JP6922390B2 - Connecting unit of electric equipment and magnetic contactor equipped with it, thermal overload relay, electromagnetic switch - Google Patents

Description

The present invention is a connecting unit for connecting an electric device having a connection terminal having an elastic member for holding an electric wire that elastically holds a conductor portion of a connecting electric wire such as an electromagnetic contactor and another electric device, and an electromagnetic contactor including the same. , Thermal overload relays, electromagnetic switches.

In electrical equipment such as magnetic contactors and thermal overload relays (thermal relays), which are used by connecting connecting wires to connection terminals, there are various cases where the same model is connected or different models are connected. There is a combination of.
In this case, if the interphase pitch of the connection portion between the magnetic contactor and the thermal overload relay (thermal relay) is different, the two cannot be directly connected, for example, the connection described in Patent Document 1. It will be connected using a unit.

In this connection unit, by attaching a connection unit to a thermal relay, it is possible to connect to magnetic contactors having different interphase pitches via this connection unit.
By the way, when connecting the same model or different models, the problem is that the connection direction of the connection wire differs depending on the structure of the connection terminal. For example, in the screw terminal method in which the terminal of the connecting wire is fixed with a terminal screw, the terminal screw is desired in front of the electric device, and the terminal of the connecting wire is inserted in the direction perpendicular to the advancing / retreating direction of the terminal screw, that is, from the side surface of the electric device. I am trying to do it.

On the other hand, recently, a screwless type connection terminal having an elastic member for holding an electric wire that elastically holds the conductor portion of the connecting electric wire has been adopted, and this screwless type connection terminal does not use a terminal screw. A connection terminal is provided on the front surface of the electric device, and a connecting electric wire is inserted into the connection terminal from the front side of the electric device (see, for example, Patent Document 2).

Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 5-128959 Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 2013-115006

The connection unit described in Patent Document 1 can be used when the connection directions are on the same extension line, such as when the interphase pitches are different. Therefore, the connection units described in Patent Document 1 have the same connection direction, for example, when the connection directions are completely different as in the screwless method and the terminal screw method, or when the screwless methods are connected to each other. , There is a problem that it cannot be applied when one connection direction and the other connection direction are deviated from each other.

Therefore, the present invention has been made by paying attention to the problem of the connection unit described in Patent Document 1 described above, and is an electric device capable of connecting an electric device whose connection terminals are not on the same extension line. It is an object of the present invention to provide a connecting unit and an electromagnetic contactor including the connecting unit, a thermal overload relay, and an electromagnetic switch.

In order to achieve the above object, the connecting unit according to one aspect of the present invention has a first connecting portion formed on the front portion of the first electric device and a second connecting unit formed on the side surface portion of the second electric device. With a connecting part that electrically connects the second connection part, fixes the first electric device and the second electric device detachably, and fixes the first electric device and the second electric device detachably. , The first terminal part that is electrically connected to the first connection part and the second terminal part that is electrically connected to the first terminal part and electrically connected to the second connection part. It is composed of the provided electrical connection portion, and the electrical connection portion is formed so that the first terminal portion and the second terminal portion can be divided .

According to one aspect of the present invention, when the connection direction of the first electric device and the second electric device connected to the first electric device is not on the same extension line, the first electric device and the second electric device are connected. A connecting unit that can be connected can be provided.

It is a perspective view which shows the electromagnetic switch to which the connection unit which concerns on 1st Embodiment of this invention is applied. It is an exploded perspective view of the electromagnetic switch shown in FIG. It is a front view of the rail mounting state of the electromagnetic switch shown in FIG. It is sectional drawing on the IV-IV line of the electromagnetic switch shown in FIG. It is sectional drawing on the VV line of the electromagnetic switch shown in FIG. It is sectional drawing on the VI-VI line of the electromagnetic switch shown in FIG. It is sectional drawing which shows the mounting state to the magnetic contactor of a connecting unit. It is sectional drawing which shows the attachment state to the connection unit of a thermal type overload relay. It is a front view in the state which the front plate of the magnetic contactor shown in FIG. 1 is removed. It is an exploded perspective view which shows the modification of 1st Embodiment. It is a perspective view which shows the electromagnetic switch to which the connection unit which concerns on 2nd Embodiment of this invention is applied. It is an exploded perspective view of the electromagnetic switch shown in FIG. FIG. 11 is a front view of the rail-mounted state of the electromagnetic switch shown in FIG. It is sectional drawing on the XIV-XIV line of FIG. It is an exploded perspective view which shows the duplex electromagnetic contactor to which the 1st connection unit which concerns on 2nd Embodiment of this invention is applied as a connection unit. It is an exploded perspective view which shows the modification of the 2nd Embodiment.

Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.
An electromagnetic switch as an electric device to which the connection unit according to the embodiment of the present invention is applied is shown in FIGS. 1 to 3.
In the electromagnetic switch 1 shown in FIGS. 1 to 3, an electromagnetic contactor 2 as an electric device and a thermal overload relay (thermal relay) 3 as another electric device are electrically and mechanically connected by a connecting unit 4. Is integrated.

