EP3176879B1 - Electrical terminal - Google Patents

Description

The invention relates to a disconnect terminal with a terminal housing, with at least two electrically conductive contact elements, with at least two conductor connection elements for connecting electrical conductors and at least one movable in the terminal housing arranged separating element. In the first position of the separating element, the two contact elements are connected to each other, while the contact elements are separated from each other in a second position of the separating element. The mutually associated conductor connection elements, which are arranged one behind the other in the direction of the longitudinal extent of the isolating terminal, are separated from one another in the second position of the isolating element.

Electrical terminals have been known for decades and are used millions of times in the wiring of electrical equipment. The terminals are usually snapped onto a mounting rail, which in turn are often arranged in a plurality in a cabinet. Due to their arrangements next to each other on a mounting rail or their linearity the terminals are usually referred to as terminal blocks. As conductor connection elements in terminal blocks often screw terminals, insulation displacement terminals or spring terminals, in particular tension spring terminals or increasingly also leg spring clamp used.

The basic type of terminal block is the connection terminal, which has at least two conductor connection elements which are electrically conductively connected to each other via an electrically conductive busbar. In addition to this basic type, which is often referred to as a through terminal, there are a variety of different types of terminal block, which are specially adapted to the particular application. These include, inter alia, the so-called disconnect terminals, which intentionally interrupt a signal circuit by means of mechanical isolators in order, for example, to allow a measurement of the cables in the field. When measurements of ohmic resistance or insulation measurements, but also control and control signals could affect the measurements adversely.

Separating terminals are known from the prior art, in which the signal circuit can be interrupted by means of a so-called separating knife. The separating knife can be pivoted in the terminal housing so that in the first position of the separating knife, the two fixedly arranged in the terminal housing contact elements are connected to each other via the separating knife, while the contact elements are no longer electrically connected to each other in a second position of the separating element.

The DE 10 2008 014 176 A1 discloses a terminal block, in whose housing a pivotally mounted separating knife is arranged. To realize the pivotability of the separating blade within the terminal housing, the separating blade is arranged in an insulating housing in which on a side wall, a pivot pin is formed, which is mounted in an opening in a side wall of the terminal housing. The separating knife contacted in a first position, the mutually facing ends of the two sections of the busbar, while in a second, pivoted position of the separating blade, the two sections of the busbar are no longer interconnected. Since the ends of the sections of the stom rail facing away from the separating blade are connected to the conductor connection elements, the conductor connection elements are no longer electrically connected to one another in the second position of the separating knife.

The EP 1 130 684 A1 shows a jumper for an electrical terminal block. The floor clamp has two superposed busbars. The two busbars are connected to each other by means of a jumper 9 via spring contacts formed on the jumper. The bridge is inserted through an opening in the terminal block perpendicular to the extension direction of the terminal block, wherein the contacts or the busbars are arranged one behind the other in the longitudinal direction of the jumper. In one embodiment, the floor clamp is provided that the bridge is merely plugged into the floor clamp and can not be easily moved out of the floor clamp. In a second embodiment, the removal of the jumper is provided.

The DE 36 29 796 C1 discloses an electrical terminal block assembly. In the terminal block assembly can both connecting rails as well as bus bars in the terminal block assembly to be stacked.

The DE 697 09 533 T2 discloses a terminal block with a housing, wherein in the housing insertion openings are provided. Within the housing individual electrical connection strips are arranged. The connecting strips are bent at one end upwards, whereby an extension is formed, which serves as a contact element. The connection strips are arranged at different levels within the terminal block. In order to connect two connecting strips on the same level electrically conductive with each other, an operable from outside the housing conductor piece is provided, which can be brought within the housing by moving into a connecting position. The conductor piece can be moved by an actuator from a first to a second position. The actuator is always arranged outside the housing.

The EP 3 054 532 A1 discloses a terminal block with various bridge elements. The bridge elements can be inserted or screwed into the terminal block. The bridge elements are configured to contact a bus bar in a plane.

The DE 297 23 167 U discloses a disconnect clamp with a partition member pivotally mounted in the housing. The crescent-shaped separating element is arranged on a housing cover, wherein the housing cover is mounted pivotably about an axis in the housing.

