CN111064017A

CN111064017A - Protective conductor terminal

Info

Publication number: CN111064017A
Application number: CN201910982588.8A
Authority: CN
Inventors: G.斯佩
Original assignee: Wago Verwaltungs GmbH
Current assignee: Wago Verwaltungs GmbH
Priority date: 2018-10-16
Filing date: 2019-10-15
Publication date: 2020-04-24
Anticipated expiration: 2039-10-15
Also published as: DE202018004780U1; CN111064017B; DE102019123860A1

Abstract

The invention relates to a protective conductor terminal for locking on a support rail extending in a longitudinal direction, the support rail having a first support rail edge and a second support rail edge, the protective conductor terminal having an insulating material housing and at least two conductor contacts accommodated in the insulating material housing, the at least two conductor contacts being electrically conductively connectable to a conductor rail, the protective conductor terminal further having a metal contact foot by means of which the conductor rail and the support rail can be electrically connected, the metal contact foot having a first arm which, in the locked state, latches the first support rail edge and a second arm which, in the locked state, latches the second support rail edge, it is provided that the metal contact foot has a bearing section, and the bearing section is supported on the first and second bearing rail edges in the locked state and protrudes beyond the second bearing rail edge in the transverse direction of the bearing rail by an end section of the bearing section facing the second arm.

Description

Protective conductor terminal

Technical Field

The invention relates to a protective conductor terminal for locking on a support rail extending in a longitudinal direction, said support rail having a first support rail edge and a second support rail edge which is spaced apart from the first support rail edge in a direction transverse to the longitudinal direction and lies in a common plane with the first support rail edge.

Background

Document EP 1394902B 1 shows a contact pin which is formed integrally with the conductor rail of the printed circuit board, wherein the overall rigid bearing section of the contact pin bears the PE pin against the two bearing rail edges. The latching arm and the latching arm project from the connecting section on both sides in a spring-biased manner into the conductor rail, and each of the latching arm and the latching arm snap-engages behind the edge of the bearing rail. The catch section on the locking arm can be moved elastically in the release direction by the arrangement of a screw wrench, so that the locking projection of the locking arm can be released at the edge of the support rail.

Document DE 102013114315 a1 discloses a contact foot for protecting a conductor terminal, wherein the contact foot has, starting from a conductor rail connection, a first and a second spring arm each projecting outward. Each spring arm has at its respective free end an associated support rail edge with a fastening section having a locking edge. A bearing section with a support leg on the end side for bearing on the mutually opposite bearing rail edges is provided centrally between the spring arms in order to receive the contact foot in a clamping manner. The first spring arm also has a latching means for securing the contact pin to an insulating material housing that protects the conductor terminal. For the purpose of disengaging from the support rail, the second spring arm of the contact leg is deflected by the action of a tool on the plastic locking leg of the insulating material housing.

Disclosure of Invention

The object of the invention is to improve a protective conductor terminal with a compact metal contact pin.

The object is achieved according to the invention by a protective conductor terminal.

The protective conductor terminal is provided for locking on a support rail extending in the longitudinal extension direction, said support rail having a first support rail edge and a second support rail edge, said second support rail edge being spaced apart from the first support rail edge in a direction transverse to the longitudinal extension direction and lying in a common plane with the first support rail edge. The protective conductor terminal has an insulating material housing and at least two conductor contacts accommodated in the insulating material housing, wherein the at least two conductor contacts can be connected in an electrically conductive manner to a conductor rail. The protective conductor terminal also has a metal contact foot, by means of which the conductor rail and the support rail can be electrically connected, and wherein the metal contact foot has a first arm, which in the locked state latches behind the first support rail edge, and a second arm, which in the locked state latches behind the second support rail edge. The second arm spring is elastically formed.

According to the invention, the metal contact foot has a bearing section, and the bearing section is supported on the first and second bearing rail edges in the locked state and protrudes beyond the second bearing rail edge in the transverse direction of the bearing rail by an end section of the bearing section facing the second arm.

It is advantageously provided that the second arm has a second latching section with a latching edge for latching behind the second support rail edge, wherein the second latching section rests against the end section at least in the elastically deflected state of the second arm. In an advantageous development, a stop is thereby realized between the free end of the bearing section and the locking section for limiting the displacement of the locking arm and the second arm perpendicular to the plane of the bearing rail. The abutment of the second locking section on the free end or on the end section of the bearing section of the second arm can also effect a guided deflection movement of the second arm when the second arm is elastically deflected. However, the use of the end section projecting beyond the edge of the support rail or the free end of the support section is not limited to a stop or a guide. The free ends of the bearing sections can also be used, for example, also as a connection to other elements of the metal contact feet or for connection to an insulating material housing.

