CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

Priority is hereby claimed under 35 U.S.C. § 119 to European Patent Application No. 19 186 433.9 which was filed in the European Patent Office on Jul. 16, 2019.

STATEMENT REGARDING FEDERALLY-SPONSORED RESEARCH OR DEVELOPMENT

Not applicable.

INCORPORATION BY REFERENCE

European Patent Application No. 19 186 433.9 which was filed in the European Patent Office on Jul. 16, 2019 is expressly incorporated herein by reference in its entirety to form part of the present disclosure.

FIELD OF INVENTION

The invention relates to the field of electrical connectors. More particularly, this invention relates to an electrical plug-in connector having an internal conductor contact element, an external conductor contact element and an insulating protective element which is arranged between the internal conductor contact element and the external conductor contact element and is displaceable between an assembly position and an insulating protecting position, the assembly position being a position in which an assembly access point is clear to permit fastening the internal conductor contact element to an internal conductor of the electrical cable, the insulating protection position being a position in which the assembly access point to the internal conductor contact element is blocked by the insulating protective element. The invention further relates to an insulating protective element for an electrical plug-in connector and to a method for assembling an electrical plug-in connector.

BACKGROUND

During the course of assembly of an electrical plug-in connector, the internal conductor contact elements of the plug-in connector have to be connected to their associated internal conductors of an electrical cable. In the case of shielded electrical plug-in connectors, an external conductor contact element which surrounds the internal conductor contact elements and has to be connected to an external conductor shield of the electrical cable is further provided.

The external conductor shield of the electrical cable is generally designed as an external conductor shielding braid comprising a plurality of individual wires which are intertwined with one another. In the case of inadequate design and guiding of the external conductor shielding braid or, in general, when connecting the external conductor shielding braid to the external conductor contact element of the electrical plug-in connector, individual wires of the braid can separate. These individual wires can ultimately establish an electrical connection or a short circuit between the internal conductor contact element and the external conductor contact element.

Irrespective of the field of use of the electrical plug-in connector, a short circuit between the internal conductor(s) and the external conductor owing to protruding individual wires of a cable shielding braid is a problem which has already been known for a long time. In order to reliably prevent protruding individual wires of the external conductor shielding braid of an electrical cable from making contact with the internal conductor contact elements, insulating parts or insulating protective elements are generally arranged between the internal conductor contact elements and the external conductor contact element. Said insulating parts or insulating protective element may be, for example, electrically insulating plastic rings or insulating housings of the electrical plug-in connector with individual receptacles for receiving the internal conductor contact elements.

In addition to the process reliability, a particularly economical production process and, in particular, also a short process time are also often required for manufacturing electrical plug-in connectors, in particular in order to be able to provide mass production. In this respect, a design of the electrical plug-in connector in the case of which an insulating part or insulating protective element is arranged between the internal conductor contact elements and the external conductor contact element is comparatively impractical since the options for fastening the internal conductor contact element to the internal conductors of the electrical cable are limited owing to the insulating protective element. In general, an insulating protective element which ensures a free assembly access point through mounting recesses in the external conductor contact element as far as the internal conductor contact elements is used. Owing to the assembly access point, for example assembly tools, in particular screwdrivers, can then be guided through the external conductor contact element for the purpose of fastening the internal conductor contact element to the internal conductor of the electrical cable.

However, owing to the assembly access point, the possibility of a short circuit on account of protruding individual wires of the external conductor shielding braid of the electrical cable arises once again. The possibility of a short circuit is reduced by said insulating protective element, but is not completely ruled out. This is not acceptable in particular for safety-critical applications, for example for high-voltage plug-in connectors, or for transmitting critical data signals, for example during the course of autonomous operation of a motor vehicle.

In order to solve the problem, EP 0 665 608 A2 proposes, for example, coating a screw, which is provided for connecting an internal conductor contact element to an internal conductor of the electrical cable, with an electrically insulating material in the region of the tip of the screw, which tip is connected to the internal conductor of the electrical cable. Therefore, even if an individual wire of the external conductor shielding braid of the cable makes electrical contact with the screw head through the assembly access point, a short circuit with the internal conductor of the cable still cannot occur.

