GB2419748A

GB2419748A - An anchorage device for cables

Info

Publication number: GB2419748A
Application number: GB0521715A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Yong Wang
Original assignee: Legrand SA
Current assignee: Legrand SA
Priority date: 2004-10-28
Filing date: 2005-10-25
Publication date: 2006-05-03
Anticipated expiration: 2025-10-25
Also published as: GB2419748B; CN1767289A; GB0521715D0

Abstract

An anchorage device for clamping electrical cables in connectors or connection boxes. The anchorage device has a separate cable clamp which can be inserted and held in a gap between two holding members of the frame or box body of the device. The separate clamp can be swung out of the gap so that thick cables can be pressed easily and transversely into a cable passage opening in the frame or box body. A cable support portion is located on the opposite side of the cable passage opening. A thin cable can be simply inserted into the passage opening without the need of swinging out the clamp. Thus the anchorage can work well with cables of more diameters. The cable clamp having a V-shaped opening at its end. The V-shaped opening also allows more types of cables to be clamped securely to the anchorage device.

Description

An Anchorage Device for Cables

Technical Field

Present invention relates to electrical connectors, in particular to an anchorage device for cables, in particular to an anchorage device for electrical or optical cables, and the like. In use, the anchorage device is to be fixed to a mounting surface, or a framework, such as the box of a plug, switch, socket and fuse, appliances, wall of a building, and the like.

Background Art

Anchorage devices are usually used, in electrical filed, to anchor a cable especially electrical cable so as to eliminate the stress on the terminals, the tensile stress, and the torsion stress as well. What is more, the anchorage mechanism must be adequate for a range of cable with different diameters. Conventionally, there have proposed some solutions to this. For example, EP1104065 discloses a cable trapping device for an electrical apparatus assembly box, which has an connection window and a resilient tab formed integral with it, said resilient tab having an arcshaped end which is opposite to another arc-shaped portion provided on the connection window, so that a passage is formed between arc shaped end of the resilient tab and the arc shaped portion of the connection window and has a smaller dimension than the diameter of a cable. With such device, when a cable is to be trapped within the box, a user has to push the cable into the connection window so as to flex the resilient tab, after doing so, the cable can not be pulled out due to the wedging of the arc-shaped end of the resilient end of the tab against the insulation of the cable. However, such device has disadvantages as described below: For a cable of small diameter, it can be done to push the cable into the box, against the stopping force which is caused by the resilient tab and which is necessary for wedging the cable in position. But, for a cable of larger diameter, the resilient tab will exert a larger stopping force onto the cable when the latter is pushed so as to abut the end of the resilient tab, which larger stopping force will cause great difficulty in the operation and would even make the operation impossible for a cable of great diameter. If the dimension of the passage between the arced shaped end of the resilient tab and the arc-shaped portion of the connection window is enlarged so as to accommodate the cable of great diameter, the trapping force will be not sufficient for securely clamping the cable of small diameter. As result, the trapping device as disclosed in the reference cannot be easily operated and fails to adapt to cables of diameters varying in a relatively wide range.

Contents of the Invention An object of the invention is to provide an anchorage device for cables, which can be operated more easily and securely and can adapt to cables of diameters within a wider range.

The object is achieved by the first aspect of present invention, which presents an anchorage device for cables, comprises a box or frame body which has an interior connection space formed within it, a cable passage opening being formed in the box or frame body for the passage of a cable which is to be entered into the interior connection space of the box or frame and is to be clamped, characterized in that said anchorage device further comprises elastic cable clamp which has a first clamp end and a second clamp end and which is separate from said box or frame body, and that the box or frame body has a first clamp holding member and a second clamp holding member, which are spaced apart from each other so that a gap is formed between them, said gap is located on one side of said cable passage opening, the box or frame body further has a cable supporting portion which is located on the opposite side of the cable passage opening and fronts the gap with the cable passage opening between them, a part of said cable clamp being able to be inserted into and held in said gap, said anchorage device further has a stopping means for exerting a reaction force to the cable clamp in one direction when the cable clamp is pushed to the inside of the gap in an opposite direction, said cable clamp has such a length that the second clamp end of the cable clamp will extend out of the gap and covers part of the opening and an passage port which has a smaller dimension than the outside diameter of the cables to be clamped is formed between the second clamp end of the cable clamp and the cable supporting portion when the cable clamp is stopped by the stopping means, whereby, said cable clamp being able to be swung around the stopping means in one direction so that a part of the cable clamp close to the second clamp end is far away from the cable passage opening and in a reverse direction so that the part close to the second clamp end is close to the cable passage opening, when the cable is in a clamped state, a part of the cable clamp adjacent to the second clamp end of the cable clamp is bent toward the interior connection space of the box or frame so that the passage port is larger than when the cable clamp is not bent so that the cable is clamped between the second clamp end of the cable clamp and the cable supporting portion by the elastic force of the cable clamp occurring due to bending.

Since the cable clamp is separate from the frame body or box body and can be inserted into the gap and can be rotated so that it part is far away from the supporting portion, the thick cable can be assembled by pressing from side of the cable passage opening into the passage opening.

