GB2375234A

GB2375234A - Switch

Info

Publication number: GB2375234A
Application number: GB0207461A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Wolfgang Neumann; David Alexander Paul Wheeler; Christopher J Delamont
Original assignee: ABB Patent GmbH
Current assignee: ABB Patent GmbH
Priority date: 2001-03-29
Filing date: 2002-03-28
Publication date: 2002-11-06
Anticipated expiration: 2022-03-28
Also published as: GB0207461D0; DE10115708A1; GB2375234B; DE10115708B4

Abstract

A switch has a base 1 having a switch compartment 6 and terminal seats 2, 3, 4, 5. The terminal seats are suitable to receive screw connecting terminals or screwless connecting terminals. A switch contact part 9 which projects from the switch compartment 6 into the terminal seats has a conductor seat 10, and can be fitted with a clamping plate 11, a pressure plate 14 and a terminal screw 16 to create a screw connecting terminal. Alternatively, the connecting terminal may be formed from a resilient material to create a screwless connecting terminal.

Description

Docurnent#: 811311 Electrical switching device The invention relates to an

electrical switching device with a device base having at least one switch compartment and at least two terminal seats. The invention can, for example, be used with rocker switches and rocker buttons for surface and concealed wiring for all conventional switching variants such as intermediate switch circuits, two-way circuits, series circuits or on-off circuits.

It is generally known to provide electrical switching devices with a conductor connection that can be made by means of screw connecting or spring connecting terminals. The disadvantage with this is that different contact and insulating parts are required for switches with spring terminals and for switches with screw terminals and for the various conventional switching variants. This necessitates a large number of relatively expensive tools, particularly to make the contact parts, which in turn increases the cost of making electrical switching devices as a whole.

The problem addressed by the invention is to provide an electrical switching device of the kind referred to above that is inexpensive and technically easy to make.

This problem is solved by the invention, in conjunction with the features of the preamble, in that the terminal seats are universally suitable to receive screw connecting terminals or screwless connecting terminals, in that one and the same switch contact part, which projects from the at least one switch compartment into the terminal seat and has a conductor seat, - can be fitted with a clamping plate having a threaded hole, with a pressure plate having a through-hole and with a terminal screw to create a screw connecting terminal, the

conductor seat of the contact part having to be arranged between the pressure plate and the clamping plate, and - can be fitted with a connecting terminal formed from a resilient material to create a screwless connecting terminal.

The main advantages achievable with the invention lie in the fact that one and the same contact parts can be used to create both screwless connecting terminals and screw connecting terminals. This considerably reduces the number of relatively expensive tools required, in particular to make the contact parts, which in turn reduces the cost of making electrical switching devices as a whole. An advantageous modular system is created with which to make all conventional switching variants using components as few in number as possible and of a standardized type.

Further advantages are apparent from the following description.

Advantageous developments of the invention are characterised in the dependent claims.

The invention is explained below with the aid of the embodiments illustrated in the drawings, in which: Fig. I shows: a device base of an electrical switching device with screw connecting terminals for electric conductors, Fig. 2 shows: a device base as shown in Fig. 1, with all the components fitted, Fig. 3 shows: a device base with screwless connecting terminals for electric conductors, Fig. 4 shows: a device base as shown in Fig. 3, with all the components fitted,

Fig. S shows: an electrical switching device (without housing and external actuating rocker), Fig. 6 and 7 show: two embodiments of the electrical switching device as a single switch or single pushbutton and as a double switch or double pushbutton (without housing and external actuating rocker).

Fig. 1 shows a device base of an electrical switching device with screw connecting terminals for electric conductors. The device base l has at least two, in this case a total of four, terminal seats 2, 3, 4, S (housing recesses), which are universally suitable to receive screw connecting terminals and screwless connecting terminals. In the centre of the device base 1 there is at least one switch compartment 6, which has space for at least one switch, in this case two switches. The switch compartment 6 is penetrated by two actuating leavers 7, 8 for switch actuation. Into each terminal seat 2-5 there projects a conductor seat 10 of a contact part 9 which is, on the other hand, a component of a switch of the switch compartment 6.

Fig. 1 shows the components required to fit out the terminal seat 2 to form a screw connecting terminal. These components comprise a clamping plate 11 having a threaded hole 12 and angled surface 13 with indentations or grooves, a pressure plate 14 having a through-hole 15, and a terminal screw 16 having a head 17 and shank 18. The terminal seats have guide webs and stops to secure and hold the clamping plates l l so as to ensure that, after the clamping plates have been fitted, the terminal screws 16 can easily be screwed into the threaded holes 12. The screw connecting terminal is suitable to receive electric conductors of different diameter. The indentations and grooves increase the efficiency with which the electric conductor is clamped between the clamping plate l l and conductor seat 10 of the contact part 9 after the terminal screw 16 has been tightened.

