EP0382999B1

EP0382999B1 - Terminal block with cable clamp means in particular household appliances

Info

Publication number: EP0382999B1
Application number: EP19890830142
Authority: EP
Inventors: Giordano Pizzi
Original assignee: Elettro Gibi SpA
Current assignee: Elettro Gibi SpA
Priority date: 1989-02-16
Filing date: 1989-03-31
Publication date: 1994-01-26
Anticipated expiration: 2009-03-31
Also published as: EP0382999A2; EP0382999A3; ES2049842T3; IT8920585V0; IT215601Z2; DE68912761T2; DE68912761D1

Description

The present invention relates to a terminal block,including cable clamping means,which can be particularly applied to electrical household appliances and further comprises a housing for receiving an anti-noise filter.
As is known,a presently very felt problem in making household electric appliances in general such as,for example,washing machines and the like is that of quickly and easily coupling the appliance to the electrical system and suppress,as far as possible,electrical noises.
According to a known prior technique the anti-noise filter is coupled to the electric system and arranged within the appliance casing.
Such a coupling, on the other hand,is rather difficult and,as a failure occurs,one must access the inside of said casing in order to replace the terminal block.
The document US-A-4 575 595 discloses a terminal block having substantially the features of the pre-characterizing position of the main claim.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Accordingly,the task of the present invention is to overcome the above mentioned drawbacks by providing such a terminal block comprising a cable clamping means and affording the possibility of pre-wiring the power supply wires before coupling the power cable to the appliance.
Within the scope of this task,a main object of the present invention is to provide such a terminal block which can be quickly and easily applied to the appliance,in a very safety protected way.
Another object of the present invention is to provide such a terminal block which is provided with an antinoise filter housing adapted to directly receive an easily and quickly assemblable anti noise filter unit.
Yet another object of the present invention is to provide such a terminal block which can be easily constructed,at a comparatively low cost,starting from easily commercially available elements and materials.
According to one aspect of the present invention,the above mentioned task and objects,as well as yet other objects,which will become more apparent hereinafter,are achieved by a terminal block as claimed in claim 1.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Further characteristics and advantages of the present invention will become more apparent from the following detailed description of a terminal block with cable clamping means, for electrical household appliances in general,which is illustrated, by way of an indicative but not limitative example,in the figures of the accompanying drawings,in which:

figure 1 is a schematic perspective view illustrating the terminal block according to the present invention,as seen from the side thereof provided for being arranged on the outside of an electric appliance;
figure 2 is another perspective view illustrating the subject terminal block and the opening made therefor through the casing of the appliance;
figure 3 is a schematic cross-sectional view illustrating an operating assembling step for introducing the subject terminal block into the casing of the appliance;
and
figure 4 is a further cross-sectional view of the subject terminal block applied to the electrical appliance.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

With reference to the figures of the accompanying drawings,the terminal block with cable clamping means, for application to electrical household appliances according to the present invention,which has been overally indicated at the reference number 1,comprises a supporting body 2 which is made of an insulating plastics material and is provided with a plurality of multiple blade or reed electrical terminal seats 3 said terminals being separated from one another by means of separating members 4.
In particular,the electrical terminals 3 are coupled,by means of known coupling screws,to the wires of a power supply cable,overally indicated at 5,and provided for coupling to the electrical system.
As shown,the supporting body 2 extends from a plate like member,indicated overally at the reference number 10,which is provided with a throughgoing hole 11 therethrough said cable 5 is caused to pass.
Moreover there is provided a cable clamping means,consisting substantially of a wedge shaped element 12 provided with a slanted surface 13 cooperating with a corresponding slanted surface 14 converging toward the hole or opening 11.
As shown,the cable is affixed by means of a locking screw 15 engaging in an elongated slot 16 formed on the wedge shaped element 12,which screw is screwed in a threaded seat 17 formed at the slanted surface 14.
From the above disclosure it should be apparent that as the screw 14 is screwed on after having introduced the power supply cable,said screw will cause the wedge shaped element to slide thereby locking the power supply cable 5 against the end wall delimiting the hole 11.
In this connection it should be pointed out that a main feature of the present invention is that on the supporting body 2,on the opposite side to the plate like element 10,there is provided a seat 20 therein an antinoise filter 21 can be housed, said filter being removably held in said seat or housing and being prewired to the several terminals or contacts of the terminal block 2, before application to the appliance.
More specifically,said antinoise filter 21 is provided with three or more connectors 22 respectively engaging with the two live terminals and ground terminal to which there are correspondingly coupled the wires of the power supply cable 5.
In particular,after having coupled the connectors 22 and the wires of the cable 5,the supporting body can be introduced into the casing 30 of the appliance,through an opening 31 so designed and arranged as to be closed by said plate element 10 which,to that end,is provided with a small resilient coupling tooth member 32 adapted to provide a stable coupling.
Moreover,in order to improve the mechanical coupling and provide the ground or earth connection, the terminal 3,relating to the ground wire,is provided with one or more foot members 33 adapted to abut against either the inner or the outer surface of the appliance casing 30,depending on the terminal block type,and being provided with a throughgoing hole 34 therein there are formed enamel breaking tooth members and therein one or more ground coupling screws 35 can be engaged passing through or engaging in a hole 36 formed on the casing 30.
Thus,in addition to providing a mechanical type of clamping of the terminal block to the appliance casing,there is simultaneously provided the ground coupling of said casing.
From the above disclosure it should be apparent that the invention fully achieves the intended task and objects.
In particular the fact is to be pointed out that there has been provided a terminal block which can be applied,after having prewired the wires of the anti noise filter and power supply cable,directly to the appliance casing,in a very quick and simple way.
Moreover,since the subject terminal board comprises multiple contact terminals,the driving assemblies included in the electrical appliance can be quickly and easily electrically connected.
Another main feature of the present invention is that the terminals,though they are prewired before assembling the terminal block to the appliance casing,are housed inside said casing and thus are prefectly protected against any possible damages.

Claims

A terminal block with cable clamping means for electrical household appliances, comprising a supporting body (2) supporting a plurality of electrical terminals (3), and prewired power supply wires, characterized in that on said supporting body there are provided an anti-noise filter (21) and anti-noise filter connecting wires, and that said supporting body (2) extends from a plate-like element (10) having a hole (11) therethrough a power supply cable (5) extends, a power supply cable (5) clamping wedge element (12) being moreover provided including a slanted surface (13) cooperating with a further slanted surface (14) converging toward said hole (11), said cable being clamped by a locking screw (15) engaged in an elongated slot (16) formed on said wedge element (12), said screw being engaged in a threaded seat (17) formed on said further slanted surface (14), and that on said supporting body (2), on a side thereof opposite to said plate like element (10),there is provided a seat (20) therein said anti-noise filter (21) can be removably engaged said anti-noise filter (21) being prewired to set terminals of said terminal block (3) before application to said appliance.
A terminal block according to Claim 1 characterized in that said anti-noise filter (21) is provided with at least three connectors (22) engaging with two live terminals and a ground terminal to which wires of said cable (5) are connected.
A terminal block according to Claims 1 and 2, characterized in that said plate-like element (10) is provided with a resilient tooth member (32) for resiliently removably coupling said plate like element (10) to said opening (31) of said appliance casing (30).
A terminal block according to one or more of the preceding claims, characterized in that one of said electrical terminals (3) comprises at least a foot member (33) to be abutted against said appliance casing (30), said foot member (33) including a hole therein there are formed enamel braking tooth members and in which at least a coupling screw (35) can be engaged so as to pass through a further hole (36) formed in said casing (30).