However, coating the screw is comparatively complicated and expensive. Furthermore, a solution of this kind, in particular for safety-critical power cables or high-voltage cables, may sometimes still not be sufficiently reliable.

BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

In view of the known prior art, an object of the present invention is to provide an electrical plug-in connector which is suitable, in particular, for safety-critical applications and cost-effective mass production.

The present invention is also based on the object of providing an improved insulating protective element which can be used in an electrical plug-in connector in order to prevent a short circuit between an internal conductor contact element and an external conductor contact element, preferably without significantly increasing the expenditure on assembly of the electrical plug-in connector.

Finally, it is also an object of the invention to provide a method for assembling an electrical plug-in connector which can advantageously be suitable, in particular, for manufacturing a plug-in connector, which is suitable for safety-critical applications, employing a mass production process.

Embodiments of an electrical plug-in connector may have at least one internal conductor contact element, an external conductor contact element and an insulating protective element which is arranged between the internal conductor contact element and the external conductor contact element is provided. The external conductor contact element may have an assembly recess for providing an assembly access point for fastening the internal conductor contact element to an internal conductor of an electrical cable.

In principle, any desired plug-in connector which has any desired number of internal conductor contact elements can be provided within the scope of the invention. For example, an electrical plug-in connector can have precisely one internal conductor contact element or a plurality of internal conductor contact elements, for example two internal conductor contact element or more internal conductor contact elements, three internal conductor contact element or more internal conductor contact elements, four internal conductor contact element or even more internal conductor contact elements, within the scope of the invention. An electrical plug-in connector with precisely two internal conductor contact elements is preferably provided.

If an electrical plug-in connector with only one internal conductor contact element is provided, said electrical plug-in connector can preferably be designed as a coaxial plug-in connector.

The electrical plug-in connector is preferably designed as a plug-in connector for transmitting current or for supply to electrical assemblies. The plug-in connector can be designed as a low-voltage plug-in connector or as a high-voltage plug-in connector (for supply voltages of greater than 60 V). The electrical plug-in connector can be highly suitable, for example, advantageously for transmitting currents at voltages of less than one volt or else of more than 1000 V, for example also at voltages of 5 V to 500 V, preferably 12 V to 400 V, particularly preferably 24 V to 230 V, and very particularly preferably 48 V to 110 V, for example also 60 V. The plug-in connector can be highly suitable for transmitting direct current and also alternating current.

The electrical plug-in connector is particularly preferably designed as a plug-in connector for mobile radio technology, for example for supply to an active mobile radio antenna and/or a so-called remote radio unit, or for vehicle technology, for example for an electric vehicle.

In the present case, the term “vehicle” describes any means of transportation, in particular land vehicles, watercraft or aircraft, including spacecraft.

An electrical plug-in connector may be a plug, a panel plug, a socket, a coupling or an adapter. The term “plug-in connector” used within the scope of the invention is representative of all variants.

The assembly access point for fastening the internal conductor contact element to the internal conductor of the electrical cable can be designed, in particular, for inserting or guiding an assembly tool, for example a screwdriver for fastening a screw or a pressing tool.

According to the invention, provision is made for the insulating protective element to be able to be displaced between an assembly position, in which the assembly access point is cleared through the assembly recess to the internal conductor contact element, and an insulating protection position, in which the assembly access point to the internal conductor contact element is blocked by the insulating protective element.

Therefore, insulating protection against a short circuit between an internal conductor contact element of an electrical plug-in connector or an internal conductor of an electrical cable and an external conductor contact element of the electrical plug-in connector or an external conductor shield of the electrical cable can advantageously be provided according to the invention.

In an advantageous manner, an insulating protective element can be provided, which can already be pre-mounted between the external conductor contact element and the internal conductor contact element before the internal conductor contact element is fastened to an associated internal conductor of the electrical cable.

Owing to the ability to displace the insulating protective element after the at least one internal conductor contact element is fastened to the respective internal conductor of the cable, the assembly access point can be blocked, as a result of which undesirably protruding individual wires of an external conductor shielding braid of the cable cannot penetrate through the assembly access point to the internal conductor contact element or the internal conductor. A short circuit due to protruding individual wires can be virtually ruled out, for which reason a plug-in connector according to the invention can be suitable for safety-critical applications in particular.

