FR2857511A1 - Conducting unit e.g. electrical wire, connecting terminal, has followers to follow movement of deformable unit from insertion position to rest position so that strip is returned to guiding position when unit is in rest position - Google Patents

Abstract

The terminal has an elastically deformable unit (6) movable between a rest position in which a conducting unit (2) is not connected in housing and an insertion position in which the unit (2) is connected in the housing. Followers (22) are mounted on the unit (6) to follow the movement of the unit (6) from insertion position to rest position so that a guiding strip is returned to a guiding position when the unit (6) is in rest position.

Description

2857511 1

  The present invention relates to an electrical connection terminal which is in particular intended to connect a conductive element attached from outside the terminal, such as an electrical wire whose end is stripped.

  The connection terminals usually encountered are of the type comprising: a housing made of electrically insulating material which delimits at least one housing and which comprises at least one connection opening for the introduction into the housing of an electrically conductive element from the outside the housing, and at least one operating opening for the passage of a working tool, - at least one electrically conductive strip which is housed in the housing and which comprises at least one connecting lug projecting in said at least one housing, - resiliently deformable means which are mounted in the housing and which are movable between two extreme positions, on the one hand a rest position in which the conductive element can not be brought into said housing and on the other hand an insertion position in which the conductive element can be attached in said housing to reach the tab of rac cord of the conductive strip after introduction into the connection opening, and an intermediate connection position in which the conductive element is biased against the tab of the conductive strip, and - a guide tongue which is interposed between the opening of the maneuvering and elastically deformable means and which is movable between a guiding position in which the operating tool is guided in contact with the elastically deformable means and a folded position in which the operating tool biases the elastically deformable means in their position d 'introduction.

  Even if such connection terminals are entirely satisfactory for the actual connection of the conductive element with the conductive bar in the housing, the guide tongue has however many disadvantages. Indeed, connection terminals are known in which the effectiveness of the guide tongue degrades very quickly after the first use because it occurs a plasticization of this tab. Therefore, during a second connection, the guide bar 2857511 no longer plays its guiding role and the work tool can inadvertently be incorrectly positioned without the operator noticing, so that the elastically deformable means are damaged.

  A solution to overcome these drawbacks has already been made and consists in increasing the length of the guide tongue to better protect the elastically deformable means. The free end of the guide tongue then comes to be placed between the working tool and the elastically deformable means, which prevents any holding of this tool in position in the operating opening to block the deformable means in their position d 'introduction. The operator is then obliged to maintain himself this tool while being able to insert the conductive element into the connection opening. It is not always possible for the operator to perform both operations simultaneously.

  The present invention therefore aims to overcome the aforementioned drawbacks by providing an electrical connection terminal in which the guide tongue retains its effectiveness even after being deformed several times during successive connection operations.

  For this purpose, according to the present invention, an electrical connection terminal of the aforementioned type is essentially characterized in that it further comprises follower means which are integral in movement with the guide tongue and which are mounted in abutment on the means elastically deformable to at least follow the movement of said deformable means from their insertion position to their rest position, so that the guide tongue is returned to its guiding position by the follower means when the elastically deformable means are in the position of rest.

  Thus, thanks to these arrangements, the new connection terminal according to the present invention has a guide tongue which is always returned to its guiding position by the follower means so that the working tool is always inserted in a position proper to deform the elastically deformable means without damaging them.

  Preferably, the guide tongue is located in the extension of the operating opening and the follower means are shifted relative to this operating opening.

  In a preferred manner, the guide tongue has a first end which is free and a second end which is integral with the housing in the vicinity of a through end of the operating opening in the housing, the length the guide tongue being adapted so that the free end is not in contact with the resiliently deformable means, at least in the insertion position of said deformable means.

  Still more preferably, the follower means comprise a leg which extends laterally along the guide tongue, which is longer than that of the guide tongue, and which comprises a free end bearing against the elastically deformable means, at least in the rest position of said deformable means.

