CN111108651A

CN111108651A - Connecting device for connecting electric wires

Info

Publication number: CN111108651A
Application number: CN201880060507.2A
Authority: CN
Inventors: 曼纽尔·通克尔; 尼克拉斯·布兰德
Original assignee: Phoenix Contact GmbH and Co KG
Current assignee: Phoenix Contact GmbH and Co KG
Priority date: 2017-09-18
Filing date: 2018-09-04
Publication date: 2020-05-05
Also published as: WO2019052852A1; EP3685473A1; DE102017121543A1

Abstract

A connecting device (1) for connecting electrical conductors (2), comprising a contact element (10) forming a socket (102) for inserting an electrical conductor (2); and a spring element (11) arranged on the contact element (10) and having a spring leg (111) for locking a conductor (2) inserted into the socket (102). A slider element (13) is arranged movably relative to the contact element (10) and has an action section (133) for acting on the at least one spring leg (111). An adjusting element (12) is also provided, which is deflectable about a deflection axis (120) relative to the contact element (10), and which is deflectable from a first position into a second position in order to move the slider element (13) from the starting position into a release position. In this way, a connection device can be provided which is easy to handle by a user in order to plug in or separate an electrical conductor, in particular, which is plugged into the connection device.

Description

Connecting device for connecting electric wires

Technical Field

The invention relates to a connecting device according to the preamble of claim 1.

Background

Such a connection device is used for connecting electric wires. Such a connecting device can be used, for example, on an electrical apparatus, a switch cabinet or other electrical components, such as a printed circuit board or the like, in order to electrically connect conductors by inserting the electrical conductors into sockets.

The connecting device comprises a contact element which forms a socket into which the conductor is inserted, and a spring element arranged on the contact element, which spring element has a spring limb for locking the conductor inserted into the socket. The slider element is movable relative to the contact element, and has an active section for acting on the spring leg. The function of the slider element is to adjust the spring legs so as to insert or remove a conductor inserted into or from the socket. The spring leg is adjusted by displacing the slider element relative to the contact element from the starting position into the release position, whereby the slider element acts with its active section on the spring leg in order to deflect it and move it out of the insertion opening region.

In conventional connecting devices of this type, the slider element can be acted upon by means of a tool in order to adjust the spring limb of the spring element in this way. This may require the user to have to hold the connection device and optionally the connected electrical conductors and tools in the hand and manipulate them at the same time, which may be difficult and impractical.

There is therefore a need for a connecting device of the kind which can be simply manipulated by a user in order to, in particular, insert or separate an electrical conductor from the connecting device.

In the connection device disclosed in US 8,113,858, the spring element is arranged in the housing and can be adjusted by means of a manually operable slider element. The slider element is adapted to act on the spring element for plugging the conductor, wherein the spring element locks the electrical conductor in an electrically contacting manner on the housing after plugging the conductor and after the slider is reset.

In the connection device disclosed in DE 202009007573U 1, a slider element is provided which can be adjusted to adjust the spring leg of the spring element.

Disclosure of Invention

The object of the invention is to provide a connecting device which is easy to handle by a user in order to plug in or separate an electrical conductor, in particular, which is plugged into the connecting device.

The solution of the invention to achieve the above object is the subject matter with the features of claim 1.

According to the invention, the connecting device has an adjusting element which is deflectable about a deflection axis relative to the contact element, the adjusting element being deflectable from a first position into a second position in order to move the slider element from the starting position into the release position.

The connecting device thus comprises a slider element which is arranged movably relative to the contact element, and a further adjusting element which is deflectable relative to the contact element and serves to actuate the slider element. The slider element can be moved from its starting position into the release position by the deflection of the actuating element, so that the spring leg of the spring element is acted upon and deflected in such a way that it is moved away from the socket region for inserting a conductor into or (in the case of a conductor inserted into the socket) removing it from the socket.

This allows the slider element to be manipulated in a user-friendly manner without the use of tools.

