FR2606221A1 - BLOCK MULTIPRISES - Google Patents

Abstract

This concerns a multi-terminal block each of whose sockets comprises at least two cavities, for example (11A), the said cavities each being formed by at least one elastically deformable tab (17) which, made all in one piece from a metal strip (18A) common with the cavities of the same polarity, forms, locally, for cooperation with a pin, a funnel (22) with, opposite the latter, a bearing part suitable for supporting such a pin. According to the invention, the bearing part thus associated with such an elastically deformable tab (17) is formed by a flange (23) which, whilst being separate from this elastically deformable tab (17), is itself all of one piece with the metal strip (18A) from which it is itself made. Application to multi-terminal blocks.

Description

The present invention relates generally to

  the multi-socket blocks, that is to say the blocks comprising, side by side, in practice at the bottom each of a housing, at least two socket bases, each of which comprises itself, for the engagement of pins of a plug

  current, at least two cells.

  It relates more particularly, but not necessarily exclusively, to the case where a number of socket-outlets greater than two is provided, these socket-outlets are aligned, and / or the case where, in addition to at least two cells, these socket-outlets each have a grounding element, whether it is a pin or whether it is lateral contacts. One of the problems to be solved in the realization of power strips of this type is to ensure at the lowest price the service of the various cells, and possibly

  various grounding elements, which they include.

  With regard to the cells, it is necessary, moreover, that such a cell has radially a certain capacity of elastic deformation, so that a good electrical contact is in all certainty established between him

and the pin that is engaged.

  To do this, it has already been proposed that such a cell is formed of at least one elastically deformable tongue presenting, at least locally, for cooperation

  with a spindle, a chute conformation.

  In practice, such an elastically deformable tongue can advantageously and economically come from a single piece of a suitably cut and folded metal strip, and this metal strip can itself be advantageously and economically common to all

cells of the same polarity.

  But, on the side of a cell opposed to the chute that forms for a pin the elastically deformable tongue that includes such a cell, it remains to ensure a

  suitable support for such a brooch.

  In practice, it is, to date, either a support

floating, a rigid support.

  In the case of a floating support, each cell is formed of two elastically deformable tongues, which, arranged for example symmetrically with respect to each other, each have, locally, facing one of

  the other, a chute configuration.

  One of the advantages of such an arrangement is to improve the current flow conditions between a cell and the pin which is engaged therein, by increasing the contact surfaces between these two elements, this contact is

  then doing on two opposite sides of the spindle.

  But, it has the disadvantage of leading to an important development for the cell, so that when the two elastically deformable tongues that then comprises such a cell come from the same strip of metal, this metal strip must have a width relatively important and is subject to significant falls when

  its cutting, to the detriment of the cost price of the whole.

  In practice, given the width then necessary for such a metal strip, it is most often implemented a separate strip for the

  formation of alveoli of the same polarity.

  When the support of a pin in a cell is rigid, this support is currently most often provided directly by the body of insulating material in which

intervenes such a cell.

  This provision has the advantage of leading to a relatively moderate developed for the cell, since it then reduces to a single elastically deformable tongue, but, if accepted in some countries, it is not the same in others, the contact between such a cell and a pin being then only one

side of it.

  The present invention generally relates to an arrangement for maintaining a relatively moderate development for a cell while ensuring its

  contact with a pin on two opposite sides thereof.

  More specifically, it relates to a power strip of the kind comprising, side by side, at least two socket outlets each of which comprises itself, for the engagement of the pins of a plug socket, at least two cells, said cells being each formed of at least one elastically deformable tongue, which, coming from a single piece of a metal strip common to the cells of the same polarity, is, at least locally, for cooperation with a spindle, shaped chute, with, facing the trough that it forms, a proper support to counterbust such a pin, the multi-socket block being generally characterized in that the support thus associated with the elastically deformable tongue of an alveolus is formed by a flange which is also integral with the metal strip of which it is

itself issue.

  In other words, instead of a second elastically deformable tongue, it is provided, according to the invention, facing the elastically deformable tongue that comprises a cell, a simple flange, this flange can itself, if desired, to be countered by the insulating body at

within which the set is disposed.

  Thus, an advantageous compromise is made between the requirement of a double contact of such a cell with the pin engaged thereon, on two opposite sides of this

  pin, and that of a minimal developed for the cell.

