Note : Les descriptions sont présentées dans la langue officielle dans laquelle elles ont été soumises.
CA 02606346 2007-10-05
Clamping connection, connecting terminal arrangement
and installation switching device
Description
The invention relates to a clamping connection for
connecting a conductor to an installation, switching
device, for example a circuit breaker, an earth-leakage
circuit breaker or a motor protection switch, with a
clamping spring, acting as compression spring on the
conductor end, for clamping the conductor end to an
abutment according to the precharacterizing clause of
Claim 1, and a connecting terminal arrangement and an
installation switching device with a, generic terminal
connection.
From EP 1 575 130, a generic terminal connection is
known in which a number of plug-in openings and a
holding opening are present in a contact frame. The
clamping spring is held at a first free end in the
holding opening at the contact frame and is divided at
its second free end by one or more slot-shaped recesses
into a number of finger-like extensions corresponding
to the number of plu.g-in openings. Each of the
extensions is conducted through in each case one of the
plug-in openings and in each of the plug-in openings, a
conductor can be clamped tight by in each case one of
the extensions. At the contact frame, a connecting part
for attaching a further electrical outgoing conductor
into the switching device is formed. The clamping
spring is supported on a support edge at the transition
between the contact frame and the connecting part. The
connecting part is bent up in the direction of the
plug-in direction of the connecting conductor. In a
terminal connection according to EP 1 575 130, only a
narrow web at the contact frame is available for the
current path from a connecting conductor clamped on
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towards the connecting part. The contact resistance
from the connecting conductor clamped on to the further
electrical outgoing conductor into the switching device
is correspondingly large. For each connecting conductor
to be clamped on, a separate terminal window is
available, separated by a busbar. As a result, the
terminal connection according to EP 1 575 130 becomes
relatively wide so that it does not fit into switching
devices having only half the standard module width.
According to DIN 43 880, a module a is defined for the
module width of installation switching devices.
According to this standard, the module width is an
integral or half-integral multiple of 17.5 mm, more
precisely: a = n x (17.5 mm + 0.5 mm), n = 0.5; 1.5;
1.5; 2.0,
An installation switching device having half a standard
module width therefore has a module width of 9 mm.
It is the object of the present invention, therefore,
to create a generic terminal connection for the
screwless connection of one or more connecting
conductors, which has a low contact resistance and can
be built into installation switching devices having
only half a standard module width.
In a generic terminal connection, the object is
achieved by the characterizing features of Claim 1.
According to the invention, the clamping connection
comprises a conductor bar with a connecting end and an
adjoining discharge area. - The .conductor bar has at its
connecting end a window-like opening with a support
edge and a clamping edge, opposite the support edge, at
the transition of the connecting end into the discharge
area. The clamping spring also has a support leg with
which it is supported on the support edge of the
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conductor bar. The support leg is adjoined by an arc
piece which is adjoined by a clamping leg, so that the
conductor end can be clamped tight between the clamping
leg and the clamping edge as abutment. The conductor
end can be introduced into the window-like opening from
the'side of the arc piece.
Due to the fact that the clamping edge is located at
the transition of the connecting end into the discharge
area, the entire width of the conductor bar is
available for the current flow from the connecting
conductor, clamped to the clamping edge, to the
discharge area so that a low contact resistance can be
achieved.
Furthermore, the connecting end only has one window-
like opening into which, if necessary, the two
connecting conductors to be connected are clamped. As a
result, the terminal connection can be made so narrow
that it can be installed in an installation switching
device of only half a standard module width.
In an advantageous embodiment of the invention, the
clamping leg of the clamping spring can be
longitudinally slotted for facilitating the clamping-on
of two connecting conductors, so that two closely
adjacent part-springs, which can be clamped
independently of one another, are produced. Due to the
fact that the two part-springs are close together, that
is to say without having a separating, relatively large
intermediate space or an intermediate web between them
which is approximately in the centre, a further
contribution is made towards a narrow construction of
the terminal connection so that the terminal connection
according to the invention can be installed in an
installation switching device having only half a
standard module width.
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According to a very advantageous embodiment of the
invention, the arc piece is adjoined by a first part-
clamping leg which merges at a bending edge into a
second part-clamping leg, bent away from the first
part-clamping leg, so that the first and second part-
clamping leg assume an obtuse angle with one another,
the opening of which points into the direction of
insertion of the connecting conductor.
