CN118213782A

CN118213782A - Socket terminal

Info

Publication number: CN118213782A
Application number: CN202311662514.9A
Authority: CN
Inventors: 延斯·安德烈森
Original assignee: Phoenix Contact GmbH and Co KG
Current assignee: Phoenix Contact GmbH and Co KG
Priority date: 2022-12-07
Filing date: 2023-12-06
Publication date: 2024-06-18
Also published as: DE102022132567A1

Abstract

The invention relates to a socket terminal for connecting a plurality of electrical conductors, comprising: a housing having at least one insertion opening for each electrical conductor; a contact element arranged in the housing for electrically contacting and connecting the electrical conductor; a spring element which is introduced into the housing and wherein the spring element has, for each electrical conductor, a clamping leg which is adapted for contacting the electrical conductor with a contact element; and an actuating element which is adapted to displace the at least one clamping leg from the clamping position into the removal position against the spring force of the spring element, wherein the actuating element has at least one push element which is arranged on the housing and the actuating element has at least one push element which is arranged between the at least one push element and the clamping leg and the clamping region of the electrical conductor and is adapted to displace the clamping leg into the removal position by actuating the at least one push element.

Description

Socket terminal

Technical Field

The invention relates to a socket terminal (Dosenklemme) for connecting electrical conductors.

Background

Socket terminals of this type have a housing with at least one plug opening for each electrical conductor. Contact elements are arranged in the housing for electrically contacting and connecting the electrical conductors. Furthermore, a spring element is introduced into the housing, which spring element has one clamping leg for each electrical conductor, wherein the clamping legs are adapted to bring the electrical conductor into contact with the contact element. Furthermore, a socket terminal of this type has an actuating element which is adapted to displace the at least one clamping leg from the clamping position into the removal position against the spring force of the spring element.

There are various designs in the prior art for socket terminals for connecting two or more electrical conductors in a switch box.

For example, DE 203 03 537U1 relates to a socket terminal for connecting a plurality of conductors which can be introduced into the socket terminal from the same side thereof in order to electrically connect them to one another. By pressing a defined actuation area of the housing, the clamping portion of the socket terminal can be relieved.

EP 3,134,942 A1 also relates to a socket terminal having a conductor clamping element with clamping legs, wherein the free clamping ends of the clamping legs form clamping edges for clamping an electrical conductor. The housing of the socket terminal has an inspection opening for each clamping leg, which can also be used as a handling opening in order to open the clamping point formed by the conductor clamping element for the electrical conductor by means of a separate object and to enable the clamped electrical conductor to be removed.

Unlike known lever terminals, which generally require a larger installation space than socket terminals, it is often difficult in known socket terminals to introduce and remove flexible conductors into and from the insertion opening.

Disclosure of Invention

The object of the invention is to provide a socket terminal in which a flexible conductor can be simply introduced into a plug opening in order to be clamped there. Furthermore, the socket terminals should be able to be manufactured cost-effectively, require only minimal installation space, and be able to be used without tools.

This object is solved by the subject matter having the features of claim 1.

The actuating element has at least one push button element which is arranged on the housing, and the actuating element has at least one push element which is arranged between the at least one push button element and the clamping leg and the clamping region of the electrical conductor and is adapted to move the clamping leg into the removal position by actuating the at least one push button element.

The socket terminal has a housing which can be formed as an injection molded part made of an insulating plastic material and has a plurality of insertion openings into which electrical conductors can be inserted. In a 2-pole variant, the socket terminal may have two plug openings, and in a multipole variant, the socket terminal may have three, four, five and more plug openings. The plug openings may be arranged in a row or in a plurality of rows in the housing. The plurality of insertion openings is understood here to mean at least two insertion openings.

A contact element, which may also be referred to as a current bar, is arranged in the housing. In the inserted position, the individual electrical conductors or regions of the electrical conductors which are free of insulating material or are uninsulated contact the contact element and are electrically connected by the contact element.