The magnetic contactor 2 opens and closes the current path between the power supply on one side and the load on the other side.
The magnetic contactor 2 includes a contact mechanism 10 shown in FIG. 9, an electromagnet unit 11 that drives the contact mechanism 10 shown in FIGS. 4 to 6, and a case 12 that houses the contact mechanism 10 and the electromagnet unit 11 inside. I have.

Here, as shown in FIGS. 1, 2, and 9, the case 12 is in the front-rear direction (the direction indicated by the arrow A in FIGS. 1 and 2 is the front direction, the direction indicated by the arrow B is the rear direction), and the left-right direction. (The direction indicated by the arrow C in FIGS. 1, 2 and 9 is the left direction, the direction indicated by the arrow D is the right direction) and the vertical direction (the direction indicated by the arrow E in FIGS. 1, 2 and 9 is the upward direction). It includes a substantially rectangular case body 12a extending downward (the direction indicated by the arrow F) and a case lid 12b that covers the case body 12a that opens on the front side from the front (front).

As shown in FIGS. 4 to 6, the case body 12a is formed with a contact mechanism accommodating recess 21 for accommodating the contact mechanism 10 in the central portion in the vertical direction, and behind the contact mechanism accommodating recess 21, FIGS. 4 to 4 to 6 As shown in FIG. 6, the electromagnet unit accommodating portion 25 is formed. The contact mechanism 10 is accommodated in the contact mechanism accommodating recess 21, and the electromagnet unit 11 is accommodated in the electromagnet unit accommodating portion 25.
Further, a plurality of pairs (5 pairs in the present embodiment) of electric wire insertion spaces 22 are formed on both the upper and lower sides of the case body 12a with the contact mechanism accommodating recess 21 interposed therebetween. A partition wall 22a is provided between the adjacent electric wire insertion spaces 22. Each electric wire insertion space 22 is provided in a one-to-one correspondence with the fixed contact 26 described later.

Further, as shown in FIGS. 1, 2 and 3, the case lid 12b is formed so as to communicate the outer surface (front surface) of the case lid 12b with the electric wire insertion space 22 shown in FIG. The electric wire insertion ports 23a to 23e are provided. Two electric wire insertion ports 23a to 23e are provided for one electric wire insertion space 22. In the present embodiment, since five pairs of electric wire insertion spaces 22 are provided, a total of ten pairs are provided. In these 10 pairs of electric wire insertion ports 23a to 23e, the 6 pairs of electric wire insertion ports 23a to 23c on the left side are used for the main circuit terminals, and the pair of electric wire insertion ports 23d on the right side of the electric wire insertion ports 23c are used for auxiliary terminals. It is used, and the pair of electric wire insertion ports 23e on the far right side are used for the coil terminals of the electromagnet unit 11.

Then, as shown in FIG. 9, the contact mechanism 10 has a plurality of pairs (5 pairs in the present embodiment) of fixed contacts 26 fixed to the case body 12a apart from each other in the left-right direction, and each pair of fixed contacts. A plurality of movable contacts 27 (five in the present embodiment) that can be attached to and detached from the child 26 are provided.
The plurality of movable contacts 27 are fixed to the movable contact support members 28 extending in the left-right direction at predetermined intervals along the left-right direction. When the coil of the electromagnet unit 11 is excited, the movable contact support member 28 moves to the right indicated by an arrow D via a drive lever (not shown), and a plurality of movable contacts fixed to the movable contact support member 28. Each of the children 27 contacts each pair of fixed contacts 26. As a result, the upper fixed contact 26 on one side and the lower fixed contact 26 on the other side conduct with each other via the movable contact 27, and the current path is closed.

On the other hand, when the coil of the electromagnet unit 11 is in a non-excited state, the movable contact support member 28 moves to the left indicated by the arrow C by the action of a return spring (not shown) and is fixed to the movable contact support member 28. Each of the plurality of movable contacts 27 separates from each pair of fixed contacts 26. As a result, the fixed contact 26 on the left side on one side and the fixed contact 26 on the right side on the other side are blocked.

As shown in FIG. 5, the electric wire connection structure of the case body 12a connects the connection electric wire W to the fixed contact 26 as the terminal fitting, and is paired with the above-mentioned case 12 on the upper side and the lower side. The spring terminal 30 is provided.
First, as shown in FIGS. 2 and 5, the connected electric wire W includes a core wire W1 made of a large number of metal wires and an insulating coating W2 that covers the outer periphery of the core wire W1. When the electric wire W is connected to the fixed contact 26, the tip portion of the insulating coating W2 is removed, and only the predetermined portion of the core wire W1 is exposed. At this time, a ferrule W3 is attached around the exposed core wire W1 as shown in FIGS. 2 and 5 so that the core wire W1 made of a large number of metal wires does not fall apart.

