GB1574529A

GB1574529A - Connectors for automatically connecting conductors

Info

Publication number: GB1574529A
Application number: GB4180277A
Authority: GB
Original assignee: Helvar Oy AB
Current assignee: Helvar Oy AB
Priority date: 1976-10-11
Filing date: 1977-10-07
Publication date: 1980-09-10
Also published as: FI52906B; DE2745720A1; SE7711337L; FI52906C; SU1083929A3; SE427600B

Description

(54) CONNECTORS FOR AUTOMATICALLY CONNECTING CONDUCTORS (71) We, OY HELVAR, a joint stock company organised under the laws of Finland, of Purotie 1-3, 00380 Helsinki 38, Finland, do hereby declare the invention, for which we pray that a patent may be granted to us, and the method by which it is to be performed, to be particularly described in and by the following statement: This invention relates to connectors for automatically connecting electric conductors, in particular insulated electric conductors such as coil wires.

The manufacturing of coils, such as those of chokes used in fluorescent lighting fixtures, may be carried out automatically except for the final operation of connecting the coil wire ends to the connectors. Up to now this connecting operation, in which a coil wire coated with insulating varnish is required to gain postive contact with the connector metal, has been manually performed.

An object of the present invention is to provide a connector which enables the automatic connection of an electric lead, particluarly an insulated coil wire.

This object is achieved according to the invention by a connector for automatically connecting an electric lead, having an insulating layer, the connector comprising a metal plate-shaped connecting strip with a punched out aperture defining a punched out tongue for connecting the electric lead between the strip and the tongue, wherein the tongue is wedge shaped, has a bend at its root which shortens the tongue so that, owing to its wedge shape, it is freely movable in its punched out aperture, and two further bends, the said bends being so arranged that there are portions of the tongue on both sides of the connecting strip, whereby the lead can be connected by pulling between the strip and the tongue so that oppositely directed sharp punched-out burrs on the edges of the tongue and aperture provide contact through the insulating layer on the lead.

Since the tongue has a wedge shape and the bends made in it shorten its length, the tongue has a freedom of motion in the punched out aperture. At the same time, the bends take care of another task; they produce a wedge angle, needed to wedge the lead in its place, between the tongue and the connecting strip, as well as a bend which keeps the lead in its place. Thus, it is possible for the lead to be connected up simply by pulling it in from the side beside the connecting strip. It is possible to accomplish this with the aid of simple wire pulling means found on a winding machine.

The mere fixing of the lead it not enough as it is necessary that electrical contact is accomplished between the metal of the connector and the lead. To this end, the burrs, which are produced by the tongue punching operation, exert a cutting action on the varnish insulation of the lead in its transversal direction as it is pulled into place in between the connecting strip and the tongue. Thus, two pairs of abrasion points substantially on opposite sides of the lead are produced, or four contact points in all.

An embodiment of the invention will now be described with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: Figure 1 is an elevation of a connecting strip according to the invention, Figure 2 is a top plan view, Figure 3 is a section along the line III III in Figure 1 to an enlarged scale.

A metal connecting plate-shaped strip 1 has a tongue 2 punched out from it. The tongue tapers like a wedge from its root towards its free end. The punching of the tongue 2 is performed in the situation shown by Fig. 1, with a punch motion downwards from above, whereby sharp-edged burrs la (Fig. 3) are produced on the edges of the punched-out aperture and sharp-edged burrs 2a are formed on the edges of the tongue 2. The tongue 2 is subsequently furnished with three bends. The bend 3 at the root of the tongue, shortens the tongue so that, owing to its wedge shape, it has full freedom of motion in the punchedout aperture. At the same time, the bend 3 bends the root of the tongue 2 over to the proper side of the connecting strip 1 so that a knee is formed by means of the bend 4 to receive a lead 7 and to hold the lead fast so that the burrs la and 2a will abut against the lead 7. The next bend 5 serves to bend the end 6 of the tongue to such an angle as to form a lead-in such that the lead 7 will be guided and wedged in between the tongue 2 and the connecting strip 1.

When the lead 7 is pulled, by automatic means, into the wedge angle between the tongue end 6 and the connecting strip 1, the sharp-edged burrs la and 2a will cut through the insulating layers of the wire.

WHAT WE CLAIM IS:- 1. A connector for automatically connecting an electric lead, having an insulating layer, the connector comprising a metal plate-shaped connecting strip with a punched out aperture defining a punched out tongue for connecting the electric lead between the strip and the tongue wherein the tongue is wedge shaped, has a bend at its root which shortens the tongue so that, owing to its wedge shape, it is freely moveble in its punched out aperture, and two further bends, the said bends being so arranged that there are portions of the tongue on both sides of the connecting strip, whereby the lead can be connected by pulling between the strip and the tongue so that oppositely directed sharp punched-out burrs on the edges of the tongue and aperture provide contact through the insulating layer on the lead.

2. An electrical connector substantially as described with reference to the accompanying drawings.

**WARNING** end of DESC field may overlap start of CLMS **.

Claims

**WARNING** start of CLMS field may overlap end of DESC **.

3 bends the root of the tongue 2 over to the proper side of the connecting strip 1 so that a knee is formed by means of the bend 4 to receive a lead 7 and to hold the lead fast so that the burrs la and 2a will abut against the lead 7. The next bend 5 serves to bend the end 6 of the tongue to such an angle as to form a lead-in such that the lead 7 will be guided and wedged in between the tongue 2 and the connecting strip 1.

When the lead 7 is pulled, by automatic means, into the wedge angle between the tongue end 6 and the connecting strip 1, the sharp-edged burrs la and 2a will cut through the insulating layers of the wire.

WHAT WE CLAIM IS:- 1. A connector for automatically connecting an electric lead, having an insulating layer, the connector comprising a metal plate-shaped connecting strip with a punched out aperture defining a punched out tongue for connecting the electric lead between the strip and the tongue wherein the tongue is wedge shaped, has a bend at its root which shortens the tongue so that, owing to its wedge shape, it is freely moveble in its punched out aperture, and two further bends, the said bends being so arranged that there are portions of the tongue on both sides of the connecting strip, whereby the lead can be connected by pulling between the strip and the tongue so that oppositely directed sharp punched-out burrs on the edges of the tongue and aperture provide contact through the insulating layer on the lead.
2. An electrical connector substantially as described with reference to the accompanying drawings.