According to an advantageous solution, the adjusting element is jammed in the second position relative to the contact element. For example, the adjusting element can snap together with the slider element in the second position, so that the adjusting element is held in position relative to the slider element and the contact element when it is moved into the second position. This has the advantage that the adjusting element cannot be reset easily, at least without releasing the catch, in the case where the adjusting element is moved into the second position and thus the slider element is moved from its starting position into the release position. In this way, the adjusting element and the slider element are held in their position, so that the user can simply insert an electrical conductor, for example, into the socket of the contact element in order to electrically connect the connecting device.

After the insertion of the conductor, the actuating element can be released from its latching position in order to return the actuating element to its starting position and likewise to move the slider element back, so that the electrical conductor inserted into the socket is locked in the socket by the spring limb of the spring element and makes electrical contact.

In one embodiment, the adjusting element has at least one guide section, which may be formed, for example, by a curved guide edge on the adjusting element. The slider element, in turn, has a guide element, for example in the form of a projection element, which interacts with a guide section of the adjusting element during adjustment of the adjusting element. In the case of a deflection of the adjusting element from its first position into its second position, the adjusting element acts with its guide section on the guide element of the slider element in order to adjust the slider element from the starting position towards the release position.

The guide element slides along the guide section during the deflection of the actuating element, and the deflection movement of the actuating element can be converted into a displacement movement of the slider element by means of the shape of the guide section and can be defined in a desired manner.

In one embodiment, the adjusting element has at least one snap-in opening, with which the at least one guide element snaps together in the second position of the adjusting element. In the second position, the adjusting element is then snapped together with the slider element by snapping the guide element of the slider element into the snap-in opening of the adjusting element, so that the adjusting element is held in a position relative to the slider element and the contact element. Only by the guide element no longer being snapped into the snap-in opening of the adjusting element can this snap-in be released, so that the adjusting element is deflected back and the slider element is reset to the starting position.

In one embodiment, the slider element has at least one lateral edge which is guided on a guide rail of the contact element or on a housing which accommodates the contact element. In an advantageous embodiment, the slider element has two lateral edges which accommodate the contact element therebetween. Each side edge can be guided on a corresponding guide rail of the contact element, so that the slider element is guided in the (linear) direction of movement in the longitudinal direction of the contact element. In this way, the slider element can be moved over the contact element and guided relative to the contact element in cooperation with the spring element, for example.

The side edges are preferably guided on the contact elements outside the socket.

The lateral edges of the slider element can be connected, for example, by means of a handling section, so that the user acts on the slider element with a tool (e.g. a screwdriver) independently of the adjusting element. In this way, the slider element can be adjusted-independently of the adjusting element-by acting directly with the tool, wherein the adjusting element does not move together during the displacement movement of the slider element.

In one embodiment, the adjusting element is supported by at least one side edge on the contact element in a pivotable manner or on a housing of the connecting device enclosing the contact element. Preferably, the adjusting element has two lateral sides which accommodate the slider element therebetween, so that the adjusting element loops around the slider element on the outside.

In this case, a guide section is formed on each side of the adjusting element, which guide section interacts with a guide element on the corresponding side of the slide element in order to move the slide element from the starting position toward the release position when the adjusting element is deflected from the second position into the second position.

In one embodiment, the spring element embodied as a leg spring has a support leg, by means of which the spring element is supported on the contact element, in addition to a (clipped) spring leg for locking an electrical conductor inserted into the socket. The support leg is preferably curved relative to the spring leg, wherein the spring leg is resiliently deflectable relative to the support leg in order to remove the spring leg from the socket region and insert the electrical conductor into the socket. The spring leg is deflected by means of the elastic tensioning of the spring element, so that after the return of the adjusting element from the second position into the first position, the spring leg returns itself on the basis of the elastic stress of the spring element and the slide element is optionally moved from the release position into the starting position.

In the case of an electrical conductor which has been inserted into the socket, the electrical conductor is locked in the socket by the action of the spring legs and is pressed in such a way that it makes electrical contact with the contact element, so that electrical contact of the electrical conductor with the connecting device is achieved.