And the thin cable can be inserted into the passage opening. Such two different mounting ways for thick cable and thin cables respectively overcome the problems in the cable trapping device in the prior art. The anchorage device according to the invention has a wide application range and can be used to clamp or anchor cables of different diameters. The operation is also easy and smooth and can be carried out by a person without special skill.

Another aspect of present invention primarily aims to solve the problem of the EPO 1104065 that the clamping device is not able to adapt securely to cables of both small and large diameters and to provide an anchorage device which can clamp cables of much more varying diameters.

Following is the second aspect of present invention: An anchorage device for cables, comprising a box or frame body which has an interior connection space formed within it, a cable passage opening being formed in the box or frame body for the passage of a cable which is to be entered into the interior connection space of the box or frame body and is to be clamped, said anchorage device further comprises elastic cable clamp which has a clamp end, said clamp end having a V-shaped opening from engaging cables, and that the box or frame body further has a cable supporting portion which is located on the opposite side of the cable passage opening and fronts the cable clamp with the cable passage opening between them, said cable clamp has such a length that the clamp end of the cable clamp will extend out of the gap and the cable clamp covers part of the cable passage opening and an passage port which has a smaller dimension than the outside diameter of the cables to be clamped is formed between the clamp end of and the cable supporting portion, when the cable is in a clamped state, a part of the cable clamp adjacent to the clamp end is bent toward the interior connection space of the box or frame body so that the passage port is larger than when the cable clamp is not bent so that the cable is clamped between the V-shaped opening at the clamp end of the cable clamp and the cable supporting portion by the elastic force of the cable clamp occurring due to bending.

The V-shaped opening is usually shallow so as to adapt to the cable of the largest diameter which the anchorage device is designed to clamp.

This shallow opening at the end of the clamp can be adapted to clamp cables of more diameters than the arc shaped opening as in the prior art.

With the trapping device as in EP1104065, the arc-shaped end of the resilient tab and the fixed cut away portion cannot cooperate well to clamp a cable with small diameter. This is because only there are two contacting points between the cable and the trapping device when the cable has a small diameter. But, with V-shaped opening and the cable supporting portion according to present invention, both a thin cable and a thick cable can be clamped securely, since the cable will be clamped at lease at three portions. It can be appreciated that the combination of a V-shaped opening and a straight portion or flat surface of the cable supporting portion more effectively and securely clamp a cable than the combination of two flat surfaces no matter the cable is thick or thin. The combination of the V-shaped opening and the supporting portion can work better with a thin cable than the combination of two arc-shaped surfaces as in the prior art and can accommodate more types of cables of different diameters.

Further features and advantages of the two aspects of present invention can be appreciated from the appending claims.

For example, due to the cable passage opening is open on the side on which the anchorage device is to be mounted to a mounting surface, the thickness of the frame or box body is reduced. The cable will be anchored in position by the anchorage device together with the mounting surface, to which the anchorage device is fixed and which confines the cable from another side of the cable. Furthermore, the cable clamp extends along the side wall of the box or frame body, that is the cable clamp extends perpendicular to the direction of the thickness of the box or frame body, and does not increase the thickness of the box or frame body as in EP1104065. Therefore, this invention solves the problem of clamping a cable in a limited space.

With the anchorage device, cables can be anchored by first clamping the cable to the anchorage device then anchoring the anchorage device, by screw, bolts or other fastening means, to a place where terminal of cables are needed.

The anchorage device itself can form a switch, a socket or the like, when a covering portion as a face panel is provided on the side of the frame or box body side which is opposite to the open side of cable passage opening

Description of the Drawings

The features and advantages of the invention will be more apparent when the invention is described with reference to the preferred embodiments which are as following and should not be construed as limitation to the protection scope of the invention but only as examples for describing the invention and in connection with the drawings, in which Figure 1 is a perspective view showing an anchorage device for cables according to a preferred embodiment of the invention; Figure 2 is part of figure 1 which has been drafted in a larger scale so as to reflect more clearly the details of the device; Figure 3 is a perspective view of the cable clamp according to an embodiment of the invention; Figure 4 is a perspective view showing the process for pressing the cable of larger diameter into the cable passage opening of the anchorage device for cables according to a embodiment of the invention; Figure 5 is a part of figure 4 which is in a larger scale so as to illustrate more clearly the process; Figure 6 is perspective view which shows the cable of large diameter has been pressed into position within the cable passage opening or within the cavity, and which shows a covering portion is formed on the frame body so that latter forms a electrical box; Figure 7 is a part of figure 6 which is in a larger scale so as to express more clearly the clamped state of the cable; Figure 8 is a part of a perspective view which shows a cable of small diameter is clamped within the cable passage opening or within the cavity; Figure 9 is a perspective view showing, in a different view point, the anchorage device for cables; Figure 10 is a part of figure 9 which is in a larger scale and shows in detail the seat portion, the bending shoulder and the second tooth surface; Figure 11 is a cross section showing that the anchorage device is anchored to a wall; Figure 12 is part of figure 11 which is in a larger scale so as to clearly illustrate the offset arrangement of the center axis of the pillar and the center axis of the clamped cable for the purpose of achieving a self locking of the cable within the passage opening; Figure 13 is a perspective view showing the anchorage device for cables according to another embodiment of the invention; Figure 14 is a perspective view of the anchorage device with part being cut away so as to show the stopping means formed by the gap sidewall that is the bottom portion of the gap and the arc-shaped end of the sidewall according to another embodiment of present invention; Figure 15 is elevation view showing the embodiment as shown in figure 14; Figure 16 is the cross section view of figure 15 taken along Line I- Isince; Figure 17 is a perspective view showing the anchorage device according to still another embodiment of the invention, in which the cable clamp has a stopping flange as stopping means.