The spring element may be formed by a spring strip and has a clamping leg for each insertion opening, which is bent out of the plane of the spring strip. The clamping leg can be formed in the spring rail, for example, by means of a stamping method. The clamping leg is arranged such that, when the electrical conductor is inserted, the electrical conductor introduced into the insertion opening between the clamping leg and the contact element deflects the clamping leg against the spring force of the spring element and is then contacted by the clamping leg in the clamping region of the clamping leg and is pressed against or clamped to the contact element in the clamping position. In the clamping position, the inserted electrical conductor is prevented from being removed counter to the plugging direction by the clamping leg.

The actuating element is adapted to move the clamping leg against the spring force of the spring element from the clamping position into the removal position.

In the removal position, the electrical conductor can be inserted into the plug opening in a weak manner or with very little effort and can also be removed again.

The actuating element has at least one key element, which is arranged on the housing. The key elements may be arranged in a plate-like or bar-like manner on the upper side or the lower side of the housing and are resiliently pivotably held on the housing about a pivot axis. The end region of the key element opposite the pivot axis can thereby be pressed by a user, for example with a finger, in the direction of the housing.

The push element is arranged between the at least one key element and the clamping leg and the clamping area of the electrical conductor. For example, the pressing element can be designed in one piece or in several pieces and in the form of a pin or bolt and can be mechanically connected directly or indirectly to the key element for movement therewith, so that a movement of the key element in the direction of the housing also causes a movement of the pressing element in the direction of the clamping region of the clamping leg in order to displace the clamping region against the spring force of the spring element. The term "clamping region of the clamping leg" is understood here to mean a region or section of the clamping leg which, in the clamping position, is placed on at least one section of the electrical conductor in order to bring the electrical conductor into contact with the contact element.

The clamping leg can be reliably moved into the removal position by the direct action of the pressing element on the clamping region of the clamping leg. Furthermore, the socket terminal thus constructed can be constructed very compactly and used without tools.

In one embodiment, the at least one key element is arranged on the housing in a pivotable manner about a pivot axis.

The key element may be embodied in the form of a plate and is connected to the housing with lateral elasticity or is molded onto the housing. For example, the key element may extend at least partially on the housing upper side or the housing lower side. In an embodiment, each of the insertion openings corresponds to a key element, and in an alternative embodiment a common key element is provided in order to simultaneously move a plurality of pressing elements, so that the respective clamping leg is simultaneously transferred into the removal position.

By means of the key element, the assembler can transfer the clamping leg from the clamping position into the removal position and back into the clamping position without using a separate tool in a particularly simple and reliable manner.

In one embodiment, the key element is connected to the housing via a film hinge.

The film hinge can be manufactured in one piece with the housing and the key element at low cost.

In one embodiment, the spring element has a support leg which is supported relative to the housing and relative to which the clamping leg can be elastically deflected.

By means of the support legs, the spring element can be supported on the housing and held in position in the housing. The clamping leg is resiliently deflectable relative to the support leg. In this case, the clamping leg is elastically preloaded in the removal position and is elastically moved into the clamping position after the release of the key element.

In one embodiment, the pressing element is embodied as a pin and is arranged perpendicular to the insertion direction of the electrical conductor between the at least one key element and the clamping region of the at least one clamping leg.

With this embodiment, the push element can be pressed directly against the clamping region of the clamping leg by actuating the push button element in order to transfer the clamping leg into the removal position.

In one embodiment, the pressing element is u-shaped and has at least two pressing legs, in particular two pressing legs arranged parallel to one another.

The two pressing legs can be arranged on the key element perpendicular to the insertion direction of the electrical conductor or can be formed with the key element and pressed independently of one another onto the clamping region of the clamping legs for the transfer into the removal position.

By means of the u-shaped design of the pressing element, the clamping leg can be transferred uniformly into the removal position.

In one embodiment, the pressing legs are arranged at a distance from one another and an intermediate space for the electrical conductor is formed between the pressing legs.

