EP0068925A1 - Connector terminal, especially for a transformer - Google Patents

Abstract

1. A connection terminal in particular for a transformer, of the kind comprising a support body (11) of insulating material, an active metal portion (14) for fitting to such a support body (11) and having a tongue portion (32) for soldering a connecting wire, insulating side portions (15) for separating said support body (11) from that of an adjacent connection terminal, and a cover (17) for fitting to the support body (11) to confine the volume in which the active metal portion (14) is disposed, characterised in that the support body is reduced to a base portion forming a lug, for engagement thereof on a strip (13), and to a plate portion (19) for supporting the active metal portion (14), the insulating side portions (15) belonging wholly just to the cover (17).

Description

The present invention relates generally to the connection terminals, and more particularly relates to those of these connection terminals which comprise a support body made of insulating material, an active part made of metal suitable for being attached to such a support body, side insulating cheeks suitable for separating said support body from that of a neighboring connection terminal, and a cover suitable for being attached to the support body to confine the volume in which said active metal part is implanted.

Such connection terminals are for example used for the equipment of transformers, and in particular of bare transformers intended to be fixed by a soleplate in any cabinet for electrical equipment.

Indeed, such transformers usually have, on each of two opposite faces, on the side opposite to their sole, a strip on which is adapted to be attached by engagement the support body of their connection terminals, such a support body having this effect a base forming an ear suitable for such congestion.

Although having given, and still being able to give satisfaction, at least for certain applications, connection terminals of the type concerned known to date have various drawbacks.

First of all, the lateral insulation cheeks, which are necessary to have, from a connection terminal to an adjacent connection terminal, a creepage distance of sufficient length to meet the standards in the matter, usually belong to it. support body.

It follows that they inevitably form a discomfort when it comes to soldering a connection wire to the active metal part, since they extend on either side of the tongue that this active part presents for such a weld and that they therefore limit access to this tab.

In addition, the tongue in question of the active metal part, which is not involved in the estimation of the line of flight, usually extends directly obliquely from of the sole of this active part in contact with which a conductor can be tightened by a screw, so that the lateral insulation cheeks framing this tongue, and therefore the whole of the connection terminal, project widely laterally on the transformer thus equipped.

In practice, the connection terminals of the type concerned known to date usually project more widely laterally than at height on such transformers.

If such a lateral projection of these connection terminals is relatively inconvenient when the fixing plate of the transformers concerned is itself relatively large, it is not the same when, for reasons of space, and in particular to reduce the influence of such transformers, their fixing base has only a reduced extent.

The connection terminals fitted to these transformers can then project out of the overall volume thereof, and thus be particularly sensitive to shocks and increase the overall size of the assembly.

Finally, in connection terminals of the kind concerned known to date, and taking into account the lateral projecting configuration of these with respect to the transformers which they equip, provision is not made, for connection of a conductor, an inlet passage, the latter being usually established on the front wall of the cover of such connection terminals.

The present invention generally relates to a connection terminal, in particular for a transformer, which does not have the disadvantages succinctly set out above.

More specifically, it relates to a connection terminal, in particular for a transformer, which is of the type comprising a support body made of insulating material, suitable for being attached to such a transformer, for example by engagement on a strip thereof. ci, an active part made of metal capable of being attached to such a support body, lateral insulating cheeks suitable for separating said support body from that of a neighboring connection terminal, and a cover suitable for being attached to the support body to confine the volume in which the active metal part is implanted, and which, according to a first aspect, is characterized in that the lateral insulation cheeks belong to the cover.

Thanks to such an arrangement, access to the tongue of the active metal part, for welding a connecting wire thereto, is very easy, this access not being hampered by the lateral insulation cheeks , since, according to the invention, these are no longer integral with the support body carrying this active metal part.

According to a second aspect, the connection terminal according to the invention is further characterized in that, between its support sole and the welding tab, this active metal part has an intermediate section, which preferably extends substantially perpendicular to said support sole.

It follows that the welding tab is offset downward relative to the support flange, and that, the conditions being equal, the obliquity of the welding tab vis-à-vis said sole d 'support can be significantly reduced compared to what it is-in the achievements of this type known to date.