Regarding the fixed contact 26, since the paired upper fixed contact 26 and the lower fixed contact 26 have a plane-symmetrical shape, only the configuration of the lower fixed contact 26 will be described. As shown in FIG. 9, the lower fixed contact 26 includes a flat plate-shaped fixed contact portion 26a with which the movable contact 27 contacts, and a flat plate-shaped substrate portion 26b bent to the right from the fixed contact portion 26a. A seat plate portion 26c extending downward from the rear end of the substrate portion 26b (upward in the upper fixed contact 26) and a flat plate-shaped fixed contact side electric wire holding portion 26d rising forward and downward from the seat plate portion 26c. I have. The fixed contact 26 is formed by punching and bending a metal plate.

As shown in FIG. 9, the fixed contact portion 26 on the lower side has the fixed contact portion 26a located in the contact mechanism accommodating recess 21, the substrate portion 26b, the seat plate portion 26c, and the fixed contact side electric wire holding portion 26d. Is fixed to the case body 12a so that is located in the upper wire insertion space 22. Further, in the upper fixed contact 26, the fixed contact portion 26a is located in the contact mechanism accommodating recess 21, and the substrate portion 26b, the seat plate portion 26c and the fixed contact side wire holding portion 26d are in the upper wire insertion space 22. It is fixed to the case body 12a so as to be located at.

Further, since the paired upper and lower spring terminals 30 have a plane-symmetrical shape, only the configuration of the lower spring terminals 30 will be described. The lower spring terminal 30 is composed of an electric wire holding elastic member 31 and a fixed contact side electric wire holding portion 26d of the fixed contact 26. As shown in FIGS. 4 to 6, the electric wire holding elastic member 31 is brought into contact with the lower fixed contactor 26 and is arranged in the electric wire insertion space 22 on the left side, and the electric wire is inserted from the electric wire insertion port 23 on the lower side. The core wire W1 of the electric wire W inserted in the insertion space 22 in the electric wire insertion direction is elastically held.

Specifically, as shown in FIGS. 4 to 6, the lower electric wire holding elastic member 31 is connected to the seat plate portion 26c of the lower fixed contact 26 by, for example, welding. A flat plate-shaped plate portion 31b that is bent from the connecting portion 31a and extends forward in the direction opposite to the wire insertion direction, a curved portion 31c formed at the front end of the plate portion 31b, and a curved portion 31c. It is a leaf spring member provided with an elastic member-side electric wire holding portion 31d extending diagonally rearward from the tip in the downward-rear direction.

Then, as shown in FIG. 9, a slit 31e extending from the curved portion 31c to the tip of the elastic member side electric wire holding portion 31d is formed in the central portion in the width direction of the curved portion 31c and the elastic member side electric wire holding portion 31d. The curved portion 31c is divided into a first curved portion 31c1 and a second curved portion 31c2 by the slit 31e, and the elastic member side electric wire holding portion 31d holds the first elastic member side electric wire holding portion 31d1 and the second elastic member side electric wire. It is divided into two parts 31d2. The first elastic member side electric wire holding portion 31d1 corresponds to one of the two electric wire insertion ports 23a to 23e on the left side, and the second elastic member side electric wire holding portion 31d2 corresponds to the other electric wire insertion port. It is provided at the position to be used.

Then, between the tip of the first elastic member side wire holding portion 31d1 which is the tip of the elastic member side wire holding portion 31d and the fixed contact side wire holding portion 26d, one of the lower wire insertion ports 23a to 23e The core wire W1 of the electric wire W inserted into the electric wire insertion space 22 from the electric wire insertion port of the above is elastically held. Further, between the tip of the second elastic member side wire holding portion 31d2 and the fixed contact side wire holding portion 26d, from the other wire insertion port of the lower wire insertion ports 23a to 23e into the wire insertion space 22. The core wire W1 of the inserted electric wire W is elastically held.

The upper electric wire holding elastic member 31 is connected to the upper fixed contact 26 and is arranged in the upper electric wire insertion space 22 as shown in FIG. 5, and the electric wire insertion space from the upper electric wire insertion ports 23a to 23e. The core wire W1 of the electric wire W inserted in the electric wire insertion direction (downward indicated by the arrow F) is elastically held in 22.
On the other hand, as shown in FIGS. 4 to 6, the thermal type overload relay 3 includes a box-shaped case 42 in which the thermal relay main body 41 is housed. The front plate 42a of the case 42 is formed with wire insertion ports 43 for, for example, three main circuit terminals into which connection wires W to which ferrules W3 are attached are inserted one by one on the lower end side, and the right side of the wire insertion ports 43. An electric wire insertion port 44 of an auxiliary contact terminal into which two electric wires similar to the electric wire insertion port 23 of the electromagnetic contactor 2 can be inserted is formed in the above.

