ITPD20130245A1 - DEVICE FOR ELECTRICAL SYSTEMS - Google Patents

Description

DEVICE FOR ELECTRICAL SYSTEMS

DESCRIPTION

The invention relates to a device for controlling electrical equipment in an electrical system and / or for connecting electrical equipment external to the electrical system, such as for example a switch or a power socket.

Typically, in electrical systems, especially at the domestic and residential level, the fixing of sockets and switches or, more generally of all those terminal devices of the system, in jargon called fruits, takes place after the laying of cables or electric wires.

In this way the conductive ends of the previously laid electric cables can be connected to special terminal blocks present in the aforementioned devices, which, once wired, are mounted on the wall by means of special supports.

To ensure optimal system functionality and its duration over time, the installer must pay particular attention to fixing the conductive end in the terminal block as there is a real risk that during the operation of fixing the device to the support it will be inhibited. the correct contact between the conductor end and the terminal block following the movement of the cable.

For this reason, the terminals of these devices are typically provided with cable locking systems, for example represented by a screw which, when tightened, blocks the conductive end of the cable against a conductive wall of the terminal. This locking system, although safe and reliable, requires a rather significant manual activity, since it is necessary to tighten at least one pair of screws for each installed device.

Furthermore, a certain manual skill is also required as it is necessary at the same time to hold the device, keep the cable inside the access opening to the terminal and tighten the screw.

In order to simplify the wiring operations, it is known to use electrical devices provided with terminals that can be opened by means of a manually operated lever.

An example of such devices is described in the European patent application EP 837526.

A further alternative to the use of screw locking systems is represented by the use of terminals provided with an elastic portion which is moved away from a respective conductive surface when an electric wire is inserted inside the appropriate opening provided in the electric device.

However, this solution can only be used in the case of electric wires formed by a single solid conductor, since the electric cables, made by means of intertwined wires, do not have sufficient stiffness to act on the elastic portion of the terminal.

The technical problem underlying the present invention is therefore that of providing a device for controlling electrical equipment in an electrical system and / or for connecting electrical equipment external to the electrical system structurally and functionally designed to obviate all the drawbacks complained of with reference to the cited known art.

This problem is solved by means of a device for controlling electrical equipment in an electrical system and / or for connecting electrical equipment external to the electrical system according to claim 1.

Preferred features of the invention are defined in the dependent claims. The invention according to the present invention makes it possible to connect the electric cables, both formed by a single conductor and formed by intertwined wires, in a quick and safe manner, without requiring particular manual skill from the operator.

The characteristics and further advantages of the invention will become clearer from the following detailed description of a preferred but not exclusive embodiment thereof illustrated, by way of non-limiting example, with reference to the accompanying drawings in which: - Figure 1 is a perspective view from bottom of a device for controlling electrical equipment in an electrical installation according to the present;

Figure 2 is a top perspective view of the device for controlling an electrical apparatus of Figure 1, from which a lower cover has been removed;

Figure 3 is a perspective view of an elastic locking element, detail of the device for controlling an electrical apparatus of Figure 1;

Figure 4 is a perspective view of the elastic locking element of Figure 3, according to a different point of view, and of a relative operating lever; and - Figures 5A, 5B and 5C are side views in section which illustrate the operation of the device according to the present invention.

With reference initially to Figure 1, a device for controlling electrical equipment in an electrical system is indicated as a whole with the reference number 100.

In the present embodiment, the device 100 is of the type suitable for being mounted on a frame support, not shown in the figure, fixed to a wall and allows, in particular, to switch on and off an electrical apparatus connected to the system.

For this purpose, the device 100 comprises connection means 103 to the frame support, for example made by means of a series of supports and a seat that can be housed in respective portions formed on the support in a per se known manner.

The device 100 further comprises an operating portion 101, located in such a way as to be reachable by the user's hand when the device is mounted on the wall, which, in the present embodiment, allows to open / close an electrical contact in order to deactivate / activate the electrical equipment, as will be explained in more detail below.

As better visible in Figures 5A to 5C, the operative portion 101 comprises an outward facing surface which can be made to oscillate between two operative positions, in such a way as to flex a flexible electrical contact 105, partially visible in Figure 2 and better illustrated in Figure 5A, thus closing the electrical contact with a pair of terminals 2 and 2 '. In other words, the device according to the present example of embodiment performs the function of a switch, it being however evident that the characteristics illustrated below can be equally applied to other control devices, such as for example inverters, diverters, dimmers or more complex systems. , such as chronothermostats.

