JPS6117340B2 - - Google Patents

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION The present invention relates to a terminal connecting device that prevents screws from falling out, and particularly to a terminal connecting device that stably holds a screw attached to a movable member in two positions: an upper limit position and a lowered position.

Conventionally, this type of terminal connection device was developed in U.S. Pat.
As shown in No. 92989, it has a structure in which a movable member that supports the screw for fixing the terminal and is slidably supported across the terminal fitting is constantly pressed outward by a helical spring. Because of the heat, the helical spring is constantly pressing against the movable member, and when screwing the screw into the female thread of the terminal fitting, it is necessary to press the screw against the restoring force of the spring to secure the wire. When a large number of terminal connecting devices are installed together, it is necessary to individually fix the electric wires against the restoring force of the spring, which makes the work very cumbersome.

This invention was invented with the aim of solving the above-mentioned drawbacks, and the screw hole into which the terminal screw is screwed extends from one end side of the terminal screw mounting part and is perpendicular to the terminal screw mounting part. a fixed spring receiving part is recessed in a part of the inner side of the vertical piece; a side wall extending from the other end side of the terminal screw mounting part and facing the vertical piece; and a side wall and the terminal screw mounting part. A terminal fitting is formed by forming a notched groove extending between the terminal fittings, and a terminal screw having a substantially square cross section and having a retainer is installed approximately in the center of the pressing piece. A movable member having an extending piece, a rectangular stopper wider than other parts at the end of the vertical piece, and a movable spring receiving part recessed in the inner wall of the stopper; The vertical piece of the movable member is fitted and attached to the notch groove of the terminal fitting so that the movable panel receiver faces the fixed spring receiver, and compression is applied between the fixed spring receiver and the movable spring receiver. A spring is inserted to elastically hold the movable member so that it can move up and down along the inner surface of the notch groove of the terminal metal fitting, and the movable member is displaced upward and the terminal In a first state in which there is a gap between the lower surface of the screw and the terminal screw attachment part in which an electric wire to be connected can be inserted, the movable spring receiving part of the movable member is located at a position lower than the position of the corresponding fixed spring receiving part. The movable spring receiver associated with the movable member is in a first stable state in the upper position, and in a second state in which the movable member is displaced downward and the lower surface of the terminal screw is in contact with the terminal screw mounting portion. It is characterized in that the part is located below the position of the corresponding fixed spring receiving part and is configured to have a second stable state. .

