GB2091048A - Clip for the rapid connection of flat terminals - Google Patents

Abstract

The present invention provides a clip for the rapid connection of flat terminals and is especially applicable in the field of electrical appliances. The clip of the present invention comprises a laminar body (1) provided with at least one transverse slit (2), the ends of which terminate with a respective circular hole (3). The circular holes (3) provide a self-centring effect for a connector terminal which is inserted into the slit (2). The edges (11) of the laminar body (1) defining the slit (2) are resiliently inclined with respect to the base of the body (1) so that a terminal inserted into the slit (2) is securely retained by the clip. The clip is provided with projections (5) which may be folded so as to enclose and retain an electrical input lead (6). The longitudinal edges of the body (1) are each provided with a respective upturned wall (9) which strengthen the clip. When two or more terminals are to be connected by the clip, the body (1) is longitudinally extended and a plurality of transverse slits (2) corresponding to the number of terminals are provided. A window may be provided between consecutive slits (2) so that reference data provided on a plate which presents the terminals may be viewed. <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION Clip for the rapid connection of flat terminals The present invention refers to a clip especially designed to be rapidly connected to flat terminals and especially applicable in the field of electrical appliances.

Frequently, the terminals of the components of eiectrical apparatus to be connected to the machines to which they are destined, are flat. In some cases a high number of functional connections is necessary between the terminals themselves, besides the joining connections to the various elements of the machine. Such is the case, for example, with programmed control devices, selection devices, switches, etc., utilised in electrical appliances such as washing machines, dish washers, driers, electric stoves and the like.

At present, the most commonly used system to solve the two types of already mentioned connections, consists in proportioning dual terminals for each connection point, so that one of the terminals of each connector can be used for the connections to the machine, while the other can be used for the functional connections.

In those cases in which each point is provided with a single terminal, tinned welding wires are used for the functional connections, wherefore the female connectors, necessary for the connections to the machine, can be plugged-in.

Finally, a third system is also known which consists in using connecting clips or bridges made from an electrically conducting material which are inserted in the flat terminals, being coupled thereto due to the force exerted by the elastic deformation itself undergone by the material thereof when coupled to the terminals. These clips or bridges leave a sufficient length of the connector free so that it can be used, in turn, for the female connectors to be connected to the elements of the machine.

The problem presented by the prior art is clear.

The first system, that corresponding to the duplication of the connecting terminals, implies a considerable increase in the cost as well as in the space, which in many cases is as important as, or even more important than, the cost itself of the device.

The process of tinned welding wires is slow and requires an extensive hand labour, wherefore, in short, it is expensive.

The third system, that of using prefabricated clips or bridges is the most ideal and the clip constituting the object of the instant invention is included therein.

Known clips are comprised of a flat laminar body provided with two windows or slits corresponding, dimensionally and positionally, with the connectors to be bridged. This presents a fundamental disadvantage since it requires a special attention at the time of the assembly thereof to the connectors, inasmuch as they are not provided with self-guiding and self-positioning means which facilitate theintroduction thereof, nor is the possibility of effecting multiple connections between consecutive terminals solved.

This problem is solved with the rapid connecting clip of the invention, which is self-centered at the free ends of the terminals, facilitating a rapid and safe introduction thereof.

Thus, the slits, necessary for the coupling of the clip to the terminals, made in the clips, incorporate at their end zones circular holes, while both sides of each slit, with the help of the mentioned end holes, define wings having an approximateiy trapezoidal shape which are slightly inclined and which exert a permanent pressure on the terminal, acting as a retention elment for the clip and insuring a perfect electric coupling.

Likewise, the longitudinal connectors of the clip are provided with a bend which strengthens the structure thereof.

The clip can be provided with a single inner slit.

When a bridge should not be established between flat adjacent terminals, but between slightly spaced apart terminals, clips provided with a single slit are used, which should be connected by means of a conductor wire, wherefore each one of them has at one of its ends two orthogonally bent laminar projections, capable of retaining the conductor wire by self-folding.

In the remaining cases, i.e. when one or more consecutive terminals should be joined, the number of slits with which the clip will be provided will coincide with the number of terminals, so that in this case there are provided, between slits, large windows which permit the numerical references of the mentioned connectors to be seen.

To complement the description which will now be made and for a better understanding of the characteristics of the invention, a set of drawings is attached to the present specificaton, forming an integral part thereof, wherein illustratively and not limiting, the following is represented.

Figure 1 illustrates a perspective view of a clip for the rapid connection of flat terminals made in accordance with the object of the instant invention and provided for the electric connection of spaced apart terminals.

Figure 2 illustrates a cross-sectional detail of the same clip represented in figure 1, once the laminar projections thereof have been self-folded for the retention of the connector lead.

Figure 3 illustrates a perspective detail of another clip provided, in this case, for the connection of adjacent terminals, said plate being duly coupled to the corresponding terminals.

Referring to these figures, there can be seen the clip for the rapid connection of flat terminals which is comprised of a laminar body 1 provided with at least one transversal slit 2, the ends of which expand into circular holes 3 which permit a perfect seif-centering of the connector terminal 4.

When the clip is used to connect spaced apart terminals, for example, as represented in figures 1 and 2, said clip has a single slit 2 and one of its ends has two laminar projections 5 to be self-folded enclosing the lead 6, as can be seen in the sectional detail of figure 2.

In the remaining cases, that is when the two or more terminals 4 to be joined occupy adjacent posi tions, the laminar body 1 has an extension corresponding to the number of terminals and has a number of slits 2 coinciding with that of the mentioned terminals 4.

In this case, between each two consecutive slits 2 there is a large window 7 through which the numeri- cal reference, which reference corresponds to each one of said terminals, reflected on the plate 8 can be seen, from which plate there protrude the terminals 4.

In any case, two of the connectors 9 of the laminar body 1 constituting the clip are orthogonally bent with the concrete and specific purpose of strengthening the structure thereof.

As previously mentioned, the circular holes 3 existing at the ends of each slit 2 determine a perfect self-centering of the free ends of the terminals, wherefore introduction of the mentioned clip is rapid and safe.

The two trapezoidal wings 11, defined at both sides of the slit 2 with the help of the holes 3 themselves, which are bent outwards as can be seen in detail in figure 2, determine, due to the flexible nature of the material of which they are made, a permanent pressure of the clip against the terminal or terminals 4, with the consequent and optimum electric coupling implied thereby.

Claims (4)

1. Clip for the rapid connection of flat terminals, essentially characterised in that it is comprised of a metallic laminar body having an electrically conducting nature, wherein there are established one or more inner slits whose length is approximately equal to the wiath of the flat terminals for which they are provided, and iri that at the end zones of said slit or slits there are defined circular holes, while at both sides of each slit and with the help of the mentioned holes, there are defined slightly inclined trapezoidal wings acting as pressing and retaining elements of the clip to the terminal.

2. Clipforthe rapid connection offlatterminals according to claim 1, characterised in that when said clip has only one inner slit, at one of its edges parallel to said slit there are two orthogonally bent lami narprojectionsfor retaining a conductor wire by self-folding.

3. Clip for the rapid connection of flat terminals according to claim 1, characterised in that when said clip has more than one inner slit, in which case the spacing between slits coincide with the spacing between terminals, there is situated between each pair of slits a large window through which the numerical references of the terminals can be seen, and in that the edges of the clip perpendicular to the slits thereof have a slight reinforcing bend.

4. A clip for the rapid connection of flat terminals, substantially as hereinbefore described with reference and as illustrated in the accompanying drawings.