EP2382690B1 - Electric apparatus with an automatic connection terminal - Google Patents

Description

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The invention relates to electrical devices comprising at least one automatically connected terminal disposed in an envelope.

BACKGROUND TECHNOLOGY

It is known that there are many devices of this type, such as a switch, a socket or a terminal block forming electrical and mechanical connecting member between several conductors.

In general, in such devices, the envelope has an insertion opening of an electrical conductor in a predetermined direction to engage the stripped end of the conductor in the self-connecting terminal, which generally comprises a spring which is -bouting on the driver to keep it in the terminal if it is asked to be removed from the envelope.

In some devices, no means is provided to act on the spring to allow the removal of a conductor in place in the self-connecting terminal.

In other devices, the envelope is provided with a pusher for acting on the spring to release the driver and allow its removal.

The French patent application 2,860,346 proposes for example that the pusher is formed by a section of the wall of the envelope, having a certain flexibility, and a rigid finger, to the benefit of the compactness of the device,

OBJECT OF THE INVENTION

The invention aims to provide an electrical apparatus comprising at least one automatically connected terminal which is capable of allowing the removal of a conductor engaged in this terminal in a particularly simple, convenient and economical manner.

It proposes for this purpose an electrical device according to claim 1.

When the hood is closed position, the elongate opening is closed, the driver can not be tilted parallel to itself and therefore remains in place in the connection terminal.

The extraction of the driver from the device is effected by simply raising the conductor parallel to itself, after passing the hood in the remote position.

Thus, unlike known automatic terminal devices, the extraction of the conductor does not occur in the same movement as the insertion (axially to the driver), but in a totally different movement (tilting parallel to the driver).

Because the extraction movement does not correspond to a bias of the driver axially to itself, the stress to which the spring of the automatic connection terminal must be opposed, but to a movement in which the driver can slide relative to spring, it is not necessary to act on the spring to remove the driver.

The apparatus according to the invention thus makes it possible to extract the conductor as conveniently and reliably as devices equipped with a disconnection pusher, but without the presence of such a pusher.

In addition, the apparatus according to the invention makes it possible to verify the good positioning of the conductor in the terminal with automatic connection, by passing the bonnet in the open position to check the position of the driver through the elongated opening; or besides with the hood that remains in the closed position, if the hood is transparent material.

• ledit corps présente au droit de ladite borne, une échancrure traversante reliée à ladite ouverture allongée ;
• ledit capot comporte un obturateur présentant une plaquette pour obturer ladite ouverture allongée et, saillant de ladite plaquette, un rebord pour obturer ladite échancrure traversante ;
• ledit corps et ledit rebord délimitent conjointement, en position fermée du capot, un conduit d'insertion d'un conducteur électrique dans ladite borne suivant ladite direction prédéterminée ;
• ledit appareil comporte une pluralité de dites bornes à connexion automatique, et ledit corps comporte un contre-rebord dont est jointif ledit rebord lorsque le capot est en position fermée, ledit rebord et ledit contre-rebord comportant chacun une tranche festonnée présentant une succession alternée de portions droites et de portions incurvées en correspondance les unes avec les autres, de sorte qu'en position fermée les portions droites en regard s'appuient l'une contre l'autre tandis que les portions incurvées en regard délimitent chacune un dit conduit d'insertion ;
• chaque borne à connexion automatique comporte un ressort présentant une lamelle élastique et comporte une paroi incurvée dont la concavité est tournée vers ladite lamelle élastique, ladite paroi incurvée étant placée au droit de ladite ouverture allongée ;
• ladite paroi incurvée présente à son extrémité distale un rebord tandis que ledit capot comporte une nervure disposée, en position fermée du capot, entre ledit rebord et une surface dudit corps ;
• ladite borne à connexion automatique est double, avec ledit ressort qui est en forme Ω dont les branches d'extrémité seraient inclinées pour former chacune une dite lamelle élastique et avec une portion de connexion conformée en gouttière dont les parois latérales forment chacune une dite paroi incurvée ;
• ledit capot est transparent ; et/ou
• ledit appareil forme une prise de courant électrique, avec une dite borne pour chaque pôle électrique.

