The present invention relates generally to the structural design of a wire connection terminal device, and more particularly to a terminal device for a conductive wire to plug therein. The terminal has a pressing/moving unit. The pressing/moving unit can freely rotate or swing within a chamber of the main body of the terminal. A metal leaf spring is disposed in the chamber of the main body for pressing and electrically connecting with the conductive wire. The metal leaf spring is responsive to the motion of the pressing/moving unit to release the conductive wire from the pressing of the metal leaf spring.
A conventional terminal device or wire-pressing terminal has an insulation case (generally made of plastic material) and a metal leaf spring mounted in the insulation case to press and electrically connect with a conductive wire plugged in the insulation case. A tool can be inserted into the insulation case to press and move the metal leaf spring so as to release the conductive wire.
Basically, the metal leaf spring of such kind of connection terminal is assembled with a slenderer or narrower terminal pin in a symmetrical form for plugging on a circuit board (such as a PCB, not shown) and electrically connecting with the circuit board.
With respect to such kind of terminal device, it is necessary to operate a tool to electrically disconnect the metal leaf spring from the conductive wire. This is quite inconvenient. In order to eliminate this shortcoming, an improved terminal device has been disclosed. The improved terminal device has a shift member or drive member disposed on the insulation case for controlling the metal leaf spring to press and electrically connect with the conductive wire plugged into the case or release the conductive wire.
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To speak more specifically, the metal leaf spring 30 includes ahead end 31 inserted on a hole 21 of the shift member 20. After the conductive wire 50 is plugged into the case 10, the head end 31 of the metal leaf spring 30 will bite the conductive wire 50 and prevent the conductive wire 50 from easily detaching from the metal leaf spring 30 or the case 10. Only when an operator pushes down the shift member 20 to drive the head end 31 of the metal leaf spring 30, the conductive wire 50 is released from the pressing of the metal leaf spring 30.
However, as well known by those who are skilled in this field, the above conventional connection terminal has a relatively complicated structure that the shift member 20 is formed with the hole 21 on which the head end 31 of the metal leaf spring 30 is inserted. Also, it is more troublesome to assemble these components. In addition, the volume of the shift member 20 must be enlarged so that the handle 22 can protrude out of the case 10 for an operator to operate. This will increase the possibility of mis-touch of the operator to the shift member 20. Moreover, with respect to the above conventional connection terminal, it is necessary to reserve a larger operational space around the connection terminal to allow the operation and motion of the shift member 20. This will more limit the arrangement of the environmental equipment in the working site. This is not what we expect.
When the drive member 25 pressed down the head end 31 of the metal leaf spring 30, the conductive wire 50 is allowed to plug into the case 10 from the wire inlet 12. After the down pressing force of the drive member 25 disappears, the head end 31 of the metal leaf spring 30 will bite the conductive wire 50 and electrically connect therewith. Only when an operator presses down the drive member 25 again to push away the head end 31 of the metal leaf spring 30, the conductive wire 50 is released from the pressing of the metal leaf spring 30.
It should be noted that the drive member 25 must have sufficient operational travel so as to truly control and drive the metal leaf spring 30 to press or release the conductive wire 50. Therefore, the above connection terminal must be structurally designed with a case 10 with enlarged volume so that the cavity 13 can provide larger longitudinal operational travel range. However, this is unbeneficial to the structural design of the connection terminal. Also, the drive member 25 has the structural form that protrudes from the case 10 in normal state. This increases the possibility of mis-touch of the operator to the drive member 25.
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After the push member 29 restores to its home position, the head end 31 of the metal leaf spring 30 cooperates with the opening 32 to bite the conductive wire 50 and electrically connect therewith. Only when an operator again operates the push member 29 to transversely move along the slot 14 to push away the head end 31 of the metal leaf spring 30 and expose the opening 32, the conductive wire 50 is released from the pressing of the metal leaf spring 30.
It should be noted that the push member 29 must have sufficient operational travel so as to truly control and drive the metal leaf spring 30 to press or release the conductive wire 50. Therefore, the above connection terminal also must be structurally designed with a case 10 with enlarged volume so that the slot 14 can provide larger transverse operational travel range. Moreover, the moving direction of the push member 29 along the slot 14 is different from the down pressing direction of the metal leaf spring 30, (that is, the force is not applied in such a direction as to directly press down the metal leaf spring 30). Therefore, it is laborious to operate the push member 29.