Figure 18 is a perspective view showing an embodiment according to the second aspect of present invention; Figure 19 is a perspective view showing the state in which the cable clamp is inserted into the gap before a cable is assembled and showing the thickness of the cable clamp and the distance between the end of the second clamp holding member or the first strengthening rib and the cable supporting portion; Figure 20 is a cross section view of figure 19, which shows the angle of the V- shaped opening in the cable clamp and the distance between the vertex of the triangle formed by the V-shaped opening and the surface of the cable supporting portion.

Description of the Preferred Embodiments of the Invention Now referring to figures 1-5, in which the anchorage device for cables according to a preferred embodiment of present invention comprises at least two parts that is a frame body 1 and a cooperating cable clamp 10 which are separately made by molding. When there is a need of anchoring a cable to electrical appliances, walls or other structures of a building, the cable clamp can firstly be assembled to the frame body 1 by inserting it into a gap 3 in the frame body 1, which is shown in the figures and will be described hereinafter. Then the anchorage device can be fixed, mounted or attached to the part or surface to which the cable is to be fixed, mounted or attached.

The frame body 1 has a generally rectangular shape and is formed by four side walls within which an interior connection space 35 is formed.

Within the interior connection space 35, terminals of a cable which is clamped will be connected to other electrical conductors, terminals, switch or other devices.

As shown in figure 2, a cable passage opening 2 is formed in the lower side wall of the frame body for the passage of a cable which is to be entered into the interior connection space 35 of the frame and is to be clamped. The frame body has a clamp holding part which consists of a first clamp holding member 6 and a second clamp holding member 7, which are spaced apart from each other so that a gap 3 is formed between them. The gap 3 is located on one side of said cable passage opening 2, in figure 2 the left hand side. The frame body 1 further has a cable supporting portion 8 which is located or formed on the opposite side to the gap across the cable passage opening 2. In figure 2 it is on the wall of the frame body 1 on the right hand side and fronts the gap 3 with the cable passage opening between them.

As shown in figure 3 and according to this embodiment, the elastic cable clamp 10 has a first clamp end 16 and a second clamp end 15 and is separate from the frame body 1, or to be more exact is not integrally formed with the frame body 1. A part of said cable clamp 10, left hand side part as in figure 3, can be inserted into the gap 3.

The cable clamp has a V-shaped opening 12 at the second clamp end 15. However this is preferable but not necessary for present invention.

Any other shaped openings can also be used and can be anticipated by a skilled person in the art on the basis of present invention. For example, arc shaped openings, rectangular shaped openings, trapezoid shaped opening etc. can be used as well. Further more; the cable clamp of the anchorage device of present invention can also work well without an opening at the second end.

The anchorage device as shown in figure 2 further has a stopping means in the form of a pillar 4 for exerting a reaction force to the cable clamp in a direction from left to right in figure 2 when the cable clamp is pushed to the inside of the gap in an opposite direction that is from right to left as in figure 2. But the stopping means is not limited to the pillar 4 as shown in figure 2, rather it can have other forms which will be described below. The cable clamp 10 has such a length that the second clamp end 15 will extend out of the gap 3 and cover part of the cable passage opening 2 and an passage port 91 which has a smaller dimension than the outside diameter of the cables to be clamped is formed between the outmost surface of the second clamp end 15 and the outmost surface of the cable supporting portion 8 when the cable clamp 10 is inserted into the gap and is stopped by the stopping means. In other word, the distance between the outmost surface of the second clamp end 15 and the outmost surface of the cable supporting portion 8 when the cable clamp 10 is stopped by the pillar is smaller than the diameters of all the cables to which the anchorage device are adapted to clamp. Figure 19 and 20 shows the passage port 91 when no cable is assembled to the anchorage device.

After being inserted into the gap 3, the cable clamp 10 is able to be swung around the pillar 4 in a direction as shown by arrow A in figures 4 and 5 so that its right part which is close to the second clamp end 15 is far away from the cable passage opening 2. The cable clamp 10 can also be swung in a reverse direction so that the right part approaches to the cable passage opening 2. With present anchorage device, the operation to anchor a cable to an object surface or part is quite easy and has two ways which are described below for thin cables and for thick cables respectively.

