Classifications

• • H—ELECTRICITY
  • H01—ELECTRIC ELEMENTS
  • H01R—ELECTRICALLY-CONDUCTIVE CONNECTIONS; STRUCTURAL ASSOCIATIONS OF A PLURALITY OF MUTUALLY-INSULATED ELECTRICAL CONNECTING ELEMENTS; COUPLING DEVICES; CURRENT COLLECTORS
  • H01R9/00—Structural associations of a plurality of mutually-insulated electrical connecting elements, e.g. terminal strips or terminal blocks; Terminals or binding posts mounted upon a base or in a case; Bases therefor
  • H01R9/22—Bases, e.g. strip, block, panel
  • H01R9/24—Terminal blocks
  • H01R9/2458—Electrical interconnections between terminal blocks
• • H—ELECTRICITY
  • H01—ELECTRIC ELEMENTS
  • H01R—ELECTRICALLY-CONDUCTIVE CONNECTIONS; STRUCTURAL ASSOCIATIONS OF A PLURALITY OF MUTUALLY-INSULATED ELECTRICAL CONNECTING ELEMENTS; COUPLING DEVICES; CURRENT COLLECTORS
  • H01R4/00—Electrically-conductive connections between two or more conductive members in direct contact, i.e. touching one another; Means for effecting or maintaining such contact; Electrically-conductive connections having two or more spaced connecting locations for conductors and using contact members penetrating insulation
  • H01R4/28—Clamped connections, spring connections
  • H01R4/30—Clamped connections, spring connections utilising a screw or nut clamping member
  • H01R4/36—Conductive members located under tip of screw

