CN111373606B

CN111373606B - Connecting device for connecting electric wires

Info

Publication number: CN111373606B
Application number: CN201880075339.4A
Authority: CN
Inventors: 科德·施塔克
Original assignee: Phoenix Contact GmbH and Co KG
Current assignee: Phoenix Contact GmbH and Co KG
Priority date: 2017-11-21
Filing date: 2018-11-09
Publication date: 2021-12-10
Anticipated expiration: 2038-11-09
Also published as: EP3714511B1; WO2019101546A1; EP3714511A1; CN111373606A; BE1025732A1; BE1025732B1

Abstract

A connecting device (1) for connecting electrical conductors (2) comprises a contact element (10) forming a socket (102), a spring element (11) arranged on the contact element (10), and an actuating element (13) which is movable relative to the contact element (10) and has an action section (133) for acting on a spring limb (111) of the spring element (11). Furthermore, an adjusting element (12) is provided, which can be adjusted from a first position into a second position in order to move an actuating element (13) for moving the spring leg (111) from a starting position into a release position, wherein the adjusting element (12) is latched in the second position relative to the contact element (10) and has a tripping section (125) which is suitable for interacting with the conductor (2) in order to release the latching of the adjusting element (12) during the insertion of the conductor (2) into the socket (102).

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 connecting means, also called spring terminals, are used for connecting electrical conductors. 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. An actuating element is movable relative to the contact element, the actuating element having an actuating section for actuating the spring leg. The actuating element serves to adjust the spring limb so as to insert or remove a conductor inserted into or from the socket. In this case, the spring limb is adjusted by moving the actuating element relative to the contact element, whereby the actuating element acts on the spring limb by means of an action section for moving the spring limb from the starting position into the release position, so that this spring limb is deflected and thus moves out of the region of the socket.

In conventional connecting devices of this type, the spring leg of the spring element can be adjusted by means of a tool acting on the actuating element. 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 actuable actuating element. The actuating element is suitable for acting on the spring element to plug the conductor, wherein the spring element locks the electrical conductor on the housing in an electrically contacting manner after plugging the conductor and after the slide is reset.

In the connection device disclosed in DE 202009007573U 1, an actuating element is provided, which is adjustable in order to adjust the spring leg of the spring element.

In the case of the electrical connector disclosed in DE 102006009074 a1, the contacts can be inserted into the sockets on the contact elements, which contact acts on a retaining arm, so that the retaining frame is released from the contact lug. If the holding frames are separated, the contact pieces bite in abutment with the contact pins, thereby making electrical contact with the contact pins.

In the case of the clip-on contact disclosed in DE 102010054679 a1, the spring leg of the spring element is held in a starting position on the base. If an electrical conductor is inserted into the socket of the pincer-like contact, the conductor acts on the trip lever and thus on the base, so that the spring legs are separated and the conductor is locked.

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 object defined above is the subject matter of the features of claim 1.

The connecting device has an actuating element which can be adjusted from a first position into a second position in order to move an actuating element for moving the spring leg from a starting position into a release position, wherein the actuating element is latched against the contact element in the second position and has a tripping section which is adapted to interact with the conductor in order to release the latching of the actuating element during the insertion of the conductor into the socket.

The coupling device therefore comprises an actuating element which is movable (e.g. displaceable) relative to the contact element, and also has an adjusting element which is movable (e.g. deflectable) relative to the contact element for actuating the actuating element. The actuating element for moving the spring leg can be moved from its starting position into a 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 or (in the case of a conductor inserted into the socket) removing a conductor from the socket.

In this way, the actuating element can be actuated in a user-friendly manner without the use of tools.

The adjusting element is snapped in its second position against the contact element. The adjusting element is held in its second position and thus acts on the actuating element, so that the spring leg of the spring element is locked in the release position. Thus, when the actuating element is in the second position, the spring limb is locked in the release position. This solution has the advantage that the adjusting element (in the case of being brought into the second position) and the actuating element cannot be reset easily, at least without releasing the catch. This holds the adjusting element and thus the actuating element in its position, so that the user simply inserts, for example, an electrical conductor into the socket of the contact element and thus electrically connects to the connecting device.

It is also possible to deliver the connecting device in a snap-in position, for example, so that the customer connects the electrical conductor to the connecting device easily.

The tripping section can simply remove the latching of the actuating element and thus the locking of the spring limb, by inserting the electrical conductor into the socket. During the insertion process, the electrical conductor acts with its conductor end on the tripping section and thereby releases the catch of the actuating element, so that the actuating element and the actuating element (assisted by the pretensioning action of the spring limb, which is deflected elastically in the release position) are reset and the spring limb is moved back toward its starting position.

