WO2023148021A1

WO2023148021A1 - Busbar, housing comprising such a busbar, and method for producing the busbar

Info

Publication number: WO2023148021A1
Application number: PCT/EP2023/051388
Authority: WO
Inventors: Robin REINKE; Guido Strüwe; Stefan Rührup; Eugen KLONINGER; Friedbert SCHLINKE
Original assignee: Weidmüller Interface GmbH & Co. KG
Priority date: 2022-02-04
Filing date: 2023-01-20
Publication date: 2023-08-10
Also published as: DE102022102688A1

Abstract

The invention relates to a busbar (200) which is designed in the form of a punched and bent part and has an angular L-shaped base geometry with a horizontal base limb (201), which forms a first contact limb, and a second contact limb (202), which is integrally connected to the base limb (201) and extends perpendicularly thereto, wherein the second contact limb (202) has a twisted section (210) in which the contact limb (202) is contorted or twisted, and the busbar (200) is made of a straight strip-shaped section of a sheet-type or flat semi-finished product as a starting material.

Description

Busbar, housing with such a busbar and method for producing the busbar

The invention relates to a busbar according to the preamble of claim 1, a housing with such a busbar and a method for producing the busbar according to claim 11.

In control cabinet construction, there is occasionally a need for L-shaped busbars. For example, it may be necessary to provide conductor connections with one or more electrical components, with the use of L-shaped busbars making sense due to the structural conditions.

According to the prior art (see FIGS. 4a and 4b, reference numeral 100), such busbars are already designed as stamped and bent parts and have an angular basic geometry. A horizontally extending base leg is followed by a contact leg which is connected in one piece and is essentially perpendicular to the base leg or vertically aligned.

A flat or semi-finished sheet metal product is usually used as the starting material for the busbar according to the prior art. Such busbars have proven themselves in practice, but the disadvantage is that an angular cut is required to produce the busbar according to the prior art, so that a relatively large amount of waste occurs, which is cost-intensive and therefore undesirable.

A method is known from JP 2001 251 729 A2, in which a conductor rail is provided with a twisted section on its contact leg. However, it remains disadvantageous that an angular cut is also required for the conductor rail according to JP 2001 251 729 A, so that considerable amounts of the semi-finished product used continue to be produced as waste.

The invention aims to solve these problems.

The invention solves this problem with the subject matter of claim 1 .

A busbar is created which is designed as a stamped and bent part and has an L-shaped angular basic geometry with a horizontal base leg, which forms a first contact leg, and a second contact leg which is integrally connected to the base leg and extends perpendicularly thereto. wherein the second contact leg is twisted or has a twisted section, the busbar being produced from a straight and preferably flat strip-shaped or rod-shaped section of a strip or flat semi-finished product as the starting material.

In the context of this application, straight means completely straight or essentially straight apart from minor deviations such as edge cutouts or tapering in width such as contouring for one or more contact areas.

For the purposes of this application, flat means completely flat or essentially straight apart from small deviations such as an edge radius for inserting a conductor.

This creates a busbar that can be produced inexpensively, since the advantageous use of a straight and non-angled strip or flat semi-finished product to produce the busbar results in little or no waste. The flat or strip semi-finished product is preferably made of a material with good electrical conductivity, such as copper or an aluminum alloy.

In a particularly preferred embodiment of the invention, it is provided that the second contact leg is integrally connected to a transverse side/narrow side of the base leg. This results in a stiff and stable connection of the second contact leg to the base leg or the first contact leg.

According to a further, particularly preferred embodiment variant of the invention, it can then be provided that the twisted section of the second contact leg is rotated or twisted by 90°, so that the twisted section causes a free end of the second contact leg to be symmetrical to a longitudinal center line M of the Base leg is aligned. The second contact leg is stiffened by the twisting, so that the second contact leg allows only little deformation when the electrical component is plugged on. The first contact leg is essentially flat and not twisted.

