Note : Les descriptions sont présentées dans la langue officielle dans laquelle elles ont été soumises.
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A plug part for an optical plug-and socket connection
The invention relates to a plug part for an optical plug-
and-socket connection according to the feature of claim 1.
Modern optical plug parts are today consistently provided
with protective flaps not only to protect the sensitive end-face
side of the plug pin from contamination and from mechanical
effects but also to prevent laser light from exiting in the
pulled-out condition. The protective flaps may with this be
linkedly mounted, and they may according to the constructional
type of the plug part, on inserting into a corresponding socket
part either only be pivoted open or pivoted open and pushed back.
Examples for such plug parts are described in EP-A-823 649 or in
Wo 98/53347.
With a sufficient size of the plug housing the integration
of the bearing section or in any case the guide path does not
cause any problem. In the context of the increasing
miniaturisation of the plug parts it is however relatively
difficult with a plastic housing to arrange mechanically stable
bearing sections and in particular guide paths since one may not
go below certain minimal wall thicknesses for reasons of moulding
technology. Also the removal of the corresponding moulded part
from the mould may be relatively complicated and by way of this
make the production more difficult.
It is therefore the object of the invention to provide a
plug part of the initially mentioned type with which the linked
mounting of the protective flap is simplified, wherein in
particular also with small-format plug parts a mechanically
stable linking function is ensured. At the same time the
manufacture of the plug housing as well as also the assembly of
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the complete plug part is to be simplified. This object according
- to the invention is achieved with a plug part which comprises the
features in claim 1.
The guide element fastened on the plug housing with this in
a simple manner assumes the bearing function for the protective
flap in that it forms the bearing section or however at least a
consituent part of this bearing section. The plug housing itself
may at the same time be designed as simply as possible, and does
not need to comprise any undercuts or link openings which would
be difficult with respect to removal from the mould. If the guide
element forms the complete bearing section the protective flap is
completely linked onto the guide element, independently of the
shape of the plug housing. If the guide element on the other hand
is only a consituent part of the bearing section, for fullfilling
the bearing function always also at least a surface section of
the plug housing is required.
A particularly advantageous mounting of the protective flap
may be achieved when this is pivotably and displaceably mounted
on a guide path in a manner such that it is movable from the
closure position at the end-face side of the plug housing into an
opening position displaced back with respect to the end-face
side, wherein the guide element forms the guide path or is a
consituent part of the guide path. with this not only does the
protective flap carry out a pivoting movement but it is yet also
displaced back along the guide path. The guide path may with this
run in a straight line or also in a curve.
A particularly simple assembly of the plug part may be
achieved when the guide .element is a preferably somewhat U-shaped
bow which is snapped onto the plug housing and at least partly
surrounds this. The guide element is at the same time
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advantageously of steel, in particular formed as a bending part
of steel sheet metal. Such bending parts may be manufactured very
cheaply. Alternatively the guide element may of course also be
manufactured of a suitable plastic material.
A securement of a roughly U-shaped bow on the plug housing
may be reached in that in the two lateral U-limbs there is
arranged in each case at least one relief which cooperates with
at least in each case one material raised part on the outer side
of the plug housing. A displacement of the bow on the plug
housing by way of this is no longer possible.
The plug housing could also consist of at least two separate
housing parts, wherein the two housing parts are held together by
the guide element or by the bow. Apart from the bearing function
the guide element in this case also assumes the function of a
connection element.
With protective flaps which are displaceable in a guide path
the latter may be formed by a surface section of the plug housing
and by a surface section of the guide element. With U-shaped bows
this may be particularly simply realised in that the U-limbs are
bent at the free ends. The bends at the same time form a surface
section for the guide path.
The protective flaps may be mounted in differing manners on
the guide element. Particularly advantageously they comprise a
pair of link cams whose free ends point away from one another and
which engage into the bearing section. It would however also be
conceivable to arrange the joint cams on the guide element,
wherein these engage into corresponding link sockets on the
protective flap.
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The protective flap may comprise at least one lateral
control cam which for pivoting into the opening position
cooperates with a socket part. Also here a kinematic reversal
would be conceivable in that a control cam is provided on the
socket part which engages into a cooresponding guide or control
path on the protective flap.
