Abstract
A conductor connection terminal, which comprises an insulating housing, a spring-force clamping connection, and an actuating lever. The spring-force clamping connection having a busbar and a clamping spring. The clamping spring including a clamping leg with a clamping edge for clamping an electrical conductor between the clamping edge and a contact section of the busbar. Further provided is a contact leg and a spring bend that connects the clamping leg to the contact leg. The actuating lever is pivotably supported in the insulating housing and configured to move the clamping leg from a closed position to an open position, in which the clamping edge is situated at a farther distance from the contact section than in the closed position, during a pivoting of the actuating lever around an actuation pivot angle.
Claims
1. A conductor connection terminal comprising: an insulated housing; a spring-force clamping connection comprising a busbar and a clamping spring, the clamping spring comprising a clamping leg with a clamping edge for clamping an electrical conductor at a clamping point between the clamping edge and a contact section of the busbar, and comprising a contact leg, and a spring bend that connect the clamping leg to the contact leg; and an actuating lever being pivotably supported in the insulating housing, the actuating lever being configured to move the clamping leg around the actuation pivot angle from a closed position to an open position during a pivoting of the actuating lever, in which the clamping edge is arranged at a greater distance from the contact section than in the closed position, wherein the actuating lever is rotatably supported around a first rotation axis in a first actuation pivot angle range and around a second rotation axis in a second actuation pivot angle range, which is different from the first rotation axis.
2. The conductor connection terminal according to claim 1, wherein the second rotation axis moves from an idle position into a bearing position during the pivoting of the actuating lever around the first rotation axis in the first actuation pivot angle range.
3. The conductor connection terminal according to claim 1, wherein the first rotation axis moves from a bearing position into an idle position during the pivoting of the actuating lever around the second rotation axis in the second actuation pivot angle range.
4. The conductor connection terminal according to claim 1, wherein the first and second actuation pivot angle ranges together form the entire actuation pivot angle.
5. The conductor connection terminal according to claim 1, wherein the actuating lever has a spring actuating section that interacts with the clamping leg, and wherein the spring actuating section is formed on a first bearing section of the actuating lever which forms the first rotation axis.
6. The conductor connection terminal according to claim 5, wherein the first bearing section has a curved outer contour, which is supported on a first counter-bearing contour of the conductor connection terminal.
7. The conductor connection terminal according to claim 6, wherein the first counter-bearing contour is curved in a convex manner or is flat.
8. The conductor connection terminal according to claim 1, wherein the actuating lever has a second bearing section which forms the second rotation axis and which has a curved outer contour, which is supported on a second counter-bearing contour of the conductor connection terminal.
9. The conductor connection terminal according to claim 8, wherein the second counter-bearing contour is curved in a concave manner.
10. The conductor connection terminal according to claim 8, wherein the insulating housing is provided with a two-part design, including a main housing part and a cover part closing the main housing par, and wherein the second counter-bearing contour is formed in the cover part.
11. The conductor connection terminal according to claim 1, wherein the insulating housing extends in a height direction from a housing upper side to a housing lower side, wherein the actuating lever has an actuating section on the housing upper side, which is manually actuatable by the user, the first rotation axis being arranged below the clamping point in a height direction, and wherein, at least in the first actuation pivot angle range, and/or the second rotation axis are arranged below the clamping point in the height direction, at least in the second actuation pivot angle range.
12. The conductor connection terminal according to claim 1, wherein the actuating lever has two side plates arranged at a distance from each other, which are connected to each other by a transverse web of the actuating lever.
13. The conductor connection terminal according to claim 12, wherein the first rotation axis is formed on the end region of the actuating lever opposite the transverse web in each case by a pair of first bearing sections opposite each other on the two side plates, and/or wherein the second rotation axis is formed on the end region of the actuating lever opposite the transverse web in each case by a pair of second bearing sections opposite each other on the two side plates.
14. The conductor connection terminal according to claim 13, wherein the first bearing sections are formed on projections protruding from the side plates and facing each other, and/or wherein the second bearing sections are formed on projections protruding from the side plates and face each other.
15. The conductor connection terminal according to claim 12, wherein the plane spanned by the transverse web is at an acute angle to the rotation axis plane spanned by the first and second rotation axes, or at an angle in the range of 20 to 60 or 30+10.
16. The conductor connection terminal according to claim 1, wherein the insulating housing has a conductor insertion channel, which extends in the conductor insertion direction and opens to the clamping point formed by the clamping edge of the clamping leg and the contact section of the busbar for the purpose of clamping an electrical conductor.
