CONNECTION ELEMENT

Abstract

Disclosed is a connection element, which includes a contact element and an actuating element and serves for mechanically and electrically contacting a conductor. The contact element has at least one contact arm, which is designed for spring-loaded clamping of a conductor on a contact surface. The connection element can be transferred into different open or closed states by a driver on the contact arm and by a guide contour in the actuating element.

Claims

1: A connection element, which has a contact element and an actuating element, wherein the contact element has a movable contact arm that can be moved, in an contrary to a direction of movement, between a closed position and an open position, wherein the contact arm has at least one driver, which is oriented at the free end of the contact arm, wherein the actuating element can be moved relative to the contact element and has a guide contour, which is formed as a groove or slot in the actuating element, and wherein the driver of the contact element is arranged in the guide contour and can be guided in it.

2: The connection element as claimed in claim 1, wherein the contact arm has a free end and a fixed end, wherein the direction of movement of the contact arm defines a sectorial movement of the free end about the fixed end.

3: The connection element as claimed in claim 1, wherein the at least one driver is oriented transversely in relation to the direction of movement of the contact arm.

4: The connection element as claimed in claim 1, wherein the contact element has a contact surface, wherein a clamping region is realized between the contact surface and the contact arm.

5: The connection element as claimed in claim 4, wherein the free end of the contact arm in the closed position is arranged closer to the contact surface than in the open position.

6: The connection element as claimed in claim 1, wherein the contact arm is integrated with the contact element and is oriented resiliently in the closed position.

7: The connection element as claimed in claim 1, wherein the actuating element is realized as a sleeve, and the contact element is arranged, at least in regions, in the actuating element.

8: The connection element as claimed in claim 1, wherein the guide contour of the actuating element has at least one first region and one second region, wherein the driver is arranged in one of the regions of the guide contour, depending on the position of the contact element and actuating element in relation to each other.

9: The connection element as claimed in claim 8, wherein in the first region of the guide contour, the driver and the free end of the contact arm are oriented in the open position, and that, in the second region of the guide contour, the driver and the free end can be moved freely between the open position and the closed position.

10: The connection element as claimed in claim 9, wherein the first region of the guide contour is realized as a step, transversely in relation to the direction of movement of the contact arm.

11: The connection element as claimed in claim 10, wherein the first region of the guide contour has a recess in the direction of movement of the contact arm.

12: The connection element as claimed in claim 8, wherein the second region of the guide contour extends along the direction of movement of the contact arm.

13: The connection element as claimed in claim 12, wherein the second region of the guide contour is realized in the form of a sector.

14: The connection element as claimed in claim 8, wherein the guide contour has a third region, wherein the third region is realized as a ramp.

15: The connection element as claimed in claim 14, wherein at a first end, the ramp of the third region orients the driver and the free end of the contact arm in the closed position, and that, at a second end, the ramp of the third region orients the driver and the free end of the contact arm in the open position.

16: The connection element as claimed in claim 15, wherein the second region of the guide contour is arranged between the first region and the third region.

17: The connection element as claimed in claim 8, wherein the guide contour has a fourth region, wherein the fourth region is realized as a step, transversely in relation to the direction of movement of the contact arm.

18: The connection element as claimed in claim 17, wherein the fourth region of the guide contour has a recess in the direction of movement of the contact arm.

19: The connection element as claimed in claim 17, wherein the fourth region adjoins the second end of the third region of the guide contour.

20: The connection element as claimed in claim 8, wherein the guide contour has a fifth region, wherein the fifth region is realized as a ramp.

21: The connection element as claimed in claim 20, wherein at a first end, the ramp of the fifth region orients the driver and the free end of the contact arm in the closed position, and in that, at a second end, the ramp of the fifth region orients the driver and the free end of the contact arm in the open position and graduates into the first region.

22: The connection element as claimed in claim 18, wherein the fourth region adjoins the second end of the third region of the guide contour.