In addition, terminal blocks are known from practice, which have a separating slide, which is arranged displaceably in the terminal housing in the direction of the longitudinal extent of the terminal. These terminal blocks also have a two-piece existing busbar whose opposite ends are each connected to a conductor connection element. In a first position of the separating slide, the second ends of the sections which are arranged opposite one another in the longitudinal direction are electrically conductively connected to one another via the slide, while the slide is connected to only one section in a second position, so that the two sections of the busbar are not electrically conductive with one another connected are. In these terminal blocks, which have a slidably arranged in the direction of the longitudinal extension of the terminal block slide, the distance between the two sections of the busbar must be chosen to be large enough to ensure safe signal separation. This leads to the space required for the separation mechanism in the direction of the longitudinal extent of the terminal block is relatively large.

Space requirements are playing an increasingly important role in modern electronic systems. The reduction of the size of individual components, which should have a high functionality at the same time, is therefore increasingly an important requirement. However, the possibility of reducing the dimensions of disconnect terminals is limited by the fact that they must have a high dielectric strength. In addition, a sufficiently large clearance and creepage distance must be ensured so that the signal separation can be realized safely. In the aforementioned known disconnect terminals, a relatively large space is required due to the pivoting or displacement of the separating blade to ensure that the separating blade in the second position a sufficient distance from the contact elements, d. H. having the ends of the busbar sections.

The present invention is therefore an object of the invention to provide a disconnect terminal described above, in which the space required for the separation point between the contact elements and the separating element is reduced, the operation of the separating element should still be safe and user-friendly.

This object is achieved according to the invention in a disconnect terminal with the features of claim 1. In the disconnect terminal described above is provided that the contact elements are arranged one behind the other in the direction of the longitudinal axis of the separating element and that the separating element is arranged movable in the direction of its longitudinal axis in the terminal housing. The direction of movement of the separating element is different from the direction of the longitudinal extent of the terminal. The inventive, straight, translational movement of the separating element, which, however, does not coincide with the direction of the longitudinal extension of the clamp, causes The separation clamp can be made smaller, since the space required for the movement of the separating element from the first position to the second position, is less than is the case for example when pivoting the separating element.

Preferably, the direction of movement of the separating element is almost perpendicular to the longitudinal extension of the clamp. Then, the contact elements are almost perpendicular to the longitudinal extension of the terminal and not - as usual in the art - arranged in the direction of the longitudinal extension of the terminal one behind the other. If the disconnect terminal is oriented so that the longitudinal extent of the terminal runs horizontally, this means that the separation element is preferably arranged in a somewhat vertically movable manner in the terminal housing, wherein the contact elements are arranged vertically above each other while the conductor connection elements in the direction of the longitudinal extent Terminal are arranged one behind the other.

The steeper the separating element is arranged in the terminal housing, the lower the longitudinal extension of the terminal housing can be. Even if the direction of movement of the separating element and thus also the arrangement of the contact elements preferably runs almost perpendicular to the longitudinal extent of the terminal, this is not absolutely necessary. So that the space required for the separation point between the two contact elements is as small as possible, the direction of movement of the separating element should preferably have an angle of at least 45 °, in particular of at least 75 ° or more to the longitudinal extent of the terminal.

According to the invention it is provided that in the terminal housing an opening for receiving the separating element is formed, wherein the separating element is arranged in the first position within the opening. In the second position, the separating element partially emerges from the opening at the top of the terminal housing, so that the separating element has the function of an optical indicator. In this way, an on-site technician can easily detect whether the signal circuit is open or closed. The separator preferably has a color that is different from the color of the terminal housing, so that the visualization of the optical indicator is simplified. In the first position of the separating element, this is preferably arranged so far in the terminal housing or in the opening that the separating element terminates at its upper end with the top of the terminal housing.

According to a preferred embodiment of the clamp according to the invention it is provided that a stop and in the terminal housing a corresponding counter-stop, such as a step or edge are provided on the separating element. An unwanted, complete moving out of the separating element from the terminal housing is prevented. The stop may be formed, for example, as a latching nose with a corresponding projection in the terminal housing. It is also conceivable a local enlargement of the outer diameter of the separating element, so that the outer diameter of the separating element is greater at one point, as the opening in the terminal housing, whereby a moving out of the separating element is prevented from the terminal housing. Also, for the first position, a haptic or acoustic marking on the separating element or in the housing may be formed, so that the fitter gets along exactly when moving the separating element from the second to the first position when the separating element is in the first position. The marking can be realized for example by a catch.

