Bridging device for meter connection terminal

Abstract

Bridging device (1) for a meter connection terminal (4, 5) for bridging an electricity meter connected to the meter connection terminal (4, 5), wherein a number of electrically conductive terminal blocks (4) are arranged in the housing (3) of the meter connection terminal (4, 5), which can be contacted with the bridging contacts (15) of the bridging device (1) when the bridging device is placed on the housing (3) of the meter connection terminal (4, 5), wherein the bridging device (1) has two locking devices (7, 7a) which are arranged on both sides of the side surfaces of the bridging device (1) for locking between the bridging device (1) and the housing (3) of the meter connection terminal (4, 5), and which consist of pivotable hook parts (25) which interact with locking projections on the housing (3) or on a housing cover (2), characterized in that the bridging device (1) is for a is trained in two-handed operationand that the locking device (7, 7a) on one side can be actuated with the finger of one hand and the further locking device (7, 7a) on the opposite side can be actuated with the finger of another hand, and that each locking device (7) is designed as a two-armed lever, and that one lever part serves as a handle (10) and the pivot bearing (8) of the lever is formed as a flexible part on the side surface of the bridging device (1) and the other part carries a locking hook (12) at its free end, and that the locking devices (7) are each arranged below an arc-shaped arc part (14) which connects to the central part (13) of the housing of the bridging device (1) and thus covers the locking devices (7).

Description

[0001] The invention relates to a bridging device for a meter terminal according to the preamble of patent claim 1. Such a bridging device is known, for example, from the subject matter of DE 102 16 913 A1. The bridging device shown therein essentially consists of a self-contained bracket, on the underside of which electrically conductive contacts designed as blade contacts are arranged. When the bridging device is in use, it is plugged onto the top of a meter terminal, and the blade contacts penetrate through slots in the terminal cover and contact the spring contact strips arranged in the interior of the housing.

[0002] The purpose of the bridging device is to enable the replacement of an energy meter connected to the terminal block of the meter connection terminal without causing a voltage interruption.

[0003] For this purpose, the bridging device bridges the connected meter with its bridging contacts, whereby the blade contacts of the bridging device establish a conductive connection with the connection terminals and thereby cause a bridging of the connected meter.

[0004] A similar subject matter arises from DE 22 56 373 B2, in which a bridging device has U-shaped clamps on the underside, which bridge the bridging distance between the meter inlet and the meter outlet.

[0005] The disadvantage of both publications is that the bridging device is only loosely placed on the terminal block and it must be ensured that the blade contacts arranged on the underside of the bridging device engage with the spring contacts on the terminal side.

[0006] The position assignment is therefore achieved solely by inserting the bridging contacts into the terminal-side contacts. There are no additional holding forces. In particular, there is no position-locked insertion position.

[0007] It can even happen that the bridging device is tilted or not fully placed on the cover of the terminal housing.

[0008] An even greater danger is that, due to the insecure positional securing of the bridging device - because the holding force is provided solely by the contact of the bridging contacts - there is a risk that vibrations will be transmitted to the housing of the connection terminal when the energy meter is dismantled, causing the electrical contacts of the bridging device to become disengaged from the connection contacts in the housing and leading to an uncontrolled interruption of the power supply.

[0009] The result is that an arc can occur and the technician who is busy dismantling the energy meter can be injured by the resulting arc.

[0010] For this reason, locking devices are used, as are known from other areas of pluggable connection of contacts. For example, US 7 892 025 B2, which is not related to the generic type, shows how a plug contact has lateral locking latches that engage with locking projections on the socket housing to which the contact is to be connected, in order to establish a secure connection.

[0011] DE 10 2014 101 067 B3 describes a bridging device for a meter terminal. It is used to bridge an electricity meter connected to the meter terminal. The housing of the meter terminal contains several electrically conductive terminal blocks. These are arranged in such a way that they contact the bridging contacts when the bridging device is placed in place.

[0012] The bridging device is equipped with two locking devices. These ensure a secure fit on the housing of the meter terminal. The locking devices are located on both sides of the bridging device and consist of pivoting locking pawls that interact with locking projections on the housing.

[0013] The locking latch is a pivoting two-armed lever. When placed on the housing, its hooked end engages behind a locking projection designed as an undercut at the end of a sliding carriage. Only when the carriage is pulled toward the interior of the housing does the hooked end release, allowing the bypass device to be removed.

[0014] JP 2011 - 95 134 A also describes a locking device for a bridging device. In this case, several pivoting levers must be operated manually to fully assemble the device. Removing the device is equally complex due to the large number of levers.

[0015] DE 10 2011 015 697 A1 describes a bridging device featuring hook-shaped bridging contacts with lateral contact tracks. These contact tracks are arranged on the plate-shaped side surface of the contacts. The locking is achieved via an externally actuated pivot lever that engages the hook-shaped end. While this design ensures secure locking, it limits contact due to the narrow contact tracks.

