EP0734095A1 - Assemblage de connecteur électrique, connecteurs de prolongement et système d'alimentation d'énergie électrique - Google Patents

Assemblage de connecteur électrique, connecteurs de prolongement et système d'alimentation d'énergie électrique Download PDF

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Publication number
EP0734095A1
EP0734095A1 EP96610008A EP96610008A EP0734095A1 EP 0734095 A1 EP0734095 A1 EP 0734095A1 EP 96610008 A EP96610008 A EP 96610008A EP 96610008 A EP96610008 A EP 96610008A EP 0734095 A1 EP0734095 A1 EP 0734095A1
Authority
EP
European Patent Office
Prior art keywords
cable
countermember
connector
extension
head
Prior art date
Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
Withdrawn
Application number
EP96610008A
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German (de)
English (en)
Inventor
Egon Borgesen
Current Assignee (The listed assignees may be inaccurate. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation or warranty as to the accuracy of the list.)
LK AS
Original Assignee
LK AS
Priority date (The priority date is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the date listed.)
Filing date
Publication date
Application filed by LK AS filed Critical LK AS
Publication of EP0734095A1 publication Critical patent/EP0734095A1/fr
Withdrawn legal-status Critical Current

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Classifications

    • H—ELECTRICITY
    • H01—ELECTRIC ELEMENTS
    • H01R—ELECTRICALLY-CONDUCTIVE CONNECTIONS; STRUCTURAL ASSOCIATIONS OF A PLURALITY OF MUTUALLY-INSULATED ELECTRICAL CONNECTING ELEMENTS; COUPLING DEVICES; CURRENT COLLECTORS
    • H01R9/00—Structural associations of a plurality of mutually-insulated electrical connecting elements, e.g. terminal strips or terminal blocks; Terminals or binding posts mounted upon a base or in a case; Bases therefor
    • H01R9/03—Connectors arranged to contact a plurality of the conductors of a multiconductor cable, e.g. tapping connections
    • H01R9/031—Connectors arranged to contact a plurality of the conductors of a multiconductor cable, e.g. tapping connections for multiphase cables, e.g. with contact members penetrating insulation of a plurality of conductors
    • H—ELECTRICITY
    • H01—ELECTRIC ELEMENTS
    • H01R—ELECTRICALLY-CONDUCTIVE CONNECTIONS; STRUCTURAL ASSOCIATIONS OF A PLURALITY OF MUTUALLY-INSULATED ELECTRICAL CONNECTING ELEMENTS; COUPLING DEVICES; CURRENT COLLECTORS
    • H01R4/00—Electrically-conductive connections between two or more conductive members in direct contact, i.e. touching one another; Means for effecting or maintaining such contact; Electrically-conductive connections having two or more spaced connecting locations for conductors and using contact members penetrating insulation
    • H01R4/24—Connections using contact members penetrating or cutting insulation or cable strands
    • H01R4/2416—Connections using contact members penetrating or cutting insulation or cable strands the contact members having insulation-cutting edges, e.g. of tuning fork type
    • H01R4/242—Connections using contact members penetrating or cutting insulation or cable strands the contact members having insulation-cutting edges, e.g. of tuning fork type the contact members being plates having a single slot
    • H01R4/2425—Flat plates, e.g. multi-layered flat plates
    • H01R4/2429—Flat plates, e.g. multi-layered flat plates mounted in an insulating base

