EP2685561B1

EP2685561B1 - Tapping connector with insulation displacement contact

Info

Publication number: EP2685561B1
Application number: EP13175968.0A
Authority: EP
Inventors: Sandro Galli
Original assignee: Techno Group SRL
Current assignee: Techno Group SRL
Priority date: 2012-07-10
Filing date: 2013-07-10
Publication date: 2017-09-06
Anticipated expiration: 2033-07-10
Also published as: EP2685561A1; ITMI20121203A1; ES2648963T3

Description

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a current draining post construction of an insulating material perforating type.
As is known, in the electric wiring field it is frequently necessary to provide or take an electric connection from a so-called "backbone" line, that is a main power supply line.
European Patent Application EP 2 320 523 discloses a sealed connecting box or casing allowing to splice two electric wires.
However, the above conductive wire splicing system is affected by great drawbacks if it is used for taking an electric coupling therefrom.
In fact, the system disclosed in EP 2 320 523 provides to coat by a resin material a bottom cup element, after having pressed the branching cable strands, and this operation must be carried out in a clean place, with a good visibility and by tools for properly handling the perforating contacts.
This renders the wiring operation difficult to be made in situ, and moreover it is necessary a comparatively long time for allowing the resin material to cure.
Moreover, the operator must access the place where current is to be taken, by the already wired and resin coated cable, and, for example, if the cable has a short length, then this would render the current taking operation a very difficult or impossible one.
Moreover, the system disclosed in EP 2 320 523 has the further drawback that it comprises a comparatively large number of component elements.
Document EP 0 308 845 A1 discloses a current draining post construction comprising the features disclosed in the preamble of independent claim 1.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Accordingly, the aim of the present invention is to provide such a current draining post construction overcoming the above disclosed prior art drawbacks.
Within the scope of the above mentioned aim, a main object of the invention is to provide such a current draining post construction which allows current to be drained in a very quick and easy manner.
Another object of the present invention is to provide such a current draining post construction which, for draining current, does not require a backbone line to be sectioned.
Yet another object of the present invention is to provide such a current draining post construction allowing current to be taken without interrupting the current power supply.
Another object of the present invention is to provide such a current draining post construction which has a high IP protection degree, which may be achieved without using coating resins.
Another main object of the present invention is to provide such a current draining post construction which allows an operator to easily locate said construction at any desired places to perform the related wiring in situ without requiring resin coating or pre-assembling operations.
Yet another object of the present invention is to provide such a current draining post construction which may be easily made by using easily commercially available elements and materials and which, moreover, is very competitive from a mere economic standpoint.
Yet another object of the present invention is to provide such a current draining post construction which, owing to its specifically designed constructional features, is very reliable and safe in operation.
According to one aspect of the present invention, the above mentioned aim and objects, as well as yet other objects, which will become more apparent hereinafter, are achieved by a current draining post construction of an insulating material perforating type as disclosed in independent claim 1, characterized in that said post construction comprises a post body therethrough a current draining or taking cable passes.
Said current draining or taking cable is locked in the post body by a pair of cable pressing elements comprising nuts, said nuts engaging respectively coupling threads, said construction comprising moreover a movable centering plate element adapted to slide on the post body, through guide rails formed on the sides of the post body.
Said post construction provides a simultaneous perforating of a portion of an insulating material on the current draining and power supply cables, respectively.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Further characteristics and advantages of the present invention will become more apparent hereinafter from the following disclosure of a preferred, though not exclusive, embodiment of the invention, which is illustrated, by way of an indicative but not limitative example, in the accompanying drawings, where:

Figure 1 is a perspective view of the current draining or taking post according to the present invention;
Figure 2 is a partially exploded perspective view of the post construction;
Figure 3 is a bottom perspective view of the threaded ring-nut;
Figure 4 is a perspective view of the top of the threaded ring-nut;
Figure 5 is a top plan view of the post construction; and
Figure 6 is an elevation view, as longitudinally cross-sectioned through the section plane A-A of Figure 5.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

