CONDUCTOR TERMINAL, ASSORTMENT OF AT LEAST ONE BASE MODULE AND DIFFERENTLY DESIGNED CONDUCTOR CONNECTING MODULES OF A CONDUCTOR TERMINAL, AND CONDUCTOR TERMINAL BLOCK

Abstract

A conductor terminal for connecting at least one electrical conductor, comprising a base module, which includes mounting rail fastening elements for fastening the conductor terminal to a mounting rail, the base module including a housing, which extends in its longitudinal direction up to two end areas of the housing, the housing having a central area between the end areas, which projects beyond the end areas of the housing in a direction facing away from the mounting rail fastening elements, at least one receptacle arrangement for accommodating a conductor connecting module being disposed on the base module in each of the two end areas, the conductor connecting module including at least one conductor terminal connection designed to connect an electric conductor.

Claims

1. A conductor terminal for connecting at least one electrical conductor, the conductor terminal comprising: a base module that includes mounting rail fastening elements to fasten the conductor terminal to a mounting rail, the base module including a housing, which extends in a longitudinal direction up to two end areas of the housing, the housing having a central area between the end areas that projects beyond the end areas of the housing in a direction facing away from the mounting rail fastening elements; and at least one receptacle arrangement to accommodate a conductor connecting module disposed on the base module in each of the two end areas, the conductor connecting module including at least one conductor terminal designed to connect an electrical conductor.

2. The conductor terminal according to claim 1, wherein a receptacle arrangement includes at least one mechanical connecting element for mechanically fixing a conductor connecting module on the base module.

3. The conductor terminal according to claim 1, wherein a receptacle arrangement includes at least one electrical connecting element for establishing an electrical connection between the conductor connecting module and at least one current-conducting element of the base module.

4. The conductor terminal according to claim 3, wherein the at least one mechanical connecting element or multiple connecting elements of a receptacle arrangement of the base module has fixing elements operating in at least two spatial directions, via which a conductor connecting module is fixable on a receptacle arrangement of the base module in two fixing directions running at an angle to each other, or two fixing directions running perpendicularly to each other.

5. The conductor terminal according to claim 4, wherein a fixing direction runs perpendicularly to a fastening plane of the conductor terminal on the mounting rail, which is defined by the mounting rail fastening elements.

6. The conductor terminal according to claim 4, wherein a fixing direction runs in parallel to a fastening plane of the conductor terminal on the mounting rail, which is defined by the mounting rail fastening elements.

7. The conductor terminal according to claim 1, wherein the central area extends between the mounting rail fastening elements in the longitudinal direction of the base module.

8. The conductor terminal according to claim 1, wherein the conductor terminal has an outer housing contour with a housing upper side facing away from the side of the housing on which the mounting rail fastening elements are arranged, and has particular end sides, which limit the housing in the longitudinal direction in the end areas, at least one part of the housing upper side being formed by a conductor connecting module accommodated on a receptacle arrangement of the base module, and one part of an end side of the housing of the conductor terminal being formed by housing outsides of the conductor connecting module.

9. The conductor terminal according to claim 1, wherein the receptacle arrangements disposed on the sides of the central area facing away from each other each have at least one mechanical connecting element for mechanically fixing a conductor connecting module on the base module, which permit the conductor connecting modules to be accommodated or inserted only in directions facing each other with respect to the central area.

10. The conductor terminal according to claim 1, wherein the conductor terminal has a busbar arrangement for conducting the current from one conductor terminal connection to other conductor terminal connections of the conductor terminal, the base module including a central busbar piece to which particular external busbar pieces arranged in the conductor connecting modules are electrically connectable, the busbar arrangement being formed by the central busbar piece and external busbar pieces connected thereto.

11. The conductor terminal according to claim 10, wherein the central busbar piece or a component electrically connected thereto, includes at least one electrical plug contact connection to which an external busbar piece of a conductor connecting module is connectable in the manner of an electrical plug connection when a conductor connecting module is accommodated on a receptacle arrangement.

12. The conductor terminal according to claim 1, wherein the base module includes at least two receptacle arrangements side by side in at least one end area in the direction of its width extension, on which particular conductor connecting modules are accommodated.

13. The conductor terminal according to claim 1, wherein one, multiple or all receptacle arrangements are designed as plug-type receptacle arrangements, to which a conductor connecting module is connected.

14. The conductor terminal according to claim 1, wherein the base module includes at least one conductor terminal connection of the conductor terminal.

15. An assortment comprising: at least one base module and differently designed conductor connecting modules of a conductor terminal according to claim 1; and receptacle arrangements, wherein the conductor connecting modules of a user's choice being adapted to be accommodated on the receptacle arrangements of the base module for the purpose of forming the conductor terminal, and wherein at least one of the conductor connecting modules including at least one conductor terminal connection.