According to a further embodiment option of the invention, it can be provided that the second contact leg has a width b that is smaller than the width B of the base leg or the first contact leg. Then, according to a further embodiment variant of the invention, it can optionally be provided that the base leg of the conductor rail is reinforced by doubling the starting material. As a result, a robust base leg is created in a structurally simple manner.

The object is also achieved by an electronics housing, in particular terminal housing, which is characterized in that it has at least one busbar according to one of the claims relating thereto.

The object is also achieved by a method for producing a conductor rail according to claim 11, which is characterized by the following method steps:

- Providing one or the straight strip-shaped flat section of the strip or flat semi-finished product with a rectangular cross-section - ie with a width B and a thickness D - and with a length L and in each case a suitable production device for the subsequent process steps for producing the busbar;

- Twisting of the second contact leg by a forming process by an angle a in relation to an outer edge of the contact area, the angle a preferably being between 30° and 60°, particularly preferably 45°;

- Bending or edging of the second contact leg by an angle ß in relation to the first contact leg or base leg transversely to its longitudinal extent, the angle ß relates to the base leg, and the angle ß is 90 °;

- Twisting of the second contact leg by a forming process by an angle δ in relation to an outer edge of the contact area, the angle δ preferably being between 30° and 60°, particularly preferably 45°, the angle δ preferably being chosen such that it Sum forms an angle of 90° with the angle a, so that the contact area is arranged symmetrically to the longitudinal center line M of the base leg.

The inventive manufacturing method, in which the contact leg is first pre-twisted, then bent or erected, and then finally twisted into its final position, attaches the contact leg to the base leg molded without deforming the base leg. A precise production of the contact leg is thus advantageously achieved with the inventive production method, which makes subsequent straightening or leveling of the base leg superfluous.

It is optionally possible for the following method step a') to take place after method step a) and before method step b):

- Trimming and/or shaping of a free end or both free ends of the strip or flat semi-finished product to form the respective first or second contact area.

Further advantageous configurations of the subject according to the invention can be found in the dependent claims.

The invention is described in more detail below using exemplary embodiments with reference to the drawing, with further advantageous variants and configurations also being discussed. It should be emphasized that the exemplary embodiment discussed below is not intended to describe the invention conclusively, but that variants and equivalents that are not shown can also be implemented and are covered by the claims. It shows:

FIG. 1: a three-dimensional view of a housing that can be lined up with electrical contact and functional elements on a mounting rail, a component being connected to the busbars of the contact and functional elements via two socket or tulip contacts, which are produced by two busbars according to the invention;

FIG. 2: a three-dimensional view of a conductor rail according to FIG. 1;

Figure 3: in a) to f) each a spatial view of the manufacturing progress in the

Production of the busbar according to Figure 1 and Figure 2..;

Figure 4: in a) a three-dimensional view of a housing that can be lined up with electrical contact and functional elements on a mounting rail, with a component being connected via two socket or tulip contacts to the busbars of the contact and functional elements, which are connected by two busbars according to the prior art Technique are made, in b) a spatial view of a busbar according to Fig. 4a. The terms used below, such as "vertical", "perpendicular", "horizontal", "above", "below", "right", "left" refer to the respective drawing. A spatial coordinate system in each drawing is used for further orientation.

In Fig. 4a, the use of a configuration of a busbar according to the prior art is shown as an example.

In Fig. 4a it is shown how a stackable housing with electrical contact and functional elements 1 is fixed on a mounting rail 2, which can be mounted on a mounting base (not shown here), which can be the mounting base of a control cabinet (not shown here), for example . Further housings 1 can be attached to the housing shown in Fig. 1, e.g. As shown here, the support rail 2 can have a hat-like cross-sectional geometry, for example, but it can also have another cross-section, for example a C-shaped cross-section.

In the context of this document, the term "housing with electrical contact and functional elements" refers in particular to terminal blocks whose housings are equipped with one or more passive (including conductors and busbars) and/or active components, but also other electronics housings that can be equipped in this way understand.

