EP2340586B1 - Connector for holding a rigid conductor end - Google Patents

Description

The present invention relates to a connector for receiving a rigid conductor end.

Terminals are used in particular in electrical engineering for releasable connection or the connection of wires, wires or cables. In the clamped state, a permanent, secure contact should be ensured. This is achieved by mechanical fixation (for example by screw or spring) of the connected conductors in a conductive body.

There are many types of terminals known. There are also known various types of spring connections, in particular leg spring connections. These connections generally have a component that transmits the current and a spring acting thereon.

However, these clamping points have continued below or above the protruding edge of the contact wall, with the result that the spring force is between at least two contact points and divides the contact force. Also known are terminal points with a passage. These terminals are then designed so that the acting spring force is approximately opposite the contact edge to get the existing spring force almost identical as a contact force. From the EP 1 391 965 A1 is a corresponding spring terminal for an electrical conductor discloses a Stromschienenenstück having a quadrangular material passage, in which the clamping leg end of a leaf spring immersed, such that the clamping leg end forms a clamping point for an electrical conductor with a hole-collar inner wall surface of the material passage. It is proposed in this document to use a shaping with a transverse edge for the hole collar inner wall surface. The clamping leg of the leaf spring is further dimensioned and shaped such that the end-side clamping edge of the clamping leg end in the position of clamping an electrical conductor is approximately opposite to the existing on the Lochkrageninnenwandfläche transverse edge to improve the electrical contact.

A disadvantage of the known terminals is that the highest possible spring force is needed to provide a secure clamp closure. However, the higher the spring force, the harder it is to plug the conductor into the clamp.

It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a connector for receiving a rigid conductor end, which allows a secure locking and secure electrical contact of the inserted conductor end, the insertion of the conductor end should be as easy as possible.

The object is achieved by a plug connection for receiving a rigid conductor end according to appended claim 1. The connector according to the invention comprises a stop for locking the conductor end in the Plug connection. A spring element is inventively provided to press the conductor end received in the connector against the stop so that the end of the conductor is locked non-positively in the connector. The plug connection comprises a tilting element for defining a tilting axis, wherein the tilting element is arranged such that the spring element generates a torque about the tilting axis at the received conductor end, so that the conductor end is pressed against the stop. By means of the tilting element, the bearing force with which the conductor end presses against the stop, can be suitably defined. For this the lever law is used. With a relatively low restoring force by the spring element, a high contact force against the stop can be generated. This improves the adhesion between the conductor end and stop for locking the conductor end in the connector. On the other hand, the conductor end can be released by rotation against the spring element to facilitate removal or insertion of the conductor end. The tilt axis is transverse to the axial direction of the conductor end.

Preferably, a distance between the stop and the tilting axis is smaller than a distance between the tilting axis and a point of application of the spring force on the conductor end. The distance between the point of application of the spring element corresponds to the lever length of the spring element. The longer this lever is compared to the lever of the stop, the greater the force difference - in equilibrium perpendicular to the tilt axis - between the restoring force of the spring and the stop force, so that in the locked state, a greater contact force acts on the stop as the spring force with which presses the spring element against the conductor end.

Another preferred embodiment of the present invention provides a bus bar for passing electrical current through the conductor end. The stop forms an electrical contact between the recorded conductor end and the busbar in the locked state. Thus, both a frictional connection for locking the conductor end and an electrical contact can be provided by means of the stop. Also for the adhesion, it is advantageous if two metallic surfaces act on each other, which are not deformable in contrast to the plastic housing of the connector or the conductor shell.

Preferably, a further stop is provided to generate in the locked state of the conductor end another torque about the tilt axis. The further stop is preferably arranged at the greatest possible distance from the tilting axis at the conductor end. The further stop is preferably detachable, so that the conductor end can be removed from the connector. For this purpose, the further stop is pivoted away or pushed away from the inserted conductor end, so that now only the spring element presses against the conductor end. By rotating the conductor end against the torque generated by the spring element, the conductor end can now be released from the first stop and removed from the connector. Conversely, the procedure is to include the conductor end in the connector. First, the conductor end is inserted into the connector and alone by the first spring element arrested. Thereafter, the further stop is pivoted or pushed against the conductor end and locked in order to support the torque of the spring element for locking. This prevents that the head end can be solved by slightly tilting against the spring force wrongly. Preferably, the further stop establishes a further electrical contact between the received conductor end and the busbar.

Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the accompanying drawings.

• Figur 1 eine Querschnittsansicht einer Steckverbingung eines ersten Ausführungsbeispiels der vorliegenden Erfindung;
• Figur 2 eine perspektivische Ansicht der Steckverbindung des ersten Ausführungsbeispiels gemäß Figur 1;
• Figur 3 eine Querschnittsansicht der Steckverbindung eines zweiten Ausführungsbeispiels der vorliegenden Erfindung;
• Figur 4 eine Querschnittsansicht eines dritten Ausführungsbeispiels der vorliegenden Erfindung.