  In a preferred embodiment, the resiliently deformable means comprise a spring of the loop type which comprises: a bearing branch resting against the conductive bar, a movable bent leg having successively a rear section substantially facing the branch support, a bend and a front section provided with a light for the passage of the conductive element, and - a connecting zone connecting the two branches forming a loop, the operating tool being intended to cooperate with the elbow and the rear section for compressing the spring towards its insertion position in which the light is brought into correspondence with the connection opening of the housing.

  Advantageously, the free end of the leg is supported on the elbow of the movable branch of the spring.

  Still preferably, the guide tongue and the follower leg are located in line with the front section of the bent limb to mask the light when the spring is in its rest position.

  Advantageously, the width of the guide tongue is substantially equal to that of the operating opening.

  Alternatively, the follower leg comprises a reinforcing rib which extends on the face of the leg turned away from the spring.

  Still alternatively, an eye is formed in the reinforcing rib to allow the release of the leg during the introduction of the spring in the housing.

  Preferably, the housing comprises a wall located opposite the connecting tab of the bar relative to the spring, the free end of the follower leg being located in the guiding position in the vicinity of this wall.

  In any case, the present invention will be better understood from the description which follows, given with reference to the appended schematic drawing showing, by way of non-limiting example, an embodiment of the connection terminal according to the present invention. invention.

  FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a connection terminal according to the present invention, the housing of which has several housings in which several elastically deformable means are inserted, the working tool being successively represented in several positions respectively corresponding to the positions of rest, introduction and connection deformable means, a single electrical conductor being inserted into one of the connection openings.

  Figure 2 is a side view of the connection terminal shown in Figure 1, the left and right parts of this terminal being partially in cross section.

  FIG. 3 is a perspective view of a portion of the connection terminal of FIG. 1, the elastically deformable means being in their rest position, the working tool being shown in phantom lines inside the opening maneuver.

  In what follows, the term connection terminal, any type of terminal for making the connection of a conductive wire with other electrical elements, such as for example terminal blocks or even terminal strips.

  Figure 1 shows an electrical connection terminal 1 for connecting a plurality of electrically conductive elements 2 reported from outside the terminal.

  In a manner well known per se, the terminal 1 comprises a housing 4, three resiliently deformable means 6 and an electrically conductive bar 7.

  The housing 4 is made of electrically insulating material and is obtained for example by molding. The shape of its base 5 is such that it can be fixed on standard fastening rails provided for this purpose. The casing 4 is generally parallelepipedal in shape with a small thickness compared to its length and its height. It has an open front face 8 and a closed rear face 9. The rear face 9 closes the open face 8 of a second housing 4 attached to the first housing, as shown in Figure 1.

  Several housings 10, in this case three in number, are provided in the housing 4 to accommodate each of the three elastically deformable means 6. The housing 4 further has, directly above each housing 10, a connection opening 12 and an operating opening 14. All these openings extend from the upper face 11 of the housing 4, opposite the base 5 of this housing, and each open into the respective housings 10.

  The connection opening 12 is intended to receive a cable to be connected 2 to introduce this cable into the housing 10 from outside the housing 4. The operating opening 14 is intended to receive the blade of an operating tool 3, which is intended to act on the resiliently deformable means 6. In a variant, the maneuvering and connection openings may take the form of channels which open on the one hand outside the casing 4 and on the other hand in the housings respective 10.

  The electrically conductive strip 7 which is housed in the housing 4 has at each of its ends and at mid-length, connecting lugs 16 which each project into the respective housings 10. For example, the electrically conductive strip extends according to the length of the terminal, parallel to the base 5 of this terminal, and the connecting tabs 16 extend substantially perpendicular to the upper face 11 of the housing 4. Alternatively, the tabs 16 may extend obliquely .

  Still in a manner known per se, the elastic deformable means 6 which are mounted in each of the housings 10, are movable between two extreme positions: a rest position as shown in the left part of the terminal of FIGS. 1 and 2, and a position in which the conductive element 2 can be introduced into the connection opening 12 to be brought to one of the connecting tabs 16. This insertion position is shown in the central part of the terminal of FIGS. 1 and 2.

