FR2803441A1 - Junction block interconnection mechanism having connection slab with tongue contacts connecting/pushing across interconnection comb. - Google Patents

Abstract

The junction block interconnection mechanism has tongue contacts (14) attached to a connection slab (10) electrically connected to a comb section (2) with teeth (18). There is a flexible contact section (22) facing the tongue contact connecting to push across the interconnection comb.

Description

The present invention relates to an interconnection device for terminal blocks or the like.

It is known in the field of electrical connection apparatus to align electric devices, for example terminal blocks, side by side. It is thus usual to align on the same rail a series of identical terminal blocks.

It is also known, for example, to interconnect electrical devices, such as, for example, terminal blocks aligned next to one another. These electrical members generally comprise a reception structure which is optionally constituted by a female part designed specifically to receive a type of clamp. This structure comprises for example an upwardly folded tab and which is an integral part of a connecting element, for example a conductive strip. A clamp then comes to slide on the tongue which is thus clamped between two jaws of the clamp.

To make a connection between several electrical components, for example terminal blocks, neighbors, it is known to use interconnection strips. Bars of this type are made with the number of clamps desired by the user. The interconnection strip is in the form of a comb comprising a connecting bar and teeth. The teeth then form a pair of tweezers. When the interconnection comb is put in place, a contact tongue is then placed between two teeth of the same clamp. This tongue extends in a plane substantially perpendicular to the longitudinal direction of the interconnect comb.

When using such interconnection devices, it is necessary that the electrical components aligned on the support rail are well mounted against each other so that the contact tabs provided in these electrical members are well equidistant. Indeed, if a game exists between two neighboring organs, there will be difficulties in setting up the interconnection bar. In addition, after a little force to put the bar in place, the electrical contact on a number of contact tabs will be bad. Indeed, the two teeth of the interconnection strip intended to sandwich a contact tab will not fulfill their function clamp because only a tooth of the clamp will come into contact with the contact tab. There is therefore a poor electrical contact between the interconnection strip and the contact tongues of the electrical components. In addition, there is a risk of deformation either at the interconnection strip or at the level of the contact tabs.

The present invention therefore aims to provide an interconnection device for electrical components, such as terminal blocks, which makes it possible to make up an existing gap between two adjacent members.

For this purpose, it proposes an interconnection device for a terminal block or the like, comprising a contact tab connected to a connecting strip and intended to be electrically connected by a comb having interconnection teeth to a tab of a connector. terminal block or the like.

According to the invention, this interconnection device further comprises elastic means arranged facing the tongue, so that they support in a direction substantially transverse to the interconnect comb an interconnect tooth against the tongue when the interconnect comb connects two or more terminal blocks or the like.

In this way, the tooth of the interconnect comb is pressed against the contact tongue by a transverse force. Nothing then opposes a slight relative longitudinal displacement between the tooth and the contact tongue, due for example to a clearance existing between two terminal blocks or the like. The game is not compensated here by the elasticity of the part which must ensure good electrical contact.

In a preferred embodiment, the elastic means are in the form of an elastic blade whose base is maintained in the terminal block or the like and whose free end is opposite the tongue.

In an advantageous embodiment, the tongue extends substantially parallel to the alignment axis of the terminal blocks or the like to be connected. Thus, the tooth of the interconnection comb can "slide" along the contact tongue without giving rise to mechanical stresses. In this case, the tongue can be obtained by cutting and folding, the cut being made substantially longitudinally in the connecting bar and the folding being done at the base of the tongue, according to a transverse fold line with respect to the link bar .

In a junction block or the like comprising two contact tongues, the elastic means used are preferably in the form of a spring having two elastic branches, each elastic branch being opposite a contact tongue. One piece then ensures the good electrical contact for two contact tabs.

The invention is advantageously adapted to an interconnection device for a terminal block or the like comprising a protection foot. The resilient means for pressing an interconnection tooth on the contact tongue then advantageously make it possible also to support the protective foot on a support rail on which the terminal block or the like is mounted. The same piece thus ensures a contact pressure between the protective foot and the support rail and between a tooth of the interconnect comb and the corresponding contact tab.

