FR2754641A1 - DISTRIBUTOR - Google Patents

Abstract

This is a distributor comprising two flanges (11), and, from one to the other of these, at least one connection strip (12), which is engaged by latching means (13) with the flanges (11) at its ends. According to the invention, at at least one of the ends of the connection strip (12), the latching means (13) intervene transversely with respect to this connection strip flanges (12), and, therefore, parallel to the flanges (11), and, taken in isolation, the connection strip (12) forms a terminal block.

Description

"Dispatcher" The present invention relates generally to

  splitters of the kind comprising two flanges, of insulating material, which, spaced apart from one another, extend substantially parallel to each other, and at least one connecting strip, which extends longitudinally from one to the other of these two flanges being engaged by snap-fastening means with these at its ends, this connection strip itself comprising a connection strip, of metal, which forms longitudinally, from place to place,

several connection terminals.

  One of these connection terminals is an arrival terminal, and the others are starting terminals, but all

are at the same potential.

  A distributor of this type is for example described in the French patent which, filed September 28, 1990 under

  No. 9012265, has been published as No. 2,667,455.

  In this French patent, the latching means by which the connection strip is engaged with the two flanges intervene longitudinally with respect to this connection strip, and, therefore, perpendicular to the flanges, these bearing in practice protruding to this effect of the gutter-shaped end pieces, through which they can be engaged on the connection strip, according to the length

of it.

  The assembly of the assembly therefore implies that, first removed from the terminal strip, the two flanges are brought closer to each other, to clamp between them

connection strip.

  If, as is the general case, several terminal strips are provided, parallel to each other, at a distance from one another, between the two flanges, the assembly must simultaneously bear on all the bars. of

  connection, and it is, therefore, relatively difficult.

  This is why, in practice, this assembly is done in the factory, and, predetermined during it, the number of strips of connection that includes the distributor remains fixed thereafter and the nature of these terminal strips remains

itself immutable.

  In other words, the capacity of a splitter thus produced is in practice fixed once and for all. Therefore, to satisfy the demand, which is highly variable depending on the number of connections to be made, it is necessary for the manufacturer to provide the interested parties with a range of capacity splitters.

  different, to the detriment of costs.

  In French Patent No. 90 12265, the connection strips are each further reduced to the connection strip which they comprise, and this latter, which is capable of

  to be under tension, is naked, to the detriment of security.

  It is therefore normally necessary, and this is the case in this French patent, to have around the distributor, on at least a part of the periphery thereof, an envelope in

insulating material.

  In addition to intervening on a connection strip, it is necessary to disassemble all or part of this envelope of insulating material, it does not

  nor does it fail to raise the costs.

  However, it has been proposed, to minimize this last drawback, to associate, at the connection strip of each of the connection strips, an individual protection body, made of insulating material, which transversely surrounds, on at least a part, of its periphery, this connection strip,

  by constituting, with it, the connection strip concerned.

  In practice, this connecting body is reduced to a simple insulating partition, which runs longitudinally over substantially the entire length of the connection strip, and through which intervene the latching means ensuring the attachment of the assembly on the flasks. This provision is satisfactory, to the extent, at least, o the protective body thus implemented effectively protects the users with respect to any direct contact with the connecting strip on the part of the latter in relation to which it extends, and to the extent, also, o, together, it advantageously minimizes the consequences of a possible short circuit in the case of faulty wiring of this connection strip. But, as before, the capacity of the dispatcher

remains in intangible practice.

  The present invention generally relates to a provision allowing modulation of this

  capacity if desired and further leading to other benefits.

  More specifically, it relates to a splitter of the type comprising two flanges, of insulating material, which, arranged at a distance from one another, extend substantially parallel to each other, and at least a connection strip, which extends longitudinally from one to the other of these two flanges being engaged by latching means with them at its ends, this connection strip comprising a connecting strip, of metal, which forms, longitudinally, from place to place, by itself, several connection terminals, this distributor being generally characterized in that, according to a first aspect of the invention, the latching means, at least one of the ends of the connection strip, intervene transversely with respect to this connection strip, and

  therefore, parallel to the two flanges.

  Thus, it is advantageously possible to proceed with the laying, or removal, of a connection strip without spreading the two flanges, and therefore without any

dismantling of the whole.