The obtuse angle between the first and the second part-
clamping leg provides the advantage that an
advantageous point of application for a spring
actuating means is located in the vicinity of the
bending edge. If it is placed into the vicinity of the
bending edge between the first and the second part-
clamping leg, the point of placement of the spring
actuating means can have a greater distance from the
point of rotation of the clamping leg at the arc'=piece
without the maximum terminal opening which can be
achieved as a result becoming smaller and without the
spring actuating means being in the way of a connecting
conductor having a large cross section. However, a
greater distance between the point of placement and the
point of rotation means a more advantageous lever ratio
and thus a lower actuating force for the user. Thus, a
further problem in previously known screwless
connecting terminals in installation switchin.g devices
can be advantageously solved. This is because, for
introducing a connecting conductor, the clamping leg is
usually bent by means of an actuating means in such a
manner that a window for introducing connecting
conductors is produced between the clamping edge of the
clamping leg and the clamping edge of the conductor
bars. If connecting conductors having a large conductor
cross section are to be inserted, it is necessary that
the window becomes large enough. In the terminal
connection according to EP 1 575 130, the point of
application of the spring actuating means must come to
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lie relatively close to the bent piece of the clamping
spring. Otherwise, the spring actuating means would be
in the way of the connecting conductor. The consequence
is, however, that a lever ratio is produced which is
disadvantageous for the operator. The actuating force
which has to be exerted by the user when pressing on
the pressure area of the terminal cover part to open
the terminal is correspondingly relatively large in
clamping connections according to the prior art. A
clamping connection according to the invention can
reduce the actuating force.
A preferred embodiment is characterized by the fact
that the conductor bar is approximately U-shaped, the
connecting end forming one U-leg and the discharge area
being formed by the crossbar and the other U-leg.
In this arrangement, the clamping spring runs outside
the U-shaped conductor bar so that, when it is
installed into the terminal connecting space of a
switching device, it is accessible there for an
actuating tool or a tightening element.
According to a further advantageous embodiment, an
upward bend for attaching further conductor bars
leading into the interior of the installation switching
device can be provided at the free end of the other
U-leg.
According to a further embodiment, a discharge bar can
also be moulded on at the free end of the other U-leg.
The discharge bar can extend approximately
perpendicularly to the other U-leg and the side of the
connecting end opposite to the clamping edge can be
supported on the discharge bar. From the conductor bar
and the discharge bar, a closed terminal frame is thus
produced which is stable in itself. This increases the
mechanical stability of the terminal connection.
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This is because it produces the advantage that the
forces acting on the terminal connection during the
insertion and detachment of the connection conductor
are absorbed by it as a closed system. When the
terminal connection according to the invention is
installed in an installation switching device,
connecting forces which are produced, for example,
during the opening of the clamping contact by an
actuating tool, are thus internally absorbed in the
terminal frame and now orily act on the support points
of the terminal frame in the housing but not on other
elements of the installation switching device.
A connecting terminal arrangement according to the
invention in a terminal connection space, accessible
through a housing opening, of an installation switching
device comprising a clamping connection according to
the invention is characterized by the fact that the
clamping connection is arranged in the terminal
connection space in such a manner that a part of the
conductor bar, namely the discharge area, is accessible
from the outside as calibration contact area. The
calibration contact area is needed for electrical
contacting during the calibration of the thermobimetal
in an installation switching device when a connecting
terminal arrangement according to the invention is
installed. It is known that during the calibration of
the thermobimetal, it must be checked whether the time
delay of the thermobimetal during heating due to an
overcurrent of a particular intensity corresponds to
the values prescribed in accordance with the respective
tripping characteristic. For this purpose, an
overcurrent which is supplied via the said calibration
contact is selectively applied to the installation
switching device in its final production step.
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In previously known installation switching devices
which use connecting terminal arrangements according to
the prior art, the contact point for the calibration of
the thermobimetal is arranged at another place outside
the access area of the terminal connection and is not
accessible via the terminal connection. Since the
thermobimetal can only be calibrated in the finished
assembled state, separate access openings to the
calibration contacts must be covered by additional
covering parts following the calibration in known
installation switching devices.
This is not necessary when connecting terminal
arrangements according to the invention are used in an
installation switching device. In this case, the
discharge area of the conductor bar of the terminal
connection according to the invention in the connecting
terminal arrangement according to the invention is used
as calibration contact. Compared with the prior art,
this saves both assembly parts - namely the additional
covering parts - and production steps in the assembly
so that a further advantage is obtained from the
resultant simplification of assembly.
