FR2686194A1 - MULTIPLE CONNECTION TERMINAL FOR MODULAR ELECTRICAL APPARATUS. - Google Patents

Abstract

A terminal for modular electrical equipment is housed in a socket of a molded insulating box (14), and has a contact pad (18) in the form of an open frame, inserted in a cage (16) with clamping screw (30). Semi-open notches are formed in the lateral wings of the cage (16), and have rectilinear ridges for receiving a transverse bar (60).

Description

i

  MULTIPLE CONNECTION TERMINAL FOR ELECTRICAL EQUIPMENT

MODULAR.

  The invention relates to a multiple connection terminal for modular electrical equipment, said terminal being housed in a cell of a housing made of insulating material, and comprising: a cage made of conductive metallic material, formed in a closed frame of substantially section rectangular, having a bottom, two lateral wings and an upper face with a threaded hole constituting a nut, a contact pad in the form of an open frame, having a first clamping surface inserted inside the cage, and a second clamping outside the cage and extending parallel to said first surface, and an orifice formed in the second clamping surface in alignment with the threaded hole of the cage for the passage of a

clamping screw.

  This type of known terminal is described in document EP-A-59,939.

  and allows two modes of connection of electrical equipment.

  A cross bar or a thimble of a comb can be inserted under the screw head and the second clamping surface of the contact pad A power cable can also be introduced into the cage between the bottom of the latter and the first clamping surface of the pad The screwing of the screw ensures effective clamping of the cable and / or the bar in the terminal The structure of the terminal requires the bar to be mounted under the screw head, while the introduction of the cable feed in

  the cage is made in the longitudinal direction of the housing.

  Replacement of the longitudinal cable with a crossbar

power is impossible.

  The standards of certain countries, for example Switzerland, provide for this third mode of downstream connection by crossbar II

  it is then necessary to provide a second type of terminal.

  The use of two types of terminals of different structures goes to the detriment of standardization, and complicates the management of

  manufacturing and storage from the manufacturer.

  The object of the invention is to provide a universal terminal

  multiple connection, usable in all countries.

  The terminal is characterized in that:

  each side wing of the cage has a semi-notch

  open, having a straight lower edge, that the threaded hole of the cage is arranged in a projecting collar, capable of engaging in the orifice of the second clamping surface, and that the contact pad is equipped with means anchoring to immobilize said beach relative to the cage

  mobile in translation in the cell when tightening the screw.

  The third connection mode is made possible by engaging a first transverse bar in the notches of the cage, with an action of blocking the bar against the first surface.

of the contact pad.

  The penetration of the collar into the orifice of the second clamping surface improves the tightening of the second bar placed under the head of the screw, and allows the establishment and tightening of cables.

purposes inside the cage.

  According to a characteristic of the invention, the cage is provided with a positioning tab intended to cooperate with a slide of the housing to prevent any movement of rotation of the cage during its translational movement in the cell

while tightening the screw.

  The first and second parallel clamping surfaces of the contact pad are joined by a flat front part extending in front of the two lateral wings of the cage in a direction perpendicular to the edges of the two notches The width of the second surface of tightening and the front part of the contact range is greater than the spacing

  between the two side wings of the cage.

  Other advantages and features will emerge more

  clearly from the following description of a mode of

  embodiment of the invention, given by way of nonlimiting example, and shown in the accompanying drawings, in which: FIG. 1 is an elevation view of the terminal cage according to the invention. Figure 2 shows a perspective view of the cage according to the

figure 1.

  Figure 3 shows a sectional view of the complete terminal, mounted in the cell of the housing, with a connection method

by cable.

  Figure 4 is a partial cross-sectional view of the

  housing, during cage insertion.

  Figure 5 is a view identical to Figure 3 of a mode of

  cage connection by a first power bar.

  Figure 6 is a view identical to Figure 3 of a mode of

  connection by a second bar inserted under the screw head.

  FIG. 7 represents a view identical to FIG. 3, with a

mixed cable and comb mounting.

  FIG. 8 represents a view identical to FIG. 3, in the absence of a connection member, and for maximum tightening of the terminal. In the figures, a terminal 1 O for multiple connection is housed in a cell 12 of a housing 14, made of molded insulating material, containing a modular electrical appliance, in particular a circuit breaker. Terminal 10 comprises a cage 16 made of conductive metallic material, in which is inserted a fixed contact pad 18, electrically connected to a conductive part

device active.

  The cage 16 is shaped according to a closed frame of substantially rectangular section, having a bottom 20, two lateral wings 22, 24, and an upper face provided with a collar 26 projecting from a circular threaded hole 28, forming a receiving nut d a tightening screw 30 The head of the screw 30 is accessible through an upper orifice 32 of the housing 14, said

  orifice 32 being coaxial with the threaded hole 28 of the cage 16.

  The contact pad 18 is fixedly mounted in the cell 12 and has a U shape arranged in an open frame, one of the branches of which has a first clamping surface 34, passing through the interior of the cage 16 The width of the first clamping surface 34 is slightly smaller than that of the

cage 16.

  The end of the first clamping surface 34 is provided with two lateral anchoring pins 36, 38 (FIGS. 9 and 12) cooperating with the housing 14 to immobilize the lower part of the contact pad 1 8 A common front part connects the first clamping surface 34 to a second clamping surface 42 arranged on the other parallel branch of the frame, and

  comprising an orifice 44 (FIG. 11) for the passage of the screw 30.

  The end of the second clamping surface 42 is equipped with a connection tab 46 intended to be welded to the coil of the

  electromagnetic trip device (not shown).

