Spring clamp connection and conductor connection terminal

Abstract

The invention relates to a spring-loaded clamping connection for the stripping-free clamping of a cable with an insulating sheath, in which at least one electrical conductor is arranged within the insulating sheath, wherein the spring-loaded clamping connection has at least one busbar and a clamping spring, the clamping spring having a clamping leg configured for clamping the electrical conductor to a contact section of the busbar, and a support leg for supporting the clamping spring against the spring force of the clamping leg. The invention also relates to a conductor terminal with such a spring-loaded clamping connection.

Description

[0001] The invention relates to a spring-loaded clamping connection for the stripping-free clamping of a cable with an insulating sheath, in which at least one electrical conductor is arranged within the insulating sheath, wherein the spring-loaded clamping connection has at least one busbar and a clamping spring, the clamping spring having a clamping leg configured for clamping the electrical conductor to a contact section of the busbar, and a support leg for supporting the clamping spring against the spring force of the clamping leg. The invention also relates to a conductor terminal with such a spring-loaded clamping connection.

[0002] Connecting electrical conductors to conventional terminal blocks involves a certain amount of effort, for example, because the conductor must first be stripped in a separate step and / or because the terminal block must first be opened using a tool or a built-in actuator. In extensive wiring projects, such as in control cabinets, these steps add up to a significant amount of time and labor.

[0003] The invention is based on the objective of providing a spring-loaded clamp connection and a conductor connection terminal designed therewith, which enables simpler and faster connection of electrical conductors.

[0004] This problem is solved in a spring-clamp terminal of the type mentioned above by having a cutting blade arranged on the clamping arm. This blade is designed to automatically cut the insulation sheath and expose a stripped section of the inner electrical conductor when the clamping arm is moved from an open to a clamped position. Thanks to the cutting blade on the clamping arm, the electrical conductor can be directly connected to the contact section of the busbar without a prior manual stripping step. Because no manual stripping of the electrical conductor is required, the spring-clamp terminal is therefore suitable for stripping an insulated cable.

[0005] Advantageously, the cutting blade is arranged directly on the clamping arm, which is a favorable position for carrying out the process of automatically cutting and exposing the electrical conductor. The cutting blade can either be integrally formed with the clamping arm, for example, by having cutting edges molded onto the clamping arm. Alternatively, the cutting blade can be designed as a separate component that is attached to the clamping arm, for example, by a positive-locking and / or material-locking connection.

[0006] In this way, a spring-clamp connection with integrated IDC (Insulation Displacement Contact) technology can be created. Unlike conventional IDC contacts, where electrical contact is also made directly via the cutting blade, the spring-clamp connection according to the invention allows for advantageous contact of the electrical conductor with the busbar, i.e., a component separate from the cutting blade. This makes the spring-clamp connection particularly suitable for low-resistance contact of electrical conductors that must transmit high currents. The busbar can be made of a material particularly suitable for conducting current, e.g., copper or a copper alloy, while the cutting blade and / or the clamping spring can be made of a material optimized for their respective functions, in particular a different material than the busbar.If the cutting blade is designed as a component separate from the clamping leg, the cutting blade can also be made of a different material than the clamping spring, in particular a material that is especially suitable for the cutting process.

[0007] The clamping arm, together with the contact section of the busbar, can form a clamping point for connecting an electrical conductor between the clamping arm and the contact section. In the open position, at least one clamping edge of the clamping arm is pivoted away from the contact section of the busbar. The clamping arm can be pivoted, for example, between an open position in which the electrical conductor is freely movable between the clamping arm and the contact section, and a clamped position in which the clamping arm clamps the electrical conductor to the contact section.

[0008] The electrical conductor or cable can be inserted into the spring-loaded clamping connection in a conductor insertion direction that runs orthogonally to the planar extension of the clamping leg.

[0009] According to an advantageous embodiment of the invention, the spring-clamp connection has a spacer arranged on the cutting blade. This spacer is designed to push apart the insulation sheath cut by the cutting blade, thereby exposing the inner electrical conductor. By appropriately shaping the spacer, the exposure of a desired section of the electrical conductor can be ensured in a defined manner; that is, a sufficiently long section is exposed to guarantee reliable electrical contact with the busbar contact section. The spacer can be formed integrally from the material of the cutting blade, for example, as a projection extending from the cutting blade in the direction of conductor insertion or against the direction of conductor insertion. Alternatively, the spacer can be designed as a separate component connected to the cutting blade, for example...through a form-fitting and / or material-fitting connection.