A further connecting terminal arrangement according to
the invention in a terminal connection space,
accessible through a housing opening, of an
installation switching device comprising a clamping
connection according to the invention and a terminal
cover part covering the housing opening, with a test
opening, is characterized by the fact that the clamping
connection is arranged in the terminal connection space
in such a manner that a part of the clamping spring is
allocated to the test opening in the terminal cover
part and, as a result, electrical test contacting can
be carried out from the outside with the terminal cover
part in place.
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In an installation switching device according to the
invention with a housing comprising two shell-shaped
housing parts, with a front and rear face, a connecting
side, front and rear narrow sides and wide sides, at
least one terminal connection according to the
invention is fixed in position in a terminal connection
space of the housing.
According to a preferred embodiment of an installation
switching device according to the invention, the
terminal connection space is laterally limited by the
housing wide sides and open at least towards the front
face, and the opening of the terminal connection space
can be covered by a terminal cover part which is
swivelably connected to the housing and which has a
connection area with a number of terminal openings
corresponding to the number of connecting conductors to
be connected and guiding means, moulded onto each
terminal opening, for the connecting conductors, and
spring actuating means are moulded onto the cover part
and arranged in such a manner that, when the cover part
is swivelled against a clamping spring, they load the
latter so as open it.
In an advantageousfurther embodiment, the terminal
cover part can be resiliently loaded by the clamping
spring in opposition to the direction of insertion of
the external connecting conductor, and can be pressed
against the clamping spring. In this arrangement, the
spring actuating means can be formed by the guiding
means, moulded onto each terminal opening, for the
connecting conductors.
In an installation switching device according to the
invention, one or more terminal connections according
to the invention, arranged at the outgoing side, and
one or more conventional screw terminals, arranged at
the incoming side, can be arranged.
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Further advantageous embodiments and improvements of
the invention and further advantages can be found in
the subclaims.
The invention and other advantageous embodiments and
improvements of the invention will be explained and
described in greater detail with reference to the
drawings, in which 3 illustrative embodiments of the
invention are shown. In the drawings:
Figure 1: shows a diagrammatic view of a terminal
connection according to the invention in a
first embodiment,
Figure 2: shows a view of the terminal connection
according to Figure 1 obliquely from above,
Figure 3: shows a view of the spring force terminal of
the installation switching device according
to the invention according to Figure 1, in
the open state,
Figure 4: shows a diagrammatic view of a variation of
the spring force terminal according to
Figure 1
Figure 5: shows a diagrammatic partial sectional view
of an installation switching device
according to the invention
Figure 6: shows a diagrammatic partial sectional view
of an installation switching device with a
further terminal connection according to the
invention, with the terminal closed, and
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Figure 7: shows the partial view according to Figure 6
with the terminal open in the actuating
position.
In the figures, identical or identically acting
components or elements are in each case provided with
identical reference numbers even if they are configured
in slightly modified form in different variants of the
embodiment.
Initially, Figure 1 will be considered. The terminal
connection 10 comprises a conductor .bar 102 and a
clamping spring 12. The conductor bar 102 comprises a
connecting end 112 and an adjoining discharge area 114.
At the connecting end 112, it has a window-like opening
116 with a support edge 118 and a clamping edge 120
opposite the support edge 118. The clamping edge 120 is
located at the transition of the connecting end 112
into the discharge area 114.
The clamping spring 12 has a support leg 212 with which
it is supported on the support edge 118 of the
conductor bar 102. The support can be effected in such
a manner that the supporting leg 212 has at its free
end an upward bend 228 with which it partially encloses
the support edge 118 for the purpose of supporting.
The support leg 212 is adjoined by an arc piece 214
which is adjoined by a clamping leg 216. The conductor
end 16 of a connecting conductor 14 (see Figure 5) is
inserted into the window-like opening 116 from the side
of the arc piece 214 and can be clamped tight between
the clamping leg 216 and the clamping edge 120 acting
as abutment. In this arrangement, the free end of the
clamping leg 216,passes through the window-like opening
116.
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The clamping leg 216 of the clamping spring 12 is
longitudinally slotted along a slot 2181 so that two
part-springs 13a, 13b are produced which can be clamped
independently of one another and by means of which two
connecting conductors 14 can be clamped on
independently of one another.
