Cable connector for electrically connecting electrical conductors

Abstract

A cable connector for electrically connecting at least one first electrical conductor to at least one second electrical conductor. The cable connector includes an insulating-material housing, which has at least one first conductor insertion opening and at least one second conductor insertion opening. The second conductor insertion opening is opposite the first conductor insertion opening. The cable connector has at least one electrical contact in the insulating-material housing. The least one electrical contact is electrically contacted by a first electrical conductor via the first conductor insertion opening and by a second electrical conductor via the second conductor insertion opening. The first electrical conductor is loaded against the electrical contact via a first clamping spring and the second electrical conductor is loaded against the electrical contact via a second clamping spring such that the first electrical conductor is electrically connected to the second electrical conductor by means of the electrical contact.

Claims

1. A cable connector for electrically connecting at least one first electrical conductor to at least one second electrical conductor, the cable connector comprising: an insulating-material housing, which has at least two first conductor insertion openings and at least two second conductor insertion openings, arranged opposite the first conductor insertion openings, and a number of the at least two second conductor insertion openings corresponding to a number of the at least two first conductor insertion openings; and at least two electrical contacts arranged in the insulating-material housing, a number of the electrical contacts corresponding to the number of the at least two first conductor insertion openings, each of the at least two electrical contacts being arranged to be electrically contacted by respective first electrical conductors via one of the at least two first conductor insertion openings and by respective second electrical conductors via one of the at least two second conductor insertion openings; wherein the respective first electrical conductors are each arranged to be loaded against the respective electrical contacts by respective first clamping spring and the respective second electrical conductors are each arranged to be loaded against the respective electrical contact by respective second clamping spring, so that the respective first electrical conductor is electrically connected to the respective second electrical conductor by the electrical contact; wherein the cable connector further comprises first actuation devices, a number of the first actuation devices corresponding to a number of respective first clamping springs, wherein an actuation of a first actuation device transfers the respective first clamping spring, which is in contact with the first actuation device, under elastic deformation to a release position, in which the respective first electrical conductor is not loaded against the electrical contact by the respective first clamping spring, so that the respective first electrical conductor is removable from the cable connector, wherein the cable connector further comprises second actuation devices, a number of the second actuation devices corresponding to a number of respective second clamping springs, and wherein an actuation of a second actuation device transfers the respective second clamping spring, which is in contact with the second actuation device, under elastic deformation to a release position, in which the respective second electrical conductor is not loaded against the electrical contact by the respective second clamping spring, so that the respective second electrical conductor is removable from the cable connector.

2. The cable connector according to claim 1, further comprising at least one lid which is arranged on an end face of and connected to the insulating-material housing.

3. The cable connector according to claim 1, wherein: the respective first electrical conductors are brought into electrical contact with an electrical contact under elastic deformation of the respective first clamping springs via the respective first conductor insertion openings; and the respective second electrical conductors are brought into electrical contact with an electrical contact under elastic deformation of the respective second clamping springs via the respective second conductor insertion openings.

4. The cable connector according to claim 1, wherein the at least two first conductor insertion openings have an angular distance to one another, and the at least two second conductor insertion openings have an angular distance to one another.

5. The cable connector according to claim 1, wherein: the insulating-material housing has at least three first conductor insertion openings and at least three second conductor insertion openings; and the first conductor insertion openings are arranged in an angle equidistant manner to one another, and the second conductor insertion openings are arranged in an angle equidistant manner to one another.

6. The cable connector according to claim 1, wherein: the first actuation devices have the same angular distance to one another as the first conductor insertion openings to one another; the first actuation devices have a radial distance to the first conductor insertion openings; the second actuation devices have a same angular distance to one another as the second conductor insertion openings to one another; and the second actuation devices have a radial distance to the second conductor insertion openings.

7. The cable connector according to claim 1, wherein the respective electrical contacts each have a stop section and two contact sections connected to the stop section, wherein a first contact section extends in the direction of a first conductor insertion opening, and a second contact section extends in the direction of a second conductor insertion opening.

8. The cable connector according to claim 1, wherein the respective first clamping springs and the respective second clamping springs each have a contact limb and a clamping limb connected to said contact limb via a bending joint.

9. The cable connector according to claim 8, wherein the contact limbs each rest on an electrical contact.

10. The cable connector according to claim 9, wherein the contact limbs of the first and second clamping springs each rest on a stop section of an electrical contact.

11. The cable connector according to claim 1, wherein the cable connector has at least one slip-on sleeve which can be placed upon the insulating-material housing.

12. The cable connector according to claim 11, wherein the at least one slip-on sleeve is designed as an elastic slip-on sleeve.

13. The cable connector according to claim 11, wherein the cable connector has a cable gland which can be screwed together with the slip-on sleeve.

