EP4133210A1 - Connection system for establishing a detachable electrically conductive connection, and connectors - Google Patents

Abstract

The invention relates to a connection system (1) for establishing a detachable electrically conductive connection, comprising a female connector (10) and a male connector (20) compatible therewith. The female connector (10) comprises a socket (11) with annular concentric contact openings and contact elements arranged within the contact openings. The male connector comprises a plug (21) with contact elements which can be inserted into the contact openings of the socket (11). Ferromagnetic elements are arranged concentrically around the socket and the plug, the ferromagnetic elements of the male connector and of the female connector having mutual attraction in order to generate a retaining force between the two connectors.

Description

CONNECTION SYSTEM FOR PRODUCING A DETACHABLE ELECTRICALLY CONDUCTIVE CONNECTION AND CONNECTORS

TECHNICAL AREA

The present description relates to a connection system for producing a detachable electrically conductive connection of the type described in the claims, as well as a connector for such a connection system.

TECHNOLOGICAL BACKGROUND

Attaching ceiling lamps and other electrical consumers to a ceiling is a comparatively complex process. On the one hand, an electrical connection must be made and, on the other hand, a mechanical fastening must be provided. With the voltages customary in building electricity networks, making the electrical connection is potentially dangerous and must be carried out by a specialist. The fact that electrical Connection and mechanical suspension take place independently of one another, which makes handling even more difficult since, for example, a lamp can usually only be mechanically attached to the ceiling when the electrical connection has already been established. The lamp is therefore difficult to handle during electrical installation.

In the case of wall sockets, on the other hand, there is no secure attachment of the plug in the socket, so that in the event of a tensile load that exceeds the - undefined - frictional force of the electrical contacts, the plug slides out of the socket. A similar problem arises when connecting two power cables by means of a plug and a coupling.

DE 202017 103605 describes a lighting device with a supply module and a lighting module. The supply module and the lighting module each comprise a plurality of concentrically arranged ferromagnetic elements on their end faces, which are arranged in such a way that the ferromagnetic elements of the supply module and of the lighting module attract one another. In this way, the lighting module can be coupled to the supply module arranged on a wall by means of magnetic attraction. The ferromagnetic elements also serve as contact elements for the transmission of electrical energy and / or data. The contact elements are open both on the supply module and on the lighting module.

US 2013/0303000 describes a connection mechanism in which magnetically actuatable pins establish a connection between two components and secure it mechanically. In addition, both components comprise ferromagnetic elements on their end faces intended to be arranged opposite one another, which mutually attract one another. Concentric ring-shaped contacts are arranged on the end face of one of the components, while the other of the components has a corresponding number of contact pins which form point-like contacts on the end face and with the Contacts of the first component form a connection for electrical signal transmission between the components.

However, exposed contacts are problematic when a supply module is connected to a power source of high power and voltage: While a consumer-side connection is only live when it is connected to a supply-side connection, a voltage-free state of the supply-side connection cannot inherently be guaranteed that touching the contacts of the supply-side connection is potentially dangerous.

REPRESENTATION OF THE SUBJECT MATTER OF THE PRESENT DESCRIPTION

A connection system for producing a releasable electrically conductive connection of the type described at the outset is described. According to one aspect, the disadvantages of the prior art are to be avoided. According to more specific aspects of the subject matter described, it should be possible, if need be, after the initial installation of one of the plug connectors and its one-time connection to the power grid by a specialist, without tools, to establish the electrical connections necessary to operate a consumer. According to a further aspect, the connection system should provide a minimum holding force in the assembled state such that the connection system can also be used for fastening consumers such as ceiling lamps to a ceiling without having to install separate additional fastening elements. Likewise, according to further aspects, the contact elements of at least one of the plug connectors should be protected against contact. According to further aspects, the plug connectors of the connection system should be able to be rotated relative to one another about a common axis and fastened to one another in different circumferential orientations. Further effects and advantages of the objects described here, whether explicitly stated or not, emerge in the light of the present description.

This is achieved by means of the connection system described in claim 1.