With respect to the structural design and application of such kind of terminal devices, all the above terminal devices have the shortcoming that the structural design is not ideal. For example, the handle 22 of the shift member 20 or the drive member 25 protrudes out of the case 10 so that the possibility of mis-touch of the operator is increased or the arrangement space of the environmental equipment in the working site is affected. Also, the volume of the case 10 must be enlarged so that the drive member 25 or the push member 29 can have sufficient operational travel. In addition, it is laborious to operate the push member 29.
To speak representatively, the conventional connection terminals or terminal devices and the shift member (or drive member and push member) and the metal leaf spring have some shortcomings in design of the relevant assembling structures. To overcome the above shortcomings, it is necessary to redesign the assembling structures of the terminal devices and the shift member (or drive member and push member) and the metal leaf spring so as to change the structure and the use form of the terminal devices and widen the application range thereof as well as enhance the convenience in operation of the terminal devices.
In order to overcome or improve the above shortcomings of the structural form of the conventional terminal devices, the present invention provides a wire connection terminal device having several advantages in design. For example, in the condition that as a whole, the terminal device can keep securely pressing the conductive wire, the terminal device includes a pressing/moving unit. The force application direction of the pressing/moving unit is identical to the down pressing direction of the metal leaf spring so as to improve the shortcoming of the conventional terminal device that it is laborious to operate the push member. Also, in the condition that the volume of the case is not increased, the operational travel range of the pressing/moving unit is as minimized as possible. This improves the shortcomings of the conventional terminal device that the arrangement space of the environmental equipment in the working site is affected and the handle 22 of the shift member 20 or the drive member 25 protrudes out of the case 10 to cause mis-touch of the operator. All these are not substantially taught, suggested or disclosed in the above conventional terminal devices.
It is therefore a primary object of the present invention to provide a wire connection terminal device including a main body and a pressing/moving unit assembled with the main body. The pressing/moving unit has a shafted section, a cam section connected with the shafted section and a force application section formed on the cam section and a press section formed on the cam section. The cam section can freely rotate or swing within a chamber defined by the main body. A metal leaf spring is disposed in the chamber of the main body for pressing and electrically connecting with a conductive wire. The metal leaf spring is responsive to the motion of the pressing/moving unit to release the conductive wire. The wire connection terminal device improves the shortcomings of the conventional structure that the volume of the case and the operational space are larger and the motional travel is longer.
In the above wire connection terminal device, the shafted section of the pressing/moving unit is formed with a shaft hole pivotally connected on the shaft post of the main body, whereby the shaft post serves as a fulcrum or rotational center or swinging center for the pressing/moving unit to rotate or swing around the shaft post. In addition, the down pressing motional direction of the press section is identical to the motional direction of the metal leaf spring so that the metal leaf spring can be directly pressed and moved. Moreover, the distance between the force application section and the shafted section is smaller than the distance between the press section and the shafted section, whereby the operational travel of the pressing/moving unit is as minimized as possible.
The present invention can be best understood through the following description and accompanying drawings, wherein:
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The upper section, upper side, lower section, lower side or bottom section mentioned hereinafter are referred to with the direction of the drawings as the reference direction.
In this embodiment, the metal leaf spring 70 is responsive to the motion of the pressing/moving unit 60 to release the conductive wire 50. To speak more specifically, the pressing/moving unit 60 has a shafted section 61, a cam section 62 connected with the shafted section 61 and a force application section 63 formed on the cam section 62 and a press section 64 formed on the cam section 62.
As shown in the drawings, the shafted section 61 is formed with a shaft hole 65 pivotally connected on a shaft post 43 of the main body 40 (or the chamber 41). Accordingly, the cam section 62 can freely rotate or swing within the chamber 41 of the main body 40. The force application section 63 protrudes from an upper section of the cam section 62 to form two stepped structures. In addition, the force application section 63 and the cam section 62 together define a cavity 66. A base board 67 is formed on one side of the cam section 62 (or one of the stepped structures). One end of the base board 67 protrudes from the base board 67 to form the press section 64.
In this embodiment, as shown in the drawings, the upper section of the main body 40 is formed with a socket 44 and an insertion section 45 for detachably assembling with a cover 55. Corresponding to the socket 44 and the insertion section 45, the cover 55 is formed with an insertion block 56, an insertion portion 57 and a shoulder section 58 formed at a rear end of the insertion portion 57. Accordingly, when the insertion block 56 and the shoulder section 58 are respectively mounted into the socket 44 and the insertion section 45 of the main body 40, the insertion portion 57 of the cover 55 is received in the cavity 66 of the pressing/moving unit 60.