In order to achieve a certain lever effect the control cam
must be arranged at a distance to the pivoting axis of the
protective flap or to the link cams. In such a case it is
advantageous when the control cam is pivotable into the plane of
the guide path and together with the link cams may be moved in
the guide path. With a U-shaped bow with bends, the bend has at
least one relief for introducing the control cam into the guide
path.
So that the protective flap in the uninserted position
remains constantly closed it is advantageously biased with a
helical compression spring into the closure position. This spring
is supported on the plug housing. For the protection of the
helical compression spring and for a better cooperation with the
protective flap there may be provided a plunger which at least
partly surrounds the helical compression spring, and which is
displaceably mounted on the plug housing. The plunger with this
bears on a lever arm which contacts the end-face side of the
plunger in each position of the protective flap.
Preferably also the plug pin is held axially displaceable in
the plug housing against the force of a spring, wherein the
spring is directly or indirectly supported on a housing part on
the cable side and the plug pin directly or indirectly on a
housing part on the plug end-face-side.
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Further variants of the plug part according to the invention
- with respect to the mounting and control of the protective flap,
design of the plug housing or formation of the guide element are
conceivable without further ado. According to the purpose of
application the guide element also fullfills yet a mechanical
protective function, in particular against bending and torsion
which may be taken into account by way of a suitable choice of
material. Finally it would yet be also conceivable to use the
guide element for a mechanical coding of plug parts. With this
various types of guide elements would have to be formed such that
in each case only plug parts with the same type of guide elements
may be inserted into a certain socket part.
Embodiment examples of the invention are shown in the
drawings and are hereinafter described in more detail. There are
shown:
Figure 1 a lateral view of a plug part with the features of the
invention,
Figure 2 a plan view of the plug part according to Figure 1,
Figure 3 a view of the end-face side of the plug part according
to Figure 1,
Figure 4 a longitudinal section through the plug part according
to Figure 1 in a somewhat enlarged
representation,
Figure 5 a cross section through the plane z-z on the plug part
according to Figure 4,
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Figure 6 a detailed enlargement from the cross section according
to Figure 5,
Figure 7 a perspective representation of the plug part according
to Figure 1,
Figure 8 the plug part according to Figure 7 with an opened
protective flap,
Figure 9 an exploded drawing of the plug part according to
Figure 1,
Figure 10 a plug part on insertion into a socket part,
Figure li the plug part according to Figure 10 on reaching the
final insert position,
Figure 12 a perspective representation of an alternative
embodiment example,
Figure 13 the plug part according to Figure 12 with an opened
protective flap,
Figure 14 a perspective representation of a further alternative
embodiment example,
Figure 15 an exploded drawing of the plug outer parts of the plug
part according to Figure 14,
Figure 16 an exploded drawing of the plug inner parts according
to Figure 14 in an enlarged representation,
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Figure 17 a longitudinal section through the plug part according
to Figure 14 in an enlarged representation,
Figure 18 a section through the plane II-II on the plug part
according to Figure 17, and
Figures 19
to 22 various relative positions of the protective flap on
inserting the plug part according to Figure 14 into a
socket part, in each case in a lateral view and a
lateral cross section.
As is shown in the Figures 1 to 4, the plug part 1 consists
essentially of a plug housing 2 which is divided into a plug end-
face-side housing part 4 and a cable-side housing part 5. The
plug housing with this contains a plug pin 3 which is resiliently
mounted in the direction of the longitudinal middle axis 34. Of
course it would however also be conceivable for several plug pins
to be held in the same plug housing.
The plug pin 3 is fixed in a pin mounting 29 which on the
opposite side accommodates the optic cable. This however for
reasons of a better overview is not shown here. A flexible cable
bend protection 28 in the known manner limits the permitted
bending radius of the cable. On the pin mounting 29 there is
mounted a helical compression spring 11 which on the one side is
supported on the cable-side housing part and on the other side on
the polygonally formed head end 35 of the pin mounting. This head
end in the uninserted position is pressed against a corresponding
opening in the plug end-face-side housing part and at the same
time is positioned with respect to angle. In the inserted
condition the head end on the other hand is decoupled from the
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plug end-face-side housing part 4 and pressed back against the
- force of the spring 11.
