EP1575136B1 - Tap device - Google Patents

Abstract

The branching device (10) electrically connects a main cable (1) to a secondary cable (2). The device has contact elements (5) for making an electrical connection at contact points of a socket into which a plug of the secondary cable can be plugged. The contact elements have an insulating cutting clamp (11) for contacting the conductors of the main cable. At least one of the contact elements has a clamp contact (12) electrically connected to the cutting clamp. This is flat and locally defines a plane, whereby a clamping effect of the clamp contact results from a spring force acting along the plane. Independent claims also cover a branching system, a contact element, a contact system and a multiple socket system.

Description

The invention relates to a branching device for electrically conductive connection of a main cable with a secondary cable.

Various types of branch devices of this type are known, for example from the publications WO 00/30218, DE 199 20 768, DE 101 43 363 or WO 03/021721. In all of these branching devices, cable cores of the main cable are contacted by cutting contacts. In the branching devices according to WO 00/30218, DE 199 20 768 and DE 101 43 363, the secondary cable can be inserted through a socket-and-plug connection, while in the branching device of WO 03/021721 the secondary cable is also contacted by a cutting contact, whereby the possibility is missing to replace the auxiliary cable as needed.

Known branch devices with socket-and-plug connections to the secondary cable require relatively complicated shaped contacting elements, which are expensive to manufacture. For example, portions of a formed sheet are bent so as to provide a clamping action between the flat sides of two portions. This has, in addition to the complexity of the manufacturing process, the additional disadvantage that the spring action essentially arises out of the bend, which can result in rapid fatigue on prolonged use.

From WO 98/45896 a branching device is known in which cable wires of a flat cable are contacted by contact elements, which also has a fork contact for receiving a blade-shaped contact pin. However, the branch device is only suitable for specific cabling systems. Also from US 6,142,817 contact elements with a insulation displacement contact and a fork contact are known.

Another problem area concerns the coding. It is known to provide female-male connections with an individual coding possibility. An installer can ensure that various devices can only be plugged into the correct power supply by means of an on-site coding. A solution with a detachable coding cam is disclosed for example in DE 199 32 243. The solution is only suitable for use in a fixed network, for example. A low-voltage network.

It is an object of the invention to provide a branching device, which overcomes problems according to the prior art and in particular allows a cost-effective production. In this context, the creation of a contacting element, which is as simple as possible in the production, also an object of the invention.

This object is achieved by the invention as defined in the patent claims.

According to the invention, the branching device for connecting a main cable to a secondary cable has contacting elements which each have at least one insulation displacement terminal for contacting the main cable cores and at least one Have clamping contact. According to the invention, the clamping contact is flat or sheet-like and locally defines a plane, wherein the clamping action - for example between two wing elements - is created by spring forces acting along the plane. The terminal contact may be shaped similar to a fork contact, that is, for example, present as a tuning fork-like designed sheet, the wing elements are prongs of the tuning fork-like structure. A contact opening then forms between the prongs, and when the object to be contacted is inserted (for example a contact pin), a contact spread of the prongs against each other results against the mentioned spring force. Furthermore, the branching device comprises a housing base part with means for guiding the main cable wires, wherein the contacting elements are fitted in the housing base part, wherein the housing base part further comprises a Buchsensitz, in which the socket is inserted and wherein the clamping contact one of the mentioned Contact points of the socket forms.

The term "flat" in this context does not necessarily mean that the entire clamp contact is strictly in a single plane. Rather, the terminal contact as a whole, for example, be bent or even kinked. But it is locally flat sheet-like, and the clamping action is, for example. At a terminal point, as mentioned, caused by forces acting along the plane defined by the sheet surface at the location of the clamping point.

The fact that the terminal contact according to the invention is flat, there are important advantages in the production. The clamping contact can be punched from a sheet or formed by fine cutting without the sheet must then be massively deformed. In addition, the clamping effect can be sufficiently large, even with small sheet thicknesses, by the width of wing elements (or tines), between which the clamping effect arises, is chosen sufficiently large. This allows the use of relatively thin sheets, which can also bring benefits. The frontal contact also causes a relatively small current density is present even with thin sheets in operation.