Description

(1) In the following, further advantages, details, and features of the invention shall be described using the depicted embodiments. They show in detail in:

(2) FIG. 1A: a cross-sectional view of a cable connector according to the invention;

(3) FIG. 1B: the cable connector shown in FIG. 1A with two electrical conductors connected by means of the cable connector;

(4) FIG. 2A: a spatial depiction of the cable connector shown in FIG. 1A as seen from a field side;

(5) FIG. 2B: the cable connector shown in FIG. 2A with disassembled slip-on sleeve;

(6) FIG. 2C: a spatial depiction of the cable connector shown in FIG. 2A as seen from a device side;

(7) FIG. 3A: a cross-sectional view of a cable connector according to the invention with two slip-on sleeves;

(8) FIG. 3B: a spatial depiction of the cable connector shown in FIG. 3A; and

(9) FIG. 4: a cross-sectional view of a cable connector according to the invention according to a further embodiment.

(10) In the description below, the same reference signs denote the same components or the same features, so that a description regarding a component with reference to a drawing also applies to the other drawings, thus avoiding a repetitious description. In addition, individual features described in connection with an embodiment can also be used separately in other embodiments.

(11) FIG. 1A shows a cable connector 1 according to the invention for electrically connecting at least two electrical conductors 101 with second electrical conductors 102, the number of which corresponds to the number of first electrical conductors 101. FIG. 1A shows a cross-sectional view of the cable connector 1 with a cross section along a longitudinal axis L of the cable connector 1 without inserted first electrical conductors 101 and second electrical conductors 102. FIG. 1B shows the cable connector 1 depicted in FIG. 1A with the first electrical conductors 101 and second electrical conductors 102 inserted in the cable connector 1.

(12) FIGS. 2A, 2B, and 2C show a spatial depiction of the cable connector shown in FIGS. 1A and 1B.

(13) The cable connector 1 has an insulating-material housing 10 which, in the depicted embodiment, has three first conductor insertion openings 21 and three second conductor insertion openings 22. It can be seen that the second conductor insertion openings 22 are arranged opposite the first conductor insertion openings 21. More specifically, it can be seen that the first conductor insertion openings 21 and the second conductor insertion openings 22 are each introduced in opposite end faces 11, 12 of the insulating-material housing 10. FIGS. 1A and 1B further show that the respective first conductor insertion openings 21 are connected to the respective second conductor insertion openings 22 via a through-recess running through the insulating-material housing 10. The figures also show that a lid 15 is arranged on each of the end faces 11, 12 of the insulating-material housing 10 and connected to the insulating-material housing 10. The lids 15 have through-openings which are oriented correspondingly aligned with the first conductor insertion openings 21 and the second conductor insertion openings 22.

(14) Furthermore, the cable connector 1 has electrical contacts 30 arranged in the insulating-material housing 10, the number of which corresponds to the number of first conductor insertion openings 21.

(15) In this case, the respective electrical contacts 30 can each be electrically contacted via a first conductor insertion opening 21 by means of a first electrical conductor 101 and via a second conductor insertion opening 22 by means of a second electrical conductor 102. The respective first electrical conductors 101 can each be loaded against the electrical contact 30 by means of a first clamping spring 41. In addition, the second electrical conductors 102 can each be loaded against the electrical contact 30 by means of a second clamping spring 42. The respective first electrical conductors 101 are thus electrically connected to one second electrical conductor 102 each by means of an electrical contact 30.

(16) It can be seen in FIGS. 1A and 1B that both the first clamping spring 41 and the second clamping spring 42 each have a contact limb 43 and a clamping limb 45 connected to said contact limb via a bending joint 44. It can also be seen that the respective electrical contacts 30 each have a stop section 33 and two contact sections 31, 32 connected to the stop section 33. In this case, the first contact section 31 extends in the direction of the first conductor insertion opening 21, and the second contact section 32 extends in the direction of the second conductor insertion opening 22. The respective contact limbs 43 of the first clamping spring 41 and the second clamping spring 42 each rest on the contact section 33 of the electrical contact 30.

(17) Both the first electrical conductor 101 and the second electrical conductor 102 can be brought into electrical contact with the electrical contact 30 under elastic deformation of the clamping springs 41, 42 via the conductor insertion openings 21, 22. For that purpose, the respective clamping limbs 45 press onto the electrical conductors 101, 102 in the direction of the respective contact sections 31, 32 of the electrical contact 30.

(18) The stop section 33 of the electrical contact 30 serves as a support for the respective contact limbs 43 of the first clamping spring 41 and the second clamping spring 42. The stop section 33 further serves as a stop for the first electrical conductor 101 and the second electrical conductor 102.

(19) The cable connector 1 according to the invention further comprises first actuation devices 51, the number of which corresponds to the number of first clamping springs 41. The first actuation devices 51 can also be called first push-buttons 51. An actuation of a first actuation device 51 transfers the first clamping spring 41, which is in contact with said first actuation device, under elastic deformation to a release position, in which the first electrical conductor 101 is not loaded against the electrical contact 30 by means of the clamping limb 45 of the first clamping spring 41, so that the first electrical conductor 101 can be removed from the cable connector 1. Furthermore, the cable connector 1 also has second actuation devices 52 which can also be called second push-buttons 52, the number of which corresponds to the number of second clamping springs 42. An actuation of the second actuation device 52 also transfers the second clamping spring 42, which is in contact with said second actuation device, under elastic deformation to a release position, in which the second electrical conductor 102 is not loaded against the electrical contact 30 by means of the clamping limb 45 of the second clamping spring 42, so that the second electrical conductor 102 can be removed from the cable connector 1.

