EP2190076A1 - Electric plug connector - Google Patents

Abstract

The connection box (2) has a flat contact body with two insertion holes (28a,28b), which are mounted on a contact element for a plug-in engagement with a female connecter, where the insertion holes are formed on two opposite recesses (29) of the contact body. The recesses are attached to a guiding unit (30) for guiding the female connecter. An independent claim is included for a female connector for insertion into an insertion hole of a connection box.

Description

The invention relates to an electrical connector, in particular a photovoltaic connector.

The invention therefore relates to a connector according to the preamble of claim 1.

Generic connectors, especially photovoltaic connectors are used in the field of photovoltaic systems for some time as a proven connection technology.

These are generally single-pole connectors, with which the electricity of solar modules can be dissipated and forwarded, or with the help of solar modules can be connected together.

For safety reasons, generic plugs and sockets of such plug connectors have latching means which form latching tongues arranged in pairs and which can be connected to counter-latching means of the mating plug.

For example, is from the DE 20 2007 017 521 a connector for photovoltaic connection cables known with a plug having a handle body, which oriented in the insertion direction, at least one latching means and a contact carrier and with a socket whose handle body forms a contact carrier receptacle and a locking means corresponding counter-locking means, which together with the locking means secures the plug in the socket in the plugged state, wherein the contact carrier and the contact carrier receptacle form mutually corresponding positioning means which allow insertion of the plug into the socket only in the counter-locking means facing locking means.

These plugs or plugs and sockets therefore have positioning means to ensure during assembly that during insertion of the plug exclusively with oriented in the direction of the locking tunnel locking tongues can be inserted into the beech.

Increasingly, however, there is a need not only to securely connect photovoltaic modules with each other, but also to design photovoltaic roof tiles pluggable.

For this purpose, an electrical connector is needed so that a space-saving design does not hinder the installation of bricks. In this respect, a flat electrical connector is necessary, but which must have sufficient Isolierstoffdichte.

Further technical difficulties in single-pin connector systems is usually the fact that the connectors have a typical circular connector relatively large dimensions.

It is therefore necessary to provide a connector that is generally flat mounting mountable, but at the same time has sufficient sealing properties, so that the connector is sealed against weather and environmental influences.

The sealing against weather and environmental influences must be done on the one hand in the field of plug geometry, on the other hand, but also with respect to the connectable photovoltaic cable.

Another claim which is made in particular by specifications of the plug-in standardization to the manufacturer of connector systems, the secure locking or secure setting of the connector. It must therefore be ensured that the plug connector in its inserted position can not be inadvertently released from this.

The material combinations that are ideal for sealing purposes place certain requirements but also limits on the material selection. Thus, for the seal preferably elastic plastics are used in a preferred embodiment rubber materials, which additionally withstands UV exposure and other environmental stresses

A disadvantage of rubber materials, however, is the lack of mechanical strength to securely lock connectors together.

The object of the present invention is therefore to provide an electrical connector for photovoltaic applications, in particular for photovoltaic roof tiles.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a connector system such that a part of the connector, preferably the junction box is already electrically connectable to the generator, that is to say the photovoltaic roof tile and the photovoltaic bricks are to bring into electrical contact with each other.

The connector system therefore requires a technical solution that makes it possible to interconnect roof tiles together. Since in each case a roof tile must come into electrical contact with their adjacent roof tiles, it is therefore necessary, depending on the installation and interconnection, to bring each three bricks together electrically pluggable connection.

Object of the present invention is therefore to make an electrical connector system such that not only one tile with the next is connectable, but a tile can be brought by means of the same electrical connector with two other tiles in electrical contact.

Another requirement for an electrical connector system of the aforementioned type is that the junction box on the photovoltaic brick must be the shape that it must be electrically contacted with the contacts of the generator unit of the brick, if possible in a simpler and cheaper, ie in such a way in that this is possible by machine welding.

This object is achieved with a connector according to claim 1.

Further preferred embodiments of the invention can be found in the subclaims.

The object of the present invention is achieved by means of a photovoltaic connector, comprising a junction box for two female connectors, which is designed to be flat so that the contact elements of the junction box by means of integrated connecting elements with the generator unit of a photovoltaic brick in a direct connection technology (without a cable connection) are connectable.

This object is achieved by a connector comprising a junction box comprising a substantially flat contact body, wherein the contact body has two insertion openings, each with a mounted in the insertion contact element for pluggable engagement with a respective female connector.

In a preferred embodiment of the invention, the female connectors are made in two parts of a socket-side contact body and a coded plug-in adapter, which is rotatably fixed to the contact body and is coded so that it can only be inserted into one of the two insertion openings of the junction box.