In addition, due to the specific geometry, a weighty further advantage arises: since the clamping contact is made along one plane, the contact element can be provided with two or more clamping contacts essentially without major manufacturing effort. As a result, it is ideally suited as part of multiple socket outlet designs in which a single contact element makes contact with a plurality of sockets. This is advantageous both in the manufacture and in the assembly of systems with the inventive branching device. In addition, the concept can be extended to contacting systems with, for example, a branching device and with multiple socket modules. A contact according to the invention in a multiple socket module likewise has terminal contacts of the type described above and can likewise be punched from a sheet or produced by fine cutting.

The contact element is integrally formed according to a preferred embodiment. It can therefore also be punched as a whole from a metal sheet or produced by fine cutting, then optionally the cutting edges of the cutting terminal can be made by embossing or grinding and possibly where the plane of the insulation displacement terminal and / or a terminal contact is rotated relative to the original sheet metal plane , The latter can happen in an embossing process.

The branching system preferably has a multi-stage coding system. A first stage consists of factory-mounted mechanical coding, for example notches in the plug, which run parallel to a plug axis and correspond to combing in the socket (or do not correspond to incorrect coding) or vice versa. The second stage consists of removable and / or added elements, for example plug-in cams, whose lateral position corresponds to that of bush-side insertable pins.

• Fig. 1: Eine Ansicht der erfindungsgemässen Abzweigvorrichtung, wobei zur Wahrung der Übersicht sämtliche Gehäuseteile weggelassen wurden
• Fig. 2a und 2b: Ansichten eines Kontaktierungselementes der Vorrichtung gemäss Figur 1.
• Fig. 3: Eine Ansicht der Vorrichtung, gemäss Fig. 1, wobei die Kabeladern des Hauptkabels im Gehäuse-Basisteil geführt werden und wobei auch ein Beschaltungsdeckel gezeichnet ist.
• Fig. 4: Eine Ansicht derselben Vorrichtung, wobei sich der Beschaltungsdeckel in der Endstellung befindet und wobei auch ein in die Buchse eingeführter Stecker gezeichnet ist.
• Fig. 5: Die Vorrichtung mit gezogenem Stecker inklusive Abdeckung.
• Fig. 6, 6a und 6b: Eine Ausführungsform der erfindungsgemässen Vorrichtung zur Verwendung mit Netzsteckern und Detailansichten der zugehörigen Kontaktierungselemente.
• Fig. 7, 7a und 7b: Eine der Ausführungsgsform von Fig. 6 ähnliche Ausführungsform, wobei die Eigenschaft der Stapelbarkeit sichtbar wird.
• Fig. 8 eine weitere Ausführungsform des Kontaktierungselementes.
• Fig. 9 eine Abzweigvorrichtung mit zwei Mehrfachbuchsen, so dass sich ein Kontaktierungssystem ergibt.
• Fig. 10 Ein Kontakt für ein Kontaktierungssystem.
• Fig. 11a und 11b Frontansichten einer Steckerbuchse mit Kodierung.
• Fig. 12 eine Ansicht eines Ausschnitts aus der Vorrichtung gemäss Fig. 5.

Embodiments of the invention will now be described with reference to drawings. In the drawings show:

• Fig. 1: A view of the inventive branching device, wherein all housing parts have been omitted to maintain the overview
• 2a and 2b: views of a contacting element of the device according to FIG. 1
• Fig. 3: A view of the device, according to FIG. 1, wherein the cable cores of the main cable are guided in the housing base part and wherein a wiring cover is drawn.
• Fig. 4: A view of the same device, wherein the wiring cover is in the end position and wherein a plug inserted into the socket is drawn.
• Fig. 5: The device with drawn plug including cover.
• Fig. 6, 6a and 6b: An embodiment of the inventive device for use with power plugs and detail views of the associated contacting elements.
• Figures 7, 7a and 7b: An embodiment similar to the embodiment of Figure 6 showing the property of stackability.
• Fig. 8 shows a further embodiment of the contacting element.
• Fig. 9 shows a branching device with two multiple sockets, so that there is a contacting system.
• Fig. 10 A contact for a contacting system.
• 11a and 11b front views of a socket with coding.
• 12 is a view of a detail of the device according to FIG. 5.

The principle of a branching device according to the invention is visible in FIG . A main cable 1 with main cable cores 2 is contacted by a sub-cable 3 with sub-cable cores 4. Serve for this purpose contacting elements 5, which are electrically contacted by male contacts 6. The plug contacts are, for example, connected via terminals 7 fixed to the secondary cable cores 4.

