JP7541180B2 - Terminal Device - Google Patents

Description

The present disclosure relates to a terminal device.

Patent document 1 discloses a quick-connect outlet terminal for electrically connecting an electric wire inserted through an insertion hole formed in a housing to an outlet blade receiver. The quick-connect outlet terminal has a connecting part that makes elastic contact with the electric wire to electrically connect it, a retaining piece that has a retaining piece that prevents the electric wire from falling out, and a locking release member that releases the locking action of the retaining piece on the electric wire. In the quick-connect outlet terminal, when the release button of the locking release member is pressed, the sliding part of the locking release member slides and moves into the housing, so that the release piece releases the locking action of the locking piece on the electric wire, allowing the electric wire to be pulled out.

JP 2018-92846 A

However, with conventional quick-connect terminals for electrical outlets, the worker must continuously press the release button while inserting or removing the wire into the insertion hole, posing an issue with the efficiency of the wire insertion and removal process.

Therefore, the present disclosure aims to provide a terminal device that can perform insertion and removal operations with simple procedures.

A terminal device according to one aspect of the present disclosure includes a terminal, a housing having an insertion hole into which an electric wire for electrically connecting to the terminal is inserted, an elastic member that electrically connects the electric wire to the terminal by elastically contacting the electric wire inserted through the insertion hole, a pressing member that is pressed along a pressing direction , and a transmission member that is located between the pressing member and the elastic member and contacts the pressing member , wherein the pressing member has a recess that is recessed in a vertical direction that is perpendicular to the pressing direction, and when the insertion hole and the elastic member are viewed so as to face an opening surface of the insertion hole, the pressing member elastically deforms the elastic member by being pressed in the pressing direction, The area of the elastic member that overlaps with the insertion hole is reduced, and the housing has a locking portion that engages with the recess to lock the pressing member when the pressing member elastically deforms the elastic member, the elastic member has a connecting piece and a locking piece arranged in a row along a predetermined direction, and the transmission member is a long columnar member that is arranged along the predetermined direction, and when the pressing member is pressed in the pressing direction, the connecting piece and the locking piece are elastically deformed, and when the elastic member is in a state where it is elastically deformed when pressed by the pressing member, when the pressing member rotates by a first angle, the recess is locked to the locking portion provided on the housing .

The terminal device disclosed herein allows insertion and removal operations to be performed in simple steps.

FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing an external appearance of a wiring device according to an embodiment. FIG. 2A is a perspective view illustrating a state in which a pressing member of the wiring appliance according to the embodiment is pressed. FIG. 2B is a perspective view illustrating a state in which an electric wire is inserted into a first insertion hole after the pressing member of the wiring device in the embodiment is pressed and rotated. FIG. 3 is an exploded perspective view showing the wiring device according to the embodiment. FIG. 4 is a perspective view showing the wiring device inside the main body cover when the locked state of the pressing member of the wiring device according to the embodiment is released. FIG. 5A is a perspective view showing a state in which the pressing member of the terminal device according to the embodiment is released from its locked state. FIG. 5B is a perspective view showing a state in which the pressing member of the terminal device according to the embodiment is in a locked state. 6A is a cross-sectional view taken along line AA in FIG. 1, showing a state in which the pressing member of the wiring device is released from the locked state. FIG. 6B is a cross-sectional view showing a case where the pressing member of the wiring device is in a locked state. 7A is a cross-sectional view taken along line BB in FIG. 6A, illustrating a state in which the pressing member of the wiring device is released from the locked state. FIG. 7B is a cross-sectional view showing a case where the pressing member of the wiring device is in a locked state. 8A is a cross-sectional view taken along line CC in FIG. 6A, illustrating a state in which the pressing member of the wiring device is released from the locked state. FIG. 8B is a cross-sectional view showing a case where the pressing member of the wiring device is in a locked state. FIG. 8C is a cross-sectional view showing the state of the electric wire when the locked state of the pressing member of the wiring device is released. FIG. 9 is a perspective view illustrating a state in which a pressing member of a wiring unit according to a modified example of the embodiment is pressed.

Note that the embodiments described below are all comprehensive or specific examples. The numerical values, shapes, materials, components, component placement and connection forms, steps, and order of steps shown in the following embodiments are merely examples and are not intended to limit the present disclosure. Furthermore, among the components in the following embodiments, components that are not described in an independent claim are described as optional components.

In addition, each figure is a schematic diagram and is not necessarily a precise illustration. In each figure, the same components are given the same symbols. In the following embodiments, expressions such as "approximately parallel" are used. For example, "approximately parallel" does not only mean completely parallel, but also means substantially parallel, that is, including an error of, for example, about a few percent. In addition, "approximately parallel" means parallel within the range in which the effects of the present disclosure can be achieved. The same applies to other expressions using "approximately."

In the following embodiment, the direction in which the main body case and the cover support part overlap is defined as the Z-axis direction, the longitudinal direction of the wiring device is defined as the X-axis direction, and the direction perpendicular to the Z-axis direction and the X-axis direction is defined as the Y-axis direction. In addition, the direction in which the pressing member is pressed in the X-axis direction is defined as the positive direction, the direction toward the depth of the paper surface of Figure 1 is defined as the positive direction in the Y-axis direction, and the direction in which the electric wire is inserted into the first insertion hole in the Z-axis direction is defined as the positive direction.

The following describes the implementation form in detail with reference to the drawings.

