JPH08102338A - Terminal device and circuit breaker - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE: To limit a move in the loosening direction of a screw by attaching a insulating cover to a base board by using a tool inserting hole formed in a thrust lock seat whose inner diameter is smaller than the outer diameter of a head of a wire connecting screw. CONSTITUTION: A terminal device is constituted with a conductive terminal fixture 6 which is fixed to an end 3a of a base board 3 and passed through in the horizontal direction, a wire connecting screw 7 screwed to the fixture 6, and an end 4a of an insulating cover 4 covering the fixture 6 and the screw 7. A second flitting wall 12 which surrounds the outer circumference of a head 11 of the screw 7 when the tip of the screw 7 is held with a first fitting wall 10 is formed at the end 4a of the cover 4. A thrust lock seat 13 close to the end surface of the screw 7 is formed near the wall 12, and a tool inserting hole 14 whose inner diameter is smaller than the outer diameter of the head 11 is formed in the center of the seat 13. In the state that the tip of the screw 7 is held by the fitting wall 10, a regulating part 15 is moved in the radial direction by the fitting part 12 and the seat 13, and regulates a move in the thrust direction apart from the fixture 6.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a terminal device and a circuit breaker used when connecting electric wires.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, as shown in FIG. 3, a base 100 and a cover 101 mounted on the base 100 are made of an insulating material and are fixed to the base 100 in a box-type terminal fitting 1.
02, the electric wire connecting screw 103 is screwed, the driver is inserted from the tool insertion hole 104 formed in the cover 101, and the electric wire connecting screw 103 is tightened.
There is a terminal device 105 configured to hold an electric wire between the bottom surface of the electric wire and the tip of the electric wire connecting screw 103.

[0003]

In the case shown in FIG. 3, if the wire connecting screw 103 is loosened too much, it may fall off the terminal fitting 102 and be lost. Further, when the electric wire connecting screw 103 removed from the terminal fitting 102 is screwed into the terminal fitting 102 again, the electric wire connecting screw 103 is likely to tilt. When the electric wire connecting screw 103 is screwed into the terminal fitting 102 in an inclined state,
The tip of the wire connection screw 103 may be hard to attach to the terminal fitting 102, and the screw thread may collapse. Further, in this case, since the torque for turning the electric wire connecting screw 103 becomes large, the groove formed in the head of the electric wire connecting screw 103 may be collapsed in order to hang a tool.

[0004] Such a problem is caused by the fact that it is not fully incorporated into Japanese Utility Model Publication No. 62-1375.
It is estimated that the problem can be solved by using the conventional technique described in Japanese Patent Publication No. 67. 62-137567
In the structure described in the publication, the movement of the wire connecting screw screwed to the terminal in the loosening direction is restricted by the cover, so that the wire connecting screw can be prevented from falling off from the terminal. However, if you loosen the wire connection screw with a screwdriver, the head of the wire connection screw abuts the cover, so if you loosen the wire connection screw carelessly, the wire connection screw moves in the thrust direction and presses the cover. The cover may be destroyed.

[0005]

According to the first aspect of the present invention,
An electrically conductive terminal fitting having a connecting surface to which an electric wire is connected and a screw hole and fixed to an insulating base, an electric wire connecting screw screwed into the screw hole of the terminal fitting, and the screw A first fitting wall formed on the periphery of the hole for holding the tip end portion of the wire connecting screw displaceably in the rotational direction and the axial direction, and the tip end of the wire connecting screw on the first fitting wall. A second fitting wall that surrounds the outer periphery of the head of the wire connecting screw in a held state, a thrust receiving seat near the end face of the head of the wire connecting screw, and an outer diameter of the head of the wire connecting screw. The terminal device includes a tool insertion hole formed in the thrust receiving seat and having a smaller inner diameter, and an insulating cover mounted on the base.

According to a second aspect of the present invention, there is provided a conductive terminal fitting fixed to an insulating base having a connecting surface to which an electric wire is connected and a screw hole, and the screw hole of the terminal fitting. A first fitting wall is formed to hold the tip end of the wire connecting screw to be screwed in such a manner that the wire connecting screw is displaceable in the rotational direction and the axial direction, and the wire connecting screw is attached to the insulating cover mounted on the base. Forming a tool insertion hole with an inner diameter smaller than the outer diameter of the head of the head, and moving the wire connecting screw in the radial direction when the tip of the wire connecting screw is held by the first fitting wall. And a restriction unit for restricting the movement in the thrust direction away from the terminal fitting, provided around the tool insertion hole.

According to a third aspect of the present invention, in the first aspect of the invention, there is provided a terminal device using a terminal fitting in which a connection surface to which an electric wire is connected and a screw hole are arranged to face each other.