In particular, there are various ways in which the separating element is concretely formed. According to an advantageous embodiment of the invention it is provided that the separating element is designed as a screw. The screw member has a first portion and a helical second portion with an external thread. In the opening in the terminal housing while a male thread corresponding internal thread is formed. Due to the configuration of the separating element as a screw element, the translational movement of the separating element is induced by a rotary actuation of the screw. In this way, the screw can be moved with a suitable tool directly to the top of the terminal housing from the first position to the second position and vice versa. Even if the separator is in the first position completely in the terminal housing, the separator can be screwed with the aid of a screwdriver from the terminal housing and spent in the second position. Thus it is not necessary that the Separating element protrudes in the first position of the terminal housing, whereby the risk that objects, such as cables, get caught on the separating element, is avoided.

In a further preferred embodiment of the invention, it is provided that the first portion of the separating element consists of an electrically conductive material and the contact elements in the first position connects to each other in an electrically conductive manner. The second, designed as a screw, section may consist of an insulating material, such as a plastic. This also simplifies the manufacture of the separating element, since this can be produced by injection molding or a similar process. In the second position of the separating element, the first section of the screw element can still contact a contact element, as long as the other contact element is no longer contacted by the conductive first section of the screw element, so that the two contact elements are no longer electrically conductively connected to one another via the separating element.

In a clamp according to the invention with a separating element designed as a screw element, it is furthermore advantageously provided that the external thread of the second helical section and the corresponding internal thread of the opening are each formed as a coarse thread. This makes it possible that the separating element with little effort, preferably with a maximum of two revolutions of the screw, from the first position to the second position - and vice versa - can be spent. Particularly preferably, the two threads are formed so coarse that half a turn is sufficient. In this way, by a minimum screw or rotary movement of the screw the required feed of the separating element can be realized. Unlike conventional screws, the screw does not serve to attach another component, but to the movement of the separator, so that a finer thread is not necessary.

The electrically conductive connection between the separating element and the contact elements can preferably be realized simply by configuring the first section of the screw element in a pin-shaped manner and the contact elements being in the form of contact tulips. This simple construction allows It is that the pin-shaped, electrically conductive portion of the separating element can be introduced by the advance of the rotational movement of the screw in the contact tulips. The arrangement of the separating element to the contact elements can be designed so that a first, upper contact tulip in the second position is already contacted by the first portion of the screw. The first contact tulip then additionally serves as a guide for the screw element, so that the connection between the contact tulips and the pin-shaped, electrically conductive first section of the screw element can be realized more simply when it is being moved to the second position. Another advantage of a pin-shaped first portion is that the first portion of the screw member may be fixedly connected to the second portion of the screw member due to the symmetrical cylindrical shape of a pin. The pin-shaped portion then rotates with the rotational movement of the screw when moving to the second position.

It is also conceivable that the first portion of the screw, for example, has the shape of a sword or a similar angular shape. In a flat sword shape, the first portion of the screw can be rotatably attached to the helical second portion of the screw. If the sword-shaped, first section of the screw element is already inserted into the first contact tulip and guided by it, the first section remains in this orientation when it is moved to the second position. The rotational movement of the screw then causes only a feed of the separator until the separator is spent in the second position, in which the first portion of the screw also contacted the second contact tulip.

In a variant of a clamp according to the invention with a separating element designed as a screw element, it is provided that the first section of the screw element consists of an electrically insulating material. The first section is formed scoop-shaped or angular. In addition, a spring element is provided, via which the contact elements are electrically conductively connected to one another in the first position of the screw element. In the second position of the screw, however, the first, insulating portion of the screw is between at least one of the contact elements and arranged the spring element. In this embodiment, the electrical connection between the contact elements is thus interrupted by the fact that the insulating portion of the screw is spent in the second position between at least one contact element and the spring element, for which purpose the spring element is deflected. In this case, a contact element can also be permanently connected to the spring element. The contact elements themselves are arranged for example as contact surfaces on a printed circuit board and electrically conductively connected to one another via the spring element, as long as the separating element is in the first position. When the separating element is moved from the first position to the second position, the insulating, paddle-shaped first section of the separating element then slides between the printed circuit board and at least part of the spring element.

According to an alternative embodiment of the invention, the separating element is designed as a plug-in element. The separator is not spent in this case by the rotational movement of a screw from the first to the second position, but by the rectilinear movement of the male member. Also in the realization of the separating element as a plug-in element, there are various ways in which the separating element can be embodied concretely.

Thus, it is provided in one embodiment of the invention that the plug element consists of an insulating material. The contact elements are electrically connected to one another in the first position of the plug element by a spring element. This connection is separated in the second position of the plug element, for which purpose at least a part of the plug element is arranged in the second position between at least one contact element and the spring element. The contact elements may be arranged, for example, as contact surfaces on a printed circuit board and connected to one another via the spring element, as long as the separating element is in the first position. In the second position, the separating element is arranged between the printed circuit board and the spring element, so that the contact elements are no longer connected to one another via the spring element.

