EP0812032B1 - Terminal for comb-shaped bus bar, especially for modular electrical apparatus - Google Patents

Abstract

The terminal includes a pin (22) which extends linearly from a connecting terminal (18) for an electrical conductor. The additional thickness (E'2) on the upper surface (30) of the end section (29) of the pin relative to the thinner root section (28) is greater than the additional thickness (E"2) on the lower surface (31). An insulating cover (17) surrounds at least some of the live part (16) with an opening (20) at right angles to the conductor input (21). It has two side extensions (35,36); the lower of these is hinged along its upper side by a thinned section so as to enclose the root by snapping together (41,42).

Description

The present invention relates generally comb-shaped power bars of the type implemented for example for the joint service of a plurality of modular electrical devices aligned side by side side by side on the same support.

Besides a sill, by which they run along modular electrical devices to be served, and which, the more often, is protected by an insulating sheath, these bars feed comprise, transversely, from place to place, following a regular pitch, a plurality of teeth, through which they are suitable for engaging with the connection terminal concerned with these modular electrical devices or, at least, that of some of them.

The present invention relates more particularly to the arrival terminal that is usual to associate with such a bar power supply to ensure its own connection to a electrical conductor capable of connecting it to any power supply.

This arrival terminal includes, in particular, a part conductive active and this itself comprises, on the one hand, a connection pad, which, to allow the engagement of a electrical conductor to be connected, has at least one input conductor, and, on the other hand, a conduction tab, which especially when the sill of the power bar is protected by an insulating sheath, is intended to be superimpose, at least locally, on a tooth of this bar feed, for contact with this tooth and engagement spouse with her in the corresponding connection terminal any of the modular electrical appliances concerned.

Arrival terminals of this type known to date generally have the disadvantage of offering no choice for the possibility of implantation of their tongue conduction with respect to the tooth of the power bar at which it must be superimposed, which limits in practice their field of application to this or that type of terminal for modular electrical devices concerned.

The present invention generally has for object an incoming terminal for shaped power bar comb free from this drawback.

This arrival terminal, which is of the kind set out above, is generally characterized in that, the conduction tab of the active part comprising successively two sections from the connection pad, namely, a root segment and an end segment, the end section has a thickness greater than that of the root stretch.

Thanks to this arrangement, the conduction tab of the arrival terminal according to the invention can either overlap above or below a tooth on the bar supply, despite any thickness of insulation present on the sill of this power bar, and / or on its own root stretch.

The arrival terminal according to the invention is suitable from as well in case the corresponding connection terminal of the modular electrical appliance concerned is a terminal of the type said to plate, that in case it is a terminal of the so-called elevator type, which advantageously increases by as much its scope, and which advantageously facilitates its reuse during a possible modification of the installation in which it operates.

la figure 1 est une vue en perspective d'une borne d'arrivée suivant l'invention ;

la figure 2 en est une vue en perspective éclatée ;

la figure 3 est une vue en perspective illustrant cette borne d'arrivée en place au contact d'une des dents d'une barre d'alimentation en forme de peigne, suivant une première implantation possible par rapport à cette dent ;

la figure 4 est une vue en coupe transversale de l'ensemble, suivant la ligne IV-IV de la figure 3 ;

la figure 5 est une vue en coupe longitudinale de la borne d'arrivée suivant l'invention, suivant la ligne V-V de la figure 3 ;

les figures 6 et 7 sont des vues qui, analogues, chacune respectivement, à celles des figures 3, 4, se rapportent à un deuxième mode d'implantation possible de la borne d'arrivée suivant l'invention par rapport à la dent concernée de la barre d'alimentation.

The characteristics and advantages of the invention will become apparent from the description which follows, by way of example, with reference to the appended schematic drawings in which:

Figure 1 is a perspective view of an arrival terminal according to the invention;

Figure 2 is an exploded perspective view;

Figure 3 is a perspective view illustrating this arrival terminal in place in contact with one of the teeth of a comb-shaped feed bar, according to a first possible implantation with respect to this tooth;

Figure 4 is a cross-sectional view of the assembly, along the line IV-IV of Figure 3;

Figure 5 is a longitudinal sectional view of the arrival terminal according to the invention, along the line VV of Figure 3;

Figures 6 and 7 are views which, analogously, each respectively, to those of Figures 3, 4, relate to a second possible mode of implantation of the arrival terminal according to the invention relative to the tooth concerned of the power bar.

As illustrated in these figures, and as it is for example better visible in Figure 3, the arrival terminal 10 according to the invention is intended to be associated with a bar supply 11, which, in the general form of a comb, comprises, on the one hand, a sill 12, and, on the other hand, from transversely from place to place of this sill 12, following a regular step, teeth 13.

In the embodiment shown, the sill 12 of the power bar 11 is surrounded by a sheath insulating 14.