As shown in FIGS. 4 to 6, spring terminals 45 are arranged in the case 42 facing the electric wire insertion ports 43 and 44. The spring terminal 45 is composed of an elastic member 45a for holding an electric wire and a fixed side conductor holding portion 45b with which the tip of the elastic member 45a for holding an electric wire comes into contact, similarly to the spring terminal 30 of the electromagnetic contactor 2 described above. There is.
Further, as shown in FIGS. 2 and 4 to 6, a terminal block portion 46 projecting upward is formed in the central portion on the upper surface serving as the side surface of the case 42. The terminal block 46 is formed in a trapezoidal shape in which the legs on the front side when viewed from the left side are at right angles. On the upper bottom parallel to the upper surface of the case 42 of the terminal block portion 46, three connecting conductors 47 composed of three rod-shaped conductors are projected on the front end side at equal intervals in the left-right direction. The three connecting conductors 47 are for connecting to an electromagnetic contactor having a screw terminal. Here, as shown in FIG. 5, each of the three connecting conductors 47 is connected to the input end of the thermal relay main body 41 and extends rearward from the connecting rod portion 47a and the rear end of the connecting rod portion 47a. A curved rod portion 47b that folds back in a U shape, an extension rod portion 47c that extends forward from the curved rod portion 47b in parallel with the connecting rod portion 47a, and along the inside of the terminal base portion 46 from the front end of the extension rod portion 47c. It is composed of a bent extension rod portion 47d that extends by bending the bent extension rod portion 47d, and a protruding rod portion 47e that is bent 90 ° from the front end of the bent extension rod portion 47d and extends so as to project from the terminal base portion 46.

Further, as shown in FIG. 2, on the upper surface of the case 42, a first engaging portion formed inside the mounting plate portions 12d formed at the four corners of the electromagnetic contactor 2 shown in FIG. 4 on the rear end side. A pair of left and right engaging protrusions 48 serving as a third engaging portion that can be engaged with the engaging hole 12e are formed. As shown in FIGS. 2 and 4, these engaging protrusions 48 are formed with a locking portion 48a that is inserted into the engaging hole 12e and locked. Further, on the upper surface of the case 42, an engaging plate portion 49 is formed in the middle portion of the pair of engaging projections 48. The engaging plate portion 49 is capable of engaging with the engaging groove 12c formed on the rear end side of the lower surface of the electromagnetic contactor 2 shown in FIG.

The thermal contactor 3 connects the magnetic contactor and the thermal contactor 3 by connecting three connecting conductors 47 to the screw terminals of the magnetic contactor to form an electromagnetic switch. can do.
However, when the magnetic contactor constituting the electromagnetic switch is an electromagnetic contactor 2 having a spring terminal 30 as described above, the electric wire insertion port 23 of the spring terminal 30 is formed on the front surface of the screw terminal. Since it is not formed on the side surface as described above, the three connecting conductors 47 cannot be directly connected to the magnetic contactor 2. Therefore, the connecting unit 4 shown in FIGS. 1 to 6 is required to connect the magnetic contactor 2 having the spring terminal and the thermal overload relay 3.

As is particularly clear in FIGS. 2 and 4 to 6, the connecting unit 4 includes a connecting unit main body 51 that constitutes a rectangular parallelepiped connecting portion. The connecting unit main body 51 has a flat plate-shaped electromagnetic contactor connecting portion 52 serving as a first terminal portion extending upward from the front end, and a substantially square side view protruding downward from the lower surface front end side of the connecting unit main body 51. The relay covering portion 53 of the above is integrally configured.

The connecting unit main body 51 extends along the lower surface of the magnetic contactor 2 and has the same height as the height from the rear end to the front end of the magnetic contactor 2. As shown in FIG. 4, the connecting unit main body 51 is formed with an engaging projection 54 as a second engaging portion corresponding to the engaging projection 48 of the thermal overload relay 3 on the rear end side of the upper surface. Has been done. Further, the connecting unit main body 51 is formed with an engaging hole 55 serving as a fourth engaging portion with which the engaging projection 48 of the thermal overload relay 3 is engaged on the rear end side of the lower surface. The locking portion 48a of the engaging projection 48 of the thermal overload relay 3 is inserted into the engaging hole 55 and locked.

Further, as shown in FIG. 5, three conductors are inserted at positions facing the lower surface of the relay covering portion 53 of the connecting unit main body 51 and at positions facing the three connecting conductors 47 of the thermal overload relay 3. The mouth 56 is formed. Inside the three conductor insertion ports 56, a spring terminal 57 serving as a second terminal portion for individually holding the three connecting conductors 47 is formed.
The spring terminal 57 is composed of an electric wire holding elastic member 57a having the same configuration as the spring terminal 30 of the electromagnetic contactor 2 described above, and a fixed side conductor holding portion 57b in which the tip of the electric wire holding elastic member 57a contacts. It is configured. As shown in FIG. 5, the fixed-side conductor holding portion 57b is a connecting plate that is bent at a right angle from the fixed-side conductor holding portion 57b1 that the tip of the electric wire holding elastic member 57a contacts and the rear end of the holding plate portion 57b1. It is composed of a part 57b2.