17. The conductor connection terminal according to claim 1, wherein the contact leg has two peripheral webs, which are arranged at a distance from each other and laterally delimit a through-feed opening for feeding an electrical conductor, the clamping leg protruding through the feed-through opening.
18. The conductor connection terminal according to claim 17, wherein the clamping leg widens on both sides after the passage through the feed-through opening emanating from the spring bend, forming laterally protruding actuating lugs, and wherein the actuating lugs abut the peripheral webs (40).
19. The conductor connection terminal according to claim 1, wherein the spring-force clamping connection has a retaining element, which latches the clamping leg in the open position.
20. The conductor connection terminal according to claim 19, wherein the retaining element is a latching arm, which is formed integrally with the clamping spring and protrudes from the contact leg.
21. The conductor connection terminal according to claim 19, wherein the spring-force clamping connection has a releasing element with a releasing section formed by an inserted electrical conductor for the application of force, wherein the releasing element moves the retaining element and disengages the clamping leg latched on the retaining element in the open position by moving the releasing section during the application of force.
22. The conductor connection terminal according to claim 21, wherein the releasing element is a releasing arm formed integrally with the clamping spring and abutting the latching arm, the releasing section protruding from the section of the releasing arm abutting the latching arm in a direction of the plane of the busbar.
23. The conductor connection terminal according to claim 1, wherein the second rotation axis is arranged on the clamping leg at a greater distance from the force application point of the actuating lever than the first rotation axis.
Description
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0047] 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:
[0048] FIG. 1 shows an exemplary conductor connection terminal in a perspective view;
[0049] FIG. 2 shows the conductor connection terminal according to FIG. 1 in a side sectional view in a first actuating position;
[0050] FIG. 3 shows the conductor connection terminal according to FIG. 2 in a second actuating position;
[0051] FIG. 4 shows the conductor connection terminal according to FIG. 2 in a third actuating position;
[0052] FIG. 5 shows an actuating lever in a perspective view;
[0053] FIG. 6 shows the actuating lever according to FIG. 5 in a side view;
[0054] FIG. 7 shows a further example a conductor connection terminal in a side sectional view in the second actuating position;
[0055] FIG. 8 shows the conductor connection terminal according to FIG. 7 in the third actuating position;
[0056] FIG. 9 shows the conductor connection terminal according to FIG. 7 in a fourth actuating position;
[0057] FIG. 10 shows a clamping spring in a perspective view the closed position;
[0058] FIG. 11 shows the clamping spring according to FIG. 10 in a side view;
[0059] FIG. 12 shows the clamping spring according to FIG. 10 in a side view in the open position;
[0060] FIG. 13 shows spring-force clamping connections of the conductor connection terminal according to FIG. 7 in a perspective view;
[0061] FIG. 14 shows a spring-force clamping connection of the conductor connection terminal according to FIG. 2 in a perspective view;
[0062] FIG. 15 shows a clamping spring in an example according to the design in FIG. 2 in a perspective view,
[0063] FIG. 16 shows the clamping spring according to FIG. 15 in a side view;
[0064] FIG. 17 shows an example of a conductor connection terminal in a perspective view;
[0065] FIG. 18 shows the conductor connection terminal according to FIG. 17 in a side sectional view;
[0066] FIG. 19 shows a busbar of the conductor connection terminal according to FIG. 17;
[0067] FIG. 20 shows an example of an actuating lever in a perspective view;
[0068] FIG. 21 shows the actuating lever according to FIG. 20 in a side sectional view;
[0069] FIG. 22 shows a spring-force clamping connection, including the actuating lever, in a side view in different actuation states;
[0070] FIG. 23 shows a cover part in a perspective view; and
[0071] FIG. 24 shows a cover part, including an actuating lever, in a perspective view.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
[0072] FIG. 1 shows a conductor connection terminal 1, which comprises an insulating housing 2. Conductor connection terminal 1 in the example is designed as a multipole conductor connection terminal. Accordingly, conductor connection terminal 1 has multiple conductor insertion channels 20 in insulating housing 2, through which an electrical conductor to be clamped may be inserted in each case. Multiple spring-force clamping connections are arranged in insulating housing 2, a spring-force clamping connection being assigned to each conductor insertion channel 20. Conductor connection terminal 1 has a pivotable actuating lever 6 for actuating the clamping spring of each spring-force clamping connection.