Embodiments of the present invention will be described below based on the drawings. FIGS. 1 to 3 relate to a first embodiment of the present invention, and show a terminal connecting device for a socket. In the figure, reference numeral 1 denotes a single socket made of a molded insulator, which has a base 11 in the center, and terminal blocks 12a and 12b are provided in steps at both ends of the base in the longitudinal direction. On the back side of the terminal block 12b, a partition wall 13 is provided in a stepped manner according to the height of each terminal block 12a, 12b. The base 11 has recessed holes 11a, 11a, into which insertion terminals (not shown) of relays, timers, etc. can be inserted and removed.
11b and 11b are provided closer to the front side, and the recessed hole 11a and the terminal block 12a provided at the upper stage of both ends are the recessed hole 1 that connects the bottom of the recessed hole and the surface of the terminal block, respectively.
Similarly, the recessed hole 11b and the lower terminal block 12b at both ends are connected by a recessed hole 11d that connects the bottom surface of the recessed hole and the surface of the terminal block. Both are open on the entire side. Reference numerals 3 and 4 designate terminal fittings, which have plug terminals 31 and 41 at one end that fit into the recessed holes 11a and 11b, and terminal screw attachment parts 32 and 42 led out to the terminal blocks 12a and 12b at the other end. ing. The terminal screw attachment portions 32 and 42 have threaded holes 32a and 42a into which the terminal screw 5 is screwed, approximately in the center thereof. Further, the tip portions of the terminal screw mounting portions 32 and 42 are bent downward at right angles to extend the vertical pieces 33 and 43, and the fixed spring receivers 33a and 43a are recessed in a part of the inside of the vertical pieces 33 and 43. It is set up. In addition, notched grooves 34 and 44 are bored between the terminal screw mounting portion and the side wall facing each vertical piece and 43 of the terminal fittings 3 and 4, and are used for mounting and guiding the movable member 6, which will be described later. It is said that The movable member 6 is made of a terminal fitting with a substantially square cross section, and the terminal screw 5 having a retaining portion (not shown) is attached to the approximate center of the pressing piece 61, and a vertical piece is attached downward from the pressing piece 61 at an approximately right angle. 6
2 is extended. The vertical piece 62 is formed so that its width L1 is slightly narrower than the width L2 of the grooves 43 and 44 so that L1<L2. Further, a rectangular stopper 63 wider than other parts is formed at the lower end of the vertical piece 62, and a movable spring receiving part 63a is recessed in the inner wall of this stopper 63. Reference numeral 7 denotes a compression spring, and a window hole 71 is bored in the center of a rectangular plate material so that the peaks and valleys are reversed at the adjacent corresponding parts of the strips 72 and 73 on both sides. The compression spring 7 has one end 74 held by the fixed spring receiver 33a and the other end 75 held by the movable spring receiver 63a. The attachment of the movable member 6 to the terminal fittings 3 and 4 will be described with reference to FIG. The terminal screw 5 is rotated approximately 90 degrees clockwise from the illustrated state and inserted into the grooves 34 and 44, and then returned to its original state and attached. Therefore, after installation, the movable member 6 is supported so as to be movable up and down along the inner surfaces of the horizontal grooves 34a and 44a formed on the terminal screw attachment parts 32 and 42, and the stopper 63 holds the terminal Separation from the metal fittings 3 and 4 is prevented. In the socket of the embodiment shown in FIG. 1, an arbitrary number of socket units 1 can be assembled to form a socket of an arbitrary pole array, with both sides of the socket unit 1 configured as described above set in the same direction. It is designed to obtain
The socket unit 1 located at the final end is closed with an end plate 8 to complete the socket.

Next, the operation of connecting electric wires to the socket according to the present invention will be explained. Terminal block 12 on the upper left in Figure 1
A shows a state in which the electric wire is not connected. Due to the restoring force of the spring 7, the stopper 63 of the movable member 6 is at the upper limit position where it comes into contact with the terminal screw attachment part 32,
The terminal screw 5 does not fall off the pressing piece 61 of the movable member 6, and the screw tip faces the screw hole 32a. The terminal block 12b on the lower left side of FIG. 1 shows a state in which the electric wire 9 is connected. The terminal screw attachment portion 42 and the pressing piece 61 sandwich the electric wire 9, and the movable member 6 has descended to near its lower limit. In this invention, the movable member 6
Even if the shape and dimensions are the same, the state in which the screws are not fastened changes in two ways depending on the length of the screw 5 or the height of the fixed spring receivers 33a, 43a.
That is, as shown in FIG. 3, the tip of the screw 5 and the terminal screw mounting portion 3 at the upper limit position of the movable member 6
The gap between the upper surface of 2 and 42 is l ₁ , and the movable spring receiver 63a and fixed spring receiver 33a, 43a at that time.
When the length in the vertical direction is l ₂ , if l ₁ > l ₂ is satisfied, the upper limit position shown in Figure 3a and Figure 3b
The movable member 6 is stably held in the two lowered positions shown in the figure. Between these two positions, there is a neutral point where the length of the compression spring 7 is minimum, and when the movable member is above the neutral point, an upward force is applied to the movable member by the spring, and the movable member When the movable member is below the neutral point, a downward force is applied to the movable member by the spring.

Therefore, when the user pulls up to the state shown in Fig. 3a, inserts the electric wire, and presses down the movable member 6, it immediately becomes the state shown in Fig. b, and in the state shown in Fig. 3, the spring 7
The restoring force acts in the direction of pinching the wire, and the work can be done without resisting the force of the spring 7 while tightening the screw. Since the screw continues to act in the tightening direction, there is no risk of the screw loosening due to vibration, etc.