The electrical conductor may extend at least in sections in the plug-in direction between the push legs. Adjacent plug-in locations of the socket terminals can thereby be electrically insulated from one another.

In one embodiment, the push leg is adapted to be pressed simultaneously onto different sections of the clamping area of the clamping leg when the key element is actuated.

In this way, it is possible to achieve that the pressing element can act directly on the clamping region of the clamping leg when the electrical conductor has been inserted, in order to reliably move the clamping leg into the removal position away from the inserted electrical conductor. Furthermore, even in the event of damage, for example when one of the push legs is bent, the clamping leg can be reliably moved into the removal position.

In one embodiment, the push element is formed in one piece or in one piece with the key element.

For example, the housing together with the push element and the key element can be produced cost-effectively in an injection molding process.

In one embodiment, the housing has a plurality of insertion openings for one electrical conductor, and the actuating element has at least one push button element and at least one push button element for each insertion opening, in order to shift the respective clamping leg from the clamping position into the removal position against the spring force of the spring element.

In this embodiment, the electrical conductors clamped in the insertion opening can be released and removed individually.

In one embodiment, the housing has a plurality of insertion openings for one electrical conductor each, and the actuating element has at least one pressing element for each insertion opening, which pressing element is arranged between the key element and the respective clamping leg in order to shift the clamping leg against the spring force of the spring element from the clamping position into the removal position.

In this embodiment, all pushing elements are moved simultaneously by a common key element. Hereby it is achieved that all inserted electrical conductors can be removed simultaneously.

In one embodiment, the spring element has a z-shaped cross section. For example, the clamping leg may form one leg of the Z and the opposite leg of the Z is placed in the housing as a support leg. By means of the z-shaped cross section, the spring element can be constructed compactly and at the same time has a high spring force.

In one embodiment, the spring element is constructed in one piece. For example, the spring element may be formed in one piece from a leaf spring, for example by stamping.

In one embodiment, the contact elements are embodied in the form of a comb and each have a contact tooth for each electrical conductor for contacting the respective electrical conductor. For this purpose, the contact element can have a beam-shaped or rail-shaped base body from which the contact teeth extend in a direction perpendicular to the direction of extension of the base body. The contact teeth may be equally or unequally spaced apart from each other and have a width corresponding to the width of the electrical conductor. Thereby, the electrical conductor can be reliably contacted and the pressing element and/or the respective parts of the pressing element can extend through the intermediate space between adjacent contact elements.

In one embodiment, the at least one insertion opening is funnel-shaped. In particular, flexible conductors, which are formed from a plurality of individual cores, can be simply introduced into the funnel-shaped insertion opening.

Drawings

The idea underlying the invention is explained in detail below with the aid of embodiments shown in the drawings. The drawings show:

FIG. 1 shows a schematic view of a receptacle terminal with an inserted electrical conductor according to one embodiment; and

Fig. 2A-2D show schematic and cross-sectional views through a receptacle terminal according to the previously shown embodiments.

Detailed Description

Fig. 1 shows a schematic view of a receptacle terminal 1 with inserted electrical conductors 100A-100N according to one embodiment.

In the embodiment shown, the socket terminal 1 is configured as a quadrupole. Accordingly, the housing 3 has four insertion openings 5A-5N for inserting the four electrical conductors 100A-100N. In other embodiments, the receptacle terminal may also have less than four mating openings, such as two or three mating openings. However, in alternative embodiments, the socket terminals may also have more than four plug openings, for example five or six plug openings. As shown in fig. 1, the plug openings 5A-5N are each adapted to receive an end region of one of the electrical conductors 100A-100N. The ends of the electrical conductors 100A-100N located in the housing 3 are free of insulating material or are uninsulated such that the conductive material, e.g. copper material, in the electrical conductors 100A-100N is electrically conductively connected to the contact element 7.

The contact element 7 is shown in the illustrated embodiment as a current bar element which extends at least partially between the sides of the housing 3 in the housing 3 perpendicular to the insertion direction S of the electrical conductors 100A to 100N. The contact element 7 comprises an electrically conductive material and is arranged in the housing 3 such that all inserted electrical conductors 100A-100N can electrically contact the contact element 7.

