EP2617103A1 - Connector for electric conductors - Google Patents

Abstract

A connector allowing the installation and removal in a versatile and safe way of electric conductors (3), in particular flexible conductors (3), while assuring a safe installation and a time efficient maintenance, is disclosed. The connector of the present invention is substantially formed by a housing main body (1) comprising an inner body (4) of electrical power conductive material, a clamping device (5) for clamping leads, an actuation device (6) of said clamping device (5) and openings for insertion of electric leads (3). Specifically, the present connector is provided with an independent actuation device (6) for each clamping device (5), which provides more reliable installations than those provided using connectors of the prior art having a common actuation means (6) to all clamping devices (5) of electric conductors (3).

Description

"CONNECTOR FOR ELECTRIC CONDUCTORS"

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a connector for electric conductors, for low voltage electric installations. The connector of the present invention is substantially formed by a housing main body comprising an inner body of electrical power conductive material, a lead clamping device, a hand operated actuation device of said clamping device and openings for insertion of electric leads.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The current market of connectors for electric conductors features a wide range of solutions allowing a relatively wider choice of this type of components from the electric component Industry. In particular, however, there is a need to find better solutions related to connectors for flexible leads for electric conduction. Indeed, the prior art connectors for flexible leads have some drawbacks regarding the attachment and clamping efficiency of this kind of leads, as well as regarding the ease of assembly and disassembly thereof. Actually, there is a need to a connector for flexible leads able to firmly clamp the conductors in order to significantly eliminate or reduce its inadvertent detachment, in addition to provide good electric current conduction between the connecting body and conductors, while simultaneously assuring the execution of the inverse operation of detachment on a functional basis, as required by the user. This versatility is difficult to achieve, the currently available solutions being relatively complex and expensive.

The following documents describe some of these solutions. Portuguese Patent PT 103695, entitled "Aperfeicoamentos em Sistemas de Ligadores de Terminals Interligados, Aplicaveis a Dispositivos Electricos", discloses electric devices having a parallelepiped support base containing a contact of single terminals supporting a clamping and cutting system using an actuation key. Such holding system is different from the lead clamping device of the present invention.

U.S. Patent US 7331522 entitled "PUSH-IN WIRE CONNECTOR WITH IMPROVED BUSBAR" discloses a connector having clamping leaf springs but in which the wire clamping system is substantially different from the present invention. It does not provide any actuating system for insertion/removal of leads.

U.S. Patent US 7104833, entitled "Electrical Connector with Release Means", discloses a connector having a clamping and releasing mechanism for electric leads in which the arrangement and operation are different from the ones used in the object of the invention.

International patent application WO 2009130529, entitled "Connector" , discloses a connector having a resilient clamping lever, which free end is provided with a clamping cam outside the connector body. The differences of the clamping system of the previous application regarding the connector of the invention establish distinct technical effects.

Patent application US 20090104816, entitled "Terminal Conductor", discloses a terminal of conductors provided with an actuation lever to open and close the spring loaded clamping contact. Here, the actuation lever operation is also distinct from the one featured by the connector of the present invention.

European patents EP 1391965 Bl, entitled "Spring Terminal Clamp for Electrical Conductor", and EP 1198030 Bl , entitled "Connector with a Leaf Spring in a Cage with a Plate connected to the Leaf Spring", disclose connectors for electric conductors in which leaf springs for clamping the latter are used. The design of connectors disclosed in these patents is significantly different from the one featured by the connector of the present invention.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention discloses a connector for electric conductors comprising a housing main body that houses at least one opening for insertion and removal of leads, an inner body for conducting electric power, and at least a clamping device for electric conductors, characterized in that it further comprises an independent actuation device for each clamping device provided into the connector, and in that the inner body is provided with an angular fold defining two sides, which sides form an obtuse angle.

In one aspect, the clamping device is connected with the inner body.

In another aspect of the invention, the actuation device comprises a first end provided outside the housing body and a second end provided inside the housing body.

In another aspect, the second end of the actuation device is a cam-shaped end.

