GB2420917A - Side Mounted Terminal for Electrical Device - Google Patents
Side Mounted Terminal for Electrical Device Download PDFInfo
- Publication number
- GB2420917A GB2420917A GB0426360A GB0426360A GB2420917A GB 2420917 A GB2420917 A GB 2420917A GB 0426360 A GB0426360 A GB 0426360A GB 0426360 A GB0426360 A GB 0426360A GB 2420917 A GB2420917 A GB 2420917A
- Authority
- GB
- United Kingdom
- Prior art keywords
- front plate
- mounting frame
- cable
- secured
- fixing
- 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.)
- Withdrawn
Links
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
- H01R13/00—Details of coupling devices of the kinds covered by groups H01R12/70 or H01R24/00 - H01R33/00
- H01R13/44—Means for preventing access to live contacts
- H01R13/447—Shutter or cover plate
- H01R13/453—Shutter or cover plate opened by engagement of counterpart
- H01R13/4534—Laterally sliding shutter
-
- H—ELECTRICITY
- H01—ELECTRIC ELEMENTS
- H01H—ELECTRIC SWITCHES; RELAYS; SELECTORS; EMERGENCY PROTECTIVE DEVICES
- H01H23/00—Tumbler or rocker switches, i.e. switches characterised by being operated by rocking an operating member in the form of a rocker button
- H01H23/02—Details
- H01H23/04—Cases; Covers
-
- H—ELECTRICITY
- H01—ELECTRIC ELEMENTS
- H01H—ELECTRIC SWITCHES; RELAYS; SELECTORS; EMERGENCY PROTECTIVE DEVICES
- H01H23/00—Tumbler or rocker switches, i.e. switches characterised by being operated by rocking an operating member in the form of a rocker button
- H01H23/02—Details
- H01H23/08—Bases; Stationary contacts mounted thereon
-
- H—ELECTRICITY
- H01—ELECTRIC ELEMENTS
- H01R—ELECTRICALLY-CONDUCTIVE CONNECTIONS; STRUCTURAL ASSOCIATIONS OF A PLURALITY OF MUTUALLY-INSULATED ELECTRICAL CONNECTING ELEMENTS; COUPLING DEVICES; CURRENT COLLECTORS
- H01R13/00—Details of coupling devices of the kinds covered by groups H01R12/70 or H01R24/00 - H01R33/00
- H01R13/648—Protective earth or shield arrangements on coupling devices, e.g. anti-static shielding
- H01R13/652—Protective earth or shield arrangements on coupling devices, e.g. anti-static shielding with earth pin, blade or socket
-
- H—ELECTRICITY
- H01—ELECTRIC ELEMENTS
- H01R—ELECTRICALLY-CONDUCTIVE CONNECTIONS; STRUCTURAL ASSOCIATIONS OF A PLURALITY OF MUTUALLY-INSULATED ELECTRICAL CONNECTING ELEMENTS; COUPLING DEVICES; CURRENT COLLECTORS
- H01R2103/00—Two poles
-
- H—ELECTRICITY
- H01—ELECTRIC ELEMENTS
- H01R—ELECTRICALLY-CONDUCTIVE CONNECTIONS; STRUCTURAL ASSOCIATIONS OF A PLURALITY OF MUTUALLY-INSULATED ELECTRICAL CONNECTING ELEMENTS; COUPLING DEVICES; CURRENT COLLECTORS
- H01R24/00—Two-part coupling devices, or either of their cooperating parts, characterised by their overall structure
- H01R24/20—Coupling parts carrying sockets, clips or analogous contacts and secured only to wire or cable
- H01R24/22—Coupling parts carrying sockets, clips or analogous contacts and secured only to wire or cable with additional earth or shield contacts
Landscapes
- Switch Cases, Indication, And Locking (AREA)
Abstract
The device comprises a mounting frame (10) and a removable front plate (12) where the mounting frame carries an electrical component (14) which includes at least one cable terminal (16, 18, 20) which are open to the top, bottom or side of the mounting frame (10). The cable terminals includes cable-retaining devices (34, 36, 38), preferably screws, accessible from the front of the mounting frame. Removable securing means (62), preferably screws, accessible from the front face of the front plate are provided for securing the front plate to the mounting frame. The cables can be simply and easily connected to the cable terminals before the front plate is secured. The preferred embodiments are a wall mounted socket or light switch.