Referring to figures 4 and 5, when a thick cable namely a cable of large diameter is to be clamped within the cable passage opening 2, a user should first insert the cable clamp 10 into the gap so that it is stopped by the stopping means. And then swing the cable camp 10 around the pillar 4 in a direction as designated by arrow A. After that, the user can press the end portion of the thick cable against the V-shaped opening in a direction as designated by arrow H with a pressing force so that the cable engages the V-shaped opening. And then while keeping the cable in tight engagement with the end of the cable clamp, the user raises the cable in a direction V with a lifting force so as to bend the right part of cable clamp toward the interior connection space 35 that is upward to make the passage port 91 to be wider than before and push the cable toward the inside of the cable passage opening in a direction as designated by arrow P so that the cable and the cable clamp are moved together and the cable clamp is rotated in a direction reverse to direction A. Consequently the cable is pushed into the cable passage opening. With the elastic force exerted by the cable clamp due to bending, the cable will be clamped securely between the second clamp end and the cable supporting portion.

When a thin cable 31 as shown in figure 8 is to be clamped to the anchorage device, the user can first inserts the cable clamp 10 into the gap 3 so that the cable clamp is stopped by the stopping means. And then simply inserts the cable end portion vertically upward that is toward the inner connection space 35, since the cable has a small diameter, it will cause the clamp 10 less flexed hence will confront with less stopping force from the clamp 10. This is different from the case when thick cable assembled. Therefore, the thick cable can usually be pressed from open side of the passage opening 2 into position as described above while the thin cable can be assembled in position by simply and easily inserting it toward the inner connection space 35 from the outside of the cable passage opening.

when the cable is in a clamped state, the part of the cable clamp adjacent to the second clamp end 15 of the cable clamp 10 is bent toward the interior connection space of the frame body so that the passage port 91 is larger than when the cable clamp is not bent so as to accommodate the cable while clamping the same.

As clearly shown in figure 3, the cable clamp 10 may have a C-shaped opening 11 as a hook opening in the first clamp end 16. But, the shape of the hook opening can vary and for example rectangular, trapezoid and other shapes are also applicable. Even more, it is also applicable to provide no opening in the cable clamp as shown in figures 13-17.

Though figure 2 shows a stopping means in the form of a pillar 4 which extends between the first clamp holding member 6 and the second clamp holding member 7, it can be appreciated that the pillar can also extends from only one of the two clamp holding members.

While the pillar 4 is shown to have a circular cross-section, other shape of cross section can not be excluded from present invention. The pillar has an outer diameter which is larger than the opening width W of the hook opening in C-shape as shown figure 3 so that the cable clamp is not able to release by itself from the pillar once the hook opening is hooked to the pillar 4.

Preferably, the pillar is formed integrally with the two clamp holding members and the two clamp holding members are formed integrally with the box or frame body. But, the pillar may be one which is fixed or attached to any one of or both of the two clamp holding members in manners of screw, thread and bolt hole etc..

Preferably, the first clamp end 16 of the cable clamp has a generally circular or semicircular shaped outer profile so that the swinging of the cable clamp can be performed smoothly. But this is not a limitation.

In order that the cable can be released by the user when necessary, the cable clamp is provided with a protrusion 14 which is formed integrally on or fixed to the cable clamp and located adjacent to the second clamp end 15 of the cable clamp. When the user wants to remove the clamped cable from the anchorage device, for example when repair, replacement or maintenance are needed, the user can hold this protrusion and pull the second clamp end 15 so that the second clamp end of the cable clamp is swung out of the cable passage opening 2 together with the cable.

Figure 3 shows that the second clamp end 15 has a wedge shape so that the corner portion 19 of the second clamp end, which will be engaged with the cable when the latter is clamped, has a sharp angle a. This wedge shape assists in preventing the clamped cable being pulled out of the interior connection space 35 due to external forces or the weight of the cable itself.

The second clamp end 15 may have first engaging teeth 13 on its outmost surface which assists in preventing the cable, when having been clamped within the cable passage opening, from swinging out of the cable passage opening 2 of the frame body and from rotating.

Preferably, the cable supporting portion 8 is formed integrally with the frame body.

As shown by figures 2, 5 and 10, the cable supporting portion 8 has antislip ribs in the form of teeth 5 on its surface. Other forms of anti-slip ribs are conceivable as well.

The anti slip ribs on the cable supporting portion are formed by second engaging teeth 5, each of which have a tooth end which is defined by a first tooth surface 21, which is generally perpendicular to the longitudinal direction of the cable when being clamped, and a second tooth surface 22, which is inclined along the direction along which the cable enters the interior connection space. In other words, the second tooth surface 22 is inclined toward the inner connection space as in figure 10.

The frame body 1 has a seat portion 51 as shown in figures 1, 2 and 10, a first frame side 41, toward which the cable passage opening 2 opens, and a second frame side 42, on which the seat portion 51 is disposed.

Figure 12 shows another preferable alternative. According to this alternative, the C-shaped hook opening 11 has a center axis which is offset from the center axis of the clamped cable in a direction from the second frame side 42 to the first frame side 41 so that the perpendicular distance between the center axis of the camped cable and the second frame side 42 is smaller than the perpendicular distance between the center axis of the hook opening and the second frame side 42, whereby a self locking of the cable will occur when the cable is pressed against the seat portion 51.