The latching of the actuating element can be automatically released by interaction with the tripping section during the insertion of the electrical conductor, so that the connection device is automatically closed when the electrical conductor is inserted into the socket of the contact element. The user does not need to perform an additional process to close the connection device. The closing is performed automatically during the insertion of the electrical conductor.

The tripping section preferably projects into the region of the socket in the second position of the actuating element. If the electrical conductor is inserted into the socket, the electrical conductor abuts the tripping section and moves this tripping section, thereby moving the adjusting element out of the latching position.

In one embodiment, the catch of the actuating element in the second position is also established by the tripping section. For this purpose, the tripping section can have, for example, a latching lug, by means of which the tripping section and thus the actuating element can be latched in the second position. The tripping section and the locking of the adjusting element are released through the influence of the electrical conductor on the tripping section in the process of inserting the electrical conductor into the socket, so that the adjusting element and the operating element can be reset, and the spring leg can move towards the initial position.

For example, the latching flange can latch into an opening on a contact section of a contact element, which is adjacent to a spring limb of the spring element in the starting position, in the second position of the adjusting element. The tripping section can extend, for example, like a blade from a handle section of the actuating element and be formed fixedly, for example integrally, on the handle section. In this case, the latching lug can be formed on the end of the tripping section remote from the handle section. In the second position, the tripping section is moved by its catch lug toward the contact section of the contact element in such a way that the catch lug catches in an opening located on the contact section and thereby establishes the catch of the actuating element with the contact element. The tripping section extends in the socket, so that during the insertion of the electrical conductor it acts on the tripping section and releases the latching of the latching flange with the contact section.

Additionally or alternatively, the adjustment element may be a snap fit with the operating element in the second position. In this way, the actuating element, when in the second position, does not directly engage with the contact element, but is held in position at intervals by the actuating element. The adjusting element is locked in the second position by a catch with the actuating element and can only be adjusted from the second position back into the first position after the catch has been removed. In this case, the actuating element is also held in position by the catch with the actuating element, and the spring leg of the spring element is thereby held in the release position.

In one embodiment, the adjusting element has at least one guide section, which is formed, for example, by a curved guide edge on the adjusting element. The actuating element has a guide element, for example in the form of a projection element, which interacts with a guide section of the adjusting element during the adjustment of the adjusting element. In the case of an adjustment (e.g., 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 actuating element, so that the actuating element is adjusted from the starting position toward the release position.

The guide element slides along the guide section, for example during a deflection of the actuating element, and the shape of the guide section enables the movement of the actuating element to be converted into a movement of the actuating element and to 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 actuating element by snapping the guide element of the actuating element into the snap-in opening of the adjusting element, so that the adjusting element is held in a position relative to the actuating element and the contact element.

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 actuating 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.

In one embodiment, the tripping section can extend in the second position of the actuating element through an opening of the support leg into the region of the socket. The support limb therefore has an opening through which the tripping section of the actuating element can project into the region of the socket.

The tripping section therefore extends into the region of the receptacle of the contact element in the second position. In the first position, the tripping section is adjusted in such a way that it does not pass through the opening of the supporting leg but is arranged outside the socket.

Alternatively, the tripping section can also extend alongside the support limb and, for example, project through a side opening of the contact element into the region of the socket, with the adjusting element in the second position. In the case of an electrical conductor which is locked in the socket, the contact section, with which the electrical conductor rests by pressing the spring limb, for example forms the bottom of the contact element, while such a side opening can be formed in a side wall of the contact element which extends perpendicularly to the contact section, and in the case of the adjusting element in the second position the tripping section can pass through the side opening into the region of the socket, so that the electrical conductor can act on the tripping section when inserted into the socket.

In an advantageous embodiment, a ramp is formed on the tripping section, with which the electrical conductor strikes when it is inserted into the socket. The ramp extends obliquely to the insertion direction of the conductor into the socket, so that a force deflection is provided by the ramp for simple unlatching of the actuating element in the second position.

In an advantageous embodiment, the actuating element is movable relative to the contact element, for which purpose the actuating element is guided in a sliding manner on the contact element or on a housing enclosing the contact element. The actuating element can thereby be moved between different positions relative to the contact element in order to move the spring element, in particular from its starting position, in the direction of the release position, so that the electrical conductor can be inserted into the socket or the electrical conductor present in the socket can be separated from the socket.