At the same time, cost-effective assembly with a short process time can be maintained, as a result of which the electrical plug-in connector can be manufactured in an extremely economical manner in high numbers employing a mass production process.

In an advantageous development of the invention, provision can be made for the insulating protective element to have (at least) an access opening which, in the assembly position, is oriented in relation to the assembly recess in such a way that the assembly access point to the internal conductor contact element is cleared through the assembly recess and the access opening.

In the insulating protection position, the access opening can also be oriented in relation to the assembly recess in such a way that the assembly access point through the assembly recess to the internal conductor contact element is blocked by a continuous wall of the insulating protective element.

Therefore, an assembly access point in the form of an assembly duct through the external conductor contact element and the insulating protective element as far as the internal conductor contact element can be provided.

The access opening and the assembly recess are preferably oriented in alignment or coaxially in relation to one another in the assembly position of the insulating protective element.

A corresponding assembly recess is preferably provided in the external conductor contact element for each internal conductor contact element. If, for example, two internal conductor contact elements are provided, two assembly recesses can preferably also be provided in the external conductor contact element for providing a respective mounting access point.

However, in principle, an assembly recess which provides a common assembly access point for fitting a plurality of internal conductor contact elements can also be provided in the external conductor contact element. However, the design of the external conductor contact element with one assembly recess for each internal conductor contact element is preferred.

When a plurality of internal conductor contact elements are used, the insulating protective element preferably has one access opening for each internal conductor contact element. If, for example, two internal conductor contact elements are provided, two access openings can preferably be formed in the insulating protective element, which access openings, in the assembly position of the insulating protective element, are arranged in relation to the one or the plurality of assembly recesses in the external conductor contact element in such a way that at least one assembly access point is cleared for fitting one of the two internal conductor contact elements, preferably both assembly access points to both the internal conductor contact elements are cleared at the same time.

However, if a plurality of internal conductor contact elements are provided, the insulating protective element can also have a smaller number of access openings as internal conductor contact elements, for example even only one single access opening. The insulating protective element can then be displaced, for example, between a plurality of assembly positions and the insulating protection position. For example, a first assembly position can be provided, in which a first assembly access point is cleared through a first assembly recess to a first internal conductor contact element. Furthermore, a second assembly position can be provided, in which a second assembly access point is cleared through a second assembly recess to a second internal conductor contact element. However, a refinement of the invention according to which the insulating protective element has precisely one assembly position and one insulating protection position and can be displaced only between these two positions is preferred.

The number of internal conductor contact elements preferably corresponds to the number of assembly recesses and to the number of access openings.

According to a development of the invention, provision can be made for an insulating part to be arranged between the internal conductor contact element and the external conductor contact element, which insulating part has an assembly opening which, together with the assembly recess of the external conductor contact element, can provide the assembly access point.

In particular, the insulating part can be provided in order to provide a receptacle for the at least one internal conductor contact element in the electrical plug-in connector. The insulating part can be designed, for example, as an inner housing shell of the electrical plug-in connector.

The insulating part can principally ensure that no short circuit can occur between the external conductor contact element and the internal conductor contact element or elements. This primary insulating protection can then be advantageously combined with the insulating protective element according to the invention, in accordance with which the assembly access point for fastening the internal conductor contact element to the at least one internal conductor of the cable is cleared or blocked by the insulating protective element. The dimensions of the insulating protective element can be reduced and the design can be simplified when the plug-in connector additionally has the static or stationary insulating part between the internal conductor contact element(s) and the external conductor contact element and substantially only the dynamic portion or the moving part of the insulation has to be provided by the insulating protective element.

The insulating part and the insulating protective element are preferably parts which are independent of one another.

According to a development of the invention, provision can be made for the electrical plug-in connector to have a round geometry (or be designed as a round plug-in connector), wherein the external conductor contact element, the internal conductor contact element, the insulating part and/or the insulating protective element have/has a substantially round cross section, in particular a hollow-cylindrical, round cross section.

The invention can be highly suitable, in particular, for use with round plug-in connectors, wherein, however, any design of the plug-in connector is possible in principle. For example, rectangular plug-in connectors, for example flat plugs, can also be provided.