The magnetic contactor connection 52 has a first protrusion that is individually inserted into a spring terminal 30 corresponding to the main terminal on the load side of the magnetic contactor 2 on the rear surface that contacts the front surface of the magnetic contactor 2 on the load side. The three rod-shaped connecting conductors 58 of the above are formed so as to project rearward. As shown in FIG. 5, the three connecting conductors 58 extend vertically from the intermediate rod portion 58a embedded in the electromagnetic contactor connecting portion 52, and extend rearward from the upper end of the intermediate rod portion 58a. The protruding rod portion 58b and the connecting rod portion 58c extending rearward from the lower end of the intermediate rod portion 58a are formed in a U shape. The connecting rod portion 58c is electrically and mechanically connected to the connecting plate portion 57b2 in the fixed side conductor holding portion 57b of the spring terminal 57 by brazing, soldering, or the like. The electrically connected spring terminal 57 and the connecting conductor 58 form an electrically connected portion 59.

The relay covering portion 53 faces the front end surface 46a of the terminal block portion 46 of the thermal overload relay 3 and the upper surface 32a of the case 32 connected thereto with a predetermined gap so that the connecting conductor 47 is not exposed. Covering.
Next, the operation of the first embodiment will be described with reference to FIGS. 2, 7, and 8.
As shown in FIG. 2, it is assumed that the magnetic contactor 2 having the spring terminal 30 and the thermal overload relay 3 connected to the magnetic contactor having the screw terminal are separated. In order to connect the magnetic contactor 2 and the thermal overload relay 3 to form the electromagnetic switch 1 from this state, for example, as shown in FIG. 7, a connecting unit is connected to the magnetic contactor 2 having the spring terminal 30. 4 is attached. To mount the connecting unit 4, first, the three connecting conductors 58 protruding from the magnetic contactor connecting portion 52 of the connecting unit 4 are placed in front of the electric wire insertion ports 23a to 23c of the load side terminal portion of the magnetic contactor 2, respectively. That is, they face each other from the front side. At this time, the locking portion 54a of the engaging projection 54 of the connecting unit 4 is made to face the engaging hole 12e of the electromagnetic contactor 2 from the front side.

In this state, the connecting unit 4 is moved rearward, and the three connecting conductors 58 are inserted into the electric wire insertion ports 23a to 23c of the load side terminal portion of the magnetic contactor 2, respectively. Then, the three connecting conductors 58 are the tips of the first elastic member side wire holding portion 31da or the second elastic member side wire holding portion 31d2 (in FIG. 7, the tip of the elastic member side wire holding portion 31d). The tip of the electric wire holding portion 31d2 on the second elastic member side) is displaced in the electric wire insertion direction.

Then, when the insertion of the three connecting conductors 58 is advanced, the three connecting conductors 58 are the first elastic member side electric wire holding portion 31d1 or the second elastic member side electric wire which is the tip of the elastic member side electric wire holding portion 31d. It is elastically held by being inserted between the tip of the holding portion 31d2 (in FIG. 7, the tip of the second elastic member side electric wire holding portion 31d2) and the inner surface of the fixed contact side electric wire holding portion 26d.
In this state, the front surface side of the upper surface of the connecting unit main body 51 faces the front side of the lower surface of the electromagnetic contactor 2, and the locking portion formed at the tip of the engaging projection 54 formed on the upper surface of the connecting unit main body 51. 54a is inserted into the engagement hole 12e of the magnetic contactor 2 and locked. Therefore, the magnetic contactor 2 and the connecting unit 4 are mechanically integrated by the connecting unit main body 51 that serves as the connecting portion, and the load-side main terminals facing the electric wire insertion ports 23a to 23c of the electromagnetic contactor 2, respectively. The spring terminal 30 is electrically connected to the three connecting conductors 58 constituting the electrical connecting portion 59.

With the connecting unit 4 integrated with the magnetic contactor 2, the thermal overload relay 3 is connected to the connecting unit 4. In the connection of the thermal overload relay 3, three connecting conductors 47 protruding from the terminal block 46 of the thermal overload relay 3 face the conductor insertion port 56 of the connecting unit 4. Further, the engaging projection 48 of the thermal overload relay 3 is opposed to the front portion of the engaging hole 55 of the connecting unit 4, and the engaging plate portion 49 of the thermal overload relay 3 is engaged with the connecting unit 4. Facing the groove 60. In this state, as shown in FIG. 8, the thermal overload relay 3 is brought close to the connecting unit 4 side, and the three connecting conductors 47 are inserted into the spring terminal 57 through the conductor insertion port 56 of the connecting unit 4. At the same time, the engaging projection 48 is inserted into the front end of the engaging hole 55 to lock the locking portion 48a into the engaging hole 55, and the engaging plate portion 49 is further engaged with the engaging groove 60 of the connecting unit 4. ..

As a result, the tips of the three connecting conductors 47 enter between the electric wire holding elastic member 57a and the fixed side conductor holding portion 57b of the spring terminal 57 constituting the electrical connecting portion 59, respectively, and are elastically held.
In this state, as shown in FIG. 5, the engaging surface 37 of the thermal overload relay 3 faces the relay covering portion 53 of the connecting unit 4 while maintaining a predetermined gap, and as shown in FIG. The locking portion 48a of the engaging projection 48 of the overload relay 3 engages with the engaging hole 55 of the connecting unit 4. Further, as shown in FIG. 6, the engaging plate portion 49 of the thermal overload relay 3 engages with the engaging groove 60 of the connecting unit 4.

