ELECTRICAL CONDUCTOR CONNECTION

Abstract

An electrical conductor connection element has a contact carrier, at least one first contact element and at least one second contact element. An electrical conductor can be connected to and contacted with the conductor connection element on the first contact element. The second contact element is connected to the first contact element and guided on the outside of the contact carrier. The conductor connection element furthermore has a separation point which serves to separate the electrical connection of the first contact element to the second contact element.

Claims

1. An electrical conductor connection element having a contact carrier, at least one first contact element and at least one second contact element, wherein the first contact element is received in the contact carrier and connected to the second contact element in an electrically conductive manner, wherein the first contact element forms a first connection region and, within the contact carrier, a first contact region, and the second contact element forms a second connection region and, within the contact carrier, a second contact region, wherein the electrical conductor connection element has at least one disconnection point, wherein the electrically conductive connection between the first contact element and the second contact element can be disconnected by the disconnection point.

2. The electrical conductor connection element as claimed in claim 1, wherein the contact carrier has a conductor receiving opening for receiving an electrical conductor.

3. The electrical conductor connection element as claimed in claim 1, wherein the first contact element in the first connection region is formed as a spring contact or a screw contact or a cage tension spring or a push-in contact and is provided for connection of an electrical conductor, or in that the first contact element in the first connection region is formed as a press-in contact or soldered contact and is provided for contacting a printed circuit board.

4. The electrical conductor connection element as claimed in claim 1, wherein the second contact element in the second connection region is formed as a press-in contact or soldered contact and is provided for contacting a printed circuit board or in that the second contact element in the second connection region is formed as a spring contact or a screw contact or a cage tension spring or a push-in contact and is provided for connection of an electrical conductor.

5. The electrical conductor connection element as claimed in claim 1, wherein the contact carrier has a test opening.

6. The electrical conductor connection element as claimed in claim 5, wherein the first contact region and the second contact region in the contact carrier is arranged at the test opening.

7. The electrical conductor connection element as claimed in claim 1, wherein the disconnection point in the contact carrier is arranged at the test opening.

8. The electrical conductor connection element as claimed in claim 1, wherein the first contact region and the second contact region are in mechanical contact and form the disconnection point.

9. The electrical conductor connection element as claimed in claim 8, wherein at least the first contact region or the second contact region is formed as a movable part of the disconnection point.

10. The electrical conductor connection element as claimed in claim 8, wherein the first contact region of the first contact element is formed as a movable part of the disconnection point.

11. The electrical conductor connection element as claimed in claim 8, wherein the movable part of the disconnection point consists of a resilient material, at least in certain regions.

12. The electrical conductor connection element as claimed in claim 1, wherein a plurality of first contact elements, a plurality of second contact elements and a plurality of disconnection points is arranged in equal number in the contact carrier.

13. The electrical conductor connection element as claimed in claim 1, wherein the contact carrier consists of an electrically insulating material.

14. The electrical conductor connection element as claimed in claim 1, wherein the electrical conductor connection element is configured to have a first, closed operating state and a second, opened test state, wherein the disconnection point is closed in the first, closed operating state and the disconnection point is opened in the second, opened test state.

15. The electrical conductor connection element as claimed in claim 1, wherein the first contact element consists of a resilient material at least in certain regions, preferably the first contact region of the first contact element.

16. The electrical conductor connection element as claimed in claim 1, wherein the first connection region of the first contact element is arranged within the contact carrier or at least partially outside the contact carrier and in that the second connection region of the second contact element is arranged within the contact carrier or at least partially outside the contact carrier.

17. The electrical conductor connection element as claimed in claim 6, wherein the disconnection point in the contact carrier is arranged at the test opening.

18. The electrical conductor connection element as claimed in claim 9, wherein the movable part of the disconnection point consists of a resilient material, at least in certain regions.

19. The electrical conductor connection element as claimed in claim 10, wherein the movable part of the disconnection point consists of a resilient material, at least in certain regions.

Description

EXEMPLARY EMBODIMENT

[0020] An exemplary embodiment of the invention is illustrated in the drawings and will be explained in more detail below. The drawings show:

[0021] FIG. 1 a first exemplary embodiment of a first, closed operating state of a conductor connection element in a sectional illustration;

[0022] FIG. 2 a second, opened test state of the conductor connection element of FIG. 1 in a sectional illustration;

[0023] FIG. 3 a first, closed operating state of a second exemplary embodiment of a conductor connection element in two sectional illustrations (FIGS. 3a and 3b); and

[0024] FIG. 4 a second, opened test state of the conductor connection element of FIG. 3 in two sectional illustrations (FIGS. 4a and 4b).

[0025] The figures contain partially simplified, schematic illustrations. Identical reference signs are sometimes used for elements which are similar, but possibly not identical. Varying views of similar elements could be drawn to different scales.