(Embodiment)
<Configuration: Wiring device 1>
FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing the appearance of a wiring device 1 according to an embodiment.

As shown in FIG. 1, the wiring device 1 is a connection device that supplies or cuts off power to equipment systems, such as lighting devices and air blowers, installed in a facility. The wiring device 1 is embedded in a structure, such as a ceiling or a wall. The wiring device 1 is, for example, an outlet or a switch. When viewed from the front along the negative Z-axis, the wiring device 1 is formed into a vertically elongated rectangular parallelepiped shape.

2A is a perspective view showing the state where the pressing member 60 of the wiring device 1 according to the embodiment is pressed. FIG. 2B is a perspective view showing the state where the electric wire 90 is inserted into the first insertion hole 37a after the pressing member 60 of the wiring device 1 according to the embodiment is pressed and rotated.

2A and 2B, when connecting an electric wire 90 to the wiring device 1, a tool 91 is engaged with the pressing member 60 and pushed and rotated in the positive direction of the X-axis. Then, the pressing member 60 is maintained in the pushed-in state, so the worker can release the tool 91 and insert the electric wire 90 into the first insertion hole 37a of the wiring device 1, thereby electrically connecting the electric wire 90 to the wiring device 1. The wiring device 1 will be described in more detail below. Here, the tool 91 is a Phillips screwdriver, a flathead screwdriver, a wrench, or the like.

Figure 3 is an exploded oblique view showing the wiring device 1 of the embodiment.

As shown in Figure 3, the wiring device 1 comprises a housing 5 and a terminal device 3.

[Housing 5]
The housing 5 is a case that houses the terminal device 3, and a part of it is embedded in a structure such as a ceiling or a wall. The housing 5 is a housing for a socket or a housing for a switch.

The housing 5 has a main body cover 10, a cover support portion 20, and a main body case 30.

The main body cover 10 has a flat, generally rectangular shape and is the front surface (the surface facing the positive Z-axis direction) of the wiring device 1. It is disposed on the positive Z-axis direction side of the cover support part 20 so as to substantially cover the entire cover support part 20. The main body cover 10 constitutes a part of the outer shell of the housing 5.

Furthermore, the body cover 10 is fixed to the cover support part 20 so as to be rotatable relative to the cover support part 20 by connecting with the cover support part 20. Specifically, the body cover 10 has a pivot shaft part 11 formed on each of the side surface facing the positive direction of the Y axis and the side surface facing the negative direction of the Y axis. Each pivot shaft part 11 is an intermediate part of the body cover 10 in the X axis direction, and is arranged so as to be aligned along the Y axis direction. Each pivot shaft part 11 is inserted into a hole part 21 formed in the cover support part 20, and slides relative to the hole part 21. As a result, the body cover 10 is rotated around each pivot shaft part 11 as a fulcrum by the operation of the operator.

The cover support part 20 is a substantially rectangular plate-like member, and is arranged so as to be sandwiched between the main body cover 10 and the main body case 30. The cover support part 20 is fixed to the structure directly or via a support frame or the like. This fixes the wiring device 1 to the structure. The cover support part 20 is also connected and fixed to the main body case 30 so as to cover the opening of the main body case 30. Specifically, the cover support part 20 has holes 21 formed on each of the side surface in the positive direction of the Y axis and the side surface in the negative direction of the Y axis. Each hole 21 is located in the middle of the main body cover 10 in the X-axis direction, and is arranged so as to be aligned along the Y-axis direction. Each hole 21 is inserted one-to-one with each of the pivot shaft parts 11 formed in the cover support part 20, so that each hole 21 rotatably supports the main body cover 10.

The main body case 30 has a cubic shape, has a bottom on the negative side of the Z axis, and has an opening on the positive side of the Z axis.

In addition, the main body case 30 is formed with a first insertion hole 37a for inserting and removing the electric wire 90, and a second insertion hole 37b for arranging the pressing member 60 of the terminal device 3. The electric wire 90 for electrically connecting to the terminal 40 is inserted into the first insertion hole 37a. The first insertion hole 37a is formed on the bottom of the main body case 30 on the negative X-axis direction side. In this embodiment, a plurality of first insertion holes 37a are formed, but only one may be formed. The first insertion hole 37a is an example of an insertion hole. The second insertion hole 37b is formed on the side wall portion on the negative X-axis direction side of the side surface of the main body case 30. In other words, the first insertion hole 37a and the second insertion hole 37b are arranged so as to be close to each other. For this reason, the first insertion hole 37a and the second insertion hole 37b are formed in the corner portion including the bottom of the main body case 30. In this embodiment, a plurality of second insertion holes 37b are formed, but only one may be formed.

Figure 4 is an oblique view showing the wiring device 1 inside the main body cover 10 when the pressing member 60 of the wiring device 1 in the embodiment is released from its locked state.

3 and 4, the main case 30 is formed with an accommodation chamber 35 for accommodating the terminal device 3. The accommodation chamber 35 is connected to the first insertion hole 37a and the second insertion hole 37b.

A plurality of protrusions are formed on the bottom of the main case 30. The plurality of protrusions define an accommodation chamber 35 and support the terminal device 3 and the like housed within the main case 30. Specifically, the plurality of protrusions include a support piece 31 that supports the terminal 40 of the terminal device 3, a convex wall 32 that supports the terminal 40 and abuts against the pressing member 60, and a locking portion 33 that engages with a recess 63 of the pressing member 60 to lock the pressing member 60 when the pressing member 60 has elastically deformed the locking spring 50.

