ELECTRICAL TERMINAL BLOCK

Abstract

An electrical terminal block, especially for locking onto a mounting rail, has a plurality of adjacent base terminals and connectors. Each base terminal has a terminal housing, with at least one conductor terminal element and at least one receptacle electrically connected to the conductor terminal element or at least two interconnected receptacles. The individual connectors have a connector housing, with at least one conductor terminal element and a plug-in contact electrically connected to the conductor terminal element. The individual connectors can be plugged onto the individual terminal housings. Reliable mechanical fixing of the connectors on the base terminals is ensured since each outer side of the base terminals has a fixing device on the terminal housing. Sides of adjacent connectors have a fixing cover with a fixing mechanism corresponding to the fixing device, so that the connectors can be mechanically connected to the fixing base terminals via the fixing covers.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of two electrical terminal blocks located next to one another on a mounting rail;

FIG. 2 is a top view of the two terminal blocks as shown in FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is an exploded perspective view of a modular unit of three connectors and two fixing covers; and,

FIG. 4 is another exploded perspective view of the modular unit as shown in FIG. 3.

Claims

1. Electrical terminal block for locking onto a mounting rail, comprising: a plurality of base terminals being located next to one another to form a base terminal block having sides and a plurality of connectors located next to one another to form a connector block having sides, wherein each base terminal has a terminal housing and at least one receptacle and each connector has a connector housing, wherein individual connectors can be plugged onto individual terminal housings of the base terminals;a fixing base terminal provided at each side of the base terminal block and having a fixing base terminal housing with at least one fixing device; and,a fixing cover provided at each side of the connector block and having a fixing mechanism that is provided to correspond to and connect with the fixing device, so that the connector block is mechanically connectable to the fixing base terminal block via the fixing covers.

2. Electrical terminal block as claimed in claim 1, wherein at least two fixing devices are formed in the fixing base terminal housing and are located in succession in a lengthwise direction of the fixing base terminal, and wherein the fixing mechanism of the fixing cover is located off-center relative to a lengthwise direction of the fixing cover such that two adjacent facing fixing covers can be mechanically connected to one fixing base terminal by connecting each fixing mechanism to one of the fixing devices located in succession.

3. Electrical terminal block as claimed in claim 1, wherein the fixing device is made in the terminal housing of the fixing base terminal as a threaded insert, and the fixing mechanism of the corresponding fixing cover includes a screw receiver and a screw.

4. Electrical terminal block as claimed in claim 1, wherein the fixing covers are mechanically connected to the connector housing of the connectors.

5. Electrical terminal block as claimed in claim 4, wherein a plurality of catch pegs are located on the fixing covers and corresponding catch recesses are formed in a side wall of the connector housing.

6. Electrical terminal block as claimed in claim 1, wherein the fixing base terminal housing of the fixing base terminal is mechanically connected to the terminal housing of the base terminal.

7. Electrical terminal block as claimed in claim 1, wherein the terminal housings of adjacent base terminals in the block are mechanically connected to one another.

8. Electrical terminal block as claimed in claim 1, wherein the fixing base terminal housing of the fixing base terminal and the housing of the base terminal have the same width, the same length, and the same height.

9. Electrical terminal block as claimed in claim 1, wherein each base terminal has at least one conductor terminal element, wherein at least one of the receptacles is electrically connected to the conductor terminal element.

10. Electrical terminal block as claimed in claim 1, wherein each base terminal has at least two interconnected receptacles.

11. Electrical terminal block as claimed in claim 1, wherein each connector has at least one conductor terminal element and a plug-in contact electrically connected to the conductor terminal element.

12. Electrical terminal block as claimed in claim 1, wherein each base terminal has two conductor terminal elements and two receptacles electrically connected to the conductor terminal elements, and wherein two connectors can be individually plugged in succession onto the individual terminal housings of the base terminal in the lengthwise direction of the base terminals.

13. Modular unit comprising: at least one electrical connector for plugging onto an electrical base terminal, the connector having a housing with sides, at least one conductor terminal element located therein and one plug-in contact electrically connected to the conductor terminal element; andtwo fixing covers mounted on each side of the housing, each fixing cover having a fixing mechanism for connection to an electrical base terminal.

14. Modular unit as claimed in claim 13, wherein the fixing mechanism of the fixing cover is located off-center to a lengthwise direction of the fixing cover and comprises a screw receiver and a screw.

15. Modular unit as claimed in claim 13, wherein each fixing cover is mechanically connected to the housing of the connector by catch pegs located on the fixing cover and catch recesses formed in the side of the connector housing.

16. Modular unit as claimed in claim 13, further comprising a plurality of connectors positioned adjacent to each other to form a block, wherein the housing of each adjacent connector is mechanically connected to each another and the fixing covers are mounted to the sides of the housings that form sides of the block.

17. Modular unit as claimed in claim 13, wherein at least one fixing cover and the connector housing have essentially the same length and the same height.

18. Fixing cover for use with an electrical connector having a housing with side walls, comprising: a cover having an outer wall with a fixing mechanism for connection to an electrical base terminal and an inner wall with a mechanical connector for connection to the side wall of the housing of the electrical connector.

19. Fixing cover as claimed in claim 18, wherein the fixing mechanism is located off-center to a lengthwise direction of the fixing cover and comprises a screw receiver and a screw.

20. Fixing cover as claimed in claim 18, wherein the mechanical connector comprises a plurality of catch pegs for a mechanical interlock with the housing of the connector.