The conductor bar 102 has an approximately U-shaped
basic form, the connecting end 112 forming the first
U-leg and the discharge area 114 being formed by a
crossbar 220 and the second U-leg 222. At the free end
of the second U-leg 222, an upward bend 224 is
attached. At this upward bend 224, further connecting
conductors can be attached by means of which the
terminal connection 10 is connected to other assemblies
within the switching device housing such as, for
example, the release assemblies. In particular, the
connecting conductors can be welded or hard-soldered to
this upward bend 224, and screwing-on is also possible.
In an alternative embodiment of a terminal connection
which is shown in Figure 4, the upward bend is
elongated at the free end of the second U-leg 222 to
form a discharge bar 226. The discharge bar 226 is thus
positively joined to the second U-leg 222; it points
approximately perpendicularly from the latter in the
direction of the window-like opening 116 and protrudes
above it. At the free end of the discharge bar 226, a
further upward bend 228 is located to which further
internal connecting conductors can be welded or
riveted. The upward bend 228 can, however, also be used
directly as terminal connection within the switching
device. Overall, the conductor bar 102 according to the
present embodiment is provided with an external contour
which resembles the small letter "b". The connecting
end 112 of the conductor bar 102 is supported against
the discharge bar 226. This increases the mechanical
stability of the terminal connection 10.
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Furthermore, the advantage is obtained that the forces
acting on the terminal connection 10 during the
insertion and detachment of the connecting conductor
are absorbed by it as a closed system and thus forces
acting on other elements of the installation switching
device such as, for example, the housing, are reduced.
The conductor bar 102 can be produced in very large
numbers inexpensively and simply and in a wide variety
of shapes for example as a punched bent part. The
clamping spring 12 can be produced from a piece of bent
spring strip.
Figure 5 shows a partial sectional view of the terminal
connection space 18 of an installation switching device
1 according to the invention with the housing opened,
with a terminal connection 10 according to the
invention fixed in position therein.
The installation switching device 1 has a housing of
insulation material formed from two housing parts 2
(only one housing part of which is shown in Figure 5),
joined together along a partition line 2a, with a front
face 4, a rear face 5, an attachment side 6, a front
narrow side 7, a rear narrow side 8 and wide sides 9.
The terminal connection space 18 is limited laterally,
that is to say towards the wide side, by the housing
wide sides 9 of the insulating housing. Towards the
front face 4, an opening 20 of the terminal connection
space 18 is formed by a recess in the rear face of the
housing part 2, through which the terminal connection
10, fixed in position in the terminal connection space
18, is accessible for the connection of connecting
conductors 14. Due to a further opening at the rear
narrow side 8 of the housing part 2, the opening 20 of
the terminal connection space 18 extends past the
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contact edge between the rear narrow side 8 and the
rear face 5 into the rear narrow side B. This has the
advantage that increased flexibility is given for the
direction of connection of the connecting conductor 14.
The terminal connection 10 rests on a projection 110
formed on the inside of the wide side 9 and is there
fixed in position in the terminal connection space 18
in a manner known per se by means of webs 104 and pins
106, 108. The terminal connection 10 fixed in position
in the terminal connection space 18 is thus located
between the rear narrow side 8 and the rear face 5 in
the area of the contact edge.
The opening 20 of the terminal connection space 18 is
covered by a terminal cover part 22 swivelably
connected to the housing 3. The terminal cover part 22
is constructed to be approximately L-shaped,- the two
legs being formed by cover plates located at an angle
to one another.
- The first cover plate covers the terminal connection
space 18 towards the rear face 5 and has a connecting
area 24, with two terminal openings 26, wherein one
connecting conductor 14 can be connected through each
of the terminal openings 26.
The second cover plate covers the terminal connection
space 18 towards the rear narrow side 8 and has a
pressure area 230 which is accessible from the outside
and which can be manually operated. At its free edge,
the second cover plate has a half open tube-like cavity
with which it is supported rotatably in a hinge pin 232
connected to the wide side 9 of the housing 3. The
terminal cover part 22 can thus be swivelled around the
free edge of the second cover plate in the direction of
the clamping spring by means of pressure on the
pressure area 230. Falling-out of the cover part 22 is
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prevented by a projection 234 at the housing wall,
which is used as stop.
