EP4254454A1 - Housing comprising a metal lug - Google Patents

Abstract

This housing comprises: - a groove (72) comprising a flexible wall (82) movable by elastic deformation between: - an inclined position in which the space between distal lips (90, 94) of the groove is greater than the thickness of the terminal, and- a tightened position in which the flexible wall (82) encloses the metal terminal inserted into the groove to make it integral with the box,- a cover comprising a corner equipped with an inclined face suitable:- when the cover is moved from an open position to a closed position, to move, by shape cooperation, the flexible wall (82) from its inclined position to its constricted position, and- to maintain the flexible wall (82) in its position tightened as long as the cover is locked in its closed position by a locking system.

Description

The invention relates to a housing comprising a metal lug.

In the cases known to the applicant, the cross section of the lug is rectangular. To fix, without any degree of freedom, this metal terminal inside the housing, the housing has a groove whose width is less than the thickness of the terminal and the terminal is force-fitted inside this groove . The lower edge of the metal terminal has two ridges which rub against the plastic side walls of the groove during force-fitting. For example, EP0344800A2 discloses such a known housing.

Due to the difference in hardness between the metal terminal and the plastic side walls, the ridges on the lower edge of the terminal tear off plastic chips when they rub against the side walls during press-fit. These plastic shavings then pollute the interior of the case and can cause a malfunction of an electrical circuit housed inside this case.

The state of the art is also known from US20190066945A1 And US20070267284A1 .

It is therefore desirable to provide a housing in which the formation of such chips is reduced.

The subject of the invention is therefore a housing according to claim 1.

• la figure 1 est une illustration schématique et en perspective d'un caisson du boîtier comportant une cosse métallique ;
• la figure 2 est une illustration schématique et en perspective d'un couvercle du boîtier de la figure 1 ;
• la figure 3 est une vue en coupe verticale du boîtier de la figure 1,
• la figure 4 est une illustration schématique, en vue de dessus, d'une rainure du caisson de la figure 1 ;
• la figure 5 est une illustration schématique, en coupe verticale, de la rainure de la figure 4 ; et
• la figure 6 est une illustration schématique, en coupe verticale, de la section transversale d'une cosse du boîtier de la figure 1.

The invention will be better understood on reading the description which follows, given solely by way of non-limiting example and made with reference to the drawings in which:

• there figure 1 is a schematic and perspective illustration of a box of the housing comprising a metal terminal;
• there figure 2 is a schematic and perspective illustration of a housing cover of the figure 1 ;
• there Figure 3 is a vertical sectional view of the housing of the figure 1 ,
• there Figure 4 is a schematic illustration, in top view, of a groove in the box of the figure 1 ;
• there Figure 5 is a schematic illustration, in vertical section, of the groove of the Figure 4 ; And
• there Figure 6 is a schematic illustration, in vertical section, of the cross section of a terminal of the housing of the figure 1 .

In these figures, the same references are used to designate the same elements. In the remainder of this description, the characteristics and functions well known to those skilled in the art are not described in detail.

In this description, a detailed example of an embodiment is first described in chapter I with reference to the figures 1 to 6 . Then, in chapter II, variants of this embodiment are presented. Finally, the advantages of the different embodiments are introduced in chapter III.

Chapter I: Example of embodiment

THE figures 1 and 3 represent a housing 2 comprising a box 4 and a cover 6.

An electrical circuit is housed inside the housing 2. This electrical circuit is protected from the external environment by the box 4 and the cover 6. For example, the housing 2 is a housing whose protection index is higher or equal to IP52 and, preferably, greater than or equal to IP54. Here, box 2 has a protection index equal to IP68.

In this exemplary embodiment, the electrical circuit housed inside the housing 2 is an electrical circuit of a switch actuated by an actuation member projecting from an exterior face of the housing 2. To simplify the figures, this member The action is not shown in the figures. The actuation member is for example a key movable between a protruding position and a depressed position.

Here the switch has a normally open state and a normally closed state. The depression of the actuation member makes it possible to switch these states, respectively, to a closed state and an open state.

