GB2355345A - Screwless electrical terminal - Google Patents
Screwless electrical terminal Download PDFInfo
- Publication number
- GB2355345A GB2355345A GB9924064A GB9924064A GB2355345A GB 2355345 A GB2355345 A GB 2355345A GB 9924064 A GB9924064 A GB 9924064A GB 9924064 A GB9924064 A GB 9924064A GB 2355345 A GB2355345 A GB 2355345A
- Authority
- GB
- United Kingdom
- Prior art keywords
- contact strip
- electrical terminal
- screwless
- wire
- screwless electrical
- Prior art date
- Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
- Granted
Links
- 229910001369 Brass Inorganic materials 0.000 claims description 4
- 229910000906 Bronze Inorganic materials 0.000 claims description 4
- OAICVXFJPJFONN-UHFFFAOYSA-N Phosphorus Chemical compound [P] OAICVXFJPJFONN-UHFFFAOYSA-N 0.000 claims description 4
- 239000010951 brass Substances 0.000 claims description 4
- 239000010974 bronze Substances 0.000 claims description 4
- KUNSUQLRTQLHQQ-UHFFFAOYSA-N copper tin Chemical compound [Cu].[Sn] KUNSUQLRTQLHQQ-UHFFFAOYSA-N 0.000 claims description 4
- 229910000831 Steel Inorganic materials 0.000 description 10
- 239000010959 steel Substances 0.000 description 10
- 239000000463 material Substances 0.000 description 3
- 230000002860 competitive effect Effects 0.000 description 1
- 238000012986 modification Methods 0.000 description 1
- 230000004048 modification Effects 0.000 description 1
- 230000000717 retained effect Effects 0.000 description 1
Classifications
-
- H—ELECTRICITY
- H01—ELECTRIC ELEMENTS
- H01R—ELECTRICALLY-CONDUCTIVE CONNECTIONS; STRUCTURAL ASSOCIATIONS OF A PLURALITY OF MUTUALLY-INSULATED ELECTRICAL CONNECTING ELEMENTS; COUPLING DEVICES; CURRENT COLLECTORS
- H01R4/00—Electrically-conductive connections between two or more conductive members in direct contact, i.e. touching one another; Means for effecting or maintaining such contact; Electrically-conductive connections having two or more spaced connecting locations for conductors and using contact members penetrating insulation
- H01R4/28—Clamped connections, spring connections
- H01R4/48—Clamped connections, spring connections utilising a spring, clip, or other resilient member
- H01R4/4809—Clamped connections, spring connections utilising a spring, clip, or other resilient member using a leaf spring to bias the conductor toward the busbar
- H01R4/48185—Clamped connections, spring connections utilising a spring, clip, or other resilient member using a leaf spring to bias the conductor toward the busbar adapted for axial insertion of a wire end
Abstract
A screwless electrical terminal comprises an electrically conducting contact strip 20 extending around the outside of a terminal block such that free ends 24, 26 of the contact strip can retain wires 28, 30 in a screwless manner. The contact strip has two wire trapping portions which are each able to retain a wire in position trapped solely between two parts of the strip, and apertures (40, Fig 5) to enable the wires to be fed from outside the terminal to the wire trapping portions. The apertures may be round holes or a slot. A release slot (44, Fig 5) allows the wires to be removed.
Description
2355345 A SCRLVLESS ELECTRICAL TERMINAL This invention relates to a
screwless electrical terminal.
Screwless electrical terminals are well known. One such known screwless electrical terminal comprises an electrically conducting contact strip connected to a terminal block such that the contact strip extends around the outside of the terminal block and such that free ends of the contact strip are used to retain wires in a screwless manner in the screwless electrical terminal. This known screwless electrical terminal is such that the wires are retained by being trapped between the free ends of the contact strip and f ree ends of a steel strip which extends around the outside of the contact strip.
It is an aim of the present invention to provide a screwless electrical terminal which is of a simpler design to the above mentioned known screwless electrical terminal.
