, the insertion force is still smaller than the force required for the contact spring pieces 18 of all pairs of contact spring pieces 18 to be simultaneously deflected radially inward at this stage of the insertion-connection operation.

Therefore, due to the axially offset arrangement of the convex portions 20 of the plurality of pairs of contact spring pieces 18 over the entire axial insertion path, the insertion force is reduced as compared to the force required for the contact spring pieces 18 of all the pairs of contact spring pieces 18 to be simultaneously offset radially inward.

For example, the predetermined axial offset length 26 is 0.1mm to 0.3 mm. In the exemplary embodiment shown, the axial offset length 26 has a value of 0.2 mm.