16. The assortment according to claim 15, wherein at least one conductor connecting module includes a conductor terminal connection designed as a spring-loaded terminal connection with lever actuation.

17. The assortment according to claim 15, wherein at least one conductor connecting module includes a conductor terminal connection designed as a spring-loaded terminal connection with pushbutton actuation.

18. A conductor terminal block, in which multiple conductor terminals are arranged side by side and form a block, wherein one, multiple or all of the conductor terminals are designed as conductor terminals according to claim 1.

19. The conductor terminal block according to claim 18, wherein at least a subset of the conductor terminals are arranged adjacent to each other, and includes a shared central busbar piece at least in their base modules, which extends over the base modules of the subset in the width direction.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0039] 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:

[0040] FIG. 1 shows a base module;

[0041] FIG. 2 show a highly schematic representation of a base module in a side view;

[0042] FIG. 3 shows conductor connecting modules in a first embodiment;

[0043] FIG. 4 shows conductor connecting modules in a second embodiment;

[0044] FIG. 5 shows conductor connecting modules in a third embodiment;

[0045] FIG. 6 shows a conductor connecting module in a fourth embodiment;

[0046] FIG. 7 shows a base module in a further embodiment;

[0047] FIG. 8 shows a conductor terminal block;

[0048] FIG. 9 shows a conductor terminal block in an exploded representation; and

[0049] FIG. 10 shows a base module according to FIG. 1 in the opposite viewing direction.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0050] The base module apparent in FIG. 1 includes a housing 2. Housing 2 may be formed, for example, from an insulation material, e.g. as a plastic component. Housing 2 has end areas 23, 24 at the particular ends in longitudinal direction L, which are designed for mounting conductor connecting modules 30, 40. Housing 2 has a central area 22 between end areas 23, 24, which protrudes from a housing underside 21 in a pedestal-shaped manner. In the area of housing underside 21, housing 2 includes mounting rail fastening elements 10, by means of which housing 2 may be fastened to a mounting rail of the electrical installation system, e.g. on a DIN rail. For example, housing 2 may be fastened to the mounting rail by latching mounting rail fastening elements 10 thereto.

[0051] In each of the two end areas, 23, 24, housing 2 includes at least one receptacle arrangement 3, 4 for accommodating at least one conductor connecting module 30, 40 on base module 1. Particular receptacle arrangement 3, 4 includes mechanical connecting elements 52, 53, 56, 62, 63, 66 for mechanically fixing a conductor connecting module 30, 40 on base module 1, and electrical connecting elements 15, 16 for establishing at least one electrically conductive connection of conductor connecting module 30, 40 to at least one current-conducting element of base module 1. Base module 1 includes a central busbar piece 12 as the current-conducting element, which is provided with a bent design in its end sides facing end areas 23, 24, and has plug contact connections 15, 16 as electrical connecting elements, into which a plug contact connection 36. 46 of a conductor connecting element 30, 40 may be inserted in each case, which is designed as a mating piece. Plug contact connections 15, 16 therefore form an electrical connecting element of a particular receptacle arrangement 3, 4. Electrical plug contact connections 36, 46 of the conductor connecting modules may reach plug contact connections 15, 16 through feed openings 54, 64 and thus be electrically connected.

[0052] A guide rail 52, 62 is present on each of receptacle arrangements 3, 4 as a mechanical connecting element, which may have, for example, a T-shaped profile. Latching tabs 53 are formed on particular guide rail 52, 62 as additional mechanical connecting elements, which may protrude, for example, laterally from the T-shaped profile. Latching tabs 53, 63 are used to fix a conductor connecting module by latching it to particular guide rail 52, 62.

[0053] A latching indentation 56, 66, which extend into the interior of housing 2, is disposed on each of receptacle arrangements 3, 4 as a further mechanical connecting element. Latching indentations 56, 66 may be formed, for example, on particular walls of housing 2 designed as contact walls 50, 60, which face away from each other and form a contact surface and thus an end stop for a conductor connecting module 30, 40, which is accommodated on receptacle arrangement 3, 4. Guide rails 52, 62 may be disposed on a support wall 51, 61 of housing 2, which is situated at an angle, e.g. at a right angle, from particular contact wall 50, 60. When accommodated on a receptacle arrangement 3, 4, a conductor connecting module 30, 40 then slides along particular support wall 51, 61, conductor connecting module 30, 40 being guided by guide rail 52, 62 until it abuts contact wall 50, 60.

[0054] For the additional lateral stabilization of conductor connecting modules 30, 40, a narrow wall section 55, 65, which protrudes from contact wall 50, 60 in longitudinal direction L, may also be disposed on a receptacle arrangement. Wall sections 55, 65 are also used to increase and maintain the necessary air gaps and creepage distances between two central busbar pieces 12 of two base modules 1 disposed adjacent to each other or two conductor terminals situated adjacent to each other, formed by base modules 1 and conductor connecting modules 3, 4.