Show it:

• FIG. 1 a cross-sectional view of a connector of a first embodiment of the present invention;
• FIG. 2 a perspective view of the connector of the first embodiment according to FIG. 1 ;
• FIG. 3 a cross-sectional view of the connector of a second embodiment of the present invention;
• FIG. 4 a cross-sectional view of a third embodiment of the present invention.

The in FIG. 1 illustrated cross section of the first embodiment illustrates the operation of the present invention. In FIG. 1 the connector is shown with recorded conductor end 10. A stop 20 is provided, against which the conductor end 10 bears non-positively. A spring 30 presses the conductor end 10 against Tilting element, whereby a torque is generated, which rotates the conductor end about a tilting axis. As a result, the conductor end is pressed against the stop 20.

The conductor end is essentially cylindrical. It has a ladder jacket made of flexible Kunsstoff from which protrudes a rigid conductive end sleeve. The longitudinal axis of the conductor end 10 is in FIG. 1 shown essentially vertically. The stop 20 is designed so that the largest end sleeve and / or the largest rigid conductor end 10 can be introduced for the intended connection cross-section and or the intended teaching mandrel. This stop 20 is advantageously formed by a busbar 70.

Laterally at the end of the conductor is the stop 20. The contact surface between the stop 20 and the end sleeve of the conductor end 10 and the vertical force generated by the spring 30 on the stop 20 generate a large amount of static friction. Due to this static friction, the conductor end is locked in the connector. Characteristic of the present invention is that, in contrast to the prior art, the stop 20 is not disposed on the spring element 30 opposite side of the conductor end 10. Instead, both the spring element 60 and the abutment are arranged on the same side of the inserted conductor end 10. A tilting element 40 ensures that the force is transmitted from the spring element 60 to the contact surface. The tilting member 40 is formed substantially as a projection defining a tilting axis 50 about which the inserted conductor end 10 is pivotable.

In equilibrium, when the conductor end is locked, the torque generated by the spring element 30 is the same as the opposite torque generated by the stopper 20. It therefore applies: $${\mathrm{F}}_{\mathrm{feather}}*{\mathrm{l}}_{\mathrm{1}}={\mathrm{F}}_{\mathrm{attack}}*{\mathrm{<figure-callout\; id="2"\; label="l"\; filenames="imgf0002.png"\; state="\{\{state\}\}">l</figure-callout>}}_{\mathrm{2}}$$

F _spring is the spring force acting perpendicular to the tilting axis 50; 11 is the distance between the point of application of the spring element on the conductor end 10 and the tilting axis 50; F _stop is acting perpendicular to the tilting axis 50 restoring force of the stopper; 12 is the distance between the stopper 20 and the tilting axis 50.

The aim of the invention is to optimize the adhesion between the stopper 20 and the conductor end 10. From equation 1 shows that the stop force F _stop is the higher the smaller the distance 12 between the stop and the tilt axis. An increase in the distance 11 between the point of application of the spring force on the conductor end 10 and the tilting axis 50 increases the stop force F _stop . Therefore, preferably, the tilting axis 50 is placed closer to the stop 20 as the point of application of the spring 30. As a result, a particularly high impact force is generated at a comparatively low spring force. The higher the impact force, the better the adhesion between stop 20 and conductor end 10.

Conventionally, a high impact force has the consequence that the insertion and release of the conductor end so more forceful is the greater the adhesion is. However, the embodiment shows that a release of the conductor end can be done relatively easily. For this purpose, only the conductor end 10 must be rotated about the tilt axis 50 so that it no longer rests on the stop. Here again the leverage law applies. The further away from the tilt axis, the conductor end 10 is gripped, the lower the force required. Once the conductor end 10 is released from the stop, it can be pulled out without effort. At most, the spring and the tilting element still generate a certain static friction, which counteract the withdrawal or insertion of the conductor end. However, since both the tilting element and the spring element have only a comparatively small contact surface with the conductor end, the friction surface is very small. Both the static friction and the sliding friction between the conductor end and plug connection is thus minimized. Consequently, insertion and removal of the conductor end is very easy to accomplish.

Furthermore, the connector according to FIG. 1 a bus bar 70 for passing electrical current flowing through the conductor end 10. In FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the connector of the first embodiment shown. It will be appreciated that the conductor end is inserted in a funnel 120 formed by a housing 80. The cable hopper 120 is preferably designed so large that the conductor end is not pressed by the spring element against the cable hopper. The stop alone should counteract the torque of the spring element to produce the strongest possible adhesion. The housing 80 is preferably formed of an insulating plastic. In the housing 80, the busbar is embedded; it serves for the electrical coupling of current through the conductor end 10 with another conductor, not shown.