This electrical circuit is electrically connected to electrical components located outside the housing 2 to transmit to them the states resulting from the movement of the actuation member. For example, the electrical circuit is connected to these external electrical components via electrical wires. For this, the electrical circuit comprises, in this example, three metal lugs 10, 12 and 14. Each of these lugs is intended to be electrically connected to the end of a respective electric wire. These terminals 10, 12 and 14 correspond to the three terminals necessary to transmit the two simultaneous states of the switch.

The electrical circuit of such a switch is known. For example, it is carried out as described in the application filed on September 15, 2021 under number EP 21197007.4 and published under the number EP3975216 . Thus, to simplify the figures, the parts of this electrical circuit housed inside the box 4, other than the lugs 10, 12 and 14, are not shown.

Here, the lugs 10, 12 and 14 are entirely received inside the box 4. In this case, the electrical connection wires pass through a hole 16 made in an exterior partition of the box 4 so that their ends can be electrically connected to the lugs 10, 12 and 14. The seal between the box 4 and these electrical wires is, for example, ensured by implementing a resining process better known by the English term "potting".

Box 4 is an essentially parallelepiped box. It comprises a lower horizontal partition 20 surrounded by vertical partitions. These vertical partitions are collectively designated by the numerical reference 22. The vertical partitions 22 delimit a hollow inside which the lugs 10, 12 and 14 are received. In this example embodiment, the box 4 does not have a partition vertical front. This space is also blocked by the resining process implemented to ensure the seal between the wires and the hole 16.

THE figures 1 to 6 are oriented relative to an orthogonal coordinate system XYZ, where the X and Y directions are horizontal and the Z direction corresponds to the vertical direction. Subsequently, terms such as "upper" and "lower" are defined with respect to the Z direction. Terms such as "forward" and "backward" are defined with respect to the Y direction.

The upper ends of the vertical partitions 22 delimit the perimeter of an orifice 24 which allows access to the interior of the box 4. The orifice 24 makes it possible in particular to introduce into the interior of the box 4 all the parts of the electrical circuit and therefore, in particular, lugs 10, 12 and 14.

The box 4 is here made entirely of plastic, for example, by molding. In this text, the term "plastic" also designates loaded plastics such as for example a plastic material comprising glass fibers. Thus, the box 4 is made of an electrically insulating material that is less hard than the metal lugs 10, 12 and 14. An electrically insulating material is here a material whose electrical conductivity, at 20°C, is less than 10 ^-9 S /m and, preferably, less than 10 ^-15 S/m. Here, by "less hard than the metal lugs", we mean a material which is two or three or ten times less hard than the metal lugs 10, 12 and 14.

The cover 6 is movable between an open position, shown on the figures 1 and 3 , and a closed position. In the open position, the cover 6 does not obstruct the orifice 24 and allows access to the interior of the box 4. Thus, in the open position, the lugs 10, 12 and 14 can be introduced inside of the box 4. In the closed position, the cover 6 completely closes the orifice 24 so that it is no longer possible to access, from the outside, the different parts of the electrical circuit. Here, in the closed position, the cover 6 closes the orifice 24 in a watertight and dust-tight manner.

For this purpose, as visible on the figures 2 and 3 , a seal 28 is used to ensure the seal between the cover 6 and the box 4 when the cover 6 is in its closed position. Here, this seal 28 is integral with an interior face 30 of the cover 6, that is to say the face of the cover 6 facing the inside of the housing 2 when the cover 6 is in its closed position.

In this embodiment, the cover 6 is made entirely of plastic, for example, by molding. Here, the cover 6 is made from the same plastic as that used to make the box 4.

The housing 2 also includes a system for locking the cover 6 in its closed position. This locking system makes it possible to firmly hold the cover 6 in its closed position. For example, this system makes it possible to maintain the cover 6 in its closed position against a force of 10 N or 50 N which pulls the cover 6 upwards while the box 4 is, at the same time, immobilized between the jaws of a vice or similar. Here, the locking system is a weld made between the cover 6 and the box 4 or a bead of glue interposed between the cover 6 and the box 4.

• un ou plusieurs pions de centrage réalisés dans l'un du caisson 4 et du couvercle 6, et
• un ou plusieurs trous correspondants aménagés dans l'autre du caisson 4 et du couvercle 6.

