INSERT AND METHOD FOR CONNECTING AN ELECTRICAL CONNECTION TO A WALL

Abstract

The invention relates to an insert for connecting an electrical connector to a wall (9) and to a corresponding method. The insert comprises an electrically conductive bolt (1) having a head (3), which extends along a first longitudinal axis (I), and a shaft (4), which is provided with at least one connecting means (5), and a ring (2), which has a through-opening (7) and extends along a second longitudinal axis (II). The head (3) comprises an outer contour which, at least in regions, is produced by the rotation about the first longitudinal axis (I) of a first line (L1), which is curved with a first radius (R1) and spaced apart from the first longitudinal axis (1). The through-opening (7) comprises an inner contour which, at least in regions, is produced by the rotation about the second longitudinal axis (II) of a second line (L2), which is curved with a second radius (R2) and spaced apart from the second longitudinal axis (II).

Claims

1.-10. (canceled)

11. An insert for connecting an electrical connector to a wall, the insert comprising: an electrically conductive bolt comprising a head extending along a first longitudinal axis and a shaft; and a ring comprising a through-opening and extending along a second longitudinal axis, wherein the through-opening is configured to receive the bolt, wherein the ring can be deformed by movement of the head relative to the ring along the second longitudinal axis, thereby forming a projection of the ring; wherein the head comprises an outer contour which, at least in regions, is produced by rotation about the first longitudinal axis of a first line, wherein the first line is curved with a first radius and is spaced apart from the first longitudinal axis; and wherein the through-opening comprises an inner contour which, at least in regions, is produced by rotation about the second longitudinal axis of a second line, wherein the second line is curved with a second radius and is spaced apart from the second longitudinal axis.

12. The Insert of claim 11, wherein the first radius differs from the second radius.

13. The insert of claim 11, wherein the first radius is smaller than the second radius.

14. The insert of claim 11, wherein a distance of the first curved line from the first longitudinal axis increases from a shaft-side end of the head to an opposite end of the head.

15. The insert of claim 13, wherein a distance of the first curved line from the first longitudinal axis increases from a shaft-side end of the head to an opposite end of the head.

16. The Insert of claim 11, wherein the shaft comprises at least one of an internal thread and an external thread.

17. The insert of claim 11, wherein at least a region of the outer contour of the head comprises a profile.

18. The insert of claim 11 wherein the shaft extends along a third longitudinal axis that is parallel to and offset from the first longitudinal axis.

19. The insert of claim 11, wherein the ring comprises a shoulder having an outer diameter that larger than a remainder of the ring.

20. The insert of claim 11, wherein a distance of the second curved line from the second longitudinal axis increases from one end of the ring to an opposite end of the ring.

21. The insert of claim 13, wherein a distance of the second curved line from the second longitudinal axis increases from one end of the ring to an opposite end of the ring.

22. The inset of claim 11, wherein the head comprises a region having an outer diameter greater than an inner diameter of a region of the ring.

23. A method for producing a connection of an electrical connector to a wall, the method comprising: providing the insert according to claim, wherein at least on of the bolt and the ring is or can be connected to the electrical connector; inserting the ring into a through-opening of the wall so that the shoulder of the ring contacts one side of the wall; inserting the shaft into the ring from a side of the ring opposite to the shoulder; deforming the ring by moving the head relative to the ring along the second longitudinal axis, thereby forming a projection of the ring on a side of the wall opposite to the shoulder.

24. The method of claim 23, wherein the first radius of the insert is smaller than the second radius of the insert.

Description

[0020] The figures schematically show:

[0021] FIG. 1 a sectional view of an insert according to the invention according to a first embodiment prior to installation,

[0022] FIG. 2 a sectional view of the insert according to FIG. 1 after installation in a wall,

[0023] FIG. 3 a sectional view of an insert according to the invention according to a second embodiment prior to installation, and

[0024] FIG. 4 a plan view of the insert according to FIG. 3.

[0025] The insert depicted in FIGS. 1 and 2 comprises a bolt 1 and a ring 2, which are shown separately in FIG. 1, i.e, prior to being assembled. The bolt 1 extends along a first longitudinal axis I. The ring 2 extends along a second longitudinal axis II.

[0026] The bolt 1 comprises a head 3 and a shaft 4. In the illustrated embodiment, the shaft 4 is cylindrical with an external thread 5, onto which a not-depicted nut can be screwed. The shaft 4 can alternatively be provided with an internal thread or a cross bolt as the connecting means.

[0027] The diameter of the head 3 is enlarged with respect to the shaft 4. On its side facing away from the shaft 4, the head 3 in the illustrated embodiment is regionally provided with an optional knurling 6. The head 3 can alternatively also be provided with different profile.

