EP1408583A2 - Connection device for electrical wire having displacement and retaining slot - Google Patents

Abstract

The electrical wire connection mechanism has a stripping slot and retainer (1) forming a connector piece. A widening mouth area (11) allows the introduction of a wire (3) for stripping. The wire is inserter perpendicularly to the slot (9). A guide slot (7) is placed around the outside of the slot retainer and holds the wire in place when inserted.

Description

The present invention relates to a wire connection device electric with a stripping and retaining slot.

Such a device aims to ensure the electrical connection and immobilization of at least one electrical wire sheathed in insulation, without requiring a prior stripping of this wire.

Such connection devices are usually used to connect wires together, for example in terminal blocks, or to connect wires to electrical equipment, such as a ordered.

It is already known to produce devices comprising a slot stripped in a conductive part. The slot presents, at one of its ends, a flared mouth intended to facilitate the insertion of the wire to connect in the conductive part, and to ensure a cross section of the insulation surrounding the conductive core of the wire. The wire is presented transversely relative to the slot and then moved in the longitudinal direction of the slot, while retaining itself a transverse orientation to the slot.

The conductive core of the wire, after local stripping thereof, comes in contact with the edges of the slot which immobilizes it by pressure, and which ensures electrical continuity between the conductive core and the conductive part.

Several known connection devices use this principle. In document EP 0 247 360, there is a connection terminal which includes a conductive connection piece with a straight stripping slot and restraint immobilized in a housing of an insulating housing itself provided an opening which includes a straight sheath retaining lumen topped by a wire introduction opening. The slot is longitudinally formed along a part in the form of a profile having a hollow polygonal section for translational guidance of a nozzle of tool intended to slide on either side between the folds delimiting the edges of the slot so that a wire can be inserted into this slot in position transverse to the slot and guided in the internal cavity of the profiled part. To make a connection here, it is necessary to have a tool specially adapted.

It is also known to have a slit connection device. stripping in which the connection can be made using a conventional tool like a screwdriver. This is the case for example in the document EP 0 697 749.

Patent FR 2 611 406, in the name of the Applicant, like the two other documents cited above, provides for a piece of molded operation with the housing intended to serve as a pusher for making slide the end of the wire between the edges of the stripping slot. other documents describe other examples of ways to introduce from the end of the wire to make the self-stripping connection.

Document US 5,000,698 describes a connection device which includes a conductive connection piece with a straight stripping slot and a housing which comprises on the one hand a housing for a wire and on the other hand a opening of width corresponding to the conductive part. In this case blade is movable relative to the housing and can be inserted into the housing by a translational movement.

In known connection devices, the conductive part of connection must first ensure the stripping of the wire and then a good electric contact. It must then have good electrical qualities conductivity but also mechanical qualities to guarantee the cutting of wire sheath and sufficient contact force for reliable contact. The known materials which can be good conductors do not have the desired mechanical characteristics, particularly from a point of view elasticity, to allow good stripping and contact force satisfactory.

When the conductive part is intended to receive ends of wires which all have the same diameter, it is possible to adapt the shape of the connecting piece so that by choosing a material with good, even excellent electrical qualities, good stripping and optimized contact force.

However, when the connecting piece is intended to receive wire ends of different diameters, within a given range, there becomes difficult and even impossible to have both excellent results from a electrically and mechanically. The adopted solution then consists in making a compromise and in manufacturing the conductive part of connection in a material which has mechanical qualities and satisfactory without being optimal. This forces you to use copper and steel based alloys which are cost-effective relatively high.

The object of the present invention is therefore to provide a device for connection that does not require the use of expensive material while allowing satisfactory electrical and mechanical properties, even very satisfactory to allow a good connection of wires different diameters. This device will advantageously make it possible to carry out the connection of a wire using a screwdriver.

To this end, the proposed device is a connection device for electric wire according to the content of claim 1. Characteristics additional are described in the dependent claims.

This produces a device that does not require implementation expensive materials. The connection piece is made of a material which is a good conductor, while the means of maintaining and possibly clamps are made of a mechanically resistant material which gives the mechanical rigidity necessary for the connection device to achieve a good electrical connection. Thanks to the holding means and possibly tightening, this new self-stripping connection device accepts, in a given range, wires of diameters significantly different. For wires with a smaller diameter, maintenance of edges of the slit at the mouth is sufficient while for larger diameter wires, tightening will be necessary to ensure good electrical contact.

Depending on the diameter of the connected wire, the contact force will be more or less important, inducing a maintenance or a tightening of the edges of the slot On the string.

Connection is made to an outside operator as if made a screw connection, except that there is no need here to strip the wire Connect.