According to preferred characteristics because of the quality of the results obtained:

• said body has at the right of said terminal, a through notch connected to said elongate opening;
• said cover comprises a shutter having a wafer for closing said elongated opening and projecting from said wafer, a flange for closing said through cut-out;
• said body and said flange jointly define, in the closed position of the cover, an insertion conduit of an electrical conductor in said terminal along said predetermined direction;
• said apparatus comprises a plurality of said self-connecting terminals, and said body comprises a counter-edge of which said flange is joined when the hood is in the closed position, said flange and said counter-flange each comprising a scalloped slice having an alternating succession of straight portions and curved portions in correspondence with each other, so that in the closed position the straight portions opposite bear against each other while the curved portions facing each delimit said duct d 'insertion;
• each self-connecting terminal comprises a spring having an elastic blade and has a curved wall whose concavity is turned towards said elastic blade, said curved wall being placed in line with said elongated opening;
• said curved wall has at its distal end a flange while said cover has a rib disposed, in the closed position of the cover, between said flange and a surface of said body;
• said automatic connection terminal is double, with said spring which is shaped Ω whose end branches are inclined to each form a so-called elastic strip and with a connection portion shaped gutter whose side walls each form a said curved wall ;
• said hood is transparent; and or
• said apparatus forms an electrical outlet, with a said terminal for each electrical pole.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

• la figure 1 est une vue en perspective d'un appareil électrique, ici une prise de courant, où un conducteur électrique est en place dans l'une de ses bornes à connexion automatique ;
• la figure 2 est une vue identique à la figure 1, si ce n'est que le capot de fermeture des compartiments où sont disposés les bornes à connexion automatique, est en position écartée plutôt qu'en position fermée ;
• les figures 3 et 4 sont respectivement une vue de dessous et une vue de côté de la prise dans la configuration de la figure 2 ;
• la figure 5 est une vue éclatée en perspective du corps de la prise électrique, d'un ressort et d'une unité de contact, le corps de prise étant illustré avec un arrachement afin de montrer l'agencement du compartiment où doivent être disposés le ressort et l'unité de contact ;
• la figure 6 est une autre vue en perspective, montrant le corps de prise de courant avec un ressort en place dans chacun de ses trois compartiments ;
• la figure 7 est une vue de dessous du conducteur illustré sur les figures 1 à 4 et de l'ensemble formée par le ressort et par l'unité de contact avec lesquels le conducteur coopère, tels qu'ils sont disposés les uns par rapport aux autres dans la configuration des figures 1 à 4 ;
• la figure 8 en est une vue en perspective, prise sous le même angle que les figures 1 et 2 ; et
• les figures 9 et 10 ont des vues semblables à la figure 2, montrant différentes positions du conducteur en cours d'extraction de la prise électrique.

The description of the invention will now be continued by the description of an exemplary embodiment, given below by way of illustration and without limitation, with reference to the appended drawings, in which:

• the figure 1 is a perspective view of an electrical apparatus, here a socket, where an electrical conductor is in place in one of its terminals with automatic connection;
• the figure 2 is a view identical to the figure 1 , except that the closing cap of the compartments where the automatically-connected terminals are arranged, is in the separated position rather than in the closed position;
• the Figures 3 and 4 are respectively a bottom view and a side view of the socket in the configuration of the figure 2 ;
• the figure 5 is an exploded perspective view of the body of the electrical outlet, a spring and a contact unit, the plug body being shown with a tear away to show the arrangement of the compartment where the spring and the contact unit;
• the figure 6 is another perspective view, showing the socket body with a spring in place in each of its three compartments;
• the figure 7 is a bottom view of the driver shown on the Figures 1 to 4 and the assembly formed by the spring and the contact unit with which the conductor cooperates, as they are arranged relative to each other in the configuration of the Figures 1 to 4 ;
• the figure 8 is a perspective view, taken from the same angle as the figures 1 and 2 ; and
• the figures 9 and 10 have similar views to the figure 2 , showing different positions of the driver during extraction of the electrical outlet.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF AN EXEMPLARY EMBODIMENT

The socket 10 illustrated in the drawings comprises a body 11, a cover 12 and a plurality of assemblies, here three in number, each comprising a spring 13 and a contact unit 14.