Preferably, the cover 6 also includes a mechanism 34 ( Figures 1 and 2 ) for centering the cover 6 on the box 4. This mechanism 34 makes it possible to guide the cover 6, relative to the box 4, when it is moved from its open position to its closed position in order to position it correctly relative to the box 4. orifice 24. For example, mechanism 34 comprises:

• one or more centering pins made in one of the box 4 and the cover 6, and
• one or more corresponding holes arranged in the other of the box 4 and the cover 6.

These pins and these holes allow, by cooperation in shape during the movement of the cover 6 from its open position to its closed position, to precisely position the cover 6 relative to the box 4 in its closed position. To do this, they guide the cover 6 in vertical translation before reaching its closed position.

Here, a single pawn 36 ( figure 2 ) projecting from the inner face 30 of the cover 6 and a hole 38 ( figure 1 ) corresponding, produced in box 4, are shown.

The mechanism 34 also includes here, in addition to the pin 36 and the hole 38, other asperities and other recesses made in the box 4 and the cover 6 to center and guide, by shape cooperation, the cover 6 on the box 4. For example, such asperities made in the cover 6 bear the numerical references 40 and 42 on the figure 2 and the corresponding recesses, made in the box 4, bear the numerical references 44 and 46 ( figure 1 ).

The lugs 10, 12 and 14 are each in the form of a metal blade which extends mainly in a horizontal plane. Here, the lugs 10, 12 and 14 are curved in several places so that, in a horizontal plane, they each extend along a respective horizontal path which is not just a straight line. Here, for each of the lugs 10, 12 and 14, this trajectory still includes a rectilinear part.

The length of lugs 10, 12 and 14, that is to say the length of the trajectory along which they extend in a horizontal plane, is generally greater than 10 mm or 15 mm.

• deux faces latérales verticales 50 et 52,
• un bord inférieur 54 et
• un bord supérieur 56.

The cross section of each lug 10, 12 and 14, that is to say the section in a vertical plane perpendicular to the horizontal trajectory along which it extends, is here rectangular. The cross section of the lug 10 is shown on the Figure 6 . Terminal 10 includes:

• two vertical side faces 50 and 52,
• a lower edge 54 and
• an upper edge 56.

The side faces 50 and 52 are parallel and flat. The side face 50 extends from a lower edge 58 to an upper edge 60. The side face 52 extends from a lower edge 62 to an upper edge 64. The lower edge 54 extends horizontally from edge 58 to edge 62. The upper edge 56 extends horizontally from edge 60 to edge 64.

The edges 58, 60, 62 and 64 are sharp edges each capable of removing material chips when they rub against a wall of the box 4. Typically, the angle between the lower edge 54 and the side faces 50 and 52 is between 87° and 93° and, most often, between 89° and 91°.

The height h ₁₀ of the lug 10 is the vertical distance which separates the edges 58 and 60. The thickness e ₁₀ of the lug 10 is the horizontal distance which separates the edges 58 and 62.

The lug 10 also generally includes one or more recesses which pass through its entire thickness. Such a recess was not shown on the Figure 6 .

The cross sections of lugs 12 and 14 are similar or identical to that of lug 10.

The lugs 10, 12 and 14 are fixed, without any degree of freedom, inside the box 4 using respective fixing devices. These fixing devices are similar or identical to each other. Thus, subsequently, only the device 70 ( Figures 3 to 5 ) for fixing the lug 10 is described in detail. The fixing devices for the lugs 12 and 14 can be deduced from the teaching given in the particular case of this fixing device 70.

The device 70 includes a groove 72 ( figures 4 and 5 ) made in box 4 and a corner 74 ( Figures 2 and 3 ) made in the cover 6.

• deux parois latérales verticales 80 et 82 disposées en vis-à-vis l'une de l'autre,
• une ouverture longiligne 84 qui s'étend horizontalement, et
• un fond horizontal 86.

The groove 72 is a rectilinear groove which here extends parallel to the Y direction. The length of the groove 72 in the Y direction is typically greater than 5 mm or 10 mm. The groove 72 includes:

• two vertical side walls 80 and 82 arranged opposite each other,
• a slender opening 84 which extends horizontally, and
• a horizontal bottom 86.

Walls 80 and 82 ( Figures 4 and 5 ) are formed in the same block of material as the other parts of the box 4. For example, they are manufactured by molding at the same time as the other parts of the box 4. Thus, these walls 80 and 82 are made of plastic.

