Screw terminal block and connection arrangement

Abstract

The invention relates to a screw terminal (100) for connecting an electrical conductor (L) to a printed circuit board section (210), comprising a housing (110) which has a conductor receiving opening (111) for receiving the conductor (L) to be connected and a printed circuit board insertion opening (113) for inserting the printed circuit board section (210) into the housing (110), and a clamping screw (115) received in a screw-in opening (114) of the housing, by means of which, in a connected state, the conductor (L) to be connected is pressed against the inserted printed circuit board section (210), wherein the housing (110) and the clamping screw (115) are each made of an insulating material.

Description

[0001] The invention relates to a screw terminal for connecting an electrical conductor to a printed circuit board section. Furthermore, the invention relates to a connection arrangement comprising at least one such screw terminal.

[0002] With screw terminals, electrical conductors are typically connected or clamped to an electrically conductive element, such as a busbar or a circuit board, using a clamping screw. Screw terminals are characterized by their high clamping forces, which can be consistently transmitted to electrical conductors over many years. With this terminal type, specified high clamping forces can be maintained without fluctuations, even when vibrations are acting on the screw terminal. Due to these properties, screw terminals are also the preferred choice for demanding industrial applications involving moving and vibrating machine parts.

[0003] Commonly available screw terminal housings are typically made of metal and can be manufactured, for example, using a stamping and bending process. These are sometimes designed so that two tabs overlap in the area where the clamping screw passes. It is also known to construct screw terminal housings from a single metal block. Such screw terminals are expensive and complex to manufacture.

[0004] The invention is based on the object of providing a screw connection terminal and a connection arrangement which are characterized by reduced manufacturing costs.

[0005] The object is achieved according to the invention with the features of the independent claims. Expedient embodiments and advantageous further developments of the invention are specified in the subclaims.

[0006] The screw terminal according to the invention comprises a housing having a conductor receiving opening for receiving the conductor to be connected and a printed circuit board insertion opening for inserting the printed circuit board section into the housing. Furthermore, the screw terminal comprises a clamping screw received in a screw-in opening of the housing, by means of which the conductor to be connected is pressed against the inserted printed circuit board section in a connected state. The housing and the clamping screw are each formed from an insulating material.

[0007] According to the invention, it is now provided that the screw terminal contains as little metal as possible, but rather both the housing and the clamping screw accommodated in the housing are made of an insulating material. The insulating material is preferably a plastic material. By using an insulating material, both the housing and the clamping screw can be manufactured using an injection molding process. In the injection molding process, the housing and the clamping screw can be manufactured with high precision while simultaneously reducing production costs and effort. Furthermore, the variety in the geometric design of the housing and the clamping screw is significantly increased compared to a screw terminal made of a metal material.In addition, the use of an insulating material makes the housing and the clamping screw touch-proof without the need for an additional casing around the actual housing. In order to achieve a high level of stability of the housing, the housing preferably has only three openings: the conductor receiving opening, the circuit board insertion opening and the screw-in opening. These three openings are preferably formed on three different side surfaces of the housing. The connected state is the state when the conductor inserted into the conductor receiving opening is electrically connected to the circuit board section inserted into the circuit board insertion opening. The circuit board section can be part of a circuit board having conductor tracks. Furthermore, a circuit board can also be understood to mean a busbar, and a circuit board section can also be understood to mean a busbar section.

[0008] The conductor receiving opening and the circuit board insertion opening are preferably formed on the housing in such a way that the conductor receiving opening opens into the circuit board insertion opening, so that in the connected state a direct contact can be formed between the conductor to be connected and the inserted circuit board section. By making direct contact between the conductor and the circuit board section, no additional components, in particular no electrically conductive components, need to be provided between the conductor and the circuit board section to effect contact. This can reduce the necessary installation space for the screw connection terminal, which enables the design of a screw connection terminal that is as compact as possible. Because the conductor receiving opening and the circuit board insertion opening open into one another, these two openings can form the terminal space for the conductor to be connected and the circuit board section.