The socket 10 further comprises, at the front, non-illustrated facade elements, in particular a circular plate forming the bottom of the receiving well of a current plug, this plate masking the compartments where the springs and the springs are located. contact units, with of course an orifice for each current pin.

The body 11, the cover 12 and the non-illustrated facade elements are made of insulating material, here plastic. The contact unit 14 is made of a conductive material, here made of brass or another metallic material. The springs 13 are also made of metallic material, here in stainless steel.

The body 11 is here made of a single piece.

It comprises a plate 15 and a barrel 16 projecting from the palate 15, in the center of the latter, towards the rear.

On each side of the barrel 16, the plate 15 has a fastening opening 17 in the form of a keyhole which would be curved.

The shaft 16 comprises a portion 18 for receiving a current plug and a portion 19 for housing the electrical connection and contact elements.

The portion 18 extends from the plate 15.

It is formed by a generally tubular wall delimiting a lateral surface of well 21 ( figures 5 and 6 ).

The portion 19 is formed by a set of walls delimiting a well bottom surface 22 and three compartments 25A, 25B and 25C arranged side by side in recess with respect to the bottom surface 22.

Compartment 25A will now be described.

This compartment is globally parallelepipedic.

It is delimited by a bottom face 30 and, laterally, by two large faces 31A and 31B, opposite to each other, and two small faces 32A and 32B, opposite to each other.

Over a certain length from the small face 32A, the bottom face 30 is limited to a narrow band 33 on each side of which there is a respective elongate opening 34.

Two respective through-slots 35 open from the face 32A. Each elongate opening 34 is connected to a respective notch 35.

From the narrowband portion 33 of the bottom face 30, protrudes a protrusion 36 keyhole profile whose rounded portion is on the side of the face 32A.

Between the portion forming a narrow band 33 and the small face 32B, the bottom face 30 borders a blind recess 37. The recess 37 serves, when a current plug is engaged in the socket 10, to receive the end of the one of the pins of this power plug.

Compartment 25C is identical to compartment 25A. The same numerical references were used as for compartment 25A.

Compartment 25B, located between compartments 25A and 25C, has a sub-compartment 38 similar to the portion of compartment 25A into which openings 34 open.

For simplicity, the same reference numerals have been used for the sub-compartment 38 as for the corresponding portion of the compartment 25A.

On the side that we see above on the figure 6 the sub-compartment 38 is connected to a sub-compartment 39.

On the side that is seen below, the sub-compartment 38 connects to a sub-compartment 40.

Each of the sub-compartments 39 and 40 is connected, on the side opposite the subcompartment 38, to a respective trench 41 and 42.

The trenches 41 and 42 are each recessed relative to the lateral surface 21 and oriented along the axial direction of the portion 18.

The sub-compartments 39 and 40 each have a bottom face 43 closer to the bottom surface 22 than the bottom face 30 of the compartments 25A and 25C.

The length over which the sub-compartment 39 extends between the sub-compartment 38 and the trench 41 is shorter than the length over which the subcompartment 40 extends between the sub-compartment 38 and the trench 42.

Trenches 41 and 42 serve to receive a land contact strip when the plug is in Germanic format. The greater length of the subcompartment 40 makes it possible to project from it the earth pin when the plug is in the Franco-Belgian format.

We will now describe the hood 12.

It comprises an arm 50 and a shutter 51 arranged like the two branches of a T, with the arm 50 as a central branch.

The arm 50 has, at its end opposite the shutter 51, two pivot pins 52 aligned in a direction transverse to the general direction of extension of the arm 50.