At the first cover plate of the cover part 22, tube-
like hollow bodies 28 forming a lead-in conduit are
attached at each of the terminal openings 26, aligned
towards the clamping spring 12. These are used at the
same time as guiding means for the connecting conductor
14 to be inserted and as spring actuating means. When
the cover part 22 is swivelled in the direction of the
clamping spring 12 around the pivot pin 232 by pressure
on the pressure area 230, the hollow bodies 28 press
the clamping leg 216 in the clamping spring 12 away
from the clamping edge 120 of the conductor bar 102 so
that space for inserting the stripped connecting
conductor end 16 of the connecting conductor 14 is
produced between the clamping edge 120 and the clamping
leg 216. Figure 5 shows this condition.
If, after the insertion of the connecting conductor
end, the pressure area 230 of the cover part 22 is
released again, the clamping leg 216 of the clamping
spring 12, due to its spring force, again presses the
cover part 22 outward over the hollow bodies 28 and, at
the same time, clamps the end 16 of the connecting
conductor 14 against the clamping edge 120 of the
window-like opening 116.
In -the embodiment according to Figure 5, two terminal
openings 26 exist in the connecting area 24 of the
cover part 22, and behind each terminal opening 26, a
tubular hollow body 28 is located, moulded onto the
connecting area, as guiding means for the connecting
conductor and as spring actuating means 30. In this
arrangement, each terminal opening 26 and each guiding
means 28 is allocated to one of the two partial
clamping springs 13a, 13b as have been produced by the
slot 2181 in the clamping spring 12. Thus, if two
CA 02606346 2007-10-05
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conductors are to be clamped on, a conductor 14 is
inserted through each of the two terminal openings 26
and clamped on by in each case one of the partial
clamping springs 13a, 13b. The connecting conductors 14
are separated and guided in the hollow bodies 28 used
as guiding means for the connecting conductors 14 and
thus no separate guiding or separating devices are
required at the terminal connection 10.. In particular,
it is not required to subdivide the opening 116 into
two receiving spaces by means of a web. The terminal
connection 10 can thus be constructed in a very simple
and narrow manner so that it can be installed in an
installation switching device of half a module width.
Due to the spring force of the clamping spring 12, the
cover part 22 is pressed outward against the projection
234 in a state of rest so that the cover part always
assumes a defined position in the state of rest.
The cover part thus fulfils two functions: on the one
hand, the functions of guidance of the connecting
conductors and, on the other hand, the function of the
spring actuating tool. Both rigid and flexible
conductor ends can be clamped in and also removed again
from the terminal by means of the device according to
the invention, without an external actuating tool for
the clamping spring.
Naturally, there could also be an additional slot in
the connecting area 24 of the cover part 22 through
which an external tool could then be pushed for
operating the clamping spring 12.
Furthermore, a test opening 236 is arranged in the
connecting area 24. The clamping spring 12 can be
electrically contacted by means of a test probe through
this test opening.
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In the embodiment shown in Figure 5, the connecting
area 24 of the cover part 22 extends inclined towards
the rear face 5. The guiding means 28 are approximately
perpendicular to the connecting area 24. The angle of
inclination with which the connecting conductor 14 is
introduced into the terminal is thus determined by the
angle of inclination of the connecting area 24. An
embodiment is also conceivable in which the connecting
area 24 extends approximately in parallel with the rear
face 5 and the guiding means 28 are inclined with
respect to the connecting area 24. The angle of
inclination with which the connecting conductors 14 are
inserted into the terminal is then determined by the
angle of inclination of the guiding means 28 with
respect to the connecting area 24.
The cover part .22 can be produced very advantageously
as a plastic injection moulding in one injection
process.
Figure 6 shows a partial sectional view of an
installation switching device with a further embbdiment
of a terminal connection according to the invention.
The installation switching device 1 according to
Figure 6 has an insulating housing, formed of two
housing parts 2, with a front face 304, a rear face
305, a mounting side 6, a front narrow side 7, a rear
narrow side 8 and two wide sides 9, only one of which,
located in the plane of the drawing, is shown in the
view according to Figure 6.
The terminal connection space 18 is limited laterally,
that is to say towards the wide side, by the housing
wide sides 9 of the insulating housing 3.
Towards the front face 304, an opening 20 of the
terminal connection space 18 is formed by an opening in
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the rear face 305 of the housing part 2, through which
the -terminal connection 10, fixed in position in the
terminal connection space 18, is accessible for the
connection of connecting conductors 14. The front
narrow side 7 is initially adjoined by a part piece
356, at the housing side, of the rear face 305. This
produces an opening 20 at the rear face 305 in the area
between the end of the part piece 356 at the housing
side, facing away from the front narrow sides 7, and
the rear narrow side 8.