Figure 10 also shows that the frame body 1 has a stopping shoulder 81 and a bending shoulder 61 which is adjacent to the stopping shoulder 81. The stopping shoulder functions to stop the cable or the jacket of the cable and allow the inner wires of the cable to pass when the cable is inserted toward the interior connection space 35 and said bending shoulder 61 functions to bend inner wires of the cable.

Figure 2 further shows that the second clamp holding member 7 is shorter than the first clamp holding member 6 so that the cable clamp, after being inserted into the gap, can be bent around the end of the second clamp holding member.

Figure 2 further shows that a first strengthening rib 53 extends from the terminal end of the second clamp holding member, and a second strengthening rib 58 extends from the first clamp holding member and is arranged perpendicular to said first strengthening rib 53. These strengthening ribs can reinforce the part of the frame body at which passage opening is provided and can ensure the rigidity of the frame body so as to ensure sufficient clamping force.

The bending shoulder 61 may, as shown by figure 10, be adjacent to and extend from the cable supporting portion 8. The frame body has a cavity of generally hexahedron shaped with said bending shoulder 61 and said cable passage opening 2 being on two opposite sides of the hexahedron respectively, said cable supporting portion 8 and the first strengthening rib 53 being on two opposite sides of the hexahedron respectively, the seat portion 51 being on the second frame side 42 of the hexahedron, said seat portion forming the bottom of the cavity. The cavity is open on the first frame side 41, on which the anchorage device is to be fixed to a mounting surface. The cable is adapted to be clamped within the cavity.

The cavity has an inlet opening 66, as shown in figure 5, which is provided on the same side of the hexahedron as the bending shoulder 61.

The inlet opening allows the entry of inner wires of the cable into the interior connection space 35 when the cable or its jacket is stopped by the stopping shoulder.

Preferably, all composite parts of the frame body are made into one piece and the cable clamp is made into one piece, both by molding.

According to present invention, when the anchorage device for cables are in use, the cable clamp 10 and the cable supporting portion 8 cooperate together so as to adapt to clamp cables of varying outer diameters by the elastic bending of the cable clamp which will result in pressing force acting upon the cables being clamped between them.

In the embodiments as shown in the figures, the cable clamp 10 is flat and has a plate shape. The two clamp holding members are plate shaped and are generally parallel to each other. But, these should not form a limitation to present invention.

As shown in figures 13-16, which illustrate an further embodiment of present invention, the cable clamp has an arc shaped profile at its first clamp end, the gap has a gap side wall 71 which forms stopping means, andfrom which an arc shaped portion 81 extends toward the cable supporting portion 8 so as to hold the clamp and prevent it from slipping out of the gap when in a clamped state.

Figure 17 shows another embodiment of present invention, according to which, the stopping means is formed by a stopping flange 81 formed on the generally central portion of the cable clamp 10, which will abut the terminal end of the second clamp holding member 7 when the cable clamp is forced into the gap. According to this embodiment, the gap has a flat side wall and the first end of the clamp 10 is flat rather than arc shaped.

Preferably, the frame body is more rigid than the cable clamp.

According to the embodiments in the figures, the cable clamp is made of elastic plastics materials, such as polyoxymethylene, polyvinyl chloride, polyamide, polycarbonate, polypropylene or the like.

The frame body is made of thermoset or thermoplastic plastics materials which meet the requirements of electrical insulation and flame retardancy, for example Urea or polycarbonate.

According to the embodiment as shown in figure 2, the cable supporting portion 8 is disposed on one of the two adjacent side walls, and the clamp holding members are disposed on the other of the two adjacent side walls.

Still refer to figure 2, the cable passage opening opens toward the first frame side 41 at which the frame body is to be mounted onto a mounting surface.

Figures 19 and 20 illustrate a example of some dimensions of the anchorage device. The cable clamp has a thickness of 1.8mm and the distance between the first strengthening rib and the surface of the cable supporting portion is 15mm as in figure 19. The vertical distance between the inner vertex of the triangle formed by the V-shaped opening and the surface of the cable supporting portion is 5.5mm when the clamp is not bent and the V-shaped opening opens with an vertex angle is 130 . An anchorage device having such dimensions as shown in figures 19 and 20 can clamp effectively cables of diameters varying from 5 to 9 mm.

While having described present invention with reference to an embodiment which has a frame body, a person skilled in the art can understand that the anchorage devices for cables according to the invention may have a box body instead of the frame body which comprises a covering portion 95 disposed on that one of the box sides of the box which is opposite to the side of the box body at which the cable passage opening opens, that is the covering portion 95 is disposed on the side which corresponds to the second frame side 42, as shown in figure 6.

In case the anchorage device comprises a covering portion or covering panel, it can be used as a switch box for example used to control electrical lights. So according to the invention, the frame body 1 can also be replaced by a box body so that the anchorage device forms an electrical box.

The anchorage device according to present invention is not limited to rectangular shape or to a frame or a box formed by four side walls. Frame body or box body can also has generally circular shape, triangular shape, polygon shape or other shapes as desired in the practical application.