Description
ELECTRICAL DEVICE
Field of the invention
The present invention relates to electrical device, such a for-example, a wall-mounted plug socket or switch.
Background of the invention
The assembly of wall-mounted electrical devices can be difficult, especially for the non-expert. Generally speaking, the cables which need to be connected to the device are embedded in the wall and lead to a chamber formed in the wall in which the device is to be installed, so as to provide a substantially flush appearance to the assembled device. The cables are cut to a suitable length and secured to terminals of the device. Because such terminals are accessible only from the sides or even only from the back of the device, being obscured from the front by the front face of the device, this operation can only be carried out with the device out of the chamber in which it is to be installed. As a result, the cables need to extend out of the wall by a distance which is more than would be required once the device is installed in its chamber. There is therefore an excess of cabling. This excess has to be pushed back into the wall or accommodated in the chamber.
Once the device is installed in its chamber, the excess cabling can be put under stress if there is insufficient space available. This stress can loosen the connection of the cable ends to the terminals of the device, leading to a faulty connection.
It is an object of the present invention to overcome this disadvantage by providing a device to which cables can be simply and easily connected to the cable terminals with device located within the chamber thereby avoiding the need for excess cable length.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
According to the invention there is provided an electrical device comprising a mounting frame and a removable front plate, the mounting frame carrying at least part of an electrical component which includes at least one cable terminal open to the top, bottom or side of the mounting frame, the cable terminal including a cable-retaining device accessible from the front of the mounting frame, removable securing means accessible from the front face of the front plate being provided for securing the front plate to the mounting frame.
In one embodiment, the mounting frame is in the form of a block formed of electrically insulating material. The block may be formed of a moulded plastics material. When the mounting frame is in the form of a block, either the terminal are located adjacent an edge of the block, or passageway(s) through the block may be provided leading to the or each terminal, each to accommodate a cable leading to the respective terminal. Alternatively, the mounting frame may have a skeletal construction with the terminal(s) each being positioned adjacent an edge of the frame.
The cable-retaining device of each cable terminal is preferably a frontfacing cable-retaining screw, such as a grub screw.
Ideally, means are included to prevent rotation of the front plate relative to the mounting frame when the front plate is secured thereto. Where the removable securing means for securing the front plate to the mounting frame includes a screw passing through an aperture in the front plate and screwed into a threaded part of the mounting frame, the means to prevent rotation may comprise at least one protrusion provided on the inside face of the front plate to co-operate with abutment faces provided on the mounting frame or vice versa, i.e. the protrusion can be formed on the mounting frame and the abutment faces on the front plate. Such a protrusion may be in the form of a lug and the abutment faces may then be provided by an aperture formed in the mounting frame and being so shaped and positioned as to receive the lug when the front plate is secured to the mounting frame.
Alternatively, the removable securing means for securing the front plate to the mounting frame and the means to prevent rotation are jointly constituted by at least two screws passing through apertures in the front plate and screwed into threaded parts of the mounting frame.
In one embodiment of the device, the electrical component is a switch. In this embodiment, the front plate may carry at least one switch lever, so positioned that in the assembled condition of the device operation of the switch lever causes operation of the switch.
In a second embodiment, the device is in the form of a plug socket. In this embodiment, the electrical component may include plug pin-receiving chambers of the plug socket and the front plate may include openings which are aligned with the plug pin-receiving chambers when the front plate is secured to the mounting frame. For reasons of safety, a retractable guard plate blocking the passage between some of the openings in the front plate and the respective plug pin- receiving chambers may be carried on the rear of the front plate. For example, in a three-pin application, the guard plate may be provided to block the "live" and "neutral" openings, and be provided with a cam device operated by the "earth" pin to retract the guard plate in use.