[0010] According to an advantageous embodiment of the invention, the spacer is made of a plastic material and / or insulating material. This allows for a particularly gentle separation of the insulation covering and exposure of the electrical conductor, especially without damaging individual strands of the electrical conductor.

[0011] According to an advantageous embodiment of the invention, the spacer is designed to keep the electrical conductor away from the cutting blade while the insulation sheath is being cut. In this way, the cutting blade does not come into direct contact with the electrical conductor. This also protects the electrical conductor from damage, which is a significant advantage, especially for sensitive stranded conductors.

[0012] According to an advantageous embodiment of the invention, the material thickness of the spacer increases in a direction extending away from the contact section. This increase in the spacer's material thickness creates a slope that allows the insulating sheath to be gently forced apart. The material thickness of the spacer is defined here as the dimension perpendicular to the plane of the cutting blade or in the conductor insertion direction.

[0013] According to an advantageous embodiment of the invention, in the clamping position, the exposed, stripped section of the electrical conductor makes electrical contact with the contact section of the busbar, in particular without the electrical conductor contacting the cutting blade. This ensures good and, above all, low-resistance current transmission from the electrical conductor to the busbar, while even in the finally connected state of the electrical conductor at the spring-loaded clamping terminal, it remains free from the cutting blade to prevent damage.

[0014] According to an advantageous embodiment of the invention, the cutting blade has two opposing cutting edges with a cutting gap between them. This enables advantageous and reliable symmetrical cutting of the insulation sheath, i.e., on both opposite sides of the cable.

[0015] According to an advantageous embodiment of the invention, the cutting blade has a base body from which two cutting arms, spaced apart by a gap, project, each arm bearing one of the cutting edges. This allows for elastic suspension of the cutting edges by designing the cutting arms with a corresponding degree of elasticity. In this way, the cutting blade can spread open when the cutting edges pass through the insulation covering, i.e., the cutting gap can be temporarily widened.

[0016] According to an advantageous embodiment of the invention, the material thickness of the spacer increases in a direction extending away from the cutting gap. This increase in the spacer's material thickness creates a slope that allows the insulation covering to be gently forced apart. The slope can, for example, be positioned between the cutting gap and the base body, i.e., beginning behind the cutting gap and ending in front of the base body.

[0017] According to an advantageous embodiment of the invention, a gap wider than the cutting gap is formed between the cutting arms away from the cutting edges. In particular, a wider gap can be formed behind the cutting edges, i.e., between the cutting edges and the base body. This ensures a safe distance between the parts of the cutting blade and the electrical conductor when connected to the spring-clamp terminal.

[0018] According to an advantageous embodiment of the invention, the clamping spring is designed as a cage clamp spring. This has the advantage that the spring-clamp connection can be realized in a compact design with a high spring force and, consequently, with reliable electrical contact even with large conductor cross-sections. The cage clamp spring can, for example, have a clamping leg with a window-like opening. The window-like opening in the clamping leg can, for example, be completely surrounded on its circumference by the material of the clamping leg. The cage clamp spring can have a support leg for supporting the clamping spring against the spring force of the clamping leg, wherein at least a part of the support leg and / or a part of the busbar can extend through the window-like opening of the clamping leg.

[0019] According to an advantageous embodiment of the invention, the clamping spring is supported by its contact leg on the busbar and thus braced against the spring force of the clamping leg. This allows for secure fixing of the clamping spring, thereby providing a self-supporting spring-loaded clamping connection in which a surrounding insulating housing is not subjected to the forces of the clamping spring.

[0020] In a further embodiment, the invention relates to a spring-clamp terminal for clamping an electrical conductor by means of spring force, in particular a spring-clamp terminal of the type described above, wherein the spring-clamp terminal has at least one busbar and a clamping spring, wherein the clamping spring is designed as a cage spring and has a clamping leg with a window-like opening and a support leg for supporting the clamping spring against the spring force of the clamping leg, wherein the support leg and / or the busbar extends through the window-like opening of the clamping leg, wherein the busbar has a main body which is designed as a substantially planar sheet metal component and / or forms the largest part of the busbar, wherein the main body is arranged substantially orthogonal to the support leg and / or substantially parallel to the clamping leg.This configuration of the busbar with the cage clamp allows for novel, advantageous designs of conductor terminals and their housings compared to conventional cage clamp connections. The cage clamp ensures a high contact force of the clamped electrical conductor. The clamping arm can, for example, slide along a surface of the main body when moving from the clamped position to the open position or vice versa.

