EP0735615A2 - Connecting terminal for electrical devices - Google Patents

Abstract

An item of electrical equipment (3) has an earthing connection provided by a metal contact (28) projecting from the base that engages the exposed end of an earthing wire (43) and a housing panel (7). The contact has an angled section for insertion through a slot (45) in the plate. The tip section is forked such that the wire end is securely held in contact. A moulded clip (12) on the underside of the housing is shaped to deflect and then engages in a slot formed in the base to provide secure retention.

Description

When wiring stationary or movable electrical devices, such as lights or the like, it is often necessary for electrically conductive housing parts or also individual modules arranged in the interior of the housing or parts which are in electrical connection with the housing to be connected to a protective conductor. Devices of this type generally have a connection terminal which is arranged in the interior of the housing and connected to it and which produces the electrical connection of an internal circuit with electrical lines, ie the phase conductor, the neutral conductor and the earth conductor.

Such a terminal is known from DE 38 13 895 A1. The connection terminal has a housing, in the interior of which contacts are arranged, electrically insulated from one another. One of the contacts is provided for connecting the protective conductor and is connected to a plug contact protruding from the housing. While the housing has a flat base, which is provided for placement on a flat surface and on which locking pins are formed, the plug-in contact protrudes laterally out of the housing. The plug-in contact is initially angled twice, so that it has a section lying in the plane of the bottom of the housing, which is angled again at its free end in such a way that it projects over the bottom of the housing in approximately parallel alignment with the locking pins. The plug-in contact has a slot which divides the contact into two legs which are parallel to one another and have teeth on their outer sides.

The distance between the legs from the respective outer edges is significantly larger than the diameter of a hole provided in the relevant part to be connected. The legs are therefore difficult to insert into the hole, which is why a relatively large pressing force is required. This must be applied to the housing by the operator who wants to make the electrical connection.

From EP 0 327 703 B1 a connection or connecting terminal for electrical devices is known, which also has a plug-in contact for the electrical connection of metallic carrier or housing parts. The connecting terminal has a housing with a receiving chamber in which a spring terminal contact for connecting a protective conductor is arranged. The spring terminal contact is connected to a plug designed as a tab, which protrudes from the housing on one flat side. The plug extends straight from the housing without bending path. Two tongues, which extend to the housing and are mutually bent away from the plug and form an acute angle with it, are punched out of the plug. The plug is provided for insertion into a rectangular opening in a sheet metal used as a support, which is to be connected to the protective conductor. The rectangular opening is matched to the dimensions of the connector so that it sticks in the opening. The resilient tongues prevent it from slipping out of the opening. When inserting the plug into the undersize opening, the entire force required for insertion must be applied by pressing on the housing.

From DE 43 12 781 A1 a connection element for connecting electrical equipment is known, which also has a plug-in contact as a grounding lug for the protective conductor connection. The connecting element has a housing, from which an insulation displacement contact bent from a sheet metal is received. The housing is arranged on a carrier and connected to it. The carrier conductors must be electrically connected to a protective conductor. For this purpose, an insulation displacement contact is provided, which also has a spring clamp contact formed by two tongues lying opposite one another on a bottom section. This is opposite a bottom-side opening provided in the housing, which is penetrated by the insertion lug of an earthing strap. The insertion flag is inserted between the resilient tongues or tabs provided on the insulation displacement contact and is held by these and electrically connected. A widened part adjoins the insertion flag with two cut-out locking tabs, which are slightly bent out of the plane of the earthing lug. They serve to lock the earthing lug into a slot-like opening in a carrier part, for example a housing base to be connected.

With this connection element, too, the force required to insert the earthing lug into the slot-like opening must be applied to the housing by pressure. In addition, the earthing lug protrudes above the housing base, so that, for example, if there is not enough space below the housing base, a complete insertion of the earthing lug into the opening is hardly possible.

Based on this, it is an object of the invention to provide a connection element which can be assembled with little force without tools or other aids.

This object is achieved by a connecting element with the features of claim 1.