  The user can therefore adjust by himself, easily, and at will, the capacity of the splitter available to him, by involving in a modular manner between the two flanges the number of connection strips he wants. Instead of a whole range of splitters of different capacities, it is therefore sufficient for the manufacturer to make available to the interested parties, on the one hand, flanges, and, on the other hand, connection strips, chargeable for each

  to assemble the appropriate splitter.

  Although, in this first aspect, the arrangement of the invention is equally suitable for connection strips which are reduced to a bare connection strip, it is particularly suitable in the case where this strip of

  connection, is associated an individual protection body.

  According to a development of the invention, this protective body then advantageously forms an envelope all around the connection strip, both with regard to the longitudinal faces of this connection strip as well as

  which concerns its transverse end faces.

  Each of the connection strips, taken separately, then forms by itself, advantageously, what is

usually called a terminal block.

  Thus, according to this second aspect, the distributor according to the invention is further characterized in that the

  The terminal strips it contains are formed of terminal blocks.

  Duly insulated on all their faces, these connection strips advantageously offer, by themselves, total security without the need to provide for

  any insulating envelope around the splitter.

  Moreover, they are advantageously capable of being marketed separately, and, moreover, of being

  used in isolation in the manner of terminal blocks of the usual type.

  This may result, for the manufacturer, in an advantageous standardization of the fabrications, and an advantageous decrease in the number of the references, to the benefit

  a reduction in overall costs.

  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 tundish according to the invention; FIG. 2 is, deduced from that of FIG. 1, an exploded perspective view of the two flanges included in this splitter and of two of the connection strips that can be established from one to the other of them; Figure 3 is a larger scale, an elevational view of one of these flanges, along the arrow III of Figure 2; Figure 4 is a larger scale, a partial cross-sectional view of the flange, along the line IV-IV of Figure 3; Figure 5 is, on the scale of Figure 3, another partial view in cross section along the line V-V of Figure 4; FIG. 6 is, deduced from that of FIG. 2, but on a larger scale than that of the latter, a perspective view of one of the connection strips; FIG. 7 is, on the scale of FIG. 6, an exploded perspective view of this connection strip; Figure 8 is a larger scale, a partial elevational view of the base of the protective body that comprises the connecting strip, seen separately, along the arrow VIII of Figure 7; Figure 9 is a partial cross-sectional view of this base, along the line IX-IX of Figure 8; Figure 10 is another partial cross-sectional view along the line X-X of Figure 8; FIG. 11 is a partial view in cross section which, similar to that of FIG.

to an alternative embodiment.

  As illustrated in these figures, and in a manner known per se, the distributor 10 according to the invention comprises two flanges 11, made of insulating material, which, arranged at a distance from one another, extend substantially parallel to one another. one to the other, and at least one connecting strip 12, which extends longitudinally from one to the other of these two flanges 11,

  by being engaged by latching means 13 with those

  ci, at its ends, and will be described in more detail later. According to the invention, at least one of the ends of the connecting strip 12, and preferably at one and the other of these ends, as shown, the latching means 13 intervene transversely relative to each other. to this connection strip 12, and therefore parallel to the

two flasks 11.

  In the embodiments shown, and as is best seen in FIGS. 4 and 11, these latching means 13 comprise, substantially parallel to one another, at a distance from one another, on the flange 11

  concerned, a stop shoulder 14 and a retaining catch 15.

  The stop shoulder 14 is formed in practice by a wafer 16, which protrudes from the inner surface of the flange 11 concerned, perpendicularly to this flange 11, preferably being in one piece with it, as represented , and, in the embodiments shown, this stop shoulder 14 is flanked by two holding ribs 17, which extend substantially perpendicular to it, and which, too, project on the inner surface of the flange 11, perpendicularly to the flange 11, preferably being in one piece with it. In the embodiments shown, the inner surface 18 of the retaining ribs 17 extends slightly obliquely with respect to a plane normal to the flange 11, and from one of the retaining ribs 17 to the other, the internal surfaces 18 converge towards each other as

  as they move away from the flange 11.

  In the embodiments shown, the retaining ribs 17 each have a return to each other in a direction at least one part of their height.

at right angles 19.

