Conductor-connecting element

Information

  • Patent Grant
  • 6435900
  • Patent Number
    6,435,900
  • Date Filed
    Thursday, August 23, 2001
    23 years ago
  • Date Issued
    Tuesday, August 20, 2002
    22 years ago
Abstract
For the separable connection of an electrical conductor with a large cross-section to an insulation displacement connection, it is proposed that a connecting body with at least one insulation displacement terminal into which an electrical conductor can be forced by means of a clamping screw, be provided in a conductor-connecting element.
Description




The invention relates to a conductor-connecting element for the connection of electrical conductors, preferably for conductors with large conducting cross-sections.




A conductor-connecting element of this kind is used for the separable connection, which is to be performed in a rapid and simple manner, of electrical conductors to electrical insulation displacement contacts.




From EP 554 810 A2, an electrical plug connector for connecting insulated electrical conductors is known, in which the electrical conductors are pushed into bores in a conductor-guiding element which have a double deflection, and contact with the said conductors is made within the deflection by means of insulation displacement terminals.




In the known connections using insulation displacement terminals, the fact that simple insulation displacement contacts are able to transmit only limited current intensities because of the small areas of contact between the electrical conductors and the narrow cutting edges of the contacts, has an unfavorable effect.




The underlying object of the invention is therefore to construct a conductor-connecting element of the initially mentioned type to the effect that a simple fitting and connection of electrical conductors is made possible, which is-so capable of transmitting high currents.




This object is achieved through the fact that a connecting body is provided in which a U-shaped conductor-receiving chamber is constructed, that a threaded bore into which a clamping screw can be screwed is provided in the said connecting body, that the connecting body is provided with at least one insulation displacement terminal, and that an electrical conductor which is placed in the conductor-receiving chamber is pressed into the said conductor-receiving chamber by the said clamping screw when the latter is screwed in, the insulation displacement terminal severing the sheathing of the electrical conductor and the said conductor making contact electrically with the insulation displacement terminal.




The advantages obtained with the invention consist, in particular, in the fact that a conductor-connecting element with an insulation displacement arrangement of double design can be loaded with substantially higher current intensities, the said insulation displacement terminals being disposed symmetrically to the clamping screw which is disposed centrally between them.




Furthermore, insulation displacement-type contact-making guarantees more reliable electrical contact-making, which requires only low actuating forces, even in the case of fairly large cable cross-sections.




In addition, because of the open type of construction of the conductor-connecting element, in which the point of contact-making can be directly inspected, a simple visual check concerning the state of contact-making between the insulation displacement terminal and the electrical conductor is of advantage.




An advantageous further development of the invention results from the use of a clamping screw with a pressure piece which does not rotate and which presses the electrical conductor into the insulation displacement terminals, the frictional forces on the sheathing of the electrical conductor which otherwise still additionally occur because of the rotating clamping screw, being avoided.











An exemplified embodiment of the invention is represented in the drawings and will be explained in greater detail below. In the said drawings:





FIG. 1



a


shows a perspective view of a conductor-connecting element with insulation displacement terminals,





FIG. 1



b


shows a perspective view of a carrier body belonging to a conductor-connecting element,





FIG. 1



c


shows a section through a conductor-connecting element with an electrical conductor,





FIG. 2

shows a perspective view of a conductor-connecting element with double insulation displacement terminals,





FIG. 3

shows a perspective view of a conductor-connecting element with an integrated insulation displacement terminal,





FIG. 4

shows a perspective view of a conductor-connecting element with a centrally disposed insulation displacement terminal,





FIG. 5

shows a perspective view of a conductor-connecting element with an eccentrically disposed insulation displacement terminal,





FIG. 6

shows a perspective view of a conductor-connecting element with a clamping screw provided with a pressure piece, and





FIG. 7

shows a perspective view of a conductor-connecting element with a pressure cap.











An electrically conductive conductor-connecting element


1


with insulation displacement contacts


20


which are engaged in a latching manner in a connecting body


10


, is shown in a perspective view in

FIG. 1



a


in the form of a double or two-sided conductor connection, the upper half being provided with a screw connection while the lower half in this example is provided only with an open insulation displacement connection.




The conductor-connecting element may also be intended, in different variants of the second (in this case, lower) connection, for a busbar, as a crimp connection, as a simple screw connection or for soldering-in.