Accordingly, a connection system for producing a releasable electrically conductive connection is described, which comprises a female connector and a male connector that is compatible therewith. Each of the plug connectors has an end face, with at least one ferromagnetic element being arranged adjacent to the end face of each of the plug connectors at a defined distance from an axis of the respective plug connector. In particular, all ferromagnetic elements are arranged at the same distance from the axis of the respective connector. A ferromagnetic element is to be understood in particular as a permanent magnet or a magnetizable element that can be attracted by a permanent magnet. A permanent magnet is arranged and oriented in such a way that one of its poles points towards the end face and another of the poles points away from the end face. The distance between the at least one ferromagnetic element and the axis is identical in both connectors. The ferromagnetic elements comprise at least one permanent magnet, and at least one pair of ferromagnetic elements, a first of which is arranged on a first of the connectors and a second is arranged on a second of the connectors, and which are arranged and oriented such that they are in at least a relative circumferential orientation of the plug-in connectors mutually attract each other when the end faces of the plug-in connectors lie against one another and the axes of the plug-in connectors are identical. The circumferential orientation of the connector is to be understood as its relative orientation with relative rotation around the axes of the connector, ie the position of a specific point on the circumference of one connector relative to a specific point on the circumference of the other connector. The female connector comprises a socket and the male connector comprises a plug, the socket comprising at least one contact element and the plug at least one Includes contact element. The contact elements are accessible from the front of the respective connector. The contact elements of the plug extend in particular from a front of the plug. The at least one contact element of the socket is sunk inside the socket and accessible through at least one contact opening of the socket, and each contact element of the plug can be inserted into a contact opening of the socket.

The at least one contact opening of the socket is designed to be rotationally symmetrical about the axis of the female connector. In this context, a circular central opening with a contact element arranged therein is also understood as a rotationally symmetrical contact opening. Each contact element of the plug is arranged at a defined distance from the axis of the male connector, which corresponds to the distance of a contact opening of the socket from the axis of the female connector. This distance can also be “zero” so that the contact elements of the plug in non-limiting embodiments comprise a central contact pin.

Contact elements of the plug are dimensioned such that a contact element of the plug within the respective contact opening of the socket, whose distance from the axis of the female connector corresponds to the distance of the contact element of the plug from the axis of the male connector, is in contact with a contact element within the contact opening can be brought. By definition, only those elements on the plug are regarded as contact elements which come to rest in a contact opening of the socket when the plug connector is plugged together. Since each contact element of the plug is arranged at a defined distance from the axis of the male connector, which corresponds to the distance of a contact opening of the socket from the axis of the female connector, each contact element of the plug is inserted into one of the contact openings when the end faces of the connector are brought together coaxially . The person skilled in the art can also easily understand that the axes of the plug connectors can be defined by the center of a ring on which the ferromagnetic elements are arranged and / or by the center of the annular contact openings. In the context of the present description, “a” or “an” are to be understood as an indefinite article and not as a numerical word, unless explicit reference is made to a different meaning, for example through the use of “exactly one” or “exactly one”.

Because the contact elements of the socket are sunk inside the socket, these contact elements are protected from accidental contact. For example, the female connector can be attached to a ceiling or wall and connected to a normal household power supply with the voltages customary in house networks of, for example, 240 V or 110 V, or, for example, 380 V, with the contact elements of the socket being live. If the male connector is plugged into the female connector as intended, the axes of the male connector and the female connector being congruent, it is possible to rotate the inserted male connector relative to the female connector about the common axis of the two connectors. The arrangement of the ferromagnetic elements with such a circumferential symmetry is then advantageously chosen that a magnetic attraction between the female connector and the male connector occurs in at least two circumferential orientations or directions of rotation of the male connector relative to the female connector around the axis of the female connector. It can be provided, for example, that each of the plug connectors has eight discrete ferromagnetic elements distributed uniformly in a ring shape and coaxially to the axis of the plug connector on its circumference. In this case, the circumferential orientation of the connectors can be changed relative to one another in 45-degree steps. If each of the plug connectors has six circumferentially distributed ferromagnetic elements as described, the circumferential orientation of the plug connectors relative to one another can be changed in 45 degree steps. With correspondingly more evenly circumferentially distributed ferromagnetic elements, the increments of the possible circumferential orientations are correspondingly smaller. There are embodiments disclosed in which both connectors adjacent to their end face on one with the axis of the respective connector coaxial ring have an equal number of discrete ferromagnetic elements, which are each arranged at the same distance from the axis of the respective connector. For example, this can be at least six discrete ferromagnetic elements. In another example, there are at least eight discrete ferromagnetic elements. It is also possible for at least one of the plug connectors to have a single annular ferromagnetic element adjacent to its end face. In this way, the relative circumferential orientation of the two connectors can be varied steplessly relative to one another. On the other hand, embodiments in which both connectors are provided with discrete ferromagnetic elements have the advantage that they can be easily released by rotating the assembled connectors relative to one another. In this way, when the female connector is attached to a wall or ceiling, the male connector can be arranged in various circumferential orientations relative to the female connector. This is desirable, for example, when a consumer that has a preferred orientation is integrated in the male connector. In this way, for example, the direction of illumination of a spot or the direction of radiation of a loudspeaker integrated in the male connector can be varied by rotating the male connector about the axis of the permanently installed female connector.