Alternatively, a possible construction is where the plug pin-receiving chambers of the plug socket are carried on the rear of the front plate, the front plate includes openings which are aligned with the plug pinreceiving chambers and electrical contact members are provided in electrical connection with the plug pin-receiving chambers which contact members make contact with co-operating contact surfaces on the mounting frame which are in electrical connection with respective cable terminals.
Any of the embodiments of the device preferably further include fixing means for fixing the front plate to a wall, or to a component, such as a mounting box, which in turn is fixed to a wall. The fixing means may comprise fixing screws, the front plate including apertures through which the fixing screws pass and the mounting frame including apertures and/or cut-out portions through which the fixing screws pass without being fixed thereto. Thus, the mounting frame is not connected directly to the wall, or to the mounting box where such is provided. Rather, the mounting frame is connected to the front plate, which in turn is connected directly to the wall or the mounting box. This arrangement enables the mounting frame to be more easily manipulated while the cables are being connected to the terminals.
The invention will now be further described, purely by way of example, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: Figures 1 and 2 are diagrammatic illustrations of a first embodiment of the invention, in the form of a plug socket; Figure 3 is a diagrammatic illustration of a third embodiment of the invention, in the form of a switch.
Figures 1 and 2 show an electrical device in the form of a plug socket. The device includes a mounting frame in the form of a block 10 formed of electrically insulating material, such as a plastics material, and a removable front plate 12.
The block 10 carries the components of a plug socket 14, including three cable terminals 16, 18, 20 (live, neutral and earth respectively) . The terminals 16, 18, 20 include cable-retaining grub screws 34, 36, 38 accessible from the front of the block 10, by means of which bared ends of the cables 28, 30, 32 are secured to the terminals to make an electrical connection therewith.
The socket 14 includes plug pin-receiving chambers 40, 42, 44 which, in use, receive the pins 46, 48, 50 of a plug 52.
Conductive strips 22, 24, 26 lead from the terminals 16, 18, to the pin receiving chambers 40, 42, 44.
The front plate 12 is formed of an electrically insulating material, such as a plastics material, and includes openings 54, 56, 58, which are aligned with the plug pin-receiving chambers 40, 42, 44, when the front plate 12 is secured to the block 10, through which openings the plug pins 46, 48, pass in use.
As seen in Figure 2, a spring-biased retractable guard plate carried in guides 61 on the rear of the front plate 12 blocks the passage between the openings 54, 56 in the front plate 12 and the respective live and neutral plug pin- receiving chambers 40, 42, until a cam 85, carried on the guard plate 60 is contacted by the "earth" pin 50, in a manner known per se as the plug is inserted.
Removable screws 62 accessible from the front face of the front plate 12 are provided for securing the front plate 12 to the block 10. Each screw 62 passes through an aperture 64 in the front plate 12 and is screwed into a threaded aperture 68 in the block 10, at least the upper one of the apertures 68 being earthed.
The provision of two screws 62 prevents rotation of the front plate 12 relative to the block 10 when the front plate 12 is secured thereto, as seen in Figure 2. While two such screws are used in the illustrated embodiment, a single screw could suffice. In such an embodiment, to prevent rotation of the front plate 12 relative to the block 10 when the front plate 12 is secured thereto, a protrusion in the form of a lug can be provided on the inside face of the front plate 12 to co-operate with abutment faces provided by an aperture formed in the block 10, the aperture being so shaped and positioned as to receive the lug when the front plate 12 is secured to the block 10.
Fixing screws 76, 78 are provided for fixing the front plate 12 to a wall 80. The front plate 12 includes apertures 82, 84 through which the fixing screws 76, 78 pass and the block includes cut- outs 86 through which the fixing screws pass without being fixed thereto. An earthing strap 70 connects the upper aperture with one of the apertures 82.
