Quick connector and electrical equipment assembly

Abstract

Embodiments of the present disclosure provide a quick connector and an electrical equipment assembly. The quick connector comprises: an insulating body; a pin connected with the insulating body and used for being inserted into a jack of an electrical equipment; and a hardness reinforcing layer located at least at a region of the pin used for abutting against a clamping spring in the electrical equipment. Embodiments of the present disclosure improve the pin of the quick connector, so that the electrical equipment can be quickly separated from the quick connector without additional configuration of an additional jack and a spring.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] Embodiments of this disclosure pertain to the field of electrical equipment, and more specifically, to a quick connector and electrical equipment assembly. Background Technology

[0002] Electrical connections between electrical equipment and wires can be achieved using screwless electrical connections. Screwless electrical connections consist of clamping springs located inside the electrical equipment and a release mechanism located within the equipment. When a wire is inserted into the socket of the electrical equipment, the end of the clamping spring extends into the socket and presses against the wire, allowing current to flow between the wire and the metal conductor. When the wire is under tension, the end of the clamping spring engages with the surface of the wire (the end of the clamping spring penetrates the surface of the wire), further securing the connection between the wire and the metal conductor. When it is necessary to remove the wire from the electrical equipment, pressing the release mechanism causes the clamping spring to elastically deform, disengaging the end of the clamping spring from the wire, allowing the wire to be pulled out of the socket. Utility Model Content

[0003] In a first aspect of this disclosure, a quick connector is provided, comprising: an insulating body; pins connected to the insulating body and for insertion into a socket of an electrical device; and a rigidity reinforcing layer located at least in a region of the pins for abutting against the ends of clamping springs in the electrical device.

[0004] In some embodiments, the hardness of the hardness reinforcement layer is greater than the hardness of the clamping spring.

[0005] In some embodiments, the Vickers hardness of the hardness-reinforcing layer is not less than 500.

[0006] In some embodiments, the pins are plate-shaped and include a first side and a second side facing away from each other. The first side faces the metal conductor in the socket, and the second side faces the end of the clamping spring. A hardness-reinforcing layer is disposed on the second side.

[0007] In some embodiments, the hardness reinforcement layer is fixed to the pin by riveting, or the hardness reinforcement layer is a plating layer formed on the pin, or the hardness reinforcement layer is fixed to the pin by welding.

[0008] In some embodiments, the ends of the pins are U-shaped, and a rigidity reinforcement layer is U-shaped and disposed on the U-shaped ends of the pins.

[0009] In some embodiments, the pins are made of copper or a brass alloy, and / or the hardening layer is made of stainless steel.

[0010] In some embodiments, the insulating body is provided with a plurality of pin groups, each pin group including a plurality of pins, the plurality of pins of each pin group being used to mate with a plurality of sockets of a corresponding electrical device in a plurality of electrical devices.

[0011] In some embodiments, the pins are arranged in pairs, with the two pins of each pin pair being electrically connected to each other inside an insulating body, and one of the two pins being used to insert into the socket of an electrical device, and the other of the two pins being used to insert into the socket of another electrical device.

[0012] In a second aspect of this disclosure, an electrical device assembly is provided, comprising: a quick connector according to a first aspect of this disclosure; and an electrical device including a socket, a clamping spring, and a metal conductor, wherein the socket is for receiving a pin of the quick connector, and the end of the clamping spring is adapted to extend into the socket to abut against a rigidity reinforcement layer, thereby pressing the pin against the metal conductor.

[0013] In embodiments according to this disclosure, a rigidity reinforcement layer is provided on the pins of the quick connector. This rigidity reinforcement layer abuts against the end of a clamping spring in the socket of the electrical device, causing the pins to abut against the metal conductor in the socket, thus achieving a reliable electrical connection between the pins and the metal conductor. The rigidity reinforcement layer has high rigidity, and even when the quick connector is subjected to tensile force, its surface is unlikely to engage with the end of the clamping spring. Therefore, there is no need to press a release mechanism to disengage the end of the clamping spring from the rigidity reinforcement layer, allowing the pins to be pulled out of the socket. In this way, the electrical device can be quickly separated from the quick connector without the need for additional sockets and springs, thereby simplifying the structure of the electrical device and reducing its cost.