According to another embodiment of the invention, it is provided that the separating element formed as a plug-in element has an insulating, first portion and an electrically conductive second portion. In the first position of the plug-in element, the electrically conductive section connects the two contact elements to one another, while the connection is disconnected in the second position of the plug-in element. The electrically conductive portion may be configured differently. It is important that it has at least two points of contact for the two contact elements. A displacement of the plug element in the second position then leads to at least one contact element is no longer contacted by the conductive portion or a contact point, so that the two contact elements are no longer connected to each other via the conductive portion.

According to a further advantageous embodiment of the invention it is provided that in a formed as a plug-in element separating element between the plug-in element and the terminal housing in the first position, a releasable latching connection is formed. The latching connection can be configured such that the separating element for movement from the first position to the second position must first be moved counter to the direction of movement from the first to the second position, so that the latching connection is released. Subsequently, the separating element can be moved to the second position.

Preferably, a spring element can be provided by which the separating element is acted upon by a force such that the separating element is automatically moved to the second position after releasing the latching connection. First, the separating element is moved against the spring force to release the locking connection, then the separating element is then pressed by the spring force from the first position to the second position. The operation is comparable to the operation of a ballpoint pen.

Fig. 1

ein Ausführungsbeispiel einer erfindungsgemäßen Trennklemme mit einem als Schraubelement ausgebildeten Trennelement,

Fig. 2a

eine vergrößerte Darstellung des Trennelements gemäß Fig. 1, im die Kontaktelemente kontaktierenden Zustand,

Fig. 2b

das Trennelement gemäß Fig. 2a, im die Kontaktelemente nicht kontaktierenden Zustand,

Fig. 3a

einen Ausschnitt einer Trennklemme mit einem Trennelement und zwei Kontaktelementen, im verbundenen Zustand,

Fig. 3b

der Ausschnitt einer Trennklemme mit einem Trennelement und zwei Kontaktelementen gemäß Fig. 3a, in Seitenansicht,

Fig. 3c

der Ausschnitt einer Trennklemme mit einem Trennelement und zwei Kontaktelementen gemäß Fig. 3a, in getrenntem Zustand,

Fig. 4a

ein Ausführungsbeispiel eines als Steckelement ausgebildeten Trennelements, im die Kontaktelemente kontaktierenden Zustand,

Fig. 4b

das Trennelement gemäß Fig. 4a, in Seitenansicht,

Fig. 4c

das Trennelement gemäß Fig. 4a, im die Kontaktelemente nicht kontaktierenden Zustand,

Fig. 5a

ein zweites Ausführungsbeispiel eines als Steckelement ausgebildeten Trennelements, im die Kontaktelemente kontaktierenden Zustand,

Fig. 5b

das Trennelement gemäß Fig. 5a, im die Kontaktelemente nicht kontaktierenden Zustand,

Fig. 5c

das Trennelement gemäß Fig. 5b, in Seitenansicht,

Fig. 6a

ein weiteres Ausführungsbeispiel eines als Steckelement ausgebildeten Trennelements, im die Kontaktelemente kontaktierenden Zustand,

Fig. 6b

das Trennelement gemäß Fig. 6a, im die Kontaktelemente nicht kontaktierenden Zustand und

Fig. 6c

das Trennelement gemäß Fig. 6b, in Seitenansicht.

As explained in detail above, there are various ways to design and further develop the disconnect terminal according to the invention. Reference is made to the claims subordinate to claim 1 and to the following description of embodiments in conjunction with the drawings. In the drawing show

Fig. 1

An embodiment of a disconnect terminal according to the invention with a designed as a screw separator,

Fig. 2a

an enlarged view of the separating element according to Fig. 1 in the contact-contacting state,

Fig. 2b

the separating element according to Fig. 2a in the non-contacting state of the contact elements,

Fig. 3a

a detail of a disconnect terminal with a separator and two contact elements, in the connected state,

Fig. 3b

the section of a disconnect terminal with a separator and two contact elements according to Fig. 3a , in side view,

Fig. 3c

the section of a disconnect terminal with a separator and two contact elements according to Fig. 3a , in separate condition,

Fig. 4a

an embodiment of a plug-in element designed as a separating element, in the contact elements contacting state,

Fig. 4b

the separating element according to Fig. 4a , in side view,

Fig. 4c

the separating element according to Fig. 4a in the non-contacting state of the contact elements,

Fig. 5a

A second exemplary embodiment of a separating element designed as a plug-in element, in the state contacting the contact elements,

Fig. 5b

the separating element according to Fig. 5a in the non-contacting state of the contact elements,

Fig. 5c

the separating element according to Fig. 5b , in side view,

Fig. 6a

a further embodiment of a separating element formed as a plug-in element, in the state contacting the contact elements,

Fig. 6b

the separating element according to Fig. 6a , in the contact elements non-contacting state and

Fig. 6c

the separating element according to Fig. 6b , in side view.

