EP2065982B1 - Electric connecting element - Google Patents

Abstract

The element (10) has a ring and/or circumferential section (12) and a number of interlocking wings (17) curved from a sheet plane on a side (32) of a sheet. A central section (14) is surrounded by the ring and/or circumferential section, and is integrally attached with the ring and/or circumferential section by a number of spokes (16) such that each spoke steep in a circumferential direction of one of the wings. The central section includes a design of a circular disk, which is free from through holes. Each spoke and/or each wing includes a design of a circular ring cut-out.

Description

The present invention relates to an electrical connection element which is produced as a stamped part from a metal sheet and has a ring portion and a plurality of bent out of the plane of the sheet on a first side of the sheet out locking wing. The connection element is designed so that it can be used to make an electrical connection with an identical connection element.

Such a connection element in the form of an eyelet forming cable lug is used for example in the US 5,759,056 A described. The wings of this cable shoe are each connected along a relatively short, circumferentially extending portion with the inner circumference of the ring defining the loop. However, the vanes are relatively sensitive to mechanical stresses, since they could bend around both a radially extending and circumferentially extending axis under appropriate stress, with the result that the lug can no longer be used.

It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide an electrical connection element of the type mentioned, which is less sensitive to mechanical stresses.

This object is achieved by an electrical connection element with the features of the terminal 1 and in particular solved in that the electrical connection element further comprises a central portion, which is surrounded by the ring portion and is integrally connected thereto via a plurality of spokes, wherein protrudes from each spoke in the circumferential direction of the locking wing or cantilever.

Since the spokes are integrally connected to the respective locking wings, the spokes may also be interpreted as forming part of the locking wings, such that the locking wings are interconnected via the central section, thereby preventing bending of the individual locking wings about a circumferentially extending axis. The central portion also causes a stiffening of the ring portion in the radial direction, so that it can not be deformed in the radial direction, or at least less easily. Thus, both the stability of the individual locking wings and the rigidity of the annular section of the connecting element are increased by the central section, so that this is less sensitive overall with respect to mechanical stresses.

Preferred embodiments of the connecting element according to the invention will become apparent from the dependent claims, the following description and the drawings.

Thus, the central portion according to a preferred embodiment, the shape of a circular disc, which is preferably free of openings. The design of the central portion as a circular disk proves to be advantageous in that thereby in particular increases the mechanical rigidity of the ring portion in the radial direction.

Due to the design of the central section as a circular disk, the resistance of the connecting element to electrical stresses and in particular its current strength is also increased. Thus, on the one hand, a larger electrically conductive surface is available through a central section in the form of a full circle disk, via which contact with another (identical) connection element can be made. In addition, due to the concentric arrangement of the central portion within the ring portion, a distributed evenly over the connection element current flow when the electrical connection element is connected, for example, for purposes of a power or voltage supply to another connection element (identical). Due to the uniformly adjusting current flow as well as the increased electrically conductive surface of the connecting element according to the invention, this can thus also be used in high-current applications.

However, in other applications, such as in applications for the purpose of ground connection, the requirements for the current resistance of the connection element be less high, the central portion may also have the shape of a circular ring, so that the electrical connection element through the opening of the circular ring, for example for purposes of ground connection can be plugged on a ground bolt.

In order to further increase both the mechanical stability and rigidity of the terminal element as well as its current strength, the spokes and / or each of the locking wings may have the shape of a circular segment or segment. In particular, by the formation of the spokes as Kreisringausschnitte stands for the power line a further enlarged electrically conductive surface available, which moreover also increases the mechanically effective cross section of the connecting element in the radial direction. In addition, by forming the spokes and / or the locking wings in the form of circular ring cutouts in the production of the connecting element according to the invention no or only a small amount of waste, which proves to be advantageous especially in terms of production technology and economic terms.

According to a further preferred embodiment, each of the locking wings may comprise a ramp section projecting from the respective spoke in the circumferential direction and a rear engagement section projecting freely from the ramp section, which is aligned plane-parallel to the central section, the ring section and the spokes. The Hintergreifungsabschnitte in this case cause that two interconnected by a rotational movement connection elements can not inadvertently separate from each other due to a tensile stress.

