Conductor terminal

Abstract

A conductor terminal for connecting an electrical conductor by means of spring force clamping, the conductor terminal being configured for mounting on a busbar, the terminal conductor including at least one spring force clamping connection having a clamping spring for clamping the electrical conductor, a housing, which at least partially surrounds the spring force clamping connection and has a conductor insertion opening and a pivotably supported actuation lever, which is configured to actuate at least one part of the clamping spring, a receiving space for receiving at least one section of the busbar onto which the conductor terminal may be mounted, being present in the housing.

Claims

1. A conductor terminal for connecting an electrical conductor via spring force clamping, the conductor terminal being configured to be mounted on a busbar, the terminal conductor comprising: at least one spring force clamping connection having a clamping spring for clamping the electrical conductor; a housing, which at least partially surrounds the spring force clamping connection and has a conductor insertion opening and a pivotably supported actuating lever, which is configured to actuate at least one part of the clamping spring, and the housing having a receiving space for receiving at least one section of the busbar onto which the conductor terminal is mounted, wherein at least one part of the actuating lever is directly adjacent to the receiving space of the busbar or projects into the receiving space of the busbar.

2. The conductor terminal according to claim 1, wherein the actuating lever is positioned such that the at least one part of the actuating lever is supported on the busbar received in the receiving space, at least during the pivoting movement of the actuating lever.

3. The conductor terminal according to claim 1, wherein the receiving space extends all the way through the conductor terminal in a transverse direction, which runs orthogonally to a conductor insertion direction.

4. The conductor terminal according to claim 1, wherein the at least one part of the actuating lever that is directly adjacent to the receiving space of the busbar or that projects into the receiving space of the busbar is a first bearing plate and a second bearing plate.

5. The conductor terminal according to claim 1, wherein the clamping spring has a contact leg, a spring bend adjacent to the contact leg and a clamping leg adjacent to the spring bend for firmly clamping the electrical conductor.

6. The conductor terminal according to claim 5, wherein the conductor terminal includes a holding frame on which the contact leg is held.

7. The conductor terminal according to claim 6, wherein the holding frame includes a tension element or is coupled with a tension element.

8. The conductor terminal according to claim 6, wherein the holding frame includes a first bearing for receiving the contact leg and a second bearing for positioning the busbar.

9. The conductor terminal according to claim 1, wherein the housing has an introduction opening through which a section of the busbar is introduced into the receiving space of the conductor terminal.

10. The conductor terminal according to claim 9, wherein the introduction opening is arranged on a same housing side of the housing as the conductor insertion opening or on a housing side of the housing facing away from an actuation side of the conductor terminal, the actuation side of the conductor terminal being a side on which a manual actuating element of the actuating lever is accessible for manual actuation.

11. The conductor terminal according to claim 1, wherein the actuating lever is provided with a U-shaped part, viewed in a conductor insertion direction, including a first bearing plate and a second bearing plate which are connected to each other via a connecting area of the actuating lever, wherein an intermediate space for inserting the electrical conductor to be clamped is present between the first bearing plate and second bearing plate.

12. The conductor terminal according to claim 11, wherein the U-shaped part of the actuating lever has an open side, which is positioned such that the open side is covered by a surface of the busbar received in the receiving space.

13. The conductor terminal according to claim 11, wherein the first bearing plate and the second bearing plate form a guide for the electrical conductor guided through the intermediate space in each actuation position of the actuating lever.

14. A conductor terminal for connecting an electrical conductor via spring force clamping, the conductor terminal being configured to be mounted on a busbar, the terminal conductor comprising: at least one spring force clamping connection having a clamping spring for clamping the electrical conductor; a housing, which at least partially surrounds the spring force clamping connection and has a conductor insertion opening and a pivotably supported actuating lever, which is configured to actuate at least one part of the clamping spring, and the housing having a receiving space for receiving at least one section of the busbar onto which the conductor terminal is mounted, wherein the conductor terminal includes positioning elements for positioning the busbar relative to the receiving space in an installation position, in which the busbar is arranged at an angle with respect to the conductor insertion direction.