  For example, and as shown, this angled return 19 extends over the entire height of the retaining ribs 17 from the stop shoulder 14, along the

  free edge of these retaining ribs 17.

  From one to the other of the holding ribs 17, the angled returns 19 form, overall, between them, a

slot 20.

  In view of this slot 20, the retaining ribs 17 form, generally with their angled returns 19 and the flange 11, a T-shaped groove 21 which, at its end opposite the retaining catch 15, is closed transversely by

  the plate 16 forming the stop shoulder 14.

  In another aspect, but apart from the slot 20, the retaining ribs 17 form, generally with their angled returns 19, the flange 11 and the plate 16 forming the stop shoulder 14, a pocket 22. As a corollary, in the embodiments shown, the retaining catch 15 is carried by an elastically deformable tab 24, which, like the holding ribs 17, also extends substantially perpendicularly to the stop shoulder 14, and he is

  preceded by an oblique chamfer of engagement 25.

  In the embodiment more particularly shown in FIG. 4, the elastically deformable tab 24 carrying the retaining catch 15 extends on the same side as

  the stop shoulder 14 with respect to this retaining catch 15.

  More specifically, in this embodiment, this elastically deformable tab 24 extends from

the stop shoulder 14.

  It also extends substantially in the plane of the flange 11 concerned, being delimited in it by a

  ajour 26 in the general shape of U reversed.

  Preferably, and as shown, the elastically deformable tab 24 carrying the retaining notch 15 extends halfway from the corresponding retaining ribs 17. In the embodiments shown, there is provided, between the two flanges 11, at least one pair of connection strips 12, and, in practice, several pairs

of these.

  For example, and as shown, two pairs of

  connection strips 12 are provided.

  Of course, the various connection strips 12

  thus implemented have the same length.

  The two flanges 11 therefore each comprise, in correspondence with each other, as many latching means 13, pocket 22 and elastically deformable tab

  24, that there are connection strips 12.

  In the embodiments shown, the two flanges 11 thus comprise, each projecting on their inner surface, four pockets 22, and each associated respectively in their plane to these, as many legs

elastically deformable 24.

  Moreover, in these embodiments, the connecting strips 12 of the same pair extend to the same level, and when, as in this case, more than one pair of connection strips 12 is provided, they extend by

  pairs following distinct levels N1, N2 ... etc ...

  As schematized in broken lines in FIG. 2, it is therefore generally the same, on the flanges 11, for the latching means 13, pocket 22 and tab

  elastically deformable 24, corresponding.

  As a corollary, and according to the invention, these latching means 13 intervene along directions

  D engagement parallel to each other.

  In other words, the holding ribs 17 of all the pockets 22 are parallel to each other, and it is the same

  for the corresponding elastically deformable legs 24.

  Preferably, when, as in the present case, more than one pair of connection strips 12 is provided, being staggered in pairs in several levels Ni, N2, etc., these connection strips 12 are transversely offset. the ones compared to the others of a level Ni, N2 ... etc ... to the other. It is the same for the latching means

  13 correspondents on the flanges 11.

  Thus, in the embodiment shown, the latching means 13 of the lower N2 level are shifted transversely inwards relative to the means

  latching mechanism 13 of the upper Ni level.

  Overall, the various connection strips 12 implemented are arranged symmetrically with respect to each other on either side of a plane of symmetry which, perpendicular to the flanges 11, is common to all of these

terminal strips 12.

  So it is also the same for the means

  latching 13 corresponding on the flanges 11.

  In the embodiments shown, the connecting strips 12 are all identical to each other, and it is the same for the pockets 22 and the elastically deformable tabs 24 forming the snap-fastening means.

  13 correspondents on the flanges 11.

  In practice, in these embodiments, the two flanges 11 are themselves symmetrical to one another with respect to a plane of symmetry perpendicular to the bars of

connection 12.

  For example, and as shown, they have a generally rectangular outline, with long sides perpendicular to the engagement directions D of the terminal strips 12 and small sides parallel to these engagement directions D, and, for their reinforcement, they comprise, peripherally, projecting on their external surface, and

  perpendicular thereto, a flange 28.

  Along that of the long sides of their contour which is disposed on the opposite side to the stop shoulders 14 with respect to the retaining notches 15, the flanges 11 are equipped with means capable of allowing them to be brought on a

any support.

