FI3522303T3 - Terminal block - Google Patents

Description

TERMINAL BLOCK

The present invention relates to a terminal block for electrical lines in accordance with the preamble of claim 1 in order, for example, to connect lights or other electrical devices to an electrical line. Such a terminal block is known from EP 2 631 996 A2. EP 1 388 914 A1 discloses a similar terminal block. EP 2 631 996 A2 discloses the preamble of claim 1.

In particular with ceiling luminaires, but also with wall luminaires or other electrical devices that have to be installed at the ceiling or the wall, the situation often results that the installer has to mount upside down, whereby only two hands are available.

When using screw terminals that are typical for this purpose, the cable, the tool and the screw terminal have to be held at the same time, which can lead to difficulties both during an initial installation and a repair or a replacement of the installation.

It is the object of the present invention to provide a terminal block for electrical lines with which both a simple installation and a simple dismantling are possible.

This object is satisfied by the features of claim 1.

By providing terminal contacts in the terminal block, which can be brought into their open position by an operator rocker, electrical lines can be removed from the terminal block again in a very simple manner if a repair or a dismantling is reguired.

For this purpose, the operator rocker only has to be pressed with one finger so that the terminal contact opens. At the same time, the terminal block has a coupling device so that a plug receptacle for an electrical plug can be coupled to the terminal block. When the terminal block is coupled, an electrical device can hereby be connected to the terminal block in a very simple manner by plugging the electrical plug into the plug receptacle.

The plug receptacle is parallelepiped-shaped, whereby the actuator rockers project at least partly laterally from the plug receptacle. A particularly good actuation of the manual rockers is hereby achieved since the plug receptacle forms a guide wall for the manual finger of the installer.

Advantageous such of the invention are described in the description, in the drawing and in the dependent claims.

In accordance with a first advantageous embodiment, the mechanical rockers can be connected to one another in one piece. This enables an inexpensive manufacture and a very fast installation since all the mechanical rockers are integrated to form one component.

In accordance with a further advantageous embodiment, the rockers can be part of a housing cover, which also significantly facilitates the installation since individual rockers do not have to be installed in the correct position. Rather, only the housing cover has to be connected to the housing, which in particular can be made possible by clipping it onto the housing. In this case, it is only necessary to insert the terminal contacts into the housing and to clip the housing cover onto the housing in order to complete the terminal block that can be contacted without tools.

In accordance with a further advantageous embodiment, the housing cover can be connected to the housing via a film hinge. This enables a single-piece design of the housing and the housing cover, wherein, after a folding over of the housing cover onto the housing, a latch device can ensure that the housing cover remains closed.

In accordance with a further advantageous embodiment, each manual rocker can have a film hinge, whereby a free and independent movement of the individual manual rockers is ensured.

In accordance with a further advantageous embodiment, the coupling device for coupling the plug receptacle can have a sliding guide comprising an abutment and a locking means. In this embodiment, the terminal block and the plug receptacle can be pushed into one another. The sliding guide provides a secure and permanent connection and it is ensured by the abutment and the locking means, for example a friction locking, that both components are correctly and permanently positioned relative to one another.

In accordance with a further advantageous embodiment of the invention, a contacting opening can be provided in the region of each terminal contact, through which contacting opening an electrical conductor of a plug can be introduced into the terminal contact to establish an electrical connection with a line contacted by the terminal contact. Here, an axis extending in the plug-in direction of the plug through the contacting opening and an axis along which the line can be introduced into the housing of the terminal block preferably extend transversely to one another. This means that the plug-in direction of the electrical plug to be introduced into the plug receptacle and the feed direction of the electrical lines are oriented transversely to one another, in particular approximately at a right angle or at an obtuse angle. Such an arrangement has proven to be advantageous in practice during the installation.

In accordance with a further advantageous embodiment, the electrical lines can be introduced into the housing along an axis which extends at an acute angle to the plane of the housing cover, wherein the acute angle in particular amounts to between 5° and 45°. This also contributes to simplified installation and dismantling when the electrical lines have to be introduced into or removed from the terminal block.

In accordance with the invention, a plug receptacle for an electrical plug connector is coupled to the terminal block, the plug-in direction of said electrical plug connector in particular extending transversely to the introduction direction of the electrical conductors. The plug-in direction and the introduction direction can in particular extend at an angle of approximately 90° to 135°, in particular approximately 95° to 125°, to one another.

In accordance with a further advantageous embodiment, the plug receptacle can be arranged above the contacting openings, whereby additional conductors within the terminal block can be omitted since the contacts of the plug can then be introduced through the contacting openings directly into spring terminals of the terminal contacts.

In accordance with a further advantageous embodiment, the terminal block can be inserted into a connection socket which has a folding cover that latches in its closed position. The electrical lines and also the connection region of the terminal block can hereby be protected, in particular if the folding cover covers the operating rockers.