Figure 1 est une vue en perspective d'une première forme de réalisation d'un dispositif selon l'invention,

Figure 2 montre en perspective la cage de la figure 1 dans une autre orientation,

Figure 3 est une vue en coupe selon la ligne de coupe III-III de la figure 1 à échelle agrandie,

Figure 4 est une vue de côté, correspondant à la figure 3, un fil étant connecté,

Figure 5 est une vue en perspective d'une seconde forme de réalisation d'un dispositif selon l'invention,

Figure 6 est une vue en coupe selon la ligne de coupe VI-VI de la figure 5,

Figure 7 est une vue correspondant à la vue de la figure 6, le raccordement étant effectué,

Figures 8A à 8C sont des vues en perspective d'une troisième forme de réalisation d'un dispositif selon l'invention au cours de trois étapes de raccordement,

Figures 9A à 9C sont des vues correspondant respectivement aux vues des figures 8A à 8C en coupe longitudinale selon la ligne de coupe IX-IX de la figure 8A.

In any case, the invention will be better understood with the aid of the description which follows, with reference to the appended schematic drawing, showing by way of nonlimiting examples various embodiments of a connection device for electric wire according to the invention. 'invention.

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a first embodiment of a device according to the invention,

Figure 2 shows in perspective the cage of Figure 1 in another orientation,

FIG. 3 is a sectional view along the section line III-III of FIG. 1 on an enlarged scale,

FIG. 4 is a side view, corresponding to FIG. 3, a wire being connected,

FIG. 5 is a perspective view of a second embodiment of a device according to the invention,

FIG. 6 is a sectional view along the section line VI-VI of FIG. 5,

FIG. 7 is a view corresponding to the view in FIG. 6, the connection being made,

FIGS. 8A to 8C are perspective views of a third embodiment of a device according to the invention during three connection steps,

Figures 9A to 9C are views corresponding respectively to the views of Figures 8A to 8C in longitudinal section along the section line IX-IX of Figure 8A.

Figures 1 to 4 show a first embodiment of a device according to the invention, comprising a self-stripping lyre 1 folded over one of its ends and having a slot 9 as well as a mouth 11, and a part called cage 21. The latter is of rectangular shape. It has a first circular cylindrical housing 23 extending perpendicular to the plane of the folded end of the lyre 1 and intended to receive a wire to connect 3. The cage 21 also has a second housing 25 in the form of a slot in the cage 21 in the extension of the folded end of the self-stripping lyre 1. A third housing 27, which is tapped, is provided for training in translation and guiding of the cage 21. Figures 3 and 4 show the device connection of Figure 1 in the mounted position in an insulating housing 29.

Figure 3 shows in section the connection device in its insulating housing 29 before connection of the wire 3. The cage 21 is placed above the lyre so that the end of the folded part of lyre 1 is at barely introduced into the housing 25 of the cage 21. The wire 3 is fully engaged in the housing 23. A screw 31 is screwed into the threaded housing 27. This screw 31 is mounted so that, when it is screwed in, the cage 21 is pushed back towards the lyre 1. The wire 3, trapped in the housing 23, then comes engage in the mouth 11 of the lyre then after being stripped at the level of this mouth 11 is introduced into the stripping slot and restraint 9. We then arrive at the position shown in Figure 4 in view exterior. The connection is then made. The slot 25 in the form of a slot in the cage 21 is of a width such that the outer edges 33 of the lyre come to rest in the cage 21 in the connected position of the figure 4. The width of this slot 25 is not necessarily constant over the entire length of it. The slot 25 can for example be narrowed at the bottom, towards inside the cage 21. This guarantees good contact pressure of the edges of the stripping and retaining slot 9 on the conductive core of the wire 3, regardless of the diameter of the wire connected.

A second embodiment of a connection device is shown in Figures 5 to 7. This device comprises a connecting piece 2, a cage 4, two wires to connect 6 and 8, and a screw 10.

Connection piece 2 is obtained by cutting and folding with a metal strip. A first part of the connecting piece forms a blade 12. At one end of this blade 12 extend, perpendicular to this blade, from the longitudinal edges of this blade 12, legs 14 which face each other. The two longitudinal edges 16 are thinned and folded back towards the other tab 14. Two slots are thus formed stripping and retaining between the lugs 14. Opposite the blade 12, these stripping and retaining slots have a flared mouth 18.

The cage 4 comprises a profiled part of rectangular section. The internal width of this profile allows the connection piece 2 to be housed level of the legs 14 leaving only a slight clearance between these legs 14 and the longitudinal walls of the profiled part 20. The profiled part 20 is a tubular piece of elongated rectangular section. The stripping slots and retainers extend perpendicular to the axis of the profiled part 20 and parallel to the long sides of this profiled part.

