EP0746064B1 - Terminal block for circuit boards - Google Patents

Description

The invention relates to a terminal strip for printed circuit boards, in the following abbreviated to terminal block, with the characteristics of the generic term of Claim 1.

Terminal blocks of this type generally have an elongated housing, in which several extend in at least one in the longitudinal direction of the housing Row arranged and via housing openings for connection with Mating contacts accessible terminal contact elements are arranged. The individual connection contact elements are certain potentials or Assigned to signals.

While a potential branching or multiplication within the Terminal strip not necessarily in the case of signal or voltage supply is necessary, this is absolutely necessary for neutral or protective conductors. According to Relevant safety standards is namely the looping through the zero or Protective conductor over the circuit board due to the insufficient load capacity of the Printed circuit boards with short-circuit current are not permitted. If there are several independent assemblies on a circuit board are, which must be supplied with a neutral or protective earth connection, must the looping through takes place within the terminal strip. To are assigned to the individual modules on the circuit board Connection contact elements cross-connected or bridged. One of bridged connection contact elements or the bridge itself is with the Neutral or protective conductor connected. The connection contact elements mentioned are usually not arranged directly next to each other, but are through intermediate, as signal or power supply connections used connector contact elements separated from each other.

To the problem of electrical bridging from not adjacent To solve connection contact elements, connection terminals are proposed in which the bridging takes place via the soldering pins, i.e. the Fastening pins with which the terminal block with an electrical circuit board and is mechanically connected. For this purpose, the solder pins are a protective conductor associated terminal contact elements extended so that they in Project the assembly status from the underside of the circuit board. The protruding ones Solder pin sections are then with a cross-connection rail bridged.

From DE-U-89 01 873 a terminal block is known in which the solder pins for the Protective conductor each 90 ° compared to the solder pins for live or signal-carrying Connection contact elements angled out of the insulating housing led out and connected by a cross bridge.

DE 42 28 025 A1 describes a terminal strip in which one Bridging is made with the help of a connecting comb. The connecting comb is with the grid dimensions of the solder pins or the connection contact elements arranged slotted tines. These slotted tines can be plugged onto the solder pins. From this connection comb are optional individual prongs can be removed to certain solder pins or connection contact elements to be excluded from the bridging.

The known terminal strips, however, have the disadvantage that the Connection contact elements in a fixed pitch in the insulating housing are arranged and that for each individual installation-intensive adjustments must be made.

Based on this, it is the object of the invention to propose a terminal strip, in which the connection contact elements at irregular intervals can be arranged side by side without bridging serving cross-connection element to the respective arrangement or to the Distance between the connection contact elements to be connected with a neutral or protective conductor must be adjusted.

This object is achieved by the combination of features of claim 1. Thereafter, part of the connection contact elements is in each case with at least one Provide bridge contact, while the other part of the connection contact elements has no bridge contact, the insulating housing at least one outward-open pocket for holding a die Bridge contacts has electrically connecting bridge bar. The Bridge contacts are at any longitudinal position with the Bridge bar contactable. This is in the longitudinal direction of the insulating housing seen, practically at any position a neutral, protective conductor or other Potential can be tapped. The connection contact elements can thus in different distances from each other and also independently of one certain grid dimensions can be arranged in the terminal strip. The bridging is done simply by placing the bridge ledge in the Inserted pocket and with the bridge contacts of about one Connected neutral or protective conductor associated contact elements becomes. The receiving bag is a constructive and manufacturing technology Easy way to attach a bridge bar to the housing.

According to claim 2, the housing with several, each at different Positionable bridge strips can be fitted. The connection elements can be fixed in different positions in the housing, each in Location of the bridge contact of the connecting element of another bridge bar assigned. Depending on the position of the connection element, it is therefore with a contactable other bridge bar. In this way a distribution of multiple potentials possible simultaneously and independently of each other. It is for example, conceivable that a bridge bar the neutral and another Bridge bar is assigned to the protective conductor. It is also conceivable that Insulating housing with further bridge strips and a signal or a Bridge strips assigned to voltage potential can be equipped. For grasping a certain potential or a neutral or protective conductor on one Any place within the terminal block just has to Connection contact element can be arranged in a corresponding position. This can be done at the factory as well as by the customer. By the invention The configuration of the terminal strip is therefore very large Adaptability to a wide variety of operating conditions.

