EP1764871B1 - Connection system for realising of branchings to continuous conductors - Google Patents

Abstract

An electrical connector arrangement comprises base (1) having horizontal upper surface containing coplanar parallel longitudinally extending conductor seats (13); pivot (3) arranged above the conductor seats; pivot mechanism (8ab) pivotally connecting successive ones of the pivot with opposite ends of the base for pivotal movement about transverse horizontal pivot axes between engaged and disengaged positions relative to the base; and output terminal respectively connected with a piercing contact for connecting the input conductors with corresponding output conductors (30). The electrical connector arrangement comprises (a) base having horizontal upper surface containing coplanar parallel longitudinally extending conductor seats to receive the input insulated conductors, respectively; (b) pivot arranged above the conductor seats; (c) pivot mechanism pivotally connecting successive ones of the pivot with opposite ends of the base for pivotal movement about transverse horizontal pivot axes between engaged and disengaged positions relative to the base, respectively, each of the pivot including piercing contact for piercing the insulation layer and electrically engaging the conductor of the insulated conductor arranged in the associated conductor seat; and output terminal respectively connected with the piercing contact for connecting the input conductors with corresponding output conductors. The output terminal comprises junction blocks (2) extending above and parallel with the input conductor seats; fastener (24) rigidly fastening each junction block at one end with the associated pivot; and bus bar connecting the piercing contacts with the output terminals of the associated junction blocks. A friction mechanism is mounted on the base for laterally engaging and supporting the sides of the junction blocks when the pivots are in their engaged positions. The connector arrangement includes a bridge arranged on the base for supporting the bottom walls of the junction blocks when the pivots are in their engaged positions. An insulator is arranged between the output terminals successive junction blocks.

Description

The invention relates to a connection system for the realization of branches at a plurality of continuous elec- tric ladder according to the preamble of claim 1

Such a connection system is from the DE 102 01 495 A1 known. The DE 297 08 222 U1 further shows a connection system that serves as the connection system according to the invention for the realization of branches on a plurality of continuous conductors, without having to cut through the continuous conductor. For this purpose, a plurality of channel-like receptacles is formed on a base plate, in which a flat cable or a plurality of electrical conductors can be inserted parallel to each other. Then, a shell is placed to fieren the ladder or the flat cable. Aufwiese preassembled unit, which is provided with partitions, are then snapped in a pivoting movement clamp-like body, which are each provided with a insulation piercing screw, which is connected via a busbar with two spring clips for connecting branching conductor. In this way, two branches can be realized on each conductor, without having to cut through the continuous conductor.

From the DE 102 01 495 A1 It is known to arrange connecting disks on a shaft rotatably mounted on a bottom plate. This configuration has not been proven because the conductors are to be inserted laterally, so that the arrangement is not suitable for mounting on already installed continuous cables

The prior art are also the WO 99/04455 A , the US B1-6,811,430 , the EP-A 1-0271 413 and the DE 197 00 600 A1 called.

The invention therefore relies on the generic state of the art and wants to simplify this in terms of their structural design. In this case, a compact design and good handling should be realized.

The solution to this problem is the object of the invention.

The invention solves this problem by the subject matter of claim 1.

Structurally, the arrangement over the prior art is further simplified, since the invention uses for shading tool-free connectable IDC contacts, in particular fork contacts. It realizes despite the use of the IDC contacts with the conditional on their design - especially in the configuration as fork contacts - greater width a very narrow-building arrangement of connection disks, which also allows in a simple way, both the continuous conductor and the branching conductors (at least when using direct plug contacts) tool-free easy to contact.

For example, the continuous conductors may include the continuous conductors of a flat cable or other cable - e.g. a round cable - whose cable sheath has been removed in the area of the connection system, whereby the continuous conductors in this sheathed area are inserted into the receptacles of the base plate. For contacting then only the Anschlllss disks are set up, to pivot and then insert the conductor ends of the branch conductors. In this way, a branch can also be quickly retrofitted to an already installed cable.

It is also advantageous that, in any case, the IDC contacts of adjacent connection disks are relatively far apart in the selected staggered arrangement, which markedly reduces adverse effects such as the occurrence of undesired leakage currents.

The article is characterized by a particularly simple handling with a particularly good insulation of the individual conductors distinguished from each other.

Advantageous embodiments are specified in the subclaims.