  Furthermore, the resiliently deformable means 6 can occupy an intermediate position called connection, between the positions of 2857511 6 rest and introduction. In this connection position, the conductive element 2 is biased, after having been introduced into the connection opening 12, against the conductive strip 7, and in particular against the connection lug 16 of this strip. This position is shown in the right portion of Figures 1 and 2. The elastic force is used to firmly press the conductive element or electrical wire 2 against the lug 16 so that a good electrical contact is ensured.

  The elastically deformable means 6 are deformed from their rest position to their insertion position by means of the operating tool 3 inserted by one of the operating openings 14 into the corresponding housing 10.

  The terminal 1 also comprises in a usual manner a guide tongue 20 which is interposed between the operating opening 14 and the elastically deformable means 6. This tongue 20 is movable between a guiding position as shown in the left part of the terminal of FIG. 2 and FIG. 3, and a folded position shown in the right portion of FIG. 2.

  When the guide tongue 20 is in the guiding position, the operating tool 3 is guided to be brought into contact with the elastically deformable means 6. The tongue is in its folded position when the operating tool 3 is significantly introduced. to the housing 10 to bring the deformable means 6 into their insertion position. The rod of the tool 3 then presses on the tongue 20.

  According to an essential characteristic of the present invention, the terminal 1 further comprises follower means 22 which are integral in movement with the guide tongue 20 and which are mounted to bear on the resiliently deformable means 6 in order to follow the movement of the these means from their position of introduction to their rest position. The guide tongue 20, insofar as it is integral with these follower means 22, is biased towards its guiding position when the deformable means 6 return to their rest position. Thus, after several connection operations, this guiding tongue remains intact and ensures its guiding function of the operating tool 3.

  Preferably, the elastically deformable means 6 are constituted by a spring of the loop type which is made of a strip of flat material, for example a sheet of steel sheet. This spring has a support branch 24 and a movable bent branch 26 which are mutually connected by a connecting zone 28 to form a loop.

  The support leg 24 is intended to come to rest against the conductive bar 7 and in particular against the connecting lug 16 of this bar.

  The support branch 24 also has a slightly bent shape so as to rest against the lug 16 at its free end and at the transition zone between this support branch 24 and the connection zone 28.

  The movable branch 26 also has a bent shape. This branch has successively from the connecting zone 28, a rear section 30 which substantially faces the support leg 24, a bend 31 and a front section 32 which has a light 33 to allow the passage of the element driver 2.

  It is noted in Figures 1 and 2 that the two springs 6 in the left part are mounted inverted relative to the spring 6 in the right part, for reasons of space saving in the terminal 1.

  The operating tool 3 is intended to cooperate with the bend 31 and then with the rear section 30 to compress the spring towards its insertion position in which the light 33 is brought into correspondence with the connection opening 12 of the housing 4 .

  To further maintain the spring loop 6 inside the housing 10, a retaining finger 35 protrudes from the rear face 9 of the housing 4, and a stop 36 protrudes from the bottom of the housing 10. Thus, the area connection 28 is sandwiched between the finger 35 and the abutment 36.

  The housing 10 is for example of substantially parallelepipedal shape and is oriented according to the height of the housing. It has in addition a wall 40 which is located opposite the connecting lug 16 of the bar 7 and which extends from the base 5 of the housing 4 towards the upper face 11 of this housing, up to the lower end 15 of the operating opening 14 which opens into the housing.

  Preferably, the wall 40 is of concave shape whose concavity is turned towards the interior of the housing 10.

  To ensure its function of guiding the tool and protecting the spring, the guide tongue 20 is located in the extension of the operating opening 14 while the follower means 22 are offset 2857511 8 relative to this opening. The tongue is in particular located at the open end 15 of the operating opening 14.