This is all the more so as, according to a preferred embodiment, the intermediate section of the active part passes through a passage formed for this purpose in the support body, so that, the welding tab being thus separated from this support sole by a part of this support body, the welding of which it must be the object can be practiced without risk of any incidence on this support sole.

In practice, to thus authorize such a reduction in the obliquity of the welding tongue, the part in question of the support body, which forms a plate, and which extends in overhang from a base forming an ear suitable for the engagement of said support body on the strip of the transformer concerned, is, the conditions being equal, offset upwards relative to its position in the embodiments of this type known to date, this plate extending substantially according to the invention at least level with the upper part of the opening of said ear.

Thus, the welding tab of the active metal part easily finds its place between this plate and the corresponding cheek of the carcass of the underlying electrical circuit, without interference with this cheek.

By reducing the obliquity of the welding tab in the connection terminal according to the invention, it follows that the lateral projection formed by the latter is itself advantageously reduced, and that it is thus possible, while respecting the lines of flight to be ensured, keeping it within the limits of that of the cheeks of the carcass of the electrical circuit thereof.

It also follows that, typically, the projection formed by a connection terminal according to the invention with respect to the transformer which it equips extends more upwards than laterally, while being particularly compact and space-saving.

The installation of the connection terminal according to the invention is thereby facilitated, the environment upwards being usually less congested than laterally, in particular for adjacent transformers.

According to the invention, and according to a third aspect thereof, it takes advantage of this arrangement to provide the connection terminal with two input passages.

According to this third aspect, the connection terminal according to the invention is therefore further characterized in that, an inlet passage being provided in the usual manner on the front wall of the cover for access to the active metal part, another passage d entry is further provided for the same purpose on the rear wall of this cover.

The connection of a conductor can thus be made either from the front or from the rear, which gives the connection terminal according to the invention great flexibility of use.

• la figure 1 est, avec un arrachement local, une vue en perspective d'une borne de connexion suivant l'invention ;
• la figure 2 est une vue en plan du corps de support que comporte cette borne de connexion, suivant la flèche II de la figure 1 ;
• la figure 3 est une vue partielle en coupe transversale de ce corps de support, suivant la ligne III-III de la figure 1 ;
• la figure 4 est une vue en perspective, vue de l'arrière, du couvercle que comporte la borne de connexion suivant l'invention ;
• la figure 5 est une vue en perspective d'un transformateur équipé de bornes de connexion suivant l'invention ;
• la figure 6 est une vue en coupe transversale d'une des bornes de connexion équipant ainsi ce transformateur, suivant la ligne VI-VI de la figure 5.

The characteristics and advantages of the invention will also derive from the description which will follow, by way of example, with reference to the appended schematic drawings in which:

• Figure 1 is, with a local cutaway, a perspective view of a connection terminal according to the invention;
• Figure 2 is a plan view of the support body that includes this connection terminal, along arrow II of Figure 1;
• Figure 3 is a partial cross-sectional view of this support body, along the line III-III of Figure 1;
• Figure 4 is a perspective view, viewed from the rear, of the cover that comprises the connection terminal according to the invention;
• Figure 5 is a perspective view of a transformer equipped with connection terminals according to the invention;
• FIG. 6 is a cross-sectional view of one of the connection terminals thus equipping this transformer, along line VI-VI of FIG. 5.

As illustrated by these figures, and in a manner known per se, a connection terminal 10 according to the invention comprises, overall, a support body 11, which is made of insulating material, and which is suitable for being attached to any one apparatus to be fitted, and for example on a transformer 12, FIG. 5, by engagement on a strip 13 that such a transformer 12 has at its upper part, on one and / or the other of two opposite faces, an active part 14, which is made of metal, and which is suitable for being attached to such a support body 11, two lateral insulating cheeks 15, which are made of insulating material, and which, parallel to each other, are clean separating said support body 11 from that of a neighboring connection terminal 10, and a cover 17, which is made of insulating material, and which is capable of being attached to the support body 11 to confine the volume in which is implanted the active metal part 14.

The support body 11 comprises a base 18, forming an ear, for its engagement on a strip 13, and a plate 19, for support of the active metal part 14.

The opening 20 of the ear formed by the base 18 has, generally in cross section, a rectangular outline, like that of the strip 13.