[0014] It should be understood that the content described in this section is not intended to limit the key or essential features of the embodiments of this disclosure, nor is it intended to restrict the scope of this disclosure. Other features of this disclosure will become readily apparent from the following description. Attached Figure Description

[0015] The above and other features, advantages, and aspects of the embodiments of this disclosure will become more apparent from the accompanying drawings and the following detailed description. In the drawings, the same or similar reference numerals denote the same or similar elements, wherein:

[0016] Figure 1 A perspective view of an electrical equipment assembly according to some embodiments of the present disclosure is shown. The electrical equipment assembly includes a quick connector according to some embodiments of the present disclosure, the quick connector being in a detached state from the electrical equipment.

[0017] Figure 2 It shows Figure 1The diagram shows a partial cross-sectional view of the electrical equipment assembly at the socket of the electrical equipment, with the pins of the quick connector inserted into the socket of the electrical equipment; and

[0018] Figure 3 It shows Figure 1 A partial 3D schematic diagram of the pins of the quick connector in the image. Detailed Implementation

[0019] Preferred embodiments of the present disclosure will now be described in more detail with reference to the accompanying drawings. While preferred embodiments of the present disclosure are shown in the drawings, it should be understood that the present disclosure may be implemented in various forms and should not be limited to the embodiments set forth herein. Rather, these embodiments are provided so that the present disclosure will be thorough and complete, and will fully convey the scope of the present disclosure to those skilled in the art.

[0020] The term "comprising" and its variations as used herein signify open inclusion, i.e., "including but not limited to". Unless otherwise stated, the term "or" means "and / or". The term "based on" means "at least partially based on". The terms "one example embodiment" and "one embodiment" mean "at least one example embodiment". The term "another embodiment" means "at least one additional embodiment". The terms "first", "second", etc., may refer to different or the same objects.

[0021] As described above, a screwless electrical connection includes a clamping spring disposed inside the electrical device and a release mechanism disposed on the electrical device. When a wire is inserted into the socket of the electrical device, the end of the clamping spring extends into the socket and presses against the wire, so that the wire presses against the metal conductor in the socket to allow current to flow through the wire and the metal conductor. When it is necessary to remove the wire from the electrical device, pressing the release mechanism causes the clamping spring to elastically deform under the action of the release mechanism, causing the end of the clamping spring to disengage from the wire, and the wire can then be pulled out of the socket.

[0022] In some embodiments, the aforementioned wires are replaced with quick connectors with pins. When the pins of the quick connector are inserted into the socket of an electrical device, the end of a clamping spring extends into the socket and presses against the pin, causing the pin to press against the metal conductor in the socket. If a pulling force is applied directly to the quick connector, the end of the clamping spring will engage with the surface of the pin, resulting in a more secure contact between the pin and the metal conductor. Therefore, when it is necessary to remove the quick connector from the electrical device, the release mechanism must be pressed to disengage the end of the clamping spring from the pin before the pin can be pulled out of the socket.

[0023] In some embodiments, to enable quick disconnection of the quick connector from the electrical device, in addition to the socket for connecting to a wire, the electrical device also provides an additional socket for connecting to the pins of the quick connector, and two spring contacts corresponding to the additional socket. In some embodiments, the two spring contacts are electrically connected to the aforementioned metal conductor inside the electrical device. The two spring contacts have arcuate segments projecting towards each other, forming a space between the arcuate segments of the two spring contacts to hold the pins. The electrical device can be connected to a wire through the socket configured with the holding spring contacts, or it can be connected to the pins of the quick connector through the additional socket configured with the two spring contacts.

[0024] When the pins of the quick connector are inserted into the additional socket, they are held by the arcuate segments of two springs, thus establishing an electrical connection between the pins and the two springs. When a certain pulling force is applied to the quick connector, the pins can be easily pulled out of the additional socket because the springs abut against the pins through the arcuate segments without engaging with the pin surfaces. However, in this scheme that allows the quick connector to be quickly removed from the electrical equipment, the electrical equipment not only needs to be equipped with sockets and holding springs, but also requires additional additional sockets and springs. This is detrimental to simplifying the structure of the electrical equipment and results in higher costs.