Each pin 52 is engaged in a bearing orifice 53, each formed in a respective fin 54 of the body 11. The fins 54 are slightly flexible to allow the establishment of the pins in the orifices 53 by snapping.

The arm 50 is relatively thick. In the closed position of the cover 12 ( figure 1 ), the arm 50 is housed in a recess 56 situated between two studs 57 each serving to delimit the blind recess of the respective compartments 25A and 25C.

The shutter 51 comprises a plate 60 which extends over the entire width of the portion 19 of the body 11.

When the cover 12 is in the closed position ( figure 1 ), the wafer 60 closes the elongate openings 34 of each of the compartments 25A, 25B and 25C.

A flange 61 protrudes from the wafer 60 along the side opposite to that by which the wafer 60 is connected to the arm 50.

When the cover 12 is in the closed position ( figure 1 ) the rim 61 is joined by a counter-flange 62 that includes the portion 19 of the body 11.

The flange 61 and the counter-flange 62 each comprise a scalloped slice having an alternating succession of straight portions and portions curved in correspondence with each other, so that in the closed position the facing straight portions bear against each other while the facing curved portions each delimit a conduit 65 insertion of a driver in the casing formed by the body 11 and the cover 12.

Each duct 65 is at the right of one of the notches 35.

Thus, a conductor engaged in a conduit 65 reaches the compartment 25A, 25B or 25C corresponding through this conduit and the notch 35 corresponding.

The portion of the notch 35 located between the duct 65 and the plate 60 is closed by the flange 61.

To allow the locking of the cover 12 in the closed position, the shutter 51 has at each end of the wafer 60 that we see on the right and left on the figures 1 and 2 , a tongue 66 having a window 67 for receiving a locking catch 68 that the body 11 comprises.

We will now describe the springs 13.

Each spring 13 is made in an elastic metal strip, here in stainless steel, cut and folded to have substantially the shape of a Ω whose end branches are inclined to form an elastic strip 70.

In each of the compartments 25A, 25B and 25C, the spring 13 rests on the narrow-band face 33 with the portion of the spring 13 situated between the lamellae 70 which surrounds the protuberance 36.

Each lamella 70 has at its distal end an edge 71 provided to be applied against an electrical conductor, as explained below.

The contact unit 14 comprises a connection portion 75 and a contact portion 76 joined by a bridge 77.

The connecting portion is shaped as a channel with a central wall 78 which is flat and side walls 79 which are curved, the concavity of each wall 79 being turned towards the other wall 79.

The contact portion 76 comprises a stirrup 80 and two contact arms 81 and 82.

The stirrup 80 has a central wall 83 and two side walls 84 and 85.

The central wall 83 is disposed transversely to the central wall 78, on the same side as the side walls 79.

The side walls 84 and 85 are located at the side walls 78 and 79.

Each of the walls 83, 84 and 85 of the stirrup 80 is flat.

The end of each of the side walls 84 and 85 opposite the wall 83 is connected to one end of a respective contact arm 81 and 82, which are arranged between the walls 84 and 85 so that the assembly formed by the side walls 84 and 85 and the contact arms 81 and 82 has a generally forme-shaped whose center would form a cavity 86.

The curved portion of the arms 81 and 82 delimiting the cavity 86 flares away from the side intended to be turned towards the front of the socket 10.

The cavity 86 is provided to receive a pin from a power plug. When inserting a pin into the cavity 86, the arms 81 and 82, or even the side walls 84 and 85, deform elastically. A pin in place in the cavity 86 is clamped between the arms 81 and 82.

As shown on the figure 5 , the contact portion 76 is housed in the cavity 25A or 25B while resting on the bottom face 30, the cavity 86 then being aligned with the recess 37.

The connection portion 75 is placed in the compartment 25A or 25C, or elsewhere in the compartmental compartment 38 of the compartment 25D, as shown in FIGS. Figures 7 and 8 the wall 78 covers the protuberance 36 and the spring 13 while each side wall 79 is opposite an elastic lamella 70 and to the right of an elongated opening 34.