Here, the bottom 86 is made in the lower partition 20 of the box 4.

The wall 80 extends vertically from the bottom 86 to an upper lip 90 ( Figure 5 ). The face of the wall 80, turned towards the wall 82, forms a support face 92. The support face 92 is shaped to completely match the lateral face 50 of the lug 10. Here, the face 92 is therefore flat.

The wall 80 is a fixed wall, that is to say it does not move and is practically not deformed when the terminal 10 is introduced inside the groove 72 and when the cover 6 is moved towards its closed position. For this purpose, the wall 80 is rigid. In this embodiment, to obtain the desired rigidity, the thickness, in the X direction, of the wall 80 is significant, that is to say two or three or five times greater than the thickness of the wall 82 .

• deux faces d'appui 96 et 97 situées en vis-à-vis de la face d'appui 92,
• une face arrière 98 tournée du coté opposé aux faces d'appui 96 et 97,
• un bras 100 qui raccorde mécaniquement la face d'appui 96 à la face arrière 98,
• un bras 102 qui raccorde mécaniquement la face d'appui 97 à la face arrière 98, et
• un espace creux 104 aménagé entre les deux bras 100 et 102.

Wall 82 includes:

• two support faces 96 and 97 located opposite the support face 92,
• a rear face 98 facing the side opposite the support faces 96 and 97,
• an arm 100 which mechanically connects the support face 96 to the rear face 98,
• an arm 102 which mechanically connects the support face 97 to the rear face 98, and
• a hollow space 104 arranged between the two arms 100 and 102.

• la face d'appui 97 est le symétrique de la face d'appui 96, et
• le bras 102 est le symétrique du bras 100.

Here, the wall 82 has a vertical plane of symmetry passing through the rear face 98. With respect to this plane of symmetry:

• the support face 97 is symmetrical to the support face 96, and
• arm 102 is symmetrical to arm 100.

Thus, subsequently, only the support face 96 and the arm 100 are described in detail. The support face 97 and the arm 102 are deduced by symmetry with respect to the plane of symmetry.

The cutting plan of the Figure 5 is parallel to the directions X and Z and passes through the support face 96. Thus, on this Figure 5 only the end of the arm 100 forming the support face 96 is visible.

The support face 96 extends vertically from the bottom 86 to an upper lip 94. The support face 96 is shaped to completely match the side face 52 when the lug 10 is fixed without any degree of freedom in the box 4.

The elongated opening 84 is delimited, on one side, by the lip 90 and, on the opposite side, by the lip 94. The opening 84 faces towards the orifice 24, that is to say upwards. . Thus, the terminal 10 can be introduced inside the groove 72 by moving the terminal 10 through the orifice 24.

The width l ₈₄ of the opening 84 is equal to the horizontal distance which separates the orthogonal projection of the lips 90 and 94 on a horizontal plane.

The vertical ends of groove 72 are open. Thus, the groove 72 can receive a rectilinear portion of the lug 10 which is longer than the length of the groove 72. Thus, the lug 10 protrudes at each end of the groove 72.

Here, the face 96 includes a lower portion 96i ( Figure 5 ) extended by a higher portion 96s. The lower portion 96i is parallel to the support face 92. It therefore extends in a vertical plane. The horizontal distance between the lower portion 96i and the supporting face 92 opposite is less than the thickness e ₁₀ . Thanks to this, the lower edge 54 of the lug 10 can be force-fitted into the lower part of the groove 72. For example, for this purpose, the difference ε between the thickness e ₁₀ and the horizontal distance between the portion lower 96i and the support face 92, is between 0.7 mm and 0.1 mm.

To limit the formation of material chips during the force-fitting of the lower edge 54 in this lower part of the groove 72, the height h _96i of the lower portion 96i is small compared to the height h ₁₀ of the lug 10. Typically , the height h _96i is less than h ₁₀ /2 and, preferably, less than h ₁₀ /3 or h ₁₀ /5 or h ₁₀ /10. Typically, the height h _96i is less than 5 mm or 3 mm or 1 mm. The height h _96i is also greater than 0.5 mm or 1 mm.

The material shavings here are plastic shavings, torn from the walls 80 and 82 by the friction of the edges 58 and 62 on the bearing faces 92, 96 and 97.