15. The conductor terminal according to claim 14, wherein the position and/or location of the busbar relative to a clamping leg of the clamping spring and/or to a free end of the clamping leg of the clamping spring is fixed by the positioning elements.

16. The conductor terminal according to claim 14, wherein the positioning elements include one or multiple latching elements, with the aid of which the conductor terminal is connectable in a latching manner with the busbar.

17. A conductor terminal for connecting an electrical conductor via spring force clamping, the conductor terminal being configured to be mounted on a busbar, the terminal conductor comprising: at least one spring force clamping connection having a clamping spring for clamping the electrical conductor; a housing, which at least partially surrounds the spring force clamping connection and has a conductor insertion opening and a pivotably supported actuating lever, which is configured to actuate at least one part of the clamping spring, and the housing having a receiving space for receiving at least one section of the busbar onto which the conductor terminal is mounted, wherein a conductor insertion channel adjacent to the conductor insertion opening and the receiving space are arranged with respect to each other such that they transition into each other, so that the busbar received in the receiving space projects at least partially into the conductor insertion channel.

18. A conductor terminal for connecting an electrical conductor via spring force clamping, the conductor terminal being configured to be mounted on a busbar, the terminal conductor comprising: at least one spring force clamping connection having a clamping spring for clamping the electrical conductor; a housing, which at least partially surrounds the spring force clamping connection and has a conductor insertion opening and a pivotably supported actuating lever, which is configured to actuate at least one part of the clamping spring, and the housing having a receiving space for receiving at least one section of the busbar onto which the conductor terminal is mounted, wherein the clamping spring has a contact leg, a spring bend adjacent to the contact leg and a clamping leg adjacent to the spring bend for firmly clamping the electrical conductor, wherein the conductor terminal includes a holding frame on which the contact leg is held, wherein the holding frame includes a tension element or is coupled with a tension element, and wherein the busbar is supported on the tension element in the receiving space against a clamping force of the clamping leg acting upon the busbar.

19. A conductor terminal for connecting an electrical conductor via spring force clamping, the conductor terminal being configured to be mounted on a busbar, the terminal conductor comprising: at least one spring force clamping connection having a clamping spring for clamping the electrical conductor; a housing, which at least partially surrounds the spring force clamping connection and has a conductor insertion opening and a pivotably supported actuating lever, which is configured to actuate at least one part of the clamping spring, and the housing having a receiving space for receiving at least one section of the busbar onto which the conductor terminal is mounted, wherein the clamping spring has a contact leg, a spring bend adjacent to the contact leg and a clamping leg adjacent to the spring bend for firmly clamping the electrical conductor, and wherein a free end of the clamping leg is positioned such that a clamping point for clamping the electrical conductor is formed between the free end and a surface of the busbar facing the clamping leg and situated in the receiving space.

20. The conductor terminal according to claim 19, wherein the receiving space includes positioning elements, which position the busbar received in the receiving space such that a corner edge of the surface of the busbar is positioned with respect to the free end of the clamping leg such that a clamped electrical conductor is clamped between the free end and the corner edge.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

(1) The present invention will become more fully understood from the detailed description given hereinbelow and the accompanying drawings which are given by way of illustration only, and thus, are not limitive of the present invention, and wherein:

(2) FIG. 1 shows a side sectional representation of a conductor terminal;

(3) FIG. 2 shows the conductor terminal according to FIG. 1 in a view of a conductor insertion side;

(4) FIG. 3 shows a sectional view of the conductor terminal according to section line A-A drawn in FIG. 1;

(5) FIG. 4 shows an alternative specific embodiment of the conductor terminal in area B marked in FIG. 1;

(6) FIG. 5 shows a side sectional representation of a further specific embodiment of a conductor terminal;

(7) FIG. 6 shows the conductor terminal according to FIG. 5 in a view of a conductor insertion side; and

(8) FIG. 7 shows a sectional view of the conductor terminal according to section line C-C drawn in FIG. 5.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

(9) Conductor terminal 1 illustrated in FIG. 1 includes a housing 2, a clamping spring 4, an actuating lever 5 and a holding frame 6. Housing 2 may, for example, be provided with a two-part design, including a first housing component 20 and a second housing component 21. First and second housing components 20, 21 may be fastened to each other via positioning elements, for example in that they are latched to each other. Clamping spring 4 and holding frame 6 are arranged in the area surrounded by housing 2. FIG. 1 also shows a busbar 3, to which conductor terminal 1 is fastened.

