GB1586309A - Connector for connecting electric leads - Google Patents

Description

(54) CONNECTOR FOR CONNECTING ELECTRIC LEADS (71) We, OY HELVAR, a joint stock company organised under the laws of Finland, of Purotie 1-3, 00380, Helsinki, 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:- The present invention relates to a connector for connecting electric leads to an electrical apparatus, the said connector comprising a body housing of plastics and within the body, metallic connecting strips to which the electric leads can be connected in self-locking fashion.

A connector of this type must satisfy the following requirements: - the connector has to be inexpensive as regards its manufacturing and material costs, it should be possible to attach the leads to the connector in self-locking fashion, i.e.

without screws, - the leads must give a positive contact even when connection is accomplished after the electrical apparatus has been impregnated with insulating compound, - the lead must be impacted between two metallic surfaces, it it must be possible to attach the connector to an electrical apparatus as easily and simply as possible.

This object is achieved according to the invention by a connector for connecting electric leads to an electric apparatus, comprising a body housing of plastics materials and metallic connecting strips insertable into the body housing, the said strips being so constructed that electric leads can be attached to them in a self-locking fashion and so that an electrical apparatus can be attached to one end of each of them, wherein each of the strips is provided at the end distant from the said one end with one or more punched out tongues lying in the same plane as the connecting strip, and wherein each of the connecting strips is capable, after being pushed into the body housing, of being bent together with the body housing through an angle of 90 , the body housing having a wall arranged to act as a stop four the ends of the electric leads pushed through the connecting strips at the sites of the tongue or tongues.

The invention will now be described with reference to the accompanying drawings, wherein: Figure 1 illustrates connecting strips belonging to connectors according to the invention, attached to an electrical apparatus (in this case a coil frame), Figure 2 illustrates a body housing of the connector of the invention, viewed from the direction of entrance of the leads which are going to be connected.

Figure 3 illustrates the body housing of Figure 2, turned through 90 , that is, seen from the direction in which the connecting strips may be pushed into the connector housing.

Figure 4 illustrates one side of the Figure 1 arrangement, Figure 5 illustrates the body housing, likewise seen from one side.

Figure 6 illustrates a completed connector fixed to a coil frame.

The drawings illustrate a choke coil of a fluorescent lighting fixture incorporating the invention, and for the sake of simplicity the coil frame of the choke with its winding is all that has been shown in the drawing. The drawing does not show the iron core, nor an encircling sheet metal housing, which in the situation depicted in Fig. 6 would form part of the electrical apparatus.

The apparatus includes a coil frame 1 to which connecting strips 2 are fixed. The ends of winding wires 3 are attached to the strips in a suitable way. The central region of the connecting strips 2 has weakened areas produced by means of the holes 4. The connecting strips 2 may be easily bent at those areas. Parallel tongues 5 are punched out from the connecting strips 2. These tongues lie in the plane of the connecting strip prior to the connecting of the electric lead introduced from the outside.

The body 6 of the connector, shown in Figs. 2, 3 and 5, is made (e.g. by injection moudling) of plastics material. It comprises a tongue 8 separated by a weakening line 7, entrance apertures 9 for the electric leads, flat depressions 10 for introducing the strips 2, and depressions 11 for the insertion of the ends of the electric leads. Furthermore, the body 6 has attaching projections for attachment to the sheet metal housing of the choke coil.

Starting from the initial situation shown in Figs 4 and 5, the connector body 6 is pushed into its position so that the straight connecting strips 2 enter the flat depressions 10 and the weakening line 7 will come into register with the weakening holes 4. The connector body, excluding the strip 8, is bent together with the ends of the connecting strips 2 through 90 into the position shown in Fig. 6, in which it remains when the projections on the connector body are fixed to the sheet metal housing (not depicted).

The electric leads may then be pushed through the apertures 9 into the connector, whereby the ends of the electric leads bend the tongues 5 out. The walls 13 of the housing 6 act as stops for the ends of the electric leads 12.

The ends 12 of the electric leads are locked between the tongues 5 and the edges of their punch-out apertures. Since before the insertion of the electric lead the tongues 5 were lying in the plane of the connecting strip 2, the contact surfaces on the edges of the tongues 5 and of their punch-out apertures remain clean in spite of the impregnation of the electrical apparatus performed with an insulating compound.

In the invention a special factor reducing the manufacturing and labour costs is the fact that the assembly of the connector and its affixing to the electrical apparatus is combined in one work step.

WHAT WE CLAIM IS: 1. A connector for connecting electric leads to an electric apparatus, comprising a body housing of plastics material and metallic connecting strips insertable into the body housing, the said strips being so constructed that electric leads can be attached to them in a self-locking fashion and so that an electrical apparatus can be attached to one end of each of them, wherein each of the strips is provided at the end distant from the said one end with one or more punched out tongues lying in the same plane as the connecting strip, and wherein each of the connecting strips is capable, after being pushed into the body housing, of being bent together with the body housing through an angle of 90 , the body housing having a wall arranged to act as a stop for the ends of the electric leads pushed through the connecting strips at the sites of the tongue or tongues.

2. A connector according to claim 1 wherein in order to facilitate the bending of the connecting strips, the connecting strips are provided in their central region with weakened areas, such as holes.

3. A connector substantially as described with reference to the accompanying drawings.

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

Claims (3)

**WARNING** start of CLMS field may overlap end of DESC **. flat depressions 10 for introducing the strips 2, and depressions 11 for the insertion of the ends of the electric leads. Furthermore, the body 6 has attaching projections for attachment to the sheet metal housing of the choke coil. Starting from the initial situation shown in Figs 4 and 5, the connector body 6 is pushed into its position so that the straight connecting strips 2 enter the flat depressions 10 and the weakening line 7 will come into register with the weakening holes 4. The connector body, excluding the strip 8, is bent together with the ends of the connecting strips 2 through 90 into the position shown in Fig. 6, in which it remains when the projections on the connector body are fixed to the sheet metal housing (not depicted). The electric leads may then be pushed through the apertures 9 into the connector, whereby the ends of the electric leads bend the tongues 5 out. The walls 13 of the housing 6 act as stops for the ends of the electric leads 12. The ends 12 of the electric leads are locked between the tongues 5 and the edges of their punch-out apertures. Since before the insertion of the electric lead the tongues 5 were lying in the plane of the connecting strip 2, the contact surfaces on the edges of the tongues 5 and of their punch-out apertures remain clean in spite of the impregnation of the electrical apparatus performed with an insulating compound. In the invention a special factor reducing the manufacturing and labour costs is the fact that the assembly of the connector and its affixing to the electrical apparatus is combined in one work step. WHAT WE CLAIM IS:

1. A connector for connecting electric leads to an electric apparatus, comprising a body housing of plastics material and metallic connecting strips insertable into the body housing, the said strips being so constructed that electric leads can be attached to them in a self-locking fashion and so that an electrical apparatus can be attached to one end of each of them, wherein each of the strips is provided at the end distant from the said one end with one or more punched out tongues lying in the same plane as the connecting strip, and wherein each of the connecting strips is capable, after being pushed into the body housing, of being bent together with the body housing through an angle of 90 , the body housing having a wall arranged to act as a stop for the ends of the electric leads pushed through the connecting strips at the sites of the tongue or tongues.

2. A connector according to claim 1 wherein in order to facilitate the bending of the connecting strips, the connecting strips are provided in their central region with weakened areas, such as holes.

3. A connector substantially as described with reference to the accompanying drawings.