When the socket is to be assembled, firstly the cables 28, 30, 32 are cut to length and their ends secured to the terminals 16, 18 and 20. This operation is facilitated by the forward facing positioning of the grub screws 34, 36, 38. Thereafter, the front plate 12 is secured to the block 10 by the screw(s) 62. Finally, the fixing screws 76, 78 are screwed into pre-drilled and plugged holes in the wall 80.
In the alternative embodiment shown in Figure 3, the features are similar to those described in connection with Figures 1 and 2, except as noted below. In this embodiment, the electrical component is a switch 108. The front plate 12 carries a switch lever 110, which co-operates with a switch lever 132 of the switch 108 and is so positioned that in the assembled condition of the device operation of the switch lever 110 on the front plate 12 causes operation of the switch 108.
In this embodiment, the removable securing means and the means to prevent rotation are jointly constituted by two screws 112, 114 passing through apertures 116, 118 in the front plate 12 and screwed into threaded parts 120, 122 of the block 10.
In this embodiment, fixing screws 124, 126 are provided for fixing the front plate 12 to a mounting box 128 which in turn is fixed to a wall 80. The front plate 12 includes apertures 82, 84 through which the fixing screws 124, 126 pass and the block 10 includes cut-out portions 130 through which the fixing screws pass without being fixed thereto.
The accompanying drawings are to be taken to be illustrative. In practice, the dimensions, relative spacing and orientation of the features of the devices may be modified to comply with safety requirements any applicable regulations.
Claims (14)
1. An electrical device comprising a mounting frame (10) and a removable front plate (12), the mounting frame (10) carrying at least part of an electrical component (14, 108) which includes at least one cable terminal (16, 18, 20) open to the top, bottom or side of the mounting frame, the cable terminal including a cable-retaining device (34, 36, 38) accessible from the front of the mounting frame, removable securing means (62, 112, 114) accessible from the front face of the front plate being provided for securing the front plate to the mounting frame.
2. A device according to claim 1, wherein the mounting frame is in the form of a block formed of electrically insulating material.
3. A device according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the cable-retaining device is a front-facing cable-retaining screw.
4. A device according to any preceding claim, including means (70, 114) to prevent rotation of the front plate relative to the mounting frame when the front plate is secured thereto.
5. A device according to claim 4, wherein the removable securing means includes a screw (62) passing through an aperture (64) in the front plate and screwed into a threaded part of the mounting frame and said means to prevent rotation comprises at least one protrusion (70) provided on the inside face of the front plate to co-operate with abutment faces (72) provided on the mounting frame or vice versa.
6. A device according to claim 5, wherein the protrusion is in the form of a lug (70) and the abutment faces are provided by an aperture (74) formed in the mounting frame and being so shaped and positioned as to receive the lug when the front plate is secured to the mounting frame.
7. A device according to claim 4, wherein the removable securing means and the means to prevent rotation are jointly constituted by at least two screws (112, 114) passing through apertures (116, 118) in the front plate and screwed into threaded parts (120, 122) of the mounting frame.
8. A device according to any preceding claim, wherein the electrical component is a switch (108)
9. A device according to claim 8, wherein the front plate carries at least one switch lever (110), so positioned that in the assembled condition of the device operation of the switch lever causes operation of the switch.
10. A device according to any preceding claim, in the form of a plug socket (14)
11. A device according to claim 10, wherein the mounting frame carries plug pin-receiving chambers (40, 42, 44) of the plug socket and the front plate includes openings (54, 56, 58) which are aligned with the plug pin-receiving chambers when the front plate is secured to the mounting frame.
- 10 -
12. A device according to claim 11, wherein a retractable guard plate (60) blocking the passage between some of the openings in the front plate and the respective plug pin-receiving chambers is carried on the rear of the front plate.
13. A device according to any preceding claim, further including fixing means (76, 78, 124, 126) for fixing the front plate to a wall (80), or to a component (128) which in turn is fixed to a wall.