The electrical plug-in connector is not restricted to a specific type of plug-in connector, wherein the invention is suitable, in particular, for plug-in connectors for transmitting current and for plug-in connectors for high-frequency technology. Said electrical plug-in connector can be, in particular, a plug-in connector of the PL, BNC, TNC, SMBA (FAKRA), SMA, SMB, SMS, SMC, SMP, BMS, HFM (FAKRA Mini), H-MTD, BMK, Mini Coax or MATE-AX type.

The invention is very particularly advantageously suitable for plug-in connectors having internal conductor contact elements with a large cross section for transmitting high currents. Therefore, an electrical plug-in connector for supplying electrical power to electrical assemblies can be provided.

In a development of the invention, provision can be made for the insulating protective element to be guided in a groove of the external conductor contact element, in a groove of the internal conductor contact element, in a groove of the insulating part, in a groove which is formed between the insulating part and the external conductor contact element and/or in a groove which is formed between the insulating part and the internal conductor contact element.

The groove or the corresponding recess in the external conductor contact element can preferably be designed in such a way that it intersects the assembly recess.

The groove or the corresponding recess in the insulating part can preferably be designed in such a way that it intersects the assembly opening.

The groove or the corresponding recess is particularly preferably formed in a transition region between the external conductor contact element and the insulating part since this can be implemented in a particularly simple manner in terms of manufacture. However, in particular, a groove or a corresponding recess only in the external conductor contact element or only in the insulating part can also be possible. A groove can even be provided in the internal conductor contact element.

In a development of the invention, provision can be made for the assembly recess of the external conductor contact element, the access opening of the insulating protective element and/or the assembly opening of the insulating part to be designed as a bore or elongate hole.

A bore or an elongate hole can be implemented in a simple manner in terms of manufacture. However, other geometries for the assembly recess, the access opening and/or the assembly opening, in particular even a rectangular geometry, can also be provided in principle.

The assembly recess of the external conductor contact element is particularly preferably designed as an elongate hole or rectangular recess.

The access opening of the insulating protective element and the assembly opening of the optional insulating part are particularly preferably designed as a bore.

In an advantageous development of the invention, provision can be made for the internal conductor of the cable to be fastened to the internal conductor contact element by means of a screw. The assembly access point preferably runs in such a way that the screw can be operated by inserting an assembly tool into the assembly access point.

Within the scope of the invention, the screw can be considered to be a constituent part of the electrical plug-in connector.

A metal screw is preferably provided.

In an advantageous development of the invention, provision can be made for the screw to be completely covered by the insulating protective element in the insulating protection position of the insulating protective element.

Particularly reliable insulating protection against short circuits can be provided in this way.

In a development of the invention, provision can be made for the diameter of a screw head of the screw to be larger than the diameter of the access opening of the insulating protective element.

If the diameter of the screw head of the screw is larger than the diameter of the access opening of the insulating protective element, for example is larger than the diameter of a bore of the insulating protective element, it is advantageously possible to prevent the screw from being accidentally lost through the access opening in a preassembled delivery state.

In particular, the diameter of the access opening of the insulating protective element can be larger than the diameter of the assembly tool and smaller than the diameter of the screw head. In this way, the assembly tool can be guided through the access opening but, at the same time, a screw which was already previously inserted can no longer be lost through the access opening of the insulating protective element.

In an advantageous development of the invention, provision can be made for the insulating protective element to have latching means for latching with a corresponding latching element of the external conductor contact element, of the internal conductor contact element and/or of the insulating part in order to latch the insulating protective element in the assembly position and/or in the insulating protection position.

The insulating protective element can preferably be latchable at least in the insulating protection position. However, the insulating protective element can particularly preferably be latchable both in the assembly position and in the insulating protection position.

The latching is preferably performed with the insulating part or with another housing component of the electrical plug-in connector.

Provision can be made for a latching lug which is formed laterally on the insulating protective element or a pin to be guided by means of a rail guide with one or two latching recesses in the assembly recess of the external conductor contact element. However, the latching lug or the pin is preferably guided in a corresponding rail guide with one or two latching recess in the insulating part.

Axial latching arrangements or axially extending latching means, but also radially running latching means, can be provided in the insulating protective element. Axial latching means are preferably provided.