The one or more electrical conductors may be connected in various ways using a connection device of the type described above. The connecting device can also have a plurality of sockets, for example with a respective spring element, so that a plurality of electrical conductors can be connected to the connecting device.

Drawings

The basic idea of the invention is explained in detail below with reference to the embodiments shown in the drawings.

Wherein:

FIG. 1A is a perspective view of one embodiment of a linkage having a slider element in a starting position and an adjustment element in a first position;

FIG. 1B is a side view of the arrangement shown in FIG. 1A;

FIG. 2A is a perspective view of the linkage as the adjustment member is adjusted from the first position toward the second position to move the slider element from the starting position toward the release position;

FIG. 2B is a side view of the arrangement shown in FIG. 2A;

FIG. 3A is a perspective view of the coupling device with the adjustment member in a second position;

FIG. 3B is a side view of the arrangement shown in FIG. 3A;

FIG. 4A is a schematic cross-sectional view of a coupling device having an adjustment member in a first position and a slider member in a starting position; and

fig. 4B is a schematic cross-sectional view of the connecting device with the adjustment element in the second position and the slider element in the release position.

Detailed Description

Fig. 1A, 1B to 3A, 3B show an embodiment of a connecting device 1, which is used, for example, for connecting an electrical conductor 2 to an electrical apparatus, such as a switchgear cabinet or the like.

The connecting device 1 has a contact element 10, which is accommodated, for example, by a housing and which, as shown in the sectional views in fig. 4A, 4B, has a socket 102 into which the conductor 2 can be inserted with a (stripped) conductor end 20 in order to make electrical contact with the contact element 10. On the contact element 10, a spring element 11 is arranged, which is supported on the contact element 10 with a support limb 110, extends around the contact element section 103 and projects with a spring limb 111 embodied as a clamping limb into the region of the socket 102, so that a conductor 2 inserted into the socket 102 is locked and pressed against the wall section 101 of the contact element 10 in an electrically contacting manner.

In an alternative embodiment, the support leg 110 may not be provided.

The connecting device 1 has a slider element 13 which is movably arranged on the contact element 10, is guided in the direction of movement D on the guide rail 100 on the side of the contact element 10, and has an active section 133 which can be brought into active connection with the spring leg 111 in order to deflect the spring leg 111.

Alternatively, the slider element 13 can also be guided movably on a housing enclosing the contact element 10.

In the (at least partially) relaxed position, the spring leg 111 is in the position shown in fig. 4A, in which the spring leg 111 snaps into place in the region of the receptacle 102 and narrows the space within the receptacle 102. In the event that it is necessary to insert the electrical conductor 2 with the (stripped) conductor end 20 into the plug socket 102 in the plug-in direction E, the slider element 13 can be moved relative to the contact element 10 in a movement direction D parallel to the plug-in direction E, so that the actuating section 133 acts on the spring limb 111 in the plug socket 102 and deflects it from the relaxed position into the position shown in fig. 4B, in which the spring limb 111 is separated from the wall section 101 of the contact element 10, so that the space in the plug socket 102 is released. In this position, the conductor 2 can be easily inserted into the socket 102, wherein after insertion the slider element 13 can be reset so that the spring limb 111 bears against the conductor 2 and presses the (stripped) conductor end 20 of the conductor against the wall section 101 in the socket 102. This locks the conductor 2 inside the socket 102 and brings it into electrical contact with the wall section 101 of the contact element 10.

In the exemplary embodiment shown, the slider element 13 has two parallel sides 131, which are spaced apart from one another transversely to the direction of movement D and are each guided on a guide rail 100 which is located laterally to the contact element 10. The legs 131 are connected by an actuating section 130, from which an actuating section 133 projects into the region of the socket 102 (as shown in fig. 4A and 4B) and can be acted on by a user with the tool 3 in order to adjust the slider element 13 in the direction of movement D relative to the contact element 10 in order to act on the spring leg 111 of the spring element 10.