In the latter case, the elastic means are for example in the form of a U-shaped spring, each leg of the U being connected to the base of the U by an elastic arched portion intended to each bear on the foot of protection while that the base of the U is in abutment against a fixed wall of the terminal block or the like provided for this purpose, and at least one leg of the U facing a contact tab.

The invention also relates to an interconnection comb for an interconnection device as described above and which is characterized in that it comprises a base and flat teeth, made for example by cutting in a flat sheet.

This interconnection comb is advantageously such that the base of the comb is protected by a gripping handle of synthetic material and such that the handle has latching means for cooperating with complementary means made on the terminal block or the like.

In any case, the invention will be better understood with the aid of the description which follows with reference to the appended schematic drawing showing by way of nonlimiting example two embodiments of an interconnection device according to the invention. Figure 1 is an exploded perspective view of a terminal block equipped with an interconnection device according to the invention, Figure 2 shows on an enlarged scale in front view the terminal block of Figure 1 in the mounted state 3 is a sectional view along line 111-111 of FIG. 2, two terminal blocks being arranged next to each other, FIG. 4 is an exploded perspective view of a variant of FIG. Figure 5 is an enlarged perspective view showing in greater detail the interconnection device of the terminal block shown in Figure 4.

FIG. 1 is an exploded perspective view of the various components of a terminal block, an interconnection comb 2 and wires 4 to be connected.

The terminal block comprises, in known manner, an insulating casing 6, two connecting devices 8 with spring, and a connecting bar 10 connecting the two connection devices 8. As is known to those skilled in the art, this terminal block is generally mounted on a support rail not shown in Figures 1 to 3, on which can be mounted other electrical terminal blocks and other electrical equipment. This terminal block is intended to be shunted with another adjacent terminal block. For this purpose, the insulating housing 6 is provided with an opening 12 for each connecting device 8 and the connecting bar 10 has two contact tabs 14 each corresponding to an opening 12.

The interconnection comb 2 comprises a base 16 and teeth 18, and an insulating handle 20. The base 16 and the teeth 18 are made in one piece by cutting in a flat conductive sheet. The insulating handle is a piece of synthetic material that snaps onto the base 16. The pitch between two adjacent teeth 18 corresponds to the width of the terminal block.

The contact tabs 14 are made by cutting and folding the connecting bar 10. By making an L-shaped cut in the connecting bar 10, the large bar of the L extending longitudinally with respect to the connecting bar and the small bar of the L opening into an edge of the connecting bar, a tongue extending longitudinally is formed. By folding this tab 90 upwards, ie towards the opening 12, along a transverse fold line with respect to the connecting bar 10 and located at the base of the tongue, we obtain the contact tab 14 shown in the drawing. This contact tab 14 thus extends in a plane transverse to the connecting bar 10 and substantially parallel to the alignment direction of the terminal blocks.

In the assembled state of the ionction unit, when a tooth 18 of the interconnection comb 2 is introduced through an opening 12, it is positioned against the corresponding contact tab 14. To ensure good contact between the tooth 18 and the corresponding contact tab 14, a spring 22 is provided. The latter is made by folding an elastic metal blade and comprises a base 24 and two elastic branches 26.

The base 24 of the spring has a U-shaped shape. It is housed without play in a housing 28 provided for this purpose in the insulating housing 6. The elastic branches 26 of the spring are attached to the ends of the branches of the U of the base 24. making an angle of about 30 with them. Each branch 26 of the spring comes to face a contact tab 14. At rest, the free space between an elastic branch 26 and the corresponding elastic tongue 14 is less than the thickness of a tooth 18 of the interconnection comb 2 Thus, when a tooth 18 comes to slide between the contact tongue 14 and the elastic branch 26, the latter is pushed back and flexed. In this way, an elastic stress is exerted by the branch 26 on the tooth 18 so as to hold it against the contact tab 14. A good electrical contact is thus provided between the contact tab 14 and the tooth 18 the interconnect comb.