[0055] The base module may include its own conductor terminal connections, e.g. with a clamping spring 14 fastened to central busbar piece 12, by means of which two adjacent conductor terminal points are formed together with central busbar piece 12. Housing 2 may then have corresponding conductor insertion openings 13, through which electrical conductors may be guided to these conductor terminal points on clamping spring 14. FASTON tabs or pin contacts of cross-connection links, which electrically connect two or more base modules arranged side by side, may also be inserted into conductor insertion openings 13.

[0056] FIG. 2 shows base module 1 in a schematic view. This clarifies, in particular, that the longitudinal direction of base module 1 thus extends, according to arrow L, in parallel to a fastening plane of the conductor connecting module, which is defined by mounting rail fastening elements 10. A height direction H of the conductor connecting module runs perpendicularly hereto. Width direction B of the conductor connecting module runs in a spatial direction perpendicular to directions L, H, i.e. perpendicular to the paper plane of the page. It is also clarified that the final appearance of the conductor terminal is created based on initially free receptacle arrangements 3, 4 in base module 1, due to conductor connecting modules 30, 40 accommodated there, by means of which part of housing upper side 20 and parts of end sides 25, 26 are formed.

[0057] FIG. 3 shows two conductor connecting modules 30, 40. Conductor connecting module 30 is designed for mounting on the one receptacle arrangement 3, and conductor connecting module 40 is designed for mounting on the other receptacle arrangement 4. Conductor connecting modules 30, 40 are otherwise provided with a comparable design, so that the structure of both conductor connecting modules 30, 40 is explained at the same time below.

[0058] Each conductor connecting module 30, 40 has its own housing 302, 402, which may be made from insulation material, e.g. as a plastic component. Conductor connecting modules 30, 40 have an upper side 31, 41, which forms one part of housing upper side 20 in the case of a conductor connecting module 30, 40 accommodated on a receptacle arrangement 3, 4. Conductor connecting modules 30, 40 have particular end sides 32, 42, which each form an end side 25, 26 in the case of a conductor connecting module accommodated on a receptacle arrangement 3, 4.

[0059] Conductor connecting modules 30, 40 have conductor insertion openings 33, 43, which are used to guide an electrical conductor to a conductor terminal contact of conductor connecting module 30, 40. A conductor terminal contact is formed in both conductor connecting modules 30, 40, by means of a clamping spring 34 in connection with an external busbar piece 35, 45 in each case.

[0060] A plug contact connection 36, 46 protruding on the end side is formed on particular external busbar piece 35, 45, which is used for the purpose of insertion into plug contact connection 15, 16 of central busbar piece 12 of base module 1. Particular plug contact connection 36, 46 is formed by two spring tongues which are elastically deflectable with respect to each other. Particular plug contact connection 15, 16, however, is designed as an elongated opening in the bent end areas of busbar piece 12.

[0061] Conductor connecting modules 30, 40 have protruding latching pins 37, 47 on the housing side facing away from particular end side 32, 42, which are designed for engagement with latching indentations 56, 66.

[0062] Conductor connecting modules 30, 40 also include mechanical connecting elements 38, 48, which are designed as mating pieces for mechanical connecting elements 52, 62. In addition, latching recesses 301, 401 are situated in the housing side walls, with which particular laterally protruding latching tabs 53, 63 of a guide rail 52, 62 engage in the case of a conductor connecting module 30, 40 accommodated on a receptacle arrangement 3, 4.

[0063] A conductor connecting module 30, 40 is fixed to base module 1 in longitudinal direction L of base module 1 by the connection between latching elements 37, 56 and 47, 66. A conductor connecting module 30, 40 is fixed on base module 1 in height direction H by guide rails 52, 62 in connection with connecting elements 38, 48. In addition, a fixing in longitudinal direction L takes place by latching tabs 53, 63 engaging with latching recesses 301, 401.

[0064] Conductor connecting modules 30, 40 each include an actuating pushbutton as actuating element 39, 49, which is designed to actuate particular clamping spring 34, 44 for opening the connecting point.

[0065] FIG. 4 shows an embodiment of conductor connecting modules 30, 40, which corresponding to conductor connecting modules 30, 40 in FIG. 3, except for the differences explained below.

[0066] In contrast to FIG. 3, a lever actuation is provided in FIG. 4 instead of a pushbutton actuation, i.e. particular conductor connecting module 30, 40 includes an actuating lever as actuating element 39, 49, which is pivotably supported on particular housing 302, 402. Due to the lever actuation, the position of conductor insertion opening 33, 43 is changed slightly with respect to the embodiment in FIG. 3. In addition, the electrical contact insert with clamping spring 34, 44 as well as busbar piece 35, 45 are adapted to the changed type of actuation with respect to their shaping.

