Patent Grant
10446337
The present invention relates generally to a modularized structure of switch wire connection device, and more particularly to a modularized structure of switch wire connection device, which includes an assembling support and multiple modularized wire connection modules. The modularized wire connection modules are detachably mounted on the assembling support as an integrated body.
A conventional switch wire connection device is a power switch device capable of connecting circuits or conductive wires. The switch wire connection device is installed on a console or distribution box of an electronic or electrical apparatus for connecting the wiring circuits. The switch wire connection device has a wire connection seat or contact seat (generally made of plastic material) and a conductive component mounted on the wire connection seat or contact seat and a screw for locking the wiring circuits or conductive wires of the electronic or electrical apparatus. By means of operating a switch pushbutton, the conductive component is controlled to electrically contact or separate from the wiring circuits or the conductive wires so as to close the circuit to power on the electronic or electrical apparatus or open the circuit to power off the electronic or electrical apparatus.
With respect to operation, use and structural design of the switch wire connection device, the switch wire connection device generally has a drum body for enclosing the above components. The contact seat and the drum body are formed with operation holes in communication with each other. An operator can use a tool to drive the screw to lock a conductive wire plugged in from lateral side. In this case, the operator necessitates a larger operation room. (Due to the limitation of the environment of the working site, the operator is often troublesome and hard to perform the operation). Moreover, the operator must bend the conductive wire to successfully lock the conductive wire. This is unbeneficial to the conductive wire.
Also, in some operation environments (such as the operation of the machine or the equipment will cause vibration), after a long term of use, the screw is apt to loosen. As a result, the conductive wire may loosen and detach from the case. Especially, when driving the screw mechanism to lock the conductive wires with the electrical contact, it is necessary to use a tool for tightening/untightening the screw. Such process is relatively troublesome.
With respect to structural design and manufacturing of the switch wire connection device, each contact seat is formed with an open cavity for arranging multiple electrical contact components therein. The multiple electrical contact components respectively form a normally open (NO) module and/or a normally closed (NC) module. At the factory manufacturing stage, the normally open (NO) module and the normally closed (NC) module have been completely manufactured according to the requirements of a user. (For example, the switch wire connection device is equipped with two normally open (NO) modules or a normally open (NO) module and a normally closed (NC) module or two normally closed (NC) modules). This means that in case of failure of the switch wire connection device, it is impossible to only replace the damaged part and it is necessary replace the entire switch wire connection device. Accordingly, the cost of the user is relatively increased.
In addition, as well known by those who are skilled in this field, due to negligence of an operator, it often takes place that the normally open (NO) module and/or the normally closed (NC) module are incorrectly arranged to fail to meet the requirement of the user.
Especially, when the switch wire connection device is applied to a conductive wire with a specification of greater current, the structure of the contact seat often causes electric arc of the adjacent conductive components. The electric arc will lead to unstable power transmission. This is not what we expect.
To speak representatively, the conventional switch wire connection device has some shortcomings in structural design and operational form. To overcome the above shortcomings, it is necessary to redesign the switch wire connection device, the contact seat and the electrical contact components to change the structure and use form of the switch wire connection device and widen the application range thereof.
For example, in the condition that it is easy to manufacture and operate the structure of the switch wire connection device, it is necessary to improve the shortcomings of the conventional switch wire connection device that the operator necessitates a larger operation room and the operator must bend the conductive wire and when driving the screw mechanism to lock the conductive wires with the electrical contact component, it is necessary to use a tool for tightening/untightening the screw and such process is relatively troublesome and harder. Also, it is necessary to further provide a modularized structure and assembling support, whereby according to the requirement, an operator or a user can detachably assemble or replace the normally open (NO) module and/or the normally closed (NC) module. This improves the shortcomings of the conventional switch wire connection device that due to negligence of an operator, it often takes place that the normally open (NO) module and/or the normally closed (NC) module are incorrectly arranged and the structure of the contact seat often causes electric arc of the adjacent conductive components. All these are not substantially taught, suggested or disclosed in the above references.