[0073] FIG. 2 shows a side sectional view of conductor connection terminal 1 according to FIG. 1 in offset planes of intersection. Insulating housing 2 extends in a height direction H from a housing upper side 22, which may be formed by an upper housing wall, to a housing lower side 23, which may be formed by a lower housing wall. Insulating housing 2 has conductor insertion channels 20 on a conductor insertion side 26, which are used to insert an electrical conductor in a conductor insertion direction L. On the end facing away from conductor insertion side 26, insulating housing 2 has a rear housing wall, which in this example is designed as part of a rear cover part 21, which may close an opening of a main housing part 25. Conductor insertion channels 20 may be situated in main housing part 25.
[0074] It is apparent that the spring-force clamping connection arranged in insulating housing 2 includes a clamping spring 4 and a busbar 3. Busbar 3 has a contact section 30. Contact section 30 is used to electrically contact a connected electrical conductor. Clamping spring 4 has a contact leg 41, which is fastened to busbar 3 by means of peripheral webs 40 of contact leg 41. Peripheral webs 40 may be formed as part of contact leg 41. Clamping spring 4 has a spring bend 42, which abuts contact leg 41, and a clamping leg 43, which abuts spring bend 42 and is used to clamp an electrical conductor to contact section 30 at a clamping point 31, which is apparent, for example, in FIG. 7. Clamping leg 43 ends at the free end with a clamping edge 46. Clamping leg 43 also has at least one actuating lug 45 in the region of the free end.
[0075] For the purpose of actuating clamping spring 4, i.e., to deflect clamping leg 43 from the clamping position illustrated in FIG. 2 into an open position, clamping lever 6 is provided, which is illustrated with further details in FIGS. 5, 6. Actuating lever 6 has a manual actuating section 60, which protrudes from insulating housing 2. Actuating lever 6 may be gripped on the manual actuating section 60 by the user and pivoted. Actuating lever 6 extends into insulating housing 2 via side plates 63. A spring actuating section 61 is situated on each of side plates 63 for applying a force to a particular actuating lug 45.
[0076] In the unactuated state of actuating lever 6, as illustrated in FIG. 2, the clamping leg is in the closed position. In this state, actuating lever 6 is pivotably around a first rotation axis D1 in a first actuation pivot angle range. Actuating lever 6 has a first bearing section L1, with the aid of which it is supported on a first counter-bearing contour G1 at least as long as it is in the first actuation pivot angle range.
[0077] If actuating lever 6 is now pivoted, it eventually reaches the end of first actuation pivot angle range, as illustrated in FIG. 3. In this state, the rotation axis of actuating lever 6 now changes from first rotation axis D1 to a second rotation axis D2 when actuating lever 6 continues to be pivoted. It is apparent in FIG. 3 that, in this actuating state, clamping leg 43 is not yet deflected out of the closed position with the aid of spring actuating section 61 and actuating lug 45, or at least it is not essentially deflected.
[0078] If actuating lever 6 now continues to be pivoted, as illustrated in FIG. 4, this pivoting movement takes place in the second actuation pivot angle range, in which second rotation axis D2 is effective. In this state, actuating lever 6 is supported on a second counter-bearing contour G2 via a second bearing section L2, which is situated at a distance from first bearing section L1. As shown in FIG. 4, clamping leg 43 is now deflected into the open position, i.e., it is moved away from contact section 30 of busbar 3. The clamping point may be opened in this way, so that a clamped electrical conductor may be removed, or an electrical conductor to be clamped may be easily inserted.
[0079] It is also apparent that insulating housing 2 is provided with a two-part design, including a main housing part 25 and a cover part 21, which closes main housing part 25. Cover part 21 may be designed, for example, as the rear housing part, which is arranged on the rear housing side in conductor insertion direction L. Second counter-bearing contour G2 may be formed on this cover part 21. In addition, a concave second guide contour 24 may be formed on cover part 21, by means of which actuating lever 6, including its second bearing section, L2, is guided during the movement of actuating lever 6 in the first actuation pivot angle range.