Accordingly, in one non-limiting embodiment of the present invention there is provided a screwless electrical terminal comprising an electrically conducting contact strip connected to a terminal block such that the contact strip extends around the outside of the terminal block and such that f ree ends of the contact strip are used to retain wires in a screwless manner in the screwless electrical terminal characterised in that the contact strip has two wire trapping portions which are each able to retain a wire 2 in position with the wire being trapped solely between two parts of the wire trapping portion, and the contact strip having aperture means for enabling the wires to be fed from outside the screwless electrical terminal to the wire trapping portions.
The screwless electrical terminal of the present invention is thus able to be manufactured from two main parts, namely the contact strip and the terminal block. This is one less main part than the above mentioned known screwless electrical terminal which additionally requires the outer steel strip. In using only two main parts instead of three main parts, the screwless electrical terminal of the present invention is able to be produced more easily and more cheaply than the above mentioned known screwless electrical terminal.
Preferably, the screwless electrical terminal of the present invention is one in which the wire trapping portions each have an end face, and in which each end face has the aperture means.
Preferably, the wire trapping portions are triangular in side view. other shapes in side view may however be employed.
Usually, the aperture means will be holes. The holes may be circular holes and/or slots.
The contact strip may have a release aperture adjacent each free end of the contact strip, the release aperture being such as to provide access to the f ree end of the 3 contact strip such that the f ree end of the contact strip can be pushed away from the remainder of the contact strip and thereby to facilitate engagement of a wire in the wire trapping portion and release of the wire from the wire' trapping portion.
The release aperture is preferably a release slot. other shapes for the release aperture may however be employed.
The screwless electrical terminal may be one in which the terminal block has a transversely extending threaded hole, and in which the contact strip has a hole which is positioned on top of the threaded hole and which permits access to the threaded hole.
The terminal block may have a longitudinally extending through bore.
Preferably, the contact strip is riveted to the terminal block. other means of connecting the contact strip to the terminal block may however be employed.
The terminal block is preferably made of brass. other materials for the terminal block may be employed.
The contact strip is preferably made of phosphor bronze. Other materials for the contact strip may be employed.
An embodiment of the invention will now be described solely by way of example and with reference to the accompanying drawings in which:
4 Figure 1 is a side view of a known screwless electrical terminal; Figure 2 is an exploded view of the. three main components of the screwless electrical terminal as shown in' Figure 1; Figure 3 is a side view similar to Figure 1 but shows a screwless electrical terminal of the present invention; Figure 4 is an exploded view showing the two main components of the screwless electrical terminal shown in Figure 3; Figure 5 is an isometric view of the screwless electrical terminal shown in Figure 3; Figure 6 is a top view of the screwless electrical terminal shown in Figure 3; Figure 7 is a right hand end view of the screwless electrical terminal shown in Figure 3; and Figure 8 is a left hand end view of the screwless electrical terminal shown in Figure 3.
Referring to Figures 1 and 2, there is shown a screwless electrical terminal 2 comprising an electrically conducting contact strip 4 connected to a terminal block 6. The connection is such that the contact strip 4 extends around the outside of the terminal block 6 as shown. The connection is also such that free ends 8, 10 of the contact strip 4 are used to retain wires 12, 14 in a screwless manner in the screwless electrical terminal 2 as shown. The screwless electrical terminal 2 is such that a steel strip 16 extends around the contact strip 4 as shown. The wires 12, 14 are sandwiched between the free ends 8, 10 of the contact strip 4 and the steel strip 16. The contact -strip 4 is made of phosphor bronze, and the terminal block 6 is made of brass.
Figure 2 shows the contact strip 4, the terminal block 6 and the steel strip 16 prior to assembly. The steel strip 16 and the contact strip 4 are riveted to the terminal block 6. The assembly of the three parts 4, 6, 16 is more complicated than would be the case if the steel strip 16 were not present. Also, if the steel strip 16 were not present, the cost of this component could be saved.
Referring now to Figures 3 - 8, there is shown a screwless electrical terminal 18 comprising an electrically conducting contact strip 20 connected to a terminal block 22. The contact strip 20 is made of phosphor bronze and the terminal block 22 is made of brass. The contact strip 4 is riveted to the terminal block 6. The contact strip 20 extends around the outside of the terminal block 22. As can be seen f rom a comparison of Figures 1 and 3, the contact strip 20 forms a different shape around the outside of the terminal block 22 than the contact strip 4 around the outside of the terminal block 6. The contact strip 20 could be formed in other shapes if desired.