The connecting element, when placed on its carrier, has no protrusions. The metallic tab passes through the carrier when it is opened and lies flat against the back of the carrier so that no part protrudes from the carrier. As a result, the connecting element is particularly suitable for connecting a protective conductor to a housing or a housing part of an electrical equipment, such as, for example. a lamp or the like. The connection element can then be arranged in an interior space enclosed by the housing, for example on a rear wall of the equipment. Because of the flat contact of the tab on the housing section in question, the risk of injury compared to connecting terminals which have parts which are away from the housing wall is significantly reduced.

In addition, it can be seen that the hook portion of the tab, which lies flat against the relevant wall portion in the assembled state, additionally secures the connecting element on the carrier part. The hook section of the tab engages behind the wall section and thereby holds the connecting element on the carrier. This also applies if the electrical equipment is installed, for example on is attached to a wall. The connecting element can be mounted on a housing wall, which lies flat against the wall to which the equipment is attached. There is no danger of the tab being pushed out of the opening in which it sits and in which it engages behind the carrier part with its hook section. There is also no danger that the tab will be noticeably deformed or that any electrical contact made by means of the tab would be impaired in any way. This security against the tab being pushed out of the opening is achieved without the use of additional securing means. The tab secures itself on the carrier means and also offers no point of attack that could lead to damage.

The tab can be closed, slotted or provided with fingers at its neck section. It can also be flat or curved. It is essential that it has cutting edges that cut into the edge of the opening into which it is to be inserted. A bend or curvature of the neck section with a radius lying in the plane of the contact surface increases the rigidity of the tab against bending and allows a certain elasticity with respect to the opening.

The lug, which is angled at its free end and thereby forms a hook section, is designed in terms of its width and rigidity in such a way that it forms a lever which facilitates the insertion of the lug into the opening provided in the carrier. The hook section engaging behind the carrier is inserted through the hole provided in the carrier and, when the tab is pivoted, lies against the back of the latter. As soon as the tab rests with its free end, ie its hook section on the back of the carrier, the corresponding contact point defines the pivot axis about which the tab with the housing, which is connected to it, approaches the carrier is pivoted. The distance between the neck section and the hook section is relatively small, while the lever as a whole is relatively long. This is formed by the tab and extended by the housing holding it. The leverage ratios thus result in a high level of power amplification. This means that the connection element can be placed on the carrier without tools or other aids so that the tab with its neck portion is seated in the intended position in the opening. After hooking the hook section into the opening and pivoting the housing towards the carrier, the neck section pulls smoothly into the opening even if it has a clear excess. This ensures reliable electrical contact with the carrier formed, for example, by a sheet metal. Lacquer or oxide layers are easily penetrated. There are no additional fasteners such as screws, rivets or the like, as well as additional operations for contacting the carrier.

The tab can be produced inexpensively as a stamped / bent part, and the neck section and the hook section can each be essentially straight sections of a sheet metal tab. These are preferably angled at least 90 ° to one another. This forms an angle between the neck portion and the hook portion, which is at most 90 °. This preferably acute angle causes the tab to have its free end, i.e. with its hook section abuts the back of the carrier before the housing abuts the carrier with its contact surface. This ensures that the neck section is drawn into the opening under leverage and that the hook section rests with its tip on the carrier when the connecting element is installed.

The bracket itself is electrically connected by means of the tab, with the neck section into the opening is pressed in and is held there in the press fit. This can be achieved in that the neck section has a cross section, the outline of which intersects the edge of the opening. The neck section then has edges which cut into the wall of the opening. This ensures safe electrical contact.

If the hook section is at a relatively acute angle to the neck section, the tab may bend slightly when inserted into the opening, as a result of which an adaptation to supports with different wall thicknesses is possible. However, if bending of the tab is to be avoided when inserting it into the opening and if the tab is to lie as flat as possible on the carrier means with its hook section, the free end of the hook section is arranged at a distance from a plane which is defined by the contact surface of the housing . This distance is at most as large as the wall thickness of the carrier on which the connection element is to be arranged.

The hook section can be easily inserted into the opening if the width of the neck section is greater than the width of the hook section. The length of the hook section should exceed half the width of the neck section. In this case, the tab can be levered into circular holes so that no openings with special shapes are required.