[0080] FIGS. 5 and 6 illustrate an advantageous construction of actuating lever 6. Actuating lever 6 has two side plates 63 situated at a distance from each other, which are connected to each other by a transverse web 62. Side plates 63 extend away from transverse web 62, so that a U shape is formed. In this region, side plates 63 are not connected to each other, i.e., a free space is present there. Transverse web 62 forms manual actuating section 60 on an end situated at a distance from bearing sections L1, L2. It is apparent that first bearing sections L1 and second bearing sections L2, which each face each other, are formed on the two side plates 63 at the end region of actuating lever 6 opposite transverse web 62, for example in the form of projections protruding from side plates 63 and facing each other. Spring actuating section 61 is also situated in the region of first bearing section L1 for the purpose of striking actuating lug 45 of clamping leg 43.
[0081] An example of conductor connection terminal 1 is explained on the basis of FIGS. 7 through 9, which includes a retaining element 5 for holding clamping leg 43 in the open position. A releasing element 8 is also present for releasing clamping leg 43 out of this open position held on retaining element 5, as explained below.
[0082] It is apparent in FIGS. 7 through 9 that contact leg 41 not only has peripheral webs 40 on the side facing away from spring bend 42, but retaining element 5 additionally protrudes there, which may be formed as a single piece with contact leg 41. Retaining element 5 is used to hold clamping leg 43 in the open position. Retaining element 5 has at least one second latching element 50. A first latching element is formed on clamping leg 43 by clamping edge 46 or by an additional element.
[0083] Retaining element 5 continues to extend in conductor insertion direction L to releasing element 8, which transitions into a section at an angle with respect to retaining element 5, extends transversely to conductor insertion direction L, and forms releasing section 80 of releasing element 8.
[0084] FIG. 7 initially shows conductor connection terminal 1 in the second actuation position, comparable to FIG. 3. If actuating lever 6 now continues to be pivoted, as illustrated in FIG. 8, clamping leg 43 is pivoted away from contact section 30, as explained above. FIG. 8 shows conductor connection terminal 1 in the third actuation position, comparable to FIG. 4.
[0085] Unlike FIG. 4, in the example to FIG. 8, clamping leg 43 is now latched on second latching element 50 of retaining element 5 with its clamping edge 46 or a separate latching element and is held in the open position hereby. If actuating lever 6 is pivoted back into the initial position, as illustrated in FIG. 2, clamping leg 43 remains in this latched open position.
[0086] If an electrical conductor 9 is inserted through conductor insertion channel 20 into insulating housing 2 in conductor insertion direction L, as illustrated in FIG. 9, a pressing of the end of electrical conductor 9 against releasing section 80, causes the entire structural unit made up of releasing element 8 and retaining element 5 to be deflected. Releasing section 80, together with retaining element 5 or at least second latching element 50, is moved hereby slightly to the back in conductor insertion direction L, so that clamping leg 43 may release from second latching element 50. Accordingly, clamping leg 43 may spring out and press electrical conductor 9 against contact section 30. Clamping leg 43 thus moves into the clamping position, due to the spring pretension of clamping spring 4.
[0087] FIGS. 10 through 12 show the clamping spring of conductor connection terminal 1 according to FIGS. 7 through 9 as a single component. Clamping edge 46 may extend between actuating lugs 45. It is apparent, in particular, that retaining element 5 is formed as a single piece with clamping spring 4 and, in particular, its contact leg 41. Retaining element 5 may be a latching arm 51, which is formed integrally with clamping spring 4 and protrudes from contact leg 41. On the end of latching arm 51 facing releasing element 8, retaining element 5 has two second latching elements 50, which are formed by bent material lugs. In this way, clamping leg 43 may be latched symmetrically to retaining element 5 on both sides.
[0088] Retaining element 5 transitions as a single piece into releasing element 8. For example, releasing element 8 may be a releasing arm 81, which is formed integrally with clamping spring 4 and abuts latching arm 51. Releasing section 80 protrudes from releasing arm 81 at an angle essentially orthogonal to conductor insertion direction L. FIGS. 10 and 11 show clamping spring 4 in the relaxed state, i.e., without the latching of clamping leg 43 in the open position. FIG. 12 shows clamping spring 4 with clamping leg 43 latched on latching element 50 in the open position.
[0089] As is apparent, in particular, in FIG. 10, clamping spring 4 has two peripheral webs 40, which are situated at a distance from each other and are used to fasten clamping spring 4 on busbar 3. This is apparent in FIG. 13. FIG. 13 shows busbar 3, in this case as a continuous busbar, on which the three clamping springs 4 are fastened. Busbar 3 has a separate contact section 30 for each clamping spring 4, which extends through the intermediate space between peripheral webs 40 of a clamping spring 4. Peripheral webs 40 are connected to particular contact section 30 by a form-fitting connection. It would also be possible to design busbar 3 not as a continuous busbar, for example in that a busbar having only one contact section 30 is formed for one, multiple, or all spring-force clamping connections, i.e., the arrangement is then divided into multiple separate busbars.