The latching means, for example latching lugs, of the insulating protective element can be formed, for example, on an elastic spring arm of the insulating protective element, for example at a free end of the spring arm or in the middle (or in a middle section) of a spring arm which is attached on both sides.

The spring arm can be implemented in a particularly advantageous manner by means of an elongate hole or one or more slots along the periphery of the insulating protective element.

The deformability or the elasticity of the spring arm can be selected in such a way that the spring arm provides a sufficient holding force for the latching arrangement and can reversibly bend to a sufficient extent during the latching operation or during release of the latching arrangement, without undergoing (irreversible) plastic deformation.

The spring mechanism, in particular based on a spring arm, can be used to only deliberately trigger displacement of the insulating protective element from the insulating protection position to the assembly position (or vice versa). The spring mechanism can be defined by the material of the insulating protective element and by the geometry of the insulating part and of the external conductor contact element. The interaction between the insulating part, the external conductor contact element and the insulating protective element can be tuned in order to adjust the force which is required for moving the insulating protective element (starting from the assembly position and/or insulating protection position).

In an advantageous development of the invention, provision can be made for the insulating protective element to be of partially annular or annular design, wherein the insulating protective element can be displaced rotationally and/or axially between the assembly position and the insulating protection position with respect to the longitudinal axis of the electrical plug-in connector.

The insulating protective element is particularly preferably of partially annular or annular design and can be displaced rotationally with respect to the longitudinal axis of the electrical plug-in connector. The movement of the insulating protective element between the assembly position and the insulating protection position can therefore take place due to a rotational movement about the center axis of the plug-in connector. However, axial displacement can also be provided in principle.

In principle, the displacement of the insulating protective element between the assembly position and the insulating protection position can even have a rotational or radial and an axial component. For example, a slotted guide for guiding a sliding block of the insulating protective element can be provided in the electrical plug-in connector, for example in the insulating part or the external conductor contact element, for a movement of said kind.

The use of an insulating protective element which is of partially annular or annular design can be highly suitable, in particular, for use with an electrical plug-in connector with a round geometry.

A plurality of insulating protective elements (partially annular, annular or platelet-like) can also be provided within the scope of the invention, for example an insulating protective element for each internal conductor contact element or for each screw for fastening the internal conductor contact element. In particular, a respective partially annular insulating protective element or a respective platelet-like insulating protective element (still to be described below) can then be provided for each internal conductor contact element or for each screw which is provided for fastening the internal conductor contact elements.

As indicated above, in one refinement of the invention, provision can also be made for the insulating protective element to be of platelet-like design, wherein the insulating protective element can be displaced axially between the assembly position and the insulating protection position with respect to the longitudinal axis of the electrical plug-in connector.

A platelet-like insulating protective element can be highly suitable, in particular, for use with an electrical plug-in connector with a rectangular, in particular flat, geometry.

In a development of the invention, provision can be made for the insulating protective element to have at least one guide means, in particular a radially or axially protruding lug or a web in order to be able to displace the insulating protective element in its fitted state within the external conductor contact element.

Therefore, the insulating protective element can advantageously be displaceable from the outside, for example by means of the assembly tool or else a finger of the fitter or user of the plug-in connector.

The at least one guide means can also be shaped in the form of at least one groove or at least one cutout, for example also in the form of channels in the outer wall of the insulating protective element.

However, a separate guide means can optionally also be dispensed with. For example, the insulating protective element itself or the access opening of the insulating protective element can be used for displacing the insulating protective element. For example, the assembly tool which is provided for fastening the internal conductor contact element (or a finger of the fitter) can be partially inserted into the access opening and the insulating protective element can then be displaced by means of initiating the movement at the access opening. In particular, an assembly recess, which is designed as an elongate hole or rectangular elongate recess, in the external conductor contact element can be highly suitable for this variant.

According to a development of the invention, provision can be made for a plurality of internal conductor contact elements, preferably two internal conductor contact elements or even more internal conductor contact elements, and a number of corresponding assembly recesses and access openings to be provided.

As already mentioned, the invention is suitable, in particular, for use with a plug-in connector having any desired number of internal conductor contact elements. However, two internal conductor contact elements are particularly preferably provided, the respective fastening of which to an internal conductor of the electrical cable is rendered possible through a respective assembly access point by corresponding assembly recesses or access openings.

