Spring-loaded terminal connection

Abstract

A spring-loaded terminal connection having a busbar and a clamping spring, which has a clamping arm, wherein the clamping arm extends towards the busbar and has a spring clamping edge for clamping an electrical conductor and wherein the busbar has a busbar clamping edge for fixing the electrical conductor to be clamped, wherein the busbar clamping edge has a radius less than or equal to 0.2 mm.

Claims

1. A spring-loaded terminal connection comprising: a busbar; a clamping spring that has a clamping arm, the clamping arm extending towards the busbar and has a spring clamping edge to clamp an electrical conductor, wherein the busbar has a busbar clamping edge to fix the electrical conductor to be clamped, wherein the busbar clamping edge has a radius less than or equal to 0.2 mm, wherein the busbar clamping edge is arranged across the width of the busbar transversely to the electrical conductor to be clamped, wherein an end of the busbar has a conductor contact section that is inclined with respect to a conductor insertion direction, wherein a busbar clamping section is partially cut or punched out from the conductor contact section such that a free end of the busbar clamping section protrudes from the conductor contact section and another end of the busbar clamping section, opposite to the free end, is integral with the conductor contact section, and wherein the busbar clamping edge is located on the free end of the busbar clamping section.

2. The spring-loaded terminal connection according to claim 1, wherein the clamping spring has a contact arm and a spring bend located between the contact arm and the clamping arm.

3. The spring-loaded terminal connection according to claim 1, wherein the busbar clamping edge has a radius less than or equal to 0.1 mm.

4. The spring-loaded terminal connection according to claim 1, wherein the busbar clamping edge has an asymmetrical contour with respect to a plane of symmetry, and wherein the plane of symmetry extends through the busbar clamping edge orthogonally to the busbar.

5. The spring-loaded terminal connection according to claim 1, wherein the busbar clamping edge forms a barb for the electrical conductor to be clamped.

6. The spring-loaded terminal connection according to claim 1, wherein the busbar clamping edge is designed such that when the electrical conductor to be clamped is pulled, the busbar clamping edge cuts into the electrical conductor to be clamped.

7. The spring-loaded terminal connection according to claim 1, wherein the busbar clamping edge extends over only part of the width of the busbar, wherein a remaining part of the width of the busbar forms at least one busbar web.

8. The spring-loaded terminal connection according to claim 1, wherein the busbar clamping section is located on the busbar in front of the busbar clamping edge with respect to the conductor insertion direction.

9. The spring-loaded terminal connection according to claim 1, wherein the busbar has a tab for fastening the clamping spring, and wherein the clamping spring is adapted to be inserted into the tab in a self-supporting manner.

10. The spring-loaded terminal connection according to claim 1, wherein the busbar has a recess, and wherein the recess is designed to receive the spring clamping edge.

11. The spring-loaded terminal connection according to claim 10, wherein the recess is located in front of the busbar clamping edge with respect to the conductor insertion direction.

12. The spring-loaded terminal connection according to claim 1, wherein the busbar at least partially contains copper.

13. The spring-loaded terminal connection according to claim 1, wherein a depression is located in the area of the busbar clamping edge.

14. The spring-loaded terminal connection according to claim 13, wherein the depression is located behind the busbar clamping edge with respect to the conductor insertion direction.

15. The spring-loaded terminal connection according to claim 1, wherein a distance of a plane parallel to the conductor insertion direction and running through the busbar clamping edge to the busbar behind the busbar clamping edge in the conductor insertion direction is greater than a distance in front of the busbar clamping edge.

16. The spring-loaded terminal connection according to claim 1, wherein the spring-loaded terminal connection has an insulating material housing, wherein the insulating-material housing has at least one conductor insertion opening and a clamping spring.

17. The spring-loaded terminal connection according to claim 16, wherein the insulating-material housing has at least two conductor insertion openings and at least two clamping springs, wherein the conductor insertion openings are located at diametrically opposite ends of the spring-loaded terminal connection.

18. A method for producing the spring-loaded terminal connection according to claim 1, the method comprising: punching out an outer contour of the busbar utilizing a metal sheet; free cutting or punching out the busbar clamping section from the conductor contact section, such that the free end of the busbar clamping section protrudes from a plane of the conductor contact section; bending the outer contour of the busbar; and forming a depression behind the busbar clamping section with respect to the conductor insertion direction to form the busbar clamping edge.