(20) FIG. 2B shows that the three first conductor insertion openings 21 are arranged in an angle equidistant manner to one another. FIG. 2B further shows that the respective first actuation devices 51 have the same angular distance to one another as the first conductor insertion openings 21 to one another. In such case, the first actuation devices 51 have a radial distance to the first conductor insertion openings 21. More specifically, the radial distance of the first actuation devices 51 to the longitudinal axis L of the insulating-material housing 10 is greater than that of the respective first conductor insertion openings 21 to the longitudinal axis L of the insulating-material housing.

(21) In FIG. 2C, it can be seen that the three second conductor insertion openings 22 are arranged in an angle equidistant manner to one another. FIG. 2C further shows that the respective second actuation devices 52 have the same angular distance to one another as the second conductor insertion openings 22 to one another. In such case, the second actuation devices 52 have a radial distance to the second conductor insertion openings 22. More specifically, the radial distance of the second actuation devices 52 to the longitudinal axis L of the insulating-material housing 10 is greater than that of the respective second conductor insertion openings 22 to the longitudinal axis L of the insulating-material housing.

(22) For connecting the first electric cable 101 to second electric cables 102, the cable connector 1 according to the invention is guided through a wall W of an electrical device, wherein a fastening nut 80 is screwed onto a threaded section of the insulating-material housing 10. A first seal 91 is provided between a stop section 13 of the insulating-material housing 10 and the wall W.

(23) The cable connector 1 further has a slip-on sleeve 60 which can be placed onto the insulating-material housing 10. The slip-on sleeve 60 has a cable seal 61 for sealing a cable K. A cable gland 70 is screwed onto an outer thread 62 of the slip-on sleeve 60. In addition, a second seal 92 is provided between the insulating-material housing 10 and the slip-on sleeve 60, and so a penetration of moisture from the outside through the cable connector 1 into the interior of a housing is prevented.

(24) FIGS. 3A and 3B show a cable connector 1 which has two slip-on sleeves 60, wherein a first slip-on sleeve 60 is placed onto a first end of the insulating-material housing 10, and a second slip-on sleeve 60 is placed onto a second end of the insulating-material housing 10. Both the first slip-on sleeve 60 and the second slip-on sleeve 60 each have a cable seal 61 for sealing a cable K. One cable gland 70 each is screwed onto outer threads 62 of the respective slip-on sleeves 60. In addition, a second seal 92 is provided between the insulating-material housing 10 and the respective slip-on sleeves 60, and so a penetration of moisture from the outside through the cable connector 1 into the interior of a housing is prevented. The remaining structure of the cable connector 1 is identical with the structure of the cable connector shown with reference to FIGS. 1A to 2C.

(25) The cable connector 1 shown in FIGS. 3A and 3B is particularly suitable for connecting at least one first electrical conductor 101 with at least one second electrical conductor 102 in the field. Therefore, the cable connector 1 does not necessarily have to be arranged in an opening of a wall/housing wall. The cable connector 1 shown in FIGS. 3A and 3B is thus designed to be used in the field, wherein the two electrical conductors 101, 102 to be connected are located freely in the field, i.e., for example, they are not arranged within a housing.

(26) FIG. 4 shows a cross-sectional view of a cable connector 1 according to a further embodiment of the present invention. The cable connector 1 shown in FIG. 4 differs from the cable connectors 1 shown in the previous drawings in that the slip-on sleeve 60 is designed as an elastic or flexible slip-on sleeve 60. It can be seen that the slip-on sleeve 60 is designed as a bellows 60 which can adapt to a bending of a cable K in an improved manner. The remaining structure of the cable connector 1 is identical with the structure of the cable connectors 1 previously described.

(27) Of course, it is also possible that the cable connector 1 has two elastically designed slip-on sleeves 60 which, as shown in FIGS. 3A and 3B, are arranged on two opposite sides of the cable connector 1.

LIST OF REFERENCE SIGNS

(28) 1 Cable connector 10 Insulating-material housing 11 first end face (of the insulating-material housing) 12 second end face (of the insulating-material housing) 13 Stop section (of the insulating-material housing) 14 Thread (of the insulating-material housing) 15 Lid 21 first conductor insertion opening 22 second conductor insertion opening 30 Electrical contact 31 first contact section (of the electrical contact) 32 second contact section (of the electrical contact) 33 Stop section (of the electrical contact) 41 first clamping spring 42 second clamping spring 43 Contact limb (of a clamping spring) 44 Bending joint (of a clamping spring) 45 Clamping limb (of a clamping spring) 51 first actuation device/first push-button 52 second actuation device/second push-button 60 Slip-on sleeve 61 Cable seal (of the slip-on sleeve) 62 Thread (of the slip-on sleeve) 70 Cable gland 80 Fastening nut 91 first seal 92 second seal 101 first electrical conductor/first electric cable 102 second electrical conductor/second electric cable L Longitudinal axis (of the insulating-material housing) K Electric cable W Housing wall (of an electrical device)