The support piece 31 is a wall portion that protrudes from the bottom of the main case 30 in the positive direction of the Z axis, and is formed around the terminal 40 so as to maintain the posture of the terminal 40 arranged in the main case 30.

The convex wall 32 is formed along the inner wall of the main body case 30 to avoid interference with the pressing member 60 and the transmission member 70.

The locking portion 33 is a convex body that protrudes from the inner surface of the main case 30 toward the pressing member 60 so as to engage with the pressing member 60. In this embodiment, the locking portion 33 is formed on the bottom of the main case 30 that faces the pressing member 60. As will be described later, when the pressing member 60 is in a locked state (locked with the locking portion 33), the locking portion 33 is hooked while inserted into the recess 63 of the pressing member 60, thereby suppressing movement of the pressing member 60 in the negative X-axis direction.

[Terminal device 3]
As shown in FIGS. 2B, 3 and 4, the terminal device 3 is disposed in the housing 5 for electrical connection with an electric wire 90 inserted through a first insertion hole 37a formed in the housing 5.

The terminal device 3 comprises a terminal 40, a locking spring 50, a pressing member 60, and a transmission member 70.

The terminal 40 is a quick-connect terminal capable of accommodating the locking spring 50 therein. The terminal 40 has a terminal plate 41 that is accommodated in the accommodation chamber of the terminal 40 and electrically connects to the electric wire 90, an opposing plate 42 that is arranged on the opposite side of the terminal plate 41 via the locking spring 50, and a connecting portion 43 that connects the terminal plate 41 and the opposing plate 42. When the electric wire 90 is inserted into the first insertion hole 37a of the main body case 30 of the terminal 40, the electric wire 90 pressed against the locking spring 50 and the terminal plate 41 are electrically connected.

In this embodiment, the terminal 40 has a pair of terminal plates 41. A slit 44 is formed between the pair of terminal plates 41, allowing the locking spring 50 housed in the terminal 40 to be exposed. A transmission member 70 is inserted into the slit 44.

The locking spring 50 makes elastic contact with the electric wire 90 inserted through the first insertion hole 37a, thereby electrically connecting the electric wire 90 and the terminal 40. The locking spring 50 is arranged to face the first insertion hole 37a. In other words, when viewed along the Z-axis direction, the locking spring 50 is exposed. The locking spring 50 is an example of an elastic member.

Figure 5A is a perspective view showing a case where the pressing member 60 of the terminal device 3 according to the embodiment is released from its locked state. Figure 5B is a perspective view showing a case where the pressing member 60 of the terminal device 3 according to the embodiment is in its locked state. Figure 6A is a cross-sectional view showing a case where the pressing member 60 of the wiring device 1 is released from its locked state along line A-A in Figure 1. Figure 6B is a cross-sectional view showing a case where the pressing member 60 of the wiring device 1 is in its locked state.

5A to 6B, the locking spring 50 has an S-shaped connecting piece 51 when viewed along the Y-axis direction, a U-shaped or V-shaped locking piece 52 arranged in a position facing the opening of the first insertion hole 37a, and a central piece 53 that connects the connecting piece 51 and the locking piece 52 and is held by the opposing plate 42 of the terminal 40. The locking piece 52 is exposed from the first insertion hole 37a. The connecting piece 51 and the locking piece 52 are arranged to face or contact the terminal plate 41 of the terminal 40. The connecting piece 51 and the locking piece 52 can indirectly press the terminal plate 41 of the terminal 40 via the electric wire 90. The locking spring 50 does not have to have the connecting piece 51, and the connecting piece 51 is not an essential component of the locking spring 50.

The locking spring 50 is elastically deformed by the transmission member 70 inserted into the slit 44 of the terminal 40 being pressed along the pressing direction (positive direction of the X-axis). Specifically, since the connection piece 51 and the locking piece 52 of the locking spring 50 are in contact with the transmission member 70, the pressing member 60 is pressed along the pressing direction, so that the pressing member 60 and the transmission member 70 move in the positive direction of the X-axis, and the connection piece 51 and the locking piece 52 are elastically deformed (elastically deformed state), and the connection piece 51 and the locking piece 52 are separated from the terminal plate 41 of the terminal 40, forming a gap into which the electric wire 90 can be inserted. As a result, by inserting the electric wire 90 from the first insertion hole 37a, the electric wire 90 can be arranged between the connection piece 51 and the locking piece 52 and the terminal plate 41. In other words, the locking spring 50 can be displaced by elastic deformation to a state in which the electric wire 90 can be inserted so that the electric wire 90 can be electrically connected to the terminal 40.

In this embodiment, as shown in Figures 6A and 6B, the locking spring 50 has a pair of connection pieces 51, a pair of locking pieces 52, and a pair of center pieces 53. The pair of connection pieces 51 and the pair of locking pieces 52 correspond one-to-one with the pair of terminal boards 41. In other words, since the pair of connection pieces 51 and the pair of locking pieces 52 correspond one-to-one with the two adjacent first insertion holes 37a, when the pressing member 60 and the transmission member 70 are pressed along the pressing direction, the pair of connection pieces 51 and the pair of locking pieces 52 are elastically deformed. When the pair of connection pieces 51 and the pair of locking pieces 52 are elastically deformed, the electric wire 90 can be inserted and removed from the two adjacent first insertion holes 37a at the same time.

