Patent Grant
7544103
The present disclosure is co-pending with and simultaneously filed with U.S. patent application Ser. No. 11/730,740, titled “Terminal Block for Connecting Electrical Conductors”, and which shares inventorship with the present disclosure.
The invention relates to a terminal block for connecting electrical conductors, with a first clamping spring elements vertically offset from each other, and with an operating element for opening the clamping spring elements.
DE 102 44 480 A1 discloses a terminal block for connecting electrical conductors, with first and second clamping spring elements configured as cage clamps for clamping the electrical conductors, wherein the first and second clamping spring elements can be disposed vertically offset from each other, and wherein an operating element is provided for opening the clamping spring elements against the spring tension. The terminal block according to DE 102 44 480 A1 provides a single pushbutton comprising first and second abutment surfaces, wherein the first abutment surface engages the first cage clamp and the second abutment surface engages the second cage clamp. The disadvantage of the terminal block is that the two clamping spring elements can only be opened together, which is associated with the risk that the two conductors clamped in the corresponding clamping spring elements are removed simultaneously, while only one conductor is supposed to be removed.
Also DE 197 10 306 A1 reveals an electric clamp for connecting electrical conductors, which clamp comprises first and second springs configured as leaf springs for clamping the electrical conductors, wherein the two springs are vertically offset from each other and an operating element is provided for opening the spring elements against the spring force. Also this operating element for opening the spring elements engages the two spring elements simultaneously, so that the two spring elements can only be opened together.
It is therefore the object of the invention to provide a terminal block comprising at least two clamping spring elements, which block allows the individual clamping spring elements to be opened individually.
The object of the invention is achieved by a terminal block with the characteristics of a first operating element provided for the first clamping spring element and a second operating element for the second clamping spring element, the first and second operating elements being actuatable independently from each other.
Advantageous embodiments and further developments of the invention are disclosed in the dependent claims.
According to the invention, the terminal block comprises a first operating element for the first clamping spring element and a second operating element for the second clamping spring element, wherein the first and second operating elements can be actuated independently from each other. This way it is guarantee that each clamping spring element can be opened separately, even when the clamping spring elements are disposed on top of each other, so that only the respectively desired conductor can be removed, and not accidentally the second conductor.
It is preferable if the first and second clamping spring elements are disposed in an S-shaped contact element directly on top of each other with no lateral offset. This achieves a particularly space-saving configuration of the two clamping points.
A particularly simple actuating shape is achieved when the first and second operating elements are configured as translatory pressure elements. Operating elements of this type can be implemented with a particularly simple design.
Advantageously, the two operating elements are disposed parallel to each other, forming a particularly simple design.
The two operating elements are preferably disposed above the two clamping spring elements and one of the two operating elements is guided past the upper clamping spring element so as to actuate the lower clamping spring element. This way a particularly space-saving configuration of the clamping spring elements and the operating elements is achieved.
It is preferable if each operating element comprises an abutment surface, with which it engages a corresponding abutment surface of the respective clamping spring element to guarantee reliable actuation in the clamping spring elements by the operating elements.
It is preferable if each operating element comprises a pressure surface, to which pressure is applied for actuating the respective clamping spring element. It is particularly preferred if the pressure surfaces comprise a first recess, in which a working point of a tool, preferably a screwdriver, particularly preferred a flat head screwdriver, can be inserted. This way, it is possible to actuate the operating element also from a distance with a tool, for example, when it is not possible due to local circumstances to actuate the operating element directly with the finger. In an advantageous further development of the invention, these first recesses in the pressure surfaces of the two operating elements extend parallel to each other. This way it is guaranteed that upon insertion of a screwdriver exclusively the desired operating element, and not accidentally also the second operating element, is actuated.
In a particularly advantageous embodiment of the invention, the pressure surface comprises a second recess, wherein the two second recesses of the two operating elements are oriented in alignment with each other when the pressure surfaces of the two operating elements abut each other. In this case, it becomes possible to actuate both operating elements simultaneously by inserting a screwdriver in the second recess extending over the two pressure surfaces of the two operating elements, in the event that it is desired to open both clamping spring elements at the same time.
It is preferable if the second recesses are disposed perpendicular to the first recesses, since this can be implemented with a particularly simple design and prevents the accidental insertion of a screwdriver in the wrong recess.