A fourth aspect of the present invention is the terminal device according to the second aspect, which uses a terminal fitting in which a connection surface to which an electric wire is connected and a screw hole are arranged to face each other.

The invention according to claim 5 is the invention as claimed in claims 1, 2, and 3.
Alternatively, in the invention described in 4, the terminal device has a tapered surface formed between the first fitting wall and the screw hole so as to be gradually tapered toward the screw hole.

According to a sixth aspect of the present invention, a housing provided with a detection element for detecting an abnormality in an electric path between a power source and a load and a trip mechanism for cutting off the electric path by the operation of the detection element is claimed. A circuit breaker provided with the terminal device described in any one of items 1, 2, 3, 4 and 5.

[0011]

According to the inventions of claims 1 and 3, when the wire connecting screw is removed from the screw hole of the terminal fitting, the tip of the wire connecting screw is held by the first fitting wall of the terminal fitting. Since the head of the wire connection screw is surrounded by the second fitting wall and the end surface is close to the thrust receiving seat, it is possible to prevent the wire connection screw from falling off the terminal fitting and the wire connection screw from falling. It

According to the second and fourth aspects of the invention, when the wire connecting screw is removed from the screw hole of the terminal fitting, the tip of the wire connecting screw is held by the first fitting wall of the terminal fitting. The movement of the wire connecting screw in the radial direction of the head and in the thrust direction away from the terminal fitting is restricted by the restricting portion, so that the wire connecting screw is prevented from falling off the terminal fitting and falling down of the wire connecting screw. .

According to the fifth aspect of the invention, the center of the wire connecting screw held by the first fitting wall can be aligned with the center of the screw hole by the tapered surface.

According to the sixth aspect of the present invention, it is possible to provide a circuit breaker capable of preventing the wire connecting screw from falling off the terminal fitting and the wire connecting screw falling.

[0015]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS An embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to FIGS. In FIG. 2, 1 is a circuit breaker. The housing 2 of the circuit breaker 1 is formed by connecting the base 3 and the cover 4 with screws (not shown). Base 3
The cover 4 and the cover 4 are formed of a thermosetting resin having excellent heat resistance and insulation. Further, terminal devices 5 are provided at both ends of the housing 2.

These terminal devices 5 are connected to the end 3a of the base 3.
Terminal fitting 6 fixed in the horizontal direction and penetrating in the horizontal direction
And a wire connecting screw 7 screwed into each terminal fitting 6, and an end portion 4a of the cover 4 that covers the unit fitting 6 and the wire connecting screw 7. More specifically, as shown in FIG. 1, the terminal fitting 6 has a connection surface 8 to which an electric wire (not shown) is connected, a screw hole 9 facing the connection surface 8, and the screw hole 9 Is integrally formed with a first fitting wall 10 formed on the peripheral edge of the wire connecting screw 7 for holding the tip end of the wire connecting screw 7 so as to be displaceable in the rotational direction and the axial direction. Further, the end 4a of the cover 4 has the wire connection screw 7 when the tip of the wire connection screw 7 is held by the first fitting wall 10.
Smaller than the outer diameter of the head 11 of the wire connection screw 7, the second fitting wall 12 surrounding the outer periphery of the head 11, the thrust receiving seat 13 close to the end surface of the head 11 of the wire connection screw 7, and the outer diameter of the head 11 of the wire connection screw 7. A tool insertion hole 14 defined by the inner diameter and arranged at the center of the thrust receiving seat 13 is formed. Then, in a state in which the tip of the wire connecting screw 7 is held by the first fitting wall 10, the restricting portion 1 for restricting the radial direction movement of the electric wire connecting screw 7 and the thrust direction movement away from the terminal fitting.
5 is formed by the second fitting wall 12 and the thrust receiving seat 13.

As shown in FIG. 2, a power source side terminal plate 17 having a fixed contact 16 is connected to the terminal fitting 6 at the left end of the base 3, and a load is applied to the terminal fitting 6 at the right end of the base 3. The terminal plate 18 on the side is connected. Further, in the center of the base 3, a contact spring 2 having a movable contact 19 attached to its tip is provided.
The base of No. 0 is attached, and the bimetal 21 fixed to the base of the contact spring 20 and the terminal plate 18 on the load side are connected by a jumper wire 22. This bimetal 2
Reference numeral 1 is a detection element for detecting an abnormality (overcurrent in this embodiment) in the electric path between the terminal plate 17 on the power supply side and the terminal plate 18 on the load side.