The teaching of claim 3 enables a connection contact element several bridge bars can be assigned. This increases the Possibilities of variation in the distribution of a single potential. If for example according to Claim 4 two bridge contacts on a contact element are arranged, it is possible that a bridge with the factory one bridge contact has been made and other customer contacts Bridges can be made. For example, this would be advantageous if several Insulating housing to be coupled to each other in the longitudinal direction. For electrical cross-connection of the connection contact elements of the the second bridge contact can then be lined up in an insulating housing be used to have the terminal contact elements of an insulating housing to connect those of the other insulating housing with the help of a bridge strip.

According to claim 5, an advantageous development is that the insulating housing can be equipped with a total of four bridge rails, the Bridge contacts in a first arrangement of the connection contact element in Insulating housing with a first pair of bridges and in a second arrangement can be contacted with a second pair of bridges. In such a way designed terminal block can thus two different potentials, such as one Neutral conductor and a protective conductor, independently distributed or bridged become. It is particularly advantageous that the connection contact elements only must be manufactured in an embodiment and kept in stock.

The choice of whether to tap one or the other potential is done simply by the different arrangement of the Connection contact element within the terminal block. It is conceivable, for example, that the connection contact element is designed as a flat sheet metal part and transverse to Is arranged in the longitudinal direction in the insulating housing. His two bridge contacts can point to one side in one arrangement, where they have two Bridge strips are contactable. By simply rotating the connection contact element by 180 ° - the axis of rotation is perpendicular to the plane spanned by the transverse and longitudinal direction of the insulating housing - the bridge contacts can be arranged on the opposite side become. There you can contact two other bridge strips. It is advantageous if the arrangement points of the bridge strips in the cross section of the Terminal block seen on the corners of a rectangle or square (Claim 6). This arrangement comes from the usual cross-sectional outline shape Terminal block opposite. The bridge strips are then on the Edge areas of the terminal strips arranged and the central area of the Isoliergehäuses can be used to connect mating contact elements or Connection with a printed circuit board can be used.

It is advantageous if the bridge contacts are designed as clamping contacts. The Connection with a bridge bar can then be done simply by that the bridge bar is pressed into the terminal contact (claims 7 and 8).

According to claim 9, the housing is advantageously composed of several insulating housings connected together at the end. It is advantageous if the interconnected insulating housing is in terms of Arrangement or positioning of the receiving pockets correspond to each other and the pockets in the facing or in the assembled state abutting end faces of the insulating housing. In this way it is ensured that the associated or corresponding Recording pockets are aligned in a line. Two or too a plurality of interconnected insulating housings can then easily be created can be electrically connected to each other by a bridge bar. The In this case, bridge strips are expediently longer than an insulating housing. It can then optionally two or more with a single bridge bar or insulating housing can be electrically connected to one another. Through the Measure according to claim 12 is a certain protection against accidental Bridging the bridge bar and also a protection against accidental contact.

Fig.1

die Draufsicht auf eine aus zwei aneinander gekoppelten Isolierge häusen zusammengesetzte Klemmenleiste,

Fig.2

einen Querschnitt längs der Linie II-II in Fig.1,

Fig.3

einen Querschnitt längs der Linie III-III in Fig.1,

Fig.4

eine Draufsicht in Richtung des Pfeiles IV in Fig.1,

Fig.5

ein weiteres Ausführungsbeispiel einer erfindungsgemäßen Klemm leiste in Draufsicht, wobei die Klemmenleiste sich aus zwei aneinan der gekoppelten Isoliergehäusen zusammensetzt,

Fig.6

eine Querschnittsdarstellung der Klemmenleiste nach Fig.5 gemäß der Linie VI - VI,

Fig.7

eine Darstellung analog Fig.6, bei der jedoch das Anschlußkontakte lement um 180° gedreht angeordnet ist,

Fig.8

eine Querschnittsdarstellung analog Fig.6, die eine Klemmen leiste mit einem Anschlußkontaktelement ohne Brückenkontakte zeigt,

Fig.9

eine Querschnittsdarstellung der Klemmenleiste nach Fig.5 gemäß der Linie IX-IX, mit einem als Steckbuchse ausgebildeten Anschluß kontaktelement,

Fig.10

eine Seitenansicht des Anschlußkontaktelements nach Fig.9,

Fig.11

eine Ansicht des Anschlußkontaktelements nach Fig.10 in Richtung des Pfeiles Xl, und

Fig.12

eine Abwicklung des Anschlußkontaktelements gemäß Fig.10 und 11.