It is therefore a primary object of the present invention to provide a modularized structure of switch wire connection device includes an assembling support and a wire connection module. The assembling support has a first side and a second side. The first and/or the second sides are formed with assembling sections for assembling with the wire connection module. The wire connection module includes a first wire connection module and/or a second wire connection module each having a case. The case defines a chamber for receiving and enclosing electrical contact components including conductive members. The case is formed with a mounting section for connecting with the assembling section of the assembling support. Accordingly, the wire connection module is detachably mounted on the assembling support as an integrated form. The modularized structure enables an operator to easily assemble/disassemble the components and change the switch specification between normally open mode and normally closed mode and enhance insulation effect to avoid electric arc.
In the above modularized structure of switch wire connection device, the wire connection module includes a first wire connection module and a second wire connection module. The wire connection module (or the first and second wire connection modules) has a case. The case includes a main end wall, a mounting side and an enclosure side connected with the main end wall and a subsidiary end wall connected with the mounting side and the enclosure side. The main end wall and the mounting side are respectively formed with a main opening and a lateral opening in communication with the chamber, whereby the electrical contact components can be mounted into the chamber of the case. The first and second sides of the assembling support are respectively formed with restriction sections. The restriction sections can insert with the edge of the lateral opening of the case to help in fixing the wire connection module and the assembling support.
In the above modularized structure of switch wire connection device, the switch drum body (lower section) is formed with at least one or multiple notches. The lower section (or a section in adjacency to the subsidiary end wall) of the case (or the enclosure side) of the wire connection module is formed with an enlarged section in the position of the wire plug-in hole. The enlarged section is correspondingly assembled with the notch to enhance the assembling/fixing effect between the switch drum body and the wire connection module. In practice, the enlarged section allows the diameter of the wire plug-in hole to be enlarged, whereby a conductive wire with a larger diameter can be plugged into the wire plug-in hole.
It should be noted that in the condition that the operation room is limited, the enlarged section partially protrudes from the notch. When assembling/disassembling the switch drum body, the wire connection module and the relevant components, an operator can use a tool to securely hold the enlarged section so as to avoid unstable swing of these components.
The present invention can be best understood through the following description and accompanying drawings, wherein:
Please refer to
As shown in the drawings, the wire connection module 20 includes a first wire connection module 21 and a second wire connection module 22. The wire connection module 20 (or the first and second wire connection modules 21, 22) has a case 23 with a geometrical cross section or profile. The case 23 is a semi-cylindrical structure including a main end wall 24, a mounting side 25 and an enclosure side 26 connected with the main end wall 24 and a subsidiary end wall 27 connected with the mounting side 25 and the enclosure side 26 to together define a chamber 28 for receiving and enclosing an electrical contact component 40.
In this embodiment, the mounting side 25 of the case 23 is formed with a mounting section 29 in the form of a socket for connecting with the assembling section 14 of the assembling support 10. Accordingly, the wire connection module 20 can be detachably mounted on the assembling support 10 as an integrated structure or form.
As shown in
In a preferred embodiment, the first and second sides 11, 12 of the assembling support 10 are respectively formed with locating section 15 and restriction section 16 in the form of board body or rib body. The locating section 15 helps the wire connection module 20 or the case 23 to fix the electrical contact components 40. The restriction section 16 can insert with the edge of the lateral opening 35 of the case to help in fixing the wire connection module 20 and the assembling support 10.
It should be noted that the electrical contact component 40 includes a conductive member 41, a control member 42 for making the electrical contact component 40 (or the conductive member 41) form a normally open (NO) or open-circuit module and/or a normally closed (NC) or closed-circuit module, and a metal leaf spring 43 for elastically pressing the conductive wire 60. The electrical contact component 40 has a fixing body 44 formed with a locating section 45 and a separation section 46 for mounting and fixing the metal leaf spring 43. The separation section 46 is positioned between the two spaced end legs 47 of the metal leaf spring 43. In addition, the locating section 45 is securely assembled with the locating section 48 formed on the metal leaf spring 43 in the form of a hole structure. The fixing body 44 is formed with a bearing section 49 for bearing (or previously slightly pressing) the two spaced end legs 47 of the metal leaf spring 43, whereby the two end legs 47 can respectively elastically press multiple plugged in conductive wires 60.
