The present disclosure relates to a technical field of wiring terminals, and in particular to an electrical connector.
Nowadays, terminal clip-type electrical connectors are widely used in various power usage scenarios to achieve effective clamping of electrical conductors.
Chinese patent application NO. 201711103518.8 discloses a terminal clip. An insulating housing of the terminal clip comprises a housing wall section extending gaps of control pieces. The spring clip is shielded in an upward direction by an outer boundary wall of the housing wall section. However, the applicant found that configurations of the housing wall section and the outer boundary wall largely limits free and flexible arrangement of the spring clip arranged inside, so that the spring clip needs to be arranged according to the housing wall section to meet assembly requirements.
In addition, in order to ensure airtightness of an interior of the insulating housing, the outer boundary wall is arranged above and shields the spring clip. Meanwhile, in order to meet visualization purpose of an internal wiring space, at this stage, the insulating housing can only be designed as a transparent plastic shell structure, which increases its limitations and reduces its operability.
In view of these problems, a purpose of the present disclosure is to provide an electrical connector to solve the problems.
The present disclosure provides an electrical connector. The electrical connector comprise an insulating housing, a spring clip disposed in the insulating housing, and control pieces configured to open the spring clip. The insulating housing comprises outer wall sections separately corresponding to wire inserting spaces defined inside the insulating housing. Each of the outer wall sections at least partially extends into a gap formed by a corresponding control piece when the control pieces are switched to a closed state. Moving spaces are defined on an outside of two sides of each of the outer wall sections. The control pieces perform an opening operation and a closing operation in the moving spaces. When the control pieces are in an open state, the spring clip is observed along the moving spaces. Along a width direction of the spring clip, the spring clip is at least partially exposed in projections of the moving spaces along an up-down direction of the moving spaces.
Furthermore, each of the control pieces comprises two lever arm sections configured to partially insert into the insulating housing in a rotate support manner. The two lever arm sections of each of the control pieces are spaced-apart. Each of the control pieces comprises a crosspiece away from a rotating supporting area of corresponding two lever arm sections. Each crosspiece connects the corresponding two lever arm sections to form a lever arm. When the control pieces are in the closed state, the lever arm sections cooperate with the outer wall sections, so the lever arm sections and the outer wall sections are at least partially arranged above and shield the spring clip corresponding to the moving spaces.
Furthermore, the insulating housing comprises a base and a cover matched with the base. A first side of the base defines wire inserting holes. The cover is detachably engaged with and arranged on a second side of the base. Each of the wire inserting holes is provided with a corresponding outer wall section. Each of the wire inserting holes is arranged opposite to the corresponding outer wall section. The cover and the base are aligned and matched with each other, after the base is docked with the cover, the outer wall sections arrange above the base to shield wire inserting spaces formed in the insulating housing.
In one aspect, the outer wall sections are arranged at intervals on a front end side of the base. Each of the outer wall sections are integrally formed. A first end of each of the outer wall sections is snapped in the cover arranged on a rear end side of the base.
In one aspect, the cover comprises a rear cover portion and the outer wall sections extending outward along the rear cover portion. The outer wall sections extend into a hollow upper portion of the base along a length direction of the outer wall sections. One end of each of the outer wall sections is suspended in the hollow upper portion of the base. The one end of each of the outer wall sections is suspended in the insulating housing. In a suspended manner, an avoidance area is formed in an extending direction of each of the outer wall sections. When the control pieces are in the open sate, the wire inserting spaces are directly observed through the avoidance areas of the outer wall sections. When the control pieces are in the closed state, the avoidance areas are at least partially covered by the crosspieces. The lever arms cooperate with the outer wall sections to at least partially shield portions of the spring clip corresponding to the moving spaces close to the avoidance areas.