Anyway, this power bar 11 being well known by itself, and not coming under its own of the present invention, it will not be described further in detail here.

Also known per se, the arrival terminal 10 according to the invention comprises an active part 16, which is conductive, and which, in the embodiment shown, is at least partially coated with an insulating envelope 17.

This active part 16 itself comprises, on the one hand, a connection pad 18, which, to allow the engagement of a electrical conductor 19 to be connected, present, at the right of a opening 20 of the insulating jacket 17, at least one entry conductor 21, and, on the other hand, a conduction tab 22, which, intended to overlap, at least locally, according to modalities described in more detail later, at a tooth 13 of the feed bar 11, for contact therewith, protrudes from the insulating jacket 17.

The active part 16 also includes a screw clamp 23 intended to cooperate in screwing with a bore threaded 24 of the connection pad 18 which crosses transversely the conductor input 21 thereof.

In the embodiment shown, the stud connection 18 of the active part 16 has two inputs of conductor 21, and the insulating envelope 17 comprises, jointly, in correspondence, two openings 20.

Furthermore, in this embodiment, the two conductor inputs 21 that includes the connection pad 18 extend on either side of its threaded bore 24, in both opening into this one, and so they're aligned back to back in an alignment direction D1 vis-à-vis from which the conduction tab 22 extends transversely.

More specifically, the axis A of the threaded bore 24 being perpendicular to the direction of elongation D2 of the tongue conduction 22, the alignment direction D1 of the two inputs of conductor 21 is perpendicular to the plane passing through this axis A and by this direction of elongation D2.

In the embodiment shown, the tongue conduction 22 of the active part 16 comprises, successively, from connection pad 18, two sections, namely, a root section 28, by which it is attached in one piece to this connection pad 18, and a end section 29, by which it is intended to come in contact with a tooth 13 of the feed bar 11.

The root section 28 extends halfway up the stud connection 18, perpendicular to the corresponding face of it, along a width L1, which, in practice, is equal to that of this face.

On the other hand, the end section 29 extends along a smaller width L2, while being centered relative to the root segment 28.

In addition, in the embodiment more particularly shown in Figures 1 to 7, this section end 29 a, perpendicular to the following direction which it should be applied to a tooth 13 of the bar supply 11, a thickness E2 greater than that E1 of the root segment 28.

More specifically, in this embodiment, the end section 29 comprises, with respect to the thickness E1 of the root section 28, an additional thickness E'2, E "2 on one and the other of its two main faces 30, 31, that is to say on both of the two faces which extend perpendicular to the direction in which it is intended to be superimposed on a tooth 13 of the bar supply 11.

More specifically, again, in this form of realization, the extra thickness E'2 on the main face 30 upper end section 29 is greater than the extra thickness E "2 on its lower main face 31.

In the embodiment shown, the management according to which the end section 29 is intended to be superimposed on a tooth 13 of the feed bar 11 is parallel to the axis A of the threaded bore 24 of the connection pad 18.

Its upper main face and its main face 31 lower are therefore both perpendicular to this axis A.

Preferably, and as shown, one and the other of these main faces 30, 31 are each connected respectively by a chamfer 32, 33 at the root section 28.

In cross section, the root section 28 has a rectangular outline elongated in the direction of alignment D1 of the conductor inputs 21 of the connection pad 18, while that the end section 29 has a substantially square contour.

But apart from this difference and extra thicknesses E'2 and E "2 presented by the end section 29 relative to the root section 28, the tongue of conduction 22 is generally rectilinear.

In practice, this conduction tab 22 is of a in one piece with the connection pad 18.

The set can for example be very simply consisting of a section of profile duly cut and machined.

The insulating envelope 17 not falling within the scope of this invention, it will not be described in detail here.

It will suffice to indicate that the conduction tab 22 in fact of course protrudes, that, however, it includes two lateral extensions 35, 36, one upper, the other lower, by which it is able to enclose the section of root 28 of this conduction tab 22, that, to give access to the clamping screw 23, it comprises a well 38, and that each of its openings 20 is associated with a flap of closure 39.

In the embodiment shown, the lower lateral extension 36 of the insulating jacket 17 is articulated to its upper lateral extension 35 by a hinge zone 40 parallel to the conduction tab 22.

Jointly, between these two lateral extensions 35, 36 intervene, preferably, means latching.

For example, and as shown, these means on the one hand, projecting from the upper lateral extension 35, on the opposite side thereof at the lower lateral extension 36, a rib 41, and, on the other hand, projecting from the lateral extension 36 lower, on the side thereof opposite the lateral extension 35 upper, a tab 42, which, perforated in the shape of a handle, is suitable for hooking on rib 41.

In use, the conduction tab 22 of the part active 16 of the arrival terminal 10 according to the invention is superimposed, by its end section 29, on a tooth 13 of the power bar 11.