In an advantageous embodiment, the rotatable plug-in adapter can be additionally equipped with coding elements to ensure that the correct contact body is connected to the correct plug-in adapter to ensure a total of a correct and secure plug connection with the junction box.

• Fig. 1 ein Teil des erfindungsgemäßen Steckverbinders, die Anschlussdose für zwei Buchsensteckverbinder;
• Fig. 2 ein Buchsensteckverbinder geeignet zum Einstecken in eine der Einstecköffnungen aus Fig. 1;
• Fig. 3 eine teilmontierte Position eines Buchsensteckverbinders bestehend aus einem Kontaktkörper und einem Steckadapter;
• Fig. 4 eine weitere Ansicht einer vormontierten Position eines Buchsensteckverbinders;
• Fig. 5 eine demontierte Ansicht des Buchsensteckverbinders gemäß Fig. 2 bis Fig. 4:
• Fig. 6 eine weitere Ansicht eines demontierten Buchsensteckverbinders;
• Fig. 7 eine perspektivische Ansicht eines Ausführungsbeispiels eines Steckverbinders bestehend aus einer Anschlussdose und zwei Buchsensteckverblndem;
• Fig. 8 zeigt einen erfindungsgemäßen Steckverbinder, bestehend aus Anschlussdose mit zwei in die Anschlussdose gesteckten Buchsensteckverbindem;
• Fig. 9 zeigt eine erfindungsgemäße Anschlussdose von der Unterseite in perspektivischer Ansicht.

Further advantages of the invention will become apparent from the description, as well as the attached Anführungsbeispiel, and with reference to the drawings. Show it:

• Fig. 1 a part of the connector according to the invention, the junction box for two female connectors;
• Fig. 2 a female connector suitable for insertion into one of the insertion Fig. 1 ;
• Fig. 3 a partially mounted position of a female connector consisting of a contact body and a plug adapter;
• Fig. 4 another view of a preassembled position of a female connector;
• Fig. 5 a disassembled view of the female connector according to Fig. 2 to Fig. 4 :
• Fig. 6 another view of a dismantled female connector;
• Fig. 7 a perspective view of an embodiment of a connector consisting of a junction box and two female Steckverblndem;
• Fig. 8 shows a connector according to the invention, consisting of junction box with two plugged into the junction box socket connector;
• Fig. 9 shows a junction box according to the invention from the bottom in a perspective view.

The in Fig. 1 shown part of the photovoltaic connector 1 shows the junction box 2 or more generally a contact body 33, designed as a junction box.

The junction box 2 is a substantially flat junction box with a height of about 5 mm to 10 mm, suitable for receiving two female connectors 6, as in Fig. 2 to Fig. 6 are shown.

The length and width of the junction box 2 is many times greater than the height of about 3 to 10 times.

In the following, the junction box 2 with its structural and functional features will first be described in more detail.

The junction box 2 has a junction box top 20 and a junction box bottom 27. The junction box 2 is a substantially flat, almost parallelepiped Kontaktköper 33, which has a molded in the junction box bottom recess 21 in its central part.

In an advantageous embodiment, the recess 21 is formed as a step-shaped recess, wherein two diametrically opposite step portions are formed as steps with grooves 22. The grooves 22 extend through the contact body 33 and thus form openings which are formed to the opposite junction box top.

In an advantageous embodiment, the grooves 22 are formed as elongated slots in the contact body 33 in the region of the recess 21. The grooves 22 serve to receive terminal ends of a metallic contact holding element 4, which will be described in more detail in a later section.

The contact body 33 has in the region of the recess 21 further via fastening means 23, preferably lateral fastening means 23, for the contact elements 4. The fastening means 23 are integrally formed with the contact body 33 in an advantageous embodiment of the invention. At the attachment means 23 are for each contact holding element 4 fastening means-side locking means 24. In accordance with Fig. 1 Shown embodiment, the locking means 24 further comprise a stop surface 25 for the contact elements 4, and a ramp 26 to detent spring 43 of the contact holding elements 4 to move it sliding and deflecting during assembly of the contact elements 4 in the contact body. 2

The insertion side openings 28a, 28b lie in the region of the plug-side recesses 29, which can accommodate parts of the contour of the female connector 6.

The plug-side recesses 29 form a total of openings in the contact body 33 of the junction box 2. In an advantageous embodiment of the invention, the contact body 33 in the region of the recess 29 codes 78, optionally in the junction box top 20 and / or in the junction box bottom 27, and lateral guide means 30, preferably junction box upper side and junction box underside guide means 30, for inserting the female connector 6 in the junction box. 2

The junction box 2 further has contact carrier-side locking means 31, preferably via a plurality of such locking means for fixing and locking with counter-locking means of the female connector 6, preferably with latching hooks 73 of the female connector. 6

The contact carrier-side locking means 31 are preferably arranged in apertures 32 of the contact carrier 2 in the region of the plug-side recesses 29, that they can come into operative connection with the female connector or the latching means 72 during insertion.