FIG. 2 shows the terminal block in the assembled state and shunted with a neighboring terminal block by means of the interconnection comb 2. It can be seen in this figure that the comb 2 is snapped into the insulating housing 6 thanks to two longitudinal grooves 30 made on the handle 20 of the comb and two corresponding ribs 32 formed on the insulating housing 6 at the opening 12. This keeps the interconnect comb 2 in place and prevent its withdrawal involuntarily .

Figure 3 shows the interconnection comb 2 from the front when it bridges between two terminal blocks. The terminal block shown on the right in this figure is in section while the one on the left is illustrated in fine lines.

Figures 4 and 5 show an alternative embodiment of the invention. The same references are used to designate parts similar to those used for the embodiment of FIGS. 1 to 3. There is thus a junction block with an insulating casing 6 with openings 12, a connection bar 10 connecting connection not shown here and an interconnection comb 2. The latter comprises a base 16 surrounded by a handle 20 and teeth 18 and snap into the insulating housing 6 through grooves 30 and ribs 32. The connecting bar 10 also has contact tabs 14 obtained as described above.

The differences with respect to the first embodiment reside in particular in the connecting bar 10 and in the spring for pressing the teeth 18 of the interconnect comb against the contact tongues 14. The connecting bar 10 comprises a foot of protection 34 intended to put in electrical contact the connecting strip 10 and the support rail 36 shown in Figure 5 and on which is mounted the terminal block. The spring bears the reference 38.

The protective foot 34 shown here is in one piece with the connecting bar 10. This assembly is made by cutting and folding a sheet.

The spring 38 has a generally U-shape. It comprises a base 40, two branches 42 and two elastic connection zones 44 which each connect a branch 42 to the base 40. The base 40 is substantially flat. The branches 42 are of corrugated shape to promote good support and have flared free ends to facilitate the introduction of a tooth 18 between the elastic leg 42 and the corresponding contact tab 14. The connecting zones 44 are in the shape of a circular arc of about 270 while the angle between a branch and the base is about 90. The connecting zones 44 thus project downwards with respect to the base 40.

The mounting of the spring 38 relative to the insulating housing 6 and the protective foot 34 is shown in more detail in Figure 5. It is considered here that the base 40 is positioned horizontally and that the branches 42 extend vertically upwards.

The spring 38 is held in the housing by two vertical walls 46 disposed between the connecting bar 10 and the protective foot 34. These walls 46 position the spring 38 in height. They prevent the spring 38 from mounting. The spring 38 also rests on the protective foot 34 which forms a single piece with the connecting bar 10. The latter being held in position in the insulating housing 6, the movement of the spring 38 is also limited downwards. Vertical walls 48 made in the insulating housing 6 prevent any horizontal movement of the spring 38. These two vertical walls 48 are spaced apart from one another by the width of the spring 38 at the connection zones 44 and the spring 38 is placed between these walls 48 at these connection areas 44. The walls 46 and 48, and the spring 38 are such that when the spring 38 is mounted, it is not at rest but constrained. This constraint is maintained by the lower edges of the walls 46. In order to mount the spring 38, it is prestressed by pressing the base 40 towards the protective foot 34.

The preload thus exerted makes it possible to ensure good electrical contact between the protective foot 34 and the support rail 36. It also makes it possible to preload the elastic branches 42 of the spring 38. In this way, when a tooth 18 of the comb of interconnection 2 is housed between a branch 42 and the corresponding contact tab 14, a good electrical contact is guaranteed between the tooth 18 of the comb and the contact tab 14.

Due to the design of the interconnection devices described above, a good bridging is provided between two adjacent junction blocks even if a slight game has inadvertently come to be introduced between these two terminal blocks. If there is a slight clearance, the tooth 18 of the comb will not be perfectly face to the corresponding contact tab 14 and the contact surface will be slightly reduced. However, this slight clearance does not induce any mechanical stress, either at the contact tab 14, or at the level of the tooth 18. No deformation can therefore be induced by a clearance between two adjacent terminal blocks during the production. bridging.