The objects proposed here are therefore particularly well suited for the flexible installation of electrical consumers, for example in buildings. One of the connectors, preferably female connectors, is permanently installed as described above and connected to the power supply. It can be provided that a connection to a data network is also established. In this connector, once installed, various complementary connectors can be plugged in as consumer connection units, to which different electrical consumers, such as lamps or fans, or even loudspeakers, cameras, routers, WLAN access points and the like, are connected or integrated. The consumer connection units are thereby ferromagnetic elements held on the permanently installed connector. As described below, a mechanical safety device can also be provided. In particular, when the permanently installed connector is a female connector, the installation and replacement of the consumer connection units with the consumers can be carried out just as easily and safely by a layperson as plugging and unplugging a plug in and out of a socket, since touch with the live contacts is excluded.

In particular, it can be provided that the socket is a multipolar socket and the plug is a multipolar connector. Furthermore, in particular, all contact elements of the socket that are accessible through a common contact opening belong to one pole and all contact elements of the plug, which are arranged at a certain distance from the axis of the male connector, belong to one pole. In particular, all contact elements that belong to one pole can be connected to one another in an electrically conductive manner, while they are electrically isolated from contact elements that belong to another pole.

It can be provided that each pole of a multi-pole socket is assigned to exactly one contact opening of the socket, or each contact opening of the socket provides the connection for one pole of the socket. Accordingly, in such an embodiment, each pole of the multipolar plug would be provided by the contact elements at a certain distance from the axis of the male plug connector. The above formulations do not rule out the fact that only one contact element belongs to one pole of the socket and / or one pole of the plug. In certain embodiments, the number of poles is at least two, namely one pole for the phase and one pole for the neutral conductor. It can be provided that the number of poles is at least 3, namely one pole each for the phase, the neutral conductor and the protective earth. A correspondingly larger number of poles can be provided for the transmission of multiphase alternating current. It can also be provided for two or more phase connections for different ones at the same time Provide connected consumers that are, for example, fused or switched independently of one another. For example, one pole can be connected to a phase that is switched via a light switch and another to an unswitched phase. A pole for a common neutral conductor can be provided for all phases, or a separate pole for the neutral conductor can be provided for each phase. As indicated above, in addition to the aforementioned poles, which are provided for power transmission, further poles can be provided for the transmission of data and / or control signals.

In further, non-limiting embodiments, the at least one contact opening of the socket comprises a central opening and the at least one contact element of the plug comprises a central pin. In other embodiments, means for coupling optical waveguides are provided centrally in the socket and in the plug so that optical data transmission can take place centrally between the two plug connectors.

It can be provided that the plug connectors, in addition to the ferromagnetic elements, which represent a magnetic coupling device, comprise means for securing the plug connectors to one another in a form-fitting manner. For this purpose, in non-limiting embodiments, a pair of matching connecting threads can be arranged on the end faces of the plug connectors, the thread axes of which coincide with the axes of the plug connectors.

Also disclosed is a connector for a connection system of the type described above.

The at least one ferromagnetic element can be annular, concentric, around the axis of the connector. In other embodiments of a plug connector it can be provided that the at least one ferromagnetic element comprises a number of discrete ferromagnetic elements which are annular and uniformly distributed in the circumferential direction around the Axis of the connector are arranged. Examples of possible numbers of discrete ferromagnetic elements are given above. In this context, too, it goes without saying that the magnets are arranged on the circumference of the connector coaxially to the axis of the connector. The two specific embodiments mentioned above can be combined within one connection system.

According to further aspects of the subject matter described here, a male connector is specified in which at least one contact element is designed as a ring which extends centered around the axis of the connector. Such an embodiment ensures, regardless of the circumferential orientation of the male connector relative to the female connector, constant contact between the contact element of the male connector and a corresponding contact element of the female connector. According to a further aspect, a contact element can be designed as a central pin on the male connector.

On a female connector it can be provided that the contact elements are at least 5 mm deep, and in particular at least 6 mm deep, within the contact openings and the smallest cross-sectional dimension of a contact opening is at most 4 mm, in particular at most 3 mm. This ensures that the contact elements of the female connector cannot be touched with a finger.