[0016] The invention is therefore based on the object of developing a bridging device for meter connection terminals of the type mentioned at the outset in such a way that the bridging device can be handled in a significantly more reliable manner.

[0017] To achieve the stated object, the invention is characterized by the technical teaching of claim 1.

[0018] A feature of the invention is that a manually operated locking mechanism is provided between the bridging device and the housing of the connecting terminal.

[0019] This technical teaching provides the advantage that the contacting on the one hand and the mechanical holding of the bridging device on the other hand are now functionally separated from one another, because the holding force is no longer provided solely by the contact force of the contact terminals - as in the prior art - but according to the invention a locking device is provided on the bridging device, which interacts with associated locking projections on the housing of the connection terminal.

[0020] In a first, preferred embodiment, it can be provided that the locking device is arranged on the two opposite narrow sides of the approximately bow-shaped bridging device and the locking projections are provided on the side surfaces of the housing, e.g., on the cover or on a peripheral or partially present edge of the housing.

[0021] In a kinematic reversal of the above-mentioned solution, which is not covered by the invention, it is provided that the locking device is arranged on the side surfaces of the housing and the locking projections are each arranged on the narrow side of the bow-shaped bridging device.

[0022] In a preferred embodiment, it is provided that the locking device is designed as a two-armed lever, which means that one lever part serves as a handle and the pivot bearing of the lever is formed as a bendable part on the side surface of the bridging device and the other part carries the locking hook at its free end.

[0023] Instead of a two-armed locking device, in another embodiment not according to the invention, this locking device can also be designed as a single-armed device.

[0024] In a preferred embodiment, it is provided that the bridging device consists of an approximately mirror-symmetrical part, which consists of a transverse part on which mirror-symmetrical, arched arch parts are formed on both sides.

[0025] The purpose of this measure is to ensure that the bridging device can only be grasped with two hands for actuation with the terminal block, with one hand operating the locking mechanism on one side and the other hand operating the locking mechanism on the opposite side. This prevents the bridging device from being operated with only one hand, which could lead to incorrect operation. This is a deadman's operation, because the curved parts on the outside of the bridging device ensure that only one locking mechanism can be operated with the fingers of one hand at a time.

[0026] For this purpose, the curved parts each have inner stop surfaces which are formed with approximately the same radius of curvature as the opposite stop surface assigned to this stop surface on one lever part which is designed as a handle of the locking device.

[0027] Accordingly, in a preferred embodiment, the locking device is designed as a two-armed lever, one of which is the handle, and the pivot bearing of this lever is cast as a bent part in the form of a bendable pin-shaped connecting part onto the plastic material of the bridging device.

[0028] Thus, one lever part in the design as a handle continues beyond the pivot bearing as a lower hook part, and the inwardly directed locking hook is arranged at the free lower end of this hook part.

[0029] In a preferred embodiment, it is provided that these locking hooks engage a lateral locking edge of the housing.

[0030] In another embodiment, it can be provided that instead of a locking mechanism on the edge of the housing, a locking mechanism takes place on the underside of the cover of the housing.

[0031] In another, modified embodiment, it can also be provided that the bridging device is not formed with two arc parts directed towards each other, but forms a self-contained bracket part which defines a central inner and self-contained recess which is intended for the passage through with one hand.

[0032] What is important in all designs is that the bridging device only allows two-handed operation because the respective locking device is designed symmetrically to each other on opposite sides and can only be operated with one hand.

[0033] The subject matter of the present invention results not only from the subject matter of the individual patent claims, but also from the combination of the individual patent claims with one another.

[0034] All information and features disclosed in the documents, including the abstract, in particular the spatial configuration shown in the drawings, are claimed as essential to the invention insofar as they are new, individually or in combination, compared to the prior art.

[0035] To the extent that individual subject matter is designated as "essential to the invention" or "important," this does not mean that these subject matter must necessarily form the subject matter of an independent claim. This is determined solely by the applicable version of the independent patent claim.

[0036] The invention is explained in more detail below with reference to drawings illustrating several embodiments. Further essential features and advantages of the invention will become apparent from the drawings and their description.

[0037] They show: Fig. 1: Exploded view of the bridging device in connection with the parts of the terminal in the non-contacted state Fig. 2: the same representation as Fig. 1 in contacted state Fig. 3: the side view of the device after Fig. 1 and Fig. 2 from one side Fig. 4: the view from the front Fig. 5: the opposite Fig. 3 Side view rotated by 180° Fig. 6: the top view of the bridging device Fig. 7: the top view of the bottom side of the housing Fig. 8: one opposite Fig. 1 to 7 modified embodiment of a bridging device Fig. 9: the locking principle of the bridging device after the execution of the Fig. 1 to 8 Fig. 10: one opposite Fig. 9 modified example of a locking device

[0038] In the Fig. 1 to 7, the bridging device 1 consists of an electrically insulating plastic, in the base of which the associated bridging contacts 15 are embedded in the form of embeddings 29. It is important that the bridging contacts 15 do not form a conductive connection with one another, as is known in the prior art. In these known arrangements, a conductive connection exists between the individual bridging contacts 15. This has the disadvantage that, when bridging occurs, high current flows through the bridging device 1, which are associated with undesirable heating of the bridging device 1. In this case, undesirably increased power losses also occur.