  In particular, to be able to be reported on a rail 30, with a hat profile, of the type shown diagrammatically in dashed lines in FIG. 1, they comprise, in recess, but at the same level, in favor of indentations 31 of their large side concerned, grooves 32, whose concavities are turned towards one another, and one of which, at least, is carried by a wall 33, defining an aperture 34, is elastically deformable. To be reported on a rail with unequal wings, not shown, the flanges 11 also comprise, in cooperation with the same groove 32, in the embodiments shown, a hook 35 formed in favor of a notch 36 of the of their little sides who

is immediately adjacent.

  Finally, to be reported, by screwing, on any plate, they comprise, projecting on their inner surface, in the central zone of their long side, a tab 37, which extends generally at right angles, and which is

perforated by a piercing 38.

  As will be noted, that of the pockets 22 which is

  right of the opening 34 is slightly truncated by it.

  The terminal strips 12 are all identical to each other, only one of them will now be described in

what follows.

  In a manner known per se, and as best seen in FIG. 7, this connection strip 12 comprises a connection strip 39 made of metal, and for example of brass, whose cross section is generally quadrangular, and for example, rectangular, and which forms, longitudinally, from place to place, by itself, terminals

connection 40.

  To do this, this connecting strip 39 is traversed, from one side to the other, from one to the other of two parallel longitudinal faces 41, by holes 42, one by terminal connection 40, and these holes 42 are each individually intersected by tapped holes 43, which open on one of the longitudinal faces 44 intermediate between the longitudinal faces 41 above, and with each

  of which is screwed into a clamping screw 46.

  The holes 42 all, or not, have the same diameter, and it

  the same applies to tapped holes 43.

  At its ends, the connection strip 39 presents

transverse faces 47.

  In the embodiment shown, the connection strip 12 also comprises, in addition to the connection strip 39, a protective body 48, made of insulating material, which transversely surrounds, on at least part of its part,

  around this connection strip 39.

  According to the invention, the protective body 48 forms an envelope all around the connection strip 39, both with regard to the longitudinal faces 41 and 44 of this connection strip 39, as regards its transverse faces 47. , so that, taken in isolation, the bar

  connection 12 forms itself a terminal block.

  In the embodiment shown, the protective body 48 comprises, on the one hand, a base 52, which, having two longitudinal walls 53 and two transverse walls 54, is in the form of a gutter closed transversely at its ends, and in which is provided, clamping screw 46 facing upwards, the connecting strip 39, and, secondly, a cover 55, which is attached to the base 52, being duly attached thereto, by

example by snapping.

  One, at least, longitudinal walls 53 of the base 52 has holes 56 in correspondence with the holes 42

of connection strip 39.

  In the embodiment shown, only one

  of these longitudinal walls 53 has such holes 56.

  As a corollary, the cover 55 itself comprises, on a longitudinal ridge wall 57, holes 58 in correspondence with the tapped holes 43 of the connection strip 39, to give access to the clamping screws 46 in engagement with each other.

with these tapped holes 43.

  As it is easy to understand, the holes 56 of the base 52 constitute cable entries for the bar of

connection 12.

  In the embodiments shown, for its snap on the base 52, the cover 55 comprises elastically deformable tabs 59, which cooperate with a groove provided for this purpose on each of the longitudinal walls 53

of the base 52.

  In view of the fact that the protective body 48 envelops the connection strip 39 on all sides, the latching means 13 provided on the flanges 11 for a connection strip 12 cooperate with this protective body 48 to one of the least of the ends of this terminal strip 12, and in practice to both of these

ends.

  When, as in this case, these latching means 13 form a T-shaped groove 21, each of the ends of the terminal strip 12, and therefore, in practice, each of the ends of the protective body 48, is complementary manner, generally conformed T. More specifically, in the embodiment shown, it is through the ends of the base 52 of the protective body 48 that the terminal strip 12 is adapted to

  cooperate with the latching means 13 of the flanges 11.

  For this purpose, this base 52 has, projecting on each of its transverse walls 54, a tip 62 which, in longitudinal section, is duly generally T-shaped,

figure 9.

  In the embodiment shown, this mouthpiece

  62 is split into two branches 63 by a slot 64.

  It presents, transversely, because of this, a

certain elasticity.

