GB2474909A

GB2474909A - Connection box clamping cables using pivoting lid

Info

Publication number: GB2474909A
Application number: GB0920250A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Robert Edward Clark
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 2009-11-02
Filing date: 2009-11-19
Publication date: 2011-05-04
Anticipated expiration: 2029-11-19
Also published as: GB0920250D0; GB0919163D0; GB2474909B; WO2011051691A1

Abstract

An electrical connection box comprises a base and a lid that is preferably in two parts. There is an aperture at at least one an end of the box to allow entry/exit of conductors. The lid is pivoted to the base at an end of the base and has securing means to secure the conductor in place in the box formed at or by an edge of the lid, whereby as the lid is lowered about the pivotal axis to close against the base it brings the edge having the securing means into ever greater pressing contact with the conductor to grip the conductor in place, for example clamping the conductors between interdigitating teeth on the lid and on the base. This enables assembly of the electrical connection box and connections swiftly and efficiently and allows the cabling to be reliably secured in place in the box without significantly impeding the installation process. The pivot may be provided by axle stubs 5 clipping into cradle mounts (6). The box may be held shut by a bolt going through apertures 2d into fixing 4d, and/or by latch 3d clipping into recess 1c.

Description

Electrical Connection Box

Field of the Invention

The present invention concerns improvements in and relating to electrical connection boxes.

Background to the Invention

The use of electrical connection boxes (also known as junction or terminal boxes) to house joints between electrical cables! wires is commonplace in the electrical industry. In recent years these have been developed to include housings for multi-connector strips -ie strips that normally comprise a plurality of metal (eg brass) tubes each tube forming a terminal at each end with a clamping screw to secure a respective wire end in place to join wires together. Electrical connection boxes of this type are disclosed in a number of patents such as, for example, GB 2,323,220 and GB 2,260,864. The uses for these boxes are many and various -one popular current use being to gang together down-lighters in floating ceilings.

In both GB 2,323,220 and GB 2,260,864 the electrical connection box comprises a housing with a base part and a hinged mating lid part with locator lugs on the inner face of the base part for locating a multi-connector strip. In GB 2,323,220 with the hinged lid arrangement the box is configured only to allow entry and exit of cables through one end of the box and this limits usefulness. In GB 2,260,864 the box is usable in-line, since it has an entry and exit opening at each end. In this case the lid is hinged to one side edge of the base part of the housing and clips down onto the opposing side edge of the base part. The wires! cables that enter and exit the housing are in all cases either loosely gripped merely by the narrowed entry! exit opening or not gripped at all.

A major attraction of using multi-connector strips inside electrical connection boxes with hinged lids is the ease of installation, whereby the electrician can wire up large arrays of interconnected appliances such as down-lighters quickly and efficiently. However, the lack of firm security of holding of the wires! cables by the housing is a problem since the wires could dislodge from the electrical connection box if accidentally pulled on and there is increasing pressure from regulatory authorities to prevent such risk. Exceptionally some boxes have been modified to include screw down clamping bands such as are used in electrical plugs, eg see UK io Registered Design 3023086. However, these are time-consuming to use, leading to some electricians discontinuing use of electrical connection boxes for this reason.

The present invention seeks to provide a new approach to securing the wires! cables in a junction box to address regulatory safety requirements while maintaining the installation speed and efficiency demanded by electricians.

Sum mary of the Invention According to a first aspect of the present invention there is provided an electrical connection box housing in use an electrical terminal for connecting together electrical conductors and which comprises a base and a lid that is coupled in use to the base, there being an aperture at at least one an end of the box to allow entry! exit of a said conductor and having securing means to secure the conductor in place in the box, the lid being pivoted to the base at an end of the base and the securing means being formed at or by an edge of the lid whereby as the lid is lowered about the pivotal axis to close against the base it brings the edge having the securing means into increasing pressing contact with the conductor to grip the conductor in place.

Suitably the electrical terminal is a multi-connector strip and suitably the box has means to hold the multi-connector strip in position therewithin.

Particularly preferably the box has an in-line configuration with a first said aperture at a first end of the box and a second said aperture at a second end of the box, the lid comprising a first lid part pivoted to the base at the first end and a second lid part pivoted to the base at the second end, each lid part having an edge to serve as securing means to secure a respective conductor in place in the box.

Preferably one of the lid parts has an extension tab that overlaps with (suitably underlies) the other lid part when the two are closed and which io preferably has a small fixing aperture therethrough for a bolt, screw, peg or other fixing means and which aligns with a corresponding small fixing aperture through the other lid part to fix the lid parts closed together and preferably to fix them to the base. The base or an upstand therefrom may be provided with a further small fixing aperture or socket for the bolt, is screw, peg or other fixing means to secure to. This and suitably each of the small fixing apertures is! are screw-threaded.

