RELAY BASE

Abstract

A relay base for connection to a plug-in relay is disclosed. The relay base comprises a plurality of connection units. Each connection unit comprises an electrically conductive socket member having a first end configured to receive a pin of the relay, an electrically conductive flexible connector having a first end that is electrically connected to a second end of the socket member, and an electrically conductive insert having a first end that is electrically connected to a second end of the flexible connector. A second end of the insert is configured as an electrical connectivity receptacle (e.g., a screw type terminal comprising a thread for receiving a screw). The configuration of the second end of the insert allows for facilitated making and breaking an electrical connection between the relay and an external wiring.

Claims

1. A relay base for connection to a plug-in relay, comprising a plurality of connection units, each connection unit comprising: an electrically conductive socket member having a first end and a second end, the first end being configured to receive a pin of the relay; an electrically conductive flexible connector having a first end and a second end, the first end of the flexible connector being electrically connected to the second end of the socket member; and an electrically conductive insert having a first end and a second end, the first end of the insert being electrically connected to the second end of the flexible connector, wherein the second end of the insert is configured as an electrical connectivity receptacle.

2. The relay base of claim 1, wherein the electrical connectivity receptacle comprises a screw type terminal, comprising a thread for receiving a screw.

3. The relay base of claim 2, wherein the insert has a through-hole extending between the first end and the second end of the insert, wherein the thread of the second end of the insert is formed within the through-hole.

4. The relay base of claim 2, wherein the first end of the insert is configured as a further screw type terminal, comprising a thread for receiving a further screw for connecting the lug member.

5. The relay base of claim 1, further comprising a lug member for connecting the second end of the flexible connector to the first end of the insert.

6. The relay base of claim 5, wherein the second end of the flexible connector is connected to the lug member by a crimped connection.

7. The relay base of claim 1, wherein the socket member has a first main axis and the thread of the second end of the insert has a second main axis being parallel to the first main axis.

8. The relay base of claim 7, further comprising a top plate configured to prevent a movement of the socket member parallel to the first main axis, directing to the side of the pin.

9. The relay base of claim 8, further comprising a middle plate for supporting the socket member.

10. The relay base of claim 9, wherein the top plate is fixed to the middle plate by an ultrasonic welding connection.

11. The relay base of claim 9, wherein the middle plate and the top plate are configured to allow a rotation of the socket member about the first main axis.

12. The relay base of claim 9, further comprising a terminal plate for supporting the insert.

13. The relay base of claim 12, wherein the terminal plate, the middle plate, and the top plate are attached to each other to form a housing for the plurality of connection units.

14. The relay base of claim 7, wherein the first end of the insert comprises a flange.

15. The relay base of claim 14, wherein the flange is configured for fixing the insert in a direction parallel to the second main axis.

16. The relay base of claim 14, wherein the flange is configured for preventing a movement of the insert in a direction parallel to the second main axis.

17. The relay base of claim 1, wherein the first end of the flexible connector is connected to the second end of the socket member by a crimped connection.

18. The relay base of claim 1, further comprising a terminal plate for supporting the insert.

19. The relay base of claim 18, wherein the insert is fixed to the terminal plate by insert-molding the terminal plate around the insert.

20. A relay kit, comprising at least one relay base according to claim 1, and at least one plug-in relay configured to be connected to the at least one relay base.

Description

SHORT DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0132] The subject-matter of the disclosure will be explained in more detail with reference to preferred exemplary embodiments which are illustrated in the attached drawings, in which:

[0133] FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a relay base and a plug-in relay.

[0134] FIG. 2 is a perspective view of a connection unit of the relay base.

[0135] FIG. 3 shows a detail of FIG. 2.

[0136] FIG. 4 is a schematic exploded view of the relay base.

[0137] FIG. 5 is a cross-section of the relay base and the plug-in relay.

[0138] FIG. 6 is a detail of FIG. 5.

[0139] FIG. 7 is a normal view of the screw type terminals of the relay base.

[0140] FIG. 8 is a perspective view of the relay base connected to a plug-in relay, wherein the relay base is mounted on a case system for panel mounting.

[0141] FIG. 9a is a perspective view of four relays connected to a relay base.

[0142] FIG. 9b is a perspective view of two relays connected to a relay base.

[0143] FIG. 9c is a perspective view of one relay connected to a relay base.

[0144] FIG. 10 is a perspective view of a relay connected to a relay base, wherein the relay base is connected to a rack.

[0145] FIG. 11 illustrates a relay, a relay base and a continuing conductor according to prior art.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0146] FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a relay base 2 and a plug-in relay 4. The relay base 2 is configured for connecting to the plug-in relay 4. The plug-in relay 4 may be for example a current transformer relay. The plug-in relay 4 has a plurality of pins 8 or connecting pins 8. The pins 8 are electrically connecting and for example configured as operating contact terminals of the relay 4. Here, the pins 8 have a circular cross-section.