Thus, without the Hintergreifungsabschnitte there would be the danger that due to a tensile force acting on an electrical connection made of two connection elements, the mutually associated ramp sections of the respective connecting elements on each other, whereby the tensile force is deflected in a circumferentially acting force, which has the tendency twist both connection elements against each other. To counteract this, at the freely projecting end of each ramp section, a freely projecting rear engagement section is provided, which comes to lie behind a respective associated spoke of the other connection element. In the case of the stress of an electrical connection thus produced From two connecting elements according to the invention to train can thus be achieved by the Hintergreifungsabschnitte that initially reach the Hintergreifungsabschnitte in contact with the respective associated spokes of the other connecting element, thereby corresponding between the Hintergreifungsabschnitten of a connecting element and the spokes of the other connecting element substantially the applied tensile force Normal stresses are caused. The frictional engagement produced in this way or the frictional friction forces caused by the frictional engagement are greater than the aforementioned deflected rotational forces acting in the circumferential direction, so that the two connecting elements can not rotate one another as a result of a pure tensile load.

In order to provide an anti-rotation device, according to a further embodiment, each of the spokes may have at least one bulge which extends on one of the first side of the sheet from which the electrical connection element is made, opposite the second side of the sheet. The bulges in this case have the effect that the associated locking wings of the respective other connection element are pretensioned as a result of the rear engagement sections which are trimmed on the bulges when two connection elements are brought into engagement with one another. The locking wings are thus to a certain extent spring wings. The two connecting elements to be joined together are thus braced against each other by the bias of the locking or spring wings and thus held in frictional engagement with each other.

The security against rotation can be further increased according to a further embodiment in that in each of the Hintergreifungsabschnitte an opening or located on the second side of the sheet metal Well can be provided, in which then the aforementioned bulges can positively engage or engage. By the bulges and the corresponding perforations or wells thus a positive rotation is created.

Since the bulges have a height extension, which is of the order of a sheet thickness, it is provided according to a further embodiment that the Hintergreifungsabschnitte each have a clearance from the sheet plane of the central portion, the ring portion and the spokes, which is at most two sheet thicknesses. Said clear distance is to be chosen so that it has a slightly smaller amount than the sum of the sheet thickness and the Höhenersteckung the bulges in order to clamp two connection elements in the manner described above frictionally against each other.

For further homogenization and targeted influencing of the flow of current via the connection element according to the invention, the central portion and / or the ring portion may have a plurality of contact bulges which extend on the first side of the sheet and which are preferably evenly distributed over the ring portion and / or the central portion are. Defined contact points are thus created by the contact bulges in question, at which two electrical connection elements to be connected to one another come into contact. By targeted arrangement of the contact bulges can thereby influence the distribution of the current flow through the connection elements in the desired manner, whereby in the desired manner, the current resistance of the connection elements can be increased.

The contact bulges are preferably arranged distributed over the ring portion and / or the central portion, that in the interconnected state of two connection elements, the contact bulges of the two connection elements come to rest on each other and are in contact. Since the contact bulges extend from the first side of the sheet, mutually associated contact bulges of two connection elements to be connected ride on each other during twisting for connecting the two connection elements, whereby the central sections and / or the ring section are deformed in the axial direction and thus biased. As a result of the pretensioning thus achieved, two electrical connection elements to be connected to one another can additionally be frictionally secured against one another.