The lid is, or lid parts are each, pivotally mounted to the base by a pair of aligned axle stubs or axle ends that pivot in opposing cradle mounts. The base suitably has the cradle mounts formed in upstands therefrom. They may be formed in or on panels that form part of the side-walls of the box.

Preferably the lid is demountably pivotally mounted to the base. Suitably for this the lid has a pair of aligned axle stubs or axle ends that each hook-engage into a respective cradle mount on the base.

The conductors are suitably cables of plastics ensheathed wire. The securing means preferably have teeth! protrusions, which suitably bite down onto the plastics of the cables to grip them securely but without damaging them. These teeth! protrusions may be somewhat blunted and preferably are substantially rigid. They are spaced from the base by a clearance to avoid damaging the conductors! cables while firmly gripping them. Preferably the base is provided with counter-teeth! protrusions that suitably are positioned to substantially oppose, but off-set to approximately inter-digitate with the teeth! protrusions of the lid or lid part. There is still clearance between the teeth of the lid and those of the base so as not to damage the conductors.

The, or each, edge of the lid forming the securing means preferably forms a lower in use edge of an end-wall of the box. The lid or each lid part suitably further has sidewall panels depending therefrom that form at least part of the sidewalls of the box. The sidewall panels of the lid or extensions thereof may be provided with detent lugs to releasably fasten to the base to assist in securing the lid or lid parts closed on the base.

Preferably the base has upstanding sidewall panels depending therefrom that form at least part of the sidewalls of the box. The lugs on the lid or lid is parts suitably engage in sockets which suitably are provided in or below the sidewalls of the box.

Particularly preferably the box is formed of plastics with a fluorescent pigment in the moulding. The pigment may be a tint pigment. The fluorescent pigment will help electricians find the connection boxes easily, for example, when they are searching for them in dark attics or other ceiling voids with a torch.

Brief Description of the Drawings

Preferred embodiments of the present invention will now be more particularly described, by way of example only, with reference to the accompanying drawings.

Figures 1 to 5 are views of a first preferred embodiment that is designed to serve as a master electrical connection box and wherein: Figure 1 is a perspective view of the box in assembled state but with the lid parts open; Figure 2 is a perspective view similar to Figure 1 but with the lid parts closed together; Figure 3 is a top plan view corresponding to Figure 2; Figure 4 is a side elevation view corresponding to Figure 2; and Figure 5 is an end elevation view corresponding to Figure 2.

Figures 6 to 10 are views of a second preferred embodiment that is designed to serve as a slave electrical connection box and wherein: Figure 6 is a perspective view of the box in assembled state but with the lid parts open; Figure 7 is a perspective view similar to Figure 6 but with the lid parts closed together; Figure 8 is a top plan view corresponding to Figure 7; Figure 9 is a side elevation view corresponding to Figure 7; and is Figure 10 is an end elevation view corresponding to Figure 7.

Description of the Preferred Embodiments

Referring to Figures 1 to 5, these show the master electrical connection box comprising a plastics moulding of three independent but demountably inter-engaged parts. These parts are a base 1 and a lid 2 of two parts 2a, 2b that are coupled to the base with one lid part 2a pivotally coupled to one end of the base 1 and the other lid part 2b pivotally coupled to the other end of the base 1.

When the lid parts 2a, 2b are pivoted to their closed state, as shown in Figure 2, they meet mid-way along the length of the base 1. A frontally extending tab portion 2c on one of the lid parts 2a extends to overlap with (underlie) the other lid part 2b and has a small fixing aperture 2d for a bolt to pass through to fasten the first lid part 2a and second lid part 2b together. Corresponding small fixing apertures 2d, 4d are present in the frontal end of the lid part 2b and in a central column 4 upstanding from the base plate 1. The central column 4 provides an anchoring point for the bolt to screw-threadedly engage with and also further reinforces the closed lid of the box. The base plate 1 a further has a hole 1 d at each end for screw-or bolt-fixing to a joist or other building structure to hold the master unit in place.

The box has an elongate rectangular shape as viewed in plan and side elevations and comprises a substantially flat base plate 1 a with upstanding panels lb along the lateral edges that form part of the side-walls of the box. The lid parts 2a, 2b each have panels 3 along their lateral edges that depend downwardly forming the upper parts of the side walls of the box when they are in the closed state. On one of the lid parts 2b the sidewall panels 3 have downwardly extended frontal portions 3c that extend to overlap the upstanding sidewall panels 1 b of the base 1. These extended frontal portions 3c each have a rectangular ramp-shaped lug 3d on their inner face to engage in a respective corresponding rectangular aperture 1 c in the upstanding sidewall panels 1 b of the base 1. These thus provide is a reliable latching-closure of the lid parts 2a, 2b to the base 1. This may subsequently be readily released, if needed for access, by prising the frontal portions 3c out with a screw-driver or other tool.