Fig. 1 shows a disconnect terminal 1 with a terminal housing 2. Within the terminal housing 2 a plurality of contact elements 3, 4 are arranged, which are each assigned in pairs, wherein between two mutually associated contact elements 3, 4 each have a separation point is formed. The disconnect terminal 1 has on both sides in each case three conductor connection elements 5 for connecting electrical conductors. In order to connect two associated contact elements 3, 4 with each other, a separating element 6 is provided, wherein in the in Fig. 1 Separating clamp shown 1 two separation points and thus two separating elements 6 are provided.

At the in Fig. 1 shown isolating terminal 1 is a separator 6 in the first position in which it is completely screwed into the terminal housing 2, and a separator 6 in the second position in which it protrudes partially from the opening 7 at the top 8 of the terminal housing 2. If the separating element 6 is in the second position, then the two contact elements 3, 4 are not connected to one another. A connected via two conductors to the corresponding conductor connection elements 5 power or signal circuit is then interrupted. Since the upper end of the separating element 6 protrudes from the terminal housing 2, an installer can easily see whether a connected current or signal circuit is interrupted or not.

How out Fig. 1 It can be seen that the direction of movement B of the separating element 6 is perpendicular to the longitudinal extent E of the separating clamp 1. Correspondingly, the contact elements 3, 4 perpendicular to the longitudinal extension E of the separating clamp 1 above each other and not - as usual in the art - in the direction of the longitudinal extent E of Separation terminal 1 arranged one behind the other. On the other hand, the mutually associated conductor connection elements 5 are arranged one behind the other in the direction of the longitudinal extent E of the isolating terminal 1 -on the left or the right end side of the terminal housing 2.

Due to this arrangement and design of the contact elements 3, 4 and the separating element 6 only a very small space is required for the movement of the separating element 6 from the first position to the second position, so that the separating clamp 1 can be made compact or unchanged size the disconnect terminal 1 more space for other components within the disconnect terminal 1 is available. A recess 9, which serves, for example, to receive an overvoltage protection element, can thus be designed to be significantly larger, with otherwise identical dimensions of the isolating terminal 1.

So that the separating element 6 can not be unintentionally completely unscrewed from the terminal housing 2, a stop is provided on the separating element 6 and a corresponding counter-stop in the terminal housing 2, so that the separating element 6 can be unscrewed out of the terminal housing 2 only up to a maximum height.

Fig. 2a shows a separation point, which is formed by a formed as a screw 10 separating element 6 and two contact elements 3, 4. The screw 10 has an electrically conductive first portion 11 and a helical second portion 12. An external thread 13 designed as a coarse thread is provided on the helical second section 12 so that one to two revolutions of the screw element 10 are sufficient so that the connection between the contact elements 3, 4 arranged one behind the other in the direction of the longitudinal axis L of the screw element 10 is separated or produced becomes. The conductive first portion 11 is formed as a kind of pin 15, wherein the contact elements 3, 4 are configured as contact tulips 16. As a result, the pin-shaped first section 11 can first engage in the first, upper contact element 3. When screwing the screw 10 in the direction of the longitudinal axis L of the separating element 6, which is parallel to the direction of movement B, the pin 15 is guided by the contact element 3, so that the pin-shaped first portion 11 can fit accurately into the second contact element 4.

Fig. 2b shows the screw 10 according to Fig. 2a with separate connection. The pin-shaped first portion 11 no longer engages in the contact elements 3, 4, which are then not electrically connected to each other.

The helical second portion 12 of the screw 10 looks in this second position on the upper side 8 of the terminal housing 2 out, as in the right dividing element 6 in Fig. 1 is recognizable. This makes it visually easy to see that the electrical connection between the two contact elements 3, 4 and thus also between the associated conductor connection elements 5 of the isolating terminal 1 is interrupted.