By adopting above technical solutions, In the electrical connector of the present disclosure, the outer wall sections are formed on the insulating housing, and the spring clip arranged inside the electrical connector are at least partially exposed through the moving spaces outside two sides of each of the outer wall sections, so the spring clip is not limited by the outer wall sections, and is freely arranged in the insulating housing. Especially, when the control pieces are switched to the open state, a user is able to at least observe the spring clip located in the insulating housing along the moving spaces. The spring clip is exposed at least exposed to the projections of the moving spaces in the width direction of the spring clip, which on one hand is conducive to optical visualization operations, and on the other hand greatly improves heat dissipation of the overall insulating housing, assembly of the insulating housing and maintenance of the insulating housing.
In the present disclosure, when the control pieces are switched to the closed state, through cooperation between the lever arm sections and the outer wall sections, the control pieces at least partially shield the spring clip, especially shield the spring clip along the width direction of the spring clip. Therefore, when wires are inserted in and there is no need to observe wires in the interior of the electrical connector, the control pieces further shield the portions of spring clip exposed to an outside to improve the internal tightness of the electrical connector.
In one embodiment of the electrical connector, the outer wall sections are arranged at intervals on the front end side of the base. Each of the outer wall sections are integrally formed. The first end of each of the outer wall sections is snapped in the cover to achieve a stable combination purpose. In particular, a second end of each of the outer wall sections forms a step position. The step positions are matched with the crosspieces and the gaps of the control pieces thereby defining a horizontal position of each of the control pieces in the closed state.
In one embodiment of the electrical connector, the outer wall sections are formed in a direction in which the rear cover portion of the cover extends outward. By suspending one end of each of the outer wall sections in the insulating housing, the avoidance area is formed on an outward extension path of the one end of each of the outer wall sections. The user is able to observe a wiring situation of the wire inserting spaces in real time through the avoidance areas to avoid problems such as improper clamping of the wires. Therefore, the interior of the wire inserting spaces are observed intuitively by directly providing the avoidance areas on the insulating housing, so the insulating housing is no need to be transparent. Thus, it is flexible and efficient in material selection and operation of the insulating housing, which improves user experience.
The avoidance areas provided in the insulating housing are only exposed when the control pieces are in the open state, which happens to be a process of inserting the external wires to the wire inserting spaces. The avoidance areas ensure that the wires enters the wire inserting spaces according to a predetermined inserting path, which is convenient for the user to adjust the inserting posture in real time.
After the wires are inserted into the electrical connector, the control pieces are switched to the closed state. At this time, the avoidance areas are at least partially shielded by the crosspieces of the control pieces. The lever arms and the outer wall sections cooperate with each other to shield the portions of the spring clip close to the avoidance areas, so that portions of the moving spaces and the avoidance areas are shielded, which achieves a purpose of closing the wire inserting spaces and meets requirements of the electrical connector for clamping the wires.
In order to clearly describe technical solutions in the embodiments of the present disclosure, the following will briefly introduce the drawings that need to be used in the description of the embodiments or the prior art. Apparently, the drawings in the following description are merely some of the embodiments of the present disclosure, and should not be regarded as limitations to the present disclose. Those skilled in the art are able to obtain other drawings according to the drawings without contributing any inventive labor.
In the drawings:
1—insulating housing; 11—base; 111—hollow upper portion; 112—wire inserting hole; 113—partition portion; 114—fitting groove; 115—first detecting port; 12—cover; 121—outer wall section ; 1211—step position; 122—notch structure; 123—bending portion; 124—T-shaped snap; 125—second detecting port; 126—through hole;
2—spring clip; 21—clamping spring; 211—support portion; 212—spring bow portion; 213—frame portion; 2131—side edge; 2132—retaining edge; 2133—wire passing window; 214—clip edge portion; 2141—contact section; 2142—concave position; 2143—clip section; 22—bus bar; 221—extending portion;
3—control piece; 31—lever arm section; 32—crosspiece; 33—control section;
K—gap; H—moving space; S—avoidance area.
In order to make objectives, technical solutions, and advantages of the embodiments of the present disclosure clear, technical solutions in the embodiments of the present disclosure will be described clearly and completely in conjunction with the accompanying drawings in the embodiments of the present disclosure. Obviously, the described embodiments are only a part of the embodiments of the present disclosure, rather than all of the embodiments.