However, in the embodiment shown, this opening 20 has, at its upper part, an upward extension 21.

Such an extension allows a substantially constant thickness of material to remain around the opening 20, which is favorable to good molding conditions for the support body 11.

In addition, by giving a greater extension to the rear wall 23 of the base 18 of this support body 11, it is favorable to a good elasticity thereof, and, thereby, to a good tightening of this body. support 11 on the strip 13 on which it must be engaged.

Preferably, and as shown, on at least one of the internal faces of its opening 20, the ear formed by the base 18 of the support body 11 has at least one projection 25.

In the embodiment shown, this projection 25, which is in the form of a rib running along the entire length of the base 18, is established on the internal face of the rear wall 23 thereof.

Anyway, it is advantageously of a nature, according to the invention, to compensate, in cooperation with the elasticity of the rear wall 23 that it affects, any thickness tolerances of the strip 13, due to the usual process of making such a strip 13 by rolling.

According to one aspect of the invention, the plate 19 of the support body 11 extends in overhang from the base 18 thereof.

According to the invention, the plate 19, which is substantially square with the base 18, extends substantially at least level with the upper part of the opening 20 of the ear formed by the base 18.

In the embodiment shown, it extends generally level with the upward extension 21 thereof.

For its lightening, and for other reasons which will appear below, this plate 19 comprises, in its central zone, a recess 27.

In a manner known per se, the active part 14 comprises, overall, a support sole 28, by which it is adapted to bear on the plate 19 of the support body 11, and with which are associated, for clamping any conductor to be connected, a clamping plate 29 and a clamping screw 30 capable of urging the latter towards the support plate 28, and an oblique welding tongue 32, by which it is adapted, by welding, to be connected to a wire belonging to the electrical circuit of transformer 12.

According to the invention, between its support base 28 and its welding tongue 32, the active metal part 14 further comprises an intermediate section 330

In the embodiment shown, this intermediate section 33 extends substantially perpendicular to the support sole 28 and passes through a passage 34 provided for this purpose in the plate 19 of the support body 11, said passage 34 forming an extension of the recess 27 of this plate 19.

As will be noted, the obliquity of the welding tongue 32, measured with respect to a perpendicular to the support flange 28, is relatively reduced.

It is in practice less than 30 °, and is for example between 10 and 20 °.

Laterally, the intermediate section 33 of the active metal part 14 has notches 36, which allow it to snap onto the plate 19 of the support body 11, the latter having, in a complementary manner, at the corresponding ends of its passage 34, opposite support shoulders 37 ₀

According to the invention, the lateral insulation cheeks 15 belong to the cover 17, and form an integral part of the latter, the assembly having come in one piece, by molding for example.

Overall, the cover 17 has a parallelepi contour pedic.

In addition to the two lateral insulation cheeks 15, which form the side walls, it has an upper wall 39, a front wall 40, and a rear wall 41.

In the upper wall 39 there is an opening 42, for access to the tightening screw 30 of the active metal part 14, and this opening 42 is extended internally by a well 43 forming, at its lower part, a clean housing 44 to make captive said clamping screw 30.

A groove 45 is, moreover, provided in hollow on the upper wall 39 of the cover 17, for fitting an identification label if desired.

On the front wall of the cover 40 there is an inlet passage 47, for access to the active metal part 14 and connection to the latter of any conductor 48.

According to the invention, such an inlet passage is also provided on the rear wall 41 of the cover 17.

In practice, this rear wall 41 is of a height less than that of the front wall 40, a notch 49 formed at its base.

Between the cover 17 and the support body 11, sliding engagement means are provided, which comprise at least one rib 51 projecting from any of the cover parts 17 - support body 11, for cooperation with a complementary groove 52 provided for this purpose on the other of these.

In the embodiment shown, two pairs of rib 51 and groove 52 are provided, which each extend respectively on two opposite faces of the cover 17 and of the support body 11.

In practice, in this embodiment, the ribs 51 are formed projecting from the lateral faces of the plate 19 of the support body 11, and, jointly, the corresponding grooves 52 are formed in hollow on the internal faces of the cheeks. insulation 15 forming the side walls of the cover 17, said grooves 52 and said ribs 51 extending substantially perpendicular to said plate 19.