The screwless electrical terminal 18 is such that it does not employ the steel strip 16. More specifically, the 6 contact strip 20 has free ends 24, 26 which are used to retain wires 28, 30 in a screwless manner in the screwless electrical terminal 18. These free ends 24, 26 form part of two wire trapping portions 32, 34 of the contact strip 20. As can be seen f rom Figure 3, each wire trapping portion 32, 34 is able to retain a wire 28, 30 in position. Each wire 28, 30 is trapped between two parts of the wire trapping portion and these two parts are formed by a longitudinally extending part 36, 38 of the contact strip 20 and an associated free end 24, 26 respectively.
As can be seen f rom Figures 5 and 7, the contact strip 20 is provided with aperture means 40 for enabling the wires 28, 30 to be fed from outside the screwless electrical terminal 18 to the wire trapping portions 32, 34. The wire trapping portions 32, 34 each have an end face 42, and the aperture means 40 are in the end faces 42 as shown in Figures 5 and 7. Also as shown in Figures 5 and 7, the aperture means 40 are in the form of two circular holes and one slot.
The contact strip 20 has a release aperture 44 adjacent each free end 24, 26 of the contact strip 20. The release apertures 44 provide access to the free ends 24, 26 of the contact strip 20 such that the f ree ends 24, 26 of the contact strip 20 can be pushed away f rom. the remainder of the contact strip 20. This thereby facilitates engagement of the wires 28, 30 in the wire trapping portions 32, 34, and subsequent release of the wires 28, 30 7 from the wire trapping portions 32, 34. As best appreciated f rom Figures 5 and 6, the release aperture 44 is in the form of a longitudinally extending release slot.
The terminal block 22 has a transversely extending screw threaded hole 46 as shown in Figure 3. The contact strip 20 has a hole 48 as shown in Figures 3, 5 and 6. The hole 48 is positioned on top of the. threaded hole 46 and it permits access to the threaded hole 46. The terminal block also has a longitudinally extending through bore 50 as shown in Figures 5 and 8.
The screwless electrical terminal 18 is able to be more simply and economically produced than the screwless electrical terminal 2 because the screwless electrical terminal 18 does not employ the steel strip 16. The screwless electrical terminal 18 is of a simpler design than the screwless electrical terminal 2 and in view of this and the cost savings, it is more commercially competitive than the screwless electrical terminal 2.
It is to be appreciated that the embodiment of the invention described above with reference to the accompanying drawings has been given by way of example only and that modifications may be effected. Thus, for example, the shape of the aperture means 40 and the shape of the release aperture 44 may be different from those shown. Also, different materials may be employed for the contact strip 20 and the terminal block 22. Still further, the contact strip 20 may be secured to the terminal block 22 by means other than rivets.
8
Claims (13)
1. A screwless electrical terminal comprising an electrically conducting contact strip connected to a terminal block such that the contact strip extends around the outside of the terminal block and such that free ends of the contact strip are used to retain wires in a screwless manner in the screwless electrical terminal, characterised in that the contact strip has two wire trapping portions which are each able to retain a wire in position with the wire being trapped solely between two parts of the wire trapping portion, and the contact strip having aperture means for enabling the wires to be fed from outside the screwless electrical terminal to the wire trapping portions.
2. A screwless electrical terminal according to claim 1 in which the wire trapping portions each have an end face, and in which each end face has the aperture means.
3. A screwless electrical terminal according to claim 2 in which the wire trapping portions are triangular in side view.
4. A screwless electrical terminal according to any one of the preceding claims in which the aperture means are holes.
9
5. A screwless electrical terminal according to claim 4 in which the holes are circular holes and/or slots.
6. A screwless electrical terminal according to any one of the preceding claims in which the contact strip has a release aperture adjacent each free end of the contact strip, the release aperture being such as to provide access to the f ree end of the contact strip such that the f ree end of the contact strip can be pushed away f rom the remainder of the contact strip and thereby to facilitate engagement of a wire in the wire trapping portion and release of the wire from the wire trapping portion.