As a result, the thermal overload relay 3 is mechanically integrated with the connecting unit 4, and the three connecting conductors 47 of the thermal overload relay 3 form the electrical connecting portion 59 of the connecting unit 4. The electromagnetic switch 1 is formed by being electrically connected to the spring terminal 30 of the magnetic contactor 2 via the spring terminal 57 and the three connecting conductors 58.
The assembly order when configuring the electromagnetic switch 1 is not limited to the above, and the connecting unit 4 and the thermal overload relay 3 are connected first, and then the connecting unit 4 and the electromagnetic contactor are connected. 2 may be connected.

As shown in FIGS. 3 and 4 to 6, the electromagnetic switch 1 configured in this way is attached to a top hat-shaped rail 61 which is extended in the left-right direction and is arranged on the mounted portion. By mounting the rail holding portion 13 formed on the rear surface, the electromagnetic switch 1 can be held by the mounted portion.
When the connecting unit 4 is attached to the magnetic contactor 2, the thermal overload relay 3 is attached to the connecting unit 4 first, and then the connecting unit 4 is attached to the magnetic contactor 2 to form the electromagnetic switch 1. You may do so. Further, after the magnetic contactor 2 is mounted on the top hat type rail 61, the connecting unit 4 and the thermal overload relay 3 are attached to the electromagnetic contactor 2 in that order, or the connecting unit 4 and the thermal overload relay 3 are attached in that order. May be integrated and then the connecting unit 4 may be attached to the magnetic contactor 2.

As described above, according to the first embodiment, the magnetic contactor 2 has a spring terminal 30, and the connecting conductor 47 of the thermal overload relay 3 connected to the magnetic contactor 2 has a screw terminal. When the connection unit 4 is interposed between the magnetic contactor 2 and the thermal overload relay 3 when the connection unit 4 is formed at the position to be mounted on the device 2 and the connection directions are not on the same extension line, the conventional connection is impossible. The magnetic contactor 2 having a spring terminal and the thermal overload relay 3 having a connecting conductor connected to the screw terminal of the magnetic contactor can be reliably connected.

Therefore, it is not necessary to provide two types of thermal overload relays, one for an electromagnetic contactor having a screw terminal and the other for an electromagnetic contactor having a spring terminal, and having a connecting conductor connected to the screw terminal of a conventional electromagnetic contactor. Only one type of thermal overload relay 3 can form an electromagnetic switch 1 in which an electromagnetic contactor and a thermal overload relay are combined. Therefore, the manufacturing cost can be reduced as compared with the case of manufacturing two types of thermal overload relays.

Further, since the connecting unit 4 includes a connecting unit main body 51 forming a connecting portion, a spring terminal 57 forming an electrical connecting portion 59, and three connecting conductors 58, the connecting unit main body 51 includes an electromagnetic contactor. 2 and the thermal overload relay 3 can be mechanically connected, and the magnetic contactor 2 and the thermal overload relay 3 can be electrically connected by the electrical connection portion 59. Therefore, when the electromagnetic switch 1 is configured, it is not necessary to separately provide a connecting member such as a base plate for mechanically integrating the magnetic contactor 2, the thermal overload relay 3, and the connecting unit 4. , The overall configuration can be simplified and the assembly can be easily performed.

In the first embodiment, the case where the main circuit terminal, the auxiliary terminal, and the coil terminal of the thermal overload relay 3 are composed of the spring terminal 45 has been described, but the present invention is not limited to this. , As shown in FIG. 10, the main circuit terminal, the auxiliary terminal, and the coil terminal may be configured by the screw terminal ST, and the terminal of the connection wire may be inserted from below to fix the screw.
Next, a second embodiment of the connection unit applied to the electromagnetic switch according to the present invention will be described with reference to FIGS. 11 to 14.

In this second embodiment, the magnetic contactor connecting portion 52 of the connecting unit 4 is made independent to form the first connecting unit.
That is, in the second embodiment, as shown in FIG. 14, the electrical connection portion 59 has the connection conductor 58 as the first protrusion of the connection unit 4 in the first embodiment described above. The magnetic contactor connection portion 52 is configured to include a first connection unit 70A configured independently of the connection unit main body 51, and a spring terminal 57 as a second terminal portion provided on the connection unit main body 51. It is composed of a second connection unit 70B.