The connecting body


10


is formed by two legs


13


and


14


which are connected to one another centrally, the legs and a formed-on portion


15


attached to the leg


13


at right angles forming a conductor-receiving chamber


12


in which an electrical conductor


9


can be inserted through an opening


17


.




The connecting body


10


of H-shaped construction is shown in the example in

FIG. 1



b


, a central threaded bore


16


being disposed in the formed-on portion


15


.




Also provided in each of the narrow sides of the legs is a recessed clearance


19


which has a central peg


26


in the region connecting the two legs. An insulation displacement terminal


20


with a corresponding bore


25


for the peg


26


can be inserted in a clamping manner in each of the said clearances.




The rounded inner contours of the conductor-receiving chamber


12


are adapted to the round shape of the electrical conductors


9


, while the outer contour has the elongated, rectangularly designed shape of the connecting body.




Screwed, as shown in

figure 1



a


, into the central threaded bore


16


in the formed-on portion


15


is a clamping screw


3


which is held in a captive manner in the region of the conductor-receiving chamber by means of a latched-on plastic sleeve


4


.




The end of the plastic sleeve


4


is moved higher or lower in the conductor-receiving chamber


12


, according to the direction of rotation of the clamping screw


3


. Two individual insulation displacement terminals


20


are engaged in a latching manner in the carrier body


10


on either side of the clamping screw by means of rectangular latching noses


24


which are formed on at the lateral outer edges of the said terminals and which engage in the clearances


19


. For further use, the complete conductor-connecting element is put into a correspondingly shaped clearance in an insulating carrier housing which is not shown here, it being possible to arrange a number of conductor-connecting elements in a row in one carrier housing.




For contact-making between a conductor-connecting element


1


and an electrical conductor, the latter is pushed into the opening


17


, into the conductor-receiving chamber


12


and into the region between the insulation displacement terminals


20


. The clamping screw


3


is then turned with a suitable tool in the direction of the insulation displacement terminals, so that the electrical conductor


9


is forced between the insulation displacement terminals


20


on either side of the clamping screw, the sheathing of the conductor being cut into by each of the two insulation displacement terminals and a double electrical contact between the conductor and the insulation displacement terminals being ensured, so that even high currents can be conducted via this contact-making system.




The way in which an electrical conductor


9


is pressed by the clamping screw


3


into the cutting edges of two insulation displacement terminals


20


is shown in

FIG. 1



c


, in a longitudinal section through a conductor-connecting element


1


.





FIG. 2

shows, in a variant to

FIG. 1



a


, a conductor-connecting element which is otherwise of identical construction but in which two insulation displacement terminals are connected to one another by means of a bridge-like web


23


to form a one-piece, double insulation displacement terminal


21


.




On either side of the web, the insulation displacement terminals are bent over in a U-shaped manner and latched onto the connecting body


10


of the conductor-connecting element in corresponding clearances


19


.





FIG. 3

shows a conductor-connecting element which preferably has an insulation displacement terminal


22


which is disposed centrally in relation to the clamping screw


3


. In this case, the insulation displacement terminal is machined out of the material of the connecting body


10


.





FIG. 4

shows, in a variant of

FIG. 3

, a conductor-connecting element which likewise has an insulation displacement terminal which is disposed centrally in relation to the clamping screw


3


but which is inserted centrally in the connecting body


10


, as a separate insulation displacement terminal


20


, through a central slit


18


.





FIG. 5

shows, in a variant to

FIG. 4

, a conductor-connecting element whose insulation displacement terminal has an eccentric location in relation to the clamping screw


3


, the said insulation displacement terminal


20


likewise being inserted in a slit


18


in the connecting body


10


of the conductor-connecting element.





FIG. 6

shows a conductor-connecting element in which two individual insulation displacement terminals


20


are provided, as in

FIG. 1

, but in which the clamping screw


3


has a variant.




Provided in the conductor-receiving chamber


12


, underneath the end of the clamping screw, is a rectangular pressure piece


5


which is rotatably attached, preferably by means of a rivet-like fastening, to the end of the said clamping screw


3


.




Because of the abutment of part of the pressure piece against the inner wall of the leg


13


, the said pressure piece remains in the intended position-apart from a vertical displacement—irrespective of the rotation of the clamping screw.




The pressure piece


5


also has, on that side which faces towards the opening


17


in the connecting body


10


, a lower bevel in order to facilitate the insertion of an electrical conductor in the conductor-receiving chamber


12


at the insulation displacement terminals


20


.