[0025] Embodiments of this disclosure provide a quick connector and an electrical device assembly that, through improvements to the quick connector's pins, allows the electrical device to be quickly separated from the quick connector without the need for additional sockets and springs. In the following, [the following will be combined with...] Figures 1 to 3 The principles of this disclosure are described.

[0026] Figure 1 A perspective view of an electrical equipment assembly according to some embodiments of the present disclosure is shown. The electrical equipment assembly includes an electrical device 500 and a quick connector 100 according to some embodiments of the present disclosure, wherein the quick connector 100 is in a detached state from the electrical device 500. Figure 2 A partial cross-sectional schematic diagram is shown at the socket 50 of the electrical device 500, with the pin 20 of the quick connector 100 inserted into the socket 50 of the electrical device. Figure 3 A partial perspective view of the pin 20 of the quick connector 100 is shown.

[0027] See Figure 1 and Figure 2In some embodiments, the quick connector 100 includes an insulating body 10, pins 20, and a rigidity reinforcement layer 30. The number of pins 20 can be set as needed; the pins 20 connect to the insulating body 10 and are used for insertion into corresponding sockets 50 of the electrical device 500. The rigidity reinforcement layer 30 is disposed on a portion of the pins 20. In some embodiments, the pins 20 may be made of copper or a brass alloy. Of course, in some alternative embodiments, the pins 20 may also be made of other suitable materials.

[0028] See Figure 2 In some embodiments, the electrical device 500 includes a socket 50, a clamping spring 51, a metal conductor 52, and a release element 53. The socket 50 can accommodate a corresponding pin 20 or a wire (not shown). A portion of the metal conductor 52 is located in the socket 50. When the pin 20 is inserted into the socket 50, the clamping spring 51 and the metal conductor 52 are located on both sides of the pin 20, and the end 511 of the clamping spring 51 applies pressure to the pin 20, pressing the pin 20 against the metal conductor 52, thereby achieving a reliable electrical connection between the pin 20 and the metal conductor 52.

[0029] See also Figure 2 The rigidity reinforcement layer 30 is located at least in the area of ​​the pin 20 that abuts against the end 511 of the clamping spring 51. That is, when the pin 20 is inserted into the socket 50, the end 511 of the clamping spring 51 applies pressure to the pin 20 by pressing against the rigidity reinforcement layer 30, causing the pin 20 to press against the metal conductor 52. The rigidity reinforcement layer 30 has high rigidity, and when the quick connector 100 is subjected to tension, the surface of the rigidity reinforcement layer 30 is not easily engaged with the end 511 of the clamping spring 51. Therefore, it is not necessary to press the release member 53 to disengage the end 511 of the clamping spring 51 from the rigidity reinforcement layer 30, and the pin 20 can be pulled out of the socket 50. In this way, the electrical device 500 can be quickly separated from the quick connector 100 without the need for additional sockets and springs, thereby simplifying the structure of the electrical device 500 and reducing its cost. It is understandable that the hardness reinforcement layer 30 is placed in the area that does not affect the electrical connection between the pin 20 and the metal conductor 52.

[0030] In some embodiments, the hardness-reinforcing layer 30 may be made of stainless steel, for example, by heat-treating the stainless steel to achieve the required Vickers hardness (HVc). It is understood that the hardness of the hardness-reinforcing layer 30 is greater than the hardness of the pin 20. In some embodiments, the hardness of the hardness-reinforcing layer 30 is greater than the hardness of the clamping spring 51. In some embodiments, the Vickers hardness of the hardness-reinforcing layer 30 is not less than 500. Of course, in some alternative embodiments, the material of the hardness-reinforcing layer 30 is not limited to stainless steel, and the Vickers hardness range of the hardness-reinforcing layer 30 is not limited to the examples above. The hardness-reinforcing layer 30 only needs to satisfy the requirement that when the quick connector 100 is subjected to tensile force, the surface of the hardness-reinforcing layer 30 does not easily engage with the end 511 of the clamping spring 51.

[0031] See Figure 2 and Figure 3 This illustrates an exemplary embodiment of the pin 20 and the rigidity reinforcement layer 30. In some embodiments, the pin 20 is plate-shaped and includes a first side 21 and a second side 22 facing away from each other. The first side 21 faces the metal conductor 52 in the socket 50, and the second side 22 faces the end 511 of the clamping spring 51. The rigidity reinforcement layer 30 is disposed on the second side 22.