Figure 18 shows an embodiment of the second aspect of present invention. This aspect is different from the first aspect mainly in that the cable clamp has a V-shaped opening at its end so as to adapt well to and clamp securely cables of different diameters. According to the embodiment as shown in figure 18, the cable clamp is not separate from the frame or box body, but is fixed to or integral with the frame or box body. However, the embodiment as shown is only a preferable alternative and should not be construed as a limitation of present invention scope.

Further, a person skilled in the art can appreciate that most features and advantages of the first aspect of present invention can apply to the second aspect, though not described in detail here.

As shown in figure 18, the cable passage opening 102 is defined by and provided between the cable supporting portion 108 and an extension part 101 forming part of a side wall of the box or frame body. The extension part 101 extends from said box or frame body toward the cable supporting portion 108 and is located below and spaced apart from the cable clamp 100 with a gap 103 being formed between them. The gap 103 assists in preventing the side wall of the box or frame body from flexing when the cable is inserted into position and the cable clamp 100 is bent. It can be appreciated that the gap 103 is a preferable choice, but not essential for present invention. The extension also prevents the bent cable clamp from exposure to the outside so that the anchorage device has an appearance which meets the aesthetic requirement. The cable passage opening 102, similar to the cable passage opening 2 in the first aspect of the invention, has a dimension which is as small as possible provided that the dimension allows a cable with largest possible diameter to insert. The end 106 of the clamp 100 and the cable supporting portion may have the same configurations as that in the first aspect of the invention.

