EP3235061A1

EP3235061A1 - Connection terminal

Info

Publication number: EP3235061A1
Application number: EP15808228.9A
Authority: EP
Inventors: Ralf Geske; Simon FOLLMANN
Original assignee: Phoenix Contact GmbH and Co KG
Current assignee: Phoenix Contact GmbH and Co KG
Priority date: 2014-12-18
Filing date: 2015-12-11
Publication date: 2017-10-25
Anticipated expiration: 2035-12-11
Also published as: CN107112649B; WO2016096658A1; US10340613B2; CN107112649A; US20180358715A1; DE102014119030A1; EP3235061B1

Abstract

The invention relates to a connection terminal (1) comprising a housing (10), an insertion opening (101), which is arranged on the housing (10) and into which a conductor (2) can be inserted in an insertion direction (E), and a contact element (13), which is arranged on the housing (10) and with which the conductor (2) can be brought into contact by inserting the conductor into the insertion opening (101). A spring element (12) arranged on the housing (10) is retained on the housing (10) by means of a spring body (120) and has an elastically movable spring leg (121) that extends from the spring body (120), wherein the spring leg (121) is designed to clamp a conductor (2) inserted into the insertion opening (101) to the contact element (13) in a clamping position. An actuating element (11) arranged on the housing (10) can be actuated in an actuation direction (B) in order to move the spring leg (121) out of the clamping position, wherein the actuating element (11) can be locked to the housing (10) in an open position, in which the spring leg (121) is moved out of the clamping position. According to the invention, in order to move the spring leg (121), the actuating element (11) acts on a distal end (122) of the spring leg (121), said distal end being remote from the spring body (120).

Description

terminal

The invention relates to a terminal according to the preamble of claim 1.

Such a terminal is used for electrically contacting connecting a conductor. Such a terminal can be used for example on a circuit board as a so-called print terminal for connecting a conductor to the circuit board or as so-called terminal blocks for electrically connecting a plurality of conductors together. In principle, terminals of the type in question can be used for quite different purposes and in completely different embodiments.

Such a connection terminal comprises a housing, an insertion opening arranged on the housing, into which a conductor can be inserted in a plug-in direction, and a contact element arranged on the housing, with which the conductor can be brought into contact by insertion into the insertion opening. On the housing, a spring element is further arranged, which is held by a spring body to the housing and having an extending from the spring body, elastically adjustable spring legs. This spring leg is designed to clamp in a clamping position an inserted into the insertion opening conductor with the contact element such that the conductor is held in an electrically contacting manner on the contact element. In order to enable a simple, low force insertion of a conductor into the insertion opening, an actuating element is arranged on the housing, which can be actuated in an actuating direction in order to adjust the spring leg out of the clamping position. By actuating the actuating element of the spring leg can thus be removed from the contact element, so that a conductor can be pushed easily and without much effort into the insertion in a position between the contact element and the spring leg and can be clamped on the spring leg with the contact element. Likewise, the actuator is operable to release a conductor from the terminal. By removing the spring leg from the contact element and by removing the clamp connection, the conductor can be easily pulled out of the insertion. Because it can be cumbersome to hold an actuator in position manually or using a suitable tool to attach a conductor to the terminal, is provided in a known from DE 10 2008 039 232 A1 terminal, the actuator in an open position, in the spring leg is moved out of the clamping position, to lock with the housing of the terminal. Upon depression of the actuator in the direction of actuation into the housing, the actuator acts on the spring leg of the terminal and pushes it out of its clamping position, the actuator is locked to the housing and thereby held in its open position. This thus makes it possible in a simple manner to attach a conductor to the connection terminal or to remove it from the connection terminal, wherein after attachment of the conductor or after removal of the conductor, the latching of the activation element with the housing can again be released in order to return the spring leg to its clamping position.

The object of the present invention is to further improve a connection terminal of this type. This object is achieved by a terminal with the features of claim 1.

Accordingly, it is provided that the actuating element for adjusting the spring leg acts on a remote from the spring body, the distal end of the spring leg.