[0067] While conductor connecting modules 30, 40, which each include one conductor terminal connection, were described on the basis of FIGS. 3 and 4, FIG. 5 shows an embodiment of conductor connecting modules 30, 40, which each have two conductor terminal connections. The conductor terminal connections are arranged one after the other in longitudinal direction L, so that the installation length of the conductor connecting module is slightly enlarged, compared to the embodiments described above. FIG. 5 shows an embodiment of conductor connecting modules, which also have a pushbutton actuation, i.e. an embodiment comparable to FIG. 3 with respect to the type of actuation. However, this is indicated only as an example; the conductor connecting modules having multiple conductor terminal connections each may also be provided with different designs with respect to the actuating element. For example, a conductor connecting module 30, 40 may have a pushbutton actuation for one conductor terminal connection and a lever actuation for another conductor terminal connection or an actuation using an external actuating tool.

[0068] FIG. 6 shows an embodiment of a conductor connecting module 30, which has a greater width than the conductor connecting modules described above. The dimension of the conductor connecting module in width direction B is thus enlarged, i.e. twice as large. In this way, a thicker electrical contact insert as well as an enlarged conductor insertion opening 33 may be implemented. Conductor connecting module 30 is therefore designed for larger conductor cross-sections than the conductor connecting modules described above.

[0069] In this case, FIG. 6 shows an example of a lever actuation of conductor connecting module 30. The wider embodiment of the conductor connecting module may, of course, also be provided with all other actuation types of the conductor terminal connection, as described above based on the narrower embodiments.

[0070] FIG. 7 shows an embodiment of a base module 1, which has a greater width, compared to the embodiment in FIG. 1. Accordingly, two receptacle arrangements 3, 4 are arranged side by side in each end area 23, 24. This makes it possible, for example, to arrange two narrow conductor connecting modules (according to FIGS. 3 through 5) side by side in an end area 23, 24, or one wider conductor connecting module, e.g. as illustrated in FIG. 6.

[0071] FIG. 8 shows a conductor terminal block, in which multiple base modules 1 are joined together to form a block. Conductor connecting modules 30, 40 are accommodated on particular receptacle arrangements 3, 4 on base modules 1. In this way, for example, a terminal strip arrangement may be implemented, which may be engaged with a mounting rail.

[0072] FIG. 8 also show that an electrical bridging may take place between the busbar arrangements of the individual conductor connecting modules via a bridge 5, which is inserted into conductor insertion openings 13.

[0073] FIG. 9 shows an embodiment of a conductor terminal block (in an exploded representation), which has only two conductor terminals. Of course, additional conductor terminals may also be added to the terminal conductor block. Based on FIG. 9, it is clarified, in particular, that central busbar piece 12 of base module 1 of a conductor terminal may have a greater width than the actual conductor terminal or base module 1. Accordingly, central busbar piece 12 protrudes slightly to the side out of the one base module 1. If base modules 1 are interconnected to form a block, central busbar piece 12 extends over both base modules 1 and thus forms a shared busbar arrangement of these base modules 1 of the conductor terminal block. Accordingly, the insertion of a bridge 5 between these conductor terminals is not necessary, since they are already electrically connected to each other via central busbar piece 12. As is apparent, this principle may also be extended to more than two conductor terminals or base modules 1 by widening central busbar piece 12 accordingly.

[0074] FIG. 9 also shows that a wider conductor connecting module 30 may be connected to receptacle arrangement 3, and two narrow conductor connecting modules 40, for example, may be connected to receptacle arrangement 4. Of course, other combinations are also conceivable, as explained above.

[0075] FIG. 10 shows a base module, as illustrated in FIG. 1, which may be used, for example, for a conductor terminal block according to FIG. 9, in a view of the opposite side (rear side) of base module 1. It is apparent that base module 1 has a side wall 27 in the area of central area 22, in which a slot-shaped opening 28 is present. Slot-shaped opening 28 may have, in particular the profile shape of central busbar piece 12. This has the advantage that central busbar piece 12 may be inserted through this slot-shaped opening 28. For example, if a conductor terminal block according to FIG. 9 is to be formed, busbar piece 12 may be inserted and/or guided through slot-shaped opening 28 in side wall 27 of second base module 1 in the assembled state of two adjacent base modules 1. Side wall 27 of second base module 1 faces first base module 1 with slot-shaped opening 28.

[0076] Coupling projections 29 protruding from the one side of base module 1, which may be inserted into corresponding coupling openings of an adjacent base module 1, are also apparent. Adjacent base modules 1 may be assembled and fastened to each other hereby.

[0077] 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.