Further, a contact spring 20 is provided at the center of the base 3.
A tripping mechanism 23 for bringing the fixed contact 16 into and out of contact with the fixed contact 16 is provided. The tripping mechanism 23 includes an opening / closing plate 25 urged upward by a spring 24 and a handle 28 rotatably held by a frame 27 by a pin 26.
A link 30 whose upper end is rotatably held by a pin 29 on the handle 28, and a link 30 by a pin 31.
The rocking body 32 is swingably held at the lower end of the bimetal 21, and the locking body 33 that faces the back surface of the bimetal 21. The left end of the rocking body 32 is in contact with the upper edge of the opening / closing plate 25, and the right end is opposed to the inner surface of the locking body 33. The locking body 33 is urged toward the bimetal 21 side and rotatably held by the frame 27, and a claw (not shown) that engages with the right end of the rocking body 32 is formed on the inner surface thereof. In addition, the frame 27
A groove 34 that allows the pin 31 to descend is formed in the.

With such a structure, when connecting the electric wire to the terminal fitting 6, as shown in FIG.
8 is turned to the right off position to cut off the electric path. Then, the electric wire connecting screw 7 is loosened by the driver inserted from the tool insertion hole 14. In this case, as shown in FIG. 1, when the wire connecting screw 7 is removed from the screw hole 9 of the terminal fitting 6, even if the wire connecting screw 7 is unconsciously tried to be turned in the loosening direction, the wire connecting screw 7 7 is the first fitting wall 10
Since it idles inside, the thrust receiving seat 13 is not pressed. This prevents the cover 4 from being broken.

In this way, when the wire connecting screw 7 is removed from the screw hole 9 of the terminal fitting 6, the tip of the wire connecting screw 7 is held by the first fitting wall 10, and the head of the wire connecting screw 7 is held. The restricting portion 15 restricts the movement of 11 in the radial direction and the thrust direction away from the terminal fitting 6. That is, the radial movement of the head portion 11 of the electric wire connecting screw 7 is restricted by the second fitting wall 12, and the movement in the thrust direction in the direction away from the terminal fitting 6 is the thrust facing the end surface of the head portion 11. It is regulated by the seat 13. This allows
It is possible to prevent the electric wire connecting screw 7 from falling off the terminal fitting 6 and the electric wire connecting screw 7 from falling. Therefore, when the wire connecting screw 7 is turned in the tightening direction to connect the wire, the tip of the wire connecting screw 7 can be quickly screwed into the screw hole 9 of the terminal fitting 6. This breaks the threads,
The screwdriver does not break the groove of the head portion 11 of the wire connection screw 7. In this case, as shown in FIG. 1, a taper surface 10a is formed between the first fitting wall 10 and the screw hole 9 so that the taper surface 10a is gradually tapered toward the screw hole 9. Taper surface 1 at the center of screw 7
It is possible to match the center of the screw hole 9 with 0a, and thus, the screwing operation of the wire connecting screw 7 into the screw hole 9 can be further facilitated.

When the handle 28 is rotated to the left in the ON direction from the state shown in FIG. 2 after the wire connection, the pin 29 moves downward along a radius centered on the pin 26, and accordingly, the link 29 moves. 30 moves downward while lowering the pin 31 along the groove 34. Thereby, the right end is the locking body 33.
The oscillating body 32 supported by the claws on the inner surface of the oscillating body 32 descends in a leftwardly downward posture with its right end as a fulcrum and presses the opening / closing plate 25 at the left end. As a result, the contact spring 20 is pushed by the opening / closing plate 25, and the movable contact 19 contacts the fixed contact 16. At this time, since the pin 29 is displaced from the left side to the right side of the straight line connecting the pins 26 and 31, the handle 28 is maintained in the ON state by the toggle action at this time.

In this state, when an overcurrent flows in the electric path, the bimetal 21 warps due to heat, so that the locking body 33 pushed by the bimetal 21 pivots to the right to release the right end of the rocking body 32. . That is, the right end of the rocking body 32 is the locking body 33.
Opening / closing plate 25 which is detached from the claw of the user and urged by the spring 24
Pushes up the left edge. Therefore, the contact spring 2
0 returns upward due to its elasticity and separates the movable contact 19 from the fixed contact 16. Further, as the opening / closing plate 25 rises, the link 30 rises while rotating the handle 28 to the right off position.

In the above embodiment, the connecting surface 8 and the screw hole 9
Although the terminal fittings 6 arranged so as to face each other are used, in FIG. 1, the connection surface 8 is formed so as to widen from the end edge of the first fitting wall 10, and the wire connection screw 7 is tightened in the screw hole 9. The electric wire may be held between the head portion 11 and the connection surface when the electric power is applied.