In the embodiment shown, the housing 3 is formed in multiple pieces from an electrically insulating material and has transparent regions in the end regions of the housing 3 in which the contact elements 7 extend, whereby an assembler can visually check the correct clamping of the electrical conductors 100A to 100N.

In the embodiment shown, the spring element 9 is introduced into the housing 3 and has one clamping leg 91A-91N for each electrical conductor 100A-100N, respectively, in order to bring the respective electrical conductor 100A-100N into contact with the contact element 7 or in order to press one electrical conductor 100A-100N, respectively, against the contact element 7.

The spring element 9 shown is formed by a spring strip and has, for each plug opening 5A-5N or for each inserted electrical conductor 100A-100N, a clamping leg 91A-91N bent out of the plane of the spring strip. The clamping legs 91A-91N are arranged such that an electrical conductor 100A-100N introduced between the clamping leg 91A-91N and the contact element 7 in one of the plug openings 5A-5N deflects the clamping leg 91A-91N against the spring force of the spring element 9 when introduced and is then touched by the clamping leg 91A-91N in the clamping region 911A-911N of the clamping leg 91A-91N and is pressed against the contact element 7 by the clamping leg 91A-91N in the clamping position shown in fig. 1. Removal of the inserted electrical conductors 100A to 100N against the plugging direction S is prevented by the clamping legs 91A to 91N. The clamping areas 911A-911N of the clamping legs 91A-91N are areas or sections of the clamping legs 91A-91N which are placed on at least one section of the respective electrical conductor 100A-100N in the clamping position in order to bring the respective electrical conductor 100A-100N into electrical contact with the contact element 7. In the embodiment shown, the clamping regions 911A-911N of the clamping legs 91A-91N are configured as regions on the underside of the clamping legs 91A-91N shown facing the electrical conductors 100A-100N.

The illustrated handling element 11 is adapted to transfer at least one clamping leg 91A-91N from the illustrated clamping position to the removal position against the spring force of the spring element 9 or against the spring force caused by the connection of the clamping leg 91A-91N to the material of the spring element 9.

For this purpose, in the embodiment shown, the actuating element 11 has a plurality of key elements 111A-111N which are arranged pivotably on the housing 3 about a pivot axis designed as a film hinge 13, as shown. Furthermore, in the illustrated embodiment, the actuating element 11 has a plurality of pressing elements 113A-113N, which are arranged between the key elements 111A-111N and the clamping areas 911A-911N of the respective clamping legs 91A-91N, respectively. The electrical conductors 100A-100N can be removed by actuating one of the key elements 111A-111N, i.e. by manually moving or pressing the key element 111A-111N in the direction of the housing 3, such that the clamping region 911A-911N of the clamping leg 91A-91N is moved away from the electrical conductor 100A-100N. In the removal position, the electrical conductors 100A-100N can be removed from the plug openings 5A-5N without force or with very little effort and can also be introduced again.

Fig. 2A shows a schematic top view of the key element 111 provided on the housing 3 of the receptacle terminal 1. In fig. 2A, for convenience of explanation, only a partial region of the receptacle terminal 1 shown in fig. 1 is shown. The key element 111 shown may be one of the key elements 111A-111N of similar design as the receptacle terminal 1 in fig. 1. As shown, structures or grooves are introduced on the upper side of the key element 111 in order to make it easier for the user to operate. Furthermore, a pivot axis is shown which is embodied as a film hinge 13, at which the key element 111 is supported on the housing 3 in a pivotable manner.

Fig. 2B shows a section through the plug-in position or along the section line A-A shown in fig. 2A. In the plugging direction of the socket terminal 1, the uninsulated electrical conductor 100 is introduced into the plugging opening 5. For this purpose, the insertion opening 5 is formed with a larger diameter corresponding to the electrical conductor 100 than the region of the electrical conductor 5 provided with the insulation. Continuing in the plug-in direction S, in the direction of the interior of the housing, a shoulder is shown through which the uninsulated conductor region extends.