The locking spring 50 may have three or more connection pieces 51, three or more locking pieces 52, and three or more center pieces 53. The terminal board 41 may also have three or more terminal pieces 41 so as to correspond one-to-one with the three or more connection pieces 51 and the three or more locking pieces 52. The three or more connection pieces 51 and the three or more locking pieces 52 may also correspond one-to-one with the three or more first insertion holes 37a. Therefore, by pressing one pressing member 60, it may be possible to insert and remove the electric wire 90 into and from the three or more first insertion holes 37a at the same time.

In this embodiment, one locking spring 50 corresponds to two first insertion holes 37a, but this is not limited to this. For example, one locking spring 50 may correspond to three or more first insertion holes 37a, or one locking spring 50 may correspond to one first insertion hole 37a. One locking spring 50 may be elastically deformed by one or more pressing members 60 and one or more transmission members 70.

Figure 7A is a cross-sectional view showing the case where the pressing member 60 of the wiring device 1 is released from the locked state along line B-B in Figure 6A. Figure 7B is a cross-sectional view showing the case where the pressing member 60 of the wiring device 1 is in the locked state. Figure 8A is a cross-sectional view showing the case where the pressing member 60 of the wiring device 1 is released from the locked state along line C-C in Figure 6A. Figure 8B is a cross-sectional view showing the case where the pressing member 60 of the wiring device 1 is in the locked state. Figure 8C is a cross-sectional view showing the state of the electric wire 90 when the pressing member 60 of the wiring device 1 is released from the locked state.

7A to 8C, the pressing member 60 is held by the main body case 30 in a state where it is inserted into the second insertion hole 37b of the main body case 30. The pressing member 60 is pressed in the pressing direction because the head 62 is exposed from the main body case 30. When the pressing member 60 is pressed in the pressing direction and the locking spring 50 is in a state where it is elastically deformed, when the pressing member 60 rotates at a first angle, the locking portion 33 is inserted from the first recess 63a to the second recess 63b of the pressing member 60, and the locking portion 33 is locked in the second recess 63b. In other words, when the pressing member 60 is pressed by the tool 91 and rotated at the first angle, it is locked by the locking portion 33 of the main body case 30, and enters a locked state in which movement is restricted. For this reason, when the first insertion hole 37a and the locking spring 50 are viewed so as to face the opening surface of the first insertion hole 37a in a state in which the recess 63 is not locked by the locking portion 33 (the locked state is released), the pressing member 60 indirectly or directly presses in the pressing direction, thereby elastically deforming the locking spring 50 to a state in which the electric wire 90 can be inserted and removed, and the pressing member 60 reduces the area of the region of the locking spring 50 that overlaps with the first insertion hole 37a. Then, when the pressing member 60 rotates by a first angle and the locking portion 33 is inserted from the first recess 63a into the second recess 63b, the locking state is achieved.

In addition, when the pressing member 60 is in a locked state in which the recess 63 is locked to the locking portion 33, the locking state is released when the pressing member 60 rotates at a second angle and the locking portion 33 is inserted from the second recess 63b into the first recess 63a. In other words, when the locking state is released by rotating at a second angle with the tool 91, the pressing member 60 is pressed by the elastic force of the locking spring 50 and moves in the negative X-axis direction. Therefore, when the pressing member 60 rotates at a second angle and the locking portion 33 is inserted from the second recess 63b into the first recess 63a in a state in which the recess 63 is locked to the locking portion 33 (locked state), the locking state is released, and when the first insertion hole 37a and the locking spring 50 are viewed so as to face the opening surface of the first insertion hole 37a, the locking spring 50 returns to its original state, and the area of the area of the locking spring 50 overlapping with the first insertion hole 37a is increased. As a result, when the electric wire 90 is inserted into the first insertion hole 37a, the electric wire 90 is sandwiched between the terminal 40 and the locking spring 50, and is fixed to the terminal device 3 in a state where it is electrically connected to the terminal 40.

Here, the first angle may be the same as the second angle or may be different. Therefore, the direction of rotation at the first angle may be different from the direction of rotation at the second angle or may be the same.

As shown in Figures 5A to 7B, the pressing member 60 has a pressing shaft portion 61 and a head portion 62.

The pressing shaft portion 61 is a long shaft-shaped member extending along the X-axis direction, and the end portion on the positive side of the X-axis abuts against the transmission member 70. In addition, the end portion on the negative side of the X-axis of the pressing shaft portion 61 is connected to the head portion 62.

The head 62 is connected to the pressing shaft 61, and is pressed by the tool 91 to press the pressing shaft 61 against the locking spring 50. That is, the head 62 has an engagement portion 62a formed at the end opposite the locking spring 50 that can engage with the tool 91. The engagement portion 62a is a recess such as a groove or hole, or a protrusion such as a projection.

As a result, when the engaging portion 62a of the head 62 engages with the tool 91, the pressing member 60 can be pressed in the pressing direction and rotated at a first angle or a second angle. That is, the head 62 is disposed in the second insertion hole 37b, and when pressed by the tool 91, it moves in the positive direction of the X-axis and enters the inside of the second insertion hole 37b. Furthermore, when the locked state is released, the elastic force of the locking spring 50 causes the head 62 to move in the negative direction of the X-axis.

In addition, the pressing member 60 has a recess 63. In this embodiment, the recess 63 is formed in the pressing shaft portion 61.

The recess 63 is formed on the outer peripheral surface of the pressing shaft 61 and is recessed in the vertical direction, which is perpendicular to the pressing direction. In this embodiment, the locking portion 33 is always inserted into the recess 63.