In another aspect, the actuation device is a lever. In another aspect, the openings are tapered. In yet another aspect, the obtuse angle is comprised between about 120° and

150°.

In another aspect, the inner body comprises cut-offs for insertion of electric conductors. In still other aspect, the cut-offs are in correspondence and in communication with the, at least one, opening of the main body for insertion of electric conductors into the inner bod . In a further aspect, inner body is made of brass and the clamping device is a leaf spring member.

In another aspect, the leaf spring member is made of stainless steel. In one embodiment of the present invention, the connector comprises a housing main body made of plastic and housing at least 2 tapered openings in correspondence and in communication with an inner body made of brass connected with at least 2 clamping leaf springs made of stainless steel, wherein each of the clamping leaf springs is actuated by an independent lever that moves between a resting position and a tensioning position. Said lever is provided with a first end for manual actuation by an user and a second cam- shaped end that moves a clamping leaf spring to a non operational position when lever is moved to the tensioning position, this lever tensioning position allowing for the insertion or removal of electric conductors without opposition of the clamping leaf spring.

In one preferred aspect of the present invention, the connector comprises 3 tapered openings and 3 clamping leaf springs, each of the clamping leaf springs being actuated by an independent lever.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

A detailed description will be set forth below, only by way of example, with reference to the accompanying drawings illustrating the preferred embodiment of the present invention and in which: Fig. 1 is a schematic representation in perspective of the preferred connector of the present invention, showing its housing main body open in order to expose the remaining components of the connector.

Fig. 2 is a schematic representation viewed from the top of the connector in Fig.

1.

Fig. 3 is another schematic representation in perspective of the connector of Fig. 1 , omitting the cover and featuring an inserted electric conductor.

Fig. 4 is a schematic representation in perspective of a portion of the connector of the preceding figures made of the clamping device connected to the inner body provided with an angular fold.

Fig. 5 is a schematic representation in perspective of the assembly of Fig. 4, further including the hand operated actuation device of the clamping device.

Fig. 6 is a side cross section representation of the assembly of Fig. 5, showing an actuation lever in the resting position.

Fig. 7 shows the assembly of Fig. 6, where the actuation lever is in tensioning position and the clamping leaf spring is spaced apart in order to allow an electric conductor insertion.

Fig. 8 shows the assembly of Fig. 7 with an inserted electric conductor.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

The present description discloses a connector allowing to firmly, securely and individually attaching electric conductors, and to quickly and operatively detach them, as required, assuring a secure installation and a time efficient maintenance. In the present description, the terms "electric conductors", "leads", "electric leads", or "conductors" , have the same meaning and are intended to designate wires for electric power conduction.

The terms "cam-shaped" or "cam" designate an eccentric part, also usually called as "eccentric".

With reference to Figs. 1, 2 and 3, the connector of the present invention is substantially formed by a housing main body (1) comprising an inner body (4) made of an electric power conductive material, a clamping device (5) for clamping leads (3), an actuation device (6) for actuation of said clamping device (5) and openings (7) for insertion of electric leads (3). In one embodiment, the housing body (1) is made of a plastic material, and is provided with a movable cover acting as lid so as to close, or to gain access to, the components arranged within the body.

Said connector inner body (4) is provided with an angular fold (9) (see Fig. 4 to 7) which sides form an obtuse angle. Such angle is comprised between about 120° and 150°. Preferably, said obtuse angle is of about 135°. For example, the inner body (4) can be made of raw brass or tinned brass.

With particular reference to Figs. 4 and 5, in relation to the clamping device (5), it is preferably formed with leaf spring members (5), made of a conductive material such as stainless steel, that can be joined and strongly attached one another using staple-shaped folds to said inner body (4) of the connector, while they are independent operation wise.

With reference to Figs. 5 to 8, the actuation device (6) of the clamping device (5) is made of lever type members, which are pivotally connected to the main body (1) and are hand operated on the clamping device (5) by means of a displacement, preferably an angular displacement, between a resting position and a tensioning position. With reference to Fig. 3, said openings (7) are arranged within the main body (1) of the connector and allow the insertion/removal of the lead (3) within/from the connector. Preferably, these openings (7) have a tapered form.