19. The method according to claim 18, further comprising: forming a recess in front of the busbar clamping edge with respect to the conductor insertion direction.

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 an embodiment of a spring-loaded terminal connection in a perspective view;

(3) FIG. 2a shows a spring-loaded terminal connection according to FIG. 1 in a sectional side view without an inserted electrical conductor;

(4) FIG. 2b shows an enlarged detail of a spring-loaded terminal connection according to FIG. 2a;

(5) FIG. 2c shows an enlarged detail of a conductor contact section according to FIGS. 1 to 2b in a plan view;

(6) FIG. 3a shows a spring-loaded terminal connection according to FIGS. 1-2b in a sectional side view with an inserted electrical conductor;

(7) FIG. 3b shows an enlarged detail of a spring-loaded terminal connection according to FIG. 3a.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

(8) FIG. 1 shows a spring-loaded terminal connection 1 in a perspective view in a first embodiment. Spring-loaded terminal connection 1 has a busbar 2, wherein a clamping spring 3a, 3b is located at each of the diametrically opposite ends of busbar 2. Clamping springs 3a, 3b each have a contact arm 4a, 4b, which merges into a spring bend 5a, 5b and extends into a clamping arm 6a, 6b. Clamping arm 6a, 6b here extends into a section of busbar 2, wherein clamping arm 6a, 6b has a spring clamping edge 7a, 7b and together with busbar 2 forms a clamping point for an electrical conductor to be clamped.

(9) It can be seen that a conductor receiving section 8 for the electrical conductor to be clamped is located on each of the diametrically opposite ends of busbar 2. It becomes clear that conductor receiving sections 8 are designed closed circumferentially. Conductor receiving sections 8 have a top section 9a, 9b of a top surface 9, said section being associated with contact arm 4a, 4b, and a bottom section 12, associated with spring clamping edge 7a, 7b, wherein the respective top section 9a, 9b and bottom section 12 are connected to one another via two side surfaces 13 and form a continuous, circumferentially closed conductor receiving section 8.

(10) Viewed in the respective conductor insertion direction L in front of conductor receiving sections 8a, 8b, busbar component 2 has a preferably integrally formed tab-shaped conductor contact section 2a, 2b, on which spring clamping edge 7a, 7b preferably rests in the closed state without an inserted electrical conductor. Conductor support sections 2a, 2b are preferably inclined relative to conductor insertion direction L and form a conductor insertion surface or a conductor insertion bevel.

(11) It can be seen further that two tabs 10a, 10b are located on a top surface 9 of busbar 2, wherein tabs 10a, 10b are each located at the diametrically opposite ends of top surface 9. One of clamping springs 3a, 3b is in each case hooked into tabs 10a, 10b in a self-supporting manner, that is to say without additional fastening means.

(12) However, it is also conceivable that clamping springs 3a, 3b are designed as a single clamping spring with two clamping arms 7a, 7b, wherein the individual clamping spring extends on top surface 9 of busbar 2.

(13) FIG. 2a shows a spring-loaded terminal connection 1 according to FIG. 1 in a sectional side view without an inserted electrical conductor. It can be seen that busbar 2 has a busbar clamping edge 11a, 11b in each case in the area of spring clamping edges 7a, 7b. Busbar clamping edges 11a, 11b can be provided in the area of conductor contact sections 2a, 2b. Busbar clamping edges 11a, 11b have a radius less than or equal to 0.2 mm, in particular a radius less than or equal to 0.1 mm. By forming the busbar clamping edge 11a, 11b with a very small radius, a spring-loaded terminal connection 1 is provided which has a large conductor retention force. Due to the formation of a small radius of busbar clamping edge 11a, 11b, busbar clamping edges 11a, 11b are formed so sharp that they can cut into an electrical conductor to be clamped and busbar clamping edge 11a, 11b thus digs into the electrical conductor to be clamped, wherein a suitable conductor retention force can be achieved.

(14) However, it is also conceivable that busbar clamping edges 11a, 11b have even smaller radii. The effect of cutting into the electrical conductor is further improved thereby.