In addition, there are formed on, on the two sides of the pressure piece which point towards the insulation displacement terminals, noses


6


which are guided in the slits between the insulation displacement terminals


20


as the electrical conductor is increasingly forced into the latter, thereby achieving an additional safeguard against twisting.




As a result of using the pressure piece


5


, which does not co-rotate with the clamping screw


3


, friction of the said clamping screw


3


on the sheathing during rotation is avoided and, at the same time, the contact pressure is distributed over a larger area of the electrical conductor.





FIG. 7

shows another variant of the conductor-connecting element, in which the clamping screw


7


is screwed into a threaded bore


16


in one leg


13


, which is of enlarged construction, of the carrier body


11


, a pressure cap


8


being lowered, by means of the clamping screw, onto an electrical conductor (


9


) disposed between the insulation displacement terminals


20


, and forcing the said conductor between the cutting edges.



Claims
  • 1. A conductor-connecting element for the connection of electrical conductors, comprisinga connecting body having a U-shaped conductor-receiving chamber, a threaded bore into which a clamping screw can be screwed provided in the connecting body, the connecting body being provided with at least one insulation displacement terminal, wherein the insulation displacement terminal has: (1) latching noses formed on longitudinal sides thereof which can be inserted in clearances on the connecting body; and (2) a central opening for a peg on the connecting body, by means of which peg the insulation displacement terminal is held, whereby when an electrical conductor is placed in the conductor-receiving chamber and pressed into the conductor-receiving chamber by the clamping screw when the clamping screw is screwed in, the insulation displacement terminal severs sheathing of the electrical conductor and the conductor makes contact electrically with the insulation displacement terminal.
  • 2. The conductor-connecting element according to claim 1,wherein the insulation displacement terminal is disposed in the conductor-receiving chamber, centrally in relation to the clamping screw.
  • 3. The conductor-connecting element according to claim 1,wherein the insulation displacement terminal is disposed eccentrically in the conductor-receiving chamber, laterally next to the clamping screw.
  • 4. The conductor-connecting element according to claim 1,wherein one insulation displacement terminal in each case is disposed at lateral openings of the conductor-receiving chamber.
  • 5. The conductor-connecting element according to claim 1,and comprising two insulation displacement terminals connected to one another by means of a web and engagable in a latching manner, as a double insulation displacement terminal bent in an U-shaped manner, on said carrier body.
  • 6. The conductor-connecting element according to claim 1,wherein the connecting body has, longitudinally through legs, at least one slit in which the insulation displacement terminal can be inserted in the conductor-receiving chamber.
  • 7. The conductor-connecting element according to claim 1,wherein the connecting body and the insulation displacement terminal are constructed in one piece.
  • 8. The conductor-connecting element according to claim 1,wherein the clamping screw is provided, at a front end thereof, with a pressure piece which points in a direction of the conductor-receiving chamber and is held in a rotatable manner, there being provided on the pressure piece noses which project laterally outwards and project into slits in the insulation displacement terminals.
  • 9. The conductor-connecting element according to claim 1,wherein a pressure cap is provided which extends over the conductor-receiving chamber and presses the electrical conductor into insulation displacement terminals when the clamping screw is screwed in a threaded bore in a leg of the connecting body in the direction of the insulation displacement terminals.
  • 10. The conductor-connecting element according to claim 1,wherein the conductor-connecting element is constructed as a double-sided connecting element, a one-piece connecting body being formed from two opposing U-shaped conductor-receiving chambers for receiving an electrical conductor in each case.
  • 11. The conductor-connecting element according to claim 1,wherein the threaded bore is provided in a formed-on portion of the connecting body, which formed-on portion extends above the conductor-receiving chamber.
  • 12. The conductor-connecting element according to claim 11,wherein the insulation displacement terminal is disposed in the conductor-receiving chamber, centrally in relation to the clamping screw.
  • 13. The conductor-connecting element according to claim 11,wherein the insulation displacement terminal is disposed eccentrically in the conductor-receiving chamber, laterally next to the clamping screw.
  • 14. The conductor-connecting element according to claim 11,wherein one insulation displacement terminal in each case is disposed at lateral openings of the conductor-receiving chamber.
  • 15. The conductor-connecting element according to claim 11,wherein the insulation displacement terminal has latching noses which are formed on longitudinal sides thereof for insertion in clearances on the connecting body, and the insulation displacement terminal has a central opening for a peg on the connecting body, by means of which peg the insulation displacement terminal is held.