[0028] The head 3 is designed as a rotational body, the outer contour of which is produced by the rotation of a curved line L1 about the first longitudinal axis I. In the illustrated design example, the line L1 is a circular segment with a radius R1, which is indicated not true to scale by an arrow in FIG. 1. The line L1 can alternatively also comprise regions with different radii of curvature and/or comprise an elliptical section. In the vicinity of the end facing away from the shaft 4 (left-hand end in FIG. 1), the line L1 can extend at least approximately parallel to the first longitudinal axis I. The line L1 is arranged and configured relative to the first longitudinal axis I such that the outer diameter of the head 3 increases from the end facing the shaft 4 to the opposite end. In the example of FIG. 1, a shoulder is formed between the shaft 4 and the head 3.

[0029] The ring 2 comprises a central through-opening 7, which is concentric to the second longitudinal axis II. The ring 2 is designed to be cylindrical on the outside and has a shoulder 8 with an enlarged outer diameter.

[0030] The through-opening 7 is internally configured as a rotational body, the contour of which is produced by the rotation of a curved line L2 about the second longitudinal axis II. In the depicted design example, the line L2 is a circular segment with a radius R2, which is indicated not true to scale by an arrow in FIG. 1.

[0031] The radius R1 is smaller than the radius R2. The line L2 can also comprise regions with different radii of curvature and/or comprise an elliptical section. In the vicinity of the left-hand end in FIG. 1, the line L2 can extend at least approximately parallel to the second longitudinal axis II. The line L2 is arranged and configured relative to the second longitudinal axis II such that the inner diameter of the through-opening 7 increases from the end with the shoulder 8 to the opposite end.

[0032] FIG. 2 shows the insert in its assembled state in a wall 9. The wall 9, for example a thin metal sheet, is provided with a through-opening for receiving the insert. First, the ring 2 in FIG. 2 is inserted from the right into the through-opening of the wall 9, so that the shoulder 8 rests against the right side of the wall 9. The outer cylindrical section with a smaller diameter extends through the through-opening of the wall 9 and in FIG. 2 protrudes from the left of said through-opening.

[0033] The bolt 1 is then inserted into the ring 2 from the left. In the assembled situation of FIG. 2, the bolt 1 has already been pulled into the ring 2, for example by means of a nut, not shown here, so that the shaft 4 has completely passed through the wall 9, and the head 3 of the bolt is located in the region of the through-opening of the wall 9. The head 3 has penetrated so far into the through-opening 7 of the ring 2 that the ring 2 is plastically deformed by the head 3. The head 3 has widened the ring 2 such that the outer surface of said ring is radially pressed against the through-opening of the wall 9. Electrical contact with a low contact resistance is thereby achieved between the bolt 1 and the inner side of the through-opening of the wall 9 via the ring 2. The head 3 has also radially widened the section of the ring 2 projecting through the through-opening of the wall 9, i.e. the section facing away from the shoulder 8, with the formation of a ridge-like projection 10. As a result, the ring 2 is also pressed against the wall 9 in axial direction, i.e. between the shoulder 8 and the ridge-like projection 10.

[0034] A connecting terminal, not shown here, can be connected directly to the ring 2 or, for example, be clamped onto the bolt 1 between the nut and the ring 2. The connecting terminal is thereby electrically connected to the wall 9 by means of the insert.

[0035] FIGS. 3 and 4 show a second embodiment of an insert according to the invention. This insert also consists of a bolt 1 and a ring 2, which can be inserted into a through-opening of a wall 9 as described above. In the second embodiment, however, the shaft 4 of the bolt 1 is not arranged concentrically with the head 3 and the longitudinal axis I, but is instead offset relative to said longitudinal axis I on a parallel third longitudinal axis III. In doing so, the shaft 4 is arranged eccentrically not only to the head 3, but also to the ring 2, the longitudinal axis II of which is furthermore concentric to the longitudinal axis I of the head 3. The result of this configuration is that a torque acting on the shaft 4 to press the bolt into the ring is at least partially supported, so that the head 3 does not rotate relative to the ring 2 and the ring 2 does not rotate in the through-opening of the wall 9.

LIST OF REFERENCE SIGNS

[0036] 1 bolt [0037] 2 ring [0038] 3 head [0039] 4 shaft [0040] 5 external thread [0041] 6 knurling [0042] 7 through-opening [0043] 8 shoulder [0044] 9 wall [0045] 10 projection [0046] Ifirst longitudinal axis [0047] II second longitudinal axis [0048] III third longitudinal axis [0049] L1 first line [0050] L2 second line [0051] R1 first radius [0052] R2 second radius