A versatile design results when the tab is forked, so that the hook section and the neck section have a continuous, one-sided edge-open slot, which is suitable for forming an insulation displacement contact with a line. The slot is preferably narrower in the area of the neck section than in the area of the hook section. This makes it possible to additionally and independently connect a conductor that is connected to other elements is. These can be, for example, parts or assemblies provided on the equipment, which are mounted in isolation but nevertheless have to be grounded. This also makes it possible to provide a non-electrically conductive support for the connection element and to bring about the desired contacting with a conductor inserted in the slot. The insulation displacement connection between the conductor and the tab is created when the tab is inserted into the opening of the carrier part by the lever action of the tab which is supported on the carrier part by the hook section. This is possible without the aid of tools with low operating forces and can therefore be carried out manually. It does not matter whether the cable is stripped or not before insertion. In addition, a continuous line can be connected, which leads to another connection on both sides. If necessary, several lines can also be connected.

A particularly firm fit of the tab in the opening, which is secured against subsequent loosening, is achieved if the neck section has an abutment shoulder which lies essentially in the plane defined by the abutment surface. While the tab lies on one side with its contact shoulders on the carrier, it lies on the other side with the hook section.

A fastening means which allows the housing to be brought to the carrier in a pivoting movement is, for example, a latching body arranged on the contact surface of the housing. This allows, as long as it is not yet locked with corresponding openings provided in the carrier, the pivoting movement required for inserting the tab into the opening and does not require any kind of additional movement of the housing for fastening the same to the carrier. In principle, however, other connecting devices such as screws, clamping brackets or the like can also be used as fastening means.

The housing is preferably formed by two housing parts which are positively connected to one another. The positive connection can be a snap or snap connection, which leads to particularly simple assembly processes. However, other types of connections are also possible.

The connecting element can advantageously be used for connecting different parts which are at different potentials if the housing has at least one connecting means for connecting to further similar housings. The connecting means preferably acts positively. A connecting element can then be assembled from individual housings and can be used to connect the protective conductor, phase conductor, neutral conductor and, if necessary, other conductors to the electrical equipment in question.

The connecting means are, for example, grooves formed on the housings and corresponding ribs which can be inserted into the grooves and which are preferably provided with latching means. The housings can thus be connected to one another in a simple manner by inserting the ribs into the corresponding grooves and shifting them to their latching position.

A particularly simple type of connection between the tab and the contact means arranged in the housing is obtained if the contact means has a spring-clamp contact which is designed in such a way that it holds and electrically contacts a connecting shaft provided on the contact body, when the contact body with its connecting shaft is inserted into the housing. This spring-clamp contact can be made by simply cutting out corresponding contact tabs from the contact means. E.g. two opposing contact tabs can be between their clamp the free ends of the inserted shaft between them.

Fig. 1

das Anschlußelement in einer perspektivischen Prinzipdarstellung,

Fig. 2

das Anschlußelement mit in eine Öffnung eines Trägers eingehakter Lasche, in einer teilweise geschnittenen Seitenansicht,

Fig. 3

das Anschlußelement nach den Fig. 1 und 2, fertig auf dem Träger montiert, in teilweise geschnittener Seitenansicht,

Fig. 4

das Anschlußelement nach den Fig. 1 bis 3, mit einer zusätzlich angeschlossenen Leitung und in Verbindung mit weiteren Anschlußelementen in Vorderansicht und in teilweise geschnittener Darstellung,

Fig. 5

das Anschlußelement nach Fig. 1 in Explosionsdarstellung in in detaillierterer Darstellung und

Fig. 6

ein Anschlußelement in einer anderen Ausführungsform, in einer schematischen Perspektivdarstellung.

Exemplary embodiments of the invention are shown in the drawing. Show it:

Fig. 1

the connection element in a perspective schematic diagram,

Fig. 2

the connection element with a hook hooked into an opening of a carrier, in a partially sectioned side view,

Fig. 3

1 and 2, assembled on the carrier, in a partially sectioned side view,

Fig. 4

1 to 3, with an additionally connected line and in connection with further connection elements in front view and in a partially sectioned representation,

Fig. 5

1 in an exploded view in a more detailed representation and

Fig. 6

a connection element in another embodiment, in a schematic perspective view.