The invention will now be explained in more detail with reference to the exemplary embodiments shown in the figures. Show it:

Fig. 1

the top view of a terminal block composed of two coupled Isolierge housings,

Fig. 2

2 shows a cross section along the line II-II in FIG. 1,

Fig. 3

2 shows a cross section along the line III-III in FIG. 1,

Fig. 4

a plan view in the direction of arrow IV in Fig.1,

Fig. 5

a further embodiment of a terminal strip according to the invention in plan view, the terminal strip being composed of two insulated housings coupled to one another,

Fig. 6

5 shows a cross-sectional representation of the terminal strip according to FIG. 5 along the line VI-VI,

Fig. 7

a representation analogous to Figure 6, but in which the connecting contacts element is arranged rotated by 180 °,

Fig. 8

6 shows a cross-sectional view similar to FIG. 6, which shows a terminal strip with a connection contact element without bridge contacts,

Fig. 9

5 according to line IX-IX, with a contact element designed as a socket,

Fig. 10

a side view of the terminal contact element according to Figure 9,

Fig. 11

a view of the terminal contact element according to Figure 10 in the direction of arrow Xl, and

Fig. 12

a development of the connection contact element according to Fig.10 and 11th

As can be seen from Fig. 1 to 3, the terminal block according to the invention has essentially rectangular, elongated housing 1. The housing 1 in turn consists of two insulating housings 2, 3 with their end faces are coupled to each other. For this purpose, the insulating housing 2, 3 one end faces dovetail strips 4 and the other End faces complementary dovetail grooves 5.

Contact housings 6 are arranged in the insulating housings 2, 3. In these Contact contacts 7,7a are used. In contacting 6 of the insulating housing 3 are four, in the contact 6 a Isoliergehäuses 2 three terminal contact elements 7,7a arranged.

2 shows that the contacts 6 are in a main room 8 and divide an adjoining room 9 by a partition 11 from each other are separated. In the contacts 6, the terminal contact elements 7.7a. The connection contact elements 7, 7a are flat sheet metal stampings. They have a contact tab designed in the manner of a flat plug 12 on, in the direction of insertion 13 facing end to facilitate plug is beveled. The opposite of the insertion direction 13 end of Flat connector 12 is widened to a baseboard 14. Stand by the baseboard 14 against the plug direction 13 from two solder pins 15 with which the connection contact element 7.7a with a circuit board electrically and mechanically is connectable. At one end of the skirting board 14 pointing to the left in FIG in the connection contact element 7a, a connecting strip 16 is formed, the extends in the plug-in direction 13 and at its bent at right angles End a double contact 17 is formed. The double contact 17 is a plan view H-shaped flat part, the H-leg in or against the direction of insertion 13 extend. The each arranged transversely to the direction of insertion 13 adjacent H-legs form the comb teeth 18 in the manner of a Clamping contact trained bridge contact 19,19a.

On the housing walls 21, 21a extending transversely to the plug-in direction 13 the insulating housing 2, 3 is in the area of the adjoining room 9 Receiving pocket 20 arranged, with a slot 22 after outside opens. The receiving pockets extend in the longitudinal direction 24 of the Housing 1 and open on both sides in the end faces of the insulating housing 2.3. The comb teeth 18 protrude with clamping lugs arranged at their free ends 23 laterally into the receiving pockets 20. To make one electrical connection between the one having a bridge contact 19 Contact elements 7a is a bridge bar 25 in the slot 22 of the Insulating housing 2 and 3 can be inserted. The bridging bar 25 is thereby clamped between the comb teeth 18 or their clamping lugs 23. The Bridge bar extends almost the entire length of the housing 1 and lies completely in the receiving pocket 20.

In the manner described are those identified by reference number 7a Connection contact elements bridged in Fig.1. The remaining connection contact elements 7 are excluded from the bridging because they do not Have bridge contact 19 or double terminal contact 17. Such a connection contact element 7 is shown in Fig.3. It only consists of the flat plug 12 and the skirting board 14 with the solder pins 15 formed thereon.

The connection contact elements 7, 7a are in the housing wall 21a Insulating housing or the insulating housing 2.3 used. The housing wall 21a has transverse slots 26 (FIG. 2, 3) for this purpose. The partition 11 has a slot 28 connected to the transverse slot 26 into which the Connecting strip 16 can be inserted.