[0147] The relay base 2 comprises a plurality of connection units. One such connection unit 3 is exemplarily illustrated in FIG. 2. The connection unit 3 comprises an electrically conductive socket member 6, an electrically conductive flexible connector 10, and an electrically conductive insert 20. FIG. 5 is a cross-section of the relay base 2 and the plug-in relay 4, and FIG. 6 shows a detail of FIG. 5, illustrating the connection unit 3 within the remainder of the relay base 2.

[0148] The socket member 6 has a first end 7 and a second end 9. The first end 7 is configured to receive one of the pins 8 of the plug-in relay 4. The first end 7 is preferably configured to receive exclusively one of the pins 8.

[0149] The socket member 6 may be elongated having a first main axis L1, as indicated e. g. in FIG. 2. The second end 9 of the socket member 6 is opposite the first end 7. The configuration may be such that an electrical connection between the plug-in relay 4 and the relay base 2, particularly between the pin 8 and the socket member 6, can be established via a movement of the plug-in relay 4 relative to the relay base 2 in a direction, indicated in FIG. 5 as a second direction d2 parallel to the first main axis L1. Separating the plug-in relay 4 from the relay base 2 may be established via a further movement of the plug-in relay 4 along a further direction, indicated in FIG. 5 as a first direction d1 opposite to the second direction d2.

[0150] The electrically conductive flexible connector 10 has a first end 12 and a second end 14. The first end 12 is electrically connected to the second end 9 of the socket member 6, preferably by a crimped connection. The flexible connector 10 may be a flexible cable.

[0151] The insert 20 has a first end 22 and a second end 24, opposite to the first end 22. The first end 22 of the insert 20 is electrically connected to the second end 14 of the flexible connector 10. The insert 20 may have a second main axis L2 as illustrated in FIG. 3 which shows a detail of FIG. 2. The second main axis L2 is preferably oriented parallel to the first main axis L1. Preferably, the first end 7 of the socket member 6 points in the same direction, e. g. in the first direction d1, as the first end 22 of the insert 20.

[0152] The second end 24 of the insert 20 is configured as an electrical connectivity receptacle, preferably as a screw type terminal, comprising a thread for receiving a screw 40.

[0153] The screw type terminal may be configured to provide an electrical connection to a cable 54, as exemplarily illustrated in FIG. 5, having a cross-section of up to 6 mm.sup.2. Preferably, the screw type terminal is configured to accommodate at least one, for example - as illustrated in FIGS. 2 and 3 - two external lugs 50, 52. Specifically, the screw type terminal may be configured to receive a cable having a ring terminal 55, as illustrated in FIG. 1, and/or a cable having a fork terminal. The relay base 2 may further comprise the screw 40. This facilitates handling of the relay base 2 when establishing an electrical connection to an external wiring.

[0154] In FIG. 3 illustrates a distance δ between the first main axis L1 and the second main axis L2. This distance δ preferably is less than five times an inner diameter of the thread of the second end 24 of the insert 20, preferably less than three times the inner diameter of the thread of the second end 24 of the insert 20. Alternatively, the distance may be less than 8 mm, preferably less than 5 mm.

[0155] The insert 20 may have a through-hole extending between the first end 22 and the second end 24 of the insert 20, wherein the thread of the second end 24 of the insert 20 is formed within the through-hole. The through-hole advantageously may have a main axis that coincides with the second main axis L2. The insert 20 may have a hollow cylindrical shape.

[0156] The relay base 2 preferably further comprises a lug member 16 for connecting the second end 14 of the flexible connector 10 to the first end 22 of the insert 20. The lug member 16 may be fixed to the second end 14 of the flexible connector 10, for example by a crimped connection. The first end 22 of the insert 20 may be configured as a further screw type terminal, comprising a further thread for receiving a further screw 30 for connecting the lug member 16 to the first end 22 of the insert 20. The lug member 16 may comprise a ring having a hole for receiving the further screw 30, wherein the ring extends in a ring plane oriented at least substantially perpendicular to the second main axis L2.

[0157] The further thread may be formed in the through-hole of the insert 20. This allows for a particularly compact design of the insert 20.

[0158] FIG. 4 is a schematic exploded view of the relay base 2 and the plug-in relay 4. The relay base 2 may comprise a terminal plate 60. The terminal plate 60 may be made of an electrically insulating material, for example of a plastic material. The terminal plate 60 is preferably configured to support the insert 20. The insert 20 may be fixed to the terminal plate 60, for example by insert-molding the terminal plate 60 around the insert 20.