A connection element 1 shown in FIG. 1 has an insulating material housing 4 which is divided into two parts 2, 3 and which contains in its interior a contact 5 which will be explained in detail later (FIG. 5). The insulating material housing 4 provided for mounting on a carrier 7, for example, shown in FIG. 2, starting from an approximately cuboid basic shape, has a U-shaped edge 8 facing the carrier 7, which defines a flat contact surface 9. This is arranged essentially parallel to a housing base 11 which springs back with respect to it.

A fastening projection 12, which extends away from the housing base 11 and is formed in one piece with the part 2 of the insulating material housing 4, is provided as the fastening means for holding the insulating material housing 4 on the carrier 7. The latching projection 12 has two legs 13, 14 which extend at a distance parallel to one another and at right angles from the housing base 11 and which, at a short distance from a plane defined by the contact surface 9, each form an outwardly projecting shoulder 16, 17, from which starting Guide legs 18, 19 to run at an acute angle to each other, which are connected at the end via a web. The locking projection is designed to be resilient. The legs 13, 14 can spring towards each other.

The parts 2, 3 of the insulating material housing 4 also have connection openings through which lines (not shown) can be connected to the contact 5 arranged in the interior of the insulating material housing 4. The part 3, as can be seen from FIG. 1, is provided on its end face 21 with two spaced-apart cable entry openings 22, 23, to which spring-clamp contacts explained later in connection with the contact 5 are assigned. The same applies to a further one provided on the end face 21 Opening 24, which is arranged below the aforementioned cable entry openings 22, 23 just above the housing base 11. In addition, both parts 2, 3 of the insulating material housing 4 define a slot 25 in which an insulation displacement contact is held so as to be isolated from the outside.

On its end face 26, which is opposite the end face 21 and arranged parallel to it, the part 2 of the insulating material housing 4 has an insertion opening 27, which can be seen, for example, from FIG 29 is. The tab 28 is held firmly on the insulating material housing 4 and is designed to be rigid.

The tab 28 is a stamped sheet metal bent part which, following the insertion lug 29, as can be seen in FIG. 1, has a contact or neck section 31 which extends essentially at right angles to the housing base 11 and to the plane defined by the contact surface 9. The neck portion 31 is a substantially flat, i.e. plate-shaped area of the tab 28 with a relatively large width, which is slightly smaller than the width of the insulating material housing 4. Approximately at the height of the plane defined by the contact surface 9, the width of the neck portion 31 increases in steps, whereby contact shoulders 32, 33 are formed on both sides are.

Starting from the contact shoulders 32, 33, the neck section 31 with parallel flanks merges with a bending line 34 into a hook section 36, which includes an acute angle with the neck section, which is between 60 ° and just under 90 °. In the specific case it is 75 °. The neck section 31, which in the present case is flat, that is to say planar, can also have a channel-like arch or S-shaped cross section. This enables flexibility in the lateral direction while increasing the bending stiffness.

Starting from a transition point 37 indicated by a broken line in FIG. 1, at which the neck portion 31 changes into a bend, the tab 28 tapers. This means that it no longer has parallel flanks but with flanks 38, 39 that converge at an acute angle is provided.

The neck section 31 is dimensioned in length such that the bending line 34, seen from the insulating material housing 4, lies beyond the plane defined by the contact surface 9. This means that the neck section 31 projects beyond the contact surface 9, but the hook section 36, starting from the bending line 34 lying at a distance from the plane of the contact surface 9, runs at an acute angle to the plane without, however, reaching the free end 41 thereof . The distance between the free end 41 of the hook section and the plane defined by the contact surface 9 corresponds approximately to the wall thickness of the support 7 shown in FIG. 2.

The length of the hook section 36 in the tab 28 corresponds essentially to the width of the neck section 31. The lower limit for the dimensioning of the length of the hook section 36 is half the width of the neck section 31.

Both the hook section 36 pointing away from the insulating material housing 4 and the neck section 31 lying essentially at right angles to the housing base 11 are penetrated by a slot 42 which is open at the edge and extends clearly from the free end 41 of the tab 28 to the contact shoulders 32, 33 . The slot 42 ends essentially at the level of the housing base 11, the distance between the housing base 11 and the contact shoulders 32, 33 being greater than the width of the slot 42. In addition, the length of the slot, measured from the contact shoulders 32, 33 in the direction of the housing base 11, is greater than the width of the slot 42. While the slot 42 in the region of the neck portion 31 and in particular in the area between the contact shoulders 32, 33 and the housing base 11 located portion of the tab 28 has a substantially constant width and is thus limited parallel flanks, its width is greater in the region of the hook portion 36. In this area, the slot 42 is designed to widen towards the end 41, the flanks of the slot 42 being at an acute angle to one another in this area.