Both housing parts 4 and 5 are held together with the help
of a guide element 6 which according to the Figures 5 and 9 is
formed roughly U-shaped. In both U-limbs with this in each case
there is arranged one rectangular relief 7. This at the same time
in each case engages over a corresponding raised part 8 on the
two lateral walls of the plug end-face-side housing part 4 and in
each case a corresponding raised part 9 on the two lateral walls
of the cable side housing part 5 respectively. The bow 6 in the
arrow direction a may be snapped from below onto the housing part
4. In contrast the snapping on movement onto the cable side
housing part 5 in the arrow direction b is effected parallel to
the longitudinal middle axis 34.
The two housing parts 4 and 5are designed such that the
contact surfaces bearing on one another simultaneously form a
securement against rotation. Thus the housing part 4 is provided
with a securement lug 12 which tapers in a wedge manner, engages
into a corresponding recess 13 on the housing part 15 and here
lightly wedges. The slight wedging effects a connection,
completely free of play, between the housing parts. On the
housing part 5 furthermore there are arranged stabilising cams 31
on which the bow 6 is additionally supported.
The plug end-face-side in the uninserted condition is
constantly closed with a protective flap 14. This has at its
disposal a link fork 18 with link cams 17 laterally arranged
thereon and pointing away from one another. These link cams are
pivotably and displaceably mounted in the guide path 15. The
protective flap 14 with this, in the condition of being pivoted
open by roughly 90?, may be displaced back on the upper side of
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the plug housing so that it in the socket part takes up less
space and does not hinder the insert procedure. The complete
opening position is shown in Figure 8 which however under normal
conditions may only be achieved in the corresponding socket part.
The guide path 15 is on the one hand formed by in each case
one surface section on the housing part 4 and by the underside of
a bending 23 of the bow 6 (Fig. 6). Each U-limb 22 is with this
bent so far that it sufficiently engages over the link cams 17.
By way of a longitudinal rib 36 on the housing part 4 the link
fork 18 is additionally stabilised.
The protective flap 14 is biased by way of a helical
compression spring 25 into the closure position. This spring is
seated on a spring spike 32 on the housing part 4. The impinging
of the protective flap is effected indirectly via a plunger 26
which partly surrounds the helical compression spring. This
plunger is likewise formed as a bending part of metal, wherein
four parallel bent lateral walls form a parallelpiped spring
housing. The end-face of the plunger in each position of the
protective flap contacts a lever arm 19 which projects beyond the
plane of the link cams 17.
The control of the protective flap 14 on inserting into a
socket part 16 (Figures 10 and 11) is effected on a control
tongue 24 which is folded back on the outer edge of the socket
opening. The socket part 16 contains the actual socket 33 which
accommodates the plug pin in an exactly fitting manner. In the
position of being pivoted open once the protective flap 14
remains stationary relative to the socket part 16, whilst the
plug part 16 is further inserted in the arrow direction c. The
locking of the plug part 1 in the socket part 16 is effected with
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the help of a locking element 27 in a way and manner which is not
described here in more detail.
The alternative embodiment example shown in Figure 12 and 13
corresponds with respect to its construction and function
essentially to the above described plug part. The material raised
parts 8 and 9 however do not abut on one another but are arranged
at a distance. Accordingly there are also provided two separate
reliefs 7a, 7b in the bow 6. The middle web 37 remaining
therebetween covers the abuting connection between the housing
part 4 on the plug end-face-side and the housing part 5 on the
cable side.
Somewhat modified is also the protective flap 14. Instead of
a central control tongue there are two control cams 38 arranged
laterally from the lever arm 18. These in a similar manner
cooperate with the entry opening on the socket part in order to
be moved from the closure position into the opening position.
By way of a connection chamber which is not shown here on a
neck section 30 two individual plugs may be combined to a duplex
plug.
With the alternative embodiment example according to the
Figures 14 to 22 as far as is possible, the same reference
numerals are used for the same or similar parts, as with the
previous embodiment examples. The main difference with respect to
the two preceding embodiment examples here lies in the fact that
the plug housing 2 has a somewhat different configuration, and
that with this the guide element does not additionally assume the
function of holding together two housing halves.