Fig. 3 shows a section of a disconnect terminal 1 with a separation point, which is also formed by a formed as a screw 10 separating element 6 and two contact elements 3, 4. The Fig. 3a and 3b show the separation point in the closed state, in which the two contact elements 3, 4 are electrically conductively connected to each other via the separating element 6, while in Fig. 3c the separation point is shown in the open state.

The screw 10 has - similar to that in Fig. 2 illustrated screw 10 - a helical second portion 12 with an external thread 13. However, the conductive first portion 11 is not pin-shaped - as in the screw according to Fig. 2 - but rather designed like a sword. The flat sword-shaped first portion 11 engages in the closed state of the separation point in the contact elements 3, 4, which are also formed as contact tulips 16, so that the contact elements 3, 4 are electrically conductively connected to each other via the first portion 11 of the separating element 6.

In Fig. 3b the design of the sword-shaped first portion 11 can be seen in the side view. The sword-shaped first portion 11 is rotatably attached to the helical second portion 12 so that rotation of the helical second portion 12 does not result in rotation of the first sword-shaped portion 11. Rather, the two portions 11, 12 rotate during the movement of the separating element 6 from the first position to the second position against each other or the flat, sword-shaped first portion 11 is held by the upper contact tulip 16 in position, while the helical second portion 12 a rotational movement performs.

Fig. 3c shows the separation point in the open state, in which the first portion 11 of the separating element is connected only to the first, upper contact element 3. A current or signal circuit whose conductors are connected to the conductor connection elements 5 connected to the two contact elements 3, 4 is then interrupted. The flat sword-shaped configured first portion 11 of the screw 10 is also arranged in the open state of the separation point in the first contact element 3, so that the portion 11 is guided during the movement of the separating element 6 in the second position by the upper contact tulip 16 and remains in its orientation.

Fig. 4 shows a separation point, which is also formed by a designed as a screw 10 separating element 6 and two contact elements 3, 4. The Fig. 4a and 4b show the separation point in the closed state, in which the two contact elements 3, 4 are electrically conductively connected to each other via the separating element 6, while in Fig. 4c the separation point is shown in the open state.

In contrast to the two previous embodiments according to the Fig. 2 and 3 the first portion 11 is not electrically conductive in this embodiment, but insulating formed. In this case, the insulating first portion 11 has a blade shape, which may also be referred to as an elongate channel shape. In the closed state of the separation point according to Fig. 4a and Fig. 4b the contact elements 3, 4 are electrically conductively connected to one another by a conductive spring element 17. The spring element 17 is firmly connected to the second, lower contact element 4, so that between the second contact element 4 and the spring element 17 is permanently given an electrically conductive connection. In the closed state of the separation point, ie when the screw 10 in the first position according to Fig. 4a and Fig. 4b is located, the upper portion of the spring member 17 is pressed by the spring force of the spring member 17 against the first, upper contact element 3. The paddle-shaped, first portion 11 of the separating element 6 is then not arranged between the contact element 3 and the spring element 17 but on the side facing away from the contact elements 3, 4 of the spring element 17. The section 11 of the separating element 6 is arranged as a cover over the spring element 17, whereby the spring element 17 and the contact elements 3, 4 are protected by the insulating first section 11.

Is the screw 10 according to Fig. 4c in the second position, the electrical connection between the two contact elements 3, 4 via the spring element 17 is interrupted by the insulating first portion 11 of the screw 10. Upon rotation of the screw element 10, the scoop-shaped, first section 11, which is firmly connected to the helical second section 12, also rotates. The first section 11 acts on the spring element 17 such that the upper part of the spring element 17, which is not fixed to the contact element 4 is connected, is moved away from the first contact element 3. The upper part of the spring element 17 is deflected counter to the spring force, wherein the paddle-shaped, first portion 11 of the screw 10 between the first contact element 3 and the spring element 17 pushes. Since the first portion 11 of the screw 10 is made of an insulating material, thereby the electrically conductive connection between the two contact elements 3, 4 is interrupted.

If the screw 10 is returned from the second position to the first position, the paddle-shaped first portion 11 is simultaneously rotated and moved in the direction of the longitudinal axis L of the partition member 6 down so that the paddle-shaped portion 11 is no longer between the spring member 17 and first contact element 3 is arranged. Due to the spring force of the spring element 17, the spring element 17 springs back to its original position, in which the upper part of the spring element 17 contacts the contact element 3, so that the two contact elements 3, 4 are again electrically conductively connected to one another via the spring element 17.