The fact that the actuating element acts on the distal end of the spring leg, the force effect between the actuating element and the spring leg and thus the feel upon actuation of the actuating element is improved. In particular, by acting on the distal end of the spring leg remote from the spring body, the actuating element acts on the spring element under a comparatively large lever, so that the force to be applied to the actuating element can be reduced. Because the point of action between the actuating element and spring leg lies at the distal end, the stress on the spring element, in particular the spring leg, is reduced. The interaction between actuator and spring leg can be further improved by the fact that the actuation direction along which the actuator is to be actuated, and the insertion, in which a conductor is to be inserted into the terminal, are directed obliquely to each other. Because of the spring leg is directed in the clamping position obliquely to the contact element, wherein the contact element preferably extends oblong along the insertion direction. By oblique orientation of the actuating direction to the insertion direction, the actuating element for adjusting the spring leg from the clamping position acting out approximately perpendicular to the spring leg. The spring leg and the actuating direction thus extend in the clamping position of the spring leg thus approximately perpendicular to each other.

It may be advantageous that the actuating element passes through an opening of the contact element. The actuating element thus extends through the contact element, so that can be removed from the contact element by pressing on the contact element of the spring leg in an advantageous manner for pivoting the spring leg out of the clamping position. In a specific embodiment, the actuating element comprises a shaft with a head, via which the actuating element can be actuated, and a foot section remote from the head. About the foot portion, the actuator acts on the distal end of the spring leg, while a user over the head, for example manually or using a suitable tool, for. B. a screwdriver, can act on the actuator.

For a favorable effect on the spring leg, the foot section preferably has a contact surface on a side facing the spring leg, via which the foot section is in contact with the spring leg. By suitable rounding of the foot portion (considered in cross-section in a pivot plane in which the spring leg is pivotable), the foot portion may be adapted in its contact surface of the spring leg, so that the actuating element on the foot portion in an adjustment of the spring leg out of the clamping position and a thus accompanying pivoting of the spring leg relative to the spring body held on the housing can act in a favorable manner on the spring leg. The actuating element is locked in the open position of the terminal in which the spring leg is moved out of the clamping position with the housing, so that the actuating element is held in its assumed position and the spring leg is thus fixed in the open position. For locking the actuating element to the housing, the actuating element can have, for example, at its head a latching projection, which can be brought into detent engagement with an associated latching projection of the housing. Upon actuation of the actuating element for adjusting the spring leg in the open position of the locking projection on the head of the actuating element engages latching into engagement with the locking projection on the housing, so that the actuating element is locked to the housing and above the spring leg is held in the open position.

The attachment of the locking projection of the actuating element on the head - ie at the end remote from the foot portion of the actuating element - has the consequence that acts between the foot portion and the head, a large lever which allows easy release of the locking between the actuator and the housing. Thus, to release the locking of the actuating element with the housing, the actuating element can be pivoted about the advantageously rounded foot portion around the spring leg, in this way to bring the locking projection of the actuating element without great force disengaged from the locking projection of the housing.

The actuating element has, in an advantageous embodiment, at its foot portion on a contact projection, which limits an adjustment of the actuating element against the actuation direction in cooperation with a projection of the housing. In the clamping position of the spring leg, so when not actuated actuator, the abutment projection of the foot portion is advantageously in contact with the associated projection of the housing, so that the actuating element is in a defined position on the housing. By actuating the actuating element in the actuating direction, the abutment projection of the foot portion is removed from the associated projection of the housing, so that in the open position of the abutment projection is not in contact with the projection.

In a further advantageous embodiment, the abutment projection on the foot portion of the actuating element and the latching projection on the head of the actuating element are arranged on different sides of the actuating element. During the abutment on a first side of the actuator is arranged, the latching projection is formed on a (with respect to the actuating direction) opposite, the second side of the actuating element.

By actuating the actuating element, the spring leg is pivoted out of its clamping position. This is done under elastic tension of the spring leg, which causes in the open position of the spring leg exerts a restoring spring force on the actuating element. This spring force acting in the open position is preferably directed obliquely to the actuation direction by a direction vector component of the restoring spring force against the actuation direction and a further, second direction vector component of the spring force acting transversely to the actuation direction.

In this context, the direction vector components are to be understood as meaning the vector components of the spring force. The spring force is directed and thus represents a vector that can be decomposed into vector components. Characterized in that a direction vector component acts counter to the actuation direction, the restoring spring force causes an extraction of the actuating element against the actuating direction of the housing when the latch between the actuating element and the housing is released.