As in Fig. 1 and Fig. 7 shown closer, two contact holding elements 4 are introduced into the recess 21 in the present invention in the connector 21 in the present embodiment.

The contact holding elements 4 can be brought into electrical contact with one another by means of an electrical connection element 5. The connection element 5 can be a power converter element, such as a diode. In this way it can be ensured that when contacting and connecting a photovoltaic brick with two adjacent photovoltaic bricks of the current and thus the energy transport takes place only in one direction. The contact elements 4 are metallic contact elements for connection to the contacts, preferably the pin contacts 3 of the connector.

The task of the contact holding elements 4 is, on the one hand, an electrical connection with the contacts on the photovoltaic bricks, that is to say the contact pads of the bricks, and on the other hand secure the two pin contacts 3 securely in the contact body 33. Therefore, the contact element 4 has holding portions 40 and fixing portions 41. The holding portion 40 serves to hold the contact elements 3, while the fixing portion 41 serves to secure the contact holding member 4 to the contact carrier 33.

On the mounting portions 41 are also connection ends 42 for electrically connecting the contact holding elements 4 and thus the contact elements 3 with the generator unit of the photovoltaic brick or with the Kontaktfeldem the photovoltaic bricks. These are preferably electrically welded through the contact, thus through the grooves 22, which are formed as openings in the contact carrier 33, by means of lasers to the contact pads of the photovoltaic bricks.

The holding sections 40 furthermore have detent springs 43, which are frictionally supported on the detent means 24 or the stop face 25 of the detent means 24 on the contact body 33 as soon as the contact holding elements 4 are correctly inserted into the contact carrier 33.

It is insofar possible to use a contact element 4 along the groove 22 in the recess 21 and to move in the insertion direction such that the detent springs 43 are deflected at the ramps 26 of the locking means 24 and after reaching the Fold back mounting position to its original position and thereby, as in Fig. 1 shown in the right area, supported on the stop surface 25 of the locking means or the locking means 24.

In the embodiment according to the invention, the contact elements 3 do not protrude from the insertion openings 28a, 28b, but are located completely within the latter, so that contact protection against unintentional contact with live parts is ensured.

In the Fig. 2 to 6 an embodiment of a female connector 6 is shown in each case. The female connector 6 is composed of a contact body 60 and a plug-in adapter 61, preferably a coded plug-in adapter 61, which is rotatable and insertable on the contact body 60 can be fixed.

The contact body 60 is preferably made of an elastic plastic.
In a preferred embodiment, the contact body 60 is made of UV resistant rubber.

The plug-in adapter 61 is made of a, compared to the elastic plastic, firmer, almost massive plastic. This serves to ensure that the stability of the connector and thus the holding function is generated by the less elastic plug adapter 61, while the sealing function, ie the sealing properties against environmental and moisture influences are generated by the elastic rubber contact body 60.

The contact body 60 has a cylindrical socket contact holder 62, in which a cylindrical socket contact 75 is introduced. The socket contact 75 is connectable to a line 76. The diameter of the line 76 is to be tuned to the opening of the cable grommet 68, which is located on the contact body 60. The cable grommet 68 encloses sealingly the cable 76. On the opposite (plug side) side of the contact body 60 is located between the cylindrical socket contact holder 62 and the actual contact body 60 an adapter connector portion 65, suitable for connection to the plug adapter 61st

The adapter connecting portion 65 comprises coding elements 66 in an advantageous manner as laterally mounted web-like locking elements for engagement in the junction box 2. By means of the coding elements 79, which is advantageously designed as a step on the plug adapter 61, ensures that only the respective correct plug adapter 61 with the respective correct Plug-in opening 28a, 28b is connected.

In an advantageous embodiment of the invention, a color coding of one of the two counterparts, that is to say the plug-in adapter 61 or the contact body 60, can also be attached. To assemble the contact body 60, it is guided with the cylindrical socket contact holder 62 through the bushing contact holder-side bushing 74 until the adapter connection section 65 rests against the plug adapter 61 and engagement means 70 of the plug adapter 61 are fixed by turning the plug adapter 61 with an engagement groove 69 of the contact body 60 in the region of the adapter connection section 65 can be. In this case, as already explained above, the plug-in adapter 61 can only be brought into the desired rotational / locking position when the counter-coding means 67 with the coding means 66 of the contact body 60 match one another.