Preferably, and as shown, between the cover 17 and the support body 11 are further provided interlocking means which comprise at least one lip 54 projecting from any of the parts cover 17 - support body 11 for cooperation with a complementary rebate 55 provided for this purpose on the other of these.

In the embodiment shown, such interlocking means are provided on two opposite faces of the cover 17 and of the support body 11, together with the preceding sliding engagement means.

In other words, these interlocking means and these sliding engagement means are jointly provided on at least one same face, and in practice on two same opposite faces of the cover 17 and of the support body 11.

In the embodiment shown, the lips 54 protrude rearward on the corresponding edge of the insulating cheeks 15 forming the side walls of the cover 17, and the associated rabbets 55 are formed laterally on the support body 11, between , on the one hand, the plate 19 thereof, and, on the other hand, flanges 56 extending parallel to the latter the edges of the associated base 18.

As will be noted, the bottom of the rebates 55 and the corresponding edge of the ribs 51 thus provided together on the lateral faces of the support body 11 form opposite parallel shoulders.

Finally, between the cover 17 and the support body 11 are provided latching means.

According to the invention, such latching means are provided not only on the front part of the support body 11, but also on the rear part thereof.

On the front part of the support body 11, they comprise a notch 58, which, projecting from the front edge of the plate 19 which this support body includes 11, is intended to cooperate by snap-fastening with a housing 59 provided for this purpose. on the front face 40 of the cover 17, below the opening 47 thereof.

On the rear part of the support body 11, the means latching provided according to the invention occur generally on the same faces of this support body 11 and the cover 17 as the sliding engagement means and the associated interlocking means.

It is, in the embodiment shown, two elastically deformable hooks 60, projecting from the cover 17, on the lower edge of the rear wall 41 thereof, for cooperation with retaining notches 61 provided for this purpose on the support body 11.

These retaining notches 61 are formed by the edges of openings 62 formed in a console 63 which has the support body 11 projecting from its base 18, at the upper part thereof, in the direction opposite to its plate 19, figure 3.

During assembly, the active metal part 14 is attached to the support body 11, by engagement of its intermediate section 33 in the passage 34 of the plate 19 thereof.

As will be understood, the recess 27 of this plate 19 allows such a positioning of the active metal part 14, on the one hand, by allowing the penetration of the clamping screw 30, and on the other hand by authorizing the passage of the welding tab 32.

Thus equipped with the active metal part 14, the support body 11 is attached, through the opening 20 of the ear formed by its base 18, to the strip 13 concerned of the transformer 12 to be fitted.

Of course, as a variant, the positioning of the active metal part 14 on the support body 11 can be done after the engagement of the latter on such a strip 13.

After welding with the tongue 32 of the active metal part 14 of the wire enabling it to be connected to the appropriate end of the electrical circuit of the transformer 12, the cover 17 is attached to the support body 11.

To do this, it is slidably engaged thereon, these grooves 52 coming into engagement with the ribs 51 of the plate 19 of this support body 11.

Together, the lips 54 of the cover 17 are engaged. gées in the rebates 55 of the support body 11.

As a result, the engagement of the cover 17 on the support body 11 is perfectly well guided and precise.

At the end of this engagement, and by elastic deformation, the tongue 58 of the support body 11 engages in the housing 59 provided for it in the cover 17, and jointly, the hooks 60 of the latter come into engagement with the notches retainer 6l provided for them on the support body 11.

There is therefore a snap-fastening of the cover 17 on the body 11 all the more firmly ensured that these snap-fastening means operate on two opposite faces of the cover 17 and of the support body 11, and that they are buttressed by the shoulders formed jointly by the sliding engagement means and the associated interlocking means specified above.

The connection terminal 10 according to the invention is therefore ready to be used.

As illustrated in FIG. 5, the connection of any conductor 48 to such a connection terminal can advantageously be made from the front or from the rear, by the inlet passages 47 and 49 provided for this purpose. effect on the cover 17, as specified above.

Of course, the present invention is not however limited to the embodiment described and shown, but encompasses any variant.