Definitions

  • the present invention relates to a connector assembly comprising an extension connector and an electric connector means for use in electric power-installations in buildings, especially in offices and private premises, said connector assembly comprising a first part and a second part adapted to engage one another in a mechanically detachable and electrically interruptible manner, where said first part is adapted to be fastened to the outer jacket of a cable end and comprises traction relief means ensuring a reliable fixing of the jacket of the cable end in the first part, and where the conducting ends of the cable end jacket extend substantially parallel to and in a supported and fixed manner inside the first part, and where said second part comprises connecting means, such as prongs, receivable in mating openings in said first part.
  • the invention relates furthermore to an extension connector for a cable, especially for use in a connector assembly of the above type, as well as a mating countermember and a coupling device for coupling two electrical articles together. Moreover, the invention relates to a system for supplying electric power. In this context "supply" means the distribution of electric power inside a building.
  • extension connectors are known which can be coupled to mains plugs as well as to plugs on electrical articles or apparatuses.
  • cables and conductors must be terminated in a suitable manner in order to be connectable to electrical gadgets.
  • stripped conducting ends are mounted in an extension socket or receptacles in clamps connected to spring contacts.
  • spring contacts can receive plug prongs or pins, and all the parts are fixed in substantially the same plane by means of two halves which also enclose and insulate the conducting parts.
  • EP-A2-0,489,549 shows an electrical wire connector comprising a female insulating housing receiving a male insulating housing.
  • the female housing has anchored therein a plurality of electrical terminals each having a wire receiving part comprising a pair of arms connected by a bight and defining a wire receiving slot between upper parts of the arms.
  • the male housing has a row of wire receiving passageways each intersecting a slot in the male housing, said slot receiving the wire receiving part of a respective terminal, when the male housing has been fully inserted into the female housing.
  • the known wire connector is intended for installation inside an apparatus, e.g. a TV set, wherein a technician may separate the wire connector in order to disconnect a circuit for replacement of a defect circuit. When the known wire connector is disconnected the male housing is no longer securely fastened to the cable wires.
  • the male housing does not form a reliable cable termination suitable for use in electrical installations for the supply of electrical power in offices and private premises.
  • DE-A1-3 203 651 shows a connector and circuit board for terminating and connecting round cables as well as flat cable.
  • GB-A-2 229 588 shows a cable plug for connection to cable conductors by inserting the isolated conductors through openings in a plug body, and afterwards pressing fastening means downwards from the top surface in order to force each conductor into a slot in a plate means connected with a prong.
  • GB-A-2 085 241 shows an electrical receptacle comprising an insulating receptacle body having first and second spaced prong receiving slots; first an second conductor wires, each having a bare unisolated portion and being substantially longer than any dimensions of said body; and means formed in said receptacle body for receiving and mounting the first and second conductor wire bare portions so each intersects a respective prong receiving slot to be directly engaged by an electrical plug prong received in a respective prong receiving slot.
  • GB-A-2 203 603 shows a plug having three prongs, a bottom part and a cover.
  • the bottom part has three separate channels each receiving an insulated conductor.
  • nails or projections in electrically conducting material pierce through the insulation of the conductors and ensure electrical contact.
  • DE-A1-2,736,244 shows a multiconnector for a flat cable, and having a housing moulded in electrical insulating material comprising a multiplum of through passing channels each receiving a terminal forming a wire receiving end.
  • EP-PS No. -A2-0,630,071 describes a wire connecting means of thin metal plate.
  • the metal plate can be inserted in a connector housing shaped with slots allowing the insertion of conductors which can be pressed into resilient slots provided for this purpose in the wire connecting means.
  • these connectors can be retained by means of a correspondingly shaped cover which simultaneously closes the connector housing.
  • the present invention does not relate to cable connectors for low-power cables, but to a connector assembly for heavy-power cables.
  • Extension means Heavy-power cables are usually terminated by a termination or an extension means.
  • a large number of differing types of extension means are known, where the means have been shaped so as to comply with the standards applying, and where the means must be mounted in situ when the cable has been laid to the location marked for installation of an outlet socket.
  • extension means is in the present description a supply point, such as a receptacle or a wall outlet allowing supply of line current.
  • the object of the present invention is to provide a connector assembly, and especially a cable connector adapted to form a reliable, protecting, insulating heavy-current cable termination, which in a simple and reliable manner is connectable to an electrical article with a mating, i.e. complementary connector, and where the connector means furthermore is inexpensive to manufacture in high quantities and easy to mount on a cable end.