In the embodiment shown in Fig.1-4 is on the terminal contact element 7a, a double terminal contact 17 is formed. Bridging connection contact elements can therefore both over the in the housing 21st arranged insertion slot 22 (Fig. 1-3) or via the in the housing wall 21a arranged insertion slot 22a. The one shown in Fig.1 Housing 1 can be extended by coupling additional insulating housings become. Then an electrical cross connection to the terminal contact elements 7a in the coupled basic housing via an in the still free insertion slot 22a (Fig. 2) inserted bridge bar. It is also conceivable that the connection contact element with only one Bridge contact, such as the bridge contact 19 pointing in the plug-in direction 13 is equipped according to Fig.2. With such connection contact elements would then be only a single bridge bar 25 can be contacted, which in the insertion slot 22 is inserted. Furthermore, connection contact elements could be provided be also only a single one, but now opposite to the plugging direction 13 have pointing bridge contact 19a. With such connection contact elements would then only be a bridge bar inserted into the insertion slot 22a contactable. It would thus be possible in a simple way, two different ones Potential distributions or bridges. The one Bridging bar could, for example, with one neutral and the other with be connected to a protective conductor. The terminal block according to the invention is but not only on the bridging in the case of neutral or protective conductors limited. It is also conceivable that a potential via a bridge bar 25 or a signal is distributed over several connection contact elements.

5-12 is a further embodiment of an inventive Terminal strip shown. With the previous embodiment Matching components are identified by the same reference symbols. Here, too, the housing 1 is composed of two individual insulating housings 30 and 31 together, coupled forehead to forehead. The structure of the Terminal strip according to the invention will be explained with reference to the insulating housing 30. The main difference to the previous embodiment (Fig. 1-4) is in that the main room 8 of the contact 6 of two side rooms 9,9a is flanked. Seen in the transverse direction 27 (FIG. 6), there is thus Main room 8 in the middle of the contact 6 and the side rooms 9,9a to the side of it. The secondary room 9a is separated from the main room 8 by a partition wall 32 severed. 6 lying in the contact 6 Connection contact element 7a practically corresponds to that of Fig. 2. Only one The difference is that it has no solder pins. The connection contact element 7a is arranged in the contact 6 so that its double terminal contact 17 in the adjoining room 9 is arranged.

On the housing walls 21 and 21a is in the area of the adjoining room 9a a further receiving pocket 33 is arranged, which has an insertion slot 34,34a is accessible. The receiving pockets 33 also extend over the entire length of the housing 1 and open into the end faces or in the end faces of the insulating housing 30.31. The receiving pockets 33 run parallel to the longitudinal direction 24 (FIG. 5) of the insulating housing and are arranged that they protrude into the adjoining room 9a.

Another difference from the exemplary embodiment in FIGS. 1-4 is that that the insulating housing facing from the opposite direction of insertion 13 Side is completed by a floor 35, which is in the manner of a Snap connection is connected to the insulating housing 30.31. At the in Fig. 6 is the example shown in the receiving pockets adjacent to the bottom 35 33 a bridge bar 25 is already inserted in the factory. Customer side Bridges can therefore only be made by a bridge bar 25 in the not yet occupied receiving pocket 33 or 20 or the insertion slot 22 or 34 is inserted.

The insulating housing 30 has two different receptacles 6. 7 is a receptacle 6b is shown in which the partition 32 on the right in the illustration, So the partition between the adjoining room 9a and the main room 8, one Has slot 28. The receptacle 6b is therefore suitable for a Include contact element 7b, the double terminal contact 17 in Adjoining room 9a is arranged. The terminal contact elements 7a and 7b are identical parts which - starting from the situation shown in Fig. 6 - by a rotation of 180 ° can be brought into the arrangement according to FIG. 7. The axis of rotation is perpendicular to that of the transverse direction 27 and Longitudinal direction 24 spanned plane.

Due to the different arrangement of the connection contact element 7a or 7b can use two different potential distributions simultaneously and independently be made from each other. For this purpose you only need to On the user side, bridge strips 25 are inserted into the insertion slots 22 and 34, respectively become. The terminal contact elements 7a are then from another Potential supplied as the terminal contact elements 7b. The former can for example with a neutral conductor, the latter with a protective conductor or be connected to a live or signal-carrying conductor.