As shown in
When the control pieces 3 are in an open state, the spring clip 2 is observed along the moving spaces H. Along a width direction of the spring clip 2, the spring clip 2 is at least partially exposed in projections of the moving spaces H along an up-down direction of the moving spaces H. In the electrical connector of the present disclosure, the outer wall sections 121 are formed on the insulating housing 1, and the spring clip 2 arranged inside the insulating housing 1 is at least partially exposed through the moving spaces H outside two sides of each of the outer wall sections 121, so the spring clip 121 is not limited by the outer wall sections 121, and is freely arranged in the insulating housing 1. Especially, when the control pieces 3 are switched to the open state, a user is able to at least observe the spring clip 2 located in the insulating housing 1 along the moving spaces H. The spring clip 2 is at least partially exposed to the projections of the moving spaces H in the width direction of the spring clip 2, which on one hand is conducive to optical visualization operations, and on the other hand greatly improves heat dissipation of the overall insulating housing, assembly of the insulating housing and maintenance of the insulating housing.
In one embodiment, when the control pieces 3 are in the closed state, the lever arm sections 31 cooperate with the outer wall sections 121, so the lever arm sections 31 and the outer wall sections 121 are at least partially arranged above and shield the spring clip 2 corresponding to the moving spaces H. When the control pieces 3 are switched to the closed state, through cooperation between the lever arm sections 31 and the outer wall sections 121, the control pieces 3 at least partially shield the spring clip 2, especially shield the spring clip 2 along the width direction of the spring clip. Therefore, when wires are inserted in and there is no need to observe wires in an interior of the electrical connector, the control pieces 3 further shield the portion of the spring clip 2 exposed to an outside to improve the internal tightness of the electrical connector.
As shown in
The base 11 and the cover 12 are engaged with each other to form the whole insulating housing. The outer wall sections 121 and partition portions 113 on the housing body are spaced apart from each other to form the moving spaces H, which on the one hand facilitate the user to directly observe the interior of the insulating housing, and on the other hand are convenient for state switching of the control pieces 3 and make a laid out of the control pieces good. In particular, each of the wire inserting holes 112 is matched with a corresponding outer wall section 121. The outer wall sections 121 are arranged above the base to shield the sire inserting spaces.
As shown in
In one embodiment, as shown in
Specifically, the one end of each of the outer wall sections 121 is suspended in the insulating housing 1. An avoidance area S is formed in an extending direction of each of the outer wall sections 121. When the control pieces 3 are in the open sate, the wire inserting spaces are directly observed through the avoidance areas S of the outer wall sections 121. When the control pieces 3 are in the closed state, the avoidance areas S are at least partially covered by the crosspieces 32. The lever arms cooperate with the outer wall sections 121 to at least partially arrange above and shield the spring clip 2 corresponding to the moving spaces H close to the avoidance areas S.
In the present disclosure, by suspending one end of each of the outer wall sections 121 in the insulating housing 1, the avoidance areas S are formed on an outward extension path of the one end of each of the outer wall sections 121. The user is able to observe a wiring situation of the wire inserting spaces in real time through the avoidance areas S to avoid problems such as improper clamping of the wires. Therefore, the interior of the wire inserting spaces are observed intuitively by directly providing the avoidance areas S on the insulating housing, so the insulating housing is no need to be transparent. Thus, it is flexible and efficient in material selection and operation of the insulating housing, which improves user experience.
The avoidance areas S provided on the insulating housing 1 are only exposed when the control pieces 3 are in the open state, which happens to be a process of inserting the external wires to the wire inserting spaces. The avoidance areas S ensure that the wires enter the wire inserting spaces according to a predetermined inserting path, which is convenient for the user to adjust the inserting posture in real time. After the wires are inserted into the electrical connector, the control pieces 3 are switched to the closed state. At this time, the avoidance areas S are at least partially shielded by the crosspieces of the control pieces 3. The lever arms and the outer wall sections 121 cooperate with each other to arrange above and shield the spring clip 2 close to the avoidance areas S, so that portions of the moving spaces and the avoidance areas S are shielded, which achieves a purpose of closing the wire inserting spaces and meets requirements of the electrical connector for clamping the wires.