  With this minimal development, the two metal strips corresponding respectively to the two cells of the various socket bases can advantageously, according to the invention, be from the same strip. Moreover, when between these two metal strips extends a third metal strip to which a grounding element is connected for each of these socket-outlets, this third metal strip can itself, according to the invention, be advantageously

  the same strap as the two previous ones.

  In addition to the advantageous minimization of the falls resulting from such an arrangement, it is advantageously and economically possible, starting from the same strip for the whole, to simultaneously ensure the cutting of this strip necessary for the formation of the two or three strips of concerned, using for example a step-by-step tool, and this strip itself advantageously and economically has a minimum width, to the benefit of the price of

comes back from the set.

  According to a development of the invention, when each of the socket-outlets comprising a grounding element, it is implemented a third metal strip, this third metal strip is adapted to receive indifferently, as element grounding,

  either a pin or side contacts.

  It is from this point of view advantageously versatile, to the benefit of a standardization that is

  also favorable to the cost price of the whole.

  The characteristics and advantages of the invention

  will emerge from the description which follows,

  By way of example, with reference to the appended diagrammatic drawings in which: FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a multi-socket unit according to the invention; Figure 2 is a larger scale, a partial plan view along the arrow II of Figure 1; FIG. 3 is, in correspondence with FIG. 2, a plan view of the cells that comprise this multi-socket block and the metal strips from which these cells are derived, with, between these metal strips, a strip of metal corresponding to the elements of grounding associated with them; FIG. 4, which shows, on a larger scale, the detail of FIG. 3 indicated by an inset IV in this FIG. 3, is a plan view of only one of the cells of the multi-socket unit according to the invention, shown in isolation; Figure 5 is a cross-sectional view of this cell, along the line V-V of Figure 4; Figure 6 is a perspective view; FIGS. 7, 8 are, on a larger scale, transverse sectional views, respectively along the lines VII-VII and VIIIVIII of FIG. 3, of the metal strip corresponding to the grounding elements, FIG. 8 illustrating a particular embodiment of such an element grounding; Figure 9 is, in correspondence with Figure 3, a plan view illustrating the developed of the various cells concerned; Fig. 10 is a cross-sectional view similar to that of Fig. 8 and illustrating another embodiment for the corresponding grounding element. In a general manner, and as illustrated by FIGS. 1 and 2, the multi-socket unit according to the invention comprises, side by side, at least two socket-outlets 10 each of which itself comprises, for the pin engagement of a socket plug not shown,

  at least two cells 11A, 11B of distinct polarity.

  In practice, in the embodiment shown, three socket bases 10 are thus provided, these socket bases 10 are aligned with each other, and each forms the bottom of a housing 12 that for this purpose has a hollow housing 13

common to all.

  The own constitution of such a housing 13 not falling under the present invention, it will not be

described here.

  It will simply be indicated that, to allow access to each of the cells 11A, 11B, this housing 13 has, at

  bottom of the corresponding housing 12, a well 14A, 14B.

  In the embodiment shown, only two cells 11A, 11B are provided for each of the socket-outlets 10, being arranged diagonally with each other with respect to the general alignment direction of the assembly. and associated with each of these socket-outlets 10 is a grounding element. In the embodiment shown in Figures 1 to 8, it is a pin 16 which protrudes from the bottom of the corresponding housing 12, in a right triangle arrangement with respect to the cells

11A, 11B associated.

  In a manner known per se, the two cells 11A, 11B of each of the socket bases 10 are each formed of at least one elastically deformable tongue 17, and this is derived from a single piece of a strip of metal 18A, 18B common to the cells 11A, 11B of the same polarity for all the socket-outlets 10, the strip 18A

  for the cells 11A and the band 18B for the cells 11B.

  The cells 11B and the metal strip 18B from which they come from cutting and folding techniques relatively similar to those to which the cells 11A and the corresponding metal strip 18A fall, only will be described in detail below one of these alveoli 11A and this

18A metal strip.

  In a manner known per se, and as is best seen in Figures 4 to 6, the elastically deformable tongue 17 belonging to such a cell 11A is, at least locally, for cooperation with a pin not

  shown, shaped as a chute.