Fig. 1a

eine perspektivische Ansicht eines ersten erfindungsgemäßen Anschluss-Systems mit abgenommener Seitenwand an der ersten Anschluss-Scheibe:

Fig.1b-e

weitere Ansichten der Anordnung aus Fig. 1, welche das Beschalten des Anschluss-Systems in mehreren Schritten veranschaulichen;

Fig. 2

das Anschluss-System aus Fig. 1 in einer Seitenansicht;

Fig. 3

das Anschluss-System aus Fig. 1 und 2 in einer Draufsicht;

Fig. 4a

eine perspektivische Ansicht eines zweiten erfindungsgemäßen Anschluss-Systems;

Fig. 4b-c

weitere Ansichten der Anordnung aus Fig. 4, welche das Beschalten des Anschluss-Systems in mehreren Schritten veranschaulichen;

Fig. 5

das Anschluss-System aus Fig. 4 in einer Seitenansicht; und

Fig. 6

das Ansehtuss-System aus Fig. 5 und 5 in einer Draufsicht.

The invention will be described in more detail below with reference to the drawings by means of exemplary embodiments. It shows:

Fig. 1a

a perspective view of a first connection system according to the invention with removed side wall on the first connection disk:

FIGURE 1b-e

further views of the arrangement Fig. 1 which illustrate the connection of the connection system in several steps;

Fig. 2

the connection system off Fig. 1 in a side view;

Fig. 3

the connection system off Fig. 1 and 2 in a plan view;

Fig. 4a

a perspective view of a second connection system according to the invention;

Fig. 4b-c

further views of the arrangement Fig. 4 which illustrate the connection of the connection system in several steps;

Fig. 5

the connection system off Fig. 4 in a side view; and

Fig. 6

the Ansehtuss system out FIGS. 5 and 5 in a top view.

Fig. 1 shows a connection system with a bottom plate 1 and thereto pivotally mounted connection plates 2, each having a disc-like base body 3 made of insulating plastic, which is T-shaped in plan view.

In each of the main body 3 are each a isolationsdurehdringender first terminal 4 and at least one or more hereby connected to Abzwcigungsanschlüsse 5 for connecting at least one branching conductor (not shown here) arranged.

The first terminal 4 is formed as insulation piercing contact - here as a fork contact - to which a busbar section 6 connects, to which here two branch connections 5 are arranged. This branch connections 5 can in principle be formed in any connection technique (IDC, screw, spring, etc.). Preference is given to using tool-free directly connectable compression spring contacts (push-in), for which insertion openings 7 are arranged on the upper side of the main body 3.

The pivoting portions 8 of the terminal disks 2 are respectively in the lower -. turned to the bottom plate - corner areas 9. The two branch connections 5 are arranged side by side of the fork contact 4 side by side.

In order to be able to contact the conductors 10 to be contacted with insulation 10a and wire (s) 10b with the insulation-penetrating fork contacts 4 as easily as possible without tools, these have some special features.

These include according to a variant of the pivot radius r at the location of the fork contact 4 adapted cutting geometry in the manner of a circular arc with the radius r. In addition, an arrangement of the fork contacts is realized close to the pivot region 8, so that when depressing the base body 3 at the opposite end of the pivot axis of the connection plate 2 advantageously a large leverage or translation acts.

The pivoting regions 8 consist here in each case of a formed on the bottom plate, rounded hook portion 11 which cooperates with a correspondingly formed, also rounded hook portion 12 on the main bodies 3 of the connection plates 2 such that the two hook portions form a kind of sliding pivot bearing. On a continuous, pin-like axis of rotation, which determines the connection discs on the body, so that the insertion of the continuous Head is impossible, it can be advantageously dispensed with as in the generic state of the art.

Fig.1 be illustrate that the main body are one or both sides providable with covers 15 which are clipped onto the side walls here to isolate the main body in which the connections are open to each other from each other.

Rather, it is possible to first insert the continuous conductors to be contacted into the receptacles 13 formed next to one another in the base plate ( Fig. 1b . Fig. 1c ) and then attach the connection disks 2 ( Fig. 1d ). This leads to a continuous preassembled axis of rotation on the bottom plate to a simplified handling and in the first place to be able to use the connection system also on continuous conductors.

Then the base bodies are pivoted in opposite directions to the conductor ( Fig. 1d ), wherein the fork contacts 4 penetrate the conductor insulation and establish contact with the line conductor (s) ( Fig. 1e ).