[0159] For example, the insert 20 may have a cylindrical surface portion, preferably extending around the second main axis L2, which is directly contacted and hold by the surrounding material of the terminal plate 60.

[0160] Further, the first end 22 of the insert 20 may comprise a flange 26. The flange 26 may be configured for fixing the insert 20 and/or for preventing a movement of the insert 20 in a direction parallel to the second main axis L2, particularly for preventing a movement of the insert 20 relative to the terminal plate 60 in the second direction d2. The flange 26 may be at least partially not mechanically contacted by the terminal plate 60. In this way the flange 26 allows preventing the corresponding movement of the insert 20 relative to the terminal plate 60 in the second direction d2 particularly reliably.

[0161] Part of the cylindrical surface portion of the insert 20 may be a structured surface portion, for example a knurled surface portion. This allows particularly reliable fixation of the insert 20 relative to the terminal plate 60.

[0162] The terminal plate 60 may extend predominantly in a first plane E1 perpendicular to the first main axis L1. More specifically, the terminal plate 60 may comprise a terminal plate base portion 61 extending in the first plane E1, wherein the inserts 20 are fixedly hold by the terminal plate base portion 61.

[0163] In the illustrated example, the inserts 20 of the connection units 3 are fixed to the terminal plate 60, more specifically to its terminal plate base portion 61 such that they are isolated from each other by the terminal plate base portion 61. Preferably, the terminal plate 60 comprises walls 70 for electrically isolating the inserts 20 from each other at a first side of the terminal plate base portion 61 facing the socket members 6. The walls 70 may extend from the terminal plate base portion 61 into the first direction d1.

[0164] Moreover, the terminal plate 60 may comprise further walls 72 for isolating the inserts 20 from each other at a second side opposite to the first side, i. e. at a side of the terminal plate base portion 61 which faces away from the socket members 6. The further walls may extend from the terminal plate base portion 61 into the second direction d2.

[0165] Further, the terminal plate 60 may comprise a surrounding wall 74 which surrounds the first ends 22 of the inserts 20 of the plurality of connection units 3, preferably in a closed ring-shaped manner at the first side of the terminal plate base portion 61. The surrounding wall 74 may protrude from the terminal plate base portion 61 into the first direction d1. The surrounding wall 74 may constitute a portion of a housing of the relay base 2.

[0166] The relay base 2 may further comprise a middle plate 62 for supporting the socket members 6 of the plurality of connection units 3. The middle plate 62 may be made of an electrically insulating material, for example of a plastic material. Specifically, the middle plate 62 may be configured to prevent a movement of the socket member 6 parallel to the first main axis L1, directing towards the insert 20, i. e. configured to prevent a movement of the socket member 6 relative to the middle plate 62 in the second direction d2. This is advantageous since in this manner it can be prevented that the socket member 6 is translated away from the pin 8 during plugging the relay 4 into the relay base 2.

[0167] The middle plate 62 may comprise a middle plate base portion 63 extending in a second plane E2 parallel to the first plane E1, wherein the socket members 6 are supported by the middle plate base portion 63. The middle plate base portion 63 may comprise a through-hole configured to support the socket member 6. The through-hole may be configured to support the socket member 6, however, to allow rotation of the socket member 6 around the first main axis L1.

[0168] The middle plate 62 may further comprise at least one spring arm 65 configured to prevent a movement of the socket member 6 relative to the middle plate base portion 63 in the second direction d2. The socket member 6 may comprise a flange 5 configured to interact with the middle plate 62, preferably with the spring arm 65 in order to prevent translation of the socket member 6 in the second direction d2.

[0169] The middle pate 62 may be configured to isolate the socket members 6 of the plurality of connection units 3 from each other. To this end the middle plate 62 may comprise walls 77 protruding from the middle plate base portion 63 in the first direction d1.

[0170] The middle plate 62 may further comprise a surrounding wall 75 which surrounds the socket members 6 of the plurality of connection units 3, preferably in a closed ring-shaped manner at a first side of the middle plate base portion 61 facing away from the terminal plate 60. The surrounding wall 75 may protrude from the middle plate base portion 63 into the first direction d1. The surrounding wall 75 of the middle plate 62 may constitute a further portion of the housing of the relay base 2.

[0171] The relay base 2 may further comprise a top plate 64 configured to prevent a movement of the socket member 6 parallel to the first main axis L1, directing to the side of the pin 8, i. e. configured to prevent a movement of the socket member 6 to the first direction d1. This is advantageous since in this manner it can be prevented that the socket member 6 is translated towards the relay 4 while disconnecting the relay base 2 from the relay 4.