[0026] FIG. 1 shows a first, closed operating state of an electrical conductor connection element 1 in a sectional illustration. The conductor connection element 1 is formed by a contact carrier 2, which is arranged on the surface of a printed circuit board 30 at the end thereof. A cable 20 is connected to the conductor connection element 1 and inserted into the contact carrier 2 from the right. For this, a conductor receiving opening 7 is formed in the contact carrier 2, through which the cable 20 can be introduced into the contact carrier 2 here from the right.

[0027] A first contact element 3 is arranged in the contact carrier 2 of the conductor connection element 1. The first contact element 3 is provided in the interior of the contact carrier 2 and reaches into the right-hand region in which the cable 20 is also inserted through the conductor receiving opening 7. In the right-hand region, the first contact element 3 forms a first connection region 3.1. The cable 20 is inserted and connected into the first connection region 3.1 via the conductor receiving opening 7. The first connection region 3.1 of the first contact element 3 is formed as a cage tension spring, a so-called cage clamp, in this exemplary embodiment.

[0028] The first contact element 3 is connected to a second contact element 4 in the contact carrier 2. The second contact element 4 contacts the first contact element 3 with one end in the interior of the contact carrier 2. The second end of the second contact element 4 forms a second connection region 4.1. outside the contact carrier 2. The second connection region 4.1. is received in the printed circuit board 30 and electrically connected thereto. In the first, closed operating state shown, the conductor connection element 1 therefore establishes an electrical connection between the connected cable 20 and the printed circuit board 30.

[0029] In the contact carrier 2, a further opening, a test opening 8, is provided above the first contact element 3. The test opening 8 enables access to a first contact region 3.2 of the first contact element 3 from outside the contact carrier 2. According to the invention, a disconnection point 6 is provided directly below the test opening 8. The disconnection point 6 is formed by the first contact region 3.2 of the first contact element 3 together with a second contact region 4.2 of the second contact element. The first contact region 3.2 and the second contact region 4.2 are touching one another and are therefore mechanically and electrically connected.

[0030] The second contact region 3.2 of the first contact element 3 is constructed to be movable, at least in certain regions. In this case, the region of the disconnection point 6 is resiliently formed and therefore functions as a switch, especially as an opening switch. The first contact element 3 and the second contact element 4 can therefore be opened at the disconnection point 6 as a result of a flexible deformation of the first contact region 3.2. In the illustrated, closed operating state of the conductor connection element 1, the movable part of the first contact region 3.2 springs upwards so that the disconnection point 6 is closed.

[0031] A second, opened test state of a conductor connection element 1 is shown in a sectional illustration in FIG. 2. In this test state, the disconnection point 6 is opened and the electrical connection of the first contact element 3 and the second contact element 4 is therefore disconnected.

[0032] A test probe is inserted into the test opening 8. The test probe projects into the contact carrier 2 through the test opening 8 until it reaches the disconnection point 6. By means of the test probe, the movable part of the disconnection point 6 is reversibly deflected and pressed downwards. The the first contact element 3 and the second contact element 4 are disconnected as a result of the flexible deformation of the first connection region 3.2 at the disconnection point 6. The electrical connection between the first contact element 3 and the second contact element 4 is disconnected.

[0033] At the same time, a measurement of the contact element 3 with the connected cable 20 can be carried out at the disconnection point 6 by means of the test probe. In this case, the measurement is not influenced by electrical components or voltages which are applied to the second connection region 4.1 of the second contact element 4 via the printed circuit board 30.

[0034] When the test probe is removed from the test opening 8, the movable part of the first contact region 3.2 springs back upwards and closes the contact of the disconnection point 6.

[0035] FIGS. 3a, 3b, 4a and 4b show a second exemplary embodiment of the present invention. In this case, FIGS. 3a and 4a each show a sectional illustration through the electrical conductor connection element 1. FIGS. 3b and 4b each show a further sectional illustration, wherein the section through the electrical conductor connection element 1 has been rotated through 90. FIGS. 3a, 3b show the electrical conductor connection element 1 in a first, closed operating state, whist the electrical conductor connection element 1 in FIGS. 4a, 4b is illustrated in a second, opened test state.

[0036] In this second exemplary embodiment, the first connection region 3.1 of the first contact element 3 is constructed as a so-called push-in contact. An electrical conductor can be directly inserted and connected into this. In this exemplary embodiment, the first contact element 3 has two mutually opposing first contact regions 3.2. The second contact region 4.2 of the second contact element 4 is arranged between the first contact regions 3.2. The second contact element 4 is aligned perpendicularly to the first contact element 3 and forms the second connection region 4.1 below the contact carrier 2.

[0037] In the second, opened test state shown in FIGS. 4a, 4b, a test probe is inserted into the contact carrier 2 via the test opening 8. The test probe is arranged between the two first contact regions 3.2 of the first contact element 3 so that the two first contact regions 3.2 can be spread apart by the test probe. For this, the test probe is configured with a strength which enables it to effect adequate spreading, i.e. a sideways movement of the two first contact regions 3.2 away from the second contact region 4.2. As a result of the first contact regions 3.2 being deflected away from the second contact region 4.2, their mutual mechanical and electrical contact is broken and the two contact points 6 are therefore opened.