The recess 63 has a first recess 63a formed along the pressing direction and a second recess 63b connected to the first recess 63a and formed along the vertical direction.

The first recess 63a is a groove- or hole-shaped recess extending along the X-axis direction. When the locking portion 33 is inserted into the first recess 63a, the pressing member 60 is pressed in the pressing direction to elastically deform the locking spring 50. When the locking portion 33 is inserted into the first recess 63a, the pressing member 60 is released from the locked state and can move in the X-axis direction. The second recess 63b is a groove- or hole-shaped recess formed from the end of the first recess 63a on the head 62 side along the circumferential direction of the pressing shaft 61. The second recess 63b is continuous with the end of the first recess 63a on the head 62 side, and is formed so that the locking portion 33 can be inserted even at the boundary with the first recess 63a. When the locking portion 33 is inserted into the second recess 63b, the pressing member 60 is locked by the locking portion 33 getting caught in the second recess 63b, so that the locking spring 50 is kept in an elastically deformed state.

The first recess 63a and the second recess 63b can be switched between a locked state and a released state by being guided by the locking portion 33. The shapes of the first recess 63a and the second recess 63b are not particularly limited as long as the locking portion 33 is inserted therein.

In this embodiment, the first recess 63a is formed in the pressing shaft portion 61 and extends a predetermined length from the end of the pressing shaft portion 61 on the positive X-axis side. The second recess 63b is continuous with the first recess 63a, formed in the pressing shaft portion 61, and formed along the circumferential direction of the pressing shaft portion 61. For this reason, when the pressing member 60 rotates at a first angle, the second recess 63b is guided by the locking portion 33, so that the pressing member 60 rotates in a first rotation direction, which is a rotation direction in which the locking portion 33 is inserted into the second recess 63b, at a first angle centered on the X-axis. When the pressing member 60 rotates in a second rotation direction, which is a direction opposite to the first rotation direction, the second recess 63b is guided by the locking portion 33, so that the pressing member 60 rotates in a second rotation direction, which is a rotation direction in which the locking portion 33 is inserted into the second recess 63b, at a second angle centered on the X-axis. The first rotation direction may be the same as the second rotation direction.

In this embodiment, the recess 63 is, for example, L-shaped, T-shaped, etc. However, the recess 63 is not limited to an L-shape, T-shape, etc. The recess 63 has at least a first recess 63a and a second recess 63b continuous with the first recess 63a, and the direction in which the second recess 63b extends needs to intersect with the direction in which the first recess 63a extends. In this embodiment, the direction in which the second recess 63b extends is perpendicular to the direction in which the first recess 63a extends.

The transmission member 70 is a long columnar member along the Z-axis direction and is inserted into the slit 44 of the terminal 40. The transmission member 70 is located between the pressing member 60 and the locking spring 50 and is in contact with at least the pressing member 60. In other words, the transmission member 70 is sandwiched between the pressing member 60 and the locking spring 50. Specifically, the transmission member 70 is in contact with the end of the pressing shaft portion 61 of the pressing member 60 on the positive X-axis side, and is in contact with one or more connection pieces 51 and one or more locking pieces 52 of the locking spring 50. Therefore, the transmission member 70 can elastically deform the locking spring 50 by transmitting the pressing force from the pressing member 60 to the locking spring 50. In addition, the transmission member 70 can transmit the elastic force from the locking spring 50 to the pressing member 60, and can move the pressing member 60 in the opposite direction to the pressing direction (the negative X-axis direction).

In this embodiment, the transmission member 70 is in contact with a pair of connection pieces 51 and a pair of locking pieces 52, but is not limited to this. For example, the transmission member 70 may be in contact with three or more connection pieces 51 and three or more locking pieces 52, and may be able to elastically deform the three or more connection pieces 51 and three or more locking pieces 52 simultaneously.

The transmission member 70 is formed with a concave engagement recess 71 that engages with the pressing member 60 and a ridge portion 72 that abuts against the locking piece 52 of the locking spring 50.

The engagement recess 71 is formed on the surface of the transmission member 70 facing the pressing member 60 (the surface on the negative X-axis direction side). The engagement recess 71 engages with the pressing shaft portion 61 of the pressing member 60 by inserting the pressing shaft portion 61. This makes it easier to maintain the position of the pressing member 60 and the transmission member 70.

The ridge portion 72 is formed on the surface of the transmission member 70 facing the locking spring 50 (the surface facing the positive direction of the X-axis). The ridge portion 72 may be capable of pressing the locking piece 52 of the locking spring 50 by the pressure of the pressing member 60, or of suppressing the movement of the locking piece 52 toward the first insertion hole 37a.

In this embodiment, the pressing member 60 and the transmission member 70 are separate and distinct components, but the pressing member 60 and the transmission member 70 may also be configured as an integral unit.

<Operation>
Next, a case where the electric wire 90 is electrically connected to the terminal device 3 in this embodiment will be described.