[0009] The screw connection terminal can further comprise a pressure piece which is movably mounted on the housing and which, when connected, can be pressed onto the conductor to be connected by means of the clamping screw. By providing the pressure piece, the clamping screw can indirectly apply the clamping force to the conductor to be connected, thereby reducing the load acting on the conductor. The pressure piece can distribute the clamping force more widely across the conductor and thus over a larger area of ​​the conductor. The pressure piece can thus act as conductor protection. The pressure piece is preferably movably mounted on the housing so that the pressure piece can follow the movement of the clamping screw. The pressure piece is preferably movable relative to the housing.

[0010] To ensure secure movement of the pressure piece, the pressure piece can be positively and / or non-positively engaged with the clamping screw. This allows the pressure piece to be directly connected to the clamping screw. This ensures secure return of the pressure piece together with the clamping screw, particularly when the clamping screw is moved from a connected state to a disconnected state in order to release the connected conductor from the screw terminal.

[0011] In order to create a positive connection between the pressure piece and the clamping screw, the clamping screw can, for example, have a collar which can engage in an undercut formed on the pressure piece. To form the undercut, the pressure piece can have a recess pointing towards the clamping screw, into which the clamping screw can engage with its collar. The collar can be formed on an end section of the clamping screw pointing in the direction of the conductor to be connected. Viewed in cross-section, the end section of the clamping screw with the collar can have a T-shape. A snap-in connection between the clamping screw and the pressure piece is also possible, for example, in order to connect the pressure piece to the clamping screw.

[0012] For the movable mounting of the pressure piece on the housing, a guide can be formed between the pressure piece and the housing. For example, a rail-like guide can be formed between the pressure piece and the housing. Particularly preferably, the pressure piece can be guided on the housing via a dovetail guide. This enables particularly secure and defined, purely axial guidance of the pressure piece along the housing. The dovetail guide creates a tongue-and-groove connection between the pressure piece and the housing.

[0013] In addition to the housing and the clamping screw, the pressure piece is preferably also made of an insulating material, in particular a plastic material. This allows the pressure piece to also be designed to be touch-proof.

[0014] It is possible for the clamping screw and / or the pressure piece to be made of an insulating material that can indicate a temperature or pressure through a change in color. The insulating material can then change color depending on the temperature prevailing at the screw terminal or the strength of the pressure applied to the conductor being connected by the clamping screw or pressure piece, so that the temperature level or the strength of the pressure is visible to the user from the outside based on the respective color that appears. This can significantly improve the function of the screw terminal.

[0015] The clamping screw can preferably be designed as a shaft screw. When using a shaft screw, the pressure applied to the conductor by the clamping screw can be increased, since a particularly high compressive force can be achieved with a shaft screw.

[0016] To ensure a secure connection between the screw terminal and the printed circuit board section, the housing can have a locking means for locking onto the printed circuit board section. For example, the housing can have at least one locking hook that can hook into an opening formed in the printed circuit board section.

[0017] The object according to the invention is further achieved by means of a connection arrangement which has at least one printed circuit board section and at least one screw connection terminal arranged on the at least one printed circuit board section for connecting a conductor to the at least one printed circuit board section, wherein the at least one screw connection terminal can be designed and developed as described above.

[0018] The invention is explained in more detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings using a preferred embodiment.

[0019] They show: Fig. 1 is a schematic representation of a screw terminal according to the invention, Fig. 2 a schematic exploded view of the Fig. 1 shown screw terminal, Fig. 3 a schematic representation of a connection arrangement with a circuit board having several circuit board sections, to which a Fig. 1 shown screw terminal with connected conductor is arranged, Fig. 4 a schematic side view of the Fig. 3 shown connection arrangement, in which the pressure piece of the screw terminal is still lifted from the conductor to be connected, Fig. 5 a schematic sectional view along the Fig. 4 drawn line AA, Fig. 6 a schematic side view of the Fig. 3 shown connection arrangement, in which the pressure piece of the screw terminal is pressed against the conductor to be connected, and Fig. 7 a schematic sectional view along the Fig. 6 drawn line BB.