In the embodiment shown, the pressing element 113 or the pressing leg 113AA of the pressing element 113 is designed as shown in fig. 2C below and is arranged perpendicular to the plugging direction S of the electrical conductor 100 between the key element 111 and the clamping region 911 of the at least one clamping leg 91. In the illustrated embodiment, the key element 111 and the pushing element 113 are integrally formed as a generally I-shaped element. In the embodiment shown, the end of the push leg 113AA that is adapted to interact with the clamping region 911 is rounded. In other embodiments, the end of the pressing leg 113AA may be formed flat or planar.

By actuating the push button element 111, the end of the push leg 113AA is pressed directly against the clamping region 911 of the clamping leg 91 in order to shift the clamping leg 91 into the removal position, so that the inserted electrical conductor 100 can be removed from the socket terminal counter to the plugging direction S.

Furthermore, it is shown that the spring element 9 has a support leg 93, which supports the spring element 9 in the housing 3 relative to the housing 3, and relative to which the clamping leg 91 can be elastically deflected.

Fig. 2C shows a section through the plug-in position or along the section line B-B shown in fig. 2B.

Fig. 2C shows a view of the end face of the housing 3. The end of the conductor 100 rests against the inner wall of the housing 3. Furthermore, a u-shaped design of the push element 113 is shown, wherein two opposite push legs 113AA, 113AB are arranged on both sides of the electrical conductor 100 and at the same time press against the clamping region 911 when the key element 11 is actuated. As can be seen from fig. 2C, the two pressing legs 113AA, 113AB are arranged on the key element 111 perpendicularly to the insertion direction of the electrical conductor 100 and, during the displacement into the removal position, press against the clamping region 911 of the clamping leg 91 independently of one another in the left and right viewing direction.

In fig. 2D, a cross-sectional view along the section line C-C drawn in fig. 2B is shown.

In the embodiment shown, the contact element 7 is embodied in the form of a comb and has one contact tooth 71A, 71B for each electrical conductor. The illustrated contact element 7 is of one-piece design and can therefore be embodied as a stamping. As shown, the width of each contact tooth 71A, 71B is greater than the diameter of its corresponding mating opening 5A, 5B. It is also shown that the contact teeth 71A, 71B extend in the plugging direction of the electrical conductors, in order to thereby electrically contact one of the electrical conductors in each case when the electrical conductor is clamped by the spring element onto the respective contact tooth 71A, 71B.

Furthermore, the push legs 113AA, 113AB which have been shown previously in fig. 2C are shown, which are arranged opposite one another and spaced apart from one another. Electrical conductors are introduced into the intermediate spaces respectively forming a pair of push legs 113AA, 113AB and 113BA, 113 BB.

Description of the reference numerals

1. Socket terminal

3. Shell body

5. 5A-5N plug-in opening

7 Contact element

71A, 71B contact teeth

9 Spring element

91. 91A-91N clamping legs

911. 911A-911N clamping area

93. Supporting leg

11. Actuating element

111. 111A-111N key element

113. 113A-113N biasing element

113AA-113NB push leg

13 Film hinge

100. 100A-100N electrical conductor

S-shaped plugging direction

Section lines A-A, B-B, C-C

Claims

1. A receptacle terminal (1) for connecting a plurality of electrical conductors (100, 100A-100N), having:

-a housing (3) having at least one plug opening (5, 5A-5N) for each electrical conductor (100, 100A-100N);

A contact element (7) arranged in the housing (3) for electrically contacting and connecting the electrical conductors (100, 100A-100N);

-a spring element (9) which is introduced into the housing (3), and wherein the spring element (9) has, for each electrical conductor (100, 100A-100N), a clamping leg (91, 91A-91N), respectively, which is adapted for bringing the electrical conductor (100, 100A-100N) into contact with the contact element (7); and

An actuating element (11) which is adapted to displace at least one clamping leg (91, 91A-91N) from a clamping position to a removal position against the spring force of the spring element (9),

It is characterized in that the method comprises the steps of,

The operating element (11) has at least one key element (111, 111A-111N) which is arranged on the housing (3) and the operating element (11) has at least one push element (113, 113A-113N) which is arranged between the at least one key element (111, 111A-111N) and a clamping region (911, 911A-911N) of the clamping leg (91, 91A-91N) with the electrical conductor (100, 100A-100N) and which is adapted for displacing the clamping leg (91, 91A-91N) towards the removal position by actuating the at least one key element (111, 111A-111N).