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According to Figure 14 the plug part in the external
- appearance hardly differs from the plug part shown in Figure 12.
The U-shaped bow 6 serving as a guide element however exclusively
serves the formation of a constituent part of the guide path 15
for the protective flap 14.
From Figure 15 it is evident that the plug housing 2 almost
exclusively consists of an end-face side housing part 4 which on
the two longitudial sides is in each case provided with a single
material raised part 8. On the cable-side end of this housing
part there are arranged lateral slots 43 which serve the
anchoring of the cable-side housing part. The protective flap 14
is shown with a view of the outer side and inner side. The
control cams 38 are not formed completely sy~nnetrically. The
control cam 38a is somewhat wider than the control cam 38b. The
reason for this lies in the fact that the control cam 38 likewise
immerses below the corresponding bend 23 as with the link cams
17.
The U-shaped bow 6 in the two limbs 22 is provided with a
relief 7 into which the material raised part 8 on the plug
housing fits with a positive fit. In the bends 23 on each side
and specifically displaced to one another there is provided a
relief 39a, 39b. This relief permits the immersing of the control
cam 38a into the guide path 15. The displaced arrangement has the
advantage that it plays not role in which lateral position the
bow is snapped on. On the other hand the protective flap 14 in
the region of a relief may however not fall out of the guide path
since at least one of the link cams 17 is always guided under a
bend 23.
The biasing of the protective flap 14 into the closure
position is achieved in a similar manner to that of the previous
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embodiment examples, specifically via a helical compression
spring 25 and via a plunger 26. Also the locking element 27 which
can be snapped on is similarly formed, and fullfills an identical
function.
According to Figure 17 all inner plug parts are grouped
together to a cable terminal unit 41 which may be easily
manufactured. For this purpose the pin mounting 29 with the plug
pin 3 is mounted in a sleeve 40 in a rotationally fixed and
axially displaceable maner, and specifically in a manner such
that the head end 35 with the truncated pyramid projects from the
sleeve. The sleeve 40 with the inclusion of the helical
compression spring 11 may be snapped onto the cable-side housing
part 5. The latter merely has the object of closing the plug end-
face-side housing part 5, which practically makes up the whole
plug housing, on the cable side. On the sleeve 40 on one side
distributed on circumference there are arranged several latching
tongues 42 of which in each case two diametrically opposite ones
latch into the lateral slots 43 on the housing part 4.
Figure 17 shows the plug part in the finished assembled
condition with a closed protective flap 14. The latching of the
two housing parts 4 and 5 by way of the latching tongues 42 and
the slots 43 is shown in Figure 18. From this Figure it is also
clearly visible that the depth of the material raised parts 8
correspond to the material thickness of the U-shaped bow 6.
Figure 19 shows the situation of a plug part 1 directly
before insertion into a corresponding socket part 16. This socket
part on the entry opening is provided with lateral control ribs
44 which cooperate with the control cams 38. Since the control
cams are arranged at a distance to the link cams 17 on insertion
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of the plug part there is effected a lever effect which firstly
effects a purely pivoting movement of the protective flap 14.
Figure 20 shows an opening angle of the protective flap of
approx. 40° with a plug part already slightly inserted into the
socket part and with a still covered end-face side of the plug
pin. According to Figure 21 the pivoting movement of in total
approx. 90° has been almost completely carried out and the plug
pin already penetrates into the socket 33. The control cams 38a
with this immerses through the recess 39a into the plane of the
guide path 15 and below the corresponding bend 23. The link cams
17 have not yet displaced relative to the plug housing.
Only with the further insertion procedure up to reaching the
final end position is the protective flap 14 displaced back
relative to the housing end-face side, as can be seen from Figure
22. Since also the control cams 38a are held below the bend 23
the protective flap 14 under the effect of the closure spring in
this position may not excecute a closure movement.
Of course the plug part does not need to have the
configuration shown in the embodiment examples. Instead of a
parallel piped outer contour also a cylindrical outer contour
would be conceivable. Also the configuration and function of the
protective flap 14 could be modified whithout at the same time
departing from the subject-matter of the invention.