The directional vector component acting transversely to the actuating direction, however, acts on actuation of the actuating element for transferring the spring leg in the open position preferably in the direction of latching engagement of the actuating element with the housing, so that the latching of the actuating element with the housing made in an automatic manner and in the open position the spring leg is held in a locking manner.

To release the actuating element from its latching with the housing, a user can act on the actuating element in a direction of release directed transversely to the direction of actuation, wherein this can be done manually or using a tool. By acting on the actuating element of the locking projection of the actuating element is pushed out of engagement with the associated locking projection of the housing, which advantageously takes place under rolling of the foot portion of the actuating element on the spring leg and thus under pivoting of the actuating element in the housing. The idea underlying the invention will be explained in more detail with reference to the embodiments illustrated in the figures. Show it:

Fig. 1 is a schematic view of a terminal;

Fig. 2A is a sectional view taken along the line l-l of FIG. 1 by the

Terminal, representing the terminal in a clamping position of a spring leg of a spring element;

Fig. 2B, the view of FIG. 2A, but with the spring leg in an open

Position in which the spring leg is held by a verrastendes with the housing actuator;

Fig. 2C is the view of FIG. 2B upon release of the actuator from the

Latching with the housing; and

Fig. 3 is a schematic view of the spring element in cooperation with the

Actuator.

1 shows a schematic view of an exemplary embodiment of a connection terminal 1 which has a housing 10 with insertion openings 101 formed on a housing surface 100 for connecting one or more electrical conductors 2. In this case, an electrical conductor 2 can be inserted into each insertion opening 101 with a line end 20 in a plug-in direction E to be electrically contacted within the housing 10 and electrically connected thereto, for example, with a printed circuit board to which the terminal 1 is connected.

2A to 2C show sectional views along a line L-l of the terminal 1 shown schematically in Fig. 1. Within the housing 10, a spring element 12 is arranged in the form of a leg spring and held with a spring body 120 to a spring holder 102 so stationary and rotationally fixed to the housing 10 that the spring body 120 is fixed to the housing 10, but one of the spring body 120th extended spring leg 121 is pivotable within a space 103 of the housing 10.

The spring leg 121 of the spring element 12 serves to insert an inserted into an insertion opening 101 line end 20 of a conductor 2 in an electrically contacting manner to jam with a metallic, electrically-conductive contact element 13. The contact element 13 is fixedly arranged within the housing 10 and extends with a clamping surface 131 approximately along the insertion direction E within the housing 10.

The spring element 12 with its spring leg 121 can assume different positions within the housing 10. In a clamping position, shown in Fig. 2A, the spring leg 121 of the clamping surface 131 of the contact element 13 is approximated. In this clamping position, the spring leg 121 strives when a conductor 2 is inserted with a line end 20 in the housing 10, so that the line end 20 between the spring leg 121 and the clamping surface 131 of the contact element 13 is clamped.

In order to plug a conductor 2 with its line end 20 in a simple manner without much effort in the housing 10, the spring leg 121 can be pivoted by an arranged on the housing 10 actuating element 1 1 from its clamping position. The actuating element 1 1 is arranged along an actuating direction B adjustable on the housing 10 and has a shaft 1 1, which is arranged with a foot portion 1 12 within the space 103 of the housing 10 and protrudes with a head 1 15 from the housing 10.

The actuating element 1 1 is adapted to act with its foot portion 1 12 on a distal end of the spring body 120, the distal end 122 of the spring leg 121. For this purpose, the foot portion 1 12 on a spring leg 121 side facing a contact surface 1 14, which is in contact with the distal end 122 of the spring leg 121.

In order to adjust the spring leg 121 out of its clamping position, a user can act in the direction of actuation B on the actuating element 1 1 and this example, manually or using a suitable tool, for. B. a screwdriver, push into the housing 10. Thereby pushes the actuator 1 1 with its foot portion 1 12 to the distal end 122 of the spring leg 121, so that the spring leg 121 is pivoted about the spring holder 102 around and removed from the contact element 13, as shown in Fig. 2B. At the head 1 15 of the actuating element 1 1, a latching projection 1 1 1 is formed, which engages upon actuation of the actuating element 1 1 in the direction of actuation B with an associated latching projection 105 on the housing 10, as shown in Fig. 2B. In this way, the actuating element 1 1 is latched after insertion into the housing 10 with the housing 10, so that the actuating element 1 1 remains in the assumed position and holds the spring leg 121 in this open position of the terminal 1.