Preferably, the second locking section can be moved away from the support rail in the transverse direction of the support rail over its spring travel in the state in which the second arm is offset relative to the support section. The unlocking of the terminal block from the support rail can thus be achieved in that the terminal block can be easily removed from the support rail.

Advantageously, the insulating material housing has a first stop assigned to the second locking section for limiting the displacement of the second locking section, thereby preventing overloading of the second locking section in normal application-related use.

It is also preferred that the insulating material housing has at least one second stop assigned to the bearing section, which second stop limits the displacement of the bearing section perpendicular to the plane of the edge of the bearing rail. In this way, in normal use, overloading of the bearing section and overloading of the second locking section in the second direction are prevented.

Preferably, the second arm has a hook section for inserting an operating tool, such as a screw wrench, for elastic deflection of the second arm. This allows a simple manual displacement of the second locking section.

The metal contact foot preferably also has a connecting section which is electrically connected to the conductor rail, wherein the connecting section is connected to the bearing section by a first connecting arm. In this way, a short and/or direct current path from the power rail to the support rail is provided in the locked state.

Preferably, the first arm is connected to the first connecting arm and projects in the direction of the edge of the first support rail. The first arm spring is designed elastically.

A first opening and a second opening assigned to the first and second conductor contacts are arranged in the conductor rail for receiving the adjoining electrical conductors, respectively. Preferably, a second connecting arm projects from the first connecting arm in the direction of the power rail, wherein the second connecting arm has a pin on its end facing away from the first connecting arm, which pin projects into a third opening of the power rail. The pin, which advantageously projects with a small clearance into the third opening, advantageously serves to position the metal contact rail relative to the conductor rail and prevents lateral displacement of the contact foot relative to the conductor rail, for example, in the direction of longitudinal extension of the support rail.

It is also preferred that the second arm is connected to the second connecting arm and projects in the direction of the second support rail edge. The further away the connection of the second arm to the second connecting arm is from the bearing section, the longer the second arm can be designed, whereby the spring properties of the second arm can be suitably selected and, for example, can be improved.

The protective conductor terminal is preferably designed as a terminal block, wherein the conductor rail of the protective conductor terminal establishes an electrical connection with the support rail.

Preferably, the insulating material housing has an operating tool guide receptacle. The operating tool guide receptacle interacts with a hook segment arranged on the metal contact foot. A recess is provided on the hook section, into which a working tool can be inserted. The operating tool is guided by means of the operating tool guide receptacle to the recess and is supported on the side walls of the operating tool guide receptacle inserted into the insulating material housing during the rotation of the operating tool.

The present invention is not limited to the foregoing features. Other aspects of the invention are provided by combinations of features. Combinations of features are also further described in the description of the figures.

Drawings

The invention will be further elucidated with reference to a number of embodiments shown in the drawing. In the drawings:

figure 1 shows a three-dimensional view of a first embodiment of a protective conductor terminal locked on a support rail,

fig. 2 shows a three-dimensional view of an embodiment of a metallic contact foot, which is locked on a support rail, of a protective conductor terminal, with a conductor rail and a conductor connection,

fig. 3 shows a side view of a further embodiment of a protective conductor terminal, with a metal contact foot in an undeflected position,

fig. 4 shows a side view of the protective conductor terminal with the metal contact foot in a biased position for unlocking from the support rail.

Detailed Description

Fig. 1 shows a first exemplary embodiment of a terminal block with an insulating material housing 2, which is designed to protect a conductor terminal 1. The first and

second leg sections

3, 4 are connected to the insulating housing 2, which is produced from plastic, preferably by injection molding, for locking the protective conductor terminal 1 on a cap-shaped support rail 5, the support rail 5 having a first support rail edge 5.1 and a second support rail edge 5.2, which is spaced apart from the first support rail edge transversely to the longitudinal extent of the support rail 5 and lies in a common plane with the first support rail edge 5.1.

The protection conductor terminal 1 has a first conductor contact 6 having a first terminal spring 7 and a second conductor contact 8 having a second terminal spring 9. The insulating material housing 2 has a first conductor insertion opening 10 into which an electrical conductor can be inserted for electrical connection to the first conductor contact 6. The first conductor contact 6 also has a first operating button 11 guided in the operating opening for operating the first terminal spring 7. The insulating material housing 2 also has a second conductor insertion opening 12 into which an electrical conductor can be inserted for electrical connection to the second conductor contact 8. The second conductor contact 8 also has a second actuating button 13, which is guided in a further actuating opening, for actuating the second terminal spring 9. The number of the conductor connectors, the conductor lead-in openings and the operating keys can be changed according to the needs.