  • a connector assembly of the above type is according to the invention characterised in that the first part is formed as a cable termination and is completely closed in extension of the conductor ends, and that the openings are channels extending substantially perpendicular to the fixed conductor ends, said channels of the first part not per se comprising electrically conducting contact means, and where the second part forms a countermember with connecting means adapted to penetrate into the channels in the cable termination, and that each connecting means is provided with resilient contact members adapted to receive a solid conductor end, and where the countermember comprises a hollow shell-shaped part adapted to receive the cable termination while the connecting means slide into the channels.
  • the connector assembly according to the invention and accordingly the cable termination with countermember facilitate the cable termination and present a flexible solution making it easy to connect the cable to different electrical articles.
  • a termination is obtained which can be carried out by a highly automatic processing in a factory on predetermined lengths of cables, and which accordingly later on at the site allows a very quick and easy installation of the already terminated cable.
  • the associated countermember can be provided on various electrical articles replaceable when necessary, this type of installation is very flexible.
  • the cable termination comprises preferably a "head" of a specific shape
  • the countermember comprises a shell surrounding a cavity adapted to receive the "head" of the cable termination, where the shell of the countermember is of a shape complementary to the specific shape of the head with the result that the specific shape of said head co-operates with the shape of the countermember and thereby provides a traction relief against traction in the cable away from said countermember.
  • the cable end is preferably freed of the outer cable jacket inside the first part.
  • each channel is of a depth substantially preventing an unintended contact with the stripped conductors.
  • the cable is preferably of the type with solid conductors, and the solid conductor ends are stripped and placed in a supporting manner in notches adapted thereto, each bare solid conductor passing transversely through an associated channel.
  • the cable can be round or flat.
  • the cable termination may comprise two semi-shells of an insulating material, such as plastic, and together the two semi--shells form preferably "head" of the specific shape.
  • FIG. 1 to 5 of a connector assembly according to the invention with a cable termination, below called a cable connector 10 is intended for a round three--conductor cable 20.
  • This embodiment comprises two connector halves or semishells 14 and 24, which together form a closed connector body of insulating material enclosing the cable end.
  • the connector body comprises a "head", which is hexagonal in the preferred embodiment, and which ends in a narrow neck 15, 25 via a wide neck or transition portion 35.
  • the "head” is preferably shaped as a hexagonal polygon.
  • the polygon is symmetrical around an axis coinciding with the central axis of the cable.
  • the polygon comprises a long side coinciding with the supporting walls 19, 29 and being perpendicular to the cable conductors, and two short sides 11, 11 a being perpendicular to said supporting walls 19, 29 and abutting the long side.
  • the polygon comprises two inclining short sides 12, 12 a , forming an obtuse angle with their respective short sides 11, 11 a .
  • the two inclining short sides 12, 12 a are interconnected by a short side 13 parallel to the long side.
  • the long side comprises the supporting walls 19, 29, and is used for the laying of the conductors 21, 22, 23 of the cable. These conductors are laid at a mutual distance side by side inside a broad neck 35 forming a transition between the "head" and the narrow neck 15, 25 sealingly surrounding the jacket of the cable 20.
  • the importance of this particular type of head of the cable connector appears from the following description of the countermember.
  • the other connector half 24 is preferably provided with projections 37 on its supporting walls 26, 27, 28, 29, said projections assisting in fixing the conductor ends 21, 22, 23, when the other connector half 24 is placed atop of the first connector half 14.
  • the connector halves are preferably provided with supporting walls, but it is within the scope of the invention to use supporting walls shaped in another manner for the cable ends.
  • one or both connector halves may be solid and merely provided with recesses for receiving the conductor ends, or said connector halves may be cast or filled with another carrying and electrically insulating filler.
  • the countermember 30 can be provided on electrical articles of almost any type which is to be connected to an electricity supply.
  • a typical example of such an electrical article is a row or array of outlet sockets for conventional mains plugs.
  • the countermember 30 comprises a shell or frame 50 of an insulating material and shaped so as to be substantially complementary to the outer shape of the "head" on the cable connector 10.
  • Connecting means may be embedded in the shell 50 and are preferably in form of plate members punched out of a well conducting material, preferably of a resilient type shaped with upwardly bent contact members 51 which appear from Figure 1.
  • FIG. 7 An example of a preferred embodiment of a connecting means is shown in Figure 7.