First, as shown in FIG. 2A, the worker engages the tip of the tool 91 with the engagement portion 62a of the head 62 of the pressing member 60, and presses the tool 91 in the positive direction of the X-axis. As a result, as shown in FIGS. 6A, 6B, 8A, and 8B, the pressing member 60 and the transmission member 70 are pressed along the pressing direction, and the pressing force is transmitted to the locking spring 50, causing the locking spring 50 to elastically deform. Specifically, the connection piece 51 and the locking piece 52 of the locking spring 50 are elastically deformed, and the width (thickness) of the locking spring 50 in the X-axis direction is reduced. Then, when the first insertion hole 37a and the locking spring 50 are viewed so as to face the opening surface of the first insertion hole 37a, the area of the area of the locking spring 50 overlapping with the first insertion hole 37a is reduced, and the connection piece 51 and the locking piece 52 are separated from the terminal plate 41 of the terminal 40, forming a gap into which the electric wire 90 can be inserted.

Next, the operator rotates the tool 91 by a first angle in a first rotation direction, as shown in Figure 2B. As a result, as shown in Figures 5B, 6B, and 7B, the pressing member 60 rotates by the first angle in the first rotation direction relative to the transmission member 70, and the recess 63 of the pressing member 60 also rotates by the first angle in the first rotation direction. At this time, the locking portion 33 is disposed from the first recess 63a to the second recess 63b of the recess 63, so that movement of the pressing member 60 in the X-axis direction is restricted. In this way, the pressing member 60 enters a locked state.

In this way, the operator can remove the tool 91 from the pressing member 60 and then insert or remove the electric wire 90 from the first insertion hole 37a.

For example, when it is desired to electrically connect an electric wire 90 to the terminal device 3, the pressing member 60 can be locked to form a gap between the connection piece 51 and the locking piece 52 and the terminal plate 41 of the terminal 40 into which the electric wire 90 can be inserted, and the electric wire 90 can be inserted into the first insertion hole 37a.

Next, the operator engages the tip of the tool 91 with the engagement portion 62a of the head 62 of the pressing member 60 and rotates the tool 91 by the second angle in the second rotation direction. As a result, the pressing member 60 rotates by the second angle in the second rotation direction relative to the transmission member 70, and the recess 63 of the pressing member 60 also rotates by the second angle in the second rotation direction. At this time, the locking portion 33 is positioned at the boundary between the second recess 63b and the first recess 63a, and the locked state is released. In this way, the pressing member 60 can move in the X-axis direction.

The pressing member 60 is pressed in the negative X-axis direction by the elastic force of the locking spring 50, so when the locked state is released, it moves in the negative X-axis direction together with the transmission member 70. The locking portion 33 is inserted into the first recess 63a, and the pressing member 60 and the transmission member 70 return to their original positions.

At this time, the electric wire 90 is pressed against the terminal plate 41 of the terminal 40 by the connection piece 51 and the locking piece 52, and is sandwiched between the connection piece 51 and the locking piece 52 and the terminal plate 41 of the terminal 40. As a result, the electric wire 90 is electrically connected to the terminal 40.

The worker can then remove the tool 91 from the pressing member 60 and let it go, thereby completing the installation of the electric wire 90 to the wiring device 1.

<Action and effect>
Next, the effects of the terminal device 3 according to the present embodiment will be described.

As described above, the terminal device 3 of this embodiment includes a terminal 40, a housing 5 having a first insertion hole 37a into which an electric wire 90 for electrically connecting to the terminal 40 is inserted, a locking spring 50 that electrically connects the electric wire 90 to the terminal 40 by elastically contacting the electric wire 90 inserted from the first insertion hole 37a, and a pressing member 60 that is pressed along the pressing direction. The pressing member 60 has a recess 63 that is recessed in a vertical direction that is perpendicular to the pressing direction. When the first insertion hole 37a and the locking spring 50 are viewed so as to face the opening surface of the first insertion hole 37a, the pressing member 60 is pressed in the pressing direction to elastically deform the locking spring 50, thereby reducing the area of the area of the locking spring 50 that overlaps with the first insertion hole 37a. The housing 5 has a locking portion 33 that locks the pressing member 60 by engaging with the recessed portion 63 when the pressing member 60 elastically deforms the locking spring 50 .

Accordingly, when electrically connecting the electric wire 90 to the terminal device 3, by pressing the pressing member 60, the locking spring 50 is elastically deformed, thereby reducing the area of the region of the locking spring 50 that covers the first insertion hole 37a. Furthermore, even if the operator does not maintain the state in which the pressing member 60 is pressed, the locking spring 50 can be maintained in an elastically deformed state because the recess 63 is engaged with the housing 5. This allows the operator to insert and remove the electric wire 90 into and from the terminal device 3 using both hands.

Therefore, with this terminal device 3, insertion and removal operations can be achieved with simple procedures.

In particular, even if the electric wire 90 is soft, the electric wire 90 is not bent by the locking spring 50, and can be inserted deep into the first insertion hole 37a and electrically connected to the terminal 40.

In addition, in the terminal device 3 of this embodiment, the recess 63 has a first recess 63a formed along the pressing direction and a second recess 63b connected to the first recess 63a and formed along a direction intersecting the pressing direction.

This allows the locking portion 33 inserted into the recess 63 to be positioned from the first recess 63a to the second recess 63b or from the second recess 63b to the first recess 63a. This makes it easy to switch the pressing member 60 between the locked state and the unlocked state.

In addition, the terminal device 3 of this embodiment is provided with a transmission member 70 that is located between the pressing member 60 and the locking spring 50 and is in contact with the pressing member 60. The locking spring 50 is elastically deformed via the transmission member 70.

This allows the transmission member 70 to easily position the pressing member 60 relative to the locking spring 50. Since the transmission member 70 can transmit the pressing force of the pressing member 60 to the locking spring 50, for example, when multiple locking springs 50 are arranged in the housing 5, the transmission member 70 can elastically deform the multiple locking springs 50 simultaneously.