A conductor rail 14 is also arranged in the insulating material housing 2, said conductor rail having a first opening 15 for the first conductor contact 6, into which the first terminal spring 7 is suspended. The second terminal spring 9 of the second conductor contact 8 is suspended in the second opening 16 of the conductor rail 14.

A metal contact foot 17 is also arranged in the insulating material housing 2 protecting the conductor terminal 1. The metal contact foot 17 has a connecting section 18 which is accommodated in an accommodating opening 19 of the power rail 14 for the clamping electrical connection of the metal contact foot 17 to the power rail 14 (see the exemplary embodiment in fig. 2). The metal contact feet 17 are stamped from flat sheet metal, in particular sheet metal, and have a correspondingly flat, planar configuration. The metal contact feet 17 and the conductor rail 14 together with the terminal springs 7, 9 suspended in the conductor rail 14 form a pre-assemblable structural unit which can be inserted laterally into the receptacle 20 of the insulating housing 2. This makes it possible to achieve an efficient and simple mounting of the protective conductor terminal 1.

Fig. 2 shows a pre-assemblable structural unit consisting of the conductor rail 14, the terminal springs 7, 9 and the metal contact feet 17, which can be used, for example, in the exemplary embodiment according to fig. 1. The connecting section 18 of the metal contact foot 17, which is inserted in a clamping manner into a receiving opening 19 of the conductor rail 14, is clearly visible here. The connecting section 18 has two elastic webs 18.1, 18.2 spaced apart from one another, which webs 18.1, 18.2 are inserted into the receiving opening 19 and preferably pass through the receiving opening 19.

The structure and function of the protective conductor terminal 1, in particular the metal contact foot 17, are also described in connection with fig. 2 to 4.

Starting from the connecting section 18, the contact foot 17 has a first connecting limb 21, which is directed away from the power rail 14 and which is connected at the end to a bearing section 22, which is adapted to bear on the bearing rail edges 5.1, 5.2. By means of the first connecting arm 21, which directly connects the power rail 14 to the bearing section 22, a direct and short electrical conduction from the power rail 14 to the bearing rail 5 is ensured. A first arm 23 projects laterally from the first connecting arm 21, which can be designed elastically and is suitable for snapping back or snapping down the first support rail edge 5.1 with a first latching edge 25 by means of a first latching section 24 on the end side. A second connecting arm 26, which has a bolt 27 on the end side, projects from the bearing section 2 in the direction of the power rail 14. The pin 27 projects into a third opening 28 of the conductor rail 14. The third opening 28 has a larger diameter than the pin 27, so that the pin 27 merely guides the inside of the third opening 28 and thus provides the contact foot 17 with a further fixing of position relative to the power rail 14. A second arm 29 projects from the third connecting arm 26 in the end-side region of the third connecting arm 26 close to the bolt 27. The second arm 29 is spring-mounted and is suitable for snapping the second support rail edge 5.2 behind the second latching section 30 with the second latching edge 31. A hook section 32 is formed on the second arm 29. The hook section 33 is designed with a recess 34 into which an operating tool, for example a screw wrench, can be inserted in order to elastically displace the second arm 29 and move it away from the second support rail edge 5.2. By receiving the connecting section 18 in the receiving opening 19, the metal contact foot 17 is securely fastened to the conductor rail. On the other hand, the second arm 29 can be sufficiently elastically deflected, even with small overall dimensions, in particular by the pin 27 being received with play in the third opening 28.

Fig. 3 shows a state in which the protective conductor terminal 1 is locked on the support rail 5. It is clearly visible that the first locking section 24 snaps behind the first locking edge 25 to the first support rail edge 5.1. The second locking section 30 engages behind the second locking edge 31 with the second support rail edge 5.2. The bearing sections 22 of the metal contact feet 17 are supported on the upper side of the first and second bearing rail edges 5.1, 5.2. The first and

second locking sections

24, 30 thus rest against the side of the first support rail edge 5.1 and the second support rail edge 5.2 facing away from the support section 22 in the locked state on the support rail 5.