[0032] In some embodiments, the end 23 of the pin 20 is U-shaped, and the hardening reinforcement layer 30 is U-shaped and disposed on the U-shaped end of the pin 20. Of course, in some alternative embodiments, the structure of the pin 20 and the hardening reinforcement layer 30 may be implemented in other ways and is not limited to the examples described above. In some embodiments, the area of ​​the hardening reinforcement layer 30 is configured such that the end 511 of the clamping spring 51 does not contact the pin 20 during the insertion and removal of the pin 20 from the socket 50.

[0033] The stiffening layer 30 can be secured to the pin 20 by any suitable method. See also Figure 3 In some embodiments, the pin 20 and the hardening layer 30 are riveted together by a plurality of rivet posts 26. In some alternative embodiments, the hardening layer 30 may be a plating formed on the pin 20. In some alternative embodiments, the hardening layer 30 may be fixed to the pin 20 by welding. Of course, in some alternative embodiments, the hardening layer 30 may also be disposed on the pin 20 by other suitable means.

[0034] Although in the above embodiments, the pin 20 is exemplified by a sheet-like structure, it can be understood that in some alternative embodiments, the pin 20 may also have a columnar structure, and the columnar pin 20 may also be provided with the aforementioned hardness-reinforcing layer 30.

[0035] In some embodiments, the quick connector 100 may be, but is not limited to, a busbar, and the quick connector 100 may include, for example, a main interface 11 and two or more pin groups 25. Each pin group 25 corresponds, for example, to an electrical device 500, which may be, but is not limited to, a circuit breaker. Each pin group 25 includes a plurality of pins 20, which mate with a plurality of sockets 50 of the corresponding electrical device 500. The plurality of pins 20 of each pin group 25 are electrically connected to the main interface 11 inside the insulating body 10. It is understood that the number of pin groups 25 and the number of pins 20 included in each pin group 25 can be set as needed.

[0036] exist Figure 1 In the illustrated embodiment, the quick connector 100 includes four pin groups 25, and the quick connector 100 can be connected to four electrical devices 500. Each pin group 25 includes three pins 20, and each electrical device 500 includes three sockets 50 for mating with the three pins 20. For ease of illustration, Figure 1 Only electrical devices 500 that mate with one pin group 25 are shown in the diagram; electrical devices 500 that mate with other pin groups 25 are not shown.

[0037] In some alternative embodiments, the quick connector 100 may include a pin group 25, which includes a plurality of pins 20. The number of pins 20 included in a pin group 25 may be set as needed. The plurality of pins 20 of a pin group 25 are used to mate with a plurality of sockets 50 of an electrical device 500.

[0038] In some alternative embodiments, the pins 20 of the quick connector 100 are arranged in pairs, and the number of pin pairs can be set as needed. The two pins 20 of each pin pair are electrically connected to each other inside the insulating body 10. One pin 20 of each pin pair is used to insert into the socket 50 of an electrical device 500, and the other pin 20 of each pin pair is used to insert into the socket 50 of another electrical device 500, thereby achieving an electrical connection between the two electrical devices 500.

[0039] The following is combined Figure 1 and Figure 2 This describes the connection and disconnection process of the quick connector 100 and the electrical equipment 500.

[0040] When it is necessary to connect the quick connector 100 and the electrical equipment 500, each pin 20 of the quick connector 100 is inserted into the corresponding socket 50 of the corresponding electrical equipment 500, ensuring that the rigidity reinforcement layer 30 on each pin 20 faces the end 511 of the corresponding clamping spring 51. After each pin 20 is inserted into place, the end 511 of each clamping spring 51 extends into the socket 50 and abuts against the rigidity reinforcement layer 30, thereby pressing each pin 20 against the corresponding metal conductor 52.

[0041] When it is necessary to separate the quick connector 100 from the electrical equipment 500, there is no need to press the release member 53; simply apply a certain pulling force to the quick connector 100 to easily pull out the pin 20 from the socket 50. Because the rigidity reinforcement layer 30 has high rigidity, during the process of pulling the pin 20 out of the socket 50, the end 511 of the clamping spring 51 is unlikely to engage with the surface of the rigidity reinforcement layer 30, thus not hindering the removal of the quick connector 100.