In one embodiment, the actuating 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 actuating element has two lateral edges, wherein each lateral edge can be guided on a corresponding guide rail of the contact element, so that the actuating element is guided in the longitudinal direction in the (linear) direction of movement relative to the contact element. In this way, the actuating element can be moved over the contact element and guided relative to the contact element in cooperation with the spring element, for example.

The actuating element is, for example, movable relative to the contact element, while in an advantageous embodiment the adjusting element is pivotable relative to the contact element about a pivot axis. In this way, the actuating element can be deflected between its first position and its second position relative to the contact element in order to move the actuating element, wherein for this purpose the actuating element can be supported on the contact element in a deflectable manner or on a housing enclosing the contact 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 edges which accommodate the actuating element therebetween, so that the adjusting element loops around the actuating element on the outside.

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

The side edges may be connected by a handle section, for example. The tripping section can be arranged on this handle section and extend, for example (viewed along the deflection axis), between the lateral edges. The tripping section thus extends like a blade substantially parallel to the side edge and, in the second position of the actuating element, reaches the region of the socket of the contact element in order to interact with the electrical conductor when the socket is inserted.

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. 1 is a view of an embodiment of a connecting device in the form of a spring terminal, in a starting position of a spring element without the actuating element and the actuating element being actuated;

fig. 2 is a view of the coupling device with the adjusting element actuated and the actuating element correspondingly moved in order to displace the spring element from the starting position in the direction of the release position;

FIG. 3 is a longitudinal section through the arrangement in FIG. 1;

FIG. 4 is a longitudinal section through the arrangement in FIG. 2; and

fig. 5 is a view of another embodiment of a connection device.

Detailed Description

Fig. 1 to 4 show an exemplary embodiment of a connecting device 1, which is used, for example, for connecting an electrical conductor 2 to an electrical device, 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 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.

A spring element 11 is arranged on the contact element 10, which is fastened to the contact element 10 with a support limb 110 and for this purpose is supported on the end 104 of the contact element 10, and which in the starting position shown in fig. 1 and 3 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 into contact with the contact section 101 of the contact element 10 in an electrically contacting manner.

The connecting device 1 has an actuating element 13, which is arranged movably 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.

In addition or as an alternative, the actuating element 13 can also be guided in a movable manner on a housing 14 (which is shown in fig. 3 and 4 but is not shown in fig. 1 and 2 for the sake of clarity) which encloses the contact element 10.

In the (at least partially) relaxed position, the spring leg 111 is in the position shown in fig. 1 and 3, in which the spring leg 111 projects into the region of the socket 102 and narrows the space within the socket 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 actuating 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 a relaxed starting position into the release position shown in fig. 4, in which the spring limb 111 is separated from the contact 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 actuating 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 contact section 101 in the socket 102. This mechanically locks the conductor 2 inside the socket 102 and makes electrical contact with the contact section 101 of the contact element 10.

In the exemplary embodiment shown, the actuating 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 sides 131 are connected by an active section 133.

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, engages around the actuating element 13 with a lateral limb 122 and is mounted on the contact element 10 or on a housing 14 enclosing the contact element 10 so as to be pivotable about the pivot axis 120 via the lateral limb 122 (see fig. 3 and 4). The side edges 122 are connected by a handle section 121, which is embodied as a handle for manual grasping by a user.

The function of the adjusting element 12 is to actuate the actuating 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. 1 and 3) into a second position (fig. 2 and 4) 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 actuating element 13 in the form of a raised guide element 132, so that the actuating element 13 is moved in the direction of movement D, as can be seen in the transition from fig. 1 and 3 into fig. 2 and 4.

In fig. 1 and 3, the actuating element 13 is in the starting position with the spring element 12 (at least partially) relaxed (or slightly pretensioned). The actuating element 12 is in its undeflected first position, in which it is not in operative connection with the actuating element 13.

In the event that it is necessary to plug the conductor 2 into the connection device 1, the user can manually act on the handle section 121 of the actuating element 12 and deflect it in the deflection direction V relative to the contact element 10, so that the side 122 of the actuating element 12 with the guide section 123 abuts against the guide element 132 on the side 131 of the actuating element 13, so that the actuating element 13 is adjusted in the direction of movement D. In this way, the activation section 133 of the actuating element 13 acts on the spring leg 111 of the spring element 11, so that the spring leg 111 is deflected out of its starting position and separated from the contact section 101 of the contact element 10.

In the deflected second position of the adjusting element 12, which is shown in fig. 2 and 4, the spring limb 111 is pivoted out as shown in the view in fig. 4, so that the conductor 2 can be easily inserted into the socket 102 of the contact element 10. In this position, the actuating element 13 is moved with the actuating section 133 into the socket 102, wherein the adjusting element 12 is latched in this position such that the adjusting element 12 is held in its position relative to the actuating element 13 and thus relative to the contact element 10.