8 is inserted a contact element 7, the has no bridge contacts. It only consists of a flat plug 12, its free end pointing counter to the insertion direction 13 to a baseboard 14 is widened. On this skirting board 14, as already described above, Solder pins 15 molded on. The connection contact element 7 is in a Contact 6c, which differs from those described above in that that the partitions 11,33 have no slot. A connector 7a or 7b can therefore not be inserted in this contact 6c. All in all are three different contacts in the insulating housing 30 available. In the contact 6 is only a connection contact element 7a, in the contact 6b only a connection contact element 7b and in the Contact 6c only insert a contact element 7. Through the Sequence of different contacts is the sequence of the different connection contact elements.

A terminal block according to the invention can not only with connection contact elements can be equipped with tabs 12. It can be practically any Contact forms are used. An example of this is shown in Fig. 9. The contact tab here is a socket 36. The structure of the connection contact element 7c show Figs. 10-12. In the latter figure is a settlement of the Connection contact element 7d shown. It has a baseboard 14, one Connecting strip 16 and a double terminal contact 17. So far it is true essentially corresponds to the terminal contact element 7a. However instead of a flat connector, a connecting web 37 on the baseboard 14 molded, which two spaced apart and in the assembled state 13 forks 38, 38a pointing in the direction of insertion, each with two Clamping tines 39,39a. The finished terminal contact element shown in Fig. 10,11 7c is available from the development according to FIG. 12 by the forks 38,38a can be pivoted 90 ° against each other and the connecting web 37 is cranked.

Claims (12)

1. Terminal block for printed circuit boards having a plurality of connecting contact elements (7, 7a),

   which are arranged in contact holders (6) in a housing (1)

   and are arranged in at least one row running in the longitudinal direction (27) of the housing (1),

   characterized
   in that some of the connecting contact elements (7a, 7b, 7c) are each provided with at least one bridging contact (19), while the rest of the connecting contact elements (7) have no bridging contact and in that the housing (1) has at least one receptacle (33) which is open to the outside for holding a bridging strip (25) which electrically connects the bridging contacts, in which case the bridging contacts can make contact with the bridging strip (25) at any desired longitudinal position on said bridging strip (25).
2. Terminal block according to Claim 1,
   characterized
   in that the housing (1) can be fitted with a plurality of bridging strips (25) which are each arranged at different positions, and in that the connecting elements (7a) can be positioned in different positions in the housing (1), in which case the bridging contact (19) is associated with a different bridging strip (25) in each position.
3. Terminal block according to Claim 2,
   characterized by
   a plurality of bridging contacts (19) on one connecting contact element (7, 7b).
4. Terminal block according to Claim 3,
   characterized
   in that two bridging contacts (19, 19a) are arranged on one connecting contact element (7a).
5. Terminal block according to Claim 4,
   characterized by
   an organisation of the connecting contact elements (7a, 7b) such that, in a first arrangement in the insulating housing (1), the bridging contacts (19, 19a) can make contact with a first pair of bridging strips and, in a second arrangement in the housing (1), their bridging contacts (19, 19a) can make contact with a second pair of bridging strips.
6. Terminal block according to one of Claims 1 to 5,
   characterized
   in that, seen in a section transversely with respect to the longitudinal direction (27) of the housing (1), the points on which the bridging strips (25) are arranged form the corners of a rectangle or of a square.
7. Terminal block according to one of Claims 1 to 6,
   characterized
   in that the bridging contacts (19) are clamping contacts.
8. Terminal block according to Claim 7,
   characterized
   in that the bridging contacts (19) are designed in the form of two comb teeth (18) which, in the bridging state, engage over the bridging strip (25) such that they clamp it.
9. Terminal block according to one Claims 1-8,
   characterized
   in that the housing (1) is composed of a plurality of insulating housings (2, 3, 30, 31) whose end faces are connected to one another.
10. Terminal block according to Claim 9,
    characterized
    in that the insulating housings (2, 3, 30, 31) which are connected to one another correspond to the arrangement of the receptacles (20), and in that the receptacles open on that end face of an insulating housing (2, 3, 30, 31) which is intended for connection to a second insulating housing (2, 3, 30, 31).
11. Terminal block according to Claim 10,
    characterized
    in that the bridging strip (25) is longer than an insulating housing (2, 3, 30, 31).
12. Terminal block according to one of Claims 1-11,
    characterized
    in that in the assembled state, the bridging strip (25) is arranged within the space which is bounded by the surface of the housing (1).

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