Description

EXEMPLARY EMBODIMENT

[0037] An exemplary embodiment of the invention is represented in the drawings, and is explained in greater detail in the following. There are shown:

[0038] FIG. 1 a,b a connection element in a first state, in a perspective representation, and a sectional representation;

[0039] FIG. 2 a,b a connection element in a second state, in a perspective representation, and a sectional representation;

[0040] FIG. 3 a,b a connection element in a third state, in a perspective representation, and a sectional representation; and

[0041] FIG. 4 a guide contour.

[0042] The figures contain partly simplified, schematic representations. In some cases identical references are used for elements that are similar, but possibly not identical. Different views of the same elements may differ in scale.

[0043] FIG. 1 shows a connection element 1 according to the present invention in a perspective representation (FIG. 1b) and a sectional representation (FIG. 1a), the connection element 1 in FIG. 1a being arranged in an insulation body 10.

[0044] The connection element 1 is composed of a sleeve-type actuating element 3 and a contact element 2 accommodated therein. The actuating element 3 is elongate, and has a substantially rectangular basic shape. An opening extends lengthwise through the basic shape. The contact element 2 is arranged in the opening. Represented in the upper region of the actuating element 3 is an electrical cable, which is inserted into the connection element 1 for the purpose of contacting. The opening of the actuating element 3 thus also serves as a conductor receiving opening of the connection element 1.

[0045] Formed into the actuating element 3, in the upper region of the actuating element 3, are two actuation cavities 3.1, 3.2. The latter are provided in addition for actuation of the actuating element 3. At the actuation cavities 3.1, 3.2, the actuating element 3 can be pressed from above or levered from the side, for example by means of a screwdriver, in order to move it further into or out from the insulation body 10.

[0046] Unlike the actuating element 3, the contact element 2 is not accommodated in a movable manner in the insulation body 10. The contact element 2 is fastened in a fixed manner in the insulation body 10. A relative movement between the actuating element 3 and the contact element 2 is thus possible.

[0047] The contact element 2 forms a contact surface 7 and, opposite the contact surface 7, a contact arm 4. The contact arm 4 is integrally formed, so as to be flexible, on the contact element 2. The spring stiffness, and thus the contact force with which the contact arm 4 is pressed in the direction of the contact surface 7, is defined by the material property of the contact element 2. Formed between the contact arm 4 and the contact surface 7 is a clamping region 8, which serves to clamp and contact the inserted cable. A free core end of the cable can thus be clamped, and mechanically and electrically contacted, between the contact arm 4 and the contact surface.

[0048] The contact arm 4 describes a fixed end and a free end 4.1. The fixed end is the region at which the contact arm 4 is held on the contact element 2 and integrally connected to the latter. The free end 4.1, which can spring freely in the direction of the contact surface 7, is equipped with two drivers 5. The drivers 5 of the contact arm 4 are provided laterally, and engage in the actuating element 3. Formed in the actuating element 3 are corresponding guide contours 6, in which the drivers 5 engage. The guide contours 6 are let into the actuating element 3 identically on two sides.

[0049] Depending on a relative position of the contact element 2 and the actuating element 3 in relation to each other, the drivers 5 are located in a different region of the guide contours 6. Accordingly, the free end 4.1 of the contact arm 4 is oriented according to position. An open position, and also a closed position, of the contact arm 4 can thus be set. Also provided is a position of the contact element 2 and the actuating element 3 in relation to each other in which the drivers 5 can be moved freely. In this position (see FIG. 2), the position of the contact arm 4 can be flexibly adjusted to the thickness of an inserted cable.

[0050] The first state, represented in FIG. 1, defines the distribution state of the connection element 1. In this position, the connection element 1 is open as far as is possible. The contact arm 4 is maximally deflected. The drivers 5 lie in a first region 6.1 of the guide contours 6.

[0051] FIG. 2 shows the connection element 2 from FIG. 1 in a second state. In the closed state shown, the actuating element 3 has been pushed further into the insulation body 10. As a result, the drivers 5 have slid into a second region 6.2 of the guide contours 6. In the second region 6.2 of the guide contours 6, the drivers 5 can move freely along the direction of movement of the contact arm 4. As a result, the contact arm 4 can adopt any position in a freely movable manner and thus, by its spring force, clamp an inserted conductor.