The upper portion 96s of the bearing face 96 extends, from the upper limit of the portion 96i, to the lip 94. The portion 96s extends in a plane inclined relative to the vertical plane in which the portion 96i extends. Thus, the width l ₈₄ of the opening 84 is greater than the thickness e ₁₀ of the lug 10. For example, the difference between the width l ₈₄ and the thickness e ₁₀ is greater than 0.5 mm or greater than 1 mm. Generally, this gap is also less than 8mm or 5mm.

The angle between the plane in which the upper portion 96s extends and the plane in which the lower portion 96i extends is here less than 20° and, preferably, less than 15° or 10°.

The height of the orthogonal projection of the upper portion 96s in the vertical plane containing the portion 96i is greater than or equal to h ₁₀ /2 or 2 xh ₁₀ /3.

Thanks to the upper portion 96s, when the lug 10 is introduced inside the groove 72, the lower edge 54 does not rub or rubs much less strongly on the upper portion 96s and on the portion opposite. -screw of face 92. The formation of material chips is therefore reduced.

Unlike wall 80, wall 82 is a flexible wall movable between an inclined position, shown on the figures 3 to 5 , and a tight position.

The inclined position is the rest position, that is to say the position occupied by the wall 82 in the absence of external mechanical stress and, in particular, in the absence of the cover 6. The inclined position corresponds to the position shown on the Figure 5 and previously described.

In the tightened position, the upper portion 96s of the wall 82 is directly and entirely pressed against the side face 52 of the lug 10 inserted into the groove 72. In the tightened position, the upper portion 96s also extends in a plane vertical. The bearing face 96 is therefore directly and entirely pressed against the side face 52 of the lug 10 in the tightened position. Thus, in the tightened position, over the entire height, the support faces 92 and 96 surround the lateral faces 50 and 52 of the lug 10. Therefore, in the tightened position, the lug 10 is retained inside the box 4 as firmly as with a fixing device in which, in the rest position, the part 96s of the support face 96 is vertical.

On the side opposite the support face 96, the wall 82 includes the rear face 98. Here, the rear face 98 is located at the level of the plane of symmetry and extends mainly in the Z direction.

• du plan incliné dans lequel elle s'étend dans la position inclinée, vers
• la position où elle est plaquée contre la face latérale 52 lorsqu'une force de poussée parallèle à la direction X est exercée sur la face arrière 98.

The arm 100 moves, by elastic deformation, the upper portion 96s:

• of the inclined plane in which it extends in the inclined position, towards
• the position where it is pressed against the side face 52 when a thrust force parallel to the direction X is exerted on the rear face 98.

For this purpose, the arm 100 extends from the rear face 98 to the support face 96.

The arm 100 also delimits the hollow space 104. The hollow space 104 is arranged between the two arms 100 and 102. It is shaped to allow the arms 100 and 102 to absorb, by elastic deformation, an excess of thrust force applied to the rear face 98. More precisely, when the thrust force is exerted on the rear face 98, the arm 100 first moves the support face 96 to the position where it is pressed against the side face 52 of the pod. At this stage, if the thrust force continues to increase, and therefore an excess of thrust force is applied to the rear face 98, the arm 100 deforms to absorb this excess thrust force and store it in the form of potential energy in the arm 100. For example, here, the arm 100 is elastically deformed so as to reduce the volume of the hollow space 104. This excess thrust force stored in the arm 100 in the form of potential energy makes it possible to maintain the upper portion 96s pressed against the side face 52 even if the thrust force decreases due to a parasitic phenomenon such as thermal expansion. In this case, this potential energy stored in the arm 100 is first released before reducing the support force of the upper portion 96s on the side face 52. This flexibility also makes it possible to absorb the dimensional variation of the components such as the thickness e ₁₀ of the lug or the dimensions of the groove 72 involved in the tightening.

For this purpose, the arm 100 extends from the rear face 98 to the support face 96 following an arcuate trajectory. Here, the height of the hollow space 104 is equal to the height of the wall 82 in the Z direction. In this embodiment, the hollow space 104 also opens between the support faces 96 and 97. The space hollow 104 is here a half-cylinder.

The thickness e ₈₂ of the wall 82 is sufficiently small to allow the movement of the wall 82, by elastic deformation, between its inclined and tightened positions. For example, the thickness e ₈₂ is less than 5 mm or 3 mm and, generally, greater than 1 mm.