In one embodiment, the connector of the invention is made of metal and has a tinned brass inner body (4) provided with an angular fold (9) defining two sides, which sides form an angle of about 135°. Further, it is provided with stainless steel leaf springs (5) joined one another and strongly attached to the brass inner body (4) using staple like folds. Said brass inner body (4) is provided with cut-offs (10) acting as inlet holes which allow the access of the electric conductors (3), (see Fig. 3 and 5).

Said stainless steel leaf springs (5) may be of a trapezoidal shape that is wider in the base thereof, adjacent to the attachment region to brass inner body (4), as it can clearly be seen in Figs. 1 and 4 and narrowing in order to define individual leaf springs. In a side region of the leaf spring (5), near to the free end thereof, a protruding flange like member having a slight curve is arranged, as shown in Fig. 4. This flange allows an operative relationship between the leaf spring (5) and the actuation device (6) in such a way that physically does not limit or interfere with the clamping relationship between the leaf spring (5) and the electric conductor (3), as may be seen in Fig. 5 and 8.

The stainless steel leaf spring (5) is able to be moved and tensioned by the tip of the electric conductor (3) or by means of the actuation device (6), namely by a plastic part in the shape of a cam (8), illustrated in Fig. 6, that when pivoting on its rotation axis causes lifting of the leaf spring (5), illustrated in Fig. 7. When released, by placing the actuation device (6) in a resting position, the stainless steel leaf spring (5) produces an effect of crimping and crushing of the electric conductor (3), preventing the latter from detachment or from being inadvertently removed. The combined effect of the inner body (4) shape and the positioning of leaf spring (5) thereto produces an increased clamping force by the leaf spring (5) when conductor (3) is pulled in the exit direction (see Fig. 8). With reference to Figs. 6 to 8, the actuation device (6) of the clamping device (5), e. g. , stainless steel leaf springs, comprises parts, preferably made of plastic, causing the movement of the clamping device (5). Such parts can be provided in the shape of levers. These levers (6) can be centred in a point of rotation with 2 side supports acting as rotation axis. Said lever (6) is provided with two ends, a first end outside the housing body (1) and one second end within the housing body (1), the first end being preferably designed with a curved shape, to facilitate actuation by the user, and the second end preferably in shape of a cam (8). The cam-shaped end (8) allows to gradually move a clamping leaf spring (5) to a position allowing the insertion of an electric conductor (3) without the need to overcome any opposition. This feature is particularly advantageous to install flexible leads (3) which do not have enough stiffness to overcome per se the opposition caused by a clamping leaf spring (5) when it is in operation position.

To trigger the connector, the lever (6) is moved from a resting position to a tensioning position in which the cam (8) action on the second end of the lever causes a gradual lifting of the clamping leaf spring (5), thereby making space available to insert or remove the conductor (3) without opposition.

An advantageous effect of the present actuation device (6) consists on the independent action of each clamping device (5) provided within the connector during the installation or removal of leads (3). Such independent action is made possible due to existence of an independent actuation device (6) for each clamping device (5) provided in the connector. Note that the prior art connectors having conductor clamping devices using metallic leaf springs are usually provided with actuation devices that actuate simultaneously all leaf springs. This type of arrangement has a drawback in that, during the installation of a conductor, the previously installed conductors in the connector are able to detach due to simultaneous actuation of all the connector leaf springs. The fact that the connector of the present invention is provided with an actuation mechanism (6) for each clamping leaf spring (5) prevents the drawback mentioned above, since only the leaf spring (5) to use in clamping the conductor (3) to be inserted is actuated, thus preventing the inadvertent detachment of other conductors (3) already installed in the same connector.

The simplicity of an actuation device (6) formed, for example, with a lever provided with an end in shape of a cam (8) for actuation of the clamping device (5), allows achieving connectors more versatile and effective than the traditional clamping connectors using threaded members and safer than leaf spring connectors with a collective actuation of the leaf springs.