According to a particularly advantageous further development of the invention, the first and second clamping spring elements are disposed in a common clamp housing, which comprises at least two feed-through openings for feeding the electrical conductors. The clamp housing serves as insulation for the clamping spring elements. It is particularly preferred if a plurality of first and second clamping spring elements are provided in the clamp housing to allow a plurality of clamping spring elements in an optimized space-saving configuration. It is preferable if the individual clamping spring pairs consisting of first and second clamping spring elements are electrically insulated from each other, thus guaranteeing that, if at all, only the clamping spring elements disposed on top of each other can be electrically connected, while the claming spring elements disposed adjacent to each other are insulated from each other.
According to an advantageous embodiment of the invention, the operating elements can be inserted in the housing through insertion openings, wherein they have a detent contour by means of which they snap into the clamp housing. This way, assembly of the terminal block and of the operating elements becomes particularly simple.
In an advantageous further development of the invention, the two clamping spring elements are electrically connected to each other, to enable simple connection of two conductors to the same potential. It is preferable if the electrically conductive connection of the two clamping spring elements is achieved by means of a contact element, which for this purpose is in contact with the two clamping spring elements.
According to a particularly preferred embodiment, the two clamping spring elements are electrically connected to each other by means of a substantially S-shaped contact element, wherein the two clamping spring elements can be inserted from one side into the S-shaped contact element, respectively. Thus, the clamping effect is established between the clamping spring elements and the S-shaped contact element, so that the clamping spring elements do not hit the insulating housing made of plastic, but instead the S-shaped contact element made to be electrically conductive. The spring forces of the clamping spring elements are then not conducted via the insulating housing, but via the S-shaped contact element, thus preventing deformation of the insulating housing and a decreased clamping effect. In a preferred embodiment of the invention, the S-shaped contact element is therefore made of electrically conductive material, which can absorb the spring forces of the two clamping points without deformation.
The S-shaped contact element is preferably configured as one piece, particularly preferred as a stamped and bent element, as a result of which the manufacturing costs for the S-shaped contact element are reduced.
According to a particularly preferred embodiment of the invention, the clamping spring elements are configured as leaf springs, since a leaf spring has the advantage that the electrical conductors can be inserted and contacted in the clamping point without prior opening of the clamping spring elements, allowing the electrical conductors to be connected with particular ease.
It is preferable if the clamping spring elements rest with a support surface against a support surface of the S-shaped contact element, guaranteeing the largest possible contact between the clamping spring elements and the S-shaped contact element and hence a particularly good electrically conductive contact.
In a particularly preferred embodiment of the invention, these support surfaces of the clamping spring elements have a structure, with which they engage a correspondingly shaped structure of the support surface of the S-shaped contact element with positive fit. This way it is guaranteed that the clamping spring elements cannot be displaced within the S-shaped contact element when inserting or removing electrical conductors. Furthermore, such a positive fit connection can be implemented particularly easily and cost-efficiently.
The terminal block can be implemented as a plug-in or soldering configuration. For this purpose, a plug contact or a soldering pin is preferably provided on the S-shaped contact element, in order to establish particularly good electrical contact.
It is particularly preferred if a test surface is provided on the S-shaped contact element, which surface can be used to test with particular ease whether the desired voltage is present on the S-shaped contact element and hence on the clamping spring elements.
To make the design of the terminal block even more space-saving, the S-shaped contact element in its upper region comprises a recess, in which the operating element for the lower clamping spring element is guided.
It is preferable if the clamp housing comprises a test opening, through which the test surface of the S-shaped contact element can be accessed.
According to an advantageous further development of the invention, graphical symbols are provided on the clamp housing in the vicinity of or on the operating element and in the vicinity of the feed-through opening of the appropriate clamping spring element, which allow an association of the operating element with the respective clamping spring element.
The invention will be explained hereinafter by way of example with reference the description of the figures, wherein:
On the first support surface 11a and the second support surface 11b a first structure 13a and a second structure 13b are provided, which are produced for example by embossing or punching.
On the upper lateral surface 11a, a plug contact 15 is integrally formed, which can be formed, for example, by two adjoining leaf springs and serves the connection of the S-shaped contact element to a conductor rail or the like.