Alternatively, the device according to the present invention can also be represented by a power socket, or by another similar device for the connection of electrical equipment external to the electrical system, in which therefore the operative portion 101 is able to receive a plug , or more generally a connector of the electrical equipment external to the plant. Also in this case, the device 100 will comprise at least one pair of inlet openings 10 associated with the respective conductor terminal 2 or 2 '. However, the operative portion 101 will have at least one pair of seats intended to receive respective male elements of an electric plug and to connect them to the corresponding conducting terminal.

In any case, according to the present embodiment, the device 100 comprises a casing, on which the operating portion 101 is fixed in an oscillating manner. Preferably, the casing is formed by a main body 102 and a lower cover 104, thereto. associated for example by means of a snap mechanism.

The lower cover 104 has a plurality of openings 10, each of which is designed to allow the insertion of an electric cable or wire W inside the device 100.

It must be noted that, in the context of the present invention, the term electric wire indicates a single wire-like electrical conductor, while the term electrical cable means a wire-like electrical conductor formed by a plurality of intertwined conducting wires.

Figure 2 illustrates the device 100 according to the present invention with the lower cover 104 removed, so as to better illustrate the internal components, with particular reference to the conductor terminals 2, 2 '. In this regard, it must be noted that, in the present embodiment, the terminals 2 and 2 'differ only in their positioning and in the conformation of a respective contact area 25, 25' with the flexible electrical contact 105, as shown it can be seen in figure 5A, in which, incidentally, the device 100 is illustrated with the contact 105 in a position such as to close the circuit between the two terminals 2 and 2 '.

Consequently, reference will be made hereinafter only to terminal 2, it being clear that the same description will be directly applicable also to terminal 2 '.

With reference therefore to Figure 2, the clamp 2 comprises an elastic locking element 1 and an actuation lever 3 of the elastic locking element 1 which, as will become clearer below, allows the locking element 1 to be elastically deformed, leading from a first to a second operating configuration.

Preferably, the elastic locking element 1 is associated with a conductive surface 21 of the clamp 2 and made as a distinct body, fixed to the surface 21. In this way, it is possible to make the conductive surface 21 in a different material than the locking 1, for example using copper or an alloy thereof for the surface 21 and spring steel for the locking element 1, thus giving the clamp both high elasticity and good conductive characteristics.

As can also be seen in Figure 5A, the surface 21 develops tangentially with respect to the inlet opening 10 and is aligned with respect to a direction of insertion I of the wire W inside the opening. In this way, a simple contact between the conductive end of the wire W and terminal 2 can be ensured.

To improve the contact between the electric wire W and terminal 2, the latter comprises a housing 23, fixed to the surface 21 and whose inlet opening faces the inlet opening 10.

Preferably, the housing 23 narrows along the direction of insertion I, so as to keep the end of the wire W well positioned.

In addition, again according to a preferred embodiment, the terminal 2 further comprises an orientation fin 24, which extends perpendicularly to the conductive surface 21. The fin 24 is interposed between the inlet opening 10 and the housing 23 and advantageously allows the yarn to be directed more easily towards the latter.

The locking of the wire W on the conductive surface 21 takes place by means of the locking element 1 which will now be described in detail below with reference to Figures 3, 4 and 5A.

According to a preferred embodiment, the locking element 1 is made by means of a folded metal sheet and comprises a fixing portion 11, substantially made by means of a flat surface which can be coupled to the conductive surface 21.

An operative portion 13 is connected in an elastic manner to the fixing portion 11, preferably by means of a connecting portion 12 having an elastically deformable curved shape.

According to a preferred embodiment, the connecting portion 12 extends, in the rest position, for an angle at least equal to 180 ° and the operative portion 13 is arranged facing the fixing portion 11 and spaced from it.

Even more preferably, the connecting portion extends over an angle greater than 180 °. Furthermore, the operative portion 13 is inclined with respect to the fixing portion 11 and therefore to the surface 21, in such a way that the end of the operative portion 13 connected to the connection portion 12 is located at a shorter distance than the portion 11 with respect to the end. opposite.

From the operative portion 13, at the end opposite to that connected to the connection portion 12, a locking portion 14 extends, in which a passage opening 15 is defined.

In greater detail, the locking portion 14 extends towards the fixing portion 11 and, according to a preferred embodiment, the portion 11 passes through the passage opening 15.

In other words, the overall shape of the locking element 1 is curl.

The locking portion 14 further comprises a guide end 16, which extends from an opposite part of the fixing portion 11 with respect to the operating portion 13.

An edge 17a is also defined on the guide end 16, which corresponds to the edge of the passage opening 15, facing the fixing portion 11. Preferably, the edge 17a is made in correspondence with a locking part 17 of the end guide, the characteristics of which will be better illustrated below.