The bearing section 22 projects from the second bearing rail edge 5.2 in the transverse direction Q of the bearing rail 5 by an end section 34 facing the second arm 29. The abutment section 35 arranged on the second locking section 30 lies opposite the end section 34 of the bearing section 22 in the locked state or abuts the end section 34 of the bearing section 22. The bearing section 35 and the end section 34 preferably each have exactly flat bearing surfaces which are oriented in the direction of extent in the transverse direction Q relative to the mounting rail 5. Other configurations of abutment surfaces are also contemplated.

On the side facing away from the support rail 5, the insulating material housing 2 has at least one, but preferably two hook-shaped first retaining webs 36 which partially span the support section 22 and ensure that they do not deflect or bend out of the insulating material housing 2. In the region of the first locking section 24, a second retaining web 37 is arranged on the insulating material housing 2, said second retaining web spanning a section, preferably a free end, of the first locking section 24 and likewise not deviating or bending out of the insulating material housing 2. A recess is formed between the second arm 29 and the second locking section 30, in which recess a first stop 38 projecting out of the plane of the receptacle 20 of the insulating material housing 2 is arranged.

It can be seen that the contact feet 17 are inserted into the receptacle 20 of the insulating housing 2 from the open side. In this case, a first arm 23 with a first locking section 24 and a second arm 29 with a second locking section 30 are arranged alongside the first and

second leg sections

3, 4 of the insulating housing 2 in the longitudinal extension direction of the mounting rail 5 and can be contacted from the open side.

In order to elastically bias the second arm 29, a handling tool is inserted into the recess 33 of the hook segment 34, which handling tool is rotated in the clockwise direction in the views of fig. 3 and 4. The operating tool is supported on a housing edge 39 of an operating tool guide receptacle 40 of the insulating housing 2. The offset position of the second arm 29 or of the metal contact foot 17 is shown in fig. 4.

The second arm 29 with the second locking section 30 can be offset from the support rail 5 to such an extent that the second locking section 30 rests against the stop 38. Thereby, an excessive deflection of the second arm 29 is prevented and possible damage due to plastic deformation is avoided. The abutment section 35 of the second locking section 30 abuts the end section 34 of the bearing section 22 when the second arm 29 is deflected and slides on the bearing section in the direction away from the bearing rail 5. A force component which is conditionally oriented by the offset of the second arm 23 perpendicular to the plane of the support rail edges 5.1, 5.2 and acts on the second locking section 30 is transmitted to the end section 34 of the support section 22. The offset of the bearing section 22 in the direction perpendicularly away from the plane of the bearing rail edges 5.1, 5.2 is effectively prevented here by the first retaining web 36 or the first retaining web 36 forming the second stop 36. In this way, too excessive deflection of the bearing section 22 and possible damage to the bearing section due to plastic deformation can also be avoided. By the second locking section 30 resting on the end section 34 of the bearing section 22, an excessive deflection is also prevented and plastic deformation of the locking section in a direction perpendicular to the plane of the bearing rail edges 5.1, 5.2 is prevented.

The structure and arrangement of the metal contact feet are particularly suitable for smaller-structured protective conductor terminals by effective limitation of the elastic deflection of the second arm 23 at lower elastic deflections.

The pin 27 is accommodated with little play in the transverse direction Q of the support rail 5 and in the longitudinal extension L of the support rail 5 in the third opening 28 of the power rail 14, as a result of which a sufficiently large elasticity of the second arm 29 can be achieved advantageously in a small installation space. At the same time, sufficient lateral stability of the metal contact foot 14 is advantageously achieved in the longitudinal direction L of the support rail 5 or transversely to the longitudinal extension of the conductor rail 14, so that a displacement of the metal contact foot 17 in the longitudinal extension direction L of the conductor rail 5 is prevented.

Laterally next to the second locking section, a housing side wall section of the insulating housing 2 is arranged in the longitudinal direction of the support rail, wherein the edge of the housing side wall section extends substantially perpendicular to the plane defined by the support rail edges 5.1, 5.2. The edge of the housing side wall section is arranged in the locked state close to the support rail edge 5.2. When an operating tool, for example a screw wrench, is inserted into the operating tool guide receptacle 40 and the second arm 29 with the second locking section 30 is displaced, it is supported on the insulating material housing 2 and moves the edge of the insulating material housing 2 parallel to the plane defined by the support rail edges 5.1, 5.2 in the direction of the second support rail edge 5.2 until the edge of the insulating material housing 2 abuts against the support rail edge 5.2 and prevents the insulating material housing 2 from being moved further. Thereby, further rotational movement of the operating tool is completely transmitted to the second arm 29, so that the operating tool as a whole does not have to be deflected excessively. Thereby avoiding excessive loading of the contact pins.