In order to prevent that the width of the connection plates 2 in the direction of arrangement is relatively large by the use of the fork contacts 4, the pivot areas 8 of the connection plates 2 from connection plate 2 to connection plate - offset from one another - alternately in the two arranged in the contacted state to the bottom plate 1 facing corner regions 9a, 9b; and preferably in such a way that the pivoting regions 8a of each second connection disk 2 in the one - here left - lower corner portion 9a of the connection disks 2 and the pivoting portions 8b of the intermediate connection disks 2 in the opposite lower - right corner - 9b the connection disks 2 are arranged, such that in each case adjacent connection disks 2 are to be pivoted for connecting and disconnecting in the opposite direction of pivoting.

This is possible, for example, by rotating the connection disks by 180 °.

The two branch connections 5 of adjacent connection disks 2 are then in the connected state again essentially side by side.

In the area of the fork contacts 4, the connection disks 2 can be made somewhat wider by the above-described measure of the offset of the pivot bearing areas than in the remaining area for connection of the branching conductors 10, whereby the above-mentioned T-shape of the connection disks is realized. This is illustrated by the plan views of Fig. 3 and 6 , This results in an extremely small width. The use of the piercing screw of the prior art which can be actuated using a screwdriver can be dispensed with.

The connection plates 2 can be pivoted individually or as a group to the base plate 1, resulting in a single or a group circuit. It is also conceivable a kind of block structure, in which a plurality of the connection plates 2 are combined in one piece to form a higher-order pivotable unit (not shown here). This would be a kind of double comb-like construction realized with interlocking combs, which would offer the opportunity to connect each of several of the continuous ladder at a time.

The recordings may also be provided with latching projections 14 for latching the continuous conductors in order to simplify the arrangement of the conductors and their contacting.

A support web 19 serves to support the connection disks 2 on the bottom plate 1.

The embodiment of 4 to 6 is different from that of Fig. 1 to 3 essentially in that on the bottom plate 1 a plurality of housing-like pivot frame shafts 16 is arranged or attachable, each one at least on the side facing away from the bottom plate 1 side, preferably T-shaped shaft with a narrower portion 20 and a slightly wider Section 21, wherein in the wider portion 21, the base body 3 pivotally are arranged (not visible here). It is conceivable to provide the swing frame shafts inside with contours, which correspond to the hook portions 11 on the bottom plate and the connection plates 2 in the manner of Fig. 1 train.

As in Fig. 4a . b and c can be seen in the connection device of 4 to 6 First, the conductor 13 inserted into the mutually parallel receptacles 13 of the bottom plate. Then the swing frame shafts - preferably vertically - placed with the pivoted here basic bodies 3 from above on the bottom plate and then moved parallel to the bottom plate 1 on the same, with hook-like sections 22, 23 on the mutually facing sides of the pivot frame shafts 16 and the bottom plate interlock , which secure the swing frame shafts to the bottom plate 1.

The swing frame shafts 16 allow a particularly good insulation of the connection plates 2 from each other and they offer the further advantage that they with latching means 17 (eg recesses; Fig. 5 ) can be provided, which cooperate with corresponding locking means 18 on the connection plates 2 in contact position to additionally fix the connection plates 2 in the open - not switched - position, which simplifies the wiring and especially when used in harsh environment advantage is.

The selected T-shape of the swing frame shafts 16 again provides the advantage of a particularly narrow structure when the swing frame shafts are rotated by 180 ° and offset from each other on the bottom plate 1 are arranged such that each of the narrow portions 21 of the swing frame shafts 16 in the connected state ( Fig. 6 ) lie directly against each other. The swing frame shafts 16 could also be arranged directly next to each other on the base plate 1 and thereby have a rectangular basic shape. The structure would then not quite as narrow as in the illustrated embodiment of the 4 to 6 ,

It should also be mentioned that the entire arrangements of the Fig. 1 to 6 in turn can be arranged in a parent housing over. It is also conceivable to use them with appropriate design of the floor panels with a corresponding attachment directly for mounting eg in the control cabinet. In addition, cross connections and / or markings or the like can be realized, for example, on the connection disks. It is also possible to replace the direct plug connections with other connections in other connection technology - eg IDC, Zugfeder- or Schraubanschlusstechnik - and / or to provide the connection plates with electrical components (again not shown here).

reference numeral

baseplate

1

Connecting disks

2

body

3

connection

4

branch terminals

5

Busbar section

6

insertion

7

swivel ranges

8th

corner

9

ladder

10

insulation

10a

Vein

10b

hook portions

11, 12

Recordings

13

latching projections

14

covers

15

Swing frame slots

16

latching means

17, 18

supporting web

19

sections

20.21

hook-like sections

22, 23

radius

r

Claims (20)