  This elasticity is favorable for keeping the connecting strip 12 free from play on the flanges 11, both transversely and longitudinally, with regard to the obliqueness of the internal surface of the holding ribs 17 defining

  a T-slot 21 on the flanges 11.

  It is also advantageously favorable to the possible maintenance, on such a tip 62, of any reference 65 attached by snapping on it in the manner of a jumper, as schematized in broken lines on the

figure 10.

  To cooperate more surely in snapping with such a mark 65, the tip 62 has, projecting on its upper surface, two beads 66, one for each of

its branches 63.

  In a variant, the end piece 62 may equally well be

devoid of any slit 64.

In other words, it is massive.

  For its use as a terminal block, the terminal strip 12 has in itself, in addition to the end caps 62 of the base 52 of the protection body 48 that it comprises, various means suitable for allowing it to be secured to any support . These means do not fall within the scope of this

  invention, they will not be described in detail here.

  It will suffice to indicate that, among them, appear, in particular, in the embodiment shown, two ears 67 which, parallel to each other, protrude at a distance from one another, on that of longitudinal walls 53 of the base 52 of this protective body 48 which is devoid

Hole 56, Figure 2.

  When the connecting bar 12, duly assembled, is established from one to the other of the two flanges 11, it is engaged by the end pieces 62 of the base 52 of the protective body 48 that it comprises, in the pockets 22 that form the corresponding latching means 13 of these flanges 11, and therefore in the T-shaped grooves 21 formed by these pockets 22 until, after a temporary elastic deformation of the corresponding elastically deformable tabs 24, these tips 62 abutting against the stop shoulder 14 of these latching means 13, and that, as a corollary, the corresponding dimensions having been duly provided for accordingly, they are caught under the retaining catch 15 of the elastically deformable tabs 24, after crossing this notch 15 and a return in initial configuration of these legs

elastically deformable 24.

  Because the protective body 48 that comprises the connecting strip 12 surrounds on all sides its connecting strip 39, it is not necessary to provide any insulating envelope at the periphery of the splitter 10 thus formed. In addition, when, as in the present case, several terminal strips 12 are provided, the support on which this distributor 10 is attached is itself advantageously protected by these connection strips 12, if, as indicated, these are offset with respect to

  others of a level Ni, N2 ... etc ... to the other.

  Preferably, and as shown, each connecting strip 12 is placed on the flanges 11 in an orientation for which the cable entries that form the holes 56 present on one of the longitudinal walls 53 of the base 52 of the protective body 48 that it comprises are oriented outwards, to facilitate the introduction of cables into the corresponding connection terminals 40. As a result, the connection terminals 40 of the two terminal strips 12 of the same pair have their cable entries, in this case the holes 56, turned back to back of a

  of these connection strips 12 to the other of these.

  Access to these cable entries is facilitated.

  In the variant embodiment shown in FIG. 11, the elastically deformable tab 24 carrying the retaining catch 15 of the detent means 13 extends on the side opposite to the stop shoulder 14 with respect to this notch.

retained 15.

  In other words, instead of extending upwards as before, this elastically deformable tab 24 extends

down.

  For the rest, the provisions are of the same type as

those previously described. Of course, the present invention is not limited to the forms of

  described and represented, but includes any variant of execution and / or combination of

their various elements.

  In particular, when several connection strips are provided, instead of being arranged in pairs,

  symmetrically, on either side of a plane of symmetry common to the assembly, these connection strips may for example be equally well arranged in steps.

  In such a case, their cable entries are preferably all on the same side.

Claims (19)