Due to a further opening at the rear narrow side 8 of
the housing part 2, the opening 20 of the clamping
connection space 18 extends beyond the contact edges
between the rear narrow side 8 and the rear face 305
into the rear narrow side 8. This has the advantage
that increased flexibility is given for the direction
of connection of the connecting conductor 14.
The terminal connection 10 comprises a conductor bar
102 and a clamping spring 312. The terminal connection
10 is fixed in position in the terminal connection
space 18, in a manner known per se, on the inside of
the wide side 9 by means of webs 104 and pins 106, 108.
The terminal connection 10, fixed in position in the
terminal connection space 18, is located between the
rear narrow side 8 and the rear mounting side. 6 in the
area of the contact edge.
The conductor bar 102 of the terminal connection 10
comprises a connecting end 112 and an adjoining
discharge area 114. At the connecting end 112, it has a
window-like opening 116 with a support edge 118 and a
clamping edge 120 opposite the support edge 118. The
clamping edge 120 is located at the transition of the
connecting end 112 into the discharge area 114.
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The clamping spring 12 has a support leg 212 with which
it is supported on the support edge 118 of the
conductor bar 102. It can be supported in such a manner
that the support leg 212 has at its free end an upward
bend with which it partially encloses the support edge
118 for the purpose of supporting it.
The support leg 212 is adjoined by an arc piece 214
which is adjoined by a clamping leg 216. The conductor
end of a connecting conductor (not shown here) is
inserted into the window-like opening 116 from the side
of the arc piece 214 and can be clamped tight between
the clamping leg 216 and the clamping edge 120, acting
as abutment. The free end of the clamping leg 216
passes through the window-like opening 116.
The arc piece 214 is initially adjoined by a first
partially clamping leg 217 which changes into a second
partial clamping leg 218 bent away from the first
partial clamping leg 217 at a bending edge 219, so that
the first and the second partial clamping leg 217, 218
assume an obtuse angle with one another. The opening of
the obtuse angle points into the direction of insertion
of the connecting conductor, the- bending edge 219 is
located approximately in the centre of the clamping leg
216.
The conductor bar 102 approximately has a U-shaped
basic form, the connecting end 112 forming the first
U-leg and the discharge area 114 being formed by a
cross bar 220 and the second U-leg 222. At the free
edge of the second U-leg 222, an upward bend 224 is
attached. At this upward bend 224, further connecting
conductors can be attached by means of which the
terminal connection 10 is connected to other assemblies
within the switching device housing such as, for
example, the release assemblies. In particular, the
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connecting conductors can be welded on or hard-soldered
on this upward bend and screwing-on is also possible.
In the embodiment of a terminal connection which is
shown in Figure 6, the upward bend is elongated to form
a discharge bar 226 at the free end of the second U-leg
222. The discharge bar 226 is thus positively connected
with the second U-leg 222; it points approximately
perpendicularly from the latter in the direction of the
window-like opening 116 and projects over the latter.
At the free end of the discharge bar 226, there is
another upward bend at which further connecting
conductors can then be welded on or riveted on again.
However, the upward bend can also be used directly as
terminal connection within the switching device.
Overall, the conductor bar 102 according to this
embodiment receives an external contour which resembles
the small letter "b". The connecting end 112 of the
conductor bar 102 is supported against the discharge
bar 226. This increases the mechanical stability of the
terminal connection 10.
The advantage is furthermore obtained that the forces
acting on the terminal connection 10 during the
insertion and detachment of the connecting conductor
are absorbed by it as closed system and thus forces
acting on other elements of the installation switching
device such as, for example, the housing, are reduced.
The conductor bar 102 can be produced in very large
numbers inexpensively and simply and in a wide variety
of forms, for example as a stamped bent part.
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The opening 20 of the terminal connection space 18 is
covered by a terminal cover part 22 swivelably
connected to the housing part 2.
The terminal cover part 22 comprises a first part-body
322, longitudinally extended in the direction of the
rear narrow side 8 and coupled swivelably to the
housing part 2 via a pivot pin 232, and a closing part
354 swivelably coupled to its free end via a film hinge
352, which extends approximately in parallel with the
rear face 305.
