MXPA94002941A - Break-off key for releasing push-wire connection in wiring - Google Patents

Abstract

DEVICE A release key is detachably connected to a wiring device within easy access. After detachment from the wiring device, the key is insertable into a release passage in order to unlock and enable the removal of an uninsulated end portion of an electrical conductor from a terminal located within a housing of a wiring device.

Description

"BREAKING KEY TO RELEASE THE CONNECTION OF THE PUSHING WIRE IN AN ELECTRICAL INSTALLATION DEVICE" INVENTOR: MELVIN LUDWIG, North American, domiciled at 8 Roseth Place, Great Neck, New York, United States 11020 - assigns all rights to EAGLE ELECTRIC MANUFACTURING CO. , INC. , a company duly organized and constituted in accordance with the Laws of the State of New York, United States of America, with address at 45-31 Court Square - Long Island City, New York 11101 United States of America, for the invention that is described below .

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION A release key connects detachably with an electrical installation device with easy access. After separation of the electrical installation device, the key is insertable into a release passage in order to open and allow separation of an uninsulated end portion of an electrical conductor from a terminal placed inside a housing. of an electrical installation device.

This invention relates generally to the connection and release of electrical conductors to and from electrical installation devices such as wall mounted receptacles and switches and, more particularly, to an improved release for push wire connections in these devices. It is well known that push wire connections of electrical conductors with electrical installation devices such as switches and receptacles »Wall mounted are simpler and faster than screw type connections. A bare end of the conductor is simply inserted in a direction into an opening in a housing for the device. A resilient inner spring clip or finger is normally above the opening and is deflected to one side by the bare conductor end during insertion. The resilience of the finger pushes the end of the bare conductor into electrically conductive contact with an inner terminal. The finger holds the end of the bare conductor in place to the terminal and actively resists the bare conductor end in the case of a direct pull in the opposite direction. It is conventional for example, see U.S. Patent No. 5,015,201, in these push wire devices to provide a release passage adjacent to the opening into which the conductor is inserted. A sheet from the fiSk * Screwdriver is normally inserted into this release passage to couple and deflect the finger away from the end of the bare conductor, thereby releasing the same and allowing the bare conductor end to be removed from the opening. Even though it is generally satisfactory for its purpose to which it is intended to release the driver, experience has shown that known techniques for releasing the push wire connection are not completely effective. For example, a screwdriver that has a blade small enough to fit within a specific release passage is not always available. Even so, the blade can be inserted incorrectly or with excessive force, thus damaging the finger and in some cases cracking the housing of the device. The device should not and can not be used with a cracked housing and certainly not with a damaged finger whose alignment is altered or whose clamping force has been compromised. A general object of this invention is to safely and easily remove a conductor from a push wire connection in an electrical installation device. Another object of this invention is to eliminate the reliability in screwdrivers to free a conductor from a push wire connection.

Another object of this invention is to prevent damage to the internal gripping fingers and / or the housings of the device during the release of a conductor from a push wire connection., Keeping in mind these objects and others that will become apparent below, a particularity of this invention is, briefly manifesting, in an electrical installation device for a push wire connection with an uninsulated end portion of an electrical conductor. . The device comprises a housing having an electrical terminal therein. An opening through which the non-insulated end portion and a release passage adjacent to the opening is insertable. A means of restraint v. g., a resilient finger is placed within the housing for holding or closing the non-insulated end portion inserted through the opening, in electrically conductive contact with the terminal. In accordance with a particular feature of this invention, a release means, v. gr. a key is connected to the electrical installation device in a parallable manner and, after separation of the electrical installation device, the key is insertable within the release passage and functions to open and allow separation of the non-insulated end portion from the terminal.