2. Socket terminal (1) according to any of the preceding claims, wherein the at least one key element (111, 111A-111N) is pivotably arranged on the housing (3) about a pivot axis.

3. Socket terminal (1) according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the at least one key element (111, 111A-111N) is connected to the housing (3) by a film hinge (13).

4. Receptacle terminal (1) according to any of the preceding claims, characterized in that the spring element (9) has a support leg (93) which is supported relative to the housing (3) and relative to which the clamping legs (91, 91A-91N) are elastically deflectable.

5. Receptacle terminal (1) according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the pressing element (113, 113A-113N) is designed as a bolt and is arranged perpendicular to the plugging direction S of the electrical conductor (100, 100A-100N) between the at least one key element (111, 111A-111N) and the clamping region (911, 911A-911N) of the at least one clamping leg (91, 91A-91N).

6. Receptacle terminal (1) according to any of the preceding claims, characterized in that the push element (113, 113A-113N) is u-shaped and has at least two push legs (113 AA-113 NB), in particular two push legs (113 AA-113 NB) arranged parallel to each other.

7. Receptacle terminal (1) according to claim 6, characterized in that the pushing legs (113 AA-113 NB) are arranged spaced apart from each other and that an intermediate space for the electrical conductors (100, 100A-100N) is formed between the pushing legs (113 AA-113 NB).

8. Receptacle terminal (1) according to claim 7, characterized in that the pushing legs (113 AA-113 NB) are adapted to be pressed simultaneously onto different sections of the clamping area (911, 911A-911N) of the clamping legs (91, 91A-91N) when the key element (111, 111A-111N) is operated.

9. Socket terminal (1) according to any of the preceding claims, wherein the pushing element (113, 113A-113N) is formed integrally or in one piece with the key element (111, 111A-111N).

10. Receptacle terminal (1) according to any of the preceding claims, characterized in that the housing (3) has a plurality of plug openings (5, 5A-5N) for one electrical conductor (100, 100A-100N), respectively, and the operating element (11) has at least one key element (111, 111A-111N) and at least one push element (113, 113A-113N) for each plug opening (5, 5A-5N) in order to shift the respective clamping leg (91, 91A-91N) from the clamping position to the removal position against the spring force of the spring element (9).

11. Receptacle terminal (1) according to any one of claims 1 to 9, characterized in that the housing (3) has a plurality of plug openings (5, 5A-5N) for one electrical conductor (100, 100A-100N), respectively, and that the actuating element (11) has at least one push element (113, 113A-113N) for each plug opening (5, 5A-5N), which push element is arranged between the key element (111, 111A-111N) and the respective clamping leg (91, 91A-91N) for displacing the clamping leg (91, 91A-91N) from the clamping position to the removal position against the spring force of the spring element (9).

12. Receptacle terminal (1) according to any of the preceding claims, characterized in that the spring element (9) has a z-shaped cross section.

13. Receptacle terminal (1) according to any of the preceding claims, characterized in that the spring element (9) is constructed in one piece.

14. Socket terminal (1) according to any of the preceding claims, characterized in that the contact element (7) is configured comb-like and has, for each electrical conductor (100, 100A-100N), a contact tooth (71A, 71B) for contacting the respective electrical conductor (100, 100A-100N).

15. Receptacle terminal (1) according to any of the preceding claims, characterized in that at least one plug opening (5, 5A-5N) is configured funnel-shaped.