  The guide tongue 20 (Figure 3) extends between a first end 41 which is free and a second end 42 which is integral with the housing 4. More specifically, the second end 42 is integral with the end. The tongue 14 is substantially flat and is oriented, in its guiding position, towards the interior of the housing and in the direction of the wall 40 of the housing 10. It forms, for example, an angle of 45.degree. with the cross section of the maneuvering opening 14.

  Preferably, the length of the guide tongue 20 is adapted so that the free end 41 does not come into contact with the spring 6, at least in the rest position of this spring.

  The follower means 22 are formed of a leg 45 which extends laterally along the guide tongue 20 being longer than this tongue. A free end 46 of the leg 45 is thus in abutment against the spring 6, at least when the latter is in its rest position. The leg 45, being integral on the side of the tongue 20, is oriented substantially in the same direction as the tongue and extends beyond the free end 41 of the tongue. It also has an end 47 made of material at the open end 15 of the operating opening 14. The tongue and the leg are thus articulated both along a same axis, the one defined by their respective ends 42 and 47 secured to the emergent end 15.

  Alternatively, the tongue 20 and the leg 45 may be integral with the wall of the housing 10 which faces the wall 40, that is to say with the wall along which extends the connecting leg 16 of the bar 7, being located above this leg.

  Preferably, the free end 46 of the leg 45 bears on the elbow 31 of the movable branch 26 of the spring 6. The guide tongue 20 and the leg 45 are located in line with the front section 32 of the branch mobile 26 to hide the light 33 when the spring 6 is in its rest position.

  Still preferably, the width of the guide tongue 20 is substantially equal to that of the operating opening 14 so that the operating tool 2857511 9 can not be introduced, whatever its width, into the opening 33.

  The follower leg 45 also has a reinforcing rib 48 which extends on the face of this leg which is turned away from the spring 6.

  In order to facilitate the installation of the spring 6 in its housing 10, the reinforcing rib 48 has an eye 49 which makes it possible to disengage the leg 22 in the direction of the open end 15.

  In the central part of FIG. 2, the spring 6 is not incorporated in the housing 10. The tongue 20 and the leg 45 are then oriented downwards towards the bottom of the housing 10. To place the spring 6 in its seat housing 10, it is sufficient for the operator to shift up leg 45 by introducing a suitable tool in the eye 49. After introduction, the free end 46 of the leg 45 bears on the spring 6 in the region of the elbow 31 and the tongue 20 is in its guiding position.

  When the tool 3 is introduced into the operating opening 14, it is guided in an oblique direction by the tongue 20 in the direction of the wall 40 of the housing 10. Since the tongue is sufficiently short, it is not interposed. not between the tool and the elbow 31 of the spring 6 so that when the tool 3 has compressed the spring 6 from its rest position to its insertion position (in the right part of FIGS. 1 and 2), the tool is self-locked in the housing 10. It is then wedged between the wall 40 and the rear section 30 of the movable branch 26. The operator can thus easily introduce the lead wire 2 into the connection opening 12 until this wire extends along the connecting lug 16, through the light 33.

  The operator can then remove the tool 3 from the housing 10. The movable branch 26 of the spring 6 is then resiliently biased towards the connection position in which the conductive wire 2 is locked against the connecting lug 16 of the bar 7 .

  The leg 45 follows the return movement of the movable limb 26 and drives the tab 20 simultaneously.

  In addition, when the operator wishes to disconnect the wire 2, he pulls the wire out of the terminal 1. The movable arm 26 of the spring then returns to its rest position. Again, the leg 45 follows this leg while being supported on the elbow 31 so that it drives the tongue 20 towards its guiding position. Therefore, another wire 2 can again be securely connected since the operator is certain that the guide tab 20 is in the correct position even after several connection and disconnection operations. The tongue is indeed always brought back by the leg 45 towards its guiding position in which the window 33 of the spring 6 is hidden for the tool.

  As goes without saying, the invention is not limited to the preferred embodiment described above by way of non-limiting example, it encompasses all the variants within the scope of the claims below.