[0042] As can be understood from the above, in some embodiments, a wire can be used instead of the quick connector 100. The process of inserting the wire into the socket 50 is largely the same as the process of inserting the pin 20 into the socket 50. When it is necessary to remove the wire from the socket 50, the end 511 of the clamping spring 51 needs to be disengaged from the wire by the release member 53.

[0043] In embodiments according to this disclosure, by modifying the pins 20 of the quick connector 100, the socket 50 and the clamping spring 51 of the electrical device 500 are adapted not only to mate with wires (not shown) but also to mate with the pins 20 of the quick connector 100, and the pins 20 can be quickly pulled out of the socket 50 without pressing the release member 53. Thus, the electrical device 500 can be quickly separated from the quick connector 100 without the need for additional sockets and springs, thereby simplifying the structure of the electrical device 500 and reducing its cost.

[0044] The various embodiments of this disclosure have been described above. These descriptions are exemplary and not exhaustive, and are not limited to the disclosed embodiments. Many modifications and variations will be apparent to those skilled in the art without departing from the scope and spirit of the described embodiments. The terminology used herein is chosen to best explain the principles, practical application, or technical improvements to the embodiments in the market, or to enable others skilled in the art to understand the embodiments disclosed herein.

Claims

1. A quick connector (100), characterized in that, include: Insulating body (10); The pin (20) is connected to the insulating body (10) and is used to be inserted into the socket (50) of the electrical equipment (500); as well as A hardness-enhancing layer (30) is located at least in the area of ​​the pin (20) that abuts against the end (511) of the clamping spring (51) in the electrical device (500).

2. The quick connector (100) according to claim 1, characterized in that, The hardness of the hardness-enhancing layer (30) is greater than the hardness of the clamping spring (51).

3. The quick connector (100) according to claim 1, characterized in that, The Vickers hardness of the hardness-enhancing layer (30) is not less than 500.

4. The quick connector (100) according to claim 1, characterized in that, The pin (20) is plate-shaped and includes a first side (21) and a second side (22) facing away from each other. The first side (21) is for facing the metal conductor (52) in the socket (50), and the second side (22) is for facing the end (511) of the clamping spring (51). The hardness reinforcement layer (30) is disposed on the second side (22).

5. The quick connector (100) according to claim 4, characterized in that, The hardness-enhancing layer (30) is fixed to the pin (20) by riveting, or The hardness-enhancing layer (30) is a plating layer formed on the pin (20), or The hardness-enhancing layer (30) is fixed to the pin (20) by welding.

6. The quick connector (100) according to claim 4, characterized in that, The end (23) of the pin (20) is U-shaped, and the hardness reinforcement layer (30) is U-shaped and disposed on the U-shaped end of the pin (20).

7. The quick connector (100) according to any one of claims 1 to 6, characterized in that, The pin (20) is made of copper or brass alloy, and / or the hardness-enhancing layer (30) is made of stainless steel.

8. The quick connector (100) according to any one of claims 1 to 6, characterized in that, The insulating body (10) is provided with a plurality of pin groups (25), each pin group (25) including a plurality of pins (20), and the plurality of pins (20) of each pin group (25) are used to cooperate with a plurality of sockets (50) of a corresponding electrical device in a plurality of electrical devices (500).

9. The quick connector (100) according to any one of claims 1 to 6, characterized in that, The pins (20) are arranged in pairs, and the two pins (20) of each pin pair are electrically connected to each other inside the insulating body (10), and One of the two pins (20) is used to be inserted into the socket (50) of an electrical device (500), and the other of the two pins (20) is used to be inserted into the socket (50) of another electrical device (500).

10. An electrical equipment assembly, characterized in that, include: The quick connector (100) according to any one of claims 1 to 9; and An electrical device (500) includes a socket (50), a clamping spring (51), and a metal conductor (52), wherein the socket (50) is used to receive the pin (20) of the quick connector (100), and the end (511) of the clamping spring (51) is adapted to extend into the socket (50) to abut against the rigidity reinforcement layer (30), thereby pressing the pin (20) against the metal conductor (52).

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