  • 16. A conductor-connecting element for the connection of electrical conductors, comprisinga connecting body having a U-shaped conductor-receiving chamber, a threaded bore into which a clamping screw can be screwed provided in the connecting body, the connecting body being provided with at least one insulation displacement terminal, wherein the clamping screw is provided, at a front end thereof, with a pressure piece which points in a direction of the conductor-receiving chamber and is held in a rotatable manner, there being provided on the pressure piece noses which project laterally outwards and project into slits in the insulation displacement terminals, and whereby when an electrical conductor is placed in the conductor-receiving chamber and pressed into the conductor-receiving chamber by the clamping screw when the clamping screw is screwed in, the insulation displacement terminal severs sheathing of the electrical conductor and the conductor makes contact electrically with the insulation displacement terminal.
  • 17. The conductor-connecting element according to claim 16,wherein the threaded bore is provided in a formed-on portion of the connecting body, which formed-on portion extends above the conductor-receiving chamber.
  • 18. The conductor-connecting element according to claim 16,wherein the insulation displacement terminal is disposed in the conductor-receiving chamber, centrally in relation to the clamping screw.
  • 19. The conductor-connecting element according to claim 16,wherein the insulation displacement terminal is disposed eccentrically in the conductor-receiving chamber, laterally next to the clamping screw.
  • 20. The conductor-connecting element according to claim 16,wherein one insulation displacement terminal in each case is disposed at lateral openings of the conductor-receiving chamber.
  • 21. The conductor-connecting element according to claim 16,and comprising insulation displacement terminals connected to one another by means of a web and engagable in a latching manner, as a double insulation displacement terminal bent in a U-shaped manner, on said carrier body.
  • 22. The conductor-connecting element according to claim 16,wherein the connecting body has, longitudinally through legs, at least one slit in which the insulation displacement terminal can be inserted in the conductor-receiving chamber.
  • 23. The conductor-connecting element according to claim 16,wherein the connecting body and the insulation displacement terminal are constructed in one piece.
  • 24. The conductor-connecting element according to claim 16,wherein a pressure cap is provided which extends over the conductor-receiving chamber and presses the electrical conductor into insulation displacement terminals when the clamping screw is screwed in a threaded bore in a leg of the connecting body in the direction of the insulation displacement terminals.
  • 25. The conductor-connecting element according to claim 16,wherein the conductor-connecting element is constructed as a double-sided connecting element, a one-piece connecting body being formed from two opposing U-shaped conductor-receiving chambers which are designed for receiving an electrical conductor in each case.
  • 26. The conductor-connecting element according to claim 16,wherein the insulation displacement terminal is disposed in the conductor-receiving chamber, centrally in relation to the clamping screw.
  • 27. The conductor-connecting element according to claim 16,wherein the insulation displacement terminal is disposed eccentrically in the conductor-receiving chamber, laterally next to the clamping screw.
  • 28. The conductor-connecting element according to claim 16,wherein one insulation displacement terminal in each case is disposed at lateral openings of the conductor-receiving chamber.
  • 29. The conductor-connecting element according to claim 16,wherein the insulation displacement terminal has latching noses which are formed on longitudinal sides thereof for insertion in clearances on the connecting body, and the insulation displacement terminal has a central opening for a peg on the connecting body, by means of which peg the insulation displacement terminal is held.
  • 30. A conductor-connecting element for the connection of electrical conductors, comprisinga connecting body having a U-shaped conductor-receiving chamber, a threaded bore into which a clamping screw can be screwed provided in the connecting body, the connecting body being provided with at least one insulation displacement terminal, wherein the threaded bore is provided in a formed-on portion of the connecting body, which formed-on portion extends above the conductor-receiving chamber, and the insulation displacement terminal has: (1) latching noses which are formed on longitudinal sides thereof which can be inserted in clearances on the connecting body; and (2) a central opening for a peg on the connecting body, by means of which peg the said insulation displacement terminal is held, and whereby when an electrical conductor is placed in the conductor-receiving chamber and pressed into the conductor-receiving chamber by the clamping screw when the clamping screw is screwed in, the insulation displacement terminal severs sheathing of the electrical conductor and the conductor makes contact electrically with the insulation displacement terminal.