It can also be provided that a connecting thread is arranged on the end face of the connector, the thread axis of which coincides with the axis of the connector. It can furthermore be provided that the connecting thread is arranged on a threaded element which is connected to the connector via a torque-controlled coupling that limits the torque that can be transmitted between the threaded element and the connector in at least one direction of rotation, and the Unscrewing the connecting thread transmittable torque is greater than the transmittable torque when tightening the fastening thread. The connecting thread is provided in order to fasten the connector mechanically with or to another component, for example the other connector of a connection system. The tightening and unscrewing of the connecting thread refer to the tightening of the connecting thread on a connecting thread of the counterpart or the loosening of the connecting thread from the connecting thread of the counterpart. By limiting the torque when tightening, over-tightening of the interacting connecting thread with the resulting damage is avoided. Since, on the other hand, a greater torque can be transmitted when unscrewing the fastening thread than when screwing it tight, it is ensured that a connecting thread that has been screwed tight can also be safely loosened again. Means can be provided which enable bridging and thus locking or blocking of the torque-controlled coupling in the event that, due to damage to the coupling, no torque sufficient to unscrew the fastening thread can be transmitted. This ensures that the connector can be detached from its counterpart again under all circumstances.

According to yet another aspect, it can be provided that the connector has a housing which is perforated in such a way that ambient air can flow into the connector through the housing. This makes it possible, for example, to integrate a smoke detector into the connector. It is advantageous if, in particular, a female connector is designed with a perforated housing. As indicated above, the female connector is particularly suitable for fixed mounting on a ceiling or wall, and thus for the integration of a smoke alarm. In a connection system of the type described above, functional intermediate pieces can also be provided, which are designed as a plug on one end face and as a socket on an opposite end face. These can be arranged between the two connectors. There is an electrical connection between the contact elements in both end faces of a functional intermediate piece, such that a voltage applied to the contact elements on one end face is also applied to the contact elements on the other end face. A large number of basically any functions can be implemented in the functional intermediate pieces. For example, a functional intermediate piece can be designed as a WLAN access point or as a remote-controlled switch for switching a consumer connected to the connection system on and off. With the help of the functional spacers, the connection system can be expanded in a highly flexible way by the user.

It can be provided that within the connection system, in addition to or instead of contact elements that are provided for the transmission of electrical power, also interacting contact elements of the socket and the plug are provided, which are provided for the transmission of signals. This must be taken into account when determining the number of poles of the plug and socket. Means for optical data transmission between the connectors can also be arranged centrally in the connectors. It can be provided that a reader for RFID chips is arranged in one of the plug connectors, in particular in the female plug connector. An RFID chip can be arranged in the complementary connector. This means that a plug connector that is permanently installed in a building can use a reader to identify which consumer is connected to it. This enables the implementation of a large number of other intelligent functions.

A connector housing can be screwed onto a circumferential external thread. This external thread can also be used to create modular rings with additional functional units on a connector to attach. The entirety of the connector expanded in this way can then be covered with a correspondingly larger housing.

The specific embodiments mentioned above can be combined with one another. Further, not specifically disclosed embodiments of the teaching of this document are readily apparent to the person skilled in the art. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES

The facts presented here are explained in more detail below with the aid of selected exemplary embodiments shown in the drawing. Show in detail

1 shows a lamp which is connected to a power supply by means of a connection system of the type described herein;

2 shows the cooperating plug connectors of a connection system of the type described herein; 3 shows a cross section through a female connector;

4 shows a cross section through a male connector; 5 shows a connection system of the type described herein in an exploded view;

6 shows a base plate and electrical connection element with a fastening thread which is connected to the base plate and the electrical connection element via a coupling;

7 shows a sectional view from FIG. 6, in which the force transmission and release mechanism of the clutch can be seen;

FIG. 8 shows a detailed illustration of the force transmission and release mechanism from FIG. 7; 9 shows a second exemplary embodiment of a base plate and an electrical connection element with a fastening thread which is connected to the base plate and the electrical connection element via a coupling;

10 shows a sectional view from FIG. 9, in which the force transmission and release mechanism of the clutch can be seen;

11 shows a detailed illustration of the force transmission and release mechanism from FIG. 10;

12 shows a detailed exploded view of the coupling from FIGS. 9 to 11.

The drawings are very schematic. Details that are not necessary for an understanding of the objects described have been omitted. Furthermore, the drawings only show selected exemplary embodiments and must not be used to restrict the subject matter described in the claims. Embodiments not shown can certainly be covered by the claims.