The plug-in adapter 61 may advantageously have a cylindrical pressing portion 80, which is dimensioned such that the cylindrical socket contact holder 62 undergoes pressure in the assembled state by the latter,

As continue in the Fig. 2 to Fig. 6 shown, the female connector 6 has at its plug adapter 61 via laterally mounted locking means 72 with the locking means 72 mounted latching hooks 73 for fixing with the aforementioned contact carrier-side locking means 31 in the openings 32. When mating the female connector 6 in the designated contact carrier side recess 29 and in its insertion opening 28a, 28b, the locking means 72 can engage with the contact carrier-side locking means 31. This is done at the end of the insertion movement so that it is visually recognizable that the connector pair has been inserted correctly. On the cylindrical socket contact holder 62 are circumferentially outside sealing means 64. The sealing means 64 are preferably formed as a radial Ringdichtelermnte integrally with the socket contact holder 62. These are used for the radial sealing of the plug connection in the region of the insertion openings 28a, 28b of the contact body 33 of the junction box 2.

Once the female connector 6 is fully inserted into the junction box 2, this can be determined only by means of a release tool 77 solve its plug position to disconnect it from the connector. The release tool 77 can engage in the openings 32 of the contact body 33 such that the contact carrier side locking means 31 are rebounded and thereby release the locking means 72 of the plug adapter 61.

LIST OF REFERENCE NUMBERS Electrical connector

1

Photovoltaic connector

2

junction box

3

contact element

4

Contact holding element

5

connecting element

6

socket connector

20

Outlets top

21

recess

22

Grooves (openings)

23

fastener

24

latching means

25

stop surface

26

ramp

27

Outlets bottom

28a, 28b

insertion

29

plug-in recesses

30

guide means

31

contact carrier-side locking means

32

breakthroughs

33

Contact body

40

holding section

41

attachment section

42

terminal ends

43

Rastfedem

60

Contact body

61

plug-in adapter

62

cylindrical socket contact holder

63

plug-in end

64

sealant

65

Adapterverbindeabschnitt

66

Coding

67

Gegencodiermittel

68

grommet

69

engagement

70

engagement means

72

latching means

73

latch hook

74

Suchsenkontakthalterdurchführung

75

female contact

76

management

77

release tool

78

encodings

79

encodings

80

Anpressabshcnitt

Claims (14)

Connection box (2) comprising a substantially flat contact body (33), wherein the contact body (33) via two insertion openings (28a, 28b) each having a in the insertion (28a, 28b) mounted contact element (3) for pluggable engagement with each a female connector (6). Connection box (2) according to claim 1, characterized in that the two insertion openings (28a, 28b) are formed on two opposite recesses (29) of the contact carrier (33). Junction box (2) according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the contact carrier (33) has a recess (21) in the region between the insertion openings (28a, 28b) and in the recess (21) has two electrically conductive contact holding elements (4). are arranged and they are electrically connected to one contact element (3). Connection box (2) according to claim 3, characterized in that each contact holding element (4) has a holding section (40) for holding the contact element (3) and a fixing section (40) with which each contact holding element (4) on the contact carrier (33 ) is locked. Connection box (2) according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that on the plug-side recesses (29) guide means (30) for guiding a socket plug (6) when plugging into the junction box (2) are mounted. Connection box (2) according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that at least one contact carrier side latching means (31) in contact carrier side openings (32) is arranged on the contact carrier (33) for engagement in latching means (72) of a female connector (6). Connection box (2) according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that each contact holding element (4) has at least one connection end (42) for electrical connection to a connection region of a photovoltaic roof tile, preferably for direct direct contact with a contact of such a roof tile. Connection box (2) according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the connection ends (42) are arranged in the region of openings, preferably grooves (22), which are formed as through openings in the contact carrier (33). Socket connector (6) for insertion into one of the insertion openings (28a, 28b) of the junction box (2) according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the socket connector (6) is constructed in two parts and that of a contact body (60) and one with the Contact body (60) connectable plug-in adapter (61), which has coding means 79. Female connector (6) according to claim 9, characterized in that the contact body (60) made of an elastic plastic, preferably rubber, is formed, while the plug-in adapter (61) is formed of a plastic of higher strength than rubber. Socket connector (6) according to claim 10, characterized in that the plug-in adapter (61) is designed as a plug-in and rotatable plug-in adapter (61) and can be fixed by means of a plug and rotary movement on the contact body (60). Socket connector (6) according to claim 11, characterized in that the contact body (60) via a cylindrical socket contact holder (62) is provided with a female contact in the socket contact (75), at one plug-side end sealing means (64) for sealing the connector are located. Socket connector (6) according to any one of claims 11 or 12, characterized in that the plug adapter (61) has a socket contact holder (74), which is designed for carrying out the cylindrical socket contact holder (62), as well as laterally arranged locking means (72). for latchable insertion with the contact carrier-side locking means (31) of the junction box (2). Connector comprising a junction box (2) according to one of claims 1 to 8, and at least one socket connector (6) according to one of claims 9 to 13.

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