As can be seen in Figures 2a and 2b , each contacting element 5 has a cutting clamp 11 for contacting the Hautpkabeladern and at least one clamping contact 12, in the illustrated embodiment, there are two terminal contacts. The contacting element 5 is integrally formed, as a punched out of a sheet metal stamped part. The cutters formed on the inner side of the cutting clamp 11 have been sharpened after punching by embossing or grinding. The cutting clamp is - in the example drawn by about 45 ° - turned off with respect to the sheet metal plane. This allows a geometry of the branching device as shown in Figure 1, so with parallel to the main cable plug contacts 6. But there are other geometries conceivable, for example. Without wacked disconnect terminal and with the main cable vertically wegführenden plug contacts, or with divider clamps to another Angle are rotated as 45 ° relative to the sheet plane, for example, at an angle between 45 ° and 90 °.

In contrast to the prior art, the clamping contacts 12 of the contacting element are at least locally flat, so that a plane is defined. In the example shown, the clamping contact is formed in the plane similar to a tuning fork with two prongs. A clamping action for the plug contacts 6 occurs between the two prongs by spring forces along the plane, similar to a fork contact. The terminal contacts may - unlike in the illustrated embodiment - also be rotated relative to the original sheet metal plane.

The material from which the contacting element is made is, for example, copper or a copper alloy. The thickness of the sheet is, for example, between 0.5 mm and 1.2 mm, preferably 0.7 mm to 0.9 mm. The width of the tines is chosen so that a desired spring force is produced and is therefore dependent on the sheet thickness of the length of the tines and the material. It is, for example, about 1 mm to 3 mm, preferably about 1.7 mm to 2.4 mm. The length of the tines may, for example, be between 12 mm and 25 mm.

Figure 3 shows a view of the components according to FIG. 1, wherein the cable cores of the main cable are guided in a housing base part 21 and wherein also a Beschaltungselement, namely a Beschaltungsdeckel 22 is drawn. The housing base part has a bushing seat (shown in the figure below) and a main cable core guide (in the figure above) with guide webs 23. The contacting elements 5 are fitted in the housing base part, so that the insulation displacement terminals 11 a cable insulation of between the guide webs 23rd Cut through the main lead wires and contact the main wires.

The wiring cover 22 serves to press down the main cable cores against a resistance sufficiently deep between the guide webs via press ridges 26 so that they are reliably contacted by the insulation displacement clamps 11. The wiring cover 22 has pivot axes 24, which are suspended in front indentations 25 of the guide webs, whereupon the wiring cover is pivotally guided about the pivot axes. In an end position of the wiring cover is fixed by locking 27. Also conceivable are wiring covers or wiring means, by means of which pressing or pressing tongs can be connected vertically.

In Buchsensitz two sockets 31 are introduced, in which plug contacts 6 of a plug can be inserted. In the illustrated arrangement is ever a socket - with respect to the direction of the main cable - directed forward and backward. The contacting elements and the sockets are mutually positioned so that the inserted plug contacts are guided between the prongs of the terminal contacts and thus contact them.

Figure 4 shows the whole branching system - ie the branching device including the associated plug, wherein the wiring cover 22 is in the end position and wherein the plug 41 is drawn inserted into the socket.

FIG. 5 shows the branching device 10 as a whole with the plug 41 drawn, including the cover 51. The cover has a transparent window 52 which allows a view of the main cable cores. This provides an inspector with the ability to verify the correct routing of the cable wires without opening the cover. In the illustrated embodiment, marks 53 are still provided with ladder names on the window, the correct position of phase, neutral and earth or of other types of cable cores refer. For manufacturing reasons, the cover can be made as a whole a transparent material, for example, only the window is ground so that a crystal clear view of the cable wires is possible.

The wiring cover may or may not remain at its end position when the cover is mounted and the branch device is ready for use.

For certain installations, the regulations require the locking of the plugs with the sockets (that is, the sockets for power cables). In known products, the locking is achieved with an additional locking part. The illustrated embodiment of the invention includes a latch 42 which is molded on the plug. Alternatively, the latch may be present as a separately manufactured example. Metallic item. The detent pawl interacts with a latching edge (not visible) present on the socket inner side and causes latching. This can only be solved by a pressing member 44 is pressed against the connector inside, whereby the latch is pushed inward. Due to the molded latch, there are no additional costs for latching during production. This principle of the molded on the plug latch can also be used for contacting systems, which are not otherwise configured according to the invention.