  • An open slot 54 is provided between the upwardly bent contact members 51.
  • This slot 54 is shaped with a width of a size mating the diameter of the solid conductor in the terminated cable in such a manner that the contact members tightly surrounds said conductor.
  • Small recesses or notches 58 can be provided in the sides of the slots of the contact member, said recesses or notches assisting in maintaining the engagement of the conductor end and the connecting means.
  • the connecting means are furthermore dimensioned so as to be allowed to pass through their respective channels or slot-shaped openings 31, 32, 33 of one connector half 14, 24.
  • the ends of the connecting means may furthermore be shaped with closed slots 55, which can assist in providing the connecting means 51 with a resilience, and thereby allow the open slot 54 to receive the conductor end with ease.
  • the connecting means can establish a contact to the cable ends 21, 22, 23 inside the cable connector when said cable connector is pressed downwards into the shell of the countermember.
  • the cable connector and the countermember are preferably shaped so as to form part of a mutually "locking" and traction relieving engagement.
  • said head cannot be pulled out of the engagement by a pull in the longitudinal direction of the cable, and the pull does not interfere with the contact between the conductor end and the connecting means.
  • the above is implemented by the countermember substantially surrounding the head by its shell 50.
  • the countermember comprises stop walls 39 extending substantially perpendicular to the central axis of the cable and forming an abutment for shoulders 38 at the transition of the head to a neck, i.e. the long side or the supporting walls 19, 29. In this manner the countermember can absorb a pull in the cable away from the shell and thereby retain the head inside the shell.
  • the connecting means 51 are relieved.
  • the cable connector 114 is shaped so as to receive a flat cable 120 with conductors 121, 122, 123.
  • the only change relative to the embodiment of Figures 1 to 5 for a round cable is that the neck 125 has been substantially adapted to the outer shape of the flat cable in such a manner that said neck 125 substantially fits tightly around the outer surface of the flat cable 120 which is consequently fixed.
  • Means, such as conical projections 137, can be provided for retaining the jacket of the cable, said projections being pressed into the cable jacket when the assembly is completely mounted on the cable end.
  • the cable connector is adapted to a three-conductor cable, but it is obvious that a similar connector can be adapted to heavy-current cables with two, four or five conductors.
  • a coupling device cf. Figure 9
  • This double connector is formed by two substantially identical "heads". These "heads" comprise preferably two semishells, only one 214 being shown. Each semishell may be of a shape mating two semishells 14 symmetrically assembled and preferably cast in one piece.
  • the double connector is on the inside provided with three conductors 221, 222, 223, which may be solid conducting wires of a conducting area corresponding to the cable being laid.
  • the number of conductors provided and the number of conductors, which the "head” is adapted to receive, can, of course, also be two, four or five.
  • Figure 10 is a side view of a coupling device forming a double coupling device.
  • a front view of the coupling device in Figure 10 can be identical with the coupling device shown in Figure 9.
  • the particular feature of the device of Figure 10 is that when seen from the opposite side it is also substantially identical with the device of Figure 9.
  • the resulting coupling device is particularly useful allowing connections thereto from both sides.
  • each U-shaped spring comprises two prongs 351.
  • the latter prongs 351 define therebetween a narrow slot 354 being resilient due to the spring effect of the spring 348 and consequently forming a prong being capable of receiving a conductor end.
  • the prongs 351 are substantially completely covered by the insulating material 360 of the top part.
  • the ends of the prongs 351 of this embodiment can be provided with a cutting edge, which can cut through the insulating material 370, if any, around the shown conductors 321 and 323.
  • the conductors 321 and 323 have only been included in Figure 11 in order to illustrate their position inside the connector part when it is assembled with a connector part as shown in Figures 2 to 5 terminating a cable end because it surrounds the conductor ends.
  • the embodiment shown in Figures 11 and 12 is preferred due to the requirements presented to the contact security of the installed sockets, where the conductors and the prong supply power when the system is operating.
  • a particular advantage of the laying system according to the invention is that the installation can be performed while power is supplied because all optionally voltage carrying parts are protected against an unintentional touching by a person.
  • An extension connector for a cable end can for instance be provided with terminals as a countermember in the embodiment shown in Figures 11 and 12 with partially insulated prongs.
  • a double coupling device of the type shown in Figure 10 can for instance simultaneously be provided with one or more of the connectors shown in Figures 2 to 5 and one or more of the embodiments with prongs shown in Figures 11 and 12. It is furthermore within the scope of the invention to change the shape of the head.
  • the head can for instance be of a circular shape instead of the polygon shape shown. Such other embodiments fall within the scope of protection of the claims.