[0021] According to an advantageous embodiment of the invention, the busbar has a conductor feedthrough opening through which the electrical conductor, clamped to the spring-clamp terminal, is inserted. This ensures reliable guidance and secure clamping of the electrical conductor at a desired position on the busbar. For example, the electrical conductor can be clamped to an inner edge of the conductor feedthrough opening, which then forms the contact section. The conductor feedthrough opening can be designed as a window-like opening that is completely surrounded on its circumference by the busbar material.

[0022] According to an advantageous embodiment of the invention, the busbar has a contact section bent out of the plane of the main body, extending through the window-like opening of the clamping leg. This allows for even more reliable electrical contact and mechanical fixation of the clamped electrical conductor. In an advantageous embodiment, the contact section can project from an inner edge of the conductor entry opening.

[0023] According to an advantageous embodiment of the invention, at least one support tab, bent substantially parallel to the clamping leg, is formed on the mounting leg. The support tab can be used to fix the clamping spring or the entire spring-loaded clamping connection in a housing of a conductor terminal.

[0024] According to an advantageous embodiment of the invention, the spring-loaded clamp connection has a retaining element designed to hold the clamping arm in the open position. The retaining element allows the clamping arm to be held in the open position even when no manual actuation force is applied to it. In this open position, the clamping arm can be held by the retaining element, particularly without further manual actuation of an actuator, so that the electrical conductor can be inserted at any time without requiring any special force. For example, the clamping arm can be locked onto the retaining element in the open position.

[0025] The retaining element can be movably arranged, e.g., sliding, pivoting, or otherwise deflectable, so that it can be easily deflected by the inserted conductor to release the clamping arm from the retaining element. The retaining element can be slidably mounted, e.g., in a linear or arc-shaped direction. The retaining element can be pivotally mounted. In this case, the retaining element can pivot about a fixed or variable pivot axis. In the case of a variable pivot axis, the retaining element can, for example, be floatingly pivotable. The retaining element can also perform a combined sliding and pivoting movement. The retaining element can also be movably mounted in another way so that it can be deflected sufficiently to release the locking of the clamping arm on the retaining element.

[0026] The retaining element can, for example, act directly on the clamping leg to hold it in the open position. Thus, for example, a first locking element can be arranged on the retaining element and a second locking element on the clamping leg, with the first and second locking elements being able to interlock in the open position. The first locking element can be designed as a locking projection or locking hook. The second locking element can be designed as a locking edge or locking opening.

[0027] The retaining element can be designed as a component separate from the clamping spring, which is attached, for example, to the insulating housing of the conductor terminal, to the clamping spring, to the busbar or to another component.

[0028] According to an advantageous embodiment of the invention, the spring-clamp connection has a release element, the actuation of which allows the retaining element to be deflected sufficiently to release the clamping leg held by the retaining element from the retaining element. Such a design allows the integration of an automatic release technology into spring-clamp connections and conductor terminals of various designs.

[0029] According to an advantageous embodiment of the invention, it is provided that the clamping leg held on the holding element in the open position can be released from the holding element when an electrical conductor to be clamped exerts an actuating force on a release section of the release element.

[0030] By actuating the release element, the retaining element can be deflected sufficiently to release the clamping leg held by the retaining element. The release element may have a release section. The clamping leg, held in the open position by the retaining element, can be released from the retaining element when an electrical conductor being connected exerts an actuating force on the release section. This allows the clamping leg to be automatically released from the retaining element by inserting the electrical conductor. The release section can be actuated by a separate tool, a component of the conductor connection terminal (such as an actuating element), or directly by the inserted electrical conductor itself, thereby causing the clamping leg to be released from the retaining element.The release element allows the clamping leg, which is held in the open position on the retaining element, to be released from the retaining element by applying pressure to the release section in the direction of conductor entry of the electrical conductor to be connected. Depending on the design of the spring-clamp connection, the release element can be formed as part of the clamping spring, e.g., as a release element integrally formed with the clamping spring, or as a separate component.