Since the contact protrusions are preferably impressed in the central portion and / or in the ring portion, they have slightly inclined flanks along which two contact elevations associated with each other can touch. As a result of the spring biasing of the central section and / or the annular section, two connection elements to be connected to one another can rotate (back) against each other and thereby separate from one another. To counteract this risk of unintentional loosening of two connection elements to be connected to each other, each of the contact bulges may have an elongated shape and be aligned so that its longitudinal axis corresponding to a secant does not extend through the center of the central portion. By means of this design and arrangement of the contact bulges, it can be ensured that the respective mutually associated contact bulges of two connection elements come to lie crossed on one another and thus form an overlapping region in which they are securely in frictional engagement with one another. If it is mentioned in the preceding paragraphs that it is in the surrounding portion of the central portion is a ring portion, this does not necessarily mean that it has an annular shape. Rather, the term "ring portion" was chosen because it has an inner circumference, which surrounds the central portion annularly. However, the ring portion itself may have a planar expanded shape, which extends from the inner periphery to the outside, and thus have a deviating from a ring shape in the sheet plane. Thus, for example, the connection element may be formed as an integral section of a busbar, in which case the ring section is formed by a region of the busbar.

However, in order to be able to use the connection element according to the invention as a cable lug, for example for purposes of ground connection, the ring section can also have the shape of a circular ring from which an elongated receiving area can protrude for receiving an electrical conductor which can be crimped on the receiving area.

In order to provide the connection element according to the invention as a contact point on a housing of an electrical device, two spaced and parallel rectilinear rail sections may be formed on the ring portion, via which the connection element can be inserted into receiving rails correspondingly formed on the housing. The connection element is thus held against rotation on the housing via the rail sections, so that, for example, two electrical devices can be coupled to one another via connection elements fastened to their housing.

Fig. 1

eine perspektivische Darstellung zweier erfindungsge- mäßer Anschlusselemente zeigt, welche in axialer Richtung beabstandet und mit ihren Vorderseiten ein- ander zugewandt dargestellt sind;

Fig. 2

die beiden Anschlusselemente der Fig. 1 in einer Mon- tagestellung zeigt;

Fig. 3

die Anschlusselemente der Fig. 1 und 2 in einer Ver- riegelungsstellung zeigt; und

Fig. 4

eine zweite Ausführungsform eines erfindungsgemäßen Anschlusselements in perspektivischer Darstellung zeigt.

In the following, the invention will now be described purely by way of example with reference to two exemplary embodiments with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:

Fig. 1

shows a perspective view of two inventive connecting elements, which are spaced apart in the axial direction and shown with their front sides facing each other;

Fig. 2

the two connection elements of Fig. 1 in an assembly day shows;

Fig. 3

the connection elements of Fig. 1 and 2 in a locked position; and

Fig. 4

a second embodiment of a connecting element according to the invention in a perspective view shows.

The Fig. 1 shows two electrical connection elements 10 according to the invention, which are spaced apart in the axial direction to each other and with their front sides 32, which are also referred to as the first sheet-metal sides 32 in the present invention, facing each other. The electrical connection elements 10 are made of an electrically conductive sheet metal such as steel or aluminum by punching and have a ring portion 12 and a concentric thereto central portion 14, which is integrally connected to the ring portion 12 via four radially extending spokes 16. In addition, each of the in the Fig. 1 Connection elements shown four locking wings 17, which protrude from the spokes 16 in the circumferential direction or cantilever freely. The locking wings 17 are preferably punched out of the metal sheet and then bent out on the first side of the sheet, whereby at the same time the spokes 16 are formed.

Viewed in plan view, both the spokes 16 and the locking wings 17 have the shape of circular ring cutouts. Each of the locking wings 17 is in turn composed of a ramp section 18 and a rear engagement section 20. The ramp portions 18 are formed by bending the locking vanes 17 about a radially extending axis on the first side of the sheet whereas the rear engaging portions 20 are formed by bending them in the opposite direction about an equally radially extending axis the rear engagement portions 20 extend substantially plane-parallel to the central portion 14, the annular portion 12 and the spokes 16.

In the ring portion 12 and in the central portion 14, a plurality of contact protrusions 22, 24 are impressed, which extend on the first side of the sheet or project beyond the first side and evenly distributed over the ring portion 12 and the central portion 14 are arranged. The contact bulges 22, 24 have, for example, an elongated oval shape and are inclined with their longitudinal axes relative to the radial direction in each case by, for example, about 45 °.