The internal height of the profiled part 20 corresponds substantially at the height of the connection piece 2 at the legs 14 increased in diameter of the wires 6 and 8. A cover 22 is provided on the cage 4 to allow delimiting a housing reserved for the wires to be connected 6 and 8.

A small side of the profiled part 20 of the cage 4 is thus located side of the connection piece 2 and the other short side of the profiled part 20 of the cage 4 is on the side of the wires to be connected. On the side of the connection piece 2, the cage has a threaded hole 24 in which the screw takes place 10. On the side opposite the side on which the tapped hole 24 is made, finds an opening allowing passage and guiding of the legs 14.

The screw 10 has a head 26 which abuts against a wall 28 of an insulating housing containing the connection device shown in Figures 5 to 7.

So, to make a connection, one wire or two wires 6 and 8 as shown in Figures 5 to 7, are introduced into the cage parallel to the axis of the profiled part 20 of this cage. The wires 6 and 8 are placed in the housing reserved for them in the cage 4. The stripping and retaining connection piece 2 then extend perpendicular to the wires to be connected 6 and 8. To make the connection, we screw the screw 10. This screwing results in a translational drive from the cage 4 to the housing wall 28. The screw rod enters the cage 4 and pushes the connection piece on the wires 6 and 8. The latter then penetrate between the tabs 14 thus locally causing their stripping. Legs 14 come bear on the longitudinal walls of the profiled part 20. This part profile is advantageously made of steel to ensure resistance sufficient. The connection piece, for its part, is for example made in a copper-based alloy to guarantee good electrical conduction. In end of screwing, the free ends of the lugs 14, at the mouths 18, come against the wall opposite the wall provided with the threaded hole 24. The stroke of the cage 4 is sufficient for the mouths 18 to pass through this wall. This is possible thanks to the openings made in it. The passage of the mouths 18 in the passage and guide openings made in the wall of the profiled part 20 makes it possible to maintain the lugs 14 in electrical contact with the wires 6 and 8. If these wires are wires of fairly large diameter, they will tend to spread the legs 14. The passage of the mouths 18 in the guide openings then allows possibly tighten the tabs 14 towards each other so as to ensure good electrical contact.

Also in this embodiment, a separate piece of the blade 12 and the connecting piece 2 (which can therefore easily be produced in another material) provides on the wires 6 and 8 a holding or clamping perpendicular to the edges of the stripping and retaining slots and allows the connection of wires of different diameters with always a good electric contact.

FIGS. 8A to 8C and 9A to 9C represent a variant of realization of the device shown in Figures 5 to 7. The parts of this third embodiment similar to the component parts of the device of the second embodiment will use the same references increased by the number 100.

We find in this third embodiment a piece of connection 102, a cage 104, a wire 106 and a screw 110. The connection piece also has a blade 112 and legs 114. Here, only one edge longitudinal 116 of each leg 114 is folded towards the other leg 114 so that so that there is only one stripping and retaining slot 130. This slot 130 has a mouth 118.

Here, before making a connection, the connection piece 102 is placed outside the cage 104. Therefore, the dimensions of the cage 104 are less than those of cage 4. However, we find the same width inside of the cage 104, namely that this width corresponds to the width of the connecting piece 102 at the legs 114 increased by a slight clearance. Thus, when the wire 106 is in the slot 130, it tends to spread the legs 114 from each other and these can then be supported on the longitudinal walls of the profiled part 120 thus avoiding excessive force deformation of the legs 114 and guaranteeing good maintenance or tightening of the edges of the stripping and retaining slot 130 on the wire 106. The length of the rectangular section of the profiled part 120 of the cage therefore corresponds substantially in the space necessary to accommodate one or more wires to be connected.

The profiled part 120, present on two opposite sides of the openings 132 allowing passage and guiding of the legs 114. Thus, these tabs 114 can pass through the profiled part 120 right through.

The cage 104 also has a tab 134 folded at its end which thus serves to support the screw 110 which extends parallel to the stripping and retaining slot 130 but, with respect to the cage 104, on the side opposite connection piece 102.

Figures 8A and 9A show the front connection device the connection operation. The wire 106 is introduced into the profiled part 120. The mouth 118 of the stripping and retaining slot 130 is just at a guide opening 132. The rest of the connecting piece 102 is outside the cage 104. The head 126 of the screw bears against the wall 128 of the housing.

Figures 8B and 9B show the device being connection. The screw was turned using a screwdriver not shown. The lugs 114 of the connecting piece 102 enter the cage 104 and the insulating sheath of the wire to be connected 106 is started at the mouth 118 of the stripping and retaining slot 130. The fact that this mouthpiece 118 is flared allows good centering of the wire relative to the slot 130.