[0039] With the singular and insulating embedding of the bridging contacts 15 according to the invention in the form of the embeddings 29 in the plastic material of the bridging device 1, there are no current flows between the bridging contacts 15 and this results in a significant increase in operating safety and a reduction in current flows.

[0040] In the embodiment shown, the bridging contacts 15 consist of blade contacts, which in only one embodiment are formed from a solid material and have front tips.

[0041] In other embodiments, other shapes of bridging contacts 15 may also be used.

[0042] The bridging device 1 essentially consists of a central part 13 which is elongated and at whose two opposite ends outwardly directed curved parts 14 are formed.

[0043] Each arched part 14 forms on its underside a stop surface 26, which is arranged in the region of an arched surface 27.

[0044] The locking device 7 according to the invention is molded onto the opposite narrow sides of the bridging device 1. Since the locking devices 7 are identical on both sides, a description of a single locking device 7 is sufficient.

[0045] In another embodiment, it can be provided that the locking devices 7 according to the invention are arranged on the front and rear of the bridging device.

[0046] In the illustrated embodiment, each locking device 7 consists of a connecting part 9, which is integrally formed on the side wall of the bridging device 1. The connecting part 9 forms the pivot bearing for a two-armed lever, in which one lever part is designed as a handle 10 and the other lever part is designed as a hook part 25, which adjoins the pivot bearing 8.

[0047] By pressing the curved finger groove 11, it is moved in the direction of the arrow 22 (see Fig. 4) with the associated inner stop surface 28 against the device-side stop surface 26 until it strikes there. When the locking device is actuated, the curved part 14 can be pulled upward at the same time.

[0048] During this movement, the locking hook 12 is disengaged from its locking projection in the direction of arrow 23 and the bridging device can be pulled upwards at the same time.

[0049] The housing of the terminal block essentially consists of a self-contained housing 3 made of an insulating plastic material, in the interior of which a number of terminal blocks 4 are arranged, which consist of an electrically conductive material.

[0050] On one side of the terminal blocks 4, the connection sides for the cable connections are arranged in the form of electrical conductors, while on the opposite side the meter connection pins are inserted and clamped there.

[0051] The housing is sealed by a cover 2, in the top of which a number of slots 16 are arranged, through which the knife-like bridging contacts 15 of the bridging device 1 engage.

[0052] The terminal blocks 4 consist of a number of connecting terminals 5 arranged separately from one another and insulated from one another by partition walls, which are made of an electrically conductive material.

[0053] The locking device 7 shown of the bridging device 1 locks with a lateral locking edge 6 on the outside of the housing 3.

[0054] The Fig. 2 shows the locked state, where it can be seen that the locking hooks 12 of the spaced-apart locking devices 7 engage under the locking edge 6 of the housing 3.

[0055] The Fig. 3 to 7 show the different views of the arrangement according to Fig. 2, where the same parts were given the same reference numerals.

[0056] It can be seen that the locking hook 12 extends beyond the side surface of the housing 3 and in Fig. 7 also shows the view of the bottom side 19 of the housing.

[0057] From the Fig. 3 and Fig. 5 shows that the locking device 7 is not positioned symmetrically on the side surface of the housing 3, but that there is a lateral offset.

[0058] The bridging of the terminal blocks 4 is achieved by the bridging contacts 15 of the bridging device 1 engaging in the associated terminal-side contact slots 17 between the individual electrically insulated connection terminals 5 and establishing an electrically conductive connection between adjacent connection terminals 5, which are arranged on either side of the contact slot 17.

[0059] The Fig. 1 also shows that the bridging device 1 can be connected on its underside to a test pin 18, which extends into an associated test opening in the cover 2 and can be contacted with a special connection terminal 5.

[0060] The Fig. Figure 8 shows, as a further embodiment of a bridging device 21, that instead of the oppositely arranged curved parts, each of which is bent outward and partially overlaps the locking device 7, a bracket part 24 can also be provided, which defines a self-contained recess 20. In this case, the locking device 7 is no longer covered by a curved part 14, but is arranged freely on the outer surface of the bridging device 21.

[0061] Otherwise, the same explanations apply to the same parts.