  In practice, in the embodiment shown, this elastically deformable tongue 17 comprises, connected to one another U, two strands, namely a strand 20, which is substantially rectilinear, and by which, according to provisions taken in more detail below, it is connected to the metal strip 18A, being carried cantilevered by it, and a strand 21, which has an S configuration, and whose free end forms , precisely, under the reference 22, the chute previously mentioned. Overall, the elastically deformable tongue 17 belongs to a cylindrical surface of generatrices perpendicular to the metal strip 18A from which it is derived, and, to facilitate the introduction of a pin into the cell 11A to which it belongs, the chute 22 qu 'it forms is flared at its opposite end to said strip of

metal 18A.

  In a manner known per se, facing the chute 22 that thus forms the elastically deformable tongue 17 of a cell 11A, there is provided a proper support to counter a spindle when such a pin is engaged in such a cell. According to the invention, this support is formed by a flange 23 which is also integral with the metal strip 18A whose elastically deformable tongue 17

is itself an issue.

  In the embodiment shown, this flange

23 is flat.

  Whatever the case, this flange 23 is in practice generally square with the metal strip 18A from which it is derived, and therefore extends substantially parallel to the generatrices of the cylindrical surface to which the elastically deformable tongue 17 belongs. to which he is associated. In practice, also, this flange 23 is connected to the metal strip 18A by the edges of the latter which is the closest to the elastically deformable tongue

17 with which he is associated.

  Relative to the whole, this edge is the most

outside.

  In other words, while the concavity of the trough 22 formed by the elastically deformable tongue 17 of a cell 11A is turned towards the median longitudinal plane of the assembly, embodied for example by the median longitudinal plane of the housing 13, the edge the metal strip 18A from which the flange 23 associated with this elastically deformable tongue 17 is formed is the turned edge

  on the opposite side to this median longitudinal plane.

  In practice, the elastically deformable tongue 17 is derived from a portion 25 of the metal strip 18A which is parallel, when developed flat, Figure 9, the flange 23 corresponding. At the right of this flange 23, the elastically deformable tongue 17 has, on the side of the metal strip 18A, the root of the strand 20 by which it is connected thereto, a recess 26 proper to a relative nesting of said flange 23 and said elastically deformable tongue 17 when, as shown in FIG. 9, the assembly is

developed flat.

  In the embodiment shown, and for the same purpose of facilitating the introduction of a spindle as the flare that has at its corresponding end the chute 22 that forms the elastically deformable tongue 17 of a cell 11A, the free edge the flange 23 associated with this elastically deformable tongue 17 has, at least locally, for example by punching, a chamfer 27. In practice, in the embodiment shown, the metal strip 18A from which are derived such an elastically deformable tongue 17 and such a flange 23 has, locally, at the root of this flange 23, a trapezoidal contour 28, said flange 23 connecting to said strip 18A by the small base of this trapezium while the portion 25 of said metal strip 18A to which is connected to said elastically deformable tongue 17 is,

  it, issued from one side of said trapeze.

  In practice, also, for the external flange 23,

  the trapezoidal contour 28 is truncated.

  In practice, finally, at the root of the elastically deformable tongue 17, the metal strip 18A forms, laterally, on the side of said elastically deformable tongue 17 opposite to the flange 23 which is associated with it, and alternately, longitudinally, with the contour in trapeze

28 correspondent, one ear 30.

  When, in FIG. 9, the assembly is developed flat, the free edge of this ear 30 is in alignment with

  that of the elastically deformable tongue 17.

  The preceding arrangements are repeated successively along the metal strip 18A, following the

  no socket outlets 10.

  Thus, this metal strip 18A has, in the

  shown embodiment, three ears 30.

  But, only one of them is active, that located at its end, and it is implemented to ensure its connection, as schematized in broken lines in Figure 3, to one, 31A, drivers of the 32 cable ensuring

the service of the whole.

  As indicated above, and apart from minor local differences in cutting, which need not be detailed here, the cells 11B and the metal strip 18B to which they correspond have a constitution of the same type as that of the cells. 11A and the previous metal strip 18A. Next, therefore, arrangements generally similar to the previous ones, each of these cells 11B is formed of an elastically deformable tongue 17 and a flange 23, one and the other coming from a single piece of the tape. 18B metal, it has, locally, at the root of such a flange 23, a trapezoidal contour 28, alternately with an ear 30, and these arrangements are repeated successively according to the step of the socket bases

current.