• lorsque la prise 10 est format germanique, par deux languettes de contact qui s'étendent de part et d'autre de la portion de connexion pour se loger dans les sous-compartiments 39 et 40 et dans les tranchées 41 et 42 ; ou
• lorsque la prise 10 est au format franco-belge, par une portion de contact se logeant dans le sous-compartiment 40 et présentant une broche de terre saillante.

It will be understood that the non-illustrated contact unit placed in the compartment 25B has a connection portion identical to the portion 75 and that the contact portion 76 is replaced:

• when the plug 10 is Germanic format, by two contact tabs which extend on either side of the connecting portion to be housed in the sub-compartments 39 and 40 and in the trenches 41 and 42; or
• when the plug 10 is in Franco-Belgian format, by a contact portion housed in the sub-compartment 40 and having a protruding ground pin.

In each of the compartments 25A, 25B and 25C, the spring 13 and the connecting portion 75 or such as 75 (compartment 25B), form a double self-connecting terminal for two electrical conductors.

The terminal of the compartments 25A and 25C serves to connect the contact portion 76 to an incoming conductor respectively to the neutral potential and to the phase potential while the terminal of the compartment 25B serves to connect the contact portion of this compartment to a incoming conductor at earth potential.

The possibility of connecting a second conductor to each terminal makes it possible, if desired, to transplant to another electrical appliance.

In the drawings, there is shown a conductor 90 whose stripped end 91 is in place in the self-connecting terminal housed in the compartment 25A. The following description of the cooperation between the conductor 90 and one of the locations of this terminal, also applies to the other location and the other terminals.

As can be seen more particularly in the Figures 7 and 8 , the end 91 is disposed between the spring 13 and one of the side walls 79, with the resilient strip 70 which urges the end 91 of the conductor 90 towards the wall 79.

The introduction of the conductor 90 in this self-connecting terminal has been made by simply engaging this conductor axially to itself, that is to say by sliding in its axial direction, which is made to coincide with the axial direction 92 ( figure 7 ) of the insertion duct 65: during the insertion movement, the end 91 meets the elastic lamella 70 and causes it to deform (bend) so that the driver can cross the end edge 71 and thus have a portion inserted between the edge 71 and the side wall 79, the progression continuing until the abutment of the conductor 90 on the central wall 83 of the stirrup 80 (compartments 25A and 25C) or on the wall of the body 11 facing the wall 32A (compartment 25B).

If the conductor 90 is urged to be withdrawn axially from itself from the terminal, the blade 70 is arched so that the conductor is wedged between the end edge 71 and the side wall 79.

Of course, the introduction of a conductor such as 90 is carried out while the cover 12 is in the closed position ( figure 1 ).

The cover 12 is here transparent material, the operator can check, through the cover, the proper establishment of the conductor 90 in the automatic connection terminal.

It can also verify this good installation by making the hood 12 move to its remote position ( Figures 2 to 4 ) by disengaging tabs 66 from locking notches 68 and tilting cover 12.

The position apart from the hood 12 also makes it possible, if necessary, to extract the conductor such as 90 out of the socket 10.

To do this, the conductor such as 90 is tilted parallel to itself, as shown on the figures 9 and 10 .

The recess 35 and the elongated opening 34, which are then released by the cover 12, allow the cable such as 90 to slide between the spring 13 and the side wall 79 and leave the body 11 through the passage that form the notch 35 and the elongated opening 34.

Each curved wall 79 has at its distal end a flange 95 intended to be set back from the stripped end 91.

When extracting the conductor 90, the side wall 79 against which the end 91 is in contact deforms slightly, bending outwardly, to allow the end 91 to slide out of the terminal formed by the spring 13 and the connecting portion 75.

To prevent such deformation of the walls 79 when the cover 12 is in the closed position, the shutter 51 behaves for each wall 79, a rib 96 projecting from the wafer 60.

In the closed position of the cover 12, each rib 96 is disposed between a flange 95 and the surface facing the portion 19 of the barrel 16.