In particular, ribs and grooves, on the one hand, and tongues and rebates, on the other hand, can be inverted from the support body to the cover, and vice versa, and / or the sliding engagement means and the interlocking means. concerned have another embodiment than that more particularly described and represented.

Claims (18)

1. Connection terminal, in particular for transformer, of the kind comprising a support body (11) made of insulating material, suitable for being attached to such a transformer (12), for example by engagement on a strip (13) thereof , an active metal part (14) suitable for being attached to such a support body (11), lateral insulation cheeks (15) suitable for separating said support body (11) from that of a connection terminal neighbor, and a cover (17) suitable for being attached to the support body (11) to confine the volume in which the active metal part (14) is implanted, characterized in that the lateral insulating cheeks (15) belong to the cover (17). 2. Connection terminal according to claim 1, characterized in that, between the cover (17) and the support body (11), sliding engagement means are provided. 3. Connection terminal according to claim 2, characterized in that said sliding engagement means comprise, at least one rib (51) projecting from any of the cover parts (17) - support body (11) for cooperation with a complementary groove (52) provided for this purpose on the other of these. 4. Connection terminal according to claim 3, wherein the support body (11) has a plate (19) for supporting the active metal part (14), characterized in that said rib (51) and said groove (52 ) extend substantially perpendicular to said plate. 5. Connection terminal according to any one of claims 1 to 4, characterized in that, between the cover (17) and the support body (11), are further provided interlocking means which comprise at least one lip (54) projecting from any of the parts cover (17) - support body (11) for cooperation with a complementary rebate (55) provided for this purpose on the other of these. 6. Connection terminal according to claims 2 and 5, taken together, characterized in that the sliding engagement means and the interlocking means are jointly provided on at least one same face of the cover (17) and the support body (11). 7. Connection terminal according to claim 6, characterized in that the sliding engagement means and the interlocking means are jointly provided on two opposite faces of the cover (17) and the support body (ll). 8. Connection terminal according to any one of claims 1, 2, in which latching means are provided between the cover (17) and the support body (11), characterized in that such latching means are provided not only on the front part of the support body (11), but also on the rear part thereof. 9. Connection terminal according to claims 7 and 8, taken together, characterized in that the latching means provided on the rear part of the support body (11) intervene generally on the same faces of this support body (11) and the cover (17) as the sliding engagement means and the associated interlocking means. 10. Connection terminal according to any one of claims 8, 9, characterized in that the latching means provided on the rear part of the support body (11) comprise at least one elastically deformable hook (60) projecting from the cover (17) for cooperation with a retaining notch (61) provided for this purpose on said support body (11). 11. Connection terminal according to any one of claims 1 to 10, in which an inlet passage (47) is provided on the front wall (40) of the cover (17) for access to the active metal part (14 ), characterized in that an inlet passage (49) is further provided on the rear wall (41) of said cover (17). 12. Connection terminal according to any one of claims 1 to 11, in which the support body (11) comprises a base (18) forming an ear for its engagement on a strip (13) and a plate (19) for support of the active metal part (14), characterized in that said active part (14) extends substantially at least level with the upper part of the opening (20) of said ear. 13. Connection terminal according to any one of claims 1 to 12, in which the support body (11) comprises a base (18) forming an ear for its engagement on a strip (13), characterized in that, at its upper part, the opening (20) of said ear has an upward extension (21) 14. Connection terminal according to any one of claims 1 to 13, in which the support body (11) comprises a base (18) forming an ear for its engagement on a strip (13), characterized in that on the at least one of its internal faces, said ear has at least one projection (25). 15. Connection terminal according to any one of claims 1 to 14, wherein the support body (11) comprises a base (18) forming an ear for its engagement on a strip (13) and a plate (19) for support of the active metal part (14), characterized in that said plate (19) extends in overhang. from said base (18). 16. Connection terminal according to any one of claims 1 to 15, in which the active metal part (14) comprises a sole (28) for bearing on the support body (11) and a tongue (32) for welding a connecting wire, characterized in that, between said sole (28) and said tongue (32 ), the active metal part (14) comprises an intermediate section (33), which, for example, extends substantially perpendicular to said sole (28). 17. Connection terminal according to claim 16, characterized in that said intermediate section (33) of the active metal part (14) passes through a passage (34) formed for this purpose in the support body (11).

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