From the first side of the sheet, in each spoke 16, a bulge 26 is impressed so as to extend on the second side 34 of the sheet opposite the first side of the sheet, which Also referred to as the back 34 of the connection element 10. In addition, in each Hintergreifungsabschnitt 20 is also located on the second side 34 of the sheet cavity 28 is formed.

For attachment to a housing of an electronic device, the electrical connection element may further comprise two spaced-apart and mutually parallel rectilinear rail sections 30, which are produced by edge-forming the sheet from which the connection element 10 is made.

To make an electrical connection, two identical connection elements 10, as shown in the Fig. 1 are shown with their facing front sides 32 spaced from each other, wherein the two connection elements 10 are rotated by about 45 ° in a first, against the cantilevered ends of the locking wings pointing direction relative to each other and in such a system that the Hintergreifungsabschnitte 20 of the one electrical connection element 10 with the spokes 16 of the other connection element 10 come into contact.

Subsequently, the two connection elements in one of the first direction of rotation oppose the second direction according to the arrows A and B (see Fig. 2 ) is rotated relative to each other so that the cantilevered ends of the Hintergreifungsabschnitte 20 of each electrical connection element 10 is immersed in the clearance, each of the Hintergreifungsabschnitte 20 of the other connecting element 10 to the central portion 14, the ring portion 12 and the spokes 16 has.

With continuing rotation, finally, the freely projecting ends of the Hintergreifungsabschnitte 20 ride on the ramp portions 18 of the other connecting element 10, which leads to sustained rotational movement that the electrical connection elements 10 and in particular their annular and central sections 12, 14 in the axial direction move towards each other and be braced against each other, as in the Fig. 2 is shown.

In still further continuous mutual rotational movement of the two electrical connection elements 10 ultimately ride the freely projecting ends of the Hintergreifungsabschnitte 20 on the respectively associated bulges 26 on the spokes 16 of the other connecting element 10 on. At the same time, the contact bulges 22, 24 on the first side 32 of the two connection elements 10 come to lie one above the other. As a result, the ring and the central portion 12, 14 of the two connection elements 10 are pressed apart in the axial direction, whereby the frictional engagement between the two connection elements 10 is further increased.

In the in the Fig. 3 shown end position ultimately lock the bulges 26 on the spokes 24 of a connecting element 10 in the wells 28 of the Hintergreifungsabschnitte 20 of the other connecting element 10, whereby the two connection elements 10 are secured in addition to the frictional connection described form-fitting together.

Due to the defined contact points in the form of the contact bulges 22, 24 not only in the desired manner, the frictional engagement between the two electrical connection elements 10 is increased; Rather, by the targeted arrangement of the contact bulges 22, 24 on the Ring and at the central portion 12, 14 a uniformly distributed current flow over the electrical Arischlusselemente 10 can be achieved, whereby targeted their current strength can be adjusted. In the first place, however, the current resistance of the connection element 10 according to the invention is increased by the central section 14, which is arranged concentrically to the ring section 12, since this significantly increases the electrically conductive surface of the connection element 10.

However, the concentric arrangement of the central portion 14 in integral connection with the spokes 16 proves to be particularly advantageous in that thereby the connecting element 10 as a whole and in particular its locking wings 17 are less sensitive to mechanical stresses. Thus, due to the integral connection of the spokes 16 to the central portion 14, the locking vanes 17 have only a single radially extending axis about which they flex, thereby rendering them less susceptible to mechanical failure, unlike the vanes of the present invention Stresses are. In addition, the central portion 14 stiffens the ring portion 12 via the spokes 16 in the radial direction, so that it can not or only slightly deform in the radial direction.

Although the connecting element 1 shown in the figures has a central portion in the form of a full circular disk, it should be mentioned for the sake of completeness that the central portion 14 may also have the shape of a circular ring 36, as shown in FIG Fig. 4 is shown. That in the Fig. 4 illustrated electrical connection element 10 can thus also be used according to the well-known connection element described at the beginning of the present invention for ground connection by the opening 42 of the formed as a circular ring 36 central portion 14 is pushed onto a corresponding ground bolt.