[0062] The Fig. 9 shows the locking principle according to the Fig. 1 to 8, where it can be seen that when finger pressure is applied to the curved handle 10 in the direction of arrow 22, the hook part 25 is pivoted outwards in the direction of arrow 23 and comes out of engagement with the locking edge 6.

[0063] The Fig. 10 shows the modification to the Fig. 9, where it can be seen that the locking device 7a can also be designed as a single-armed lever. In this case, the hook part 25 continues downward with a handle 10, and the disengagement of the locking hook 12 must be achieved by pulling the spring-loaded part outward in the direction of arrow 23 against the spring force of the connecting part 9.

[0064] The present application does not demonstrate that it is not necessary for the solution to be implemented if the locking device 7 is formed integrally with the bridging device 1 as a plastic injection-molded part. It may also be provided to construct the entire locking device 7 as a metal part and to generate the spring force not via the bending capacity of the connecting part and the two lever parts 10 and 25, but instead to use bending springs or compression springs.

[0065] Instead of a locking device, clamp connections can also be used between the bridging device and the housing of the terminal.

[0066] A preferred embodiment of a clamping connection is in the form that a rotary shaft is arranged on each of the narrow sides of the bridging device, which is rotatably mounted in the bridging device and - with respect to the Fig. 1 - is vertically aligned. The upper end of the rotating shaft is connected to a suitable handle for rotational movement, while the lower end of the rotating shaft is connected to a clamping eccentric. Thus, the clamping eccentric can be pivoted into an open position and a clamping position upon rotation of the shaft. In the open position, the clamping eccentric is disengaged from an associated housing edge 6 on the housing 3, while in the closed position, the clamping surface of the clamping eccentric engages under the housing edge 6 of the housing 3.

[0067] The arrangement of two rotating shafts arranged at a distance from each other, each with a handle and a clamping eccentric, ensures that such an arrangement is only operated with two hands at the same time. Drawing legend 1 bridging device 2 lids 3 housings 4 terminal blocks 5 connection terminals 6 rest area 7 locking device 7a 8 swivel bearings 9 Connecting part 10 Handle 11 Finger groove 12 locking hooks 13 Middle section 14 Arch part 15 Bridging contact 16 slots 17 Contact slot 18 Test pin 19 Bottom side 20 recess 21 Bridging device 22 Arrow direction 23 Arrow direction 24 bracket part 25 hook part 26 stop surface (of 1) 27 arched area 28 stop surface (of 7) 29 Embedding

Claims

[1] Bridging device (1) for a meter connection terminal (4, 5) for bridging an electricity meter connected to the meter connection terminal (4, 5), wherein a number of electrically conductive terminal blocks (4) are arranged in the housing (3) of the meter connection terminal (4, 5), which can be contacted with the bridging contacts (15) of the bridging device (1) when the bridging device is placed on the housing (3) of the meter connection terminal (4, 5), wherein the bridging device (1) has two locking devices (7, 7a) which are arranged on both sides of the side surfaces of the bridging device (1) for locking between the bridging device (1) and the housing (3) of the meter connection terminal (4, 5), and consist of pivotable hook parts (25) which interact with locking projections on the housing (3) or on a housing cover (2), characterized bythat the bridging device (1) is designed for two-handed operation, and that the locking device (7, 7a) on one side can be actuated with the finger of one hand and the further locking device (7, 7a) on the opposite side can be actuated with the finger of another hand, and that in each case one locking device (7) is designed as a two-armed lever, and that one lever part serves as a handle (10) and the pivot bearing (8) of the lever is formed as a bendable part on the side surface of the bridging device (1) and the other part carries a locking hook (12) at its free end, and that the locking devices (7) are each arranged below an arcuate arc part (14) which adjoins the central part (13) of the housing of the bridging device (1) and thus covers the locking devices (7). [2] Bridging device according to claim 1, characterized bythat the locking device (7) engages between the bridging device (1) and the housing (3) of the meter connection terminal (4, 5) when the bridging device (1) is manually placed on. [3] Bridging device (1) according to claim 1 or 2, characterized by that the bridging device (1) consists of an electrically insulating plastic, in the bottom surface of which the bridging contacts (15) are embedded in the form of embeddings (29) and that the locking device (7) is formed integrally with the bridging device (1) as a plastic injection-molded part. [4] Bridging device (1) according to one of claims 1 to 3, characterized by that the locking device (7) with the locking hook (12) engages under a locking edge (6) of the housing (3). [5] Bridging device (1) according to one of claims 1 to 4, characterized bythat the lever part of the locking device (7) designed as a handle (10) is designed as a half-open, bent finger recess (11). [6] Bridging device (1) according to claim 5, characterized by that the curved parts (14) each have inner stop surfaces (26) which are formed with approximately the same radius of curvature as the opposite stop surfaces (28) of the curved finger recesses (11) assigned to this stop surface (26).

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