  The front portion 40 planejde the fixed contact pad 18 extends perpendicular to the front of the two lateral wings 22, 24 of the cage 16, and comprises transverse protrusions 48.50 (FIG. 9) to improve the anchoring of the area 18 in the cell 12 The second clamping surface 42 is interposed

  between the screw head 30 and the collar 26 of the cage 16.

  Each of the two lateral wings 22,24 of the cage 16 comprises a notch 52,54 (FIG. 1 and 2) semi-open, having a straight lower edge 56,58 for the reception of a first bar 60

  cross connection (Figure 5) of the electrical appliance.

  The rear face of the cage 16 opposite the notches 52, 54 is provided with a positioning tab 62 cooperating with a slide 64 (FIG. 4) formed in a half-shell of the housing 1 4, to prevent any movement of cage rotation

16 when tightening screw 30.

  A second connection bar 66 (FIG. 6) can be inserted between the head of the screw 30 and the second clamping surface 42 of

the contact area 18.

  By replacing the two connection modes by bars 60, 66, it is also possible to connect either a cable 68 (FIG. 3),

  or a cable 68 and comb 70 assembly (Figure 7).

  The implementation of the different modes of connection of the terminal 10 is carried out in the following manner: The assembly of the terminal 1 O is effected by insertion of the contact pad 18 in the opening of the cage 16, followed of the introduction with clearance of the screw 30 in the orifice 44 of the second clamping surface 42, then of the screwing of the screw 30 in the threaded hole 28 of the collar 26 of the cage 16 The terminal 10 is positioned in the cell 12 of the insulating housing 14, such that the contact pad 18 is immobilized with respect to the movable cage 16 by virtue of the locking action of the two anchoring lugs 36, 38, and the protrusions 48, 50 cooperating by

  attachment to the plastic of the housing 14.

  When tightening the screw 30, the contact pad 18 always remains fixed, and the cage 16 moves in the alv'ole 12 according to a

  upward movement of translation.

  The rotation of the cage 16 is avoided during the translational movement by sliding the positioning tab

  62 in the slide 64 of the housing 14 (Figure 4).

  Referring to Figure 3, a cable 68 is introduced into the opening of the cage 16 in a direction perpendicular to the screw 30, being inserted between the bottom 20 of the cage 16 and the bottom wall of the first clamping surface 34 of the contact pad 18 The screwing of the screw 30 secures the cable 68 in the cage 16 by the clamping action of the bottom 20 against the first surface 34 of the contact pad 18 The screw head 30 takes directly supported on the second clamping surface 42

of the contact pad 18.

  In FIG. 5, the first connection bar 60 is housed transversely in the aligned notches 52, 54 of the cage 16, coming into contact with the two lower linear edges 56, 58. The first terminal 60 is blocked by the cage 16

  against the first clamping surface 34.

  In FIG. 6, the second transverse connection bar 66 is located at an upper level, being interposed between the screw head 30 ,, and the upper wall of the second clamping surface 42 The bottom 20 of the cage 16 comes in stop against

  first clamping surface 34 of the fixed area 18.

  In FIG. 7, the cable connection 68 is similar to that in FIG. 3, with the addition of a tooth of a comb 70

  between the cable 68 and the first clamping surface 42.

  Figure 8 shows the maximum tightening of terminal 10 in the absence

connection devices.

  The penetration of the collar 26 into the orifice 44 improves the tightening of the second bar 66 (FIG. 6) and allows the establishment and

  tightening of fine cables during maximum tightening of screw 30.

Claims (4)

  1 Multiple connection terminal for modular electrical equipment, said terminal being housed in a cell (12) of a housing (14) made of insulating material, and comprising: a cage (16) made of conductive metallic material, shaped in a closed frame of substantially rectangular section, having a bottom (20), two lateral wings (22,24) and an upper face with a threaded hole (28) constituting a nut, a contact pad (18) in the form of an open frame, having a first clamping surface (34) inserted inside the cage (1 6), and a second clamping surface (42) outside the cage (1 6) and extending parallel to said first surface (34),   and an orifice (44) formed in the second clamping surface (42) in alignment with the threaded hole (28) of the cage (16) for the passage of a clamping screw (30), characterized in that: each side wing (22,24) of the cage (16) has a notch (52,54) semi-open, having a straight edge (56,58) lower than the hole (28) threads of the cage (16) is arranged in a collar (26) projecting capable of engaging in the orifice (44) of the second clamping surface (42), and that the contact pad (18) is equipped with anchoring means (36 , 38,48,50) to immobilize said range relative to the cage (1 6) movable in translation in the cell (12) during tightening of the screw (30).   2 connection terminal according to claim 1, characterized in that the anchoring means (36, 38, 48, 50) of the fixed contact pad (18) become embedded in the plastic of the housing (14), and that the cage (16) is provided with a positioning tab (62) intended to cooperate with a slide (64) of the housing (14) to prevent any movement of rotation of the cage (1 6) during its displacement in translation in the socket   (12) while tightening the screw (30).   3 connection terminal according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the first and second clamping surfaces (34,42) parallel to the contact pad (18) are joined by a front end (40) plane extending to the front of the two lateral wings (22,24) of the cage (16) in a direction perpendicular to the edges (56,58) of the two notches (52.54).   4 connection terminal according to claim 3, characterized in that the width of the second clamping surface (42) and the front part (40) of the contact pad (1 8) is greater than the spacing between the two side wings (22,24) of the cage (16).   Connection terminal according to claim 3 or 4, characterized in that the means for anchoring the contact pad (18) comprise lugs (36, 38) arranged at the end of the first clamping surface (34), and protuberances   (48.50) transverse on the front part (40).