The housing 1 can be provided with one or more conductor connection contacts or conductor connection devices 3, 4, whereby these can be designed using any connection technology, for example as screw Zclamping or spring clamp contacts.

The conductor connection devices 3, 4 serve to press a conductor against a first contact leg 1 of an L-shaped busbar 100 in each case. These busbars 100 can also be connected to an electrical component directly or indirectly via their other contact leg, for example via a further contact.

Such an electrical component 5 is placed on the housing 1 here. The electrical component 5 can be, for example, an attachment housing with an electronic component, which can be embodied, for example, as an electrical fuse. The respective busbar 100 according to the prior art is designed as a stamped and bent part and has an angular or L-shaped basic geometry.

On a base leg 101 which extends horizontally—in relation to the coordinate system in FIGS. 4a and in FIG. 4b in the direction of the x-axis and with its main outer surfaces in or parallel to the X/Y plane—and forms a first contact leg , which forms the conductive connection of the respective conductor connection device 3, 4, is joined in one piece by a contact leg 102 aligned perpendicularly or--in relation to the coordinate system in FIG. 4a and in FIG. 4b in the direction of the z-axis--vertically to the base leg 101 , whose main outer surfaces extend in or parallel to the X/Z plane.

This orientation is a preferred orientation. The conductor rail 100 can, of course, be oriented in any other way in space, with the X/Y/Z coordinate system being moved accordingly in space, in particular being rotated as well.

In Fig. 4b, the power rail 100 according to the prior art is shown enlarged without adjacent components. Optionally, the base limb 101 of the busbar 100 forming the first contact limb can be reinforced by a doubling 103 of the starting material. This doubling 103 is preferably carried out by a bending process, in which the starting material is placed on top of one another by bending at a bending angle of 180° and is thus doubled.

The base leg 101 can optionally have a side contour 105a, 105b on its first longitudinal side 104a and on its second longitudinal side 104b, which can be arranged and/or designed mirror-symmetrically to one another. Furthermore, the doubling 103 of the base leg 101 can optionally have a side contour 107a, 107b on its first longitudinal side 106a and on its second longitudinal side 106b, which can also be arranged and/or designed mirror-symmetrically to one another. Furthermore, the doubling 103 can have a type of corrugated contour 108 at least in sections.

According to the position of the busbar 100 shown in FIG. 4b, the second contact leg 102 adjoins a first longitudinal side 104a of the base leg 102 or the first contact leg in one piece. The conductor rail 100 is therefore wider than the first contact leg 101, at least in this area. The second contact leg 102 is raised by a bending process around the x-axis or parallel thereto. So that there is no left and no right variant of the busbar 100, the busbar 100 according to the prior art is used rotated by 180°, as is shown in FIG. 4a.

The contact leg 102 has a short vertical section 109 . This is followed by an angled section 110 which ensures that a free end 111 of the contact leg 102 is aligned symmetrically to a longitudinal center line M of the base leg 101 . At the free end 111 of the contact leg 102 is a knife-like contact area 112 - introduced - preferably by a one or more stage forming process. With the socket or tulip contact, the electrical component 5, such as an electrical fuse, can be contacted and fastened simply by plugging it onto the lined-up housings 1 with electrical contact and/or functional elements.

The starting material for the busbar 100 according to the prior art is a flat or semi-finished sheet metal product. The flat or semi-finished sheet metal product is preferably made of a material with good electrical conductivity, such as copper or aluminum. An angular blank or L-shaped blank is required for the busbar 100 according to the prior art, from which the base leg 101, the contact leg 102 and, if necessary, the doubling 103 are produced by forming processes. The angular blank must first be cut out of the flat or sheet metal semi-finished product. This results in considerable waste, which is undesirable because it makes the busbar 100 according to the prior art expensive.

The invention therefore follows a different path.