FIGS. 4 to 6 relate to a second embodiment of the present invention and show a terminal connecting device for a switch.
In the figure, 101 is the push button switch body;
02 is a support body which movably supports the movable contact 103 within the window hole by a pressing spring 104. a, a
105 is a movable contact attached to both sides of the movable contactor 103; 105 is a holding spring that holds the support body 102 on the switch body 101 in a vertically movable manner;
Reference numeral 106 is a terminal fitting having a fixed contact b attached to one end and a terminal screw attachment part 161 led out from the other end, and each fixed contact b, b of the terminal fittings 106, 106 is attached at a symmetrical position on the lower side of the switch body 101. It is fixed so as to face the movable contacts a, a. The terminal screw attachment portion 161 has a screw hole 161a, into which the terminal screw 107 is screwed, provided approximately at the center thereof. In addition, the tip of the terminal screw mounting portion 161 is bent at right angles to form a vertical piece 162, and a fixed spring receiving portion 162 is attached to the inner end of this vertical piece 162.
is recessed. Further, a cutout groove 163 is formed between the side wall facing the vertical piece 162 and the terminal screw attachment portion 161, and is used for attaching and guiding a movable member 108, which will be described later. The movable member 108 is made of a conductive metal fitting having a substantially square cross section.
A terminal screw 107 having a retaining portion (not shown) is attached to the approximate center of the pressing piece 181, and a vertical piece 182 extends from the pressing piece 181 at a substantially right angle. The vertical piece 182 is formed so that its width L1 is slightly narrower than the width L2 of the groove 163 so that L1<L2. Further, a rectangular stopper 183 wider than other parts is formed at the lower end of the vertical piece 182, and a movable spring receiving part 183a is recessed in the inner wall of this stopper 183. Reference numeral 109 denotes a compression spring, and a window hole 191 is bored in the center of a rectangular plate material so that the peaks and valleys are reversed at the adjacent corresponding portions of the strips 192, 192 on both sides.
The compression spring 109 has one end 193 held by the fixed spring receiver 162a and the other end 194 held by the movable spring receiver 183a. Movable member 108
The movable member 10 is attached to the terminal fitting 106.
Referring to FIG. 5, in which the side surface A of the vertical piece 182 of No. 8 is opposed to the groove 163, the movable member 108 is
After inserting the groove 163 by rotating it approximately 90 degrees clockwise around 07, return it to its original state and attach it. Therefore, after installation, the movable member 108 is supported so as to be movable up and down along the inner surface of the horizontal groove 163a formed on the terminal screw attachment portion 161, and the stopper 183 prevents the movable member 108 from being removed from the terminal fitting 106. Desorption is prevented.

Next, the wire connection work will be explained. The terminal screw attachment portion 161 on the right side of FIG. 4 shows a state in which no electric wire is connected. Due to the restoring force of the spring 109, the stopper 183 of the movable member 108 is at the lower limit position where it contacts the terminal screw mounting portion 161, and the terminal screw 107 does not fall off from the pressing piece 181 of the movable member 108, and the tip of the screw is inserted into the screw hole 161a. They are facing each other. The terminal screw attachment portion 161 on the left side of FIG. 4 shows a state in which the electric wire 110 is connected. The terminal screw attachment portion 161 and the pressing piece 181 sandwich the electric wire 110, and the movable member 108 is at the upper limit position. In this invention, even if the shape and dimensions of the movable member 108 are the same, the length of the screw 107 or the fixed spring receiving portion 162
It has the characteristic that the state in which it is not screwed changes in two ways depending on the height of a. That is, as shown in FIG. 6, the screw 107 at the lower limit position of the movable member 108
Distance between the tip of the terminal screw and the bottom surface of the terminal screw mounting part 161 l ₁
When the vertical length of the movable spring receiving part 183a and fixed spring receiving part 162a at that time is l ₂ , then l ₁
>l ₂ , the movable member 108 is stably held in two positions: the lower limit position shown in FIG. 6a and the upper limit position shown in FIG. 6b. Between these two positions, there is a neutral point where the length of the compression spring 109 is minimum, and when the movable member is below the neutral point, a downward force is applied to the movable member by the spring,
When the movable member is above the neutral point, an upward force is applied to the movable member by the spring.