As shown in
Obviously, after the wires are inserted into the wire inserting spaces, the wires passes through accommodating spaces formed by the gaps K between the lever arm sections 31. At this time, the gaps are within clamping position of the spring clip 2.
The wire inserting holes 112 are on the insulating housing 1. The avoidance areas S are located on an upper side of the wire inserting holes 112. An edge of the one end of each of the outer wall sections 121 and an oblique end of a corresponding wire inserting hole 112 are mutually dislocated. In the embodiment, the wire inserting holes 112 are correspondingly on the front end side wall of the base 11. An inner side of a side wall of the base is configured as a slope shape, and the inner side of the side wall of the base is arched upwards. Each of the crosspieces 32 comprises a concave area corresponding to the arcuate arch at a corresponding position, so that the lever arm of the control pieces are horizontally placed on the insulating housing when the control pieces 3 are switched to the closed state.
In the embodiment, the oblique ends of the wire inserting holes 112 are formed on the slope shaped side wall of the base. The one end of each of the outer wall sections 121 and the oblique end of the corresponding wire inserting hole 112 are mutually dislocated to form one wire inserting space that is directly observed by the user. The spring clip 2 is hidden in the projections of the outer wall sections 121 along its length direction. The spring clip 2 is at least extended and exposed in the moving spaces H along the width direction of the spring clip. When the control pieces 3 are in the open state, the spring clip 2 is exposed in the moving spaces H close to the avoidance areas S along the width direction of the spring clip 2. When the control pieces 3 are switched to the closed state, the spring clip 2 is shielded by at least the lever arm section 31 and the outer wall sections 121 in the width direction of the spring clip 2.
The cover 12 comprises the rear cover portion. The outer wall sections 121 extend outward to form on the rear cover portion. The avoidance areas S are formed on one end side of the hollow upper portion 111 of the base 11 that is not filled by the outer wall sections 121. The user directly observes the real-time status of the wires in the internal inserting spaces during the process of inserting or pulling out the wires through the avoidance areas S. The avoidance areas S are formed between ends of the suspended outer wall sections 121 and the hollow upper portion 111 of the base 11. The avoidance areas S are located at one end side adjacent to the wire inserting holes 112.
The rear cover portion is docked with the base 11 to make the outer wall sections 121 arrange above and shield the base 11, so as to shield the wire inserting spaces formed in the housing body of the insulating housing. Therefore, the base 11 and the cover 12 are engaged with each other to form the whole housing body. The rear cover portion of the cover 12 extends outward to form the outer wall sections 121. The rear cover portion is docked with the base 11 to form the whole insulating housing. At this time, the outer wall sections 121 are arranged above the base 11, thereby covering the wire inserting spaces inside the insulating housing. On the one hand, portions of the control pieces 3 are inserted into and rotatably support the base 11, and the outer wall sections 121 are extended and formed on the back cover portion of the cover 12, which greatly reduces burden of an overall structure of the base 11, so the base 11 and the cover 12 bear contact stress of the control pieces 3 together during the opening and closing process of the control pieces 3, which significantly improve the stability and service life of the overall structure of the insulating housing. On the other hand, the space is provided above the base 11 for accommodating the outer wall sections 121. The space is exposed when the base 11 is separated from the cover 12, so it is convenient for daily maintenance of the wire inserting spaces and the spring clip and it is convenient for quick disassembly of the spring clip 2, which significantly simplifies the operation of the electrical connector.
Specifically, the outer wall sections 121 extend into the hollow upper portion 111 of the base 11 along the length direction of the outer wall sections 121. One end of each of the outer wall sections 121 is suspended in the hollow upper portion 111. The moving spaces H are defined on the outside of two sides of each of the outer wall sections 121. The portions of the control pieces 3 are inserted into and rotatably support the base from the moving spaces H. The avoidance areas S are form on the extending direction of the outer wall sections 121 suspended in the hollow upper portion 111, which facilitates the direct observation of the wire inserting spaces when the control pieces 3 are in open positions. When the control pieces 3 are in the closed state, the avoidance areas S are at least partially covered by the crosspieces 32. The lever arms cooperate with the outer wall sections 121 to at least partially shield the spring clip 2 corresponding to the moving spaces H close to the avoidance areas S.