List of reference numerals

1 protective conductor terminal

2 insulating material housing

3 first leg segment

4 second leg segment

5 support rail

5.1 first support Rail edge

5.2 second support Rail edge

6 first conductor joint

7 first terminal spring

8 second conductor joint

9 second terminal spring

10 first conductor lead-in

11 first operation key

12 second conductor lead-in

13 second operation key

14 conductive rail

15 first opening

16 second opening

17 metal contact pin

18 connecting segment

18.1 connecting sheet

18.2 connecting sheet

19 receiving port

20 accommodating part

21 first connecting arm

22 bearing section

23 first arm

24 first locking section

25 first locking edge

26 second connecting arm

27 pin bolt

28 third opening

29 second arm

30 second locking section

31 second locking edge

32 hook segment

33 groove

34 end section

35 abutting section

36 first retaining tab, second stop

37 second retaining tab

38 first stop

39 shell edge

40 operating tool guide receiver

Transverse direction Q

L longitudinal extension direction

Claims

1. A protected conductor terminal (1) for locking on a support rail (5) extending in a longitudinal direction of extension (L), having a first support rail edge (5.1) and a second support rail edge (5.2) which is spaced apart from the first support rail edge in a direction transverse to the longitudinal direction of extension (L) and lies in a common plane with the first support rail edge (5.1),

-the protective conductor terminal has an insulating material housing (2) and at least two conductor contacts (6, 7) accommodated in the insulating material housing,

-wherein at least two conductor contacts (6, 7) can be electrically conductively connected with a conductor rail (14),

and the protective conductor terminal further having a metal contact foot (17) by means of which the conductor rail (14) and the support rail (5) can be electrically connected,

and wherein the metal contact foot (17) has a first arm (23) which, in the locked state, latches back the first support rail edge (5.1) and a second arm (29) which, in the locked state, latches back the second support rail edge (5.2),

and wherein at least the second arm (29) is spring-elastically configured,

it is characterized in that the preparation method is characterized in that,

-the metal contact foot (17) has a bearing section (22),

and the bearing section (22) is supported in the locked state on the first bearing rail edge (5.1) and the second bearing rail edge (5.2) and protrudes beyond the second bearing rail edge (5.2) in the transverse direction (Q) of the bearing rail (5) by means of an end section (34) of the bearing section facing the second arm (29).

2. The protected conductor terminal (1) according to claim 1,

-the second arm (29) has a second locking section (30) with a second locking edge (31) for the rear snapping of the second bearing rail edge (5.2),

-and wherein the second locking section (30) abuts against the end section (34) at least in the elastically deflected state of the second arm (29).

3. The protective conductor terminal (1) according to claim 2, characterized in that the second locking section (30) can be moved away from the support rail (5) in the transverse direction (Q) of the support rail (5) over its spring travel in the state in which the second arm (29) is offset relative to the support section (22).

4. The protected conductor terminal (1) according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the insulating-material housing (2) has a first stop (38) assigned to the second locking section (30) for limiting the movement of the second locking section (30).

5. The protected conductor termination (1) according to one of the preceding claims, characterised in that the insulating-material housing (2) has at least one second stop (36) assigned to the bearing section (22), which second stop limits the movement of the bearing section (22) perpendicular to the plane of the bearing rail edge (5.1, 5.2).

6. Protective conductor terminal (1) according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the second arm (29) has a hooking section (32) for inserting an operating tool for the elastic deflection of the second arm (29).

7. A protected conductor terminal (1) according to any of the preceding claims, characterized in that the metal contact foot (17) has a connecting section (18) electrically connected to the conductor rail (14), wherein the connecting section (18) is connected to the bearing section (22) by means of a first connecting arm (21).

8. The protected conductor terminal (1) according to claim 7, characterised in that the first arm (23) is connected to the first connecting arm (21) and projects in the direction of the first support rail edge (5.1).

9. The protective conductor terminal (1) according to claim 7 or 8, characterized in that a second connecting arm (26) projects from the first connecting arm (21) in the direction of the conductor rail (14), wherein the second connecting arm (26) has, at its end facing away from the first connecting arm (21), a pin (27) projecting into a third opening (28) of the conductor rail (14).

10. The protected conductor terminal (1) according to claim 9, characterized in that the second arm (29) is connected to the second connection arm (26) and projects in the direction of the second support rail edge (5.2).

11. The protected conductor terminal (1) according to one of claims 1 to 9, characterized in that the insulating material housing (2) has an operating tool guide receptacle (40).