2857511 11

Claims (11)

  An electrical connection terminal for connecting an attached conductor element (2), comprising: a housing (4) made of electrically insulating material which delimits at least one housing (10) and which has at least one connection opening (12); ) for introducing into the housing (10) an electrically conductive element (2) from outside the housing, and at least one operating opening (14) for the passage of a working tool (3), - At least one electrically conductive strip (7) which is housed in the housing (4) and which comprises at least one connecting lug (16) projecting into said at least one housing (10), - elastically deformable means (6). ) which are mounted in the housing (10) and which are movable between two extreme positions, on the one hand a rest position in which the conductive element (2) can not be attached to said housing and, on the other hand an introductory position in which the conductive element (2) can be attached in said housing to reach the connecting lug (16) of the conductive strip (7) after insertion into the connection opening (12), and an intermediate connection position in which the l conductive element (2) is biased against the tab (16) of the conductive strip (7), and - a guide tongue (20) which is interposed between the operating opening (14) and the elastically deformable means (6). ) and which is movable between a guiding position in which the operating tool (3) is guided in contact with the elastically deformable means (6) and a folded position in which the operating tool (3) biases elastically deformable means (6) in their introduction position, characterized in that the terminal (1) further comprises follower means (22) which are integral in motion with the guide tongue (20) and which are mounted in abutment on the means deformable s elastically (6) to at least follow the movement of said deformable means (6) from their insertion position to their rest position, so that the guide tongue (20) is biased towards its guiding position by the follower means (22) when the elastically deformable means (6) are in the rest position.   2. Terminal connection according to claim 1, characterized in that the guide tongue (20) is located in the extension of the operating opening (14) and the follower means (22) are offset relative to this opening of maneuvering (14).   Connection terminal according to claim 2, characterized in that the guide tongue (20) has a first end (41) which is free and a second end (42) which is integral with the housing (4) at adjacent a through end (15) of the operating opening (14) in the housing (10), the length of the guide tongue (20) being adapted so that the free end (41) is not in contact with the resiliently deformable means (6), at least in the insertion position of said deformable means (6).   4. Connection terminal according to claim 2 or 3, characterized in that the follower means (22) comprise a leg (45) which extends laterally along the guide tongue (20), which is longer than that of the guide tongue (20), and which comprises a free end (46) bearing against the resiliently deformable means (6), at least in the rest position of said deformable means (6).   5. Connection terminal according to claim 4, characterized in that the resiliently deformable means (6) comprises a spring of the kind loop which comprises: - a support leg (24) resting against the conductive bar, - a bent branch mobile device (26) successively having a rear section (30) substantially facing the support branch (24), an elbow (31) and a front section (32) provided with a slot (33) for the passage of the conductive element (2), and - a connecting zone (28) connecting the two branches (24, 26) forming a loop, the operating tool (3) being intended to cooperate with the elbow (31) and the rear section (30) for compressing the spring (6) towards its insertion position in which the lumen (33) is brought into correspondence with the connection opening (12) of the casing (4).   6. Terminal connection according to claim 5, characterized in that the free end (46) of the leg (45) bears on the elbow (31) of the movable arm (26) of the spring (6).   Terminal block according to claim 6, characterized in that the guide tongue (20) and the follower leg (45) are located at the base of the front section (32) of the bent branch (26) to mask the light (33) when the spring (6) is in its rest position.   8. Connection terminal according to claim 7, characterized in that the width of the guide tongue (20) is substantially equal to that of the operating opening (14).   Connecting terminal according to claim 7 or 8, characterized in that the follower leg (45) comprises a reinforcing rib (48) which extends on the face of this leg turned away from the spring (6). .   10. Terminal connection according to claim 9, characterized in that an eye (49) is formed in the reinforcing rib (48) to allow the release of the leg (45) during the introduction of the spring (6). ) in the housing (10).   11. Terminal connection according to any one of claims 4 to 10, characterized in that the housing (10) comprises a wall (40) located opposite the connecting lug (16) of the bar (7) by relative to the spring (6), the free end (46) of the follower leg (45) being located, in the guiding position, in the vicinity of this wall (40).