In contrast to the busbar 100 according to the prior art, the busbar 200 according to the invention is made from a straight strip-shaped section of a flat strip or flat semi-finished product with a rectangular cross-section with a width B and a thickness D and a length L as the starting element, as is shown in Fig 1, 2 and 3 is shown. The starting element is thus an elongate and preferably rectangular, flat strip.

Fig. 3f shows an exemplary embodiment of a busbar 200 according to the invention, which is designed as a stamped and bent part and has an angular basic geometry with a horizontal base leg 201, which forms a first contact leg, and one integrally connected to the base leg 201, perpendicular thereto extending second contact leg 202, wherein the second contact leg 202 has a twisted section 210 in which the second contact leg 202 is twisted or twisted, preferably by 90°, and the busbar 200 consists of a strip-shaped section of a strip or flat semi-finished product is produced as a starting element.

The contact legs 201, 202 can each have a knife-like contact area 212 at their ends, for example. These contact areas 212 can be used as a conductor rail section of a conductor connection or as a direct connection area for an electrical component 5, such as a fuse or the like.

The contact legs 201, 202 can optionally be contoured in themselves.

The contact legs 201, 202 have two broad sides or main sides and two long sides and two narrow sides. Optionally, the horizontal base leg 201, which forms a first contact leg, can also have a doubling 203. The contact legs 201, 202 can also have one or more contours 205a, b or 207a, b, in particular on their longitudinal sides 204a, b or 206a, b, as shown in FIG. Furthermore, the doubling 203 can have a type of corrugated contour 208 at least in sections.

Due to the strip-shaped starting element--as an elongated and preferably rectangular, flat strip--in the production of busbar 200 as a stamped and bent part, there is advantageously significantly less waste than with busbar 100 according to the prior art.

The conductor rail 200 thus also has an angular or L-shaped basic geometry.

On the horizontally - in relation to the coordinate system in Fig. 1 and in Fig. 2 in the direction of the x-axis - extending first contact leg, which can also be referred to as base leg 201, closes in one piece the vertical or - in relation to the Coordinate system in Fig. 1 and in Fig. 2 in the direction of the z-axis - vertical to the base leg 201 aligned second contact leg 202.

In Fig. 2, the power rail 200 is shown enlarged without adjacent components. The first contact leg 201 is formed as a substantially straight flat portion that is not twisted on itself. It can be used entirely or in particular at its free end as an electrical contact area. It can be used, for example, as a contact area or busbar area of an electrical connection for connecting a conductor, such as a busbar of a tension spring connection or a spring connection or an insulation-penetrating connection.

According to the position of the busbar 200 shown in FIG. 2, the second contact limb 202 here adjoins a transverse side 209 of the first contact limb or base limb 201 in one piece or is connected to it in one piece. In terms of manufacturing technology, it is realized by a bending or folding process—in contrast to the contact leg 102 of the busbar 100—around the y-axis or parallel thereto.

The second contact leg 202 can have a width b that is smaller than the width B of the base leg 201 . This is advantageous but not mandatory. It can also be designed to be just as wide or wider than the first contact leg 201 . The width of the busbar 200 is in the bending area - not increased compared to the width B of the strip-shaped semi-finished product - unlike in the prior art.

The second contact leg 202 then has a twisted section 210 in which the second contact leg 202 is twisted or twisted clockwise by 90° about the z-axis or parallel thereto. Alternatively, the twisted section can also be twisted or twisted counterclockwise. This can be followed by a free end 211 of the second contact leg 202 , which is aligned symmetrically to a longitudinal center line M of the base leg 201 by the twisted section 210 . At the free end 211 of the second contact leg 202 is a contact area 212, which can be used, for example, as a blade contact, preferably by a one-stage or multi-stage forming process - introduced.

Through the socket or tulip contact, the electrical component 5, such as an electrical fuse, can be contacted and fastened simply by plugging it onto the lined-up housings 1 with electrical contact and/or functional elements. The free end 211 can be provided with a chamfer 213 on each of its four edges outside of the contact area 212 . Furthermore, the contact leg 202 can have a bore 214 .