Landscapes

  • Coupling Device And Connection With Printed Circuit (AREA)
  • Multi-Conductor Connections (AREA)
  • Connector Housings Or Holding Contact Members (AREA)
EP96610008A 1995-03-23 1996-03-21 Assemblage de connecteur électrique, connecteurs de prolongement et système d'alimentation d'énergie électrique Withdrawn EP0734095A1 (fr)

Applications Claiming Priority (2)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
NO951123 1995-03-23
NO951123A NO951123L (no) 1995-03-23 1995-03-23 Kabelendeavslutning

Publications (1)

Publication Number Publication Date
EP0734095A1 true EP0734095A1 (fr) 1996-09-25

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ID=19898046

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EP96610008A Withdrawn EP0734095A1 (fr) 1995-03-23 1996-03-21 Assemblage de connecteur électrique, connecteurs de prolongement et système d'alimentation d'énergie électrique

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Country Link
EP (1) EP0734095A1 (fr)
NO (1) NO951123L (fr)

Cited By (3)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
FR2761533A1 (fr) * 1997-03-26 1998-10-02 Siemens Ag Connexion electrique par enfichage entre un contact en lame de couteau et l'extremite de contact d'un conducteur
WO2022218465A1 (fr) * 2021-04-14 2022-10-20 HARTING Electronics GmbH Unité de jonction de câble pour boîte de jonction
FR3145449A1 (fr) * 2023-02-01 2024-08-02 Schneider Electric Industries Sas Dispositif de connexion pour câble électrique multi-fils et dispositifs complémentaires associés

Citations (4)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
DE2736244A1 (de) * 1976-08-13 1978-02-16 Amp Inc Elektrischer verbinder zum anschliessen von flachkabeln
DE3203651A1 (de) * 1982-02-03 1983-08-18 Maigler, geb. Maigler, Brigitta, 7100 Heilbronn Steckverbinder und verbinder leiterplatte-kabel mit schneid-klemmkontaktanschluessen zum anschliessen von kabeln mit mehreren, mechanisch voneinander unabhaenigen, einzelleitern
GB2229588A (en) * 1989-02-18 1990-09-26 Ralston Archibald Mcarthur Electrical connector
EP0489549A2 (fr) * 1990-12-06 1992-06-10 The Whitaker Corporation Connecteur de fils électriques

Patent Citations (4)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
DE2736244A1 (de) * 1976-08-13 1978-02-16 Amp Inc Elektrischer verbinder zum anschliessen von flachkabeln
DE3203651A1 (de) * 1982-02-03 1983-08-18 Maigler, geb. Maigler, Brigitta, 7100 Heilbronn Steckverbinder und verbinder leiterplatte-kabel mit schneid-klemmkontaktanschluessen zum anschliessen von kabeln mit mehreren, mechanisch voneinander unabhaenigen, einzelleitern
GB2229588A (en) * 1989-02-18 1990-09-26 Ralston Archibald Mcarthur Electrical connector
EP0489549A2 (fr) * 1990-12-06 1992-06-10 The Whitaker Corporation Connecteur de fils électriques

Cited By (7)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
FR2761533A1 (fr) * 1997-03-26 1998-10-02 Siemens Ag Connexion electrique par enfichage entre un contact en lame de couteau et l'extremite de contact d'un conducteur
GB2325095A (en) * 1997-03-26 1998-11-11 Siemens Ag Electrical plug-in connection
US6264493B1 (en) 1997-03-26 2001-07-24 Siemens Aktiengesellschaft Electrical plug connection between a knife-edge contact and the contact end of a connector
GB2325095B (en) * 1997-03-26 2001-09-12 Siemens Ag Electrical plug-in connection
WO2022218465A1 (fr) * 2021-04-14 2022-10-20 HARTING Electronics GmbH Unité de jonction de câble pour boîte de jonction
FR3145449A1 (fr) * 2023-02-01 2024-08-02 Schneider Electric Industries Sas Dispositif de connexion pour câble électrique multi-fils et dispositifs complémentaires associés
EP4411991A1 (fr) 2023-02-01 2024-08-07 Schneider Electric Industries Sas Dispositif de connexion pour câble électrique multi-fils et dispositifs complémentaires associés

Also Published As

Publication number Publication date
NO951123L (no) 1996-09-24
NO951123D0 (no) 1995-03-23

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