The corner 74 makes it possible to move the wall 82 from its inclined position to its tightened position when the cover 6 is moved from its open position to its closed position. For this purpose, the corner 74 has an inclined face 110 ( Figure 3 ) Who comes to push the rear face 98 of the wall 82 when the cover 6 descends vertically inside the box 4. Here, it is the centering mechanism 34 which guides the cover 6 in vertical translation when it is moved from its position open to its closed position.

The face 110 is inclined so that the more it sinks inside the box 4, the more the horizontal force it exerts on the rear face 98 increases. When the closed position is reached, the horizontal force exerted by the face 110 on the rear face 98 is greater, and preferably several times greater, than the minimum horizontal force necessary to move the wall 82 from the inclined position to the tightened position. In other words, here, the face 110 is shaped to apply an excess of thrust force to the rear face 98 when the cover 6 is in its closed position.

Then, as long as the cover 6 remains in its closed position, the face 110 remains supported on the rear face 98. This maintains the wall 82 in its tightened position. Therefore, once the locking system has locked the cover 6 in its closed position, this also locks the wall 82 in its tightened position. As long as the wall 82 is in its tightened position, the terminal 10 is firmly retained in the box 4.

During the manufacture of the housing 2, initially, the cover 6 is in its open position and the wall 82 is in its inclined position. The lug 10 is then introduced into the groove 72 via the orifice 24 then its lower edge 54 is force-fitted between the bearing face 92 and the lower portion 96i of the bearing face 96. This fitting force can produce some chips of material but generally these chips remain stuck between the lower edge 54 and the bottom 86 of the groove 72.

At this stage, the terminal 10 is held in place inside the groove 72 by friction against the bearing face 92 and the lower portion 96i of the bearing face 96.

The cover 6 is then moved from its open position to its closed position. This movement is guided in translation by the centering mechanism 34. As the cover 6 advances towards the orifice 24, the corner 74 sinks inside the box 4. The face 110 then comes to rest against the rear face 98 and, as the corner 74 continues to sink inside the box 4, the face 110 moves the wall 82 towards its tightened position.

Preferably, before the cover 6 reaches its closed position, the wall 82 reaches its tightened position. From then on, the terminal 10 is firmly clamped over the majority of its height between the walls 80 and 82. The terminal 10 is then fixed without any degree of freedom inside the box 4.

The locking system then locks the cover 6 in its closed position. The wall 82 is then held in its tightened position as long as the cover 6 is in its closed position.

Preferably, the resining process is carried out once the cover 6 is in its closed position. Furthermore, here, this resining is carried out in such a way that the resin, as it hardens, freezes the wall 82 in its tightened position. Indeed, plastic under stress is subject to relaxation over time. The spring effect of the arms 100 and 102 could thus decrease over time. In this embodiment, the addition of the resin seals all the components in position, without risk of alteration over time.

Chapter II: Variants: Variants of the fixing device:

As a variant, the fixed wall 80 is replaced by a second flexible wall symmetrical to the flexible wall 82 with respect to a vertical plane parallel to the directions Y and Z. In this case, the cover 6 includes an additional corner to move this second flexible wall from its inclined position towards its tightened position when the cover 6 is moved towards its closed position.

In a particular embodiment, the lower part 96i of the support face 96 is omitted. In this case, the upper part 96s extends to the bottom 86.

The width of the groove 72 at the bottom 86 may be greater than the thickness e ₁₀ of the terminal. In this case, the terminal cannot be force-fitted into the bottom of the groove.

Wells can be dug in the bottom 86 to trap potential material chips without risking them getting stuck between the lower edge 54 of the terminal and the bottom 86 of the groove.

Other shapes are possible for the flexible wall 82. For example, the arms 100, 102 and the hollow space 104 can have other shapes which make it possible to reach the same result as that described in chapter I. Thus, by way of illustration, the arcuate trajectory followed by the arm 100 is replaced by a rectilinear trajectory or by a succession of rectilinear segments placed end to end.

In a simplified embodiment, the arms 100 and 102 are not shaped to store, in the form of potential energy, an excess of thrust force. For example, hollow space 104 is omitted. In this case, the support faces 96 and 97 meet and form only one and the same support face. In another simplified embodiment, the wall 82 is rectilinear and extends parallel to the Y direction.