In the illustrated embodiment, the adjusting element 12 has a tripping section 125 in the form of a blade extending from the handle section 121, which blade is arranged between the lateral flanks 122, as viewed along the deflection axis 120. At the end remote from the handle section 121, the tripping section 125 carries a latching lug 126, which latches into the opening 103 in the contact section 101 in the second position of the actuating element 12, whereby the actuating element 12 latches with the contact element 10.

In the first position of the actuating element, the tripping section 125 extends outside the housing 14 (see fig. 3) and, in the second position of the actuating element 12, through an opening 141 in an upper wall section 140 of the housing 14 and also through the opening 112 of the support limb 110 supported on the contact element 10 into the region of the receptacle 102 inside the contact element 10 (see fig. 4). In the second position of the adjusting element 12, the tripping section 125 therefore passes through the socket 102 and snaps with the contact section 101 via the snap-in flange 126, so that the adjusting element 12 and the spring leg 111 of the actuating element 13 and the spring element 11 are held in their position, as shown in fig. 2 and 4.

In the case of a deflection of the adjusting element towards the release position in order to deflect the spring leg 111, the catch flange 126 dips into the opening 103 of the contact section 101 and catches on the contact section 101. In this way, after the deflected second position has been reached, the adjusting element 12 is fixed and the actuating element 13 is latched 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 actuating element 13 in the release position.

Wherein the retention force of the catch established by the catch flange 126 can be set by appropriately dimensioning and shaping the catch flange 126.

When the electrical conductor 2 is inserted in the insertion direction E into the plug socket 102 on the contact element 10, which plug socket is defined on the starting side by the insertion opening 142 in the insert of the housing 14 (see fig. 3 and 4), the electrical conductor 2 is guided with its (stripped) conductor end 20 into the plug socket 102, as shown in fig. 4, so that it interacts with the tripping section 125 which passes through the plug socket 102. By acting on the tripping section 125, the tripping section 125 can be automatically released by the latching of the latching lug 126 with the contact section 101, so that the actuating element 12 can be deflected from its second position (fig. 4) into its first position (fig. 3) and the actuating element 13 can also be reset by the spring effect of the spring leg 111. Thereby, the spring leg 111 is reset towards the contact section 101 and abuts against the conductor 2 inserted into the socket 102, thereby locking it in the socket 102 and contacting the contact section 101.

The actuating element 13 is reset as a result of the spring bias of the deflected spring leg 111, whereby the adjusting element 12 also resets itself after the snap-in is released.

In this way, in the connecting device 1, the actuating element 13 can be actuated by (manually) adjusting the adjusting element 12 without using an (additional) tool 3, wherein the actuating element 13 is held in its release position after the actuation by snapping on the adjusting element 12, without being easily reset, at least without the snapping being released. 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. The snap-in of the adjusting element 12 is also automatically cancelled when the electrical conductor 2 is inserted, whereby no additional work step is required to lock the electrical conductor 2 inside the contact element 10, which further simplifies the handling of the connection device 1.

In a further embodiment shown in fig. 5, the adjusting element 12 does not snap directly into the contact element 10 in its second position, but indirectly into the contact element 10 via the actuating element 13. As shown in fig. 5, the adjusting element 12 has a snap-in opening 124 in the form of a recess on each side 122 at the transition to the handle section 121, into which a guide element 132 on the corresponding side 131 of the actuating element 13 snaps when the adjusting element 12 is pivoted into the second position, so that the spring leg 111 of the spring element 11 is moved into its pivoted release position. By snapping the guide element 132 of the actuating element 13 into the snap-in opening 124 on the side 122 of the adjusting element 12, the adjusting element 12 is locked in its second position relative to the actuating element 13 and thus relative to the contact element 10, so that the adjusting element 12 and thus the actuating element 13 are held in the position that it has just occupied.

The actuating element 12 has a tripping section 125 which passes through a side opening 105 in the side wall of the contact element 10 and snaps into the receptacle 102 of the contact element 10 alongside the actuating element 13. As shown in fig. 5, when the electrical conductor 2 is inserted into the socket 102 in the insertion direction E, the conductor end 20 of the conductor 2 inserted into the socket 102 acts on the trip section 125. By acting on the tripping section 125, the actuating element 12 is deflected in the first position counter to the deflection direction V when the latching is released, so that the spring limb 111 of the spring element 11 automatically abuts in a locking manner against the conductor end 20.