Because the spring leg 121 is removed in this position from the clamping surface 131 of the contact element 13, a conductor 2 can be inserted with its line end 20 readily through an insertion opening 101 of the housing 10 in the housing 10, as shown in Fig. 2C.

In order to clamp the conductor 2 with its line end 20 after insertion within the housing 10, then the actuator 1 1 can be released from its latching by means of a suitable tool 3 or manually in a direction transverse to the direction B direction of loosening L on a release tab 1 16 of the actuating element 1 1 is acted upon. As a result, the latching projection 1 1 1 on the head 1 15 of the actuating element 1 1 are disengaged from the associated latching projection 105 on the housing 10, as shown in Fig. 2C, so that the actuating element 1 1 acting on the basis of the spring leg 121 Return spring force F opposite to the direction of actuation B is exposed out of the housing 10. Upon actuation of the actuating element 10 in the operating direction B of the spring leg 121 is adjusted within the housing 10 and thereby stretched elastically. The actuation of the actuating element 1 1 thus takes place counter to the spring force of the spring leg 121st Because the actuator 1 1 with its foot portion 1 12 acts on the distal end 122 of the spring leg 121, however, comparatively small forces for adjusting the spring leg 121 are required, so that the applied by a user force to operate the actuator 1 1 is comparatively low.

The force required is further reduced by the fact that the operating direction B is directed at least approximately perpendicular to the extension direction of the spring leg 121 in the clamping position, as shown in FIG. 2A is apparent. As a result, the actuating element 1 1 acts upon actuation under favorable lever ratios to the spring leg 121.

When adjusting the spring leg 121 in its open position, as shown in Fig. 2B, acts a restoring spring force F, which vector can be decomposed into direction vector components V1, V2. A first direction vector component V1 in this case acts counter to the direction of actuation B, while another, second direction vector component V2 is directed transversely to the direction of actuation B. The transverse direction vector component V2 in this case acts in such a way that it loads the actuating element 1 1 in the direction of bringing the latching projection 11 1 1 into engagement with the associated latching projection 105 on the housing 10. This supports at least the production of the locking of the actuating element 1 1 with the housing 10 and also causes a locking of the actuating element 1 1 in its latched position, so that the latch can not readily, in particular not automatically solved.

The foot portion 1 12 is rounded at its contact surface 1 14 or shaped so that it is adapted to the bent shape at the distal end 122 of the spring leg 121. As a result, an advantageous contact of the foot portion 1 12 is reached at the distal end 122 along the entire displacement of the spring leg 121.

The contact surface 1 14 also represents a tilting point of the actuating element 1 1, around which the actuating element 1 1 can be tilted to release the latch, as shown in Fig. 2C. Also, the release of the catch can be made so with little effort in haptic pleasant way.

In order to limit the adjustment of the actuating element 1 1 against the operating direction B, the foot portion 1 12 of the actuating element 1 1 is hook-shaped and has a contact projection 1 13, which opposite to the direction of actuation B toward an associated projection 104 on the housing 10 has. In the clamping position of the spring leg 121, shown in Fig. 2A, this abutment 104 is in contact with the associated projection 1 13 on the side of the housing 10, so that the actuating element 1 1 is in a defined position on the housing 10, over the out the actuator 1 1 can not be adjusted out of the housing 10 out. The action of the actuating element 1 1 under favorable leverage on the spring leg 121 extended in the clamping position at least approximately at right angles to the direction of actuation B becomes possible because the plug-in direction E, into which a conductor 2 is inserted with its line end 20 into the housing 10, obliquely directed to the direction of actuation B, as can be seen from Fig. 2A. Specifically, the angle between the operating direction B and the insertion direction E, for example, between 30 ° and 60 °, for example, be 45 °.

Because the actuating element 1 1 is intended to push away the spring leg 121 from the clamping surface 131, which is also oblique to the direction of actuation B, it is necessary for the actuating element 11 to reach through the contact element 13 at an opening 130, so that the actuating element 11 engages in the direction of actuation B beyond of the contact element 13 located spring leg 121 can act. The actuating element 1 1 is in this case outside an insertion of a conductor 2, so that a conductor 2 with its line end 20 on the actuating element

1 1 can be inserted past into the housing 10, as shown in Fig. 2C is illustrated. Fig. 3 shows a schematic view of an embodiment of a spring element

12 in cooperation with an actuating element 1 1. Such a spring element 12 may for example be associated with two insertion openings 101 for the clamping connection of two conductors 2 to a connection terminal 1. The idea underlying the invention is not limited to the embodiments described above, but can also be realized in a completely different kind of way.