In the illustrated preferred embodiment, the branching device is intended for three-pole power cables. Of course, the embodiment of the branching device according to the invention can also be used for other cable systems, for example for two-pole or five-pole power cables, for data cables with any number of cable cores, for loudspeaker cables, etc.

The embodiment of the inventive branching device according to Figure 6 also has contacting elements and a housing of the type described above. However, it is in contrast to the embodiment of Figures 1 to 5 for standard plug 61 (shown sockets and plugs according to Swiss standard) are formed. This requires some design changes. Thus, the prongs of the terminal contacts must be further spread apart, since the pins 62 of the standard plug are usually round, as shown in Figure 6a . In addition, the contact pins are not arranged at the same height, so that the terminal contacts 12 must be in appropriately adjusted positions. This may mean that the terminal contacts must be mounted offset from each other as shown in the figure. FIG. 6b shows an arrangement of three contacting elements, as used in the embodiment according to FIG. This arrangement ensures that the polarity is always the same relative to the plug.

FIG. 7 shows how, based on the branching device according to the invention, a contacting system can be created without massive structural changes or sophisticated additional parts being necessary. The system includes stackable modules 71, wherein the contacting elements 5 engage through contact openings 63, 73 in the respectively adjacent module or the branching device 10 and contact a contacting element 5 of the adjacent module or the branching device. In this case, the contacting elements can have a contact slot formed in combination as a cutting terminal and plug contact, as illustrated in FIGS . 7a and 7b . Then, for branching device 10 and stackable modules 71 identical contacting elements can be used. Alternatively, the contacts of the modules instead of said contact slots may comprise clamping contacts, which are for example the same design as the already described terminal contacts, but are rotated against them by about 90 °.

The stackable modules 71 have in the illustrated embodiment still twisting and positioning cam 74 and latching flaps 75 for the attachment of each overlying or underlying module.

Instead of stackable modules according to FIG. 7, the branching device itself can also be equipped with multiple sockets or sockets. Contacting elements used in these branching devices are then formed, for example, like the contacting element 5 drawn in FIG. 8 with six terminal contacts 12 serving as socket contacts.

Another extended contacting system is shown in FIG . In addition to the branching device 10, two series-connected multiple sockets 81 are drawn. Each multiple socket has multiple socket contacts, which also have terminal contacts of the type described above and which, for example, are also integrally formed from a sheet metal. In the lower half of the figure, contacting elements 5 or multiple socket contacts 82 are drawn, as used in the contacting system. The multiple socket contacts have a pin portion 83, which, for example. Plate-like and twisted by 90 ° against the original sheet metal plane. The pin portion may be made of the stamped part by twisting, or (eg. When punching) be made by pressing. The clamping contacts 84 are formed as mentioned analogous to the terminal contacts 12 of the contacting elements 5.

FIG. 10 also shows a contact 92 for a simpler module of a contacting system with only two sockets compared to FIG. Such a module can also be connected in series with any number of other modules.

The embodiments of the contacting system according to FIGS. 7 to 10 are mere examples for illustrating the various design options which exist due to the contacting elements or multiple socket contacts according to the invention, with very low manufacturing outlay. By design of contacting or multiple plug contacts with any number of unilaterally or on both sides outwardly projecting terminal contacts arbitrary multiple socket arrangements can be designed.

According to one aspect of the invention, a contacting system - according to the type described above or with other types of contacts - is equipped with a multi-stage mechanical coding system.

Mechanical encodings can prevent a user from mistakenly making connections that are unwanted and that could potentially damage equipment.

Contacting systems according to this aspect of the invention have a basic code which has been factory-set and an individual coding. The principle of multi-stage mechanical coding is illustrated in FIGS. 11a and 11b and in FIG . The basic coding consists of fixed mechanical features specified in the form of the plugs and sockets, for example notches 43 in the plug or socket, into which combs 102 in the socket or in the plug can be inserted. The notches and combs may be present in a manner known per se in various numbers and with different dimensions. They can be made when casting the socket or the plug. They serve, for example, to distinguish between low-voltage, low-voltage or data networks. According to a second stage, an individual coding is provided. For the individual Coding of the individual networks are provided on the can side guide grooves 103 with a pin guide 104. At corresponding points of the plug irreversibly detachable cam 45 are provided, which are inserted when plugging the plug into the grooves. Also reversibly separable elements are conceivable. For individual coding, the installer can insert one or more coding pins 106 on the side of the socket and, on the plug side, cut off the corresponding coding sockets, for example with a knife. When inserted coding pin in the arrangement shown in FIG. 12, the plug can only be plugged when the upper cam 45 is removed. This is because the lateral position of the pin with respect to the plug axis (corresponding to the direction along which the plug moves for insertion) corresponds to the lateral position of the cam and is therefore in the way of insertion. By combining different basic codings with individual codings, a large number of combinations are possible.