[0172] The top plate 64 may comprise a top plate base portion 69 extending in a third plane E3 parallel to the first plane E1. The top plate base portion 69 may comprise a through-hole configured to guide the pin 8 of the relay 4 during connecting the relay 4 with the relay base 2 by a relative movement of the relay base 2 towards the relay 4, i. e. in the first direction d1. The through-hole of the top plate 64 may be configured to allow rotation of the socket member 6 around the first main axis L1.

[0173] The middle plate 62 and the top plate 63 may be configured to prevent a translation of the socket member 6 in the first direction d1 and in the second direction d2.

[0174] The support of the socket member 6 which allows rotation around the first main axis L2 is advantageous for assembling the relay base 2. Specifically, assembling the relay base 2 may comprise the following steps: (a) connecting the socket member 6, the flexible connector 10 and the lug member 16, (b) fixing the insert 20 to the terminal plate 62, (c) connecting the lug member 16 to the insert 20, and (d) connecting the socket member 6 with the middle plate 62 by pushing the socket member 6 into the through hole of the middle plate 62. Preferably, the steps (a) to (d) are carried out in the order (a), (b), (c), (d). The rotational support of the socket member 6 allows for preventing unwanted torsional forces from acting on the flexible connector 10.

[0175] The top plate 64 may be fixed to the middle plate 62, for example by an ultrasonic welding connection. This allows for a suitable and reliable connection.

[0176] The terminal plate 60 may be connected to the middle plate 64 by a screw coupling.

[0177] The terminal plate 60, the middle plate 62 and the top plate 64 may be attached to each other to form a housing for the plurality of connection units 3.

[0178] The housing of the relay base 2 may be specifically composed or formed by the terminal plate base portion 61, the surrounding wall 74 of the terminal plate 60, the surrounding wall 75 of the middle plate 62 and the top plate base portion 69.

[0179] The relay base 2 may be configured such that each one of the socket members of the plurality of connection units 3 is electrically coupled to one of the inserts of the plurality of connection units in such a way that no two of the socket members are connected to one of the inserts. Correspondingly, no two of the inserts are preferably connected to one of the socket members. In this way each one of the pins 8 of the relay 4 will be connected by the relay base 2 to one of the screw type terminals of the inserts 20. This allows avoiding mismatch or shorting between the connections.

[0180] For example, the plurality of connection units 3 may comprise between fifty-four and seventy-four, preferably between sixty and sixty-eight connection units. FIG. 7 illustrates a normal view of the second side of the terminal plate 60 in case of a relay base 2 providing sixty-four connection units, i. e. sixty-four screw type terminals.

[0181] The relay base 2 may have a first dimension which is between 73 mm and 93 mm and a second dimension which is between 152 mm and 172 mm and/or a third dimension which is between 40 mm and 65 mm, preferably between 50 mm and 60 mm, more preferably between 53 and 55 mm. FIG. 7 illustrates a relay base 2 having a first dimension of 83 mm and a second dimension of 162 mm.

[0182] The relay base 2 may be configured to be mounted on a support, for example on a panel board for flush mounting as exemplarily illustrated in FIG. 8 or to a rack 90, as exemplarily illustrated in FIG. 10.

[0183] To this end, the relay base 2 may comprise means for mounting the relay base 2 to a support such as the rack 90, wherein the means for mounting the relay base 2 may comprise for example a flange 80 as illustrated e. g. in FIGS. 1 and 10. For example, the flange 80 may be formed as a portion of the top plate 64, wherein the flange 80 protrudes from the remainder of the top plate 64 in a direction perpendicular to the first main axis L1. Preferably, at least two flanges 80 are provided directing in opposite directions. The flanges 80 may also be configured as means for mechanically connecting the relay base 2 to the relay 4.

[0184] FIG. 9a illustrates an example of a relay base connected to four relays, FIG. 9b the relay base connected to two relays and FIG. 9c the relay base connected to one relay. As illustrated, the relay base may be configured to be connected to relays of different sizes. Thus, a kit may be provided which comprises at least one relay base and at least one plug-in relay configured to be connected to the at least one relay base.

[0185] While the present disclosure has been described in detail in the drawings and forgoing description, such description is to be considered illustrative or exemplary and not restrictive. Variations to the disclosed embodiments can be understood and effected by those skilled in the art and practicing the claimed subject-matter, from a study of the drawings, the disclosure, and the appended claims. In the claims, the word “comprising” does not exclude other elements, and the indefinite article “a” or “an” does not exclude a plurality. The mere fact that certain elements or steps are recited in distinct claims does not indicate that a combination of these elements or steps cannot be used to advantage, specifically, in addition to the actual claim dependency, any further meaningful claim combination shall be considered disclosed.