Preferably, the actuation device (6) of the invention is a plastic part pivotally connected to the main body (1) of the connector and able to be moved between a resting position, where there is no interference on the clamping device (5), and a tensioning position that causes an action of displacement of the clamping device (5) to a non operative position thereof in order to provide the insertion or removal of an electric conductor (3) without any opposition of the clamping device (5). The main body (1) of the connector is provided with openings (7), for example tapered ones, that are preferably in correspondence and in communication with holes (10) cut-out into the inner metallic body (4) in order to make possible the insertion of electric conductors (3) into the inner body (4) of the connector. The main body (1) is also provided with grooves for assembly and actuation of the actuation device (6) allowing the displacement of the latter between said resting and tensioning positions.

In one preferred embodiment, the connector of the present invention comprises a main body (1) made of plastic and housing 3 tapered openings (7) in correspondence and in communication with a brass inner body (4) connected to 3 stainless steel clamping leaf springs (5). Each of the clamping leaf springs (5) is actuated by an independent lever (6) which is moveable between a resting position and a tensioning position. Each independent lever (6) is provided with a first end to be hand operated by an user and one second cam-shaped end (8) that moves one respective clamping leaf spring (5) to a non operative position when the lever (6) is moved to the tensioning position, this lever tensioning position allowing insertion or removal of electric conductors (3) without opposition of the clamping leaf spring (5).

It is to be understood that the embodiments of the invention had been provided only by way of example with reference to the accompanying drawings, whereby they can be subjected to modifications and variations by those skilled in the art without departing from the scope of the appended claims.

Claims

1. Connector for electric conductors (3) comprising a housing main body (1) that houses at least one opening (7) for insertion and removal of electric conductors

(3), an inner body (4) for conducting electric power, and at least one clamping device (5) for clamping electric conductors (3), characterized in that it further comprises an independent actuation device (6) for each clamping device (5) provided into the connector, and in that the inner body (4) is provided with an angular fold (9) defining two sides, which sides form an obtuse angle.

2. Connector according to claim 1, wherein the clamping device (5) is connected with the inner body (4).

3. Connector according to claim 1, wherein the actuation device (6) comprises a first end provided outside the housing body (1) and a second end provided inside the housing body (1).

4. Connector according to claim 3, wherein the second end of the actuation device (6) is a cam-shaped end (8).

5. Connector according to any of the preceding claims, wherein the actuation device (6) is a lever.

6. Connector according to claim 1 , wherein the openings (7) are tapered.

7. Connector according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the obtuse angle is comprised between about 120° and 150°.

8. Connector according to claim 1 , 2 or 7, wherein the inner body comprises cutoffs (10) for insertion of electric conductors (3).

9. Connector according to claim 8, wherein the cut-offs (10) are in correspondence and in communication with the, at least one, opening (7) of the main body (1) for insertion of electric conductors (3) into the inner body (4).

10. Connector according to any of claims 1 , 2, 7, 8 or 9, wherein the inner body (4) is made of brass.

11. Connector according to claim 1 , wherein the clamping device (5) is a leaf spring member.

12. Connector according to claim 11 , wherein the leaf spring member (5) is made of stainless steel.

13. Connector according to any of the preceding claims, wherein it comprises a housing main body (1) made of plastic and it houses at least 2 tapered openings (7), the openings (7) being in correspondence and in communication with an inner body (4) made of brass connected to at least 2 clamping leaf springs (5) made of stainless steel, each of the clamping leaf springs (5) being actuated by an independent lever (6) that moves between a resting position and a tensioning position, which lever (6) is provided with a first end for manual actuation by an user and a second cam-shaped end (8) that moves a respective clamping leaf spring (5) to a non operational position when lever (6) is moved to the tensioning position, the tensioning position allowing the insertion or removal of electric conductors (3) without opposition of the clamping leaf spring (5).

14. Connector according to the claim 13, wherein it comprises 3 tapered openings (7) and 3 clamping leaf springs (5).