1. Connection system for the realisation of branch connections to a number of continuous electric conductors (10), in particular a cable with unsheathed sections, having a baseplate (1) and two or more connection plates (2) arranged to swivel directly on the baseplate - or on swivelling frame compartments (16) arranged on, or that can be attached to the baseplate - each having a plate-like main body (3) made of insulating plastic, each of which comprises at least one or more contact(s) that pass(es) through the insulation in the corner areas of the main body (3) and at least one or more branching contact(s) (5) for at least one or more branching conductor(s), characterised in that the swivel zones of connection plates (2) adjacent to ones along the direction of alignment are formed offset relative to one another.
2. Connection system according to Claim 1, characterised in that the swivelling frame compartments (16) are T-shaped with a narrower section (20) and a wider section (21).
3. Connection system according to Claim 2, characterised in that the T-shaped swivelling frame compartments (16) are respectively arranged rotated and offset relative to one another on the baseplate in such manner that their respective narrow areas (21) are directly adjacent.
4. Connection system according to any of the preceding claims, characterised in that the swivelling frame compartments (16) are formed such that they are positioned on the baseplate (1) from above and can then be moved over the baseplate (1) parallel thereto until hook-like sections (22, 23) on the sides of the swivelling frame compartments (16) that face one another and the baseplate (1) engage together, thereby securing the swivelling frame compartments (16) onto the baseplate (1).
5. Connection system according to any of the preceding claims, characterised in that the contacts that pass through the insulation are made in the form of fork contacts (4).
6. Connection system according to any of the preceding Claims 1 to 4, characterised in that the contacts that pass through the insulation are made in the form of piercing contacts.
7. Connection system according to any of the preceding claims, characterised in that contacts that pass through the insulation are arranged in the corner areas of the main bodies (3).
8. Connection system according to any of the preceding claims, characterised in that the swivelling zones (8a, 8b) of the aligned connection plates (2) are located, in the direction of alignment, respectively in alternation in the two corner areas (9a, 9b) of the main bodies (3) that face the baseplate in the contacted condition - alternatively on the right and on the left.
9. Connection system according to any of the preceding claims, characterised in that the swivelling zones (8a, 8b) of the connection plates (2) are orientated and arranged in such manner that respective adjacent connection plates (2) have to be swivelled in opposite directions to form and release the connections.
10. Connection system according to any of the preceding claims, characterised in that the swivelling zones (8a, 8b) have in each case a chamfered first hook section (11) arranged or formed on the baseplate (1) and a second hook section (12) on the main body (3) of the connection plates (2).
11. Connection system according to any of the preceding Claims 4 to 10, characterised in that in the area of the fork contacts (4) the main bodies (3) of the connection plates (2) are made wider than in the area of the branching contacts for the connection of the branching conductors.
12. Connection system according, to any of the preceding Claims 5 to 11, characterised in that the fork contact (4) of each connection plate (2) is connected to a current rail section (6), on which the two branching contacts (5) are arranged.
13. Connection system according to any of the preceding claims, characterised in that the branching contacts (5) are made in the form of spring contacts that can be connected directly without using any tool, for which insertion openings (7) are formed in particular on the upper side of the main body (3).
14. Connection system according to any of the preceding claims, characterised in that two or more of the branching contacts (5) are in each case arranged next to one another, laterally relative to the fork contact (4) in the main body (3).
15. Connection system according to any of the preceding claims, characterised in that two or more of the branching contacts (5) of adjacent connection plates (2) are positioned substantially next to one another in the connected condition.
16. Connection system according to any of the preceding Claims 5 to 15, characterised in that the fork contacts (4) are in each case arranged in the area of the main body (3) next to the swivelling zone.
17. Connection system according to any of the preceding claims, characterised in that holders (13) with detent projections (14) are provided for the retention and alignment of the continuous conductors.
18. Connection system according to any of the preceding claims, characterised in that the connection plates (2) each have insulating covers (15) on at least one side.
19. Connection system according to any of the preceding Claims 16 to 18, characterised in that the swivelling frame compartments (16) are provided with detent means (17) that co-operate with corresponding detent means (18) on the connection plates (2) to fix the non-connected position of the connection plates (2) on the swivelling frame compartments.
20. Connection system according to any of the preceding Claims 16 to 19, characterised in that the holders (13) comprise means for the preliminary positioning of the conductors in the holders (13).

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