On the upper surface 14, a test surface 16 is integrally formed, which is provided substantially perpendicular to the upper surface 14. The test surface can be used to determine whether voltage is present on the S-shaped contact element 10.
The upper surface 14, the upper lateral surface 18a and the first support surface 11a define an upper space within the S-shaped contact element 10, in which a first clamping spring element 20 can be inserted from the open side, meaning from the side opposite the lateral surface 18a, as is illustrated in
The two clamping spring elements 20, 30 are configured as leaf springs and each comprise a support surface 21, 31 and a spring-loaded leg 22, 32 integrally formed thereon at an acute angle. The support surface 21 of the first clamping spring element 20 rests on the first support surface 11a of the S-shaped contact element 10, while the support surface 31 of the second clamping spring element 30 rests on the second support surface 11b of the S-shaped contact element 10. The spring-loaded leg 22 of the first clamping spring element 20 hits against the inside surface of the upper surface 14 of the S-shaped contact element 10, while the spring-loaded leg 32 of the second contact element 30 rests against the bottom of the first support surface 11a of the S-shaped contact element 10. The longitudinal axes of the clamping spring elements 20, 30 configured as leaf springs extend parallel to the longitudinal axes of the upper surface 14, the first support surface 11a and the second support surface 11b. The acute angle of the clamping spring elements 20, 30 opens toward the back of the S-shaped contact element 10. From the front of the S-shaped contact element 10 therefore two electrical conductors can be connected in the S-shaped contact element 10, which are inserted against the spring force of the spring-loaded leg 22, 32 of the respective clamping spring element 20, 30 in the space formed by the upper surface 14, the upper lateral surface 18a and the first support surface 11a and/or by the first support surface 11a, the lower lateral surface 18b and the second support surface 11b. The respective conductor is then clamped between the spring-loaded leg 22 of the first clamping spring element 20 and the upper surface 14 and/or the spring-loaded leg 32 of the second clamping spring element 30 and the bottom of the first support surface 11a. The clamping contact is thus created exclusively between metallic components, which can absorb the spring forces particularly well.
The clamping spring elements 20, 30 are likewise made of electrically conductive material, wherein the material can be selected such that the resilient properties of the clamping spring elements 20, 30 are optimized since the electrical contact between the connected conductor and a conductor rail or the like is optimized through the design of the S-shaped contact element 10.
The two clamping spring elements 20, 30 are disposed directly on top of each other in the S-shaped contact element, so that the two resulting clamping points can have a particularly space-saving configuration.
On their support surfaces 21, 31, the clamping spring elements 20, 30 are provided with structures 23, 33, which are formed by embossing or blanking, for example. As soon as the respective clamping spring element 20, 30 rests against the corresponding support surface 11a, 11b of the S-shaped contact element 10, these structures 23, 33 engage the corresponding structures 13a, 13b of the S-shaped contact element 10, thus securing the clamping spring element 20, 30 against displacement on the respective support surface 11a, 11b of the S-shaped contact element 10. In addition, a web 19a is integrally formed on the upper lateral surface 18a such that it is located perpendicular to the upper lateral surface 18a, wherein the web 19a rests at the apex of the acute angle of the first clamping spring element 20 upon insertion in the space formed by the upper surface 14, the upper lateral surface 18a and the first support surface 11a, which also results in fastening in the desired position within the S-shaped contact element 10. On the lower lateral surface 18b also a web 19b is integrally formed such that it extends perpendicular to the lower lateral surface 18b, so that the web 19b rests at the apex of the acute angle of the second clamping spring element 30 upon insertion in the space formed by the first support surface 11a, the lower lateral surface 18b and the second support surface 11b, which also secures the second clamping spring element 30 in its position relative to the S-shaped contact element 10. In particular, the webs 19a, 19b secure the clamping spring elements 20, 30 against displacement in the longitudinal direction of a conductor that is inserted in the corresponding clamping point.
In order to be able to open the clamping spring elements 20, which are vertically offset from each other, independently from each other, for example to be able to remove an inserted conductor, above the clamping spring elements 20, 30 a first operating element 40, which can be used to actuate the first clamping spring element 20, and a second operating element 50, which can be used to open the second clamping spring element 30, are provided (see
The operating elements 40, 50 are made of a substantially elongated cuboid, the one face sides of which comprise abutment surfaces 44, 54 for abutment with the corresponding clamping spring element 20, 30 and the opposite face sides of which comprise pressure surfaces 45, 55 for actuating the operating elements 40, 50.