The slot 42, as can be seen in particular from FIG. 4, is an insulation displacement slot for connecting a line 43 as required, which is indicated by dash-dotted lines in FIG. 2. The line 43 can end at the tab 28 as shown or be continued. In addition, two or more lines can be inserted into the slot 42 and thus connected to the tab 28.

The connection element 1 described so far is attached to the carrier 7 as follows:

The carrier 7 is first provided with two spaced-apart openings 45, 46, the center distance of which corresponds to the center distance between the neck portion 31 of the tab 28 and the locking projection 12. The openings 45, 46 are each round, the diameter of the opening 45 being slightly smaller than the width of the neck section 36. The diameter of the opening 46 also provided in the thin-walled, plate-shaped section of the carrier 7 is smaller than the distance of the farthest outwardly projecting sections of the shoulders 16, 17 from each other, so that the locking projection 12 can only be inserted into the opening 46 with elastic bending of the legs 13, 14.

In order to fasten the connecting element 1 on the carrier 7 and thereby connect the metallic carrier 7 to the contact 5 provided in the insulating material housing 4, the tab 28 protruding from the insulating material housing 4 is inserted with its hook section 36 into the opening 45. The hook section 36 has a width which decreases towards the end 41 and which is smaller than the diameter of the opening 45 over the entire hook section 36. As a result, the hook section 36 can be easily inserted into the opening 45. As shown in FIG. 2, the hook section 36 engages behind the carrier 7. The width of the neck section 31 exceeds the diameter of the opening 45 at the latest, starting from the transition point 37, so that the tab 28 sits with its neck section 31 above the carrier 7 .

By pivoting the connecting element 1, which is indicated in FIG. 2 by an arrow 47, the insulating housing 4 and the tab 28 are transferred into the position shown in FIG. 3. First, the hook section 36 of the tab 28 bears on the back of the carrier 7. From then on at the latest, the tab 28, which is rigid, together with the insulating material housing 4, acts as a lever, which is supported by the end 41 on the support 7.

The lever formed by the tab 28 and the insulating material housing 4 is symbolically indicated in FIG. 2 by a dash-dotted line 48. It can be seen that the distance from the end 41 to the neck portion 31 is substantially less than the distance from the end 41 to the housing-side end of the lever indicated by the dash-dotted line 48. This distance ratio means that a force indicated on the part 3 of the insulating material housing 4, for example in the direction of an arrow 49, is transmitted to the neck section 31 in a considerably increased manner by lever action. The neck portion 31 thereby becomes as soon as the end 41 of the tab 28 abuts the carrier 7 finds, with leverage and destruction at the opening 45, any existing lacquer layers are pressed into the opening 45, for which purpose only a small force which can be easily applied by hand is to be exerted on the insulating material housing 4.

The neck section 31 is pressed into the narrower opening 45, with its flanks deforming the edge of the opening 45. In this case, the tab 28 cuts into the carrier material with its cutting edges present on its flanks, an electrical contact being formed. The connection between the neck section 31 and the carrier 7 at the opening 45 ensures reliable electrical contacting even over long periods of time. The connection is gas-tight, so that there is no fear of corrosion that could impair contact.

The tab 28 is also, as can be seen from FIG. 3, with its end 41 on the back of the carrier 7 without parts of the tab 28 sticking out of the carrier 7. If the tab 28 is designed in such a way that the distance of the end 41 from the plane defined by the contact surface 9 is at a distance which is less than the wall thickness of the carrier 7, the end 41 also bears against the carrier 7 with prestress, whereby the contact point formed between the neck portion 31 and the carrier 7 is additionally mechanically protected.

The locking projection 12 sits in the opening 46, the shoulders 16, 17 engaging behind the carrier 7 and securing the insulating material housing 4 thereon. The connecting element 1 is assembled in the position shown in Fig. 3 on the carrier 7. Cables, for example to the protective conductor connection, can now be connected to the contact 5 accommodated by the insulating material housing 4.