A terminal of the type described here can be used, for example, on a printed circuit board for connecting a conductor to the printed circuit board. The terminal may have one or more insertion openings.

It is also conceivable to use a terminal in the form of a so-called terminal block for connecting a plurality of conductors together. LIST OF REFERENCE NUMBERS

1 connection terminal

10 housing

100 housing area

101 insertion opening

102 spring holder

103 room

104 advantage

105 latching projection

1 1 actuator

110 shaft

1 1 1 locking projection

1 12 foot section (hook element)

1 13 Investment advantage

1 14 contact surface

1 15 head

1 16 release tab

12 spring element

120 spring body

121 spring legs

122 Distal end

13 contact element

130 opening

131 clamping surface

2 conductors

20 line end

3 tool

B actuating direction

E insertion direction

F direction of force

L release direction

V1, V2 direction vector component

Claims

claims

Connection terminal (1), with

a housing (10),

an insertion opening (101) arranged on the housing (10), into which a conductor (2) can be inserted in an insertion direction (E),

a contact element (13) arranged on the housing (10), with which the conductor (2) can be brought into contact by being inserted into the insertion opening (101), a spring element (12) arranged on the housing (10), via a spring body (120) on the housing (10) is held and extending from the spring body (120) extending, elastically adjustable spring leg (121), wherein the spring leg (121) is formed in a clamping position one in the insertion (101) inserted To clamp conductor (2) with the contact element (13), and

an actuating element (11) arranged on the housing (10), which can be actuated in an actuating direction (B) in order to displace the spring leg (121) out of the clamping position, the actuating element (11) being in an open position, in the spring leg (121) is moved out of the clamping position, with the housing (10) can be latched, characterized in that the actuating element (1 1) for adjusting the spring leg (121) on one of the spring body (120) remote, distal End (122) of the spring leg (121) acts.

Terminal (1) according to claim 1, characterized in that the actuating direction (B) is directed obliquely to the insertion direction (E).

Terminal (1) according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the actuating element (1 1) engages through an opening (130) of the contact element (13).

Terminal (1) according to one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that the actuating element (1 1) has a shaft (1 10) with a head (1 15), via which the actuating element (1 1) is actuated, and one of the foot (1 12) remote from the head (1 15), wherein the actuating element (1 1) via the foot portion (1 12) on the distal end (122) of the spring leg (121) acts.

5. Terminal (1) according to claim 4, characterized in that the foot portion (1 12) on a spring leg (121) side facing a contact surface (1 14), via which the foot portion (1 12) with the spring leg (121 ) is in plant.

6. Terminal (1) according to claim 4 or 5, characterized in that the foot portion (1 12), viewed in cross-section in a pivoting plane in which the spring leg (121) is pivotable, on the contact surface (1 14) is rounded.

Terminal (1) according to one of claims 4 to 6, characterized in that the actuating element (1 1) in the region of its head (1 15) has a latching projection (1 1 1) for latching with an associated latching projection (105) of the housing (10 ) in the open position.

8. Terminal (1) according to one of claims 4 to 7, characterized in that the actuating element (1 1) at its foot portion (1 12) has a contact projection (1 13), in cooperation with a projection (104) of the housing (10) limits a displacement of the actuating element (1 1) against the actuating direction (B).

9. terminal (1) according to claim 7 and 8, characterized in that the abutment projection (1 13) and the latching projection (1 1 1) on different sides of the actuating element (1 1) are arranged.

10. Terminal (1) according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the spring leg (121) in the open position, a spring force (F2) on the actuating element (1 1) exerts, with a first direction vector component opposite to the actuation direction (B) and directed with a second direction vector component transverse to the direction of actuation (B).

1 1. Terminal (1) according to claim 10, characterized in that the second direction vector component acts in the direction of a latching engagement of the actuating element (1 1) with the housing (10).

12. Terminal (1) according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the actuating element (1 1) in the open position in a release direction (L) transversely to the actuating direction (B) to the housing (10) is adjustable to release the latching between the actuating element (1 1) and the housing (10).