The assembling support 10, the wire connection module 20 and the electrical contact components 40 are together mounted in a switch drum body 50. The switch drum body 50 is equipped with a switch pushbutton 55 for an operator to operate and drive the control member 42 to control the electrical contact components 40 into a turn-on state or a turn-off state. (This pertains to prior art and thus will not be further described hereinafter).
In this embodiment, according to the use requirement, an operator can securely assemble the wire connection module 20 (or the first and second wire connection modules 21, 22) with the first side 11 and/or second side 12 of the assembling support 10 by means of the mounting section 29 and the assembling section 14. In addition, the lateral side 13 of the assembling support 10 is formed with a protruding insertion section 17. The enclosure side 26 of the wire connection module 20 is also formed with a protruding insertion section 31. When the assembling support 10 and the wire connection module 20 are together mounted into the switch drum body 50, the insertion sections 17, 31 will respectively securely insert on the insertion sections 57, 51 formed on the switch drum body 50. As shown in the drawings, the insertion sections 57, 51 are in the form of a hole.
It should be noted that an operator can assemble the first wire connection modules 21 into a batch of normally open (NO) modules and/or assemble the second wire connection modules 22 into a batch of normally closed (NC) modules. Then, according to the use requirement, the operator can selectively assemble the first wire connection module 21 and/or the second wire connection module 22 with the first side 11 and/or the second side 12 of the assembling support 10. For example, at least one or two normally open (NO) modules are mounted on the assembling support 10. Alternatively, a normally open (NO) module and a normally closed (NC) module are mounted on the assembling support 10. Still alternatively, at least one or two normally closed (NC) modules are mounted on the assembling support 10.
The first wire connection modules 21 and the second wire connection modules 22 are respectively classified into two batches of products. This helps in reducing the error of the operator in assembling process. Moreover, the first and second wire connection modules 21, 22 are separately assembled with the assembling support 10. This helps in enhancing the insulation effect of the switch wire connection device and avoids electric arc of the first and second wire connection modules 21, 22 to prevent the first and second wire connection modules 21, 22 from interfering with each other.
Please now refer to
It should be noted that in the condition that the operation room is limited, the enlarged section 34 partially protrudes from the notch 52. When assembling/disassembling the switch drum body 50, the wire connection module 20 and the relevant components, an operator can use a tool to securely hold the enlarged section 34 so as to avoid unstable swing of these components.
To speak representatively, in the condition that the operation is facilitated, in comparison with the conventional switch wire connection device, the modularized structure of switch wire connection device of the present invention has the following advantages:
In conclusion, the modularized structure of switch wire connection device of the present invention is effective and different from the conventional switch wire connection device in space form. The modularized structure of switch wire connection device of the present invention is inventive, greatly advanced and advantageous over the conventional switch device.
The above embodiments are only used to illustrate the present invention, not intended to limit the scope thereof. Many modifications of the above embodiments can be made without departing from the spirit of the present invention.
| Number | Date | Country | Kind |
|---|---|---|---|
| 105136328 A | Nov 2016 | TW | national |
| 106101620 A | Jan 2017 | TW | national |
| Number | Name | Date | Kind |
|---|---|---|---|
| 6717082 | Wu | Apr 2004 | B1 |
| 7064639 | Harvey | Jun 2006 | B2 |
| 7488914 | Kahnert | Feb 2009 | B2 |
| 20140332357 | Kirbawy | Nov 2014 | A1 |
| Number | Date | Country | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 20180130612 A1 | May 2018 | US |