[0052] In FIG. 3 the connection element 2 is represented in a fourth state. In this state the connection element 2 is open, in a manner identical to the first state. However, the actuating element 3 has been inserted yet further into the insulation body 10, as a result of which the drivers 5 lie in a fourth region 6.4 of the guide contours 6. This fourth state is particularly advantageous, since the actuating element 3 can be actuated by a simple pressing motion in order to open the connection element 2 again. The actuating element 3 does not have to be drawn awkwardly out of the insulation body 10. The user or operator, by the same simple pressing motion, can thus connect an electrical conductor (first statesecond state) and release it again (second statefourth state).

[0053] In order to bring the connection element 1 from the second state into the fourth state, a third state is required. The third state in this case describes the movement of the actuating element 3 by which the drivers 5 are moved, via a third region 6.3 of the guide contours 6, into the fourth region 6.4. The third region 6.3 of the guide contours 6 in this case is realized as a ramp, which connects the second region 6.2 to the fourth region 6.4. Via this ramp, the contact arm 4 is moved, contrary to the spring force, into the open position, which it also assumes in the first state.

[0054] The guide contours 6 have a recess 9 in the first region 6.1 and in the fourth region 6.4, respectively. The recesses 9 are designed such that the drivers can be accommodated in them, but do not latch in a fixed manner therein. This means that, as a result of displacement of the actuating element 3, the drivers are lifted out of the recesses 9 and can slide into another region. The recesses 9 in this case serve merely to adjust the first state and the fourth state. Owing to the recesses 9 and the drivers 5 accommodated therein, the actuating element 3 cannot be inadvertently moved with a very slight expenditure of force. The user or operator must at least expend a conscious, slight force in order to influence the state of the connection element 1.

[0055] A guide contour 6 is represented in detail in FIG. 4. In the indicated actuating element 3 (hatched lines), the guide contour 6 is formed as a groove or slot. As a result of a relative displacement of the actuating element 3 in relation to the contact element 2 along the x direction, the schematically represented driver 5 executes a movement along the guide contour 6. In this case, a permanent force is exerted upon the driver 5 in the y direction.

[0056] The fifth region 6.5 is provided merely for assembly purposes. In this fifth region 6.5, the driver can be moved via a ramp into the initial position of the first state, into the first region 6.1.

[0057] The first region 6.1 represents the first state, the distribution state. In this first region 6.1, the contact arm 4 is maximally deflected, and the connection element 1 is thus open.

[0058] The second region 6.2 forms the second, closed state of the connection element 1. Here, the contact arm 4 can freely execute a sectorial movement about its fixed end. In the second region 6.2, the guide contour 6 is realized so as to be identical to the sectorial movement of the contact arm 4. It is not possible for the connection element 1 to be brought from the second state into the first state by displacement of the actuating element 3.

[0059] The third region 6.3 forms a ramp identical to the fifth region 6.5. The connection element 1 can be opened again via this ramp of the third region 6.3, in that the driver 5 is brought, via the ramp, into a position of maximum deflection of the contact arm 4. Owing to the force acting continuously upon the driver 5 in the y direction, in this third region 6.3 the connection element 1 always re-assumes the closed position of the second state.

[0060] The fourth region 6.4, as an optional region, adjoins the third region. In this fourth region 6.4, the connection element 1 can remain fixed in a fourth, open state, identical to the first state. In order for the connection element 1 to be closed again, the actuating element 3 only has to be displaced a short distance contrary to the x direction until the driver 5 is again located in the third region 6.3 of the guide contour and, as a result of the spring force acting upon it, automatically forces the connection element 1 into the second, closed state.

LIST OF REFERENCES

[0061] 1 connection element [0062] 2 contact element [0063] 3 actuating element [0064] 3.1 actuation cavity [0065] 3.2 actuation cavity [0066] 4 contact arm [0067] 4.1 free end [0068] 4.2 fixed end [0069] 5 driver [0070] 6 guide contour [0071] 6.1 first region [0072] 6.2 second region [0073] 6.3 third region [0074] 6.4 fourth region [0075] 6.5 fifth region [0076] 7 contact surface [0077] 8 clamping region [0078] 9 recess [0079] 10 insulation body