Claims

Claims 1. An anchorage device for cables, comprising a box or frame body

(1) which has an interior connection space (35) formed within it, a cable passage opening (2) being formed in the box or frame body for the passage of a cable which is to be clamped, characterized in that said anchorage device further comprises elastic cable clamp (10) which has a first clamp end (16) and a second clamp end (15) and which is separate from said box or frame body (1), and that the box or frame body has a first clamp holding member (6) and a second clamp holding member (7), which are spaced apart from each other so that a gap (3) is formed between them, said gap (3) is located on one side of said cable passage opening (2), the box or frame body further has a cable supporting portion (8) which is located on the opposite side of the cable passage opening and fronts the gap (3) with the cable passage opening between them, at least a part of said cable clamp (10) being able to be inserted into and held in said gap (3), said anchorage device further has a stopping means for exerting a reaction force to the cable clamp in one direction when the cable clamp is pushed to the inside of the gap in an opposite direction, said cable clamp has such a length that the second clamp end of the cable clamp will extend out of the gap and covers part of the cable passage opening (2) and an passage port which has a smaller dimension than the outside diameter of the cables to be clamped is formed between the second clamp end of the cable clamp and the cable supporting portion when the cable clamp is stopped by the stopping means, whereby, said cable clamp is able to be swung around the stopping means in one direction so that a part of the cable clamp close to the second clamp end is far away from the cable passage opening and in a reverse direction so that the part close to the second clamp end is close to the cable passage opening, and when the cable is in a clamped state, a part of the cable clamp adjacent to the second clamp end of the cable clamp is bent toward the interior connection space of the box or frame body so that the passage port is larger than when the cable clamp is not bent so that the cable is clamped between the second clamp end of the cable clamp and the cable supporting portion by the elastic force of the cable clamp occurring due to bending.
2. An anchorage device for cables according to claim 1, wherein said cable clamp has a V-shaped opening (12) at the second clamp end (15) of the cable clamp (10).
3. An anchorage device for cables according to claim 1, wherein said cable clamp has a hook opening in the first clamp end (16) of the cable clamp and said stopping means is a pillar (4) extending between the first clamp holding member (6) and the second clamp holding member (7).
4. An anchorage device for cables according to claim 3, wherein said pillar (4) has a circular cross-section and has an outer diameter which is larger than the opening width (W) of the hook opening so that the cable clamp is not able to release by itself from the pillar once the hook opening is hooked to the pillar (4).
5. An anchorage device for cables according to claim 3, wherein said pillar is formed integrally with the two clamp holding members and the two clamp holding members are formed integrally with the box or frame body.
6. An anchorage device for cables according to claim 1, wherein said first clamp end (16) of the cable clamp has a generally circular or semicircular shaped outer profile so that the swinging of the cable clamp can be performed smoothly.
7. An anchorage device for cables according to claim 1, wherein said cable clamp has a protrusion (14) formed on the cable clamp and located adjacent to the second clamp end (15) of the cable clamp.
8. An anchorage device for cables according to claim 1, wherein said cable supporting portion has anti-slip ribs on its surface.
9. An anchorage device for cables according to claim 1, wherein said cable supporting portion (8) is formed integrally with the box or frame body.
10. An anchorage device for cables according to claims 1 or 2, wherein said second clamp end (15) has a wedge shape so that the corner portion (19) of the second clamp end, which will be engaged with the cable when the latter is clamped, has a sharp angle (a), and which assists in preventing the cable being clamped from being pulled out of the interior connection space (35).
11. An anchorage device for cables according to claims 1 or 2, wherein said second clamp end (15) has first engaging teeth (13) on its outmost surface which assists in preventing the cable, when having been clamped within the cable passage opening, from swinging out of the cable passage opening (2) of the box or frame body and rotating.
12. An anchorage device for cables according to claim 8, wherein said anti slip ribs on the cable supporting portion are formed by second engaging teeth (5), said second engaging teeth each have a tooth end which is defined by a first tooth surface (21), which is generally perpendicular to the direction along which the cable extends when being clamped, and a second tooth surface (22), which is inclined toward the inner connection space and along the direction along which the cable enters the interior connection space when being clamped.
13. An anchorage device for cables according to claim 1, wherein said box or frame body (1) has a seat portion (51), a first box or frame side (41), toward which the cable passage opening opens, and a second box or frame side (42), on which the seat portion (51) is disposed, and wherein said cable clamp has a hook opening on the first clamp end (16), said hook opening has a center axis which is offset from the center axis of the camped cable in a direction from the second box or frame side (42) to the first box or frame side (41) so that the perpendicular distance between the center axis of the camped cable and the second box or frame side (42) is smaller than the perpendicular distance between the center axis of the hook opening and the second box or frame side (42) whereby a self locking of the cable will occur when the cable is pressed against the seat portion (51).
14. An anchorage device for cables according to claim 1, wherein said box or frame body (1) has a stopping shoulder (81) and a bending shoulder (61) which is adjacent to the stopping shoulder (81), said stopping shoulder functioning to stop the cable or its jacket but allow the inner wires of the cable to pass when the latter is inserted toward the interior connection space (35) and said bending shoulder (61) functioning to bend inner wires of the cable.
15. An anchorage device for cables according to claim 1, wherein said second clamp holding member (7) is shorter than said first clamp holding member (6) so that the cable clamp, after being inserted into the gap, can be bent around the end of the second clamp holding member.
16. An anchorage device for cables according to claim 15, wherein said second clamp holding member has a terminal end from which a first strengthening rib (53) extends, and wherein a second strengthening rib (58) extends from the second clamp holding member and is arranged perpendicular to said first strengthening rib (53).
17. An anchorage device for cables according to claim 16, wherein said bending shoulder (61) is adjacent to and extends from said cable supporting portion (8), and wherein said box or frame body has a cavity of generally hexahedron shaped with said bending shoulder (61) and said cable passage opening (2) being on two opposite sides of the hexahedron respectively, said cable supporting portion (8) and first strengthening rib (53) being on two opposite sides of the hexahedron respectively, said seat portion (51) being on one side of the hexahedron, said seat portion forming the bottom of the cavity, and said cavity is open on the first box or frame side (41), on which the anchorage device is to be fixed to a mounting surface, said cable is adapted to be clamped within the cavity.
18. An anchorage device for cables according to claim 17, wherein said cavity has a inlet opening (66) which is provided on the same side of the hexahedron as the bending shoulder (61), which allows the entry of inner wires of the cable into the interior connection space (35) when the latter is stopped by the stopping shoulder.
19. An anchorage device for cables according to claim 1, wherein all composite parts of said box or frame body are made into one piece and said cable clamp is made into one piece, both by molding.
20. An anchorage device for cables according to claim 1, wherein said cable clamp and said cable supporting portion cooperate together so as to adapt to clamp cables of varying outer diameters by the elastic bending of the cable clamp which will result in pressing force acting upon the cables being clamped between them.