  As previously, also, only one of the ears 30 thus comprises this metal strip 18B is active, for its connection to another, 31B,

cable conductors 32.

  In practice, from one metal strip 18A, 18B to the other, the flanges 23 are back to back, while the concavities of the troughs 22 that form the elastically deformable tongues 17 with which they are associated are, they

turned towards each other.

  But, jointly, and for reasons which will appear hereinafter, the trapezoidal contours 28 which these metal strips 18A, 18B present are offset longitudinally with respect to each other by one of these metal strips 18A, 18B to 'other. In practice, between the two metal strips 18A, 18B thus corresponding respectively to the cells 11A, 11B of the various plug bases 10 extends a third metal strip 18C to which is connected, in a step similar to the previous one, the grounding element, in this case the pin 16, associated with the cells 11A, 11B of

these socket outlets 10.

  This metal strip 18C, which extends in practice in broken line, being nested in one and the other of the metal strips 18A, 18B, therefore comprises, from place to place, according to the pitch of the socket bases 10, for the support pins 16, soles 34, one by

  pin 16, and therefore of one socket outlet 10.

  In the embodiment shown, each of these soles generally has a triangular outline, it is connected by two opposite angles to the current portion of the corresponding metal strip 18C, which it forms a local enlargement, and its opposite angle to the previous one is

shot by a chamfer.

  In practice, all the soles 34 that the metal strip 18C thus presents are laterally directed on the same side thereof, and in this case, on the side of the strip.

  metal 18B corresponding to the cells 11B.

  Each of these flanges 34 comprises, systematically, substantially at the vertex of a triangle homothetic to that of its contour, a hexagonal hole 35, a circular hole 36, of smaller amplitude than the preceding one, and, obliquely, substantially at 45.degree. relative to the median general plane of the assembly, a boss 37 came, in practice, a simple puncture of the metal strip 18C concerned. As illustrated in FIG. 8, the hexagonal hole 35 is suitable for setting up a pin 16, simply by

riveting the base of it.

  As a variant, FIG. 10, it may be substituted for such a pin 16 of the lateral contacts 16 'adapted to protrude into the corresponding housing 12 of the housing 13, the

  along two opposite generatrices of such a housing 12.

  In such a case, these lateral contacts 16 'form the wings of the same U-shaped part 39, and, for fixing it, which is made for example by a rivet 40, it is the circular hole 36 of the sole 34 concerned which is then used. Together, and as it is easy to understand, the boss 37 of such a sole 34 advantageously provides a locking in rotation of such a piece 39

around his rivet 40.

  Thus, by presenting systematically, pending, for each socket base 10, two separate holes 35, 36, which are in practice of different contour and different grip, the metal strip 18C is advantageously

versatile.

  In any case, the metal strip 18C also comprises, from place to place, at the same pitch as before, ears 42, which each form a local enlargement, and only one, the one at its end, is active, for its connection to a third driver,

31C, of the cable 32.

  In practice, the metal strips 18A, 18B corresponding to the cells 11A, 11B are each respectively disposed on either side of the metal strip 18C corresponding to the pins 16 or the side contacts 16 ', they are each interleaved by their contours in trapeze

  28 respective with this 18C metal strip.

  In other words, they are each nested with a

  neighboring metal band, which is here the 18C metal strip.

  As it is easy to understand, this nesting is facilitated by the longitudinal shift from one to the other their

trapezoidal contours 28.

  Anyway, it follows from this nesting that, as shown schematically in broken lines in FIG. 9, the two metal strips 18A, 18B, with their tongues 17, their flanges 23 and their lateral lugs 30, can advantageously according to the invention, from the same strip 43, with the metal strip 18C, which also comes from this strip 43, and that this strip 43 only transversely has a width

relatively small.

  FIG. 9, which corresponds to a flat developed of the elastically deformable tongues 17 and flanges 23,

  illustrates the cut-out to be applied to such a strip 43.

  Of course, the relative imbrication between the various metal strips 18A, 18B, 18C thus used allows the space necessary for their isolation to remain between them, and, according to provisions, which are customary in this respect, and not covered by the present invention, will not be described here, these metal strips 18A, 18B, 18C are each suitably secured to the housing 13, being for example taken between two constituent shells

of it.

  Of course, also, the present invention is not limited to the embodiment described and shown,

  but encompasses any variant of execution.