(15) It can be seen that bottom section 12 of busbar 2 can form a support for the electrical conductors to be clamped. Bottom section 12 can include the tab-like conductor contact sections 2a, 2b. Bottom section 12 and top surface 9 are connected to one another via two opposing side surfaces 13. It becomes clear that bottom section 12 and side surfaces 13 have a cutout 14. It is clear further that top surface 9 is designed as a conductor insertion bevel, wherein top surface 9 is formed V-shaped. The cross section of conductor receiving sections 8 tapers towards the center of spring-loaded terminal connection 1 in this regard. In this way, an electrical conductor can be introduced into the larger cross section of conductor receiving sections 8, wherein the electrical conductor can be guided through the tapering cross section to the clamping point.

(16) FIG. 2b shows an enlarged detail of spring-loaded terminal connection 1 according to FIG. 2a. In this case, the area around busbar clamping edge 11a is shown enlarged. It would be clear that busbar clamping edge 11a is located on a busbar clamping section 18. In this case, busbar clamping section 18 is cut or punched out of busbar 2.

(17) It can be seen furthermore that busbar 2 has a depression 15 and a recess 16, wherein depression 15 is located behind busbar clamping edge 11a with respect to a conductor insertion direction L and recess 16 is located in front of busbar clamping edge 11a with respect to conductor insertion direction L. Recess 16 is designed such that it can accommodate spring clamping edge 7a when no electrical conductor is inserted in spring-loaded terminal connection 1. In this way, clamping spring 3a can be stabilized further, wherein the transport safety of spring-loaded terminal connection 1 can be increased.

(18) As a result of depression 15, a busbar clamping edge 11a can be created at a sufficient height in relation to the busbar, so that busbar clamping edge 11a can dig into the electrical conductor to be clamped over this height. However, it has to be noted in this regard to limit the height, because otherwise the electrical conductor to be clamped can be damaged.

(19) It is clear furthermore that the distance ΔA2 from a plane E, parallel to conductor insertion direction L and running through busbar clamping edge 11a, to busbar 2 behind busbar clamping edge 11a in conductor insertion direction L is greater than the distance ΔA1 in front of busbar clamping edge 11a. The contact surface of depression 15 is used as the reference point behind busbar clamping edge 11a. In conductor insertion direction L in front of busbar clamping edge 11a, the area in which spring clamping edge 7a, 7b rests on conductor contact section 2a, 2b is the reference point.

(20) FIG. 2c shows an enlarged detail of conductor contact section 2a according to FIGS. 1 to 2b in a plan view. It becomes clear that busbar clamping edge 11a is located on a protruding busbar clamping section 18. Busbar clamping section 18 is preferably punched out of the material of busbar 2, wherein busbar clamping section 18 protrudes from conductor contact section 2a of busbar 2 in a U-shape.

(21) It can be seen furthermore that conductor rail clamping section 18 protrudes from busbar 2 in front of busbar clamping edge 11a in conductor insertion direction L.

(22) FIG. 3a shows a spring-loaded terminal connection 1 according to FIGS. 1-2b in a sectional side view with an inserted electrical conductor 17. FIG. 3b shows an enlarged detail of spring-loaded terminal connection 1 according to FIG. 3a. In this case, the area around busbar clamping edge 11a is shown enlarged.

(23) It is clear that electrical conductor 17 is held clamped between spring clamping edge 7a and busbar clamping edge 11a on bottom section 12 of busbar 2. In this case, busbar clamping edge 11a is designed as a barb, wherein busbar clamping edge 11a cuts into electrical conductor 17, when electrical conductor 17 is pulled opposite to conductor insertion direction L, and thus digs into electrical conductor 17. In this way, a correspondingly high retention force can be exerted on electrical conductor 17, wherein electrical conductor 17 can be held fixed in the clamping point of spring-loaded terminal connection 1.

(24) In this case, busbar clamping edge 11a can be designed to be more rigid than spring clamping edge 7a. The increased rigidity of busbar clamping edge 11a compared to clamping spring 7a ensures that busbar clamping edge 11a cuts into the electrical conductor to be clamped.

(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.