21. An anchorage device for cables according to claim 1, wherein said cable clamp is flat and has a plate shape.
22. An anchorage device for cables according to claim 1, wherein said cable clamp has an arc shaped profile at its first clamp end, the gap has a gap side wall (71) which forms said stopping means, and from which an arc shaped portion (73) extends toward the cable supporting portion (8).
23. An anchorage device for cables according to claim 1, wherein said stopping means is formed by a stopping flange (81) formed on the cable clamp (10), which will abut the end of the second clamp holding member (7) when the cable clamp is forced into the gap.
24. An anchorage device for cables according to claim 1, wherein said box or frame body is more rigid than the cable clamp.
25. An anchorage device for cables according to claim 1, wherein said cable clamp is made of elastic plastics materials.
26. An anchorage device for cables according to claim 25, wherein said elastic plastics materials are polyoxymethylene, polyvinyl chloride, polyamide, polycarbonate or polypropylene.
27. An anchorage device for cables according to claim 1, wherein said box or frame body is made of thermoset or thermoplastic plastics materials which meet the requirements of electrical insulation and flame retardancy.
28. An anchorage device for cables according to claim 27, wherein said thermoset or thermoplastic plastics materials are Urea or polycarbonate.
29. An anchorage device for cables according to claim 1, wherein said box or frame body (1) has side walls, two adjacent of which define together an corner of the box or frame body, said cable supporting portion (8) is disposed on one of the two adjacent side walls, and the clamp holding members are disposed on the other of the two adjacent side walls.
30. An anchorage device for cables according to claim 1, wherein said two clamp holding members are plate shaped and are generally parallel to each other.
31. An anchorage device for cables according to claim 3, wherein said hook opening is a C-shaped opening (11).
32. An anchorage device for cables according to claim 1, wherein said cable passage opening opens toward a box or frame side at which the box or frame body is to be mounted onto a mounting surface.
33. An anchorage device for cables according to claim 1, wherein said box body comprises a covering portion disposed on that one of the box sides of the box which is opposite to the side of the box body at which the cable passage opening opens.
34. An anchorage device for cables according to claim 1, wherein said cable passage opening opens at one side of the box or frame body and in a direction which is orthogonal to the direction in which the cable clamp extends.
35. An anchorage device for cables, comprising a box or frame body (1) which has an interior connection space (35) formed within it, a cable passage opening (102) being formed in the box or frame body for the passage of a cable which is to be clamped, characterized in that said anchorage device further comprises elastic cable clamp (100) which has a clamp end (106), said clamp end having a V-shaped opening for engaging cables, and that the box or frame body further has a cable supporting portion (108) which is located on the opposite side of the cable passage opening and fronts the cable clamp (100) with the cable passage opening between them, said cable clamp (100)has such a length that the clamp end of the cable clamp extends toward the cable supporting portion and the cable clamp covers part of the cable passage opening (102) and an passage port which has a smaller dimension than the outside diameter of the cables to be clamped is formed between the clamp end of and the cable supporting portion, when the cable is in a clamped state, a part of the cable clamp adjacent to the clamp end is bent toward the interior connection space of the box or frame body so that the passage port is larger than when the cable clamp is not bent so that the cable is clamped between the V-shaped opening at the clamp end of the cable clamp and the cable supporting portion by the elastic force of the cable clamp occurring due to bending.
36. An anchorage device for cables according to claim 35, wherein said cable clamp is formed integrally with or fixed to the box or frame body.
37. An anchorage device for cables according to claim 35, wherein said cable supporting portion has anti-slip ribs on its surface.
38. An anchorage device for cables according to claim 35, wherein said cable supporting portion (108) is formed integrally with the box or frame body.
39. An anchorage device for cables according to claims 35 or 36, wherein said clamp end (15) has a wedge shape so that the corner portion (19) of the second clamp end, which will be engaged with the cable when the latter is clamped, has a sharp angle (a), and which assists in preventing the cable being clamped being pulled out of the interior connection space (35).
40. An anchorage device for cables according to claims 35 or 36, wherein said clamp end (106) has first engaging teeth (13) on its outmost surface which assists in preventing the cable, when having been clamped within the cable passage opening, from rotating.
41. An anchorage device for cables according to claim 37, wherein said anti slip ribs on the cable supporting portion are formed by second engaging teeth (5), said second engaging teeth each have a tooth end which is defined by a first tooth surface (21), which is generally perpendicular to the direction along which the cable extends when being clamped, and a second tooth surface (22), which is inclined toward the inner connection space and along the direction along which the cable enters the interior connection space when being clamped.
42. An anchorage device for cables according to claim 35, wherein said box or frame body (1) has a stopping shoulder (81) and a bending shoulder (61) which is adjacent to the stopping shoulder (81), said stopping shoulder functioning to stop the cable or its jacket and allows inner wires of the cable to pass when the cable is inserted toward the interior connection space (35) and said bending shoulder (61) functioning to bend inner wires of the cable.
43. An anchorage device for cables according to claim 35, wherein all composite parts including said cable clamp of said box or frame body are made into one piece by molding.
44. An anchorage device for cables according to claim 35, wherein said cable clamp and said cable supporting portion cooperate together so as to adapt to clamp cables of varying outer diameters by the elastic bending of the cable clamp which will result in pressing force acting upon the cables being clamped between them.
45. An anchorage device for cables according to claim 35, wherein said cable clamp and the box or frame body are made of elastic plastics materials which meet the requirements of electrical insulation and flame retardancy.
46. An anchorage device for cables according to claim 35, wherein said elastic plastics materials are polyoxymethylene, polyvinyl chloride, polyamide, polycarbonate or polypropylene.
47. An anchorage device for cables according to claim 35, wherein said box or frame body (1) has side walls, two adjacent of which define together an corner of the box or frame body, said cable supporting portion (108) is disposed on one of the two adjacent side walls, and the cable clamp is disposed on the other of the two adjacent side walls.
48. An anchorage device for cables according to claim 35, wherein said cable passage opening opens toward a box or frame side at which the box or frame body is to be mounted onto a mounting surface.
49. An anchorage device for cables according to claim 35, wherein said box body comprises a covering portion disposed on that one of the box sides of the box which is opposite to the side of the box body at which the cable passage opening opens.
50. An anchorage device for cables according to claim 35, wherein said cable passage opening opens at one side of the box or frame body and in a direction which is orthogonal to the direction in which the cable clamp extends.
51. An anchorage device for cables substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the accompanying drawings.

51. An anchorage device for cables according to claim 35, wherein said cable passage opening is defined by and provided between the cable supporting portion (108P) and an extension part (101) which extends from said box or frame body toward the cable supporting portion (108) and is located below and spaced apart from the cable clamp (106) with a gap (103) between them, said extension part forming part of a side wall of the box or frame body.