Fig. 5 shows a separation point with a separating element 6 and two contact elements 3, 4, wherein the separating element 6 is not formed in this embodiment as a screw 10 but as a plug-in element 18. The Fig. 5a shows the separation point in the closed state, in which the two contact elements 3, 4 are electrically conductively connected to each other via a spring element 19, while in Fig. 5b and 5c the separation point is shown in the open state.

Since the separating element 6 is designed as a plug-in element 18, the separating element 6 is not moved by a rotational movement, but by a simple linear movement from the first position to the second position, wherein the movement direction B is parallel to the direction of the longitudinal axis L of the separating element 6. The plug-in element 18 consists of an insulating material, in particular a plastic.

Similar to the embodiment according to Fig. 4 are also in the embodiment according to Fig. 5 the two contact elements 3, 4 electrically conductively connected to one another by a conductive spring element 19, when the plug-in element 18 in the in Fig. 5a shown first, lower position. The spring element 19 is connected with its lower part 20 fixed to the second contact element 4, while the upper part 21 of the spring element 19 is pressed by the spring force of the spring element 19 against the first, upper contact element 3. For this purpose, the plug-in element 18 has a recess 22, through which the upper part 21 of the spring element 19, which is designed as a spring arm, protrudes and thereby contacts the contact element 3

Fig. 5b shows the plug-in element 18 in the second position in which the electrical connection between the two contact elements 3, 4 is interrupted, that is, the separation point is in the open state. In the second, upper position of the plug element 18 is no longer the recess 22 but the below the recess 22 disposed portion 23 of the plug member 18 between the first contact element 3 and the upper part 21 of the spring element 19. Since the plug element 18 made of an insulating material exists, the electrical connection between the contact element 3 and the spring element 19 and thus the electrical connection between the two contact elements 3, 4 is interrupted. A current or signal circuit connected via two conductors to the corresponding conductor connection elements 5 connected to the contact elements 3, 4 is then likewise interrupted.

In Fig. 5c In addition, it can be seen that the plug-in element 18 deflects the spring element 19 accordingly in the second position, so that it is moved between the first contact element 3 and the upper part 21 of the spring element 19 can be. In the second position of the separating element 6, the plug-in element 18 also projects out of the opening 7 on the upper side 8 of the terminal housing 2, so that a fitter can easily recognize whether a connected current or signal circuit is interrupted or not.
Fig. 6 shows a separation point with a separating element 6 and two contact elements 3, 4, in which the separating element 6 is also designed as a plug-in element 18. Fig. 6a shows the separation point in the closed state in which the plug-in element 18 is in the first position and the two contact elements 3, 4 are electrically conductively connected to each other via the plug element 18, while in Fig. 6b and 6c the plug-in element 18 is shown in the second position, in which the separation point is in the open state.

In this embodiment, the plug-in element 18 has a first insulating section 24 and a second electrically conductive section 25. The electrically conductive portion 25 is fixedly connected to the insulating portion 24 so that upon displacement of the male member 18, both portions are also displaced. The conductive portion 25 consists of an elongated flat spring material which is bent at the ends, so that two resilient portions 26, 27 exist. The two resilient sections 26, 27 are adapted in their distance from one another such that they correspond to the position of the two contact elements 3, 4. In the first position, the two resilient sections 26, 27 are connected to the contact elements 3, 4, so that the two contact elements 3, 4 are electrically connected to one another via the section 25 of the plug element 18.

From the Fig. 6b and 6c it can be seen that in the second position of the plug element 18, the lower contact element 4 is no longer contacted by the conductive portion 25. In the illustrated embodiment contacted in the second position of the male member 18 of the lower resilient portion 27 only the upper contact element 3, while the upper resilient portion 26 above the upper contact element 3, without contact to this, is arranged. The two contact elements 3, 4 are no longer connected to each other via the conductive portion 25 of the plug element 18.

In the embodiments according to the 4 to 6 the contact elements 3, 4 are each formed as contact surfaces, which are angeodnet on a printed circuit board 28. About the tracks of the particular in Fig. 1 In this case, the printed circuit board 28 is also the electrical connection between the conductor connection elements 5 and the respective associated contact elements 3, 4, regardless of whether the contact elements 3, 4 are formed as contact tulips 16 or as contact surfaces. The printed circuit board 28 can also serve to receive and connect further components, for example fuses 29.