In accordance with another feature of this invention, the key is not fixed from a first electrical installation device from where the non-insulated end portion is intended to be removed. Instead, the key from a second electrical installation device while remaining fixed to the second electrical installation device is inserted into the release passage of the first electrical installation device. This feature has the advantage of P that the second electrical installation device itself serves as a convenient handle to allow the key of the second electrical installation device to be conveniently handled without being pressed into and possibly damaging the fingers of an installer. In the preferred embodiment, the housing has a mounting band comprised of either metal or plastic, and the key is integral with and is connected to one of the ends of the band along a weakened or slotted line. The key is therefore always at hand and there is no longer any need to look for a screwdriver blade that has the correct size. The key has a rod with a predetermined cross section that is of a contour complementary to the cross section of the release passage. The key is slidably received in the passage with a tight sliding fit.

Therefore, the key can not be manipulated incorrectly in the release passage. In addition, the key is provided with a stop to limit the insertion of the key within the release passage. This feature protects the finger against damage. This invention also proposes to provide the key separated from the electrical installation device, thus saving the installer the effort required to separate the key from the electrical installation device. Figure 1 is a side elevational view of an electrical installation device in accordance with this invention; Figure 2 is a broken top plan view of the device of Figure 1; Figure 3 is a broken bottom plan view of the device of Figure 1; Figure 4 is an enlarged broken sectional view taken on line 4- of Figure 3, prior to the insertion of an uninsulated end portion of an electrical conductor into an electrical installation device; Figure 5 is a view analogous to Figure 4, after insertion of the driver; Figure 6 is a view analogous to Figure 5, during the release of the driver; Figure 7 is a view analogous to Figure 2, but of another embodiment in accordance with this invention; Figure 8 is a view analogous to Figure 2, but of yet another embodiment of this invention; and Figure 9 is a view of a separate release key. Referring now to the drawings, the reference number 10 usually identifies an electrical installation device embodying the present invention. The device 10 is illustrated as a double electric receptacle! mounted on the wall. It will be understood that the present invention can be used in many different types of electrical installation devices including but not limited to wall-mounted switches, terminal blocks, cord-mounted switches, cube taps, apparatus housings, control boards - all which are intended to be included within the term "electrical installation device". As is conventional, the receptacle 10 includes a housing composed of upper and lower electrically insulating plastic sections 12, 14. A metallic wall mounting strip 16 is mounted in the housing and has the ends 18, 20 of the strip extending beyond the opposite ends of the housing. The terminal screws 22 have heads outside the housing. In an electrical connection conventional screw type trica, an end portion of the electrical conductor is stripped and rolled under an appropriate head before tightening the screw in order to connect the conductor with an inner terminal enclosed by the housing. In a push wire connection, a portion 24 of the stripped or uninsulated end (see Figure 5) of a conductor 26 is electrically connected to an inner terminal, v. gr., the terminal strip 28 having a contact wall 30, by simply inserting the stripped portion 24 into a circular opening 32 (see Figure 3) that is formed in and extending through the section 14 of the lower housing . A cantilevered blade or finger spring 34 typically formed integrally from the same piece of resilient sheet metal as the terminal strip 28 is positioned to be partially above the opening 32 (see FIGS. 3 and 4). The end 36 of the finger terminal is pushed by its inherent resilience towards the contact wall 30. When the stripped portion 24 is inserted through the opening 32, the stripped portion 24 engages the end 36 of the terminal and biases the finger 34 against the inherent restoring force of the finger away from the contact wall 30. The terminal end 36 forcibly press the stripped portion 24 against the contact wall 30, to complete the electromechanical connection. The finger is configured to allow # axial entry of the portion 24 stripped in a direction towards the housing, and forcibly resists the axial removal of the portion 24 stripped in the opposite direction. As