  In particular, the number of socket outlets used, which is at least two, is in

indifferent practice.

  Similarly, each of these pedestals could have a number of cells greater than two and / or not include

grounding element.

  In this case, the relative imbrication of the metal strips corresponding to these cells is directly from

one to the other of these.

  In addition, if, in the embodiment shown, the flange providing according to the invention a rigid support to a pin is generally flat, it is obvious that one would not depart from the scope of the present invention by giving it a other configuration and, for example,

  the conformant also more or less chute.

Claims (16)

  1. Power strip, of the kind comprising, side by side, at least two socket-outlets (10), each of which has itself, for the engagement of the pins of a plug socket, at least two cells (11A, 11B), said cells (11A, 11B) being each formed of at least one elastically deformable tongue (17), which, coming from a single piece of a metal strip (18A, 18B) common to the cells of the same polarity, is, at least locally, for cooperation with a spindle, shaped as a chute, with, opposite the chute (22) which it forms, a support adapted to counterbolt such a spindle, characterized in that support thus associated with the elastically deformable tongue (17) of a cavity (11A, 11B) is formed by a flange (23), which is also integral with the   metal strip (18A, 18B) from which it itself originates.   2. power strip according to claim 1, characterized in that said flange (23) is square with   the metal strip (18A, 18B) from which it is derived.   3. Power strip according to any one of   Claims 1, 2, characterized in that said flange   (23) is connected to the metal strip (18A, 18B) from which it comes from the edges of said metal strip (18A, 18B) which is the closest to the tongue elastically   deformable (17) with which it is associated.   4. power strip according to claim 3, characterized in that the elastically deformable tongue (17) is derived from a portion (25) of the metal strip (18A, 18B) which is parallel, when developed flat , the flange (23) corresponding.   5. Power strip according to any one of   claims 3, 4, characterized in that, in the right of   flange (23) associated with it, the elastically deformable tongue (17) has, on the side of the metal strip (18A, 18B) from which it comes, a recess (26) suitable for a relative nesting of said flange and said tongue elastically deformable when the assembly is developed flat. 6. Power strip according to any one of   Claims 1 to 5, characterized in that the   metal (18A, 18B) from which the elastically deformable tongue (17) and the flange (23) associated therewith locally has a trapezoidal contour (28), possibly truncated, to the small base of which connects said flange ( 23) while said resiliently deformable tongue (17) connects to a portion (25) of said metal strip from one side of said trapezoid, and whereby said metal strip (18A, 18B) is nested with a neighboring metal band.   7. Power strip according to any one of   Claims 1 & 6, characterized in that at the root of   the elastically deformable tongue (17) of a cavity (11A, 11B), the metal strip (18A, 18B) from which it is formed forms, laterally, on the side of said elastically deformable tongue (17) opposite to the flange ( 23) who is associated, an ear (30).   8. Power strip according to any one of   Claims 1 to 7, characterized in that the free edge of the   flange (23) associated with the elastically deformable tongue (17) of a cavity (11A, 11B) has, at least locally, a chamfer (27).   9. Power strip according to any one of   Claims 1 to 8, characterized in that the two bands   of metal (18A, 18B) corresponding respectively to the two cells (11A, 11B) are from the same strip (43). 10. Power strip according to any one of   Claims 1 to 9, characterized in that between the two   metal strips (18A, 18B) corresponding respectively to the two cells (11A, 11B), extends a third metal strip (18C) to which is connected an earthing element (16, 16 ') associated with said cells (11A, 11B).   11. Power strip according to claim 10, characterized in that said third metal strip (18C) extends in broken line, being nested in one and the other of the two others.   12. Power strip according to any one of   claims 10, 11, characterized in that said   Third metal strip (18C) also forms locally, for   each socket base (10) an ear (42).   13. Power strip according to any one of   Claims 10 to 12, characterized in that   third strip of metal (18C) is adapted to receive indifferently, as an element of grounding, a   pin (16) or side contacts (16 ').   Power strip according to Claim 13, characterized in that, for each socket base (10), said third metal strip (18C) has two holes (35, 36) separate.   15. Power strip according to any one of   13, 14, characterized in that for each   socket base (10), said third strip of   metal (18C) has a boss (37).   16. Power strip according to any one of   Claims 10 to 15, characterized in that   third metal strip (18C) is from the same strip (43) than the other two.