The invention also relates to an insulating protective element for an electrical plug-in connector, wherein the insulating protective element is arranged between (at least) an internal conductor contact element and an external conductor contact element of an electrical plug-in connector. The insulating protective element can be displaced between an assembly position and an insulating protection position. In the assembly position, the insulating protective element clears (at least) an assembly access point through an (at least one) assembly recess, which is provided in the external conductor contact element, for fastening the internal conductor contact element to an internal conductor of an electrical cable. In the insulating protection position, the insulating protective element blocks the assembly access point.

According to the invention, a captive electrically insulating protective element for protecting against a short circuit between the internal conductor or the internal conductors and an external conductor shield of an electrical cable can be provided.

In the insulating protection position, conductive screws, which are used in particular for fastening the internal conductor contact element to the internal conductor, can be completely electrically insulated, as a result of which no electrical connection can be established between the external conductor shield of the cable and the internal conductor contact element.

The insulating protective element can also be used to permanently protect against the loss of clamping screws or screws for fastening internal conductor contact elements to internal conductors of the cable.

The insulating protective element according to the invention is particularly cost-optimized and can be extremely easy to install as part of assembly of the electrical plug-in connector and, in particular, can also be suitable for mass production of plug-in connectors.

The insulating protective element can optionally also have an assembly prevention means, for example a lug which extends axially in the direction of the cable, in order to block final assembly of the electrical plug-in connector, in particular in terms of screwing on a lock nut, a lock sleeve or another plug-in connector component, in an interlocking manner if the insulating protective element is not in the insulating protection position.

The invention also relates to a method for assembling an electrical plug-in connector which has (at least) an internal conductor contact element, an external conductor contact element and an insulating protective element which is arranged between the external conductor contact element and the internal conductor contact element. At least the following method steps are provided within the scope of the method according to the invention:a) displacing the insulating protective element into an assembly position in which (at least) an assembly access point to the internal conductor contact element is cleared through (at least) an assembly recess which is provided in the external conductor contact element;b) fastening the internal conductor contact element to an internal conductor of an electrical cable through the cleared assembly access point; andc) displacing the insulating protective element into an insulating protection position in which the assembly access point to the internal conductor contact element is blocked by the insulating protective element.

The abovementioned first method step (displacing the insulating protective element into the assembly position) can, in particular, already implicitly take place as part of preassembly of the insulating protective element.

The method step of fastening the internal conductor contact element or elements to corresponding internal conductors of the cable can preferably take place by pressing or clamping the internal conductor in a cylindrical internal conductor contact element by means of a screw.

For the purpose of fastening the internal conductor contact element, an assembly tool, for example a screwdriver, can be guided through the assembly access point when the insulating protective element is in the assembly position.

The insulating protective element can be displaced between the assembly position and the insulating protection position by rotation in particular.

It is advantageously possible to ensure that, in particular, screw heads for fastening the internal conductor contact elements are not undesirably visible and as a result a short circuit is possible.

Provision can be made for the insulating protective element to latch with a plug-in connector component, for example an inner housing shell or an insulating part, in the assembly position and/or (in particular) in the insulating protection position. Particularly when latching is provided in the insulating protection position, the insulating protective element cannot be undesirably moved back or over-rotated to its assembly position again. In this way, it is possible to ensure that the insulating protective element does not automatically move back due to vibrations or shocks during assembly, transportation and/or use of the plug-in connector. The insulating protective element may be moved back to the assembly position again only with deliberate application of increased force.

Since the insulating protective element according to the invention can optionally be pre-mounted in the external conductor contact element, preferably within a groove of the external conductor contact element, of an insulating part or a groove which is formed between the external conductor contact element and the insulating part, said insulating protective element cannot be forgotten by the installation engineer when installing the cable.

If the diameter of the access opening of the insulating protective element is smaller than the diameter of a screw head of a screw used, the insulating protective element can additionally prevent the clamping screw from becoming lost at any time—even in the assembly position. Therefore, the screws used cannot be lost even in a loose delivery state within the insulating protective element.

Conventional screwdrivers can advantageously be used for fitting the internal conductor contact elements to the internal conductors of the cable. Therefore, special tools are not absolutely necessary.