shown in Figure 5, the end 36 of the terminal actually "bites" the stripped portion 24 to resist any attempt to remove the stripped portion 24. In order to effect this withdrawal, a releasing passage 38 is also formed in and extends through the lower section 14 adjacent the opening 32. As described so far, the receptacle 10 is entirely conventional and therefore a more detailed description of it is not considered necessary. Now, in accordance with this invention, in ve? of trying to obtain and properly handle a screwdriver of the current size to be inserted into the release passage 38 in order to deflect the finger 34 and release the stripped portion 24 from the receptacle, this invention proposes a release means or wrench 40 detachably connected. with the electrical installation device. As shown in a first embodiment of Figure 2, the key 40 is integral with the end 20 of the band and connects therewith along a slotted line 42 which is the weakened zone formed at the end. 20 of the band. The band 16 is formed of a flat metal sheet and as shown the key 40 is flat and has a handle 44 and a rod 46 projecting therefrom. The handle 44 is enlarged in relation to the rod 46 as it is cut in a direction transverse to the elongation of the rod, thus forming a stop or shoulder 48 of stop. The presence of the key 40 does not detract from the conventional operation of the device 10. The device can be electrically connected to the conductor 26 either by a screw type connection or by a push wire connection as shown in Figure 5. If if it is desired to remove the conductor 26 from the opening 32, a direct backward pull would not be effective because the end 36 of the terminal of the finger 34 prevents that removal. To allow this removal, the key 40 is separated from the end 20 of the band by repeatedly flexing the key around the slotted line 42 until the key is broken. Then the rod 46 of the separate key as shown in Figure 6 is inserted into the release passage until its shoulder 48 abuts the outer surface of the lower wall section 14. Prior to this stop, the forward end stem 46 engages and deflects finger 34 away from contact wall 30, thereby releasing and allowing removal of stripped portion 24. The cross-section of the release passage 38 is reduced in comparison with the existing cross sections of the release passage which are enlarged, in order to per- jk the entry of the screwdriver blades. The "closed" release passage 38 of this invention serves as an ip ediment to anyone attempting to insert a blade of a screwdriver into the release passage. The cross-section of the release passage 38 is contiguous to the cross-section of the wrench stem, thereby ensuring a tight sliding fit. This feature minimizes the risk of twisting the key in the release opening and damaging the finger and / or housing The shoulder 48 ensures that the key is not pushed too hard possibly damaging the finger again Figure 7 illustrates another embodiment of a breaker key completely analogous to that of the embodiment of Figure 2 and, therefore, The same reference numerals have been used The only difference is the configuration of the handle 44 which in the embodiment of Figure 7 is more circular so as to be more closely resembled a conventional circular gypsum operet 50. Figure 8 illustrates still another embodiment of a key Instead of being formed of metal die-cut from a mounting band as in the case of the embodiments of Figures 2 and 7, the key 40 of Figure 8 is formed of plastic from a mounting strip of molded plastic The plastic key 40 of Figure 8 is cut from the plastic band by bending f repeated throughout the weakened zone in a manner completely analogous to that described above. Either metal or plastic, the generally flat key 40 requires some effort by the installer • to insert the same into the release passage 38 to deflect finger 34. This effort can cause the installer's fingers to be punctured or damaged with the passage of time. Therefore, this invention also proposes to insert the key 40 of the second electrical installation device v. Gr., 10 '(Figure 7) or 10"(Figure 8) while remaining still attached to the second. electrical installation device to the passage 38 for releasing a first electrical installation device 10 in order to deflect the finger 34 and remove the stripped portion 24 as described above. The housing sections 12, 14 of the second electrical installation device 10 ', 10"serve as an enlarged convenient handle for better manipulating the key 40, without subjecting the installer's fingers to damage due to excessive pressure being exerted. The angle orientations of the rods 46 as illustrated in Figures 7 and 8 are particularly advantageous to ensure an increased mechanical advantage.This invention also proposes, as shown in Figure 9, the use of a key. 40 'separated, essentially identical to the key 40 since it has a rod 46', a stop 48 'and