  • 31. The conductor-connecting element according to claim 30,wherein the insulation displacement terminal is disposed in the conductor-receiving chamber, centrally in relation to the clamping screw.
  • 32. The conductor-connecting element according to claim 30,wherein the insulation displacement terminal is disposed eccentrically in the conductor-receiving chamber, laterally next to the clamping screw.
  • 33. The conductor-connecting element according to claim 30,wherein one insulation displacement terminal in each case is disposed at lateral openings of the conductor-receiving chamber.
  • 34. The conductor-connecting element according to claim 30,and comprising two insulation displacement terminals connected to one another by means of a web and engagable in a latching manner, as a double insulation displacement terminal bent in a U-shaped manner, on said carrier body.
  • 35. The conductor-connecting element according to claim 30,wherein the connecting body has, longitudinally through legs, at least one slit in which the insulation displacement terminal can be inserted in the conductor-receiving chamber.
  • 36. The conductor-connecting element according to claim 30,wherein the connecting body and the insulation displacement terminal are constructed in one piece.
  • 37. The conductor-connecting element according to claim 30,wherein a pressure cap is provided which extends over the conductor-receiving chamber and presses the electrical conductor into insulation displacement terminals when the clamping screw is screwed in a threaded bore in a leg of the connecting body in the direction of the insulation displacement terminals.
  • 38. The conductor-connecting element according to claim 30,wherein the conductor-connecting element is constructed as a double-sided connecting element, a one-piece connecting body being formed from two opposing U-shaped conductor-receiving chambers designed for receiving an electrical conductor in each case.
  • 39. A conductor-connecting element for the connection of electrical conductors, comprisinga connecting body having a U-shaped conductor-receiving chamber, a threaded bore into which a clamping screw can be screwed provided in the connecting body, the connecting body being provided with at least one insulation displacement terminal, wherein the threaded bore is provided in a formed-on portion of the connecting body, which formed-on portion extends above the conductor-receiving chamber, wherein the clamping screw is provided, at a front end thereof, with a pressure piece which points in the direction of the conductor-receiving chamber and is held in a rotatable manner, there being provided on the pressure piece noses which project laterally outwards and project into slits in the insulation displacement terminal, and whereby when an electrical conductor is placed in the conductor-receiving chamber and pressed into the conductor-receiving chamber by the clamping screw when the clamping screw is screwed in, the insulation displacement terminal severs sheathing of the electrical conductor and the conductor makes contact electrically with the insulation displacement terminal.
  • 40. The conductor-connecting element according to claim 39,wherein the insulation displacement terminal is disposed in the conductor-receiving chamber, centrally in relation to the clamping screw.
  • 41. The conductor-connecting element according to claim 39,wherein the insulation displacement terminal is disposed eccentrically in the conductor-receiving chamber, laterally next to the clamping screw.
  • 42. The conductor-connecting element according to claim 39,wherein one insulation displacement terminal in each case is disposed at lateral openings of the conductor-receiving chamber.
  • 43. The conductor-connecting element according to claim 39,and comprising two insulation displacement terminals connected to one another in one piece by means of a web and engagable in a latching manner, as a double insulation displacement terminal bent in a U-shaped manner, on said carrier body.
  • 44. The conductor-connecting element according to claim 39,wherein the connecting body has, longitudinally through legs, at least one slit in which the insulation displacement terminal can be inserted in the conductor-receiving chamber.
  • 45. The conductor-connecting element according to claim 39,wherein the connecting body and the insulation displacement terminals are constructed in one piece.
  • 46. The conductor-connecting element according to claim 39,wherein a pressure cap is provided which extends over the conductor-receiving chamber, and presses the electrical conductor into insulation displacement terminals when the clamping screw is screwed in a threaded bore in a leg of the connecting body in the direction of the insulation displacement terminals.
  • 47. The conductor-connecting element according to claim 39,wherein the conductor-connecting element is constructed as a double-sided connecting element, a one-piece connecting body being formed from two opposing U-shaped conductor-receiving chambers which are intended for receiving an electrical conductor in each case.
Priority Claims (1)
Number Date Country Kind
100 48 298 Sep 2000 DE
US Referenced Citations (8)
Number Name Date Kind
4340270 Wilmes et al. Jul 1982 A
4449777 Baribeau May 1984 A
4652071 Debortoli et al. Mar 1987 A
4764125 Debortoli Aug 1988 A
4793822 Cozzens et al. Dec 1988 A
5149278 Waas et al. Sep 1992 A
5203716 Martucci et al. Apr 1993 A
5601448 Poon Feb 1997 A
Foreign Referenced Citations (1)
Number Date Country
0 554 810 Jul 2001 EP