As shown in FIGS. 12 and 14, the first connection unit 70A is connected to a substantially rectangular parallelepiped insulating case 71 and a spring terminal 30 of an electromagnetic contactor 2 projecting from the upper end side on the back surface side of the insulating case 71. Three connecting conductors 72 to be the first protrusions to be formed, and three connecting conductors 73 to be the second protrusions connected to the second connecting unit 70B protruding from the lower end side on the back surface side of the insulating case 71. And an internal connecting conductor 74 that individually connects the connecting conductors 72 and 73 inside the insulating case 71. Here, the length of the connecting conductor 72 is set longer than the length of the connecting conductor 73, and the distance between the connecting conductor 72 and the connecting conductor 73 is, for example, an electromagnetic contactor 2 having a spring terminal up and down. It is set to be equal to the distance between the electric wire insertion ports 23 when arranged in parallel.

The second connection unit 70B has a spring terminal 57 arranged in the connection unit main body 51 of the first embodiment and a third connection portion arranged inside three conductor insertion ports 81 formed on the front surface. It is composed of a spring terminal 82. As shown in FIG. 14, the spring terminal 82 has a fixed-side conductor holding portion 83 formed of a connection plate portion 57b2 of a fixed-side conductor holding portion 57b constituting the spring terminal 57, and a tip end to the fixed-side conductor holding portion 83. It is composed of an elastic member 84 for holding a conductor with which the material comes into contact.

Further, an engaging plate portion 85 that engages with the engaging groove 12c of the electromagnetic contactor 2 is formed so as to project between the engaging protrusions 54 on the upper surface of the connecting unit main body 51.
Other configurations have the same configuration as the connection unit 4 of the first embodiment, and the corresponding portions are designated by the same reference numerals, and detailed description thereof will be omitted.
In this second embodiment, the first connection unit 70A functions as a connection unit for connecting the spring terminal 82 of the second connection unit 70B and the spring terminal 30 of the magnetic contactor 2, and the second connection unit 70B It functions as a connection unit that converts the three connecting conductors 47 of the thermal overload relay 3 into spring terminals.

Therefore, the connecting unit main body 51 is placed on the lower surface of the magnetic contactor 2, the spring terminal 82 thereof is aligned with the spring terminal 30 on the load side of the magnetic contactor 2, and the engaging projection 54 is provided as the engaging hole 12e of the magnetic contactor 2. The engagement plate portion 85 is engaged with the engagement groove 12c of the magnetic contactor 2. As a result, the magnetic contactor 2 and the connecting unit main body 51 are mechanically connected and integrated.

At this time, the electric wire insertion ports 23a to 23c of the magnetic contactor 2 and the conductor insertion ports 81 of the connecting unit main body 51 are flush with each other in the vertical plane in the vertical direction and are arranged parallel to each other in the vertical direction.
In this state, the connection conductors 72 and 73 of the first connection unit 70A are inserted into the wire insertion ports 23a to 23c of the magnetic contactor 2 and the conductor insertion ports 81 of the second connection unit 70B. At this time, since the connecting conductor 72 is set longer than the connecting conductor 73, first, the connecting conductor 72 is inserted into the electric wire insertion ports 23a to 23c of the electromagnetic contactor 2, and then the connecting conductor 73 is inserted into the second. By inserting the connection unit 70B into the conductor insertion port 81, the connection conductors 72 and 73 can be easily inserted into the electric wire insertion ports 23a to 23c and the conductor insertion port 81.

Then, the connection conductor 47 of the thermal overload relay 3 is inserted into the conductor insertion port 56 of the second connection unit 70B to elastically hold it in the spring terminal 57, and it is thermally moved into the engagement hole 55 of the connection unit main body 51. By engaging the engaging protrusion 48 of the type overload relay 3 and engaging the engaging plate portion 49 of the thermally dynamic overload relay 3 with the engaging groove 60 of the connecting unit main body 51, the connecting unit 4 is heated. A dynamic overload relay 3 can be mounted.

Therefore, a thermal contactor 3 having a connection conductor 47 corresponding to a screw terminal is electrically connected to an electromagnetic contactor 2 having a spring terminal 30 via a first connection unit 70A and a second connection unit 70B. The electromagnetic switch 1 can be configured by being mechanically connected by the connecting unit main body 51 as well as being connected to the above.
In this second embodiment, the electrical connection portion 59 of the connection unit 4 is composed of the first connection unit 70A and the second connection unit 70B, which is a component as compared with the first embodiment described above. As the number of points increases, so does the assembly man-hours.

However, in the first embodiment, the connecting unit 4 becomes a dedicated connecting unit for connecting the magnetic contactor 2 having the spring terminal 30 and the thermal overload relay 3 corresponding to the screw terminal. On the other hand, in the second embodiment, since the first connection unit 70A can connect the spring terminals whose connection directions are not on the same extension line, as shown in FIG. 15, the electromagnetic wave having the spring terminal 30 is provided. When the contactors 2 are connected to each other and duplicated, only the first connection unit 70A can be used to connect the spring terminals 30 of the two magnetic contactors 2.

Therefore, only the first connection unit 70A can be used as an independent connection unit for duplicating the magnetic contactor 2. Therefore, the first connection unit 70A can be configured as a connection unit dedicated to duplicating the magnetic contactor 2.
In the second embodiment as well, the case where the main circuit terminal and the auxiliary terminal are composed of the spring terminal as the thermal type overload relay 3 has been described, but the present invention is not limited to this, and is as shown in FIG. In addition, a thermal overload relay 3 having a main circuit terminal and an auxiliary terminal composed of a screw terminal ST can be connected to an electromagnetic contactor 2 having a spring terminal 30 via a connecting unit main body 51 and a connecting unit 60A.