(10) Housing 2 includes a conductor receiving chamber 22, a conductor insertion opening 23, an introduction opening 24, a receiving space 25 for receiving a section of busbar 3 as well as positioning elements 26, 27, 28, which are used to position busbar 3 relative to receiving space 25 in a defined installation position. Conductor receiving chamber 22 may be formed, for example, by a part of second housing component 21, and the remaining mentioned elements of housing 2 may be formed on first housing component 20. Conductor insertion opening 23 is situated on a conductor insertion side 11 of conductor terminal 1. A conductor insertion channel 98, which may, for example, be at least partially surrounded by walls of housing 2, is adjacent to conductor insertion opening 23 in the interior of housing 2.

(11) An electrical conductor which is to be connected to conductor terminal 1, may be guided through conductor insertion opening 23 in a conductor insertion direction L to a subsequent clamping point explained in greater detail below. Introduction opening 24 is used to introduce a section of busbar 3 into receiving space 25. If this section of busbar 3 is introduced all the way, the state illustrated in FIG. 1 results, in which receiving space 25 is filled to the greatest extent by this section of busbar 3. As is apparent, busbar 3 projects at least a little way into conductor insertion channel 98.

(12) Positioning elements 26, 27 may be designed, for example, as sliding edges of housing 2 situated opposite each other, at which the busbar is guided into receiving space 25 during its introduction through introduction opening 24 and is ultimately held in the installation position. Positioning element 28 may be designed as a latching element, which is disposed on a resilient latching tongue of housing 2. This latching tongue yields slightly when busbar 3 is introduced and then snaps back when busbar 3 reaches its installation position in receiving space 25, whereby busbar 3 is fixed in receiving space 25 by the latching. The position of busbar 3 may be fixed on the side facing away from positioning element 28, for example by holding frame 6.

(13) Clamping spring 4 has a contact leg 41, a spring bend 42 adjacent to contact spring 41 and a clamping leg 43 adjacent to spring bend 42. The contact leg is fixed on holding frame 6 via its free end 40, where it is supported, for example in that free end 40 is suspended there behind a web 60 of holding frame 6. In this way, web 60 may form a first bearing 60 for receiving contact leg 41. Clamping leg 43 ends at a free end 44, at which a clamping edge may be present. An electrical conductor may be clamped on a surface 30 of busbar 3 with the aid of free end 44 or the clamping edge. The clamping point of the spring force clamping connection implemented in this way is thus formed between free end 44 or the clamping edge of clamping leg 43 and surface 30 of busbar 3. The clamping point may be formed, in particular, with the aid of corner edge 31 of busbar 3.

(14) Holding frame 6 has a recess 61. An electrical conductor to be clamped, which is inserted through conductor insertion opening 23, is first guided through conductor insertion channel 98 adjacent to conductor insertion opening 23. The guidance of the electrical conductor by laterally situated bearing plates 52 in each case, takes place in the area of actuating lever 5. Clamping leg 43 and surface 30 of busbar 3 also participate in the conductor guidance. The electrical conductor may be inserted through recess 61 up to conductor receiving chamber 22, by means of which an end stop for limiting the depth of the introduction of the electrical conductor is also formed.

(15) Holding frame 6 is continued by a tension element 62 beneath recess 61, behind which busbar 3 is suspended. Tension element 62 may end, for example, with a bent free end, which forms a second bearing 99, on which busbar 3 rests. Clamping spring 4 directly or indirectly transfers a clamping force through clamping leg 43 onto busbar 3. Busbar 3 is supported against this clamping force by tension element 62, which, in turn, is connected to contact leg 41 via holding frame 6. A self-supporting contact insert of conductor terminal 1 is implemented in this way.