When, as shown in broken lines on Figure 4, the connection terminal 44 in which the assembly must be engaged is of the elevator type, this superposition is made from below, i.e. on the side of the underside tooth 13 concerned of the feed bar 11.

As is known, a connection terminal 44 of the type lift comprises, on the one hand, a contact element fixed 45, on which the clamping screw 46 is supported corresponding, and, on the other hand, a movable contact element 47, which, in the shape of a stirrup, surrounds the fixed contact element 45, and with which the clamping screw 46 meshes, and the elements to be clamped must be engaged between the element of fixed contact 45 and the strand of the movable contact element 47 opposite to that with which the clamping screw 46 meshes.

The extra thickness E'2 that presents on its face main 30 upper the end section 29 of the conduction tab 22 allows the contact of this tab conduction 22 with tooth 13 of feed bar 11 despite the presence of insulation thicknesses due, on the one hand, to the insulating sheath 14 of the supply bar 11, and, on the other hand, to the upper lateral extension 35 of the insulating envelope 17 of the arrival terminal 10.

As will be noted, the root segment 28 of the conduction tab 22 of the incoming terminal 10 is advantageously isolated in its entirety, on its upper face, by the feed bar 11 and by the lateral extension 35 upper of the insulating jacket 17, and, on its face lower, by the lower lateral extension 36 of this insulating envelope 17, for the benefit of security.

If, as shown in broken lines on the FIG. 7, the connection terminal 44 is of the plate type, the superimposition, on a tooth 13 of the feed bar 11, of the end section 29 of the conduction tab 22 of the arrival terminal 10 according to the invention, is done from above.

As is known, a connection terminal 44 to plate includes, as before, a contact element fixed 45, but the associated tightening screw 46 meshes with a fixed part 47, which can for example be constituted by a caliper surrounding as before the fixed contact element 45, and it carries with it a plate 48, which has passed under the free end of its barrel, and which it is responsible for move closer to the fixed contact element 45, and the elements to tighten are to be engaged between this plate 48 and this element fixed contact 45.

In such a case, the lower lateral extension 36 insulating jacket 17 is detached from the lateral extension 35 upper and left open.

For example, and as shown in Figure 6, there then comes to rest laterally on the insulating sheath 14 of the power bar 11.

It is thus possible to minimize the excess thickness E "2 to be given to the end section 29 of the tongue of conduction 22 on its main face 31 lower so that it can be in contact with the relevant tooth 13 of the bar supply 11.

This is the reason why this extra thickness E "2 is less than the extra thickness E'2 present on the face main upper 30 of this end section 29.

As before, the root section 28 of the conduction tab 22 is advantageously insulated in its whole, on its upper face, by the lateral extension 35 upper of the insulating jacket 17, and, on its face lower, by the power bar 11.

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

In particular, the connection pad of the part active may have only one driver input.

Claims (8)

1. An input terminal for a feed bar of a comb shape, in particular for modular electrical apparatuses, of the kind comprising an active conductive portion (16) comprising in itself on the one hand a connection stud (18) which, to permit engagement of an electrical conductor (19) to be connected, has at least one conductor entry (21), and, on the other hand, a conduction tongue (22) which is intended to be at least locally in superposed relationship with a tooth (13) of the feed bar (11) for contact therewith, characterised in that, the conduction tongue (22) of the active portion (16) comprising two parts (28, 29) in succession from the connection stud (18), namely a base part (28) and an end part (29), the end part (29) is of a thickness (E2) greater than that (E1) of the base part (28).
2. An input terminal according to claim 1 characterised in that the end part (29) of the conduction tongue (22) comprises an additional thickness (E'2, E"2) on both of its two main faces (30, 31).
3. An input terminal according to claim 2 characterised in that the additional thickness (E'2) on the upper main face (30) of the end part (29) of the conduction tongue (22) is greater than the additional thickness (E"2) on the lower main face (31).
4. An input terminal according to any one of claims 1 to 3 characterised in that the conduction tongue (22) is generally rectilinear.
5. An input terminal according to any one of claims 1 to 4 characterised in that it also comprises an insulating casing (17) which at least partly encloses the active portion (16), having an opening (20) in line with the conductor entry (21) thereof, and from which the conduction tongue (22) of said active portion (16) projects.
6. An input terminal according to claim 5 characterised in that the insulating casing (17) comprises two lateral extensions (35, 36), one being an upper extension and the other a lower extension, by way of which it is capable of embracing the base part (28) of the conduction tongue (22) of the active portion (16).
7. An input terminal according to claim 6 characterised in that the lower lateral extension (36) of the insulating casing (17) is pivoted to its upper lateral extension (35) by a hinge region (40) parallel to the conduction tongue (22) of the active portion (16).
8. An input terminal according to either one of claims 6 and 7 characterised in that latching means are operatively disposed between the two lateral extensions (35, 36) of the insulating casing (17).

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