Figures 8C and 9C show the device at the end of the connection. The screw 110 is at the end of its travel and it has fully pushed back the cage 104 by via lug 134 on connection piece 102 which passes through the cage 104 goes right through the openings 132. The legs 114 of the connecting piece 102 are then perfectly maintained and thus ensure good electrical contact with the conductive core of wire 106, whatever the diameter of this wire (in a given range).

The various connection devices described above are connection devices which do not require the use of material expensive. These connection devices decouple the mechanical and electrical functions. The connection piece ensures good electrical connection while the plate or cage provides good rigidity allowing a force at the contact points sufficient for a good electrical contact within a given range of wire diameters to Connect.

As the first, second and third forms of embodiment, such a connection device makes it possible to make a connection self-stripping by performing a screwing movement. This movement of screwing is a usual movement for an operator used to make electrical connections. Indeed, many of the fittings are screw connections. The advantage here compared to most screw connections is that there is no need to strip the wire to be connected before making its connection.

The devices described above make it possible to connect wires various diameters. It is possible in a device to connect either a wire relatively large diameter or two wires of smaller diameter. For the sons of smaller diameter, it is important that the mouth of the slit stripping is guided at the end of the connection to guarantee pressure sufficient mechanics between the edges of the stripping slot and the core conductor of the connected wire.

It goes without saying that the invention is not limited to the forms of embodiments described above by way of nonlimiting examples; she in on the contrary embraces all variants within the scope of the claims below.

Claims (6)

Connection device for at least one electric wire comprising: a conductive connection piece (1) having: two substantially parallel edges (33) which define a stripping and retaining slot (9, 130), and a mouth (11) for introducing the wire to be connected into the slot, and a pusher (5, 21) which is movable in translation relative to the connection piece between a position for introducing the wire and a position for connecting the wire in the slot, and which defines a bearing surface for the wire , substantially perpendicular to the slot, for pushing the wire into the slot during the passage of the pusher from the insertion position to the connection position, the pusher further comprising means (7, 25) for limiting in the connection position, the spacing of the edges of the slot (9, 130), and possibly tighten the edges of the slot (9, 130) towards each other, the pusher remaining, after introduction, in its connection position, the pusher being made in the form of a cage (4; 21; 104) having a profiled housing intended to receive at least one wire to be connected and disposed transversely to the direction of the stripping and retaining slot at the mouth of the latter, guide means being provided to allow re a relative displacement of the cage (4; 21; 104) relative to the connection piece, substantially parallel to the stripping and retaining slot, characterized in that a screw (110, 31), extending perpendicular to the cage (104) is provided to push the cage (104, 21) and the connecting piece (1, 102) towards each other 'other. Connection device according to claim 1, characterized in that the means for at least limiting the spacing of the edges of the slot are defined by an opening (25; 132) of the housing allowing passage and guiding of the mouth (11 ; 18; 118) of the stripping and retaining slot, and by the width of the housing which is such that when introducing a wire (3; 6; 8; 108) into the stripping and retaining slot , the connection piece (1; 2; 102) comes to bear on the inner wall of the cage. Connection device according to claim 2, characterized in that the housing has a guide opening (132) for the mouth (118) of the stripping and retaining slot on two opposite side walls and in that the guide means allow the cage (104) to be guided relative to the connection piece (102) so that the mouthpiece can pass through the housing intended to receive the wire to be connected (106) at least one transversely in share in part. Connection device according to one of claims 2 or 3, characterized in that the cage (104) is a profiled cage of rectangular section intended to receive one or more wires (106), in that in the position before connection, the connection piece (102) is located outside the cage (104), in that the cage has a tab (134) extending opposite the connection piece (102) and in that the screw (110), extending perpendicular to the cage (104) and intended to push the cage (104) and the connecting piece (102) towards each other, push the cage (104) by the intermediate of the tab (134) on the connection piece (102). Connection device according to claim 2, characterized in that the cage (4) is a profiled cage of rectangular section intended to receive one or more wires (6,8), and in that in the position before connection, the piece of connection (2) is inside the cage, the slot extending perpendicular to the wire to be connected at least one number, the wire to be connected at least one number lying between the mouth ( 18) of the slot and a wall of the cage. Connection device according to claim 5, characterized in that the wall of the cage, opposite the mouth (18) of the stripping and retaining slot has a tapped hole (24) in which the screw (10) is located , extending perpendicularly to the cage (104) and designed to push the cage (104) and the connection piece (102) towards each other, bearing on the connection piece (2), so that by screwing the screw, the connection piece is pushed towards the wire to be connected at least one in such a way that the latter engages in the stripping and retaining slot.

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