  1. Distributor of the kind comprising two flanges (11), insulating material, which, spaced apart from each other, extend substantially parallel to each other, and at least one terminal strip ( 12), which extends longitudinally from one to the other of these two flanges (11)   by being engaged by latching means (13) with those   ci at its ends, this connecting strip (12) comprising a connection strip (39) made of metal, which forms, longitudinally, in place, by itself, a plurality of connection terminals (40), characterized in that at at least one of the ends of the terminal strip (12), the latching means (13) are transversely interposed with respect to this connection strip (12), and therefore parallel to the flanges (11).   2. Distributor according to claim 1, characterized in that the latching means (13) comprise, substantially parallel to each other, at a distance from one another, on the flange (11) concerned, a stop shoulder (14) and a retaining catch (15), the stop shoulder (14) being flanked by two retaining ribs (17) which extend substantially perpendicular thereto, and the retaining catch (15) being carried by an elastically deformable tab (24) which also extends substantially perpendicular to the stop shoulder (14).   3. Distributor according to claim 2, characterized in that the elastically deformable tab (24) carrying the retaining catch (15) extends on the same side as the shoulder   stop (14) with respect to this retaining catch (15).   4. Distributor according to claim 3, characterized in that the elastically deformable tab (24) carrying the retaining catch (15) extends from the stop shoulder (14). 5. Distributor according to claim 2, characterized in that the elastically deformable tab (24) carrying the retaining catch (15) extends on the opposite side to the shoulder   stop (14) with respect to this retaining catch (15).   6. Distributor according to any one of   Claims 2 to 5, characterized in that the leg   elastically deformable (24) bearing the catch (15)   extends substantially in the plane of the flange (11) concerned.   7. Distributor according to any one of   Claims 2 to 6, characterized in that on a part of   less than their height, the retaining ribs (17) have, each in the direction of one another, an angled return (19), and, in a complementary manner, the relevant end of the connecting bar ( 12) is generally T-shaped. 8. Distributor according to any one of   Claims 1 to 7, characterized in that the means   latching means (13) are transversely engaged with respect to the connection bar (12) to both ends of it.   9. Dispatcher according to any one of   Claims 1 to 8, characterized in that, a body of   protection (48), in insulating material, surrounding at least a portion of its periphery, at least in part, the connection strip (39) of the connecting strip (12), this protective body (48) forms an envelope all around this connecting strip (39), both with respect to the longitudinal faces (41, 44) of this connection strip (39) and with respect to its transverse faces (47), so that, taken in isolation , the connection strip (12) forms by itself a terminal block.   10. Distributor according to claim 9, characterized in that the protective body (48) that comprises the connecting bar (12) comprises a base (52), which is gutter-shaped closed transversely at its ends, and wherein the connection strip (39) is arranged, and a cover (55), which is attached to the base (52), at least one of the longitudinal walls (53) of this base (52) having holes (56). in correspondence with the holes (42) of the connecting strip (39), and the cover (55) itself having holes (58) in correspondence with the holes threaded threads (43) thereof.   11. Distributor according to any one of   claims 9, 10, characterized in that at least one   of the ends of the terminal strip 12, the latching means (13) cooperate with the protective body (48) that includes this one.   12. Distributor according to claims 10 and 11,   taken together, characterized in that, for cooperation with the latching means (13), the base (52) of the protective body (48) which comprises the connecting bar (12) has, projecting from its transverse wall ( 54) corresponding, a tip (62).   13. Distributor according to claims 2 and 12,   taken together, characterized in that the tip (62) is   split into two branches (63) by a slot (64).   14. Distributor according to claim 13, characterized in that the inner surface (18) of the retaining ribs (17) that comprise the latching means (13) extends slightly obliquely to a plane normal to flange (11) concerned.   15. Distributor according to any one of   claims 11 to 14, characterized in that at one and   the other end of the terminal strip (12), the latching means (13) cooperate with the body of   protection (48) included in this connection strip (12).   16. Distributor according to any one of   Claims 1 to 15, characterized in that at least one   pair of connecting strips (12) being provided, the connecting strips (12) of one and the same pair extend to the same level (Ni, N2 ... etc ...), and the latching means ( 13) correspondents intervene according to directions   of engagement (D) parallel to each other.   17. Distributor according to claim 16, characterized in that the connection terminals (40) of the two terminal strips (12) of the same pair have their cable entries turned back to back of one of these connection strips (12) to the other of these.   18. Distributor according to any one of   claims 16, 17, characterized in that, more than one pair   with connection strips (12) being provided, the connecting strips (12) are staggered in pairs in several levels (N1, N2, etc.), being shifted transversely one   compared to the other one level (Ni, N2 ... etc ...) to another.   19. Distributor according to any one of   16 to 18, characterized in that the bars of   connection (12) are generally disposed symmetrically with respect to each other on either side of a plane of symmetry which, perpendicular to the flanges (11), is common to all of these terminal strips (12).