In the exemplary embodiment described above, the carrier 7 alone has been connected via the tab 28 to the contact 5 accommodated in the insulating material housing 4. Further assemblies can be connected via line 43 to a protective conductor connected to contact 5. Line 43 is connected as follows:

As can be seen from Fig. 2, the line 43 is placed with or without insulation on the support 7 at the opening 45, and the insulating housing 4 is approximated by hand to the support 7 so that the forked tab 28 with the line 43 their slot 42 receives. The line 43 slides easily into the slot 42 which widens towards the end 41 in a funnel shape. Because the slot 42 in the region of the neck section 31 is narrower than the diameter of the line 43, the line clamps firmly into the slot at the bending line 34 at the latest . From here on, line 43 cannot penetrate slot 42 without resistance.

By pivoting the connecting element 1 to the carrier 7 in the manner described above, the neck portion 31 is now inserted into the opening 45, the neck portion 31 forming an insulation displacement contact with the line 43. The neck section receives the line 43 with its slot, the line 43 being permanently deformed in this area and forming an insulation displacement contact with the tab 28. This is, also because of its gas tightness, a permanent and reliable electrical contact. The forces required to establish the connection are low due to the leverage effect. The insulation displacement contact can thus be made by hand without additional tools.

The insulating material housing 4, which acts as a lever, and the tab 28 held thereon itself represent a tool for generating the force which is required to achieve the To produce insulation displacement connection both between the tab 28 and the carrier 7 and between the tab 28 and the line 43 connected as required.

The insulating material housing 4, which is only indicated schematically in FIGS. 1 to 3, is shown in detail in FIG. 5. The insulating material housing is divided into parts 2, 3 along a plane perpendicular to the contact surface 9. To receive the contact 5, the parts 2, 3 each have a recess which define an interior 51. To connect part 3 to part 2, part 3 has latching tongues 52, 53, 54 which engage in corresponding recesses in part 2. To connect external lines to the contact 5, the part 2 has line entry openings 22 ', 23' and a further opening 24 'which correspond to the line entry openings 22, 23 and the opening 24 of part 3 shown in FIG. 1.

In addition, a connection opening 55 is provided on the end face, through which the insertion flag 29 of the tab 28 can be inserted into the interior 51. The connection opening 55 is rectangular in cross section and its width is considerably narrower than a flat insertion section 56 which adjoins the insertion flag 29 and which merges into the neck section 31 with a bend. When the insertion section 29 is inserted into the connection opening 55, the insertion section 56 penetrates into the part 2 while deforming the part 2 of the insulating material housing 4 in the region of the connection opening 55. The insulating housing 4, ie the parts 2, 3, are made of a plastically deformable plastic that holds the pressed-in tab. The result is a mechanically stable connection between the tab 28 and the insulating material housing 4, which in particular absorbs the lever forces which arise when the tab 28 is inserted into the opening 45 without loosening.

On the side facing away from the contact surface 9, the parts 2, 3 of the insulating material housing each have a wall 57, 58 facing away from the part 2, 3, which are each provided with a slot 59, 61, which together define the slot 25 for a line to be connected .

In order to be able to couple several insulating material housings 4 of the same type to one another, as shown in FIG. 4, the wall 57 provided on the part 2 has a section 62 which is U-shaped in cross-section and is integrally formed and which the part 2 has with regard to it beyond the lateral boundary. A corresponding section 63 is provided on the wall 58 of part 3. The sections 62, 63 each have a groove 64, 65, each of which is provided with a detent 66. The latching nose 66 projects from a flank of the respective groove 64, 65 into the groove 64, 65.

On the opposite side, the wall 57 has a web 68 which is dimensioned in such a way that it fits into the groove 64 of a corresponding part 2. To accommodate the locking lug 66 provided in the groove 64, but not visible in FIG. 5, the web 68 has a recess 69 on its inner flank, which is used for locking with the locking lug 66.

In a corresponding manner, a web 70 is provided on the side of the wall 58 of part 3, which also has a recess, which is concealed in FIG. 5 and therefore not visible, for receiving the latching nose 66.