Because the edge 71 of each elastic strip 70 is oriented parallel to the tilting plane of the conductor 90 during its extraction, the end 91 of the conductor 90 can slide along the edge 71, which does not prevent the extraction movement.

It will be observed that the ridges 71 of the various springs 13 are arranged like the teeth of a rake.

This is different from the arrangement of the edges of the elastic lamellae of conventional devices having several self-connecting terminals, where the edges are arranged in line.

The arrangement of ridges 71 rake teeth allows a same plate 60, and more generally the same shutter 51, oriented transverse to the edges 71, to close the passage through which the driver such as 91 must be extracted out of the socket .

In non-illustrated variants, the electrical apparatus comprising a plurality of self-connecting terminals is an apparatus other than a socket, for example a switch or an electrical connection terminal block of a plurality of conductors; the number of electrical poles is different from three, for example one or two; self-connecting terminals are provided for a number of conductors other than two, for example one or more than two; the number of terminals is different from three, for example a single terminal or more than three terminals; and / or the structural arrangement of the terminals is different, with for example the springs which are individual for each conductor.

Many other variants are possible depending on the circumstances, and it is recalled in this regard that the invention is not limited to the examples described and shown.

Claims (10)

1. Electric apparatus comprising a housing (11, 12) in which there is disposed at least one automatic connection terminal (13, 75) for a conductor (90) to be engaged axially with itself into said terminal in a predetermined direction (92), which automatic connection terminal comprises a spring (13) braced on the conductor (9) to hold it in the terminal if it is urged to be withdrawn from the casing (11, 12); characterised in that said casing comprises a body (11) having along said terminal (13, 75) an opening (34) which is elongate in said predetermined direction (92); that said terminal is so adapted that a said conductor which is inserted into said terminal can, by pivotal movement parallel to itself, slide out of said terminal (13, 75) and pass through said elongate opening (34) to be extracted from said apparatus (10); and that said casing further comprises a cap (12) capable of assuming a closed position in which it closes said elongate opening (34) and a spaced position in which it frees said elongate opening (34).
2. Apparatus according to claim 1 characterised in that in line with said terminal (13, 75) said body (11) has a through notch (35) connected to said elongate opening (34).
3. Apparatus according to claim 2 characterised in that said cap (12) comprises a closure (51) having a plate portion (60) for closing said elongate opening (34) and, projecting from said plate portion (60), an edge (61) for closing said through notch (35).
4. Apparatus according to claim 3 characterised in that said body (11) and said edge (61) jointly define in the closed position of the cap (12) a conduit (65) for the insertion of an electric conductor (90) into said terminal (13, 75) in said predetermined direction (92).
5. Apparatus according to claim 4 characterised in that it comprises a plurality of said automatic connection terminals (13, 75) and that said body (11) comprises a counterpart edge (62) with which said edge (61) is contiguous when the cap (12) is in the closed position, said edge (61) and said counterpart edge (62) each comprising a scalloped edge surface having an alternate succession of straight portions and curved portions in mutually corresponding relationship such that in the closed position the facing straight portions bear against each other while the facing curved portions each define a said insertion conduit (65).
6. Apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 5 characterised in that each said automatic connection terminal comprises a spring (13) having an elastic blade (70) and comprises a curved wall (79) whose concavity is towards said elastic blade (70), said curved wall (79) being placed in line with said elongate opening (34).
7. Apparatus according to claim 6 characterised in that said curved wall (79) has an edge (95) at its distal end while said cap (12) comprises a rib (96) which in the closed position of the cap (12) is disposed between said edge (95) and a surface of said body (11).
8. Apparatus according to either one of claims 6 and 7 characterised in that said automatic connection terminal is double, with said spring (13) which is of an Ω shape whose end arms would be inclined to each form a said elastic blade (70) and with a gutter-shaped connecting portion (75) whose side walls each form a said curved wall (79).
9. Apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 8 characterised in that said cap (12) is transparent.
10. Apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 9 characterised in that it forms an electric current socket (10) with a said terminal (13, 75) for each electric pole.

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