The invention is suitable particularly for use with round plug-in connectors and very particularly for round plug-in connectors in which one or more internal conductor contact elements have to be clamped to internal conductors of an electrical cable by screws and separated from an external conductor shield of the cable.

The invention also relates to the advantageous use of an electrical plug-in connector according to the above and following embodiments for supplying power to active mobile radio antennas.

For the purpose of supplying power to active mobile radio antennas, comparatively high currents (e.g. 50 amperes at 60 volts) are required for example. The line cross section of the internal conductor of the transmission cable which is used on a mobile radio mast is designed to be of a corresponding size. In a corresponding plug-in power connector, the internal conductors of the cable can therefore preferably be fastened by means of a screw arrangement. In general, in each case one metal screw is used for each internal conductor, said metal screw being fed radially through the assembly recess of the external conductor contact element and screwed into an aligned threaded bore which is provided in the insulating part or in the internal conductor contact element. Finally, an earthing shield or an external conductor shield of the electrical cable can be guided over the outer surface of the external conductor contact element.

Owing to the insulating protective element according to the invention, an undesired short circuit between an internal conductor and the external conductor shield of the cable can then be reliably prevented by displacing the insulating protective element into the insulating protection position in accordance with the invention.

Furthermore, the invention relates to an electrical plug-in connection comprising an electrical plug-in connector according to the above and following embodiments and also an electrical mating plug-in connector which can be connected to the electrical plug-in connector.

Finally, the invention also relates to a vehicle having at least one electrical plug-in connector according to the above and following embodiments or to a mobile radio antenna with an electrical plug-in connector according to the above and following embodiments.

The invention also relates to an assembly-preventing arrangement for an insulating protective element. The insulating protective element can preferably be designed in accordance with the above and following information. However, in principle, the assembly-preventing arrangement can be suitable for any desired insulating protective elements. The assembly-preventing arrangement can be designed in order to block final assembly of an electrical plug-in connector in an interlocking manner when the insulating protective element is not in an insulating protection position (in particular an insulating protection position described above and below). The assembly-preventing arrangement can also be designed in order to block insertion of a mating plug-in connector into the plug-in connector in an interlocking manner when the insulating protective element is not in an insulating protection position (in particular an insulating protection position described above and below). The assembly-preventing arrangement can preferably have a lug which extends axially or radially in the direction of the cable.

Features which have been described in conjunction with the electrical plug-in connector according to the invention can of course also be implemented for the insulating protective element, the electrical plug-in connection, the use according to the invention, the vehicle, the mobile radio antenna, the assembly method and the assembly-preventing arrangement—and vice versa. Furthermore, advantages which have already been mentioned in conjunction with the electrical plug-in connector according to the invention can also be understood as relating to the insulating protective element, the electrical plug-in connection, the use according to the invention, the vehicle, the mobile radio antenna, the assembly method and the assembly-preventing arrangement and vice versa.

It should additionally be pointed out that terms such as “comprising”, “having” or “with” do not exclude other features or steps. Furthermore, terms such as “a(n)” or “the” indicating steps or features in the singular do not exclude a plurality of features or steps and vice versa.

However, in a puristic embodiment of the invention, provision can also be made for the features which are introduced in the invention by the terms “comprising”, “having” or “with” to be exhaustively listed. Accordingly, one or more lists can be considered to be exhaustive within the scope of the invention, for example for each claim in each case. The invention can, for example, consist exclusively of the features cited in Claim1.

It should further be noted that the values and parameters described in the present case include deviations or fluctuations of ±10% or less, preferably ±5% or less, further preferably ±1% or less, and very particularly preferably ±0.1% or less, in the respectively mentioned value or parameter, provided that these deviations are not ruled out in practice when implementing the invention. The indication of ranges by start and end values also comprises all those values and fractions which are included by the respectively mentioned range, in particular the start and end values and a respective average value.

Exemplary embodiments of the invention will be described in more detail with reference to the drawings which schematically show preferred exemplary embodiments in which individual features of the present invention may be illustrated in combination with one another. Features of an exemplary embodiment can also be implemented separately from the other features of the same exemplary embodiment, and can accordingly be readily combined by a person skilled in the art with features of other exemplary embodiments in order to form further meaningful combinations and sub-combinations. In the figures, functionally identical elements are provided with the same reference symbols.