[0020] Fig. 1 shows a screw terminal 100 for connecting an electrical conductor L to a printed circuit board section 210 of a printed circuit board 200, as in Fig. 3 is shown. Fig. 2 shows the screw terminal 100 again in an exploded view.

[0021] The screw terminal 100 has a housing 110. The housing 110 has a conductor receiving opening 111, through which the conductor L to be connected can be inserted into the interior or terminal space 112 of the housing 110. Furthermore, the housing 110 has a printed circuit board insertion opening 113, through which the printed circuit board section 210 of the printed circuit board 200 can be inserted. The conductor receiving opening 111 and the printed circuit board insertion opening 113 are formed on opposite sides of the housing 110. The conductor receiving opening 111 and the printed circuit board insertion opening 113 open into one another and together form the terminal space 112, in which the conductor L to be connected is directly clamped against the printed circuit board section 210 and thus electrically contacted, as shown, for example, in Fig. 7 can be seen.

[0022] In addition, the housing 110 has a screw-in opening 114 with an internal thread, in which a clamping screw 115 is received. The clamping screw 115 is designed here as a shank screw. By means of the clamping screw 115, a compressive force can be applied to the conductor L in order to press it against the circuit board section 210 and thus clamp it.

[0023] The compressive force can be applied indirectly by the clamping screw 115 to the conductor L. For this purpose, a pressure piece 116 is provided, which can be pressed onto the conductor L to be connected by means of the clamping screw 115 in order to press the conductor L against the circuit board section 210.

[0024] The pressure piece 116 is in particular in positive engagement with the clamping screw 115. The clamping screw 115 can have a circumferential collar 118 at an end section 117. Due to the collar 118, the end section 117 of the clamping screw 115 can have a T-shape in cross section, as in Fig. 5 and Fig. 7. With this collar 118, the clamping screw 115 can engage in an undercut 119 formed on the pressure piece 116. The undercut 119 is formed in a recess 120 on the pressure piece 116, which recess points in the direction of the clamping screw 115.

[0025] The pressure piece 116 is also movably mounted on the housing 110, so that the pressure piece 116 can be displaced relative to the housing 110 when the pressure piece 116 follows the movement of the clamping screw 115. In the embodiment shown here, the pressure piece 116 is guided on the housing 110 via a dovetail guide 121. The dovetail guide 121 is designed as a tongue and groove system. In the embodiment shown here, the dovetail guide 121 is formed on the side of the housing 110 on which the conductor receiving opening 111 is also formed. The dovetail guide 121 extends above the conductor receiving opening 111. The pressure piece 116 has an L-shape, wherein the dovetail guide 121 is formed on the first side wall 122 and the recess 120 with the undercut 119 is formed on a second side wall 123 extending transversely to the first side wall 122.

[0026] The housing 110 further comprises a locking means 124 for locking with the inserted circuit board section 210. The locking means 124 is designed as a locking hook or as a locking lug or as a locking pin, which engages in an opening 211 formed on the circuit board section 210, as shown in the sectional view of the Fig. 5 and Fig. 7. In the embodiment shown here, a support section 125 for the printed circuit board section 210 is formed on the housing 110, onto which the locking means 124 is integrally formed. The support section 125 protrudes from the remaining part of the housing 110. The support section 125 is formed as an extension of the printed circuit board insertion opening 113.

[0027] In the embodiment shown here, both the housing 110 and the clamping screw 115 and the pressure piece 116 are made of an insulating material, in particular a plastic material. Thus, the entire screw terminal 100 is made of an insulating material, so that the screw terminal 100 does not contain any metal material. The entire screw terminal 100 is thus touch-proof.

[0028] Fig. 3 to 7 show a connection arrangement 300 with a printed circuit board 200 having a plurality of printed circuit board sections 210, such that the printed circuit board 200 is formed in a comb-like manner in the region of the printed circuit board sections 210. One such screw connection terminal 100 can be arranged per printed circuit board section 210.