EXEMPLARY EMBODIMENTS FIG. 1 shows an example of the application of what has been described here

Connection system hanging and connecting a lamp 100 on a ceiling. The lamp 100 is connected to a male connector 20, which in the present context can also be referred to as a consumer connection unit. The female connector 10 is also referred to as an installation unit in the present context. The installation unit 10 is intended to be mounted on a ceiling and wired to the building's electrical installation. Therefore, the female connector 10 is also preferably chosen as the installation unit, since the installation and Connection of the installation unit to the building's power installation, live contact elements in the socket, which are not visible in the present perspective, are sunk and are therefore protected from accidental contact. The end face of the consumer connection unit 20 includes the contact elements of the plug 21 and a number of ferromagnetic elements 25 distributed around the circumference of the end face. The contact elements of the plug 21 are designed in the form of concentric rings around an axis of the consumer connection unit. The ferromagnetic elements 25 are arranged radially outside the plug and coaxially with the plug 21 and are evenly distributed around the circumference. As explained further below, the installation unit 10 also has ferromagnetic elements on its end face or adjacent to its end face, which are arranged at a distance from the axis of the installation unit that is at least approximately the distance of the ferromagnetic elements 25 of the consumer connection unit from the axis corresponds to the consumer connection unit. The lamp 100 can be connected to the power supply system very simply by inserting the plug 21 of the consumer connection unit into the socket of the installation unit.

The ferromagnetic elements on the end face of the consumer connection unit and the installation unit come to lie opposite one another. Either only the ferromagnetic elements of one of the two units 10 and 20 are permanent magnets, or the ferromagnetic elements in the consumer connection unit below the installation unit are polarized in such a way that opposing poles of permanent magnets are opposite one another. In this way, the consumer connection unit 20 together with the lamp 100 is held by magnetic attraction between the consumer connection unit and the installation unit on the installation unit, which in turn is fastened to the ceiling. As described below, an additional mechanical fixation can also be provided between the installation unit and the consumer connection unit. The lamp or another consumer can thus be installed very easily, even by a layperson, without tools and without the risk of electric shock. Figure 2 shows an embodiment of a connection system 1. As can be seen and described above, the installation unit 10 is a female connector with a socket 11, in which the contact elements are sunk inside the socket and accessible through contact openings in the socket. The consumer connection unit comprises the plug 11 with contact elements which are dimensioned and arranged in such a way that they can be inserted into the contact openings of the socket 11. Furthermore, an external thread 12 is arranged as a fastening thread on the installation unit 10, and an internal thread 22 which is compatible and complementary to this external thread is arranged as a fastening thread on the installation unit 20. By screwing the two fastening threads together, the plug connectors 10 and 20 can be mechanically secured to one another in addition to the magnetic fixation. In the exemplary embodiment shown, the housing of the installation unit is perforated in such a way that outside air can flow into the housing. In this way, the installation unit is suitable for integrating a smoke detector, for example. Other functional components can also be arranged within the installation unit.

FIGS. 3 and 4 show sectional views through the plug connectors shown in FIG. 3 shows the female connector, or the installation unit, 10 and FIG. 4 shows the male connector, or the consumer connection unit, 20. In each of the two figures, some of the ferromagnetic elements 15 and 25 are visible. These are supported against a front wall towards the front and held from the rear by grub screws. In the figure 3 in particular the socket 11 is visible in section. The socket 11 has a central contact opening 111, as well as the annular contact openings 112, 113, 114 and 115. The central contact opening 111 as well as the annular contact openings 112, 113, 114 and 115 are rotationally symmetrical and concentric around the central contact opening 111 and 115 respectively. arranged an axis of the connector or the socket. The contact elements of the socket are arranged at different circumferential positions within the contact openings. Therefore, in the view shown, only the contact element 116 of the central contact opening 111 and a contact element 117 of the annular contact opening 113 are visible.

In FIG. 4, the plug 21 is shown in longitudinal section, which has the central contact pin 211 and the concentric ring-shaped contact elements 212, 213, 214 and 215 as contact elements. The radii or diameters of the annular contact elements 212, 213, 214 and 215 correspond to the radii or diameters of the annular contact openings 112, 113, 114 and 115. The annular contact elements 212, 213, 214 and 215 of the plug 21 run concentrically around an axis of the male connector 20 or around the central contact pin 211. In this way, the contact elements of the plug 21 can be inserted into the contact openings of the socket 11 and there establish contact with the contact elements of the socket. As can be seen in FIG. 3, the contact elements of the socket are sunk inside the socket and are accessible through the contact openings. The contact openings are dimensioned in such a way and the contact elements are arranged so deeply in the contact openings that inadvertent contact with the contact elements of the socket is excluded. For example, the smaller dimension of a contact opening in cross section is a maximum of 4 mm, in particular a maximum of 3 mm, which prevents a finger from being inserted into a contact opening. Likewise, the contact elements of the socket are at least 5 mm and in particular at least 6 mm deep in the contact openings. It goes without saying that the height of the contact elements of the plug must be sufficiently dimensioned in order to reach the contact elements of the socket sunk within the contact openings and to establish contact with them.