Claims (18)

^ a handle 44 ', but already separated from the electrical installation device. The electrical installation device is otherwise conventional, except as regards the "closed" release passage 38 described above. The insertion of the key 40 'separated within the release passage 38 for effecting the separation of the stripped portion 24 detached will continue as described above. Vamp; N O V E D OF I N V E N C I O N 'Having described the invention, it is considered as a novelty and, therefore, the content of the following CLAIMS is claimed as property;

1. An electrical installation device for a push wire connection with an end portion not isolated from an electrical conductor comprising: (a) a housing having an electrode terminal therein, an opening through which the non-insulated end portion and a release passage adjacent to the opening are insertable; (b) a securing means within the housing for holding the insulated end portion inserted through the opening in electrically conductive contact with the terminal; (c) a release means detachably connected to the electrical installation device and, after separation of the electrical installation device, is insertable within the release passage to open and allow separation of the non-isolated end portion from the terminal . The electrical installation device according to claim 1, wherein the housing has a mounting band, and wherein the release means # is integral with, and separable from the mounting band. The electrical installation device according to the electrical claim according to claim 2, wherein the band has mounting band ends on the wall, and wherein the release means is a break-off key connected to one of the ends of the band along the weakened area. ^. 4. The electrical installation device according to claim 3, wherein the band and the key are constructed of a die-cut metal material. The electrical installation device according to claim 3, wherein the band and the key are constructed of a molded synthetic plastic material. 6. The electrical installation device according to claim 1, wherein the means of releasing This is a breaker key having a rod with a predetermined cross section, and wherein the release passage has a contour cross section complementary to the predeterminated cross section in order to slidably receive the key with a minimum sliding clearance. 7. The electrical installation device according to claim 6, wherein each transverse section is generally rectangular. The electrical installation device according to claim 1, wherein the release means is a break-off key having a stop for feeding the insertion of the key into the release passage. The electrical installation device according to claim 1, wherein the release means is a break-off key and wherein the fastening means or X ^. Closure is a resilient spring that is above the release passage and that is allowable during insertion of the key into the release passage. The electrical installation device according to claim 9, wherein the spring is a cantilevered spring for pushing the insulated end portion against the terminal in a connected position, and for resisting the movement of the non-insulated end portion. out of the opening from the connected position, until the key causes the spring to yield. 11. An electrical installation release arrangement, comprising: (a) a first electrical installation device that includes a housing having an electrical termination therein, an opening through which an insulated end portion of a conductor electrical is insertable, a release passage adjacent to the opening, and a clamping surface # inside the housing for holding or closing the non-insulated end portion inserted through the opening in electrically conductive contact with the terminal; (b) a second electrical installation device; And (c) a release means fixed to the second electrical installation device and, while remaining fixed to the second electrical installation device, is insertable within the release passage of the first electrical installation device to open and allow separation of the end of the terminal not isolated. The arrangement according to claim 11, wherein the release means is a key having a rod with a predetermined cross section, and wherein the release passage has a cross section of contour complementary to the predetermined cross section # nothing in order to slidably receive the key with slack, minimum sliding. The arrangement according to claim 12, wherein each cross section is generally rectangular. 14. The arrangement according to claim 11, wherein the release means is a key that has a stop to limit the key insertion within the passage of »Liberation. The arrangement according to claim 11, wherein the release means is a key, and wherein the fastening means is a key, and wherein the fastening means or closure is a resilient spring that is above the release passage and that is allowable during the insertion of the key into the release passage. The arrangement according to claim 15, wherein the spring is a cantilevered spring for pushing the non-insulated end portion against the terminal in a connected position, and for resisting movement of the non-insulated end portion outside of the terminal. the opening from the connected position until the key causes the spring; yield 17. The arrangement according to claim 11, wherein the second electrical installation device trica includes a housing that serves as a handle for the • manipulation of the release medium. 18. An electrical installation release arrangement comprising: (a) a housing having an electrical terminal therein, an opening through which a non-insulated end portion of an electrical conductor is insertable, and an feeding passage adjacent to the opening, and the passage of = * Release has a predetermined cross section. (b) a securing means within the housing for holding the non-insulated end portion inserted through the opening in electrically conductive contact with the terminal; and (c) a release means separate from the electrical installation device and having a contour cross section complementary to the predetermined cross section, the release means is insertable with a minimum sliding clearance within the release passage to open and allow the separation of the end portion or isolated from the terminal. In witness whereof, I have signed the above description and the novelty of the invention as attorney of EAGLE ELECTRIC MANUFACTURING CO. , INC., In Mexico City, Federal District, today April 22, 1994. p.p. of EAGLE ELECTRIC MANUFACTURING CO., INC. EDUARDO CORREA E.