The present invention will be described in the following purely by way of example with reference to an advantageous embodiment and to the enclosed drawings.

There are shown:

1 a terminal block and a plug receptacle in the uncoupled state;

2 an exploded view of a terminal block;

Fig. 3 a view similar to Fig. 2 with terminal contacts already installed;

Fig. 4 and Fig. 5 the arrangement of Fig. 1 in the coupled state;

Fig. 6 a connection base with the terminal block located therein;

Fig. 7 the connection base of Fig. 6 with a closed and latched folding cover;

Fig. 8 a ceiling connector with the terminal block fastened thereto in a perspective view from above; other

Fig. 9 the ceiling connector of Fig. 8 in a perspective view from below.

Fig. 1 shows a perspective view of a terminal block 10, which can be contacted without tools, for electrical lines and of a plug receptacle 12, which can be coupled to the terminal block 10 and into which an electrical plug can be inserted in order to connect an electrical device, for example a ceiling luminaire, to electrical lines which are introduced into the terminal block 10.

As Fig. 2 illustrates, the terminal block 10 comprises a total of only three different components, namely a housing 14, terminal contacts 16 inserted into the housing, and a housing cover 18. 5 The housing 14 generally has the shape of a flat parallelepiped and a total of three chambers for a respective one terminal contact 16 are formed in the housing in the embodiment shown. Each chamber has, at its front side, two circular inlet openings 20 through each of which an electrical line (not shown) can be introduced into the housing 14 along an axis A1 or A2. The axes A1 or A2 thus designate the introduction direction of the electrical conductors.

A terminal contact 16 is inserted into each chamber of the housing 14 (cf. Fig. 3) so that, on an introduction of a conductor into an introduction opening 20, said conductor is automatically clamped and held in the associated terminal contact 16.

In the embodiment shown, a total of two electrical lines can thus be contacted per terminal contact 16.

Fig. 3 shows the housing 14 with terminal contacts 16 inserted into the chambers, wherein the housing cover 18 has, however, not yet been placed. By placing the housing cover 18 onto the housing 16, two latch lugs 24 provided at the housing cover 18 slide over latch noses 26 formed at the housing 14 so that the housing cover 18 is clipped onto and latched to the housing 14 (cf. Fig . 1).

The terminal contacts 16 are configured such that they can be brought into an open position by pressing down, in which open position an electrical line can be removed from the terminal contact again. In the terminal block 10, the pressing down of a terminal contact takes place by way of an associated rocker 28, whereby an operating rocker 28 is associated with each terminal contact 16. In the embodiment shown, all three operating rockers 28 are connected in one piece to one another and are part of the housing cover 18. To ensure a free movability of the individual arrangement rockers 28 independently of one another, each arrangement rocker 28 is connected to the housing cover 18 via a film hinge 30. It is also possible to connect the housing cover 18 itself to the housing 14 via a film hinge (not shown) so that the housing cover 18 only has to be folded over and latched after the insertion of the terminal contacts 16 into the chambers. Such a film hinge could, for example, be molded along the rear edge 32 of the housing 14.

As Fig. 2 and Fig. 3 illustrate in particular, a pin 34 is molded at the lower side of each forced rocker 28 and, when pressure is exerted on the forced rocker 28, said pin 34 exerts a force onto the terminal contact 16 so that the latter moves into the open position.

To couple the terminal block 10 to the plug receptacle 12, a sliding rib 40, at whose front end an abutment 42 is located, is molded at both sides of the terminal block 10. Accordingly, the plug receptacle 12 has, at its lower side , two parallel sliding grooves 44 into which the sliding ribs 40 can be pushed until the plug receptacle 12 abuts the abutments 42. In this position, the two components can be fixed to one another by a latch hook 46 at the plug receptacle and/or by a friction locking element 48 at the sliding ribs.

In the coupled state of the terminal block 10 and the plug receptacle 12 (cf. Fig. 4), an electrical plug can be inserted in a plug-in direction S into the plug receptacle 12.

So that electrical contacts of the plug can enter into connection with the terminal contacts 16, three contacting openings 50 are provided at the housing cover 18 in the region of each terminal contact 16, through which contacting openings 50 an electrical conductor of the plug can be introduced into the associated terminal contact 16 to establish an electrical connection with a line contacted by the terminal contacts 16. As in particular Fig. 4 illustrates, an axis extending through the contacting opening 50 in the plug-in direction S and an axis A1 or A2 along which the electrical line can be introduced into the housing 14 extend transversely to one another in this respect. For this contacting by an electrical conductor of the plug, each terminal contact 16 has a spring terminal 52 which is molded at its rear side, which is upwardly open and into which the electrical conductor can be conductively inserted after it has passed through the contacting opening 50

As a joint review of Fig. 1 and Fig. 4 illustrates, the electrical lines are introducible into the housing 14 along an axis A1 or A2 which extends at an acute angle to the plane of the housing cover 14, wherein the angle can in particular amount to between approximately 5° and 45°. The plug-in direction S (Fig. 4) and the introduction direction A1 or A2 of the electrical lines 62 also extend at an angle of approximately 90° to 135°, in particular at approximately 95° to 125°, to one another. Furthermore, a joint review of Fig. 1 and Fig. 4 illustrates that the terminal block 10 and the plug receptacle 12 can be pushed into one another and that the plug receptacle 12 is arranged above the contacting openings 50 in the pushed-in and coupled - together state. In the coupled state, the manual rockers 28 project at least partly laterally from the plug receptacle 12, whereby a front wall 13 (Fig. 5) of the plug receptacle 12 forms an abutment wall or a guide wall for an manual finger of the installer .