FIG. 5 shows the connection system from FIG. 2 in an exploded view, the housing of the installation unit having been omitted. The consumer connection unit or the male plug connector 20 comprises the plug 21, which is fixed with a counter plate 24 in a carrier 23. The internal thread 22 is arranged in the carrier adjacent to an end face of the carrier 23. The carrier 23 also has an external thread onto which a cover or housing 27 can be screwed. Furthermore, the consumer connection unit comprises a number of magnetic or magnetizable ones ferromagnetic elements 25, which can be fixed by means of grub screws 26 within the carrier 23 adjacent to the front face 231 of the carrier. The magnetic elements 25 could also be fixed by gluing or some other suitable fastening on the rear side of the end face 231 of the carrier 23. The installation unit or the female connector 10 also comprises a carrier 13 with an external thread onto which a housing, not shown, of the installation unit can be screwed. The installation unit 10 also comprises a number of ferromagnetic elements 15 which are arranged on the rear side of the end face of the carrier 13. The number of magnet elements 25 in the consumer connection unit and the magnet elements 15 in the installation unit is preferably identical, and furthermore the magnet elements are each preferably evenly distributed over the circumference of the end faces. The magnetic elements are each selected or polarized so that there is at least one circumferential orientation of the installation unit and consumer connection unit relative to one another, in which opposite ferromagnetic elements of the installation unit and the consumer connection unit attract each other. For example, all ferromagnetic elements 15 and 25 could be permanent magnets, with all permanent magnets 15 of the installation unit being arranged with the south pole pointing towards the front of the installation unit, while all permanent magnets 25 of the consumer connection unit are arranged with the north pole pointing towards the end of the consumer connection unit. If, on the other hand, one of the plug connectors has no permanent magnets, the polarity of the permanent magnets in the complementary plug connector is for the time being irrelevant. In this way, it is possible to couple the installation unit and the consumer connection unit, or the plug connectors 10 and 20, by simply placing the respective end faces on one another. Furthermore, the plug connectors comprise the complementary and thus screwable threads 12 and 22. The installation unit or the female plug connector furthermore comprises a torque-actuated coupling 17 via which a torque can be transmitted between the thread 12 and the other components of the installation unit. For example, when screwing on the consumer connection unit, the screwing on and tightening of the Consumer connection unit required torque to be supported against the installation unit fastened to a ceiling, for example. The torque-actuated clutch limits the torque that can be transmitted and supported in the tightening direction in such a way that damage to the threads 12 and 22 is avoided. The torque-actuated coupling 17 comprises a first, component-fixed coupling element 171, which is firmly connected via a base plate 14 to the carrier 13 and the housing, not shown, of the installation unit. Furthermore, the torque-actuated coupling 17 comprises a second, thread-fixed coupling element 172 which, in the present exemplary embodiment, is made in one piece with the thread 12. The threaded coupling element comprises a tooth system, the teeth of which are arranged next to one another in the circumferential direction and point with their tooth height in the axial direction. The socket 11 can for example be attached to the component-fixed coupling element 171 or directly to the base plate 14. The threaded coupling element 172 is basically designed in the form of a ring, the bush 11 being passed axially through the central opening of the threaded coupling element.

FIG. 6 shows an assembly view of the torque-controlled coupling 17 with the socket 11. As can be seen, the component-fixed coupling element 171 is connected to the base plate 14. The bushing 1 is in turn arranged within the thread-fixed coupling element 172 with the fastening thread 12 and is firmly connected to the component-fixed coupling element 171 and thus to the base plate 14.