7. A screwless electrical terminal according to claim 6 in which the release aperture is a release slot.
8. A screwless electrical terminal according to any one of the preceding claims in which the terminal block has a transversely extending threaded bore, and in which the contact strip has a hole which is positioned on top of the threaded bore and which permits access to the threaded hole.
9. A screwless electrical terminal according to any one of the preceding claims in which the terminal block has a longitudinally extending through bore.
10. A screwless electrical terminal according to any one of the preceding claims in which the contact strip is riveted to the terminal block.
11. A screwless electrical terminal according to any one of the preceding claims in which the terminal block is made of brass.
12. A screwless electrical terminal according to any one of the preceding claims in which the contact strip is made of phosphor bronze.
13. A screwless electrical terminal substantially as herein described with reference to Figures 3 - 8 of the accompanying drawings.
Priority Applications (1)
| Application Number | Priority Date | Filing Date | Title |
|---|---|---|---|
| GB9924064A GB2355345B (en) | 1999-10-11 | 1999-10-11 | A screwless electrical terminal |
Applications Claiming Priority (1)
| Application Number | Priority Date | Filing Date | Title |
|---|---|---|---|
| GB9924064A GB2355345B (en) | 1999-10-11 | 1999-10-11 | A screwless electrical terminal |
Publications (3)
| Publication Number | Publication Date |
|---|---|
| GB9924064D0 GB9924064D0 (en) | 1999-12-15 |
| GB2355345A true GB2355345A (en) | 2001-04-18 |
| GB2355345B GB2355345B (en) | 2003-04-09 |
Family
ID=10862548
Family Applications (1)
| Application Number | Title | Priority Date | Filing Date |
|---|---|---|---|
| GB9924064A Expired - Fee Related GB2355345B (en) | 1999-10-11 | 1999-10-11 | A screwless electrical terminal |
Country Status (1)
| Country | Link |
|---|---|
| GB (1) | GB2355345B (en) |
Cited By (1)
| Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| GB2423422A (en) * | 2004-02-21 | 2006-08-23 | Hitesh Dhanji Patel | Electrical connector preventing withdrawal of conductor |
Citations (5)
| Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| US3569917A (en) * | 1967-12-11 | 1971-03-09 | Amp Inc | Electrical connector assembly |
| US3915544A (en) * | 1974-11-05 | 1975-10-28 | Gen Motors Corp | Electrical terminal |
| US5116238A (en) * | 1991-07-05 | 1992-05-26 | Sammy Holloman | Reuseable electrical connector |
| GB2300757A (en) * | 1995-05-09 | 1996-11-13 | Bun Wong | Rotary stepping switch |
| EP0807993A2 (en) * | 1996-04-19 | 1997-11-19 | Electro-Terminal GmbH | Contact unit for an electric connector |
-
1999
- 1999-10-11 GB GB9924064A patent/GB2355345B/en not_active Expired - Fee Related
Patent Citations (5)
| Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| US3569917A (en) * | 1967-12-11 | 1971-03-09 | Amp Inc | Electrical connector assembly |
| US3915544A (en) * | 1974-11-05 | 1975-10-28 | Gen Motors Corp | Electrical terminal |
| US5116238A (en) * | 1991-07-05 | 1992-05-26 | Sammy Holloman | Reuseable electrical connector |
| GB2300757A (en) * | 1995-05-09 | 1996-11-13 | Bun Wong | Rotary stepping switch |
| EP0807993A2 (en) * | 1996-04-19 | 1997-11-19 | Electro-Terminal GmbH | Contact unit for an electric connector |
Cited By (2)
| Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| GB2423422A (en) * | 2004-02-21 | 2006-08-23 | Hitesh Dhanji Patel | Electrical connector preventing withdrawal of conductor |
| GB2423422B (en) * | 2004-02-21 | 2007-01-03 | Hitesh Dhanji Patel | Electrical connections and connectors |
Also Published As
| Publication number | Publication date |
|---|---|
| GB9924064D0 (en) | 1999-12-15 |
| GB2355345B (en) | 2003-04-09 |
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Legal Events
| Date | Code | Title | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
| PCNP | Patent ceased through non-payment of renewal fee |
Effective date: 20121011 |