The locking element 1 is therefore shaped in such a way that the edge 17a tends to abut the fixing portion 11 thanks to the elasticity of the material.

In this way, by positioning the conductive surface 21 within the passage opening 15 and between the edge 17a and the fixing portion 11, in particular in contact with the latter, as illustrated in figures 5A and 5B, it is possible keep the wire W in contact with the conductive surface 21 and lock it therewith thanks to the elastic return of the material of which the locking element 1 is made. In order to improve the locking action, the edge 17a preferably has a curved surface , which develops in such a way as to partially wind the wire W.

Furthermore, again according to a preferred embodiment, a single locking element 1 comprises a pair of operating portions 13 and locking portions 14 connected to a common fixing portion 11 and associable with two distinct wires W, obviously having the same phase .

This allows to considerably reduce the assembly steps of the device and to facilitate contact between the clamp locking element, while maintaining the locking portions 14 operating independently of each other, as will be better illustrated below.

According to a preferred embodiment, as can be seen in Figure 3, the operating portions 13 extend from the common fixing portion 11 defining an opening 18 on which a hooking body 22 of the conducting terminal 2, illustrated in Figure 5A, can engage. .

In this way, the fixing portion 11 and the conductive surface 21 can be kept resting on each other in a simple and stable manner.

However, it is clear that alternative connection methods between the conductive surface 21 and the locking element 1 may also be provided.

With reference now to Figures 4 and 5C, the operating portion 13 and the operating lever 3 are positioned in such a way that the edge 17a is moved away from the fixing portion, and therefore also from the conductive surface 21, when the operating lever 3 acts. on the locking element 1.

In greater detail, the lever 3 is rotatably connected to the main body 102 and / or to the lower cover 104, in such a way that, upon rotation around the axis of rotation X, an extension 30 of the lever 3 comes into contact with the operative portion 13, pushing it towards the fixing portion 11. Consequently, thanks to the geometry of the locking element 1 described above, the edge 17a is moved away from the conductive surface 21.

In this operating position, also indicated below as the opening position, illustrated in Figure 5C, the inlet opening 10 preferably faces entirely the passage opening 15, allowing the free insertion of the wire W, which can therefore reach the housing 23.

By returning the lever 3 to its initial position, the locking element 1 is returned to the rest position, in which the edge 17a encounters the wire W, locking it against the conductive surface 21, thanks to the elasticity of the material of which the locking element 1.

It should also be noted that, as can be seen from Figure 2, each locking element 1, comprising a pair of operating portions 13 and fixing portions 11 as described above, is associated with a pair of levers 3, which can be operated independently one from the other. This configuration advantageously allows each of the edges 17a present in the locking element 1 to be removed from the respective fixing portion 11 independently of each other and, therefore, to carry out the wiring separately of two wires W in a single terminal .

It must also be noted that by operating the lever described above, and the consequent opening of the terminal, it is possible to fix both single-conductor wires and cables formed by a plurality of wires to terminal 2.

However, in the case of single-conductor wire, the end can be locked onto the terminal 2 advantageously even without acting on the lever 3, thanks to the particular shape of the guide end 16.

In fact, as can be seen from Figure 5A, when the locking element is in the rest position, the guide end 16 faces the inlet opening 10 and is inclined towards it. In this way, when a wire W is inserted into the inlet opening 10 it comes into contact with the guide end 16 and, if the wire has sufficient flexural stiffness, a force is generated thanks to the inclination of the guide end 16. thrust on the locking portion 14 such as to move the edge 17a away from the conductive surface 21 and, therefore, allow the insertion of the wire W.

It is evident that, since the electrical wires for systems typically have standard characteristics, indicated by the reference standards, a technician in the sector will be able to size the locking element 1 in such a way as to confer at the same time a stiffness sufficient to lock the wire and a deformability such that the action of a single conductor wire of standard diameter is able to move the edge 17a away.

Preferably, in order to make the action of the thread particularly effective, the guide end 16 has an inclination angle α between 15 ° and 75 ° with respect to the direction of insertion I of the thread W in said rest condition.

In addition, in order to improve the locking action of the locking element 1, the locking part 17 advantageously has a different inclination with respect to a main surface 16 'of the guide end 16. More precisely, the locking part locking 17 has an inclination angle smaller than the inclination angle α of the guide end 16 previously defined.

The invention thus solves the problem proposed, at the same time achieving a plurality of advantages. In particular, the device according to the present invention lends itself effectively to being used both in electrical systems which use both electrical wires formed by a single conductor and cables with twisted wires.