FIG. 7 shows a section along the line designated by VII-VII in FIG. 6, the housing 16 of the installation unit or of the female connector also being shown. A pawl 173 is arranged in a recess of the component-fixed coupling element 171, which is axially pretensioned by a spring 174 against the teeth of the thread-fixed coupling element. At its rear end, the spring 174 is supported against the coupling element which is fixed to the components. A distal end of the pawl 173 is due to the spring preload with the toothing of the threaded coupling element in engagement. The threaded coupling element 172, the spring 174 and the pawl 173 are axially braced between the component coupling 171 and the carrier 13. The interaction of the pawl 173 and the toothing of the threaded coupling element 172 is explained in more detail in connection with the detail VIII from FIG. 7 shown in FIG. Both the teeth of the tooth system and the distal end of the pawl are designed to be asymmetrical in the circumferential direction of the tooth system. Each tooth of the toothing on the threaded coupling element 172 has a ramp-shaped first flank 1721, which is designed comparatively flat to the circumferential direction of the threaded coupling element 172 or the thread 12, as well as a steep second flank 1722, which is inclined steeply in relation to the circumferential direction of the threaded coupling element is or includes a larger angle with this circumferential direction than the ramp-shaped flank 1721. Likewise, the distal end of the pawl 173 has a ramp-shaped first flank 1731, which is arranged comparatively flat to the circumferential direction of the threaded coupling element 172 or the thread 12, as well as a steep second flank 1732, which is inclined steeply with respect to the circumferential direction of the threaded coupling element or includes a larger angle with this circumferential direction than the ramp-shaped flank 1731. The pawl 173 is arranged in such a way that, depending on the direction, a s torque transmitted between the threaded coupling element and the component fixed coupling element or the circumferential force necessary for this, this circumferential force is transmitted between the ramp-shaped flanks 1721 and 1731 or the steep flanks 1722 and 1732 of the toothing on the threaded coupling element and the pawl. When a torque is applied in a direction in which the circumferential force is transmitted between the ramp-shaped flanks 1721 and 1731, the circumferential force to be transmitted induces an axial force on the spring-loaded pawl 173, whereby the spring 174 is compressed and the distal end of the pawl successively along the ramp-shaped Flank 1721 is moved in the direction of the tip of the respective tooth of the toothing of the threaded coupling element. Is the torque transmitted through the clutch, and thus the torque between a tooth of the toothing on the threaded coupling element and the pawl transmitted circumferential force, so great that the resulting compression force acting on the spring 174 compresses the spring so far that the tip of the pawl is pressed over the tip of the tooth of the toothing, so the torque transmission via the clutch is interrupted and the clutch slips. The ramp-shaped flanks are oriented in the circumferential direction in such a way that the force transmission between the ramp-shaped flanks 1721 and 1731 takes place when the thread is screwed in or screwed on and tightened towards the end face of the connector. If, on the other hand, a torque is applied in a direction in which the circumferential force is transmitted between the steep flanks 1722 and 1732, a torque can be transmitted that is essentially limited by the mechanical strength of the teeth of the threaded coupling element and the pawl. This means that the torque that can be applied or supported by the coupling 17 to tighten the thread is limited by the coupling, whereas the torque that can be applied or supported by the coupling to unscrew the thread is greater in any case than the maximum possible tightening torque. In this way it can be ensured that the thread is not overloaded and damaged when it is tightened, while on the other hand it is ensured that a threaded connection once established can be released again.

Provision can be made for means to be arranged which enable the coupling to be bridged or blocked so that a threaded connection once established can also be released again if the pawl 173 and / or the toothing of the threaded coupling element are damaged or worn so that they can no longer transmit any circumferential force or torque that is sufficient to loosen the threaded connection. In a very simple embodiment, an opening can be provided in the connector housing through which a screwdriver or other suitable object can be inserted in order to block the relative movement of the threaded coupling element relative to the component coupling element. Another exemplary embodiment at which the means for emergency blocking of the coupling are integrated directly in the plug connector is illustrated in FIGS. 9 to 12.

FIG. 9 shows a view similar to FIG. 6, with an end-face toothing 175 being arranged on the threaded coupling element 172 in addition to the toothing that interacts with the pawl 173, the teeth of which are arranged towards the front of the connector. FIG. 10 shows a sectional view along the line designated by X-X in FIG. 9.

It can be seen that the front toothing 175 also has teeth which are asymmetrical in the circumferential direction of the threaded coupling element. The flatter side of the teeth points in the same direction as in the case of the toothing that interacts with the pawl 173. On the inside, the carrier 13 has a toothing 135 which is complementary to the front-side toothing 175 of the threaded coupling element 172 and which likewise extends in an annular manner on the same radius as the toothing 175. It can easily be seen that if the toothing 175 engages in the toothing 135, it blocks the coupling in the same direction as the pawl in cooperation with the rear toothing of the threaded coupling element. This is shown in more detail in FIG. 11 as detail XI from FIG. When tightening the connecting thread of the plug connector, a pressure pointing away from the end face is normally exerted on the thread and thus on the threaded coupling element 172 in such a way that the toothing 175 and the toothing 135 are separated, as shown in FIGS. 10 and 11. In the event that, due to wear and tear or other damage, no more force can be transmitted between the pawl and the threaded coupling element that is sufficient to loosen the mechanical connection between two coupling elements, for example to unscrew a consumer connection unit from an installation unit the consumer connection unit can be pulled. As a result, the toothings 175 and 135 on the installation unit come into engagement with one another in such a way that at least in the direction in which the steep tooth flanks interact, the rotation of the threaded coupling element 172 in the installation unit is blocked, such that the Loosening the screw connection between the installation unit and a consumer connection unit, or more generally two connectors, is made possible. In the figure 12 the interacting components are shown again in an exploded drawing.