The box is adapted to house an electrical terminal for connecting together a number of electrical conductors such as electrical cables of conductive metal wire ensheathed in an insulating plastics sleeve. The preferred type of terminal to be installed in the box is the previously-described multi-connector strip, which suitably has, for example, six connection tubes for linking multiple cables for a ceiling down-lighter array. Cables are suitably fitted to the multi-connector strip first and the strip then installed in the box optionally lodged onto a detaining peg lg upstanding from the base plate la.The strip is installed so that cables pass into and out of the box from opposing ends of the box,. The box has no fixed end walls to obstruct the cables but rather each lid part 2a, 2b has a downwardly depending end panel 3e that defines an end wall of the box when the lid parts 2a, 2b are mounted to the base 1 and pivoted to the closed state.

Each lid part 2a, 2b is mounted to the base 1 by a pair of co-axial axle stubs 5 that project from each opposing side of the lid part 2a, 2b adjacent to the end wall panel 2e. These axle stubs 5 each insert into a respective one of a pair of opposing mounting cradles 6 on the side wall panels 1 b of the base 1. The cradles 6 are formed as open-mouthed channels that turn upwardly to a blind end and allow the axle stubs 5 to be easily mounted therein and de-mounted therefrom simply by offering the lid part 2a, 2b to the base 1 with the axle stubs 5 presented to the mouths of the channels and then slid to the blind end of the channels and the lid part 2a, 2b then io pivoted at that point so that it turns to the closed state, to be plane parallel to the base plate la, with the side wall panels 3 of the lid parts la, lb there sitting atop the side wall panels lb of the base 1.

The end wall panels 2e have a lower edge 2f that is adapted to function as a securing means to securely hold the cables in place in the box when the is lid is closed. The end wall lower edge 2f has a plurality of protrusions! teeth' therealong and is spaced a short clearance above the base plate la sufficient to grip the cables against the base plate la without damaging the cables. A set of counter-protrusions! teeth' if is provided on the base plate la to enhance the gripping effect. Indeed, the base plate la has two bands of such counter-protrusions! teeth' lf, each several rows deep to provide optimal gripping effect to resist any abrupt pulling forces on the cables and whether the force is perpendicular to the end wall of the box or at an angle.

The clearance between the end walls 2e and base plate la provides the respective aperture at each end of the box to allow entry! exit of the conductors and the lower edge 2f of those end walls 2e defines the securing means to secure the conductors in place in the box. As noted previously, the end walls 2e are formed on the lid parts 2a, 2b that are pivoted to the base 1 at each end of the base 1. Accordingly, as the lid parts 2a, 2b are lowered about their pivotal axes to close against the base 1 this brings the edge 2f serving as the securing means into increasing pressing contact with the conductor to grip the conductor ever more firmly in place against the base plate 1. Indeed, any external pulling force subsequently applied to the cables may even tend to cause the lid 2a, 2b and teeth to grip the cables more firmly. Nevertheless, if the electrician wishes to adjust the connections later this is easily done by simply un-screwing the bolt through the holes 2d,4d, then prising the lugs 3d free and tilting up, and optionally de-coupling, the lid parts 2a, 2b from the base 1.

In the embodiment of Figures 6 to 10 the same principles apply and like parts are indicated by like reference numerals. The unit of this second embodiment differs from the first embodiment in that, as a slave connection unit, it is of lesser width, eg one half to one third of the width, compared to the width of the master connection unit. Notably, also, the latching/clipping of the lid parts 2a, 2b to the base 1 is by longer lid is sidewall panel extensions 3 that engage with sockets ic that underlie the base sidewalls lb. Furthermore the slave unit has a shorter base plate la that lacks the extra end areas with screw-holes ld since these slave units do not necessarily need to be fixed down. Instead the slave unit has short legs le.