Therefore, the user pulls the wire down to the state shown in Fig. 6a, inserts the electric wire, and presses down the movable member 108, which immediately returns to the state shown in Fig. b, where the restoring force of the spring 109 pinches the electric wire. This allows work to be performed without resisting the force of the spring 109 while tightening the screw, and even after the screw is tightened, the force of the spring 109 continues to act in the direction of tightening the screw. Therefore, there is no risk of the screws loosening due to vibration, etc., and a highly reliable terminal connection device can be obtained.

As explained in detail in each of the above embodiments, this invention stably holds the screw attached to the movable member in two positions, the upper limit position and the lower limit position, so that electric wires can be connected to a large number of terminal connecting devices. When making connections, first hold all the movable members of the terminal connecting device in the state shown in Figure 3a or Figure 6a, then insert the wires one by one and at the same time hold them in the state shown in Figure 3b or Figure 6b. Since the wires can be connected in the process of holding the terminal in the same position and finally tightening the screws, it is easy to connect the wires, especially when a large number of terminal connection devices are installed together. The shape of the compression spring is not limited to the illustrated example; (a) a leaf spring, (b) a leaf spring with a slit in the center vertically, (c) a loop wire spring, and (d) both ends free. It can be implemented with various shapes and structures, such as a wire spring with a shape, (e) a double-wound wire spring, and (f) a rectangular wire spring.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

FIG. 1 is a front view showing a socket terminal connection device according to a first embodiment of the present invention, FIG. 2 is an exploded perspective view of the same essential parts, FIG. A front view showing the terminal connection device of a switch according to the second embodiment, FIG. 5 is an exploded perspective view of the same essential parts, and FIG.
The figure is an explanatory view of the same effect. 1... Single socket, 12a, 12b... Terminal block, 11a, 11b, 11c, 11d... Recessed hole,
3, 4, 106... Terminal fitting, 31, 41... Receptacle terminal, 32, 42, 161... Terminal screw attachment part, 32a, 42a, 161a... Screw hole, 3
3, 43, 162... Vertical piece, 33a, 43a,
162a... Fixed spring receiver, 6, 108... Movable member, 61, 182... Pressing piece, 62, 183...
...Vertical piece, 63,183...Stopper, 63a,
183a...Movable spring receiver, 7, 109...Compression spring, 101...Push button switch body, 102
... Support body, 103 ... Movable contactor, 5,107
...Terminal screw.

Claims (1)

[Claims] 1. A fixed spring receiving part is recessed in a part of the inside of a vertical piece that extends from one end of the terminal screw mounting part that has a screw hole into which the terminal screw is screwed, and is perpendicular to the terminal screw mounting part. On the other hand, a terminal fitting comprising a side wall extending from the other end side of the terminal screw attachment part and facing the vertical piece, and a notch groove formed astride between the side wall and the terminal screw attachment part; , has a substantially round-shaped cross section, and a terminal screw with a retainer is attached to the approximate center of the pressing piece, and a vertical piece extends approximately at right angles from the pressing piece, and the end of the vertical piece is wider than the other parts. a movable member comprising a rectangular stopper and a movable spring receiver recessed in an inner wall of the stopper; The vertical piece of the movable member is fitted into the notch groove of the terminal fitting, and a compression spring is inserted between the fixed spring receiver and the movable spring receiver, and the movable member is inserted into the notch groove of the terminal fitting. The movable member is elastically held so as to be movable up and down along the inner surface of the terminal screw, and when the movable member is displaced upward, the electric wire to be connected is connected between the lower surface of the terminal screw and the terminal screw mounting portion. In a first state with an insertable gap, the movable spring receiving portion of the movable member is located above the position of the corresponding fixed spring receiving portion and has a first stable state, and the movable member is in a lower position. In a second state in which the lower surface of the terminal screw is in contact with the terminal screw mounting portion, the movable spring receiving portion of the movable member is located below the position of the corresponding fixed spring receiving portion. A terminal connection device characterized in that it is configured to have a second stable state.