Although the embodiments of the present invention have been described above, the present invention is not limited to this, and various modifications and improvements can be made.
For example, the spring terminal is not limited to the case where the magnetic contactor 2 and the thermal overload relay 3 are connected by a connection unit to form an electromagnetic switch, or the magnetic contactors are connected to each other to form a duplicate configuration. It can be applied when the connection directions such as the connection between the electric devices having the above and the electric device having the spring terminal and the electric device having the screw terminal are not on the same extension line.

Further, in the first and second embodiments described above, the case where the magnetic contactor 2 has an auxiliary terminal has been described, but the arrangement of the main circuit terminals does not change even for the magnetic contactor 2 in which the auxiliary terminal is omitted. The connecting unit 4 of the above can be applied.

1 ... Electromagnetic switch, 2 ... Electromagnetic contactor (electrical equipment), 3 ... Thermal overload conductor (electrical equipment), 4 ... Connection unit, 10 ... Contact mechanism, 11 ... Electromagnetic magnet unit, 12 ... Case, 12e ... Engagement hole, 23 ... Wire insertion port, 26 ... Fixed contact, 26a ... Fixed contact, 26b ... Board, 26c ... Seat plate, 26d ... Fixed contact side wire holding, 27 ... Movable contact, 30 ... Spring terminal, 31 ... Elastic member for holding electric wire, 43, 44 ... Electric wire insertion port, 45 ... Spring terminal, 46 ... Terminal base, 47 ... Connecting conductor, 48 ... Engagement protrusion, 49 ... Engagement plate, 51 ... Connection unit body, 52 ... Electromagnetic contact connection part, 53 ... Relay cover part, 54 ... Engagement protrusion, 55 ... Engagement hole, 56 ... Conductor insertion port, 57 ... Spring terminal, 58 ... Connection conductor, 59 ... Electrical Connection part, 60 ... Engagement groove, 61 ... Top hat type rail, 70A ... First connection unit, 70B ... Second connection unit, 71 ... Insulation case, 72, 73 ... Connection conductor, 74 ... Internal connection conductor, 82 ... Spring terminal, 83 ... Fixed side conductor holding part, 84 ... Conductor holding elastic member, 85 ... Engaging plate part

Claims (13)

The first connection portion formed on the front portion of the first electric device and the second connection portion formed on the side surface portion of the second electric device are electrically connected, and the first electric device and the first electric device are connected to each other. The second electric device is detachably fixed and fixed,
A connecting portion for detachably fixing the first electric device and the second electric device, a first terminal portion electrically connected to the first connecting portion, and the first terminal portion and electricity. It is composed of an electrical connection portion including a second terminal portion which is connected to the second connection portion and is electrically connected to the second connection portion.
The electrical connection portion is a connecting unit in which a first terminal portion and a second terminal portion are separately formed. The connecting unit according to claim 1, wherein the connecting portion includes a second engaging portion that engages with the first engaging portion formed in the first electric device. The first connection portion of the first electric device has a configuration for elastically holding a conductor portion of a connecting electric wire, and the first terminal portion is a first inserted into the first connection portion. The connecting unit according to claim 1, which has a protrusion. The connecting unit according to claim 1, wherein the connecting portion includes a fourth engaging portion that engages with a third engaging portion formed in the second electric device. The second connection of the second electrical device has a protrusion and
The connecting unit according to claim 1, wherein the second terminal portion of the electrical connecting portion elastically holds a protrusion of the second connecting portion. The electrical connection portion is composed of a first connection unit provided with the first terminal portion and a second connection unit provided with the second terminal portion, and the first connection unit is the first. The connecting unit according to claim 3, which has a second protrusion different from the protrusion, and the second connecting unit has a third connecting portion that elastically holds the second protrusion. The connection unit according to claim 1, wherein the first electric device is an electromagnetic contactor, and the second electric device is a thermal overload relay. An electromagnetic contactor comprising the connecting unit according to any one of claims 1 to 6. A thermal overload relay comprising the connecting unit according to any one of claims 1 to 6. An electromagnetic switch comprising the connecting unit according to any one of claims 1 to 6. The first connection portion formed on the front portion of the first electric device and the second connection portion formed on the front portion of the second electric device are electrically and mechanically connected to each other.
The first connection portion of the first electric device and the second connection portion of the second electric device have a configuration for elastically holding the conductor portion of the connecting electric wire, and the first connection portion has a structure. A connecting unit having a first protrusion to be inserted and a second protrusion to be inserted into the second connection portion . The connecting unit according to claim 11, wherein the first electric device is an electromagnetic contactor, and the second electric device is also an electromagnetic contactor. An electromagnetic contactor comprising the coupling unit according to claim 11.

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