The abutment surface 44 of the first operating element 40 engages an abutment surface 24 of the first clamping spring element, which surface is provided on the free end of the spring-loaded leg 22 of the first clamping spring element 20 and is located in the open side of the space formed by the first surface 14, the upper lateral surface 18a and the first support surface 11a, which side is opposite the open side 18a. The first operating element 40 thus engages the abutment surface 24 of the first clamping spring element 20 past the upper surface, while the pressure surface 45 of the first operating element 40 rests above the first clamping spring element 20 and particularly above the upper surface 14.
The second operating element 50 is disposed such that the pressure surface 55 likewise rests above the first clamping spring element 20 and particularly above the upper surface 14, wherein the second operating element 50 engages the second clamping spring element 30 past the first clamping spring element 20 and particularly past the upper surface 14 and the first support surface 11a. For this purpose, the second clamping spring element 30 comprises an abutment surface 34, which is provided on the free end of the spring-loaded leg 32 of the second clamping spring element 30 and points to the open side of the [space formed] by the first support surface 11a, the lower lateral surface 18b and the second support surface 11b of the S-shaped contact element 10. To ensure that the second operating element 50 can be configured in the best space-saving manner, the S-shaped contact element 10 in its upper region, particularly in its upper lateral surface 18a, comprises a recess 12, in which the second operating element 50 is guided (see
The two operating elements 40, 50 are thus configured as pressure elements, which can be displaced along their longitudinal axes and thus form translatory pressure elements. The two operating elements 40, 50 can be actuated independently from each other, so that each individual clamping spring element 20, 30 can be opened individually in order to remove the conductor clamped therein, without the risk of accidentally also removing a conductor held in another clamping point.
In principle, the two actuating elements 40 or 50 are actuated by applying pressure on the pressure surface 45, 55, as a result of which the spring-loaded leg 22, 32 is removed from the appropriate support surface, namely the upper surface 14 or the bottom of the first support surface 11a, so that a conductor clamped therein can be pulled out. The pressure surfaces 45, 55 additionally comprise first recesses 46a, 56a, which extend parallel to each other and parallel to the longitudinal axis of the upper surface 14. The first recesses 46a, 56a are configured such that the working point of a tool, particularly a screwdriver, especially a flat head screwdriver, can be inserted in the first recesses 46a, 56a. As a result, each operating element 40, 50 can also be actuated by inserting the working point of the tool in the appropriate recess 46a, 56a and applying pressure on the operating element 40, 50 via the tool. This is particularly advantageous when the operating elements 40, 50 are not easily accessible. To allow the two operating elements 40, 50, if so desired, to be actuated also simultaneously, the pressure surfaces 45, 55 comprise second recesses 46b, 56b, which are configured perpendicular to the first recesses 46a, 56a and in alignment with each other via the respective pressure surface 45, 55. When the two pressure surfaces 45, 55 of the two operating elements 40, 50 directly abut each other, a flat head screwdriver can be inserted simultaneously in both second recesses 46b, 56b to be able to actuate both operating elements at the same time with particular ease. If only one operating element 40, 50 is supposed to be actuated, the flat head screwdriver is rotated by 90° and inserted in the first recess 46a, 56a, eliminating the risk of actuating the respectively other operating element 40, 50 at the same time.
To ensure that it is apparent which clamping spring element 20, 30 can be actuated by which operating element 40, 50 also in the assembled state of the terminal block, a first symbol 64 is provided on the outside of the clamp housing 60 in the vicinity of or on the first operating element 40 and in the vicinity of the feed-through opening 61 of the first clamping spring element 20, while a second symbol 65 is provided in the vicinity of or on the second operating element 50 and in the vicinity of the feed-through opening 61 of the second clamping spring element 30. The first and second symbols 64, 65 differ from each other. This allows an association of the respective operating element 40, 50 with the corresponding clamping spring element 20, 30.
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|---|---|---|---|
| 10 2006 016 354 | Apr 2006 | DE | national |
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| Number | Date | Country | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 20070238303 A1 | Oct 2007 | US |