With reference to the number references of the above mentioned figures, the current draining or taking post construction, of an insulating material perforating type, according to the present invention, which has been generally indicated by the reference number 1, comprises a post body 2, therethrough a current draining or taking cable 3 is caused to pass.
Said current draining cable 3 is locked in the body of the post 2 by a pair of cable pressing elements, consisting of nuts 4, engaging respective coupling threads 5.
Said coupling threads 5 are each provided with an overmolded gasket 6.
A movable centering plate element 7 is able of sliding on the post body 2, through guide rails 8 formed on the sides of said post body 2.
Said movable plate element 7 defines a bearing and centering plane 9 for a power supply cable 10.
Said power supply cable 10 may be locked on the bearing and centering plane 9 by a pressing plate 11, having a pair of notches 12 therein two uprights 13 of the post body 2 are engaged.
Said uprights 13 comprise half-threads 14 which may be engaged by a threaded ring-nut 15 including a bottom cavity 16 for engaging latching tooth elements 17 formed as a single piece with the pressing plate 11.
The threaded ring-nut 15 comprises a hexagonal recess 18, for a recessed head wrench, and a hexagonal projection 19 for a fixed wrench.
A perforating contact 20, including a top perforating tip 21 and a bottom perforating tip 22, is arranged in a dedicated recess or seat of the post body 2.
The current draining or taking post construction, of an insulating perforating type, according to the present invention, operates as follows.
The current draining cable 3 is inserted into the post body 2 and locked by the cable pressing elements.
Then, the perforating contact 20 is applied in the post body 2, with its bottom tip 22 contacting the cable 3.
Then, the movable centering plate element 7 is applied on the post body uprights 13 and the power supply cable 10 is caused to bear on the bearing and centering plane 9 of the plate 7.
Then, the pressing plate 11 is applied, and the ring-nut 15 is nested thereon through the latching tooth elements 17 which will allow said ring-nut to turn with respect to the pressing plate 11.
By clamping the ring-nut 15, the pressing plate 11 is pushed on the power supply cable 10 and the latter being in turn pushed on the movable centering plate 7, which will slide along the uprights 13 of the post body 2, thereby perforating both the power supply cable 10, by the top perforating tip 21 of the perforating contact 20, and the current draining or taking cable 3 by the bottom perforating tip 22.
Friction notches 23 are advantageously formed on the outer sides of the uprights 13 of the post body 2 to prevent the movable centering plate 7 from undesirably sliding.
It has been found that the invention fully achieves the intended aim and objects.
In fact, the invention has provided a post construction allowing to take current from an already installed power supply cable in a very quick and easy manner, and without interrupting the power supply.
The post construction of the invention is characterized in that it simultaneously performs a perforation of the two power supply and current draining cables.
The inventive post construction does not require resins and provides a high IP protection power supply degree, since the power supply cable or line protection gasket provides a broad contact surface between the cable of line and the central body, protecting the assembly from dust and water.
Moreover, the post construction according to the present invention provides the operator with a great operating freedom, since the operator may properly locate the post as desired, since it is not necessary to wire the branching cable in a shop: in fact, all the assembling operations may be performed in situ, without resin applying or pre-assembling operations.

Claims

A current draining post construction of an insulating material perforating type, said post construction comprising a post body (2) configured for supporting a current draining cable (3) and a power supply cable (10), and further comprising a perforating contact element (20) including a top perforating tip (21) and a bottom perforating tip (22) is arranged in a seat of said post body (2), said top perforating tip (21) and bottom perforating tip (22) are adapted to simultaneously perforate both the insulating materials of said power supply cable (10) and said current draining cable (3), said post construction is configured for being assembled in situ without resin applying or pre-assembling operations, characterized in that said current draining cable (3) are configured for being locked in said post body (2) by a pair of cable pressing elements comprising nuts (4), said nuts (4) engaging respective coupling threads (5), in that said post construction comprises moreover a movable centering plate element (7) adapted to slide on the post body (2) through guide rails (8) formed on the sides of said post body (2), that said movable centering plate element (7) defines a bearing and centering plane (9) for said power supply cable (10), that said power supply cable (10) is configured to be locked on said bearing and centering plane by a pressing plate element (11) having a pair of notches (12) in which two uprights (13) of said post body (2) are engaged.
A current draining post construction, according to claim 1, characterized in that said uprights (13) comprise half-threads (14) which may be engaged by a threaded ring-nut (15) including a bottom cavity (16) for engaging therein latching tooth elements (17) formed as a single piece with said top pressing plate element (11).
A current draining post construction, according to claim 2, characterized in that said threaded ring-nut (15) comprises a hexagonal recess (18) for a recessed head wrench, and a hexagonal projection (19) for a fixed wrench.
A current draining post construction, according to claim 1, characterized in that said uprights (13) comprise side friction notches (23) to prevent said bottom movable centering plate (7) from undesirably sliding.
A current draining post construction, according to one or more of the preceding claims, characterized in that said post construction comprises moreover a co-molded gasket (6) providing a high IP protecting degree, up to IP68, encompassing said perforating tip (21).