As shown in
In one embodiment, the rear cover portion is of a rectangular frame structure, and the outer wall sections 121 are integrally formed on an upper frame portion of the rectangular frame structure and are flush with an outer wall of the upper frame portion. In the embodiment, the rectangular frame structure is a hollow frame body. A thickness of each of the outer wall sections 121 is equal to a thickness of the rectangular frame structure. That is, the outer wall sections 121 are flush with an inner wall of the upper frame portion.
As shown in
Specifically, one end of the partition portion 113 is configured as a snap structure, and the rear cover portion correspondingly has a notch structure 122 matching the snap structure. The rear cover portion comprises a through hole 126 connected with the one end of the partition portion 113. Further, the snap structure is formed on an upper end surface of an end portion of the rear cover portion. The notch structure 122 is formed on the upper frame portion of the rear cover portion and is communicated with the through hole 126. Obviously, the partition portion 113 serves as a partition structure for the wire inserting holes 112, and clearly defines each individual wire inserting space in the insulating housing. The partition portion 113 is configured as a wire inserting guiding structure of the wire inserting holes, which is convenient for alignment and assembly between the cover 12 and the base 11, and further improves the stability and effectiveness of the disassembly and assembly of the insulating housing.
Obviously, when the provided control pieces 3 are switched to the closed state, the outer wall sections 121 cooperate with the partition portion 113 to cover the wire inserting spaces in a width direction of the insulating housing.
As shown in
As shown in
In one embodiment, as shown in
As shown in
In the above-mentioned spring clip 2, with each support portion 211 on the corresponding clamping spring 21 as a center, each spring bow portion 212 and each frame portion 213 are connected on two sides of each support portion. Each frame portion 213 is arranged on the corresponding clamping spring 21, and is connected to the bus bar 22, so each clamping spring 21 is tightly connected with the bus bar 22. Each spring bow portion 212 extends toward the bus bar 22 and comprises the clip edge portion 214. Each clip edge portion 214 forms one clamping position with the bus bar 22 after the bus bar 22 is connected with the clamping springs 21. Therefore, the external wires are elastically clamped in the clamping positions. Which significantly improve clamping efficiency.
Each contact section 2141 is formed on each clip edge portion 214 of each clamping spring 21. Each contact section 2141 is widened along the two sides of the corresponding clip edge portion 214, so as to increase a pressure contact area with the corresponding control piece 3, and improve pressing operability of the corresponding control piece 3 on the clip edge portion 214.
In particular, each contact section 2141 is bent inwardly to form two concave positions 2142. When the control pieces 3 is switched to the open state, each of the control pieces 3 is stably limited in the corresponding concave positions 2142, so it is ensured that the control pieces 3 are kept in this position and the wires are inserted into the clamping positions. Further, the concave positions 2142 are matched with and connected with control sections 33 of the control pieces 3 when the control pieces 3 are in the open state. The user can clearly feel the frustration of switching of the control pieces, which is convenient for prompting the user to switch the control pieces 3 in place, and increases damping force on the control pieces 3 during the switching process.
As shown in
Each clip edge portion 214 has a clip section toward the bus bar 22. A free end of each clip section 2143 is bent outward and points toward the bus bar 22. Specifically, an included angle between each clip section 2143 and the bus bar 22 is an acute angle. By setting the included angle between each clip section 2143 and the bus bar 22 as the acute angle, an angle of a clamping space is defined. When the control pieces 3 directly press on the clip edge portions 214, the control pieces 3 correspondingly drive the clamping sections 2143 to move close or away from the bus bar 22. The spring bow portions 212 impart elastic restoring force to the clamping edge portions 214 and the clamping sections 2143 after the clamping edge portions 214 and the clamping sections 2143 are pressed.