The above-described terminal block 10 with a coupled plug receptacle 12 can be inserted into a connection base 60, as is shown in Fig. 6. Electrical conductors 62 of a cable, which are introduced through the rear wall of the connection base 60, can then be connected to the terminal contacts 16 by a simple insertion into the terminal block 10. After the contacting of the electrical lines 62, they and the rockers 28 can be protected by a folding cover 64 which, in the closed state, is pivotably fastened to a web 66 of the connection base 60 and, in the closed position, latches via a latch hook 68 which is molded at the folding cover 64 and which can also be released again with the aid of a screwdriver. The outer periphery of the connection base can be closed by a second cover at which a cover for the part of the connection base 60 that is still open in Fig. 7 is also moulded. An electrical plug can then be inserted into the plug receptacle 12 through an open marginal section of the second cover.

As Figs. 6 and 7 show, the folding cover 64 is approximately of quadrant shape and is fastened in a foldable manner to an approximately radially extending margin.

figs 8 and 9 show a further embodiment of a connection base which is configured as a ceiling connector 70. The ceiling connector 70, like the connection base 60, is formed with a circular periphery and a terminal block 10 coupled to the plug receptacle 12 is fastened to the ceiling connector 70 such that the plug-in opening of the plug-in guide 12 extends flush with the outer side of the ceiling connector 70.

The ceiling connector 70 can be inserted in a simple manner into a connection socket (not shown) which is fastened to the ceiling.

Only the electrical lines have to be inserted into the introduction openings 20 of the terminal block 10 beforehand, whereupon the ceiling connector 70 can be connected to the connection socket.

A — ceiling luminaire can then be hung in at a hook 72 (Fig. 9) connected to the ceiling connector 70.

Claims (13)

Patent Claims 1. Connection connector (10), which can be contacted without tools, for electrical cables (62), which connection connector comprises a housing (14) in which at least two connection contacts (16) are arranged for each at least one cable, where each — connection contact (16) can be brought to an open position by means of a rocker switch, where the connection connector (10) comprises a socket (12) for an electrical plug, where a switching device is arranged in the connection connector in the housing (14), by means of which the connection connector (10) is connected to the socket (12), which socket (12) is rectangular , — characterized by the fact that the rocker switches (28) protrude from the socket (12) at least partially laterally, so that the wall (13) of the socket (12) forms a counter wall or a guide wall for the installer's push finger. 2. Connection unit according to claim 1, characterized in that the rocker switches (28) are connected to each other as one piece. 3. A connection unit according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the rocker switches (28) are part of the housing cover (18), which can be particularly attached to the housing (14) with quick fastening. 4. Connection unit according to claim 3, characterized in that the housing cover (18) is connected to the housing (14) by means of a membrane hinge. 5. A connection unit according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that — each rocker switch (28) has a membrane hinge (30). 6. A connection unit according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the connection device comprises a sliding conductor (40) with a contact (42) and a lock (46, 48). 7. A connection joint according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that a contact opening (50) is arranged in the area of each connection contact (16), through which the electrical cable of the plug can be inserted into the connection contact (16) in order to establish an electrical connection to the wire (62) in contact with the connection contact (16), where in the connection direction (S), the axis passing through the contact opening (50) and the axis (A1, A2) along which the wire can be brought into the housing (14) run transversely to each other. 8. A connection joint according to claim 3, characterized in that the electrical wires (62) can be led into the housing along an axis (A1, A2) which is at an acute angle to the plane of the housing cover (18), which is in particular between 5* and 45* between. 9. A connector according to claim 1, characterized in that the connector and the socket (12) can be pushed inside one another. 10. Connection unit according to claim 7, characterized in that the socket (12) is placed above the contact openings (50). 11. A connection joint according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that — that the connection joint is pushed into the connection base (60, 70), which in particular comprises a flap cover (64) which is locked in the closed position. 12. Connection unit according to claim 11, characterized in that the flap cover (64) covers the rocker switches (28). 13. A connection unit according to claim 8, characterized in that the connection direction (S) of the socket (12) and the insertion direction (A1, A2) of the electric cables (62) are at an angle of approximately 90*-135*, especially 95*-125*, relative to each other. n corner.