[0031] According to an advantageous embodiment of the invention, the retaining element and the release element are designed as a single unit in the form of a combined retaining-release element. In this case, the release element is part of the component or assembly of the spring-clamp connection that includes the retaining element. This minimizes the design and assembly effort for the spring-clamp connection. In particular, only one component or assembly is required for mounting the release element and the retaining element, rather than two separate components or assemblies. For example, the release element can be integrally formed with the retaining element. The component or assembly can be made of, for example, plastic or metal, or a combination of such materials.

[0032] According to an advantageous embodiment of the invention, the retaining element is box-shaped with at least two side sections that surround a conductor receiving area for receiving the electrical conductor on at least two sides. This allows for good integration of the retaining element into a conductor terminal block with minimal space requirements. The side sections also allow the electrical conductor to be guided towards the release element.

[0033] According to an advantageous embodiment of the invention, the release section extends transversely from one side section to the other. The release section can be formed in one piece, i.e., as a continuous part from one side section to the other, or as a multi-part component.

[0034] According to an advantageous embodiment of the invention, the retaining-release element is tiltably attached to the spring-loaded clamping connection. The retaining-release element can, for example, be designed like a rocker arm.

[0035] According to an advantageous embodiment of the invention, the retaining-release element is fixed between the busbar and the clamping spring. This allows for reliable fixation of the retaining-release element.

[0036] According to an advantageous embodiment of the invention, the retaining-release element is supported against the spring force acting on it from the clamping leg in the open position, specifically against the main body of the busbar. This ensures secure support of the retaining-release element. Furthermore, the insulating housing is protected because it does not have to absorb the support forces.

[0037] According to an advantageous embodiment of the invention, the holding-release element is arranged in the conductor insertion direction behind the clamping point or behind the predominant part of the busbar.

[0038] According to an advantageous embodiment of the invention, the spring-loaded clamp connection is provided with a pivotable actuating lever or sliding actuating button, which can be manually operated by the user, for actuating the clamping spring into the open position. This allows for simple and convenient manual actuation of the spring-loaded clamp connection, in particular without the need for an additional tool. Furthermore, such an actuating lever or actuating button can be easily integrated into the design of a conductor terminal.

[0039] The invention also relates to a conductor terminal with an insulating housing which has at least one conductor entry opening for receiving an electrical conductor in a conductor entry direction, wherein at least one spring-loaded clamp connection of the type described above is arranged in the insulating housing.

[0040] Overall, the invention has the following additional advantages: - Connecting an electrical conductor is possible without tools, - Connecting an electrical conductor is possible without prior stripping, - Different conductor cross-sections can be connected, - the cutting blade can be made of a different material than the clamping spring and / or the busbar, - the pressure force for deflecting the clamping spring into the open position and for cutting through the insulation covering are independent of each other, - the busbar can be manufactured cost-effectively from SE-CU, for example, thus avoiding particularly expensive copper alloys, - The spring-loaded clamp connection can be provided with limited installation space despite additional functions, similar to known terminal blocks.

[0041] For the purposes of the present invention, the indefinite term "a" is not to be understood as a numeral. Therefore, when, for example, a component is mentioned, this is to be interpreted as "at least one component". Where angles are specified in degrees, these refer to a circle of 360 degrees (360°).

[0042] The invention is explained in more detail below with reference to exemplary embodiments and drawings.

[0043] They show Fig. 1 a spring clamp connection in perspective view, Fig. 2 a clamping spring in perspective view, Fig. 3 the clamping spring according to Fig. 2 in side view, Fig. 4 a cutting knife in perspective view, Fig. 5 the cutting blade according to Fig. 4 in side view, Fig. 6 a holding-release element in perspective view, Fig. 7 a power rail in perspective view, Fig. 8 a conductor terminal in side sectional view in the clamping position without a connected electrical conductor, Fig. 9 the conductor connection terminal according to Fig. 8 in side view, Fig. 10 the conductor connection terminal in lateral section view in the open position, Fig. 11 the conductor connection terminal according to Fig. 10 in side view, Fig. 12 the conductor connection terminal in lateral sectional view in the open position with electrical conductor inserted, Fig. 13 the conductor terminal in lateral section view in the clamping position with electrical conductor attached.

[0044] The Fig. Figure 1 shows a spring-loaded terminal 1 comprising a busbar 3, a clamping spring 4, and a manual actuating element 6. The busbar 3 has a main body