14. A device according to claim 13, wherein the fixing means comprises fixing screws (76, 78, 124, 126), the front plate (12) includes apertures (82, 84, 116, 118) through which the fixing screws pass and the mounting frame includes apertures and/or cut-out portions (86, 130) through which the fixing screws pass without being fixed thereto.
Priority Applications (1)
| Application Number | Priority Date | Filing Date | Title |
|---|---|---|---|
| GB0426360A GB2420917A (en) | 2004-12-01 | 2004-12-01 | Side Mounted Terminal for Electrical Device |
Applications Claiming Priority (1)
| Application Number | Priority Date | Filing Date | Title |
|---|---|---|---|
| GB0426360A GB2420917A (en) | 2004-12-01 | 2004-12-01 | Side Mounted Terminal for Electrical Device |
Publications (2)
| Publication Number | Publication Date |
|---|---|
| GB0426360D0 GB0426360D0 (en) | 2005-01-05 |
| GB2420917A true GB2420917A (en) | 2006-06-07 |
Family
ID=34043868
Family Applications (1)
| Application Number | Title | Priority Date | Filing Date |
|---|---|---|---|
| GB0426360A Withdrawn GB2420917A (en) | 2004-12-01 | 2004-12-01 | Side Mounted Terminal for Electrical Device |
Country Status (1)
| Country | Link |
|---|---|
| GB (1) | GB2420917A (en) |
Cited By (4)
| Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| GB2507078A (en) * | 2012-10-18 | 2014-04-23 | Martin Kelly | Electrical fitting with removable faceplate |
| EP3107157A1 (en) * | 2015-06-18 | 2016-12-21 | Advanced-Connectek Inc. | Wall mount component and wire clamp connector thereof |
| CN106571557A (en) * | 2016-10-10 | 2017-04-19 | 普天智能照明研究院有限公司 | Wall type panel device |
| WO2017114189A1 (en) * | 2015-12-30 | 2017-07-06 | 深圳昂泰智能有限公司 | Cable connecting module and electric control device |
Citations (2)
| Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| US5213205A (en) * | 1988-08-11 | 1993-05-25 | Pittway Corporation | Switch enclosure |
| GB2394603A (en) * | 2002-10-25 | 2004-04-28 | Larry George Pringle | Electrical connector fitting for a socket box |
-
2004
- 2004-12-01 GB GB0426360A patent/GB2420917A/en not_active Withdrawn
Patent Citations (2)
| Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| US5213205A (en) * | 1988-08-11 | 1993-05-25 | Pittway Corporation | Switch enclosure |
| GB2394603A (en) * | 2002-10-25 | 2004-04-28 | Larry George Pringle | Electrical connector fitting for a socket box |
Cited By (6)
| Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| GB2507078A (en) * | 2012-10-18 | 2014-04-23 | Martin Kelly | Electrical fitting with removable faceplate |
| EP3107157A1 (en) * | 2015-06-18 | 2016-12-21 | Advanced-Connectek Inc. | Wall mount component and wire clamp connector thereof |
| US9698499B2 (en) | 2015-06-18 | 2017-07-04 | Advanced-Connectek Inc. | Wall mount component and wire clamp connector thereof |
| WO2017114189A1 (en) * | 2015-12-30 | 2017-07-06 | 深圳昂泰智能有限公司 | Cable connecting module and electric control device |
| CN106571557A (en) * | 2016-10-10 | 2017-04-19 | 普天智能照明研究院有限公司 | Wall type panel device |
| CN106571557B (en) * | 2016-10-10 | 2019-12-31 | 普天智能照明研究院有限公司 | Wall type panel device |
Also Published As
| Publication number | Publication date |
|---|---|
| GB0426360D0 (en) | 2005-01-05 |
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Legal Events
| Date | Code | Title | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
| WAP | Application withdrawn, taken to be withdrawn or refused ** after publication under section 16(1) |