Claims

Claims 1. An electrical connection box housing in use an electrical terminal for connecting together electrical conductors and which comprises a base and a lid that is coupled in use to the base, there being an aperture at at least one an end of the box to allow entry! exit of a said conductor and having securing means to secure the conductor in place in the box, the lid being pivoted to the base at an end of the base and the securing means being formed at or by an edge of the lid whereby as the lid is lowered about the pivotal axis to close against the base it brings the securing means into increasing pressing contact with the conductor to grip the conductor in place.
2. An electrical connection box as claimed in claim 1, wherein the electrical terminal is a multi-connector strip.
3. An electrical connection box as claimed in claim 1 or 2, wherein the box has a first said aperture at a first end of the box and a second said aperture at a second end of the box, the lid comprising a first lid part pivoted to the base at the first end and a second lid part pivoted to the base at the second end, each lid part having an edge to serve as a said securing means.
4. An electrical connection box as claimed in claim 3, wherein one of the lid parts has an extension tab that overlaps with the other lid part when the two are closed and which has a fixing aperture therethrough for a bolt, screw, peg or other fixing means and which aligns with a corresponding fixing aperture through the other lid part to fix the lid parts closed together.
5. An electrical connection box as claimed in claim 4, wherein the lid is demountably mounted to the base.
6. An electrical connection box as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein the lid is, or lid parts are each, pivotally mounted to the base by a pair of aligned axle stubs or axle ends that pivot in opposing cradle mounts.
7. An electrical connection box as claimed in claim 6, wherein the base has the cradle mounts formed in or on side wall panels upstanding from the lateral edges of the box.
8. An electrical connection box as claimed in claim 5 and 6, wherein the lid has a pair of aligned axle stubs or axle ends that each hook-engage io into a respective cradle mount on the base.
9. An electrical connection box as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein the securing means have teeth! protrusions.
10. An electrical connection box as claimed in claim 9, wherein the base is provided with counter-teeth! protrusions.
11. An electrical connection box as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein the edge of the lid forming the securing means defines a lower in use edge of an end-wall of the box.
12. An electrical connection box as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein the lid, or each lid part, has sidewall panels depending therefrom that form at least part of the sidewalls of the box.
13. An electrical connection box as claimed in claim 12, wherein the sidewall panels of the lid or lid parts or extensions thereof are each provided with a detent lug to releasably fasten to the base to assist in securing the lid or lid parts closed on the base.
14. An electrical connection box as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein the base has upstanding sidewall panels depending therefrom that form at least part of the sidewalls of the box. ii
15. An electrical connection box as claimed in claims 13 and 14, wherein the lugs on the lid or lid parts engage in sockets which are provided in or below the sidewalls of the base of the box.
16. An electrical connection box as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein the box has a fluorescent pigmentation.
17. An electrical connection box as hereinbefore-described with reference to any suitable combination of the accompanying drawings.SAmendments to the claims have been filed as follows: Claims 1. An electrical connection box housing in use an electrical terminal for connecting together electrical conductors and which comprises a base and a lid that is coupled in use to the base, there being an aperture at at s least one end of the box to allow entry/ exit of a said conductor and having securing means to secure the conductor in place in the box, the lid being pivoted to the base at an end of the base and the securing means being formed at or by an edge of the lid whereby as the lid is lowered about the pivotal axis to close against the base it brings the securing means into increasing pressing contact with the conductor to grip the conductor in place.2. An electrical connection box as claimed in claim 1 in combination with a said electrical terminal, wherein the electrical terminal is a multi-connector strip.3. An electrical connection box as claimed in claim I or 2, wherein the box has a first said aperture at a first end of the box and a second said aperture at a second end of the box, the lid comprising a first lid part pivoted to the base at the first end and a second Ud part pivoted to the base at the second end, each lid part having an edge to serve as a said securing means. I... * *4. An electrical connection box as claimed in claim 3, wherein one of ****..* the lid parts has an extension tab that overlaps with the other lid part when the two are closed and which has a fixing aperture therethrough for a bolt, screw, peg or other fixing means and which aligns with a corresponding fixing aperture through the other lid part to fix the lid parts closed together.* 5. An electrical connection box as claimed in claim 4, wherein the lid is *..**� * demountably mounted to the base.6. An electrical connection box as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein the lid is, or lid parts are each, pivotally mounted to the base by a pair of aligned axle stubs or axle ends that pivot in opposing cradle mounts.7. An electrical connection box as claimed in claim 6, wherein the base has the cradle mounts formed in or on side wall panels upstanding from the lateral edges of the box.8. An electrical connection box as claimed in claim 5 and 6, wherein the lid has a pair of aligned axle stubs or axle ends that each hook-engage io into a respective cradle mount on the base.9. An electrical connection box as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein the securing means have teeth! protrusions.10. An electrical connection box as claimed in claim 9, wherein the base is provided with counter-teeth! protrusions.11. An electrical connection box as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein the edge of the lid forming the securing means defines a lower in use edge of an end-wall of the box.12. An electrical connection box as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein the lid, or each lid part, has sidewall panels depending therefrom that form at least part of the sidewalls of the box.13. An electrical connection box as claimed in claim 12, wherein the sidewall panels of the lid or lid parts or extensions thereof are each provided with a detent lug to releasably fasten to the base to assist in securing the lid or lid parts closed on the base.14. An electrical connection box as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein the base has upstanding sidewall panels depending therefrom that form at least part of the sidewalls of the box.15. An electrical connection box as claimed in claims 13 and 14, wherein the lugs on the lid or lid parts engage in sockets which are provided in or below the sidewalls of the base of the box.16. An electrical connection box as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein the box has a fluorescent pigmentation.17. An electrical connection box as hereinbefore-described with reference to any suitable combination of the accompanying drawings.