As shown in
Specifically, the bus bar 22 comprises extending portions 221 matched with the wire passing windows 2133. Each extending portion 221 is bent upward and abuts against a corresponding retaining edge 2132. Therefore, each frame portion 213 vertically bent along one end of a corresponding support portion 211 is snapped on a corresponding extending portion 221.
A free end of each the clamping section 2143 passes through a corresponding wire passing widow 2133 to abut against the bus bar 22.
In one embodiment, a plurality of integrated clamping springs 21 are arranged side by side, and the clamping springs 21 share a same bus bar 22. The plurality of clamping springs 21 are integrally connected through the support portions 211. The spring bow portions 212 arranged on the support portions 211 and the clip edge portions 214 arranged opposite to the spring bow portions 212 are arranged separately from each other, so as to form the clamping spaces corresponding to the wire inserting holes 112 on the bus bar 22. The external wires are electrically connected to each other through the bus bar 22.
As shown in
In particular, the bus bar 22 and the support portions 211 are arranged in parallel, so that the spring clip formed by assembly of the clamping springs 21 and the bus bar 22. The bus bar 22 and the support portions 211 are assembled and limited in the insulating housing to form the spring clip, which effectively improve the quick installation, operation, and maintenance of the spring clip 2 arranged inside.
As shown in
In the above embodiment, different from a conventional way that the conventional clamping springs and the bus bars 22 are arranged opposite each other up and down, in the embodiment, by arranging the bus bar 22 in the rear cover portion of the cover 12 and arranging the clamping springs 21 in the base 11, the bus bars 22 and the clamping springs 21 are arranged on different sides of the insulating housing, which avoids shortening of the wire inserting spaces, increases effective inserting length when the external wires enter the clamping positions, and improves the clamping efficiency of the spring clip. By such configuration, Portions of the control pieces 3 are rotatably pressed on and support on the clamping springs 21, so as to realize quick and effective opening and closing operation of the clamping positions.
The bus bar 22 is arranged on one side of the cover 12, and the clamping springs 21 are arranged on one side of the base 11, so that mutual interference during the installation process is greatly reduced between the metal bus bar 22 and the metal clamping springs 21 that are arranged at different positions of the insulating housing positions and achieve fast and stable disassembly and assembly of the metal bus bar 22 and the metal clamping springs 21.
As shown in
The outer wall sections 121 extend into the hollow upper portion 111 of the base 11 along the length direction of the outer wall sections, and the clamping springs 21 are correspondingly arranged on an inner wall of the base 11 facing the hollow upper portion 111. Therefore, on the one hand, the outer wall sections 121 are inserted into the hollow upper portion 111 defined by the base 11, and on the other hand, the outer wall sections 121 are matched with the base 11 to shield the inner space of the base 11.
It should be mentioned that a rotating supporting area of each of the lever arm sections 31 of each of the control pieces 3 forms a rotating axis. The lever arm sections are spaced apart from each other. Each of the control pieces 3 is rotatably supported in the insulating housing 1 around a corresponding rotating axis. The rotating supporting area of each of the lever arm sections 31 is configured to compress or release the spring clip 2 when each of the control pieces 3 is rotated from the opening position or the closing position. At this time, the spring clip 2 correspondingly clamp or release the wires in the wire inserting spaces.
Each of the control sections 33 extends outwardly along the respective lever arm section 31. The two control sections 33 in the rotating supporting area of each of the control pieces 3 have a greater distance than the distance between the two lever arm sections 31 of each of the control pieces.
Therefore, the contact area between the wide control sections 33 and the concave positions 2142 is increased, which further facilitate the pressing of the control pieces 3 on the clip edge portions 214. Each two control section 33 of each of the control pieces 3 are oppositely formed on an outer side of each lever arm section 3, which facilitates the opening and closing operation of the control pieces 3 and allows the wires to pass through the gaps K until clamped in the clamping positions.
As shown in
The above are only optional embodiments of the present disclosure, and the protection scope of the present disclosure is not limited to the above-mentioned embodiments. All technical solutions that belong to the idea of the present disclosure should fall within the protection scope of the present disclosure.
Number | Date | Country | Kind |
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202210222680.6 | Mar 2022 | CN | national |