In another embodiment, the wall 82 is not fixed in its tightened position, for example, by the use of a hardening resin. In this case, the wall 82 can return to its inclined position when the cover is moved to its open position. The terminal can thus easily be dismantled and replaced.

Alternatively, the corner 74 is attached to the interior face 30 of the cover 6 and does not form a single block of material with the upper partition of the cover 6. Similarly, it is not necessary for the walls 80 and 82 to form a single block of material with the lower partition 20. Alternatively, the walls 80, 82 are attached to the partition 20 and do not form a single block of material with this partition;

Terminal variants:

Alternatively, the cross section of the lug 10 is not rectangular. For example, the cross section of lug 10 is trapezoidal, the small base of this trapezoidal section forming the lower edge of the lug.

In another embodiment, the ends of the metal lugs intended to be electrically connected to the electrical wires protrude beyond the exterior partitions of the housing 2. In this case, the electrical connection between a lug and an electric wire is located at the exterior of housing 2.

In another variant, the terminals are not connected to the electrical components by electrical wires but, for example, by means of electrical tracks etched on a printed circuit. In this case, each lug has an end which projects beyond the external partitions of the housing, this end being pluggable into the printed circuit or solderable on the printed circuit.

Other variations:

The box can be made differently. For example, as a variant, certain parts of the box, different from the walls 80 and 82, are made of a material other than plastic. Similarly, the cover can be made of a material other than plastic.

The box can also have a vertical front wall instead of an orifice blocked by a resining process.

Case 2 is not necessarily a waterproof case.

Other embodiments of the cover locking system 6 are possible. In particular, it is not necessary that the locking of the cover 6 in its closed position be irreversible. For example, as a variant, the locking system is produced using screws which allow the cover 6 to be screwed onto the upper part of the box 4. It can also be produced using rivets or any other known technology .

Many embodiments of the centering mechanism 34 are possible. In particular, the pin 36 and the hole 38 can be replaced, respectively, by an asperity and a recess which have other shapes. The pin 36 can also be made in the box 4 and the hole 38 in the cover 6.

In a simplified embodiment, the centering mechanism 34 is independent of the housing. For example, a centering mechanism, external to the housing 2, is used during the manufacture of the housing 2. Such an external centering mechanism may include rails for guiding the cover 6 in vertical translation from its open position to its position closed. Then, once the cover 6 is locked in its closed position by the locking system, this external centering mechanism is removed and the housing 2 is distributed without this external centering mechanism.

In a very simplified case, the centering mechanism is omitted and it is the operator's hand which ensures the centering of the cover 6 on the box 4 as long as the locking system does not, by itself, hold the cover 6 in its closed position.

What has been described previously in the particular case where the electrical circuit housed in the housing is an electrical circuit of a switch applies to any type of electrical circuit comprising metal lugs to electrically connect it to other electrical components located outside the box 2. For example, the circuit electrical can be an electrical circuit for controlling an external device, an electrical circuit for measuring a physical quantity or any other electrical circuit.

Several of the variations described above can be combined together.

Chapter III: Advantages of the embodiments described:

The fact that the width of the opening 84 is greater than the thickness of the lug 10 limits the friction of this lug on the side walls 80, 82 during its insertion into the groove 72. Because of this, the quantity of material shavings produced when the terminal is inserted into the groove 72 is reduced. Then, once the cover 6 is moved into its closed position, the surface of the support face 96 directly in mechanical contact with the side face 52 is identical to the surface of the support face of a fixing device of the state of the art. Thus, the fixing device 70 makes it possible to retain the lug 10 as firmly inside the box 4 as the known fixing devices while limiting, in addition, the quantity of material shavings produced during the introduction of the lug in groove 72.

Face 92 can be considered as a reference face. The principle of clamping the terminal against this face guarantees the precision and repeatability of the mechanical functions of the product.

In the closed position, the wall 82 fills any space between the terminal and the groove 72. Thus, there is no risk of migration of resin or other materials inside the product.