[0029] In the Fig. 3 to 7, a screw connection terminal 100 is arranged on one of the circuit board sections 210, via which an electrical conductor L can be electrically connected to the circuit board section 210.

[0030] In Fig. 4 and Fig. 5, the screw terminal 100 is shown in a position where the conductor L has already been inserted into the terminal space 112 via the conductor receiving opening 111, but the conductor L is not yet clamped against the circuit board section 210 by means of the clamping screw 115. Here, the clamping screw 115 is still lifted off the conductor L together with the pressure piece 116, so that the conductor L can be inserted into the terminal space 112 and removed again.

[0031] If the clamping screw 115 is screwed into the screw-in opening 114 by a rotating movement and is thereby moved in the direction of the conductor L, the pressure piece 116 follows the movement of the clamping screw 115 until the pressure piece 116 comes to rest on the conductor L and is pressed against the conductor L by means of the clamping screw 115, as shown in Fig. 6 and Fig. 7 is shown. Fig. 6 and Fig. 7 thus show the connected state in which the conductor L is pressed directly onto the circuit board section 210 by means of the pressure force of the clamping screw 115 and the pressure piece 116 and is thus connected to the circuit board section 210. List of reference symbols 100 screw terminals 110 housings 111 Ladder opening 112 terminal room 113 PCB insertion opening 114 screw opening 115 clamping screw 116 Pressure piece 117 final section 118 collar 119 undercut 120 recess 121 Dovetail guide 122 First side wall 123 Second side wall 124 rest stops 125 support section 200 circuit boards 210 PCB section 211 Opening 300 connection arrangement L Ladder

Claims

[1] Screw connection terminal (100) for connecting an electrical conductor (L) to a printed circuit board section (210), with a housing (110) which has a conductor receiving opening (111) for receiving the conductor (L) to be connected and a printed circuit board insertion opening (113) for inserting the printed circuit board section (210) into the housing (110), and a clamping screw (115) received in a screw-in opening (114) of the housing, by means of which, in a connected state, the conductor (L) to be connected is pressed against the inserted printed circuit board section (210), wherein the housing (110) and the clamping screw (115) are each formed from an insulating material. [2] Screw terminal (100) according to claim 1, characterized bythat the conductor receiving opening (111) opens into the circuit board insertion opening (113), so that in the connected state a direct contact can be formed between the conductor (L) to be connected and the inserted circuit board section (210). [3] Screw terminal (100) according to claim 1 or 2, characterized by a pressure piece (116) which is movably mounted on the housing (110) and which, in the connected state, can be pressed onto the conductor (L) to be connected by means of the clamping screw (115). [4] Screw terminal (100) according to claim 3, characterized by that the pressure piece (116) is in positive and / or non-positive engagement with the clamping screw (115). [5] Screw terminal (100) according to claim 4, characterized by that the clamping screw (115) has a collar (118) which engages in an undercut (119) formed on the pressure piece (116). [6] Screw terminal (100) according to one of claims 3 to 5, characterized by that the pressure piece (116) is guided on the housing (110) via a dovetail guide (121). [7] Screw terminal (100) according to one of claims 3 to 6, characterized by that the pressure piece (116) is made of an insulating material. [8] Screw terminal (100) according to one of claims 1 to 7, characterized by that the clamping screw (115) and / or the pressure piece (116) are formed from an insulating material which indicates a temperature or a pressure by a change in discoloration. [9] Screw terminal (100) according to one of claims 1 to 8, characterized by that the clamping screw (115) is designed as a shaft screw. [10] Screw terminal (100) according to one of claims 1 to 9, characterized by that the housing (110) has a locking means (124) for locking with the circuit board section (210). [11] Connection arrangement (300), with at least one printed circuit board section (210) and at least one screw connection terminal (100) arranged on the at least one printed circuit board section (210) for connecting a conductor (L) to the at least one printed circuit board section (210), wherein the at least one screw connection terminal (100) is designed according to one of claims 1 to 10.

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