Definitions

• the present invention relates to a connection terminal which enables looping power to electrical devices such as candelabras for example.
• the lighting lines for roadways in particular consist of a plurality of candelabras connected to the electrical network generally by a technique called "looping", each lighting device serving to power the following device.
• the neutral and phase incoming cables are each connected to their own terminal integrated in the base of the candelabrum.
• a power cable connected to the lighting device allows the operation of the device concerned, and an output cable ensures the supply of the next lighting device.
• four terminals are associated with each candelabrum: one for the neutral cable and the other three for the phase cables of a three-phase power supply, so as to allow phase balancing over the whole of line.
• connection and disconnection operations are not always easy to perform.
• the current terminals are not always adapted to allow working under voltage during an intervention on one of the electrical devices, or on a series of devices, for a maintenance or troubleshooting operation by example, because there is a risk of creating an electric arc at the time of the separation of the two ends of cables arranged in the same clamping member. Consequently, these interventions often require a cut in the general supply to the line, which can pose safety problems due to the total absence of lighting.
• the present invention provides a new type of terminal for looping power supply of electrical devices, which is very easy to use with regard to the operations of connection and disconnection of cables, and which also allows to intervene on the 'one of the devices, or on some devices, without requiring a general power cut.
• the electrical connection terminal consists of an insulating box in which are integrated: - a particular clamping device, suitable for receiving the previously stripped end of the incoming cable (phase or neutral), - a particular clamping device, suitable for receiving the previously stripped end of the output cable, and - a device for connecting the power cable of the electrical appliance concerned.
• the two clamping devices for the incoming and outgoing cables each consist of a fixed jaw and a movable jaw in the form of a clamping screw associated with a nut, and this movable jaw is carried by a slide guided in slides arranged in the internal faces of the insulating housing, to allow the displacement of said movable jaw relative to said fixed jaw by simple translation.
• the terminal comprises means for electrically connecting the clamping device receiving the incoming cable, on the one hand with the device for connecting the power cable of the device, and on the other hand with the clamping device receiving the output cable.
• the two clamping devices respectively receiving the inlet cable and the outlet cable are arranged on the front face of the housing, placed in the same plane but offset longitudinally relative to each other to allow accessibility to their mobile jaws.
• the device for connecting the power supply cable to the electrical appliance is located on the rear face of the insulating housing.
• a single piece conductive piece, added, is provided with extensions to ensure the electrical connection between the device for connecting the power supply cable of the device and the two devices for tightening the incoming and outgoing cables.
• the end of one of the extensions of this insert made of conductive material is placed at the bottom of each fixed jaw of the two clamping devices, in the form of a U-shaped cradle, to form the base for receiving the end. corresponding cable.
• the device for connecting the power cable of the device is in the form of a clamping device with a jaw and a clamping screw, and the third extension of the piece of conductive material comes position between said clamping screw and the bottom of the associated jaw.
• the device for connecting the power supply cable to the device consists of a clamping screw mounted fixed in translation on the insulating housing, and a tubular jaw mounted movable in translation on said housing under the effect of the rotation of the clamping screw.
• the movable slide of the two clamping devices consists of a flat base provided with a hole for the passage of the clamping screw; this base is extended at its ends by two tabs provided with lugs allowing the nut which carries said clamping screw to be secured by snap-fastening.
• the tab of the movable slide which is situated on the side of the front face of the housing preferably comprises a gripping extension adapted to facilitate opening and closing operations.
• the terminal comprises means which allow its fixing on a DIN type rail, which fixing means consist of a T-shaped groove arranged at the base of the insulating housing; this groove is provided with two latching pins, one of which is made in one piece with the housing and the other of which, of the retractable type, is attached, associated with elastic return means.
• - Figure 1 is a perspective view of the connection terminal according to the invention
• - Figure 2 is an exploded view of the terminal which shows the various constituent parts, with the exception of one of the half-shells of the housing;
• FIG. 3 is a perspective view of the terminal without one of the half-shells of the insulating housing, with the two movable jaws in the form of slides arranged on their respective fixed jaws;
• FIG. 4 shows the terminal without one of the half-shells of the insulating housing, with the two movable jaws in the form of slides released from their respective fixed jaws;
• FIG. 5 is a perspective view of the rear three-quarters of the terminal, still without one of the half-shells of the insulating housing.
• the electrical connection terminal shown in Figures 1 to 5 consists of an insulating housing 1 on the front face of which are fitted two clamping devices 2, 3 adapted to receive, one, the previously stripped end of a incoming cable 4, and the other, the previously stripped end of an outlet cable 5, and on the rear face of which is provided a third clamping system 6 intended to receive the previously stripped end of the cable 7 ensuring the supply of an electrical appliance, not shown.
• the three clamping devices 2, 3 and 6 are connected by a piece 9 of conductive material, such as brass, for electrically connecting the ends of the cables 4, 5 and 7.
• the two clamping devices 2 and 3 are identical and they each consist of a fixed jaw in the form of a cradle 10 with a U-section and a movable jaw composed of a screw 12 associated with a nut 14.
• the screw 12 is provided at its end with an anti-shearing clamping disc 15.
• the nut 14 cooperates with the ends of the lateral branches of the fixed jaw 10 by a system of the dovetail type 16, 17.
• This system of the dovetail type 'dovetail strengthens the tightening while avoiding the separation of the lateral branches of the cradle 10.
• the fixed jaw 10 and the movable jaw 12, 14, 15 are made of conductive material, brass type for example; they form a clamping vice for each end of cable 4, 5, previously stripped.
• Each movable jaw is carried by a slide or drawer 20 guided in slides 21 arranged in the internal faces of the insulating housing 1.
• This slide 20 allows the displacement of the mobile jaw relative to the fixed jaw, by simple translation, in a substantially parallel direction to the axis of the cable ends 4, 5.
• This possibility of translation allows the operator to place each movable jaw in a position released from the fixed jaw, with a view to positioning the cable ends in the corresponding fixed jaw, without or with little folding; it also allows the operator to return the movable jaw to the active position on the fixed jaw, for clamping the cable ends.
• the slide 20 is in the form of an insulating plastic support consisting of a base 22 provided with an orifice 23 for the passage of the tightening key of the screw 12.
• This base 22 is extended by tabs d 'ends 24, 25 provided with pins 26, 27 which allow the fastening of the nut 14, by snap-fastening.
• the tab 25 located on the side of the front face of the housing 1 comprises a gripping lug 28, projecting upwards, which facilitates the handling of the drawer 20 by the operator.
• the two clamping devices 2 and 3 are arranged in the same plane; they are superimposed and offset longitudinally to allow the manipulation of their respective movable jaws and to allow the operator to easily access the two clamping screws 12.
• the two clamping devices 2, 3 are electrically connected by the conductive part 9 in the general shape of C, the flat ends 30 and 31 of which, parallel, each come to be placed in the bottom of one of the fixed jaws 10.
• the ends cables 4, 5 are thus clamped between the anti-shear pad 15 and the flat extensions 30, 31 respectively.
• the clamping device 6 consists of a tubular jaw 32 provided with an orifice 33 for positioning the end of the cable 7, and a clamping screw 34 which is positioned in a tapped hole 35 made in the wall upper of said tubular jaw 32.
• the electrical connection of the cable 7 is effected by means of an extension 36 made in one piece with the connecting piece 9 and which is housed in the orifice 33 of the tubular jaw 32, on the tightening axis of the screw. 34.
• the screw 34 is mounted fixed in translation on the housing 1; its rotation causes the tubular jaw 32 to move in translation, guided in particular by a protruding tab 38. This translational movement allows the end of the cable 7 to be clamped between the bottom of the tubular jaw 32 and the extension 36 of the part 9.
• the screw 34 is operated by means of a screwdriver inserted through an access orifice 40 arranged on the top of the housing 1.
• the structure of the housing 1 is adapted to keep the two fixed jaws 10 as well as the part stationary. of connection 9, and to allow the guiding in translation of the two slides 20 and of the tubular jaw 32.
• the housing 1 consists of two complementary half-shells l 'and 1 "obtained by molding of plastic material and assembled for example by ultrasonic welding, after positioning of the various electrical connection members. The joining of the two half-shells l' and 1 "makes all internal parts captive.
• the terminal according to the invention also includes means for fixing to a DIN type rail, not shown.
• These fixing means consist of a T-shaped groove 42 arranged in the bottom of the terminal.
• This groove 42 has two hooking lugs 43 and 44; the lug 43, located on the side of the rear face, is made in one piece on each half-shell 1 ', and the lug 44, located on the side of the front face, is of the retractable type, constituted by the end an added drawer 45, associated with an elastic return member 46.
• the drawer 45 and the return member 46 are made in one piece by molding of plastic material.
• This drawer 45 slides in a groove 48 provided on the internal faces of the two 1 ', 1 "half-shells; its maneuver, for positioning the terminal on the DIN rail, or its removal, is carried out by a pull on its front part which extends slightly projecting.
• the elastic return member 46 is generally in the form of a sinusoid. It has a locking lug 49 at its front end, which comes position in a housing 50 arranged in the housing 1, above the groove 48.
• connection terminal In the connection terminal according to the invention, the ends of the incoming 4 and outgoing 5 cables are each arranged in their own clamping device 2, 3 with retractable slide. This particular structure facilitates the connection and connection operations of the cables, since each of these operations is carried out on a single cable at a time and without requiring significant bending.
• the two cables 4 and 5 being separated, one of them can be disconnected without risk of creating an electric arc with the other cable; this allows, in the context of a loop power supply, to intervene on one of the electrical devices (for example for the replacement of a candelabra lamp), without loss of power to the devices arranged upstream.
• the incoming cable corresponds either to neutral or to one of the phases, and at least two terminals of the type described above must be used to supply each electrical device. More particularly, four terminals will be used in the context of a three-phase supply: one for neutral and the other three for the three phases, in order to achieve phase balancing on the various devices.
• the incoming 4 and outgoing 5 cables can be connected to one or other of the clamping devices 2, 3 without this changing anything during operation; preferably, the output cable 5 is positioned in the upper clamping device 3, to facilitate the disconnection maneuver on the device located just upstream of the one or those on which one wishes to intervene.