This creates a busbar 200 that can be produced inexpensively.

The following method is specified for the production of the conductor rail 200 according to the invention, the main method steps of which are shown in FIGS. 3a to 3f:

In a first process step, a strip-shaped section of the strip or flat semi-finished product with a rectangular cross section - i.e. with a width B and a thickness D - with a length L, a suitable production device, such as a group of cutting and forming tools or a progressive die with several cutting and forming stations as well as a press in each case, in which the respective tool is installed or another suitable tool or machine arrangement is provided.

In a second process step - which can also be carried out optionally - the knife-like contact area 212 on the free end 211 of the part of the section that forms the contact leg 202 on the finished busbar 200 is formed in a single-stage or multi-stage cold solid forming process, such as e.g. generated.

In a further method step - the result of which is shown in Fig. 3a and which can also be carried out optionally - the side contour 205a of the first longitudinal side 204a and the side contour 205b of the second longitudinal side 204b of the first contact leg or base leg 201 are produced in a separating process, as well as the one Contact legs 202 having width b are produced by trimming on both sides. The width b of the second contact leg 202 after trimming is smaller than the width B of the first contact leg or base leg 201 .

Optionally, in a further method step, the side contour 207a of the first longitudinal side 206a and the side contour 207b of the second longitudinal side 206b of the section of the first contact leg or base leg 201 that is provided as the doubling 203 can be produced in a separating process (see Fig. 2). Furthermore, in a further optional method step in a forming process, the section of the first contact leg or base leg 201 that is provided as the doubling 203 can be provided at least in sections with a type of corrugated contour 208 (see FIG. 2). In a further method step--the result of which is shown in FIG. 3b and which can also take place optionally--the second contact leg 202 is provided with the chamfer 213 on each of its four edges outside of the contact area 212 in a forming process.

In a further method step--the result of which is shown in FIG. 3c--the second contact leg 202 is turned clockwise in a forming process by an angle α--in relation to a viewing direction in the direction of negative x-values according to the coordinate system in FIG twisted or twisted. The angle a relates to an outer edge 215 of the contact area 212. The angle a is preferably between 30° and 60°, particularly preferably 45°. Alternatively, the contact leg 202 can also be rotated or twisted counterclockwise.

In a further process step - the course of which is shown in FIG. 3d and the result of which is shown in FIG y-axis of the coordinate system in FIG. 2 or parallel thereto- bent or folded, the angle β relating to the first contact leg or base leg 201, as shown in FIG. 2d. The angle β is preferably 90°, so that the second contact leg 202 is arranged perpendicular to the first contact leg or base leg 201 . Optionally, this method step can also be carried out in two stages, so that the second contact leg 202 is first bent through a first angle β1 and then through an angle β2, the angles β1 and β2 adding up to a total angle β of preferably 90°.

In a further process step - the result of which is shown in FIG refers to the outer edge 215 of the contact area 212 . The angle δ is preferably between 30° and 60°, particularly preferably 45° and is preferably chosen so that it forms an angle of 90° in total with the angle a, so that the contact area 212 is symmetrical to the longitudinal center line M of the first contact leg or base leg 201 is arranged. Alternatively, depending on the previous method step in which the second contact leg 202 was rotated or twisted, the second contact leg 202 can also be twisted or twisted counterclockwise. The doubling 203 can also optionally be produced by bending, preferably by pivoting the first contact leg or base leg 201 by 180° (see FIG. 2). Furthermore, the bore 214 can optionally be made in the second contact leg 202 in a further method step in a separating process (see FIG. 2).

The inventive manufacturing process, in which the second contact leg 202 is first pre-twisted, then bent or erected, and then subsequently rotated into its final position, the second contact leg 202 is molded onto the first contact leg or base leg 201 without deforming the first contact leg or base leg 201 at the same time. With the inventive production method, a precise production of the second contact leg 202 is thus advantageously achieved, which makes subsequent straightening or leveling of the base leg 201 superfluous.