In addition, when the pressing member 60 rotates, the end face of the pressing member 60 comes into contact with and slides against the surface of the transmission member 70, which makes it possible to suppress deterioration and damage to the pressing member 60 compared to when the end face of the pressing member 60 slides directly against the locking spring 50.

Furthermore, in the terminal device 3 of this embodiment, when the locking portion 33 is inserted into the first recess 63a, the pressing member 60 is pressed in the pressing direction, thereby elastically deforming the locking spring 50.

As a result, the locking spring 50 can be elastically deformed simply by pressing the pressing member 60, making it easy to insert the electric wire 90 through the first insertion hole 37a.

Furthermore, in the terminal device 3 of this embodiment, when the locking spring 50 is in an elastically deformed state, when the pressing member 60 rotates at a first angle, the locking portion 33 is inserted into the second recess 63b, thereby locking with the locking portion 33.

According to this, after an operator presses the pressing member 60, the pressing member 60 can be locked into the locking portion 33 simply by rotating the pressing member 60 at a first angle. At this time, by locking the pressing member 60, if the electric wire 90 is inserted into the first insertion hole 37a, the electric wire 90 can be pulled out of the terminal device 3, and if the electric wire 90 is not yet inserted into the first insertion hole 37a, the electric wire 90 can be inserted. For this reason, the terminal device 3 has excellent workability.

Furthermore, in the terminal device 3 of this embodiment, when the pressing member 60 is rotated at a second angle and the locking portion 33 is inserted into the first recess 63a when the first insertion hole 37a and the locking spring 50 are viewed so as to face the opening surface of the first insertion hole 37a with the recess 63 engaged with the locking portion 33, the state engaged with the locking portion 33 is released, thereby increasing the area of the region of the locking spring 50 that overlaps with the first insertion hole 37a.

This allows the locked state to be easily released simply by rotating the pressing member 60 through the second angle. When the locked state is released, the electric wire 90 can be electrically connected to the terminal 40 if the electric wire 90 is inserted into the first insertion hole 37a. Therefore, the terminal device 3 has excellent workability.

Furthermore, in the terminal device 3 of this embodiment, the rotational direction in which the locking portion 33 is rotated at the first angle to be inserted into the second recess 63b is opposite to the rotational direction in which the locking portion 33 is rotated at the second angle to be inserted into the first recess 63a.

This prevents the operator from continuing to rotate the pressing member 60. As a result, the terminal device 3 can prevent a decrease in workability during insertion and removal operations.

In addition, in the terminal device 3 of this embodiment, the pressing member 60 is formed with an engagement portion 62a at the end opposite the locking spring 50, which can engage with the tool 91.

This allows the tool 91 to engage with the engagement portion 62a of the pressing member 60, making it easy to align the tool 91 with the pressing member 60. This makes it easy to rotate the pressing member 60 using the tool 91.

In addition, in the terminal device 3 of this embodiment, the housing 5 is a housing for a socket or a housing for a switch.

This allows the terminal device 3 to be used as an outlet or a switch.

(Modification of the embodiment)
In the following, as shown in FIG. 9, the basic configuration of the wiring device 1 in this modification is the same as that of the wiring device in the embodiment, so the basic configuration of the wiring device 1 in this modification is denoted by the same reference numerals and the description thereof will be omitted as appropriate. This modification is different from the embodiment in that an alignment recess 39a is formed in the housing 5. FIG. 9 is a perspective view showing the wiring device 1 according to the modification of the embodiment. FIG. 9a is a diagram showing a case where the locking state of the pressing member 60 of the wiring device 1 is released. FIG. 9b is an enlarged view of the pressing member 60 and the alignment recess 39a in FIG. 9a. FIG. 9c is a diagram showing a case where the pressing member 60 of the wiring device 1 is pressed by a tool 91 and is in an locked state. FIG. 9d is a diagram showing a state where the electric wire 90 is inserted into the first insertion hole 37a after the pressing member 60 of the wiring device 1 is pressed and rotated. FIG. 9e is an enlarged view of the pressing member 60 and the alignment recess 39a in FIG. 9d.

In this modified example, two alignment recesses 39a are formed in the main body case 30. In this modified example, one alignment recess 39a is formed from the second insertion hole 37b of the main body case 30 along the positive direction of the Z axis. The other alignment recess 39a is formed from the second insertion hole 37b of the main body case 30 along the negative direction of the Z axis. Each alignment recess 39a may be groove-shaped, may be a notch, or may simply be a depression. For this reason, the alignment recess 39a is not limited to being groove-shaped. In addition, in this modified example, two alignment recesses 39a are formed, but one or three or more may be formed.

The engaging portion 62a of the head 62 has a first engaging recess 62a1 extending along a first direction and a second engaging recess 62a2 extending along a second direction intersecting the first direction. In this modification, the extending direction of the first engaging recess 62a1 is perpendicular to the extending direction of the second engaging recess 62a2. In addition, the first engaging recess 62a1 includes the axis of the pressing shaft portion 61 in the disk-shaped head 62 and extends from a predetermined outer peripheral edge of the head 62 across the axis to the outer peripheral edge on the opposite side.