The sections 62, 63 and the webs 68, 70 of the insulating material housing 4 form connecting means with which a strip can be built up from a plurality of insulating material housings 4. For this purpose, the insulating material housings are first completely put together and then pushed into one another in such a way that the sections 62, 63 of one insulating material housing make the webs 68, 70 of an adjacent one Take up the insulating housing. For this purpose, an insulating material housing 4 with its sections 62, 63 is pushed onto the webs 68, 70 of the neighboring insulating material housing from above until the detents 66 find their way into the recesses 69.

The contact 5 arranged in the interior 51 of the insulating material housing 4 is a bent sheet metal part 72 in which a contact spring 73 is arranged. Corresponding to the cable entry openings 22, 23, 22 ', 23', the bent sheet metal part 72 has recesses 75, 76, 77, 78, to which corresponding resilient tabs or tongues 81, 82, 83, 84 provided on the contact spring 73 are assigned . The contact spring 73 is adapted in its outer shape to the bent sheet metal part 72. The bent sheet metal part 72 has a substantially flat bottom section 86, from each of which flat legs 87, 88 extend upwards at an angle to one another. The legs 87, 88 are angled toward one another in a common plane, a section 89 starting from the leg 87 being angled again approximately in the middle and extending from the corresponding bending point to the bottom section 86. The leg 88 terminates in a free end 91 which is arranged in a plane perpendicular to the bottom section 86. In the free end 91, an insulation displacement slot 92 is provided, which is used to connect a line in insulation displacement connection. When the insulating material housing 4 is mounted, the free end 91 sits between the walls 57, 58 of the parts 2, 3.

A pocket-like opening 93 is provided on the bottom section 86 of the sheet metal part 72 at the transition to the leg 88 and is formed by a bead 94 provided in the bottom section 86 and opening at the transition from the bottom section 86 to the leg 88. The opening 93 serves to receive the insertion flag 29 of the tab 28.

The bead 94 and the opening 93 of the bent sheet metal part 72 are assigned a freely cut tongue 95 of the contact spring 73, which extends obliquely from the leg 88 to the bead 94. The tongue 95 presses against the insertion flag 29 when it is inserted into the opening 93 and prevents the latter from slipping out of the contact 5.

In addition, an opening 95 is provided in the bottom section 86, which corresponds to an insertion opening 96 that can be seen, for example, from FIG. 1. Contact tabs 97, 98 provided on contact spring 73 are assigned to opening 95 and extend inclinedly towards one another and serve to clamp a conductor inserted through opening 95 into contact 5.

6 shows a connection element 1a in a different embodiment. To the extent that it corresponds to the connecting element 1 shown in FIG. 1, the same reference numerals, provided with an "a", are used without reference again. The difference to the connection element 1 described above is the changed design of the tab 28a. This is connected via the bottom insertion opening 96a to the contact 5 arranged inside (FIG. 5). For this purpose, the tab 28a is angled in its neck portion 31a, so that this portion lies flat against the bottom 11a of the insulating material housing 4a. The insertion lug 29a of the tab 28a is bent away from the neck portion 31a resting on the bottom 11a at a right angle and held by the contact tabs 97, 98 of the contact spring 73 shown in FIG. 5. The other statements made with regard to the dimensioning of the use and the design of the insulating housing 4 apply accordingly to the connecting element 1 a.

In a further embodiment, not shown in the figures, the tab is not slotted. This embodiment is especially preferred in cases where no additional conductor has to be connected to the strap.

In other embodiments, the tab can be modified such that the transition point 37 is moved somewhat into the neck section 31 or is displaced towards the hook section 36. It is essential that it lies at a distance from the plane defined by the contact surface 9. In addition, it should have a distance from the end 41 which corresponds to at least half the width of the neck portion 31.

To establish an electrical connection between a conductor and an electrically conductive part, a connection element has been provided, in particular for the protective conductor connection, which has a slotted tab, if necessary, for forming an insulation displacement connection with a carrier made of plastic or metal and / or a line connected to further modules. This is angled at its free end and firmly connected to an insulating housing that contains contact means for connecting an electrical conductor. When mounting the connecting element on a carrier, the tab is hooked into a prefabricated opening and inserted into the opening by pressing on the insulating material housing with leverage in a press fit. Metallic carriers are contacted. Non-metallic supports form an abutment for the line, via which other parts are connected.