In this exemplary embodiment, a ramp 127 is formed on the tripping section 125, which is inclined with respect to the insertion direction E and with which the conductor end 20 strikes when inserted into the socket 102. This allows a reliable actuation of the adjusting element 12 during the insertion of the electrical conductor 2.

Under the pressure acting on the tripping section 125, the engagement of the guide element 132 of the actuating element 13 in the latching opening 124 on the side 123 of the actuating element 12 can be released in the following manner: each guide element 132 on the side facing the snap-in opening 124 is convexly curved, and the corresponding snap-in opening 124 has a complementary concavely curved extent. Thus, under the effect of the pressure acting on the tripping section 125 in the insertion direction E, the guide element 132 can slide out of the snap-in opening 124, so that the snap-in between the actuating element 13 and the actuating element 12 is cancelled.

In addition, the exemplary embodiment in fig. 5 corresponds functionally to the exemplary embodiment described above in conjunction with fig. 1 to 4, in particular with regard to the actuation of the actuating element 13 by adjusting the actuating element 12, for which reference is made to what has been described above in connection with the exemplary embodiment in fig. 1 to 4.

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 actuated by means of dedicated actuating and adjusting elements. A plurality of sockets can also be assigned a common spring element, which can be actuated by means of an actuating element and an adjusting element.

Description of the reference numerals

1 connecting device

10 contact element

100 guide rail

101 contact section

102 socket

103 opening

104 end portion

105 side opening

11 spring element

110, 111 spring leg

112 opening

12 adjusting element

120 deflection axis

121 handle segment

122 side edge

123 guide section (leading edge)

124 are snapped into the opening

125 trip section

126 snap flange

127 ramp

13 operating element

131 side edge

132 guide element (convex element)

133 action section

14 casing

140 wall sections

141 opening

142 socket

2 conductor

20 conductor terminal

Direction of motion D

E direction of insertion

Direction of deflection V

Claims

1. A connecting device (1) for connecting electrical conductors (2) has a contact element (10) which forms a socket (102) for inserting an electrical conductor (2); and a spring element (11) arranged on the contact element (10), which has a spring limb (111) for locking a conductor (2) inserted into the socket (102); and an actuating element (13) which is movable relative to the contact element (10) and has an action 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 actuating element (13) in order to at least partially release a region of the socket (102), characterized by an adjusting element (12) which can be adjusted from a first position into a second position in order to move the actuating element (13) for moving the spring limb (111) from the starting position into the release position, wherein the adjusting element (12) is latched in the second position relative to the contact element (10) and has a tripping section (125) which is suitable for tripping the adjusting element (12) in order to trip it during the insertion of a conductor (2) into the socket (102) The conductors (2) interact with each other.

2. Connecting device (1) according to claim 1, characterized in that the tripping section (125) projects into the region of the socket (102) in the second position of the adjusting element (12).

3. Connecting device (1) according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the tripping section (125) has a snap-in flange (126) for snapping with the contact element (10) in the second position of the adjusting element (12).

4. Connection device (1) according to claim 3, characterized in that the snap-on flange (126) snaps into an opening (103) on a contact section (101) of the contact element (10) in the second position of the adjusting element (12), which contact element is adjacent to a spring limb (111) of the spring element (11) in the starting position.

5. Connection device (1) according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the adjusting element (12) is snapped with the operating element (13) in the second position.

6. The connecting device (1) according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the adjusting element (12) has at least one guide section (123) and the actuating 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 adjusted from the first position to the second position.

7. The connecting device (1) according to claim 6, characterised 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).

8. 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).

9. Connecting device (1) according to claim 8, characterized in that the tripping section (125) extends in the second position of the adjusting element (12) through the opening (112) of the support limb (110) into the region of the socket (102).

10. Connecting device (1) according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the tripping section (125) has a ramp (127) which is inclined relative to an insertion direction (E) in which a conductor (2) can be inserted into the socket (102), with the adjusting element (12) in the second position the conductor (2) colliding with the ramp when inserted into the socket (102).

11. A connecting device (1) according to one of the preceding claims, characterised in that the operating element (13) is movable relative to the contact element (10).

12. Connection device (1) according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the operating 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).

13. Connection device (1) according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the adjusting element (12) is deflectable relative to the contact element (10) about a deflection axis (120).

14. 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).

15. Connection device (1) according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the adjustment element (12) has two lateral edges (122) which accommodate the operating element (13) therebetween.

16. Connecting device (1) according to claim 15, characterized in that the tripping section (125) extends between the lateral edges (122) starting from a handle section (121) connecting the lateral edges (122).