[0090] FIG. 13 shows spring-force clamping connections, in which explained retaining elements 5 and releasing elements 8 are present. FIG. 14 shows an example of comparable spring-force clamping connections, in which retaining elements 5 and releasing elements 8 are not present, as is given in the example in FIGS. 2 through 4. Accordingly, latching arm 51 in the example in FIG. 14 does not branch off of particular contact leg 41, as described on the basis of FIGS. 10 through 13. With regard to the rest of the construction and functionality, spring-force clamping connections according to FIG. 14 as well as clamping springs 4 illustrated as a single part in FIGS. 15 and 16 and used in the spring-force clamping connections according to FIG. 14 correspond to the example described on the basis of FIGS. 10 through 13.
[0091] While conductor connection terminal 1 in the examples described up to now, in particular as is apparent in FIG. 1, is designed as a multipole conductor connection terminal having multiple spring-force clamping connections arranged laterally next to each other, an example of a conductor connection terminal 1, which is also provided with a multipole design, is described below on the basis of FIGS. 17 and 18, in which, however, two spring-force clamping connections are arranged one after the other in insulating housing 2 with a shared busbar 3. It is apparent in FIG. 17 that conductor connection terminal 1 has an elongated shape, in which the electrical conductors may be inserted in opposite conductor insertion directions L into particular conductor insertion channels 20 of the spring-force clamping connections arranged one after the other. As is apparent, an actuating lever 6 is again assigned to each spring-force clamping connection. Actuating levers 6 may be designed according to one of the described construction methods.
[0092] FIG. 18 shows conductor connection terminal 1 according to FIG. 17 in a side sectional view. An electrical conductor 9 is placed in the right-hand spring-force clamping connection, while no electrical conductor is present in the left-hand spring-force clamping connection. It is apparent that spring-force clamping connections may be designed according to one of the design principles described above, for example with clamping springs according to FIGS. 10 through 12 or alternatively according to FIGS. 15 through 16. FIG. 18 shows an example having clamping springs according to FIGS. 10 through 12.
[0093] Busbar 3 is designed as a continuous busbar in the longitudinal direction or conductor insertion direction L, which electrically and mechanically connects the two spring-force clamping connections to each other. Busbar 3 is illustrated as a single component in FIG. 19. As is apparent, busbar 3 has a contact section 30 for each spring-force clamping connection at the end regions situated at a distance from each other. Contact sections 30 are connected to each other by a bridge section 33. Bridge section 33 may have, for example, two side walls 32, which protrude from the plane of contact sections 30 and by means of which busbar 3 is made mechanically more robust. Particular electrical conductor 9 may be arranged in the space between side walls 32.
[0094] FIGS. 20 and 21 show an example of an actuating lever 6, which also has the elements already described above.
[0095] FIG. 22 shows the function of actuating lever 6 according to FIGS. 5 and 6 during the pivoting over the actuation pivot angle. First rotation axis D1 and second rotation axis D2 are designated in terms of their different modes of action depending on the pivot angle. D1 indicates the position of the first rotation axis in the first actuation pivot angle range, while D2a indicates the position of the second rotation axis in the first actuation pivot angle range. D1b indicates the position of the first rotation axis in the second actuation pivot angle range, while D2b indicates the position of the second rotation axis in the second actuation pivot angle range. This movement sequence similarly applies to the actuating lever according to FIGS. 20, 21.
[0096] FIG. 23 shows a cover part 21 for a multipole conductor connection terminal 1. The cover part has a conductor capture pocket 28 for each spring-force clamping connection of conductor connection terminal 1, which is formed between a pair of side wall sections of cover part 21. On the side facing first bearing section L1, a first guide contour 27 is formed on each of these side wall sections, on which first bearing section L1 is guided around second rotation axis D2 during a pivoting movement. First bearing section L1 encompasses this first guide contour 27 over the movement sequence.
[0097] FIG. 24 shows cover part 21, as illustrated in FIG. 23, including an actuating lever 6 attached thereto, which may be designed, for example, according to FIGS. 20, 21. Lever 6 has been pivoted along first guide contour 27. As is apparent, lever 6 encompasses first guide contour 27 with its first bearing section L1, for example on a circular path.
[0098] 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.