This procedure allows the use of a contacting system, for example with a branching device according to the invention - in low-voltage, low-voltage or data networks, since different basic coding are possible, and it also offers a cheap, easy way for an additional, individual coding of the plug-in system.

Claims (11)

1. Branching-off device (10) for electrically conductive connection of a main cable to a auxiliary cable (3) with contacting elements (5) for establishing an electrical contact to contact points of a female connector (31), into which a male connector (41, 61) is pluggable, wherein the contacting elements (5) comprise an insulation displacement connector (11) for contacting the leads (2) of the main cable and at least one of the contacting elements (5) comprises a clamp contact (12) electrically connected to the insulation displacement connector, which contact is flat and locally defines a plane, wherein the clamping effect of the clamp contact is created by spring forces acting along the plane, characterized in that the branching-off device comprises a basic casing element (21) with means for guiding the main cable leads (2), wherein the basic casing element further comprises a female connector hub in which the female connector (31) is placed and wherein the clamp contact (12) forms one of the mentioned contact points of the female connector.
2. Branching-off device according to claim 1, characterized in that the contacting element (5) is designed to be one piece.
3. Branching-off device according to claim 2, characterized in that each contacting element comprises several clamp contacts (12), wherein the clamp contacts (12) define a mutual plane, and that the insulation displacement connector (11) is also flat and defines a plane, which is at an angle to the plane of the clamp contacts.
4. Branching-off device according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that at least the clamp contact (12) is designed to be a blank formed from a sheet plate by means of punching or fine blanking.
5. Branching-off device according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the basic casing element (21) comprises guiding ridges (23) and that the insulation displacement connectors (11) are positioned such that they cut through the cable insulation of main cable leads guided through the guiding ridges (23) as soon as these have been introduced far enough.
6. Branching-off device according to claim 5, characterized by a protection element (22) which comprises pressing means (26) which are positioned such that the main cable leads applied to an outer side between the guiding ridges are, by a single movement of the protection element, simultaneously pressed so far inwards between the guiding ridges that they are contacted by the insulation displacement connectors (11).
7. Branching-off device according to one of the preceding claims, characterized by a transparent window (52) in a part of the casing, through which, in an operating condition, stripped main cable leads (2) are visible.
8. Branching-off device according to one of the preceding claims, characterized by a ridge with which a notch (42) of an auxiliary-cable-male-connector is lockable.
9. Branching-off system with a branching-off device (10) according to one of the preceding claims and with at least one male connector (41, 61) for the auxiliary cable, which male connector is pluggable into the female connector (31), characterized in that male and female connector comprise an at least two stage mechanical encoding system, of which the first stage consists of characteristics (43, 102) fixedly present on the male and female connector, such that the characteristics of fitting male and female connectors correspond to each other and only a male connector with the adequate encoding is introducible into the female connector and a second stage consists of addable or removable elements (45, 106) respectively, in adequate presence or absence of which the male connector is introducible into the female connector, whereas with a non-adequate encoding the elements impede attempted introduction of the male connector into the female connector.
10. Branching-off system according to claim 9, characterized in that the removable or respectively addable elements are irreversibly removable cams (45) attached on the side of the male connector and coding pins (106) insertable into guiding grooves (103) of the female connector, wherein, when inserted the lateral position of the cams, in relation to a connector axis, corresponds to the lateral position of the guiding grooves.
11. Contacting system, characterized by a branching-off device according to one of claims 1 to 8 and at least one multiple-female-connector-module (71, 81) with multiple-female-connector-contacts (5, 82, 92) with several clamp contacts (12), which are flat and each defines a plane locally, wherein a clamp effect of the clamp contacts is formed by spring forces acting along the plane, wherein the clamp contacts form contact points of the female connectors of the multiple-female-connector-contacts.

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