Another advantage of these interconnection devices is that they allow the use of materials that are very good conductors of electricity for the realization of the connecting bar and the interconnection comb. None of these two parts performs any mechanical function and it is not necessary to have elastic parts here. The support functions are performed by a third part, the spring, which ensures a good contact pressure. It is therefore possible to make the connecting strip and the interconnect comb without having to compromise between a material having good mechanical characteristics of elasticity and good conductivity of electricity. The cost price of these parts can then be substantially reduced by using a less expensive material. In addition, these parts being good conductors of electricity, their section, and therefore their weight, can be reduced. This produces a double economy.

The fact of having for the bonding strip a good electrically conductive material makes it possible to produce the contact strip by a cutout in the length of the strip.

The interconnect comb is also simpler to perform. It does not include clamp forming lyres such as interconnection combs of the prior art used to bridge electrical equipment of the same type. The cost price of the interconnection comb can therefore also be limited because the manufacturing operations are simplified.

The interconnection devices according to the invention are also very reliable. Compared with the devices of the prior art for which the interconnection combs comprise lyres, the "fragile" parts, ie those which are deformable, are protected inside the terminal block housing or the like . The interconnection comb described above has the advantage of being solid.

It goes without saying that the invention is not limited to the embodiments described above by way of non-limiting examples; it encompasses all the variants in the context of the claims below.

For example, the invention is not limited to terminal blocks having two spring connection devices. The invention can be applied to any type of electrical equipment for which one may wish to perform a shunt with a neighboring apparatus.

The shape of the springs is given as an example. One could very well imagine instead of the elastic branches described springs, rigid blades that would be constrained by a coil spring, or other.

 The connecting bars and the protective foot may have very different shapes from those described above and shown in the drawing. For the sake of clarity, the forms chosen to illustrate the invention have been chosen quite simple.

Claims (5)

<B> CLAIMS </ B> Interconnection device for a terminal block or the like, comprising a contact tab (14) connected to a connecting strip (10) and intended to be electrically connected by a comb (2) having teeth (18) of interconnection to a tab of a terminal block or the like, characterized in that it further comprises resilient means (22,38) arranged facing the tongue (14), so that they come to press in a substantially transverse direction relative to the interconnect comb (2) an interconnect tooth (18) against the tongue (14) when the interconnect comb (2) connects two or more terminal blocks or the like. 2. Interconnection device according to claim 1, characterized in that the elastic means are in the form of an elastic blade (26) whose base is maintained in the terminal block or the like and whose free end is located opposite the tongue (14). 3. Interconnection device according to one of claims 1 or 2, characterized in that the tongue (14) extends substantially parallel to the alignment axis of the terminal blocks or the like to be connected. 4. Interconnection device according to claim 3, characterized in that the tongue (14) is obtained by cutting and folding, the cutting being performed substantially longitudinally in the connecting bar (10) and the folding being done at the base of the tongue (14) in a transverse fold line with respect to the connecting bar (10). Interconnection device for a terminal block or the like comprising two contact tongues (14) according to one of Claims 1 to 4, characterized in that the elastic means used are in the form of a spring ( 22) having two elastic branches (26), each resilient leg being facing a contact tab (14). <B> 6. </ B> Interconnection device for a terminal block or the like comprising a protective foot (34) according to claim 1, characterized in that the resilient means for supporting an interconnection tooth (18) on the contact tab (14) also support the protective foot (34) on a support rail (36) on which is mounted the terminal block or the like. 7. Interconnection device according to claim 6, characterized in that the elastic means are in the form of a spring (38) U, in that each branch (42) of the U is connected to the base of the U by an elastic arched portion (44) intended to each bear on the protective foot (34) while the base (40) of the U is in abutment against a fixed wall (46) of the terminal block or the like provided for in this effect, and in that at least one branch (42) of the U is facing a contact tab (14). 8. Interconnection comb for an interconnection device according to one of claims 1 to 7, characterized in that it comprises a base (16) and flat teeth (18), made for example by cutting in a flat sheet. Interconnection comb according to claim 8, characterized in that the base (16) of the comb (2) is protected by a gripping handle (20) of synthetic material and in that the handle (20) has means detent (30) for cooperating with complementary means (32) made on the terminal block or the like.