In addition, the lever system makes it possible to make the wiring operation simple and quick, without requiring particular manual skills. Furthermore, the particular shape of the lever and of the locking element also make the opening position stable, so that, once the lever is operated, the installer can have both hands free to insert the wire and to hold the device itself. In addition, the subsequent actuation of the lever can also take place in a simple manner without necessarily leaving the thread inserted and not yet locked, since the lever is located in a position that can be easily reached even by the hand holding the device.

Furthermore, a further advantage is represented by the fact that the locking of the wire or of the cable occurs by matching the locking edge, thus offering a superior locking seal compared to systems in which the cable is pressed between two surfaces.

Furthermore, the use of different inclinations between the main surface of the guide element and the locking part allows to obtain an optimal compromise between ease of wire insertion without actuation of the lever and locking capacity of the clamp.

It must also be noted that, advantageously, there is no need for the lever to act on the locking element when this is in the rest position, thus avoiding continuous stresses on the lever and on the parts of the device to which it is connected and thus improving the duration. overall device.

Finally, the solution offered by the device according to the present invention makes it possible to maintain limited overall dimensions, which are completely comparable with devices that use screw locks and are easy and economical to manufacture.

Claims (12)

CLAIMS 1. Device (100) for controlling electrical equipment in an electrical system and / or for connecting electrical equipment external to the electrical system comprising an operating portion (101) suitable for opening / closing an electrical contact and / or for receiving a connector of the electrical equipment external to the system, an inlet opening (10) intended to receive at least one electrical wire (W) of the system, a conductor terminal (2, 2 ') on which the electrical wire (W ), in which said conductive clamp (2, 2 ') comprises a conductive surface (21), an elastic locking element (1) and an actuation lever (3) of said elastic locking element (1), said locking element (1) comprising an operative portion (13) elastically connected to said conducting terminal (2, 2 ') and on which said operating lever (3) can act, and a locking portion (14) connected to said operative portion (13) and in which a passage opening (15) is defined through which said conductive surface (21) extends and in which an edge (17a) of said passage opening (15) is adapted to meet said conductive surface (21) when said elastic locking element (1) is in a rest position, and in which said edge (17a) is moved away from said conductive surface (21) when said operating lever (3) acts on said element of elastic locking (1), characterized in that said locking portion (14) comprises a guide end (16) which faces said inlet opening (10), said guide end (16) being inclined towards said entrance opening (10) when comp or elastic locking element (1) is in said rest position. Device (100) according to claim 1, wherein said guide end (16) has an inclination angle (α) comprised between 15 ° and 75 ° with respect to an insertion direction (I) of the wire (W) in called resting condition. Device (100) according to claim 1 or 2, wherein said guide end (16) comprises a locking part (17) with different inclination with respect to a main surface (16 ') defined in said guide end (16 ) and on which the thread (W) inserted in said opening (10) abuts when said elastic locking element (1) is in said rest position. Device (100) according to claim 2 and 3, wherein said locking part (17) has an angle of inclination smaller than said angle of inclination (α) of said guide end (16) with respect to the direction of insertion (I) of the thread (W). Device (100) according to claim 3 or 4, wherein said edge (17a) is defined in said locking part (17). 6. Device (100) according to one of the preceding claims, in which said edge (17a) has a curved surface suitable for allowing the insertion of rigid cables without operating said lever (3). Device (100) according to one of the preceding claims, wherein said locking element (1) comprises a pair of operating portions (13) and locking portions (14) connected to a common fixing portion (11) arranged in resting on said conductive surface (21) of said conductive terminal (2, 2 '). Device (100) according to claim 7, wherein said operating portions (13) extend from said common fixing portion (11) defining an opening (18) on which a hooking body (22) of said conductor terminal (2, 2 '). Device (100) according to claim 7 or 8, comprising at least one pair of actuation levers (3), which can be operated independently, and each associated with a respective operating portion (13) of said pair. Device (100) according to one of the preceding claims, in which said operative portion (13) has a substantially flat shape and is connected to said conducting terminal (2, 2 ') by means of a connecting portion (12) with an elastically deformable curved shape following the action of said operating lever (3). Device (100) according to one of the preceding claims, comprising at least one pair of inlet openings (10) associated with respective conductive terminals (2, 2 ') and at least one electrical contact (105) associated with said operating portion (101) in such a way as to selectively open / close the electrical contact with said conductor terminals (2, 2 '). Device (100) according to one of claims 1 to 10, comprising at least one pair of inlet openings (10) associated with respective conductive terminals (2, 2 '), said operating portion (101) being provided with at least one pair of seats adapted to receive respective male elements of an electric plug.