The stopper 20 is formed as part of the busbar 70. It thus serves not only the mechanical locking of the conductor end 10 but also the electrical coupling of the conductor end 10. If the stop is formed as part of the busbar, this has the advantage that the metallic end sleeve of the conductor end 10 rests on the metallic stop. The elastically deformable conductor shell would deform under the contact force. However, the material flow of the plastic can affect the contact force between the stop 20 and conductor end 10, in particular reduce, which is disadvantageous because a predictable bearing force is desired to ensure that the head end is securely locked.

FIG. 3 shows a cross-sectional view of the connector of the second embodiment of the present invention. Those features of the connector according to FIG. 3 which correspond to the features of the embodiment are indicated by the same reference numeral. The connector according to the second embodiment also has a stop 20, a spring element 30 and a tilting element 40. The conductor end is inserted into the funnel of the housing 80 and locked in the connector.

The spring force acts on the conductor end and is redirected via the tilting member 40 to the stop such that a Force fit between the stopper 20 and the conductor end is generated. This frictional connection prevents the conductor end 10 from being easily pulled out of the plug connection 10. The movement of the conductor end along the stop counteracts the friction between stop 20 and conductor end 10. However, if the conductor end is released from the stop by slight rotation against the spring element 30, then the conductor end can be pulled out of the hopper 120.

Thus, the traction between the conductor end 10 and stop 20 is not lost in this way wrong is in FIG. 3 another stop, a housing stop, 90 is provided. This prevents that the conductor end is moved by external influences against the torque generated by the spring element, so that the conductor end is released. The housing stop 90 is preferably detachable, so that the conductor end can be easily removed or inserted again after the housing stop 90 has been detached from the conductor end 10. Furthermore, it is also advantageous if the conductor is laterally guided or held by one or more guide elements, so that a rotation of the conductor in the direction of the tilt axis is avoided. These guide elements may comprise lateral surfaces and / or a groove in which the conductor is held laterally. A lateral guide, for example, can be realized by the cable funnel 120.

In FIG. 4 is shown in cross section the third embodiment of the connector of the present invention. The embodiment according to FIG. 3 corresponding features are identified by the same reference numerals. In contrast to the second embodiment, the connector according to FIG. 4 a further stop 100, which is part of the busbar 70. Thus, another electrical contact point for the flow of current through the conductor 10 is provided. Preferably, this stop supports the torque generated by the spring element 30 at the conductor end, so that the conductor end is not erroneously released from its locking. Finally, the busbar stop 100 is releasably lockable so that the conductor end 10 can be relatively easily removed or inserted if necessary.

For flexible and small rigid conductors below a contact rib 51, which defines the tilt axis, a contact surface 110 is provided, which is set towards the conductor end slightly opposite the contact rib 51 and in this way not the tilting moment for the larger rigid or stranded conductor ends 10th affected.

In the illustrated exemplary embodiments, the stop 20 is arranged above the tilting element 50 in each case. The point of application of the spring element 30 and the conductor end 10 is arranged below the tilting element 50. Equivalently, it is possible to construct the plug connection so that the spring element 30 acts above the tilting element 50. Then a stop placed in the housing or from the busbar takes over the function of locking the conductor end by force-locking.

Such an embodiment has the advantage that a force acting on the conductor supports the tilting moment.

LIST OF REFERENCE NUMBERS

11

Distance between tilt axis 50 and point 60 of the spring 30th

12

Distance between tilting axis 50 and stop 20

10

conductor end

20

attack

30

spring element

40

tilt element

50

tilt axis

51

contact rib

60

Point of attack of the spring element 30

70

conductor rail

80

casing

90

housing stop

100

Current rail stop

110

contact area

120

cable funnel

Claims (5)

1. Plug-in connection for receiving a rigid conductor end (10), having a stop (20) for locking the conductor end in the plug-in connection, and
   a spring element (30) which is formed so as to push the conductor end (10) received into the plug-in connection against the stop (20) such that the conductor end (10) is locked in the plug-in connection in a non-positive manner,
   characterised by
   a tipping element (40) for defining a tipping axis, wherein the tipping element (40) is arranged such that the spring element (30) on the received conductor end (10) generates a torque around the tipping axis (50) so that the conductor end (10) is pressed against the stop (20).
2. Plug-in connection as claimed in Claim 1, characterised in that a distance between the stop (20) and the tipping axis (50) is smaller than a distance between the tipping axis (50) and a point (60) where the spring force acts upon the conductor end (10), so that in the locked state a contacting force acting upon the stop (20) is larger than the spring force by means of which the spring element (30) presses against the conductor end (10).
3. Plug-in connection as claimed in Claim 1 or 2, characterised by a current rail (70) for conveying electrical current through the conductor end (10), wherein in the locked state the stop (20) provides an electrical contact between the received conductor end (10) and the current rail (70).
4. Plug-in connection as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, characterised by a further stop (90, 100) which is formed so as to generate a further torque around the tipping axis (50) in the locked state of the conductor end (10).
5. Plug-in connection as claimed in Claim 4, characterised in that the further stop (90, 100) provides a further electrical contact between the received conductor end and the current rail.

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