Although the subject matter of the present description has been explained on the basis of selected exemplary embodiments, these are not intended to restrict the claimed invention. The claims encompass embodiments that are not explicitly shown, and embodiments that differ from the examples shown are nevertheless covered by the claims.

Claims

PATENT CLAIMS 1. Connection system (1) for producing a releasable electrically conductive connection, comprising a female connector (10) and a male connector (20) compatible therewith, each of the connectors having an end face, with at least one adjacent to the end face of each of the connectors ferromagnetic element (15, 25) is arranged at a defined distance from an axis of the respective connector, the distance of the at least one ferromagnetic element from the axis in both connectors being identical, the ferromagnetic elements comprising at least one permanent magnet and furthermore at least one pair Ferromagnetic elements, a first of which is arranged on a first of the plug connectors and a second of which is arranged on a second of the plug connectors, attract each other in at least one relative circumferential orientation of the plug connectors relative to one another when the end faces d the plug connectors are adjacent to one another and the axes of the plug connectors are identical, the female plug connector (10) further comprising a socket (11) and the male plug connector (20) comprising a plug (21), the socket (11) at least one contact element (116 , 117) and the plug (21) comprises at least one contact element (211, 212, 213, 214, 215), each of which is accessible from the end face of the respective plug connector, the at least one contact element (116, 117) of the socket is sunk inside the socket (11) and is accessible through at least one contact opening (111, 112, 113, 114, 115) of the socket and each contact element of the plug can be inserted into a contact opening of the socket, the at least one contact opening (111, 112 , 113, 114, 115) of the socket (11) is designed rotationally symmetrical about the axis of the female connector (10) and each contact element (211, 212, 213, 214, 215) of the plug (21) in one de defined distance from the axis of the male connector (20) is arranged, which corresponds to the distance of a contact opening of the socket from the axis of the female connector. 2. Connection system according to the preceding claim, wherein the socket (11) is a multi-pole socket and the plug (21) is a multi-pole plug, in particular all contact elements (116, 117) of the socket, which are accessible through a single contact opening (111, 112, 113, 114, 115), belong to a pole and all contact elements (211, 212, 213, 214, 215) of the plug, which are at a certain distance from the axis of the male connector, belong to one pole. 3. Connection system according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the at least one contact opening of the socket comprises a central opening (111) and the at least one contact element of the plug comprises a central pin (211). 4. Connection system according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the connectors (10, 20) have means (12, 22) for positively securing the connectors to one another. 5. Connection system according to the preceding claim, wherein a pair of mating connecting threads (12, 22) are arranged on the end faces of the connector, the thread axes of which coincide with the axes of the connector. 6. Connector (10, 20) for a connection system (1) according to one of the preceding claims. 7. Connector (10, 20) according to the preceding claim, wherein the at least one ferromagnetic element (15, 25) is annular around the axis of the connector. 8. Connector (10, 20) according to claim 6, wherein the at least one ferromagnetic element (15, 25) comprises a number of discrete ferromagnetic elements which are uniformly distributed in a ring around the axis of the connector. 9. Connector according to one of claims 6 to 8, wherein the connector is a male connector (20) and at least one contact element (212, 213, 214, 215) is designed as a ring which extends centered around the axis of the connector. 10. Connector according to one of claims 6 to 9, wherein the connector is a male connector (20) and a contact element is a central pin (211). 11. Connector according to one of claims 6 to 10, wherein the connector is a female connector (10) and the contact elements are arranged at least 5 mm deep within the contact openings (111, 112, 113, 114, 115) and the smallest cross-sectional dimension of a contact opening does not exceed 4 mm. 12. Connector according to one of claims 6 to 11, wherein a connecting thread (12, 22) is arranged on the end face of the connector, the thread axis of which coincides with the axis of the connector. 13. Connector according to the preceding claim, wherein the connecting thread is arranged on a threaded element which is connected to the connector via a torque-controlled coupling (17) which limits the torque that can be transmitted between the threaded element and the connector at least in one direction of rotation, and wherein the when tightening the connecting thread, the transmittable torque is greater than that when unscrewing the Fastening thread transmittable torque. 14. Connector according to one of claims 6 to 13, wherein the Connector has a housing (16) which is perforated in such a way that ambient air can flow through the housing into the connector, the connector in particular being a female connector and furthermore in particular the connector in particular has a rear side opposite the end face which is for fastening to a ceiling or wall is provided.