The fact that the width of the groove 72 is less than the thickness of the lug at the level of the bottom 86 of this groove makes it possible to press the lower edge 54 of the lug into the groove. Thanks to this, the terminal is held in place even before the cover 6 is closed. Thus, the assembly of the terminal inside the housing 2 is facilitated because the terminal does not risk moving between the moment when it is introduced inside the groove 72 and the moment when the cover 6 is closed. In addition, this force-fit produces few material chips because only the lower edge 54 of the terminal is force-fit.

The presence of the hollow space 104 makes it possible to obtain a spring effect which makes it possible to maintain the portion 96s of the bearing face 96 correctly pressed against the terminal 10 even if the thrust force exerted by the corner 74 in the closed position varied slightly. For example, due to expansion phenomena, the thrust force exerted by the corner 74 on the rear face 98 can vary when the temperature varies.

The fact that the support faces 92, 96 are shaped to match over their entire height the lateral faces 50, 52 of the terminal reinforces the mechanical fixing of this terminal in the housing.

The fact that the bearing faces 92, 96 of the walls, in the clamped position, and the side faces 50, 52 of the terminal are flat, simplifies the production of the housing 2.

The fact that one of the walls is a fixed wall simplifies the production of the cover 6 because it is not necessary to provide a corner in this cover to move this fixed wall.

Claims (9)

Case comprising: - a metal terminal (10, 12, 14) comprising a lower edge (54), an upper edge (56) and side faces (50, 52) each extending from the lower edge to the upper edge, - a box (4) comprising: - an orifice (24) allowing the metal terminal to be introduced inside the box, - a groove (72) capable of enclosing the side faces of the metal terminal to make it integral with the box, this groove comprising a first and a second side walls (82, 80) made of plastic which extend opposite each other screw one another, from a bottom (86) of the groove to distal lips (90, 94) which delimit a elongated opening (84) through which the metal terminal is introduced into the inside the groove, - a cover (6) movable between an open position and a closed position in which the cover closes the orifice of the box, - a locking system capable of maintaining the cover in its closed position, characterized in that : - the first wall (82) is a flexible wall movable by elastic deformation between - an inclined rest position in which the space between the distal lips (90, 94) is greater than the thickness of the terminal, thus making it possible to limit friction between the metal terminal and the first and second walls (82, 80) when introducing this metal lug inside the groove, and - a tightened position in which the first and second walls (82, 80) enclose the lateral faces of the metal terminal inserted into the groove to make it integral with the box, - the cover has a corner (74) equipped with an inclined face (110) capable of: - when the cover is moved from its open position to its closed position, to move, by cooperation of shape, the flexible wall (82) from its inclined position to its tightened position, and - to maintain the flexible wall (82) in its tightened position as long as the cover is locked in its closed position by the locking system. Housing according to claim 1, in which the width of the groove at its bottom (86) is less than the thickness of the lower edge of the lug to allow forceful fitting of the lower edge of the lug inside of this groove. Housing according to any one of the preceding claims, in which the first and second walls each comprise at least one support face (92, 96) which comes directly into mechanical support on a respective lateral face of the terminal when the flexible wall is in its constricted position. Housing according to claim 3, in which the first wall comprises: - two supporting faces (96) each comprising an upper portion (96s), this upper portion (96s) being movable between: - a position where it is inclined to provide space between the distal lips which is greater than the thickness of the terminal, and - a position where it is pressed against the side face of the terminal, - a rear face (98) capable of being pushed towards the terminal by the inclined face when the cover is moved from its open position to its closed position, and - two arms (100, 102) which each mechanically connect an upper portion of a respective support face (96, 97) to the rear face (98), these two arms being separated from each other by a hollow space (104) shaped to allow the two arms to store, in the form of potential energy, an excess of thrust force exerted by the inclined face (110) on the rear face (98) when the cover is in its position closed. Housing according to claim 3 or 4, in which the bearing faces (92, 96, 97) are shaped to match, over their entire height, the lateral faces of the terminal. Housing according to claim 4, in which the side faces (50, 52) of the terminal are planar and extend parallel to each other. Housing according to any one of the preceding claims, in which the second wall (80) is a fixed wall capable of remaining immobile when the cover is moved from its open position to its closed position. Housing according to any one of the preceding claims, in which the cross section of the lug is rectangular and the lower edge (54) has two edges (58, 62). Housing according to any one of the preceding claims, in which the housing comprises a centering mechanism (34) capable of guiding the cover relative to the box during its movement from the open position to its closed position.

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