(16) Actuating lever 5 is accessible for the purpose of manual actuation on an actuation side 10 of conductor terminal 1. Actuating lever 5 includes a manual actuating element 50, at which actuating lever 5 may be manually actuated. Actuating lever 5 transitions from manual actuating element 50 to an area, in which actuating lever 5 forks into side plates 51 situated in each case on the left and the right. Side plates 51 may extend laterally, for example even beyond holding frame 6, Particular spring actuating bodies, at each of which a first and a second bearing plate 52 is situated, are mounted on insides of side plates 51 facing each other. Actuating lever 5 is pivotable, i.e. rotatable, via bearing plates 52, supported in conductor terminal 1 and may be supported, in particular, on surface 30 of busbar 3. In this case, actuating lever 5 slides with bearing plates 52 on busbar 3 during a pivoting movement.

(17) The spring actuating bodies each have a V-shaped incision, by means of which a particular actuating edge 53 is formed. Actuating edge 53 acts upon clamping leg 43. If actuating lever 5 is pivoted from the closed position illustrated in FIG. 1 into an open position, in that it is pivoted counterclockwise by an angle of approximately 90 degrees, clamping leg 43 is deflected upwardly in the direction of contact leg 41 by actuating edge 53, whereby free end 44 or the clamping edge is moved forward by busbar 3.

(18) FIG. 2 shows conductor terminal 1 in a top view of conductor insertion side 11. Busbar 3 extends in transverse direction Q all the way through housing 2, i.e. receiving space 25 also extends all the way through conductor terminal 1 in transverse direction Q.

(19) FIG. 3 shows a sectional representation of conductor terminal 1 according to section line A-A in FIG. 1. The elements explained above are additionally clarified hereby. It is apparent, in particular in FIG. 3, that holding frame 6 has a recess 61, which is limited by webs 60, 63, 64 as well as downwardly by the adjacent area of tension element 62 on the side of recess 61 opposite web 60.

(20) FIG. 4 shows an alternative specific embodiment of the latching fastening of busbar 3 with the aid of positioning element 28. In the specific embodiment in FIG. 4, positioning element 28 is guided from first housing component 20 to a side edge of busbar 3 via an arm bent into a U shape.

(21) While introduction opening 24 is disposed on the same housing side of housing 2 as conductor insertion opening 23 in the specific embodiments of conductor terminal 1 explained up to now, namely on conductor insertion side 11, a variant in which introduction opening 24 is arranged on the housing side of housing 2 facing away from actuation side 10, based on the specific embodiment of conductor terminal 1 illustrated in FIGS. 5 through 7. In other words, in the specific embodiment in FIGS. 5 through 7, the section of busbar 3 is inserted into housing 2, so to speak from below.

(22) It is apparent that only positioning elements 26, 28 are present in this case. Busbar 3 is inserted into receiving space 25 in such a way that it is first pushed in between free end 44 of clamping leg 43 and tension element 62 and then engaged behind positioning element 28 by means of a tilting movement. To ensure a sufficient movability of the latching tongue connected to positioning element 28, housing 2, in particular first housing part 20, may have an elongated notch or incision 29.

(23) As shown, in particular by FIG. 6, positioning element 28 does not have to be a continuous latching element in transverse direction Q but may be implemented by two individual latching elements in the area of the side walls of housing 2, which are connected to each other by a transverse web below introduced busbar 3. A tool, for example a screwdriver, may be introduced into the intermediate space or opening formed in this manner, so as to deflect positioning element 28 and lift up the latching connection between housing 2 and the busbar so that conductor terminal 1 may be removed from the busbar.

(24) The conductor terminal according to FIGS. 5 through 7 otherwise has a design comparable to the specific embodiment described first.

(25) The invention being thus described, it will be obvious that the same may be varied in many ways. Such variations are not to be regarded as a departure from the spirit and scope of the invention, and all such modifications as would be obvious to one skilled in the art are to be included within the scope of the following claims.