Claims (18)

Connection element (1) for establishing an electrical connection between a conductor and an electrically conductive part, in particular for connecting the protective conductor, with an insulating material housing (4), which has at least one contact surface (9) on its side facing a carrier (7), with at least one fastening means (12) which is assigned to the insulating material housing (4) and by means of which the insulating material housing (4) can be fastened to the carrier (7), which has a plate-shaped area with an opening (45), with at least one contact means (5) for connecting at least one electrical line, which is provided in the insulating material housing (4), with a metallic tab (28) which is electrically connected to the contact means (5) and is divided into a neck section (31) and a hook section (36) at a bending line (34), the neck section (31) being substantially perpendicular to one of the contact surface (9) of the insulating material housing (9) is arranged in a defined plane and extends beyond the plane, the hook section (36) is at an angle to the neck section (31) and is designed to point away from the insulating material housing (4) and wherein the bending line (34) is arranged on the other side of the plane, like the insulating material housing (4). Connection element according to claim 1, characterized in that the tab (28) with its neck portion (31) and its hook section (36) and with the insulating material housing (4) forms a lever (48) which engages behind the carrier (7) at the opening (45) with the hook section (36) and on the back of the carrier (7) so supported that the neck portion (31) is inserted into the opening (45) when the insulating material housing (4) is moved towards the carrier (7). Connection element according to claim 1, characterized in that the neck section (31) and the hook section (36) are each essentially straight sections of a sheet metal tab (28). Connection element according to Claim 1, characterized in that the angle which the hook section (36) forms with the neck section (31) is not an obtuse angle. Connection element according to Claim 1, characterized in that the part to be connected is the support (7) and that the neck section (31) is designed such that it makes an insulation displacement contact with the support (7) at the opening (45) provided in its area trains. Connection element according to Claim 1, characterized in that the neck section (31) has a cross section, the outline of which intersects the edge of the opening (45) provided in the area of the support. Connection element according to claim 1, characterized in that the hook portion (36) is arranged with its free end (41) at a distance from a plane which is defined by the contact surface (9) of the insulating material housing (4), which is at most as large as the wall thickness of the carrier (7) on which the connection element (1) is to be arranged. Connection element according to claim 1, characterized in that the width of the neck portion (31) is greater than the width of the hook portion (36). Connection element according to claim 1, characterized in that the hook section (36) has a length which is greater than half the width of the neck section (31). Connection element according to Claim 1, characterized in that the tab (28) is forked so that the hook section (36) has a slot (42) which extends away from its free end (41) and which extends at least into the neck section (31 ) extends and which is suitable for forming an insulation displacement contact with a line. Connection element according to claim 1, characterized in that the neck portion (31) of the tab (28) has at least one shoulder (32, 33) which lies essentially with the plane defined by the contact surface (9). Connection element according to Claim 1, characterized in that the fastening means (12) is designed in such a way that it allows the insulating material housing (4) to be brought up to the plate-shaped region in a pivoting movement and to be fastened thereon. Connection element according to claim 1, characterized in that the fastening means (12) has at least one projection (12) which is arranged on the contact surface (9) of the insulating material housing (4) and which can be latched with at least one fastening opening (46) provided on the carrier (7) is. Connection element according to claim 1, characterized in that the insulating material housing (4) has two positive connections Has interconnectable insulating housing parts (2, 3). Connection element according to claim 1, characterized in that the insulating material housing (4) has at least one connecting means (62, 63; 68, 70) for connecting to further similar insulating material housings (4). Connection element according to Claim 15, characterized in that the connecting means (62, 63; 68, 70) for connecting the insulating material housings (4) to one another on the insulating material housings (4) and corresponding grooves (64, 65) formed in the grooves (64, 65) have insertable ribs (68, 70). Connection element according to claim 16, characterized in that the grooves (64, 65) and ribs (68, 70) formed on the insulating material housing (4) are each provided with a latching means (66, 69). Connection element according to claim 1, characterized in that the contact means (5) has a spring clamp contact (72, 73) which is designed such that it holds an insertion lug (29) provided on the tab (28) and makes electrical contact when the tab (28) with its insertion flag (29) is inserted into the insulating housing (4).

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