The connecting device 1 also has an adjusting element 12 in the form of a lever which is arranged on the contact element 10 so as to be pivotable about a pivot axis 120, with a lateral limb 122 which engages around the slider element 13 and is mounted on the contact element 10 so as to be pivotable about the pivot axis 120 via the lateral limb 122. The lateral edges 122 are connected by a connecting section 121, which is embodied as a handle section for manual grasping by a user.

In a further embodiment, the adjusting element 12 can also be mounted so as to be pivotable on a housing enclosing the contact element 10 and so as to be pivotable relative to the contact element 10.

The function of the adjusting element 12 is to actuate the slider element 13 without the tool 3. For this purpose, the adjusting element 12 can be pivoted about the pivot axis 120 from a first position (fig. 1A, 1B) into a second position (fig. 3A, 3B) in such a way that the side 122 of the adjusting element 12, together with the guide section 123 on the side 122, which is realized by a curved edge, acts on the side 131 of the slider element 13 in the form of a raised guide element 132, so that the slider element 13 is moved in the direction of movement D, as can be seen in the transition from fig. 1A, 1B into fig. 3A, 3B.

In fig. 1A, 1B, the slider element 13 is in the starting position with the spring element 12 (at least partially) relaxed (or slightly pretensioned) (see the view in fig. 4A). The adjusting element 12 is in a first undeflected position in which it is not in operative connection with the slider element 13.

In the case of a connection device 1 to which the conductor 2 is to be plugged, the user can manually act on the adjusting element 12 and deflect it in the deflection direction V (see fig. 2A, 2B) relative to the contact element 10, so that the side 122 of the adjusting element 12 abuts with the guide section 123 against the guide element 132 on the side 131 of the slider element 13, so that the slider element 13 is adjusted in the direction of movement D. In this way, the active section 133 of the slider element 13 acts on the spring leg 111 of the spring element 11, so that the spring leg 111 is deflected out of its relaxed position and separated from the wall section 101 of the contact element 10.

In the deflected second position of the adjusting element 12, which is shown in fig. 3A, 3B, the spring limb 111 is pivoted out as shown in the view in fig. 4B, so that the conductor 2 can be easily inserted into the socket 102 of the contact element 10. In this position, the slider element 13 is moved with the active section 133 into the receptacle 102, wherein in this position the adjusting element 12 snaps together with the slider element 13: the guide elements 132 on the side 131 of the slider element 13 snap into the snap-in openings 124 of the connecting guide sections 123 on the side 122 of the adjusting element 12, so that the adjusting element 12 is held in its position relative to the slider element 13 and relative to the contact element 10.

In this way, in the deflected position shown in fig. 3A, 3B, the adjusting element 12 is jammed, so that the slider element 13 is held in its position and the spring element 11 with its spring leg 111 is held in the deflected position.

In this way, after the deflected second position has been reached, the adjusting element 12 is fixed and the slider element 13 is blocked in its release position, so that the user can easily assemble the conductor 2 to the connecting device 1 without having to take great care to hold the slider element 13 in the release position.

In the case where the conductor 2 is fitted to the connecting device 1, the snap-fit can be released by: the slider element 13 is moved (slightly) relative to the adjusting element 12 in the movement direction D, for example by pressing the actuating section 130, so that the guide element 132 disengages from the snap-in opening 124 on the side 122 of the adjusting element 12, so that the adjusting element 12 is reset in the direction opposite the deflection direction V toward its first position. This resets the spring leg 111 towards the wall section 101 and against the conductor 2 inserted into the socket 102, thereby locking it in the socket 102 and in contact with the wall section 101.

In one embodiment, the adjusting element 12 can be spring-biased in its first position in order to be deflected back on its own.

In this way, in the connecting device 1, the slider element 13 can be actuated by (manually) adjusting the adjusting element 12 without using an (additional) tool 3, wherein the slider element 13 is held in its release position after the actuation by snapping on the adjusting element 12, without being easily reset, at least not by itself. This makes it easy to assemble the conductor 2 or to remove the conductor 2 assembled to the connecting device 1 from the jack 102.