[0024]

According to the first and third aspects of the present invention, the first fitting for holding the distal end portion of the wire connecting screw in the peripheral edge of the screw hole of the terminal fitting so as to be displaceable in the rotational direction and the axial direction. In the state where a joint wall is formed and the tip of the wire connecting screw is held by the first fitting wall, the second fitting wall surrounding the outer periphery of the head of the wire connecting screw and the wire connecting screw Since the thrust receiving seat close to the end surface of the head is formed on the cover,
When the wire connection screw is removed from the screw hole of the terminal fitting,
The tip of the wire connecting screw is held by the first fitting wall of the terminal fitting, the head of the wire connecting screw is surrounded by the second fitting wall, and the end face is close to the thrust receiving seat. It is possible to prevent the wire connection screw from falling out of the metal fitting and to prevent the wire connection screw from falling, which prevents loss of the wire connection screw and facilitates wire connection work. Since the head of the wire connecting screw does not press the thrust seat when the screw is loosened, the cover can be prevented from being broken.

According to the second and fourth aspects of the present invention, the first fitting wall for holding the distal end portion of the wire connecting screw on the periphery of the screw hole of the terminal fitting so as to be displaceable in the rotational direction and the axial direction. And a restriction portion for restricting the movement of the electric wire connection screw in the radial direction and the movement in the thrust direction away from the terminal fitting when the tip of the electric wire connection screw is held by the first fitting wall. Since the cover is provided around the tool insertion hole of the cover, the tip of the wire connection screw is held by the first fitting wall of the terminal fitting when the wire connection screw is removed from the screw hole of the terminal fitting, and the wire connection screw Since the movement of the head portion of the head in the radial direction and the thrust direction is restricted by the restricting portion, it is possible to prevent the electric wire connecting screw from falling off the terminal fitting and the electric wire connecting screw from falling down. Similar to the effect of the invention It is possible to obtain the results.

According to the fifth aspect of the present invention, the tapered surface is formed between the first fitting wall and the screw hole so that the taper surface is gradually tapered toward the screw hole. The center of the wire connection screw held by the joint wall can be made to coincide with the center of the screw hole by the tapered surface.

According to the invention described in claim 6,
Since the terminal device described in 2, 3, 4 or 5 is provided, it is possible to provide a circuit breaker that can prevent the wire connection screw from falling off the terminal fitting and the wire connection screw from falling. Becomes

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a vertical sectional side view of a terminal device according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a vertical cross-sectional front view of a circuit breaker including the terminal device of FIG.

FIG. 3 is a vertical sectional side view showing a conventional terminal device.

[Explanation of symbols]

 2 housing 3 base 4 cover 5 terminal device 6 terminal fitting 7 wire connection screw 8 connection surface 9 screw hole 10 first fitting wall 11 wire connection screw head 12 second fitting wall 13 thrust receiving seat 14 Tool insertion hole 15 Regulator 21 Detection element 23 Tripping mechanism

Claims (6)

[Claims] 1. A conductive terminal fitting fixed to an insulating base having a connection surface to which an electric wire is connected and a screw hole, and an electric wire connection screwed into the screw hole of the terminal fitting. With screws,
A first fitting wall formed on the peripheral edge of the screw hole for holding the tip end portion of the electric wire connection screw so as to be displaceable in the rotational direction and the axial direction, and the tip end of the electric wire connection screw is the first fitting wall. In the state of being held on the wall, the second fitting wall surrounding the outer periphery of the head of the wire connecting screw, the thrust receiving seat near the end face of the head of the wire connecting screw, and the head of the wire connecting screw A terminal device, comprising: an insulative cover mounted on the base and having a tool insertion hole formed in the thrust receiving seat and having an inner diameter smaller than an outer diameter. 2. An electric wire connection screwed into the screw hole of the terminal metal fitting, which has a connecting surface to which an electric wire is connected and a screw hole, and which is fixed to an electrically conductive terminal fitting fixed to an insulating base. An outer diameter of the head of the wire connecting screw is formed on an insulating cover that is mounted on the base and that forms a first fitting wall that holds the tip of the screw so as to be displaceable in the rotation direction and the axial direction. A tool insertion hole having a smaller inner diameter is formed, and when the tip of the wire connecting screw is held by the first fitting wall, the wire connecting screw moves in the radial direction and separates from the terminal fitting. The terminal device is characterized in that a restricting portion for restricting the movement in the thrust direction is provided around the tool insertion hole. 3. The terminal device according to claim 1, wherein a terminal fitting in which a connection surface to which an electric wire is connected and a screw hole are arranged to face each other is used. 4. The terminal device according to claim 2, wherein a terminal fitting in which a connection surface to which an electric wire is connected and a screw hole are arranged so as to face each other is used. 5. A taper surface is formed between the first fitting wall and the screw hole so as to be gradually tapered toward the screw hole. The terminal device described. 6. A housing provided with a detection element for detecting an abnormality in an electric path between a power source and a load, and a trip mechanism for cutting off the electric path by the operation of the detection element.
A circuit breaker provided with the terminal device described in any one of 3, 4, and 5.