In a preferred embodiment, the main body 40 is formed with a stopper section 48 in adjacency to the shaft post 43. The stopper section 48 is a block body structure, which can cooperate with the base board 67 to hinder the pressing/moving unit 60 from being over-rotated. For example, the base board 67 can be formed with a protrusion section or a slot rail structure 67a assembled with the stopper section 48. When operating the pressing/moving unit 60 to swing, the slot rail structure 67a can cooperate with the stopper section 48 to restrict the rotation or swing of the pressing/moving unit 60 within a certain range.
The mechanism for restricting the rotation or swing of the pressing/moving unit 60 within a certain range can also include a stop section 49 formed on the main body 40 in the form of a block body structure. Therefore, when the base board 67 of the pressing/moving unit 60 is rotated or swung to a position where the stop section 49 is positioned, the stop section 49 will stop the base board 67 to prevent the pressing/moving unit 60 from being over-rotated or over-swung.
As shown in the drawings, the lower end section of the base board 67 is formed with a restriction section 68. The restriction section 68 has an extension face 68a in the form of a slope structure for guiding the conductive wire 50 to enter the terminal pin component 80. That is, when the conductive wire 50 passes through the extension face 68a, the slope structure of the extension face 68a will guide the conductive wire 50 into the terminal pin component 80. A notch 69 is formed between the restriction section 68 and the press section 64. The restriction section 68 also serves to help in restricting the rotation or swing of the pressing/moving unit 60 within a certain range. This will be further described hereinafter.
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As shown in the drawings, the first side 81 of the terminal pin component 80 is positioned on the bottom section 47 of the main body 40 with the terminal pins 84 extending out of the main body 40. In addition, the second section 72 and the tail end 75 of the metal leaf spring 70 respectively contact the first side 81 and the subsidiary side 83 of the terminal pin component 80. The head end 74 of the metal leaf spring 70 contacts the second side 82 of the terminal pin component 80.
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As shown in the drawings, the restriction section 68 of the pressing/moving unit 60 contacts the tail end 75 of the metal leaf spring 70 or the base board 67 is stopped by the stop section 49 of the main body 40. That is, the rotation range or swing range of the pressing/moving unit 60 is set to the position where the restriction section 68 reaches the tail end 75 of the metal leaf spring 70 or the first side 81 (or the subsidiary side 83) of the terminal pin component 80, or the rotation range or swing range of the pressing/moving unit 60 is set to the position where the base board 67 reaches the stop section 49. In this case, the pressing/moving unit 60 will not be over-rotated or swung.
It should be noted that in case the position where the shaft hole 65 of the pressing/moving unit 60 is pivotally connected with the shaft post 43 as a fulcrum is defined as a rotational center or swinging center C, the length L1 between the force application section 63 (or the force application point) and the swinging center C (or the shaft hole 65 and the shaft post 43) is smaller than the length L2 between the press section 64 and the swinging center C (or the shaft hole 65 and the shaft post 43). Accordingly, the (depressing) displacement S1 of the force application section 63 is smaller than the (depressing) displacement S2 of the press section 64. That is, in comparison with the conventional terminal device, the motional travel of the pressing/moving unit 60 or the force application section 63 is as minimized as possible. The operator only needs to operate the force application section 63 to move by a smaller amount or travel so as to release the conductive wire 50 from the pressing of the head end 74 of the metal leaf spring 70 and electrically disconnect the conductive wire 50 from the metal leaf spring 70.
It should be noted that the (depressing) operational direction of the force application section 63 or the press section 64 is as identical to the (longitudinal) motional direction of the metal leaf spring 70 as possible. This is beneficial to directly press the head end 74 of the metal leaf spring 70. In this case, the shortcoming of the conventional structure that it is laborious to use a push member to laterally push/press the metal leaf spring.
To speak representatively, the wire connection terminal device of the present invention can be stably operated to truly press the conductive wire. In comparison with the conventional terminal device, the wire connection terminal device of the present invention has the following advantages:
In conclusion, the wire connection terminal device of the present invention is effective and different from the conventional terminal device in space form. The wire connection terminal device of the present invention is inventive, greatly advanced and advantageous over the conventional terminal 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 |
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105115051 A | May 2016 | TW | national |
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Number | Date | Country | |
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20170331201 A1 | Nov 2017 | US |