Further, as the embodiment of the Fig. 4 From the ring section 12, an elongated receiving area 38 can protrude, which has a multiplicity of fingers 40 which can be bent over for a crimp fastening of an electrical conductor, so that the conductor is clamped to the receiving area 38. Although the embodiment with an elongated receiving portion 38 with reference to the in the Fig. 4 was shown connecting element 10, so can also in the Fig. 1 to 3 shown connection element 10 instead of the rails 30 have such an elongated receiving portion 38 for attachment of an electrical conductor.

For completeness, it should be mentioned that the connection element 10 according to the invention has been described here with four locking wings 17 and four spokes 16. However, the connecting element 10 according to the invention may also have only two or three or more than four locking wings 17 and spokes 16, provided that they are provided regularly spaced in the circumferential direction.

LIST OF REFERENCE NUMBERS

10

electrical connection element

12

Ring or peripheral section

14

Central section

16

spoke

17

locking wings

18

ramp sections

20

Hintergreifungsabschnitte

22

Contact bulges in 12

24

Contact bulges in 14

26

Bulge in 16

28

Trough or opening in 20

30

rails

32

first page or front page

34

second side or back

36

annulus

38

reception area

40

finger

42

opening

A

second direction of rotation

B

second direction of rotation

Claims (14)

1. Electrical connection element (10), manufactured as a stamping part of a metal plate and comprising an annular section (12) and a plurality of locking wings (17) bent from the metal plane to a first side (32) of the metal plate,
   characterized in that
   the electrical connection element (10) further comprises a central section (14) surrounded by the annular section (12) and connected integrally therewith through a plurality of spokes (16), one of the locking wings (17) protruding from each spoke (16) in a circumferential direction.
2. Connection element according to claim 1,
   characterized in that
   the central section (14) having the form of a circular disk, which is preferably free of perforations.
3. Connection element according to claim 1 or 2,
   characterized in that
   each of the spokes (16) and/or each of the locking wings (17) have the shape of an annular portion.
4. Connection element according to at least one of the preceding claims,
   characterized in that
   each of the locking wings (17) comprises a ramp section (18) protruding in circumferential direction of the respective spoke (16) and a freely projecting engaging section (20), aligned plane parallel to the central section (14), the annular section (12) and the spokes (16).
5. Connection element according to at least one of the preceding claims,
   characterized in that
   each of the spokes (16) comprises at least one bulge (26) extending on a second side (34) of the metal plate opposite the first side (32) of the metal plate.
6. Connection element according to at least one of the claims 4 or 5,
   characterized in that
   each of the engaging sections (20) comprises a through hole (28) or a depression (28) located on the second side (34) of the metal plate.
7. Connection element according to at least one of the preceding claims,
   characterized in that
   the engaging section (20) has a clearance to the metal plane of the central section (14), the annular section (12) and the spokes (16) not exceeding a two plate thickness.
8. Connection element according to at least one of the preceding claims,
   characterized in that
   the central section (14) and/or the annular section (12) comprise a plurality of contact bulges (22, 24) extending on the first side (32) of the metal plate and preferably distributed evenly across the annular section (12) and/or the central section (14).
9. Connection element according to 8,
   characterized in that
   each of the contact bulges (22, 24) has an elongated shape and is arranged so that its longitudinal axis does not run through the center of the central section (14).
10. Connection element according to at least one of the preceding claims,
    characterized in that
    the annular section (12) has an essentially circular shape.
11. Connection element according to at least one of the preceding claims,
    characterized in that
    the connection element (10) is formed as an integral section of a bus bar.
12. Connection element according to at least one of the claims 1 to 10,
    characterized in that
    an elongated integrally formed receiving area (38) for an electrical conductor protrudes from the annular section (12) in a radial direction.
13. Connection element according to at least one of the claims 1 to 10,
    characterized in that
    two spaced apart linear rail sections (30) running parallel to each other are formed on the annular section (12).
14. Connection element according to at least one of the preceding claims,
    characterized in that
    the connection element (10) is arranged for friction- and form-fit connection to establish an electrical connection with an identical connection element (10).

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