The screw connecting terrn nal has some play inside the terminal seat, enabling an automatic adjustment to be made within certain limits to the electric conductor, in

particular swivelling of the angled surface 13 of the clamping plate 11. The through hole 15 of the pressure plate 14 is large enough to allow the pressure plate 14 to swivel.

This ensures that the pressure plate 14 and angled surface 13 of the clamping plate 1 1 can be aligned in a mutually parallel manner; this is important for setting the maximum clamping force and hence for clamping the electric conductor.

Fig. 2 shows a device base as shown in Fig. 1, with all the components fitted. The device base 1 has two screw connecting terminals 19, 20 in the terminal seats 2, 3, while the further terminal seats 4, 5 are empty. The switch compartment 6 is also accordingly fitted only with one switch, whose contact parts 9 project into the two terminal seats 2, 3.

Fig. 3 shows a device base with screwless connecting terminals for electric conductors.

The device base 21 is of an essentially similar design to the device base 1 described in Fig. 1, with terminal seats 2-5, a switch compartment 6, actuating levers 7, 8 and the contact parts 9 (unchanged from the embodiment shown in Fig. 1). Unlike in Fig. 1, however, what are shown are the components required to fit out the terminal seat 2 to form a screwless connecting terminal. These components comprise only a connecting terminal 22 formed in one piece from a resilient material and having two resilient contact limbs 23, 24. The screwless connecting terminal is suitable to receive electric conductors of different diameter.

Fig. 4 shows a device base as shown in Fig. 3, with all components fitted. The device base 21 has two screwless connecting terminals 25, 26 in the terminal seats 2, 3, while the further terminal seats 4, 5 are empty. The switch compartment 6 is also accordingly fitted only with one switch, whose contact parts 9 project into the two terminal seats 2, 3.

Fig. 5 shows an electrical switching device (exploded view without housing or external actuating rocker). The figure shows a support frame 27 suitable for receiving and assembling the device base 21, an inner rocker 28 being attached to the device base 21.

The inner rocker is designed so that it can be used for all switching variants (intermediate

switch circuits, two-way circuits, series circuits or on-off circuits). Where the device base is designed as a device base 21 with screwless connecting terminals (see Fig. 3, 4), the inner rocker 28 has release buttons 29 to release the electric conductors. Where the device base is designed as a device base l with screw connecting terminals (see Fig. 1, 2), these release buttons 29 can be dispensed with. The inner rocker 28 has mountings 30 to receive and guide internal actuating rockers 31 which are to be inserted. According to whether the electrical switching device is designed as a single switch or single pushbutton, or as a double switch or double pushbutton, one actuating rocker 31 or two such actuating rockers are inserted (see also reference signs 31a, 31b in Fig. 6 and 7). The actuating rockers 31 engage in the aforementioned actuating levers 7, 8.

Advantageously, one and the same standard spring is used both to set the desired contact force during switching and to return the actuating rocker to a neutral position. This prevents different springs from being wrongly fitted during assembly and saves different springs from having to be made and stored. This latter feature reduces the cost of making the switching device.

Fig. 6 and 7 show two embodiments of the electrical switching device as a single switch or single pushbutton and as a double switch or double pushbutton (without housing and external actuating rocker). Fig. 6 shows the embodiment as a single switch or single pushbutton with support frame 27, inner rocker 28 and one internal actuating rocker 31a.

Fig. 7 shows the embodiment as a double switch or double pushbutton with support frame 27, inner rocker 28 and two internal actuating rockers 3 la, 31 b of similar design.

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Claims

Claims

1. An electrical switching device with a device base having at least one switch compartment and at least two terminal seats, characterized in that the terminal seats are universally suitable to receive screw connecting terminals or screwless connecting terminals, in that one and the same switch contact part, which projects from the at least one switch compartment into the terminal seat and has a conductor seat, - can be fitted with a clamping plate having a threaded hole, with a pressure plate having a through-hole and with a terminal screw to create a screw connecting terminal, the conductor seat of the contact part having to be arranged between the pressure plate and the clamping plate, and - can be fitted with a connecting terminal formed from a resilient material to create a screwless connecting terminal.

2. An electrical switching device according to Claim 1, characterized in that the clamping plate has an angled surface.

3. An electrical switching device according to Claim 2, characterized in that the angled surface of the clamping plate is provided with indentations or grooves.

4. An electrical switching device substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the accompanying drawings.

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