The first part-body 322 comprises a first cover plate
323 which covers the terminal connection space 18 in
the lower part, adjoining the mounting side 6, of the
narrow side 8 and which carries an approximately tube-
like counterpiece to the pivot pin 232 with which it is
coupled swivelably at the pivot pin. The first cover
plate 323 has a pressure area 330 which is accessible
from the outside and can be operated manually.
In the vicinity of the free end of the pressure area
330, the first cover plate 323 is connected via an
intermediate piece 325, pointing into the interior of
the housing, with a spacing area 338 which also extends
in parallel with the rear narrow side 8 in the
direction of the face 305 and covers the terminal
connection space 18 in the upper part of the narrow
side 8, adjoining the rear face 305.
At the free end of the spacing area 338, the
aforementioned film hinge 352 with the closing part
354, coupled swivelably thereto, is located.
This is a plate which, at its free end, overlaps at
least partially the part 356 at the housing side of the
rear face 305. The closing part 354 and the part 356 at
CA 02606346 2007-10-05
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the housing side of the rear face thus together form
the rear face.305.
At its free end, the closing part 354 carries pins 358
protruding laterally, pointing in the direction of the
wide sides 9. In the housing, a rocker-like guide 360
is attached close to the part 356, at the housing side,
of the rear face 305, in such a manner that the pins
358 are accommodated in the guide 360.
If then the terminal cover part 22 is swivelled in the
direction of the interior of the device by pressure on
the pressure area 330, the closing part 354 will slide
behind the part 356, at the housing side, of the rear
face 305 and is guided by the rocker-like guide 360
displaceably in parallel with the latter. During this
process, the angle changes between the closing part.354
and the spacing area 338.
Thus, the closing part 354 and the spacing area 338, in
the closed position according to Figure 6, form an
acute angle with one another which is open towards the
interior of the housing. In the position according to
Figure 7, the closing part 354 and the spacing area 338
.25 form an obtuse angle opening into the interior of the
housing when the terminal cover part 22 is swivelled
into the interior of the housing.
On actuation of the terminal cover part and the
associ.ated swivelling about the pivot pin 232, the
closing part 354 and the spacing area 338 also perform
a swivelling movement with respect to one another
around the film hinge 352.
By attaching the film hinge between the closing part
354 and the spacing area 338, the closing part 354 can
thus shift approximately parallel behind the part 356,
at the housing side, of the rear face 305, in a space
CA 02606346 2007-10-05
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saving manner. In the case of a rigid coupling as has
been previously known in the prior art, the closing
part 354 would swivel into the interior of the housing
and would there block space for its path of movement
which would then no longer be available for functional
assemblies or components of the switching device.
The intermediate piece 325. has a connecting area 324
pointing towards the outside. There is at least one
terminal opening 26 in the connecting area 24. Starting
from the terminal opening 26, a tube-like recess 28
passes through the intermediate piece 325, which
penetrates the intermediate piece 325 approximately
perpendicularly starting from the connecting area 324
and is thus used as guiding means for a connecting
conductor to be connected to the terminal connection
10.
The connecting conductor is guided through the terminal
opening 26 in the terminal cover part 22 and, after
leaving the tube-like opening 28, encounters the
clamping leg 216 of the clamping spring 312.
If the connecting conductor is a rigid conductor, the
clamping leg 216 of the clamping spring 312 can be
pressed away from the clamping edge 120, by means of
the connecting conductor alone, to such an extent that
the connecting conductor can be inserted and clamped
tight in the window-like opening 116 between the free
end of the clamping leg 216 and the clamping edge 120.
In the case of a flexible connecting conductor, the
window-like opening 116 must first be opened in another
way.
This is done by swivelling the terminal cover part 22.
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In the vicinity of the tube-like recess 28, the
terminal cover part 22 carries at the intermediate
piece 325 a nose 30, pointing towards the clamping leg
216, which is used as spring actuating means.
Naturally, the nose 30 can also be other protruding
components, in particular, the function of the nose 30
could also be formed by a web surrounding the exit
opening of the tube-like recess 28 in the manner of a
collar.
Due to the restoring spring force of the clamping leg
216, the latter presses the nose 30, and thus the
terminal cover part 20, towards the outside.
The terminal cover part 22 is swivelled inward by
pressure on the pressure area 330 or on the spacing
area 338, and the clamping leg 216 is pressed away from
.the clamping edge 120 via the nose 30 to such an extent
that the window-like opening 116 becomes free for
insertin.g the cbnnecting conductor, see Figure 7.