Reference List

1 housing for contact and functional element

2 mounting rail

3 wire terminal contact

4 wire terminal contact

5 electrical component

100 power rail

101 first contact leg, base leg

102 second contact leg

103 duplication

104a, b long side

105a,b side contour

106a, b long side

107a,b side contour

108 ripple contour

109 vertical section

110 angled section

111 free end

112 contact area

200 power rail

201 base limbs

202 contact legs

203 duplication

204a, b long side

205a,b side contour

206a, b long side

207a,b side contour

208 ripple contour

209 transverse page

210 twisted section

211 free end

212 contact area

213 bevel

214 bore

215 outer edge a angle ß angle ö angle B width b width

D thickness

L length

M longitudinal center line

Claims

Expectations

1. Busbar (200), which is designed as a stamped and bent part and has an L-shaped, angular basic geometry with a horizontal base leg (201), which forms a first contact leg, and one that is integral with the base leg (201) and is perpendicular thereto extending second contact leg (202), wherein the second contact leg (202) has a twisted section (210) in which the contact leg (202) is twisted or twisted, and the busbar (200) consists of a straight and preferably flat strip-shaped section of a strip or flat semi-finished product is produced as the starting material.

2. Busbar (200) according to claim 1, characterized in that the second contact leg (202) is integrally connected to a transverse side (209) of the base leg (201).

3. Busbar (200) according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the second contact leg (202) is twisted by 90° and that the first contact leg (201) is not twisted in itself.

4. busbar (200) according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the second contact leg (202) ends in a contact area (212) which is rotated relative to the first contact leg (201) by 90 °.

5. busbar (200) according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the first contact leg (201) is designed as a substantially planar, flat strip section.

6. busbar (200) according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the second contact leg (202) has a width b, which is smaller than the width B of the first contact leg or the base leg (201).

7. Conductor rail (200) according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the twisted section (210) of the second contact leg (202) is rotated or twisted by 90°, so that the twisted section (210) causes a free end (211 ) of the second contact leg (202) is aligned symmetrically to a longitudinal center line M of the first contact leg or base leg (201).

8. Busbar (200) according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that a knife-like contact area (212) is formed at the free end (211) of the contact leg (202) and/or at the free end of the base leg (201).

9. busbar (200) according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the base leg (201) of the busbar (200) is reinforced by a doubling (203) of the starting material.

10. Electronics housing, in particular terminal block housing, characterized in that it has at least one busbar (200) according to any one of the preceding claims.

11 . Method for producing a conductor rail according to one of Claims 1 to 9, characterized by the following method steps: a) providing one or the straight strip-shaped section of the strip or flat semi-finished product with a rectangular cross-section (width B, thickness D and length L) and providing a production device in each case for the subsequent method steps for producing the conductor rail (200); b) twisting of the second contact leg (202) by a forming process by an angle a in relation to an outer edge (215) of the contact area (212), the angle a preferably being between 30° and 60°, particularly preferably 45°; c) Bending or edging of the contact leg (202) by an angle ß in relation to the first contact leg or base leg (201) transversely to its longitudinal extent, the angle ß relating to the base leg (201) and the angle ß being 90 ° is; d) twisting of the contact leg (202) by a forming process by an angle δ in relation to an outer edge (215) of the contact area (212), the angle δ preferably being between 30° and 60°, particularly preferably 45°, the angle ö is preferably selected such that it forms an angle of 90° in total with the angle a, so that the contact area (212) is arranged symmetrically to the longitudinal center line M of the base leg (201). Method according to Claim 11, characterized in that the following method step takes place after method step a) and before method step b): - Trimming and/or forming of a free end or both free ends of the strip or flat semi-finished product to form the respective first or second contact area . Method according to one of Claims 11 to 12, characterized in that the following method step takes place after method step d):

- Creating a doubling (203) of the first contact leg or base leg (201) by bending, preferably by pivot bending and folding the first contact leg or base leg (201) by 180 °.