This application claims the benefit of the filing date under 35 U.S.C. §119(a) of Chinese Patent Application No. 201120547037.8, filed Dec. 22, 2011.
The invention relates to a photovoltaic (PV) assembly, junction box, and especially to a clamp used with a contact tip of a contact rail in the junction box to electrically connect the contact tip with a bus bar of a solar cell panel, a contact rail assembly having the clamp and a PV assembly junction box having the contact rail assembly.
In a conventional PV assembly, it is necessary to electrically connect a bus bar of a solar cell panel with a contact tip of a contact rail in a PV assembly junction box (hereinafter, referred to as junction box). Usually, the electrical connection is made by using a special elastic clamp. For example, as shown in
However, the above elastic clamp cannot provide a sufficient gripping force so that it is difficult to ensure a stable electrical connection between the bus bar and the contact tip of the contact rail.
In addition, opening of the elastic clamp usually requires a special tool, which makes the operation of electrically connecting the bus bar and the contact rail complicated and inconvenient.
Therefore, it is necessary to improve the conventional elastic clamp.
The invention has been made to overcome or alleviate at least one aspect of the above mentioned disadvantages. Accordingly, it would be advantageous to provide a clamp which has improved clamping force for ensuring stable electrical connection and which makes the electrical connection operation between the bus bar and the contact rail convenient.
According to one aspect of the invention, a clamp for electrically connecting a contact rail and a bus bar of a PV assembly, wherein the clamp includes a base having a first surface and a second surface opposite to the first surface, and having a first end and a second end opposite to the first end. Two fixing portions extend from both sides of the base and away from and substantially perpendicular to the first surface. The fixing portions are adapted to detachably fix the clamp to the contact rail. An extending portion has a first bending extension extending and bent from the first end of the base, a parallel extension connected with the first bending extension and extending substantially in parallel with and spaced apart from the first surface, a second bending extension connected with the parallel extension and bent to extend between the two fixing portions towards the base; and an actuating extension connected with the second bending extension and extending beyond the base. The actuating extension is provided with a first locating element and a second locating element. A locating protrusion is formed integrally at the second end of the base and adapted to be engaged within the first locating element and the second locating element. When the locating protrusion is engaged with the first locating element, the clamp is in a released state, and when the locating protrusion is engaged with the second locating element, the clamp is in a locked state. When a tip of the actuating extension is pressed in a direction from the first end to the second end, the locating protrusion may be adapted to be moved from the first locating element to the second locating element after being disengaged from the first locating element. Further, the first locating element and the second locating element may be a first locating hole and a second locating hole respectively, and when the tip of the actuating extension is pressed in the direction from the first end to the second end, the locating protrusion is adapted to be moved from the first locating hole, after being disengaged from the first locating element, to the second locating hole to be stuck in the second locating hole.
The invention will now be described in further detail with reference to embodiments shown in the following figures of which:
Embodiments of the invention will be described hereinafter in detail with reference to the attached drawings, wherein the like reference numerals refer to the like elements throughout the specification. These embodiments should not be construed as being limited to the embodiment set forth herein, but are rather for illustrative purposes only to show possible embodiments, among others, of the invention.
A clamp 100 according to one exemplary embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to
Referring to
Advantageously, when the tip 343 of the actuating extension 34 is urged in a direction from the first end to the second end (that is, downwards in
As shown in
In
Though not shown, edges of each fixing portion 20 remote from the first surface 11 may be bent to form guiding recesses, the guiding recesses extending in a direction substantially in parallel with the first surface 11.
Referring to
A contact rail assembly 200 according to one exemplary embodiment of the present invention will be described next with reference to
Alternatively, edges of each fixing portion 20 remote from the first surface 11 are bent to form guiding recesses, and the guiding recesses extend in a direction substantially in parallel with the first surface 11 and are adapted to be slidably fit to the contact tip 51. In this way, the clamp 100 may be fitted to the contact tip 51 of the contact rail 50 in a sliding inserting manner. As known by those skilled in the art, an interference fit may be formed between the guiding recesses and the side edges of the contact tip.
As shown in
Referring to
As shown in
In the case that the locating protrusion 40 is engaged with the first locating element 341, the clamp 100 may be fixed to the contact tip 51 by inserting the hooks 24 into the bayonets 52. In order to detach the clamp 100 from the contact tip 51 of the contact rail 50, a force may be applied to the clamp 100 as shown in
The detaching and the fixing of the clamp 100 according to the present invention are therefore simplified and convenient. In addition, the clamp 100 may be replaced if necessary, and the clamping force of the clamp 100 is improved to ensure a stable electrical connection between the bus bar and the contact rail 50.
The invention also relates to a PV assembly junction box, having a housing, at least one bus bar, and at least one of the above described contact rail assemblies 200. In the housing, the bus bar is adapted to be electrically connected with the contact tip 51 of a corresponding contact rail 50 by means of the clamp 100.
Although several exemplary embodiments have been shown and described, it will be appreciated by those skilled in the art that the above exemplary embodiments are only for illustration, and various changes or modifications may be made in these exemplary embodiments by those skilled in the art without departing from the principles and spirit of the disclosure, the scope of which is defined in the appended claims and their equivalents. In addition, the structures described in the various exemplary embodiments may be combined freely if the combined structure is not contrary to the principles of the present invention, thus, more modified junction boxes may be provided for solving the technical problem of the present invention.
Number | Date | Country | Kind |
---|---|---|---|
2011 2 0547037 U | Dec 2011 | CN | national |
Number | Name | Date | Kind |
---|---|---|---|
5993270 | Geske et al. | Nov 1999 | A |
6336824 | Sorig | Jan 2002 | B1 |
6796855 | Fricke et al. | Sep 2004 | B2 |
6851967 | Miyoshi et al. | Feb 2005 | B2 |
7287999 | Holterhoff et al. | Oct 2007 | B2 |
8040678 | Tai et al. | Oct 2011 | B2 |
8152536 | Scherer et al. | Apr 2012 | B2 |
8388358 | Thompson et al. | Mar 2013 | B2 |
20040248457 | Walter | Dec 2004 | A1 |
20110220187 | Wang et al. | Sep 2011 | A1 |
20110318975 | Giefers et al. | Dec 2011 | A1 |
Number | Date | Country |
---|---|---|
101958481 | Jan 2011 | CN |
201805009 | Apr 2011 | CN |
Entry |
---|
Pliers for Foil Clip (Omega-Spring) PN 1740873, May 9, 2007. |
PPT, SolarK 1-Rail Junction Box, Nov. 2011, Henry Ko, 29 pages. |
Number | Date | Country | |
---|---|---|---|
20130189861 A1 | Jul 2013 | US |