The nose 30 forms a spring actuating means. It is
moulded onto the terminal cover part 22 and constructed
in such a manner that, when the cover part is swivelled
against the clamping spring, it loads it to open close
to the bending edge.
Due to its alignment in such a manner that it loads the
clamping spring to open close to the bending edges when
the cover part is swivelled, less force expenditure is
required during the opening actuation of the terminal
cover part, the opening area in the clamping window
remaining of the same size.
In an actual example, the first and second part-
clamping leg 217, 218 form an angle of approximately
160. Compared to a clamping spring with straight
CA 02606346 2007-10-05
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unbent clamping leg 216, otherwise unchanged, the
introduction of the angle halves the actuating force
with maximum terminal aperture.
A corresponding procedure is adopted for detaching a
connecting conductor clamped on. Pressure on the
terminal cover part 22 detaches the clamping between
the clamping leg 216 and the connecting conductor in
the manner described above so,that the latter can be
pulled out of the window-like opening 116. Due to the
kinked construction of the clamping leg 216, described
above, the actuating force for detaching the connecting
conductor is also much lower:
As an alternative, the opening movement of the terminal
cover part 22 can also be effected by a commercially
available longitudinal-slot or crossed-slot screwdriver
364. For this purpose, the latter is placed into a
receiving opening 350, suitable for reception (slot-,
cross-shaped or spherical recess) at the spacing area
338 at an acute angle and the terminal is opened by a
pressure movement with the screwdriver 364.
Even if only one terminal opening 26 and only one
tubular recess 28 are shown in the representation
according to Figures 6 and 7, two or more such terminal
openings and recesses can actually also be provided for
receiving and connecting a number of connecting
conductors in the intermediate piece 325. All connected
connecting conductors can be clamped on with a common
clamping spring via its clamping legs 216. When the
terminal cover part 22 is actuated, all connected
conductors are then released simultaneously and can be
detached simultaneously.
The terminal cover part 22 with the first part-body
322, the hinge 352 and the closing part 354 can also
CA 02606346 2007-10-05
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consist of two material components having different
mechanical properties.
These can be joined to one another in a two-component
injection moulding process.
The result is then a hard/soft compound. The hard
component forms the major component. The first part-
body 322 is produced from this. It is used for
transferring the actuating forces to the clamping
spring 312 and during this process preventing or at
least minimizing a bending-through of the component.
The soft component is used in the area of the hinge 352
and of the closing part 354.
This provides for easy mobility of the hinge which is
required so that the angular change of the angle
between the closing part 354 and the first part-body
322 on actuation of the terminal cover part 22 as
described above can be easily adjusted.
Flexibility of the closing part 354 also contributes to
the latter being able to bend into itself to some
extent when it is displaced in. parallel with the rear
face 305 towards the front narrow side 7 in the rocker-
like guide 360 and can thus rest against the front
narrow side 305 even more easily and narrowly.
Overall, this leads to a very close guidance of the
closing part 354 at the rear face 305, and thus to
great space saving during the swivelling of the
terminal cover part 322.
CA 02606346 2007-10-05
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List of reference designations
1 Installation switching device
2 Housing part
2a Plane of separation
4 Front face
Rear face
6 Connecting side
7 Front narrow side
8 Rear narrow side
9 Wide side
Screwless terminal connection
12 Clamping spring
13a, b Part-spring
= 14 Connecting conductor
16 Stripped connecting conductor end
18 Terminal connection space
Terminal connection space opening
22 Cover part, terminal cover part
24 Terminal face
26 Terminal opening
28 Guiding means, hollow body
Spring actuating means
102 Conductor bar
104 Web
106 Pin
108 Pin
110 Projection
112 Connecting end
114 Discharge area
116 Window-like opening
118 Support edge
120 Clamping edge
212 Support leg
214 Arc piece
216 Clamping leg
217 First part-clamping leg
218 Second part-clamping leg
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2181 Slot
219 Bending edge
220 Crossbar
222 Second U-leg
224 Upward bend
226 Discharge bar
228 Upward bend
230 Pressure area
232 Hinge pin
234 Projection
236 Test opening
304 Front face
305 Rear face
312 Clamping spring
322 First part-body
323 First cover plate
324 Connecting area
325 Intermediate piece
330 Pressure area
338 Spacing area
350 Engagement opening
352 Film hinge
354 Closing part
356 Part, at the housing side, of the rear face
358 Pin
360 Rocker-like guide
364 Screwdriver