All embodiments shown in the figures have in common that the required space for the separation point within the terminal housing 2 by the inventive arrangement and design of the contact elements 3, 4 and the separating element 6 is significantly reduced. The space required for in Fig. 1 shown two separation points is less than 1/3 of the space required in the invention Trennklemme 1, which is required in known from practice disconnect terminals 1 for two separation points, each having a pivotally mounted in the terminal housing separating blade. The reduction is mainly due to the fact that the space required for the two separation points in the longitudinal extension of the disconnect terminal 1 is reduced accordingly, while the space required perpendicular to the longitudinal extension of the disconnect terminal 1 - both in terms of height and width - is virtually unchanged.

Claims (11)

1. Electric terminal block (1), comprising a terminal housing (2), at least two electrically conductive contact elements (3, 4) with at least two conductor contact elements (5) for connecting electric conductors, and at least one separating element (6) arranged movably in the terminal housing (2), wherein the separating element (6) has a longitudinal axis (L), wherein the two electrically conductive contact elements (3, 4) are electrically connected in a first position of the separating element (6) and electrically disconnected in a second position of the separating element (6), wherein the conductor contact elements (5) assigned to each other, which are arranged consecutively in the direction of the longitudinal extension (E) of the separating element (1), are separated from one another in the second position of the separating element (6), wherein the contact elements (3, 4) are arranged consecutively in the direction of the longitudinal axis (L) of the separating element (6), wherein the separating element (6) is arranged in the terminal housing (2) in a manner that is movable in the direction of the longitudinal axis (L), wherein the direction of movement (B) of the separating element (6) is different from the direction of the longitudinal extension (E) of the terminal block (1), wherein an opening (7) is formed in the terminal housing (2) for receiving the separating element (6) and wherein the separating element (6) is arranged inside of the opening (7) in the first position and partially protrudes out of the opening (7) on an upper side (8) of the terminal housing (2) in the second position.
2. Electric terminal block (1) according to claim 1, characterized in that a stop is provided on the separating element (6) and a corresponding counter-stop is provided in the terminal housing (2), together, preventing the separating element (6) from completely exiting the terminal housing (2).
3. Electric terminal block (1) according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the separating element (6) is a screw element (10), wherein the screw element (10) has a first segment (11) and a screw-shaped second segment (12) with an external thread (13), and that an internal thread (14) corresponding to the external thread (13) is formed in the opening (7) of the terminal housing (1).
4. Electric terminal block (1) according to claim 3, characterized in that the first segment (11) of the separating element (6) is composed of an electrically conductive material and the contact elements (3, 4) are electrically conductively connected with each other in the first position of the separating element (6).
5. Electric terminal block (1) according to claim 3 or 4, characterized in that the external thread (13) of the screw-shaped second segment (12) of the separating element (6) and the corresponding internal thread (14) of the opening (7) in the terminal housing (2) are each formed as coarse threads, wherein no more than two turns of the screw element (10) are required to move the screw element (10) from the first position into the second position.
6. Electric terminal block (1) according to claim 4 or 5, characterized in that the first segment (11) of the screw element (10) is pin-shaped and that the contact elements (3, 4) are tulip contacts (16).
7. Electric terminal block (1) according to claim 3, characterized in that the first segment (11) of the screw element (10) is composed of an electrically insulating material and is shovel-shaped or angular, that the contact elements (3, 4) are, in the first position of the screw element (10), electrically conductively connected with each other via a spring element(17), while in the second position of the screw element (10), the first segment (11) of the screw element (10) is arranged between at least one of the contact elements (3, 4) and the spring element (17) so that the contact elements (3, 4) are not electrically conductively connected with each other.
8. Electric terminal block (1) according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the separating element (6) is a plug element (18).
9. Electric terminal block (1) according to claim 8, characterized in that the plug element (18) is composed of an electrically insulating material, that the contact elements (3, 4) are, in the first position of the plug element (18), electrically conductively connected with each other via a spring element (19), while in the second position of the plug element (18), at least one segment (23) of the plug element (18) is arranged between at least one contact element (3, 4) and the spring element (19), so that the contact elements (3, 4) are not electrically conductively connected with each other.
10. Electric terminal block (1) according to claim 8, characterized in that the plug element (18) has an insulating first segment (24) and an electrically conductive second segment (25), that the electrically conductive second segment (25) electrically conductively connects the two contact elements (3, 4) with each other in the first position of the plug element (18), while in the second position of the plug element (18), the contact elements (3, 4) are not electrically conductively connected with each other.
11. Electric terminal block (1) according to any one of claims 8 to 10, characterized in that a detachable latching connection is arranged between the plug element (18) and the terminal housing (2) in the first position of the plug element (18).

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