9a and 9b, when the pressing member 60 is released, the first direction in which the first engaging recess 62a1 extends is arranged to be approximately parallel to the Z-axis direction, and the second direction in which the second engaging recess 62a2 extends is arranged to be approximately parallel to the Y-axis direction. In other words, when the pressing member 60 is released, the pressing member 60 is provided so that the recesses of the first engaging recess 62a1 and the alignment recess 39a align (are on the same line). This allows the operator to easily recognize that the pressing member 60 is released from the locked state.

Furthermore, when the pressing member 60 is in the locked state, as shown in Figures 9c to 9e, the first direction in which the first engagement recess 62a1 extends is arranged to intersect with the Z-axis direction, and the second direction in which the second engagement recess 62a2 extends is arranged to intersect with the Y-axis direction. In other words, when the pressing member 60 is in the locked state, the pressing member 60 is provided so that the first engagement recess 62a1 and the alignment recess 39a do not align (are not on the same line). This allows the operator to easily recognize that the pressing member 60 is in the locked state.

In this modified example, when the pressing member 60 is released from the locked state, the recesses of the first engagement recess 62a1 and the alignment recess 39a are aligned with each other, but this is not limited to the above. When the pressing member 60 is in the locked state, the recesses of the first engagement recess 62a1 and the alignment recess 39a may be aligned with each other.

(Other Modifications)
Although the terminal device according to the present disclosure has been described based on the above-mentioned embodiments, the present disclosure is not limited to these embodiments. As long as the modifications do not deviate from the spirit of the present disclosure, modifications that a person skilled in the art may make to the embodiments may also be included within the scope of the present disclosure.

For example, the terminal device according to this embodiment may not have a transmission member. In this case, the pressing shaft portion of the pressing member may be disposed in a slit of the terminal and may directly press against the locking spring to elastically deform the chain spring by abutting against it. In other words, like the terminal device according to this embodiment, the pressing force applied to the pressing member is not limited to indirectly pressing against the locking spring via the transmission member to elastically deform it. For this reason, the transmission member is not an essential component of the terminal device.

In addition, in the terminal device according to the present embodiment, when the elastic member is in an elastically deformed state, the transmission member and the pressing member do not need to overlap with the opening surface of the first insertion hole in the Y-axis direction perpendicular to the opening surface. In this case, if the pressing member is in a locked state, the electric wire can be smoothly inserted into the first insertion hole.

In addition, this disclosure also includes forms obtained by applying various modifications to each of the above-described embodiments that may occur to a person skilled in the art, as well as forms realized by arbitrarily combining the components and functions of each of the embodiments without departing from the spirit of this disclosure.

3 Terminal device 5 Housing 33 Locking portion 37a First insertion hole (insertion hole)
40 Terminal 50 Locking spring (elastic member)
60 Pressing member 61 Pressing shaft portion 62 Head portion 62a Engagement portion 63 Recess 63a First recess 63b Second recess 70 Transmission member 90 Electric wire 91 Tool

Claims (9)

The terminals and
a housing having an insertion hole into which an electric wire for electrically connecting to the terminal is inserted;
an elastic member that elastically contacts the electric wire inserted through the insertion hole to electrically connect the electric wire and the terminal;
A pressing member that is pressed along a pressing direction ;
a transmission member located between the pressing member and the elastic member and in contact with the pressing member ,
The pressing member is
A recess is formed in a vertical direction perpendicular to the pressing direction,
When the insertion hole and the elastic member are viewed so as to face an opening surface of the insertion hole, the elastic member is elastically deformed by being pressed in the pressing direction, thereby reducing an area of a region of the elastic member that overlaps with the insertion hole,
the housing has a locking portion that locks the pressing member by engaging with the recessed portion when the pressing member elastically deforms the elastic member,
The elastic member has a connection piece and a lock piece arranged side by side along a predetermined direction,
The transmission member is
a columnar member that is elongated along the predetermined direction,
When the pressing member is pressed in the pressing direction, the connecting piece and the locking piece are elastically deformed,
In a state in which the elastic member is elastically deformed by being pressed by the pressing member, when the pressing member rotates at a first angle, the recess is locked to the locking portion provided on the housing.
Terminal device. The terminal device according to claim 1 , wherein the recess includes a first recess formed along the pressing direction, and a second recess connected to the first recess and formed along a direction intersecting the pressing direction. The terminal device according to claim 1 , wherein the elastic member is elastically deformed via the transmission member. The terminal device according to claim 2 , wherein when the locking portion is inserted into the second recess, the pressing member is pressed in the pressing direction to elastically deform the elastic member. The terminal device according to claim 4 , wherein when the elastic member is in an elastically deformed state, when the pressing member rotates at a first angle, the locking portion is inserted into the second recess, thereby being locked by the locking portion. The terminal device described in claim 5, wherein when the insertion hole and the elastic member are viewed so as to face the opening surface of the insertion hole with the recess engaged with the engaging portion, when the pressing member is rotated at a second angle so that the engaging portion is inserted into the first recess, the pressing member is released from the engaged state with the engaging portion, thereby increasing the area of the region of the elastic member overlapping with the insertion hole. The terminal device according to claim 6 , wherein a rotational direction in which the engaging portion is inserted into the second recess upon rotation at the first angle is opposite to a rotational direction in which the engaging portion is inserted into the first recess upon rotation at the second angle. The terminal device according to claim 1 , wherein the pressing member has an engaging portion that is engageable with a tool, at an end portion opposite to the elastic member. 9. The terminal device according to claim 1, wherein the housing is a housing for a socket or a housing for a switch.

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