As shown in fig. 1A, 1B, the slider element 13 can also be actuated by the tool 3 independently of the adjusting element 12, i.e. without the adjusting element 12 moving together. This makes it possible to move the slider element 13 relative to the contact element 10 in the direction of movement D without having to interact with the adjusting element 12. The coupling device 1 also enables manipulation with a tool 3.

The idea on which the invention is based is not limited to the embodiments described above, but in principle also entirely different types of embodiments can be implemented.

A connecting device of the type described herein can be used to connect electrical conductors to any electrical component, which can be, for example, an integral part of an electrical device, such as an industrial device.

The connecting device may also form a plurality of sockets into which a plurality of electrical conductors are inserted. These sockets can be assigned dedicated spring elements, which can be operated by means of dedicated slider elements and adjustment elements. A plurality of sockets can also be assigned a common spring element, which can be actuated by means of a slider element and an adjusting element.

Description of the reference numerals

1 connecting device

10 contact element

100 guide rail

101 wall section

102 socket

103 contact element segment

11 spring element

110, 111 spring leg

12 adjusting element

120 deflection axis

121 connecting section

122 side edge

123 guide section (leading edge)

124 are snapped into the opening

13 slider element

130 steering section

131 side edge

132 guide element (convex element)

133 action section

2 conducting wire

20 conductor terminal

3 tools

Direction of motion D

E direction of insertion

Direction of deflection V

Claims

1. A connecting device (1) for connecting electrical conductors (2), comprising a contact element (10) forming a socket (102) for inserting an electrical conductor (2); a spring element (11) arranged on the contact element (10), said spring element having a spring leg (111) for locking a conductor (2) inserted into the socket (102); and a slider element (13) which is movable relative to the contact element (10) and has an active section (133) for acting on the spring limb (111), wherein the spring limb (111) can be moved relative to the contact element (10) from a starting position into a release position by a movement of the slider element (13) in order to insert a conductor (2) into the socket (102) or to separate a conductor (2) inserted into the socket (102) from the socket (102), characterized by an adjusting element (12) which is deflectable relative to the contact element (10) about a deflection axis (120) and which can be deflected from a first position into a second position in order to move the slider element (13) from the starting position into the release position.

2. The connection device (1) according to claim 1, characterized in that the adjustment element (12) is jammed in the second position with respect to the contact element (10).

3. The connecting device (1) according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the adjusting element (12) has at least one guide section (123) and the slider element (13) has at least one guide element (132), wherein the guide section (123) is in operative connection with the at least one guide element (132) when the adjusting element (12) is deflected from the first position to the second position.

4. The connecting device (1) according to one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that the adjusting element (12) has at least one snap-in opening (124), with which the at least one guide element (132) snap-in engages in the second position of the adjusting element (12).

5. Connecting device (1) according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the slider element (13) has at least one side (131) which is guided on a guide rail (100) of the contact element (10) or of a housing enclosing the contact element (10).

6. Connection device (1) according to claim 5, characterized in that the guide rail (100) is arranged outside the socket (102) on the contact element (10).

7. Connection device (1) according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the slider element (13) has two lateral edges (131) which house the contact element (10) between them.

8. The connecting device (1) according to claim 7, characterised in that the slider element (13) has a handling section (130) by means of which the side edges (131) of the slider element (13) are connected and which is constructed to act on the slider element (13) using a tool (3).

9. Connection device (1) according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the adjusting element (12) has at least one lateral edge (122), by means of which the adjusting element (12) is supported pivotably on the contact element (10) or on a housing enclosing the contact element (10).

10. Connecting device (1) according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the adjusting element (12) has two lateral edges (122) which accommodate the slider element (13) between them.

11. Connecting device (1) according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the spring element (11) has a supporting limb (110) which is curved relative to the spring limb (111) and by means of which the spring element (11) is supported on the contact element (10).