Landscapes

• Connections Arranged To Contact A Plurality Of Conductors (AREA)
• Coupling Device And Connection With Printed Circuit (AREA)
• Power Steering Mechanism (AREA)
• Telephone Function (AREA)
• Details Of Aerials (AREA)
• Electrical Discharge Machining, Electrochemical Machining, And Combined Machining (AREA)
• Disintegrating Or Milling (AREA)
• Processing Of Terminals (AREA)

Priority Applications (4)

Applications Claiming Priority (2)

Publications (1)

Family

ID=9533319

Family Applications (1)

Country Status (6)

Cited By (1)

Families Citing this family (7)

Citations (4)

• 1998
  • 1998-11-26 FR FR9815016A patent/FR2786611B1/fr not_active Expired - Fee Related
• 1999
  • 1999-11-22 AT AT99956114T patent/ATE224108T1/de not_active IP Right Cessation
  • 1999-11-22 WO PCT/FR1999/002872 patent/WO2000031831A1/fr active IP Right Grant
  • 1999-11-22 EP EP99956114A patent/EP1133811B1/de not_active Expired - Lifetime
  • 1999-11-22 AU AU12790/00A patent/AU1279000A/en not_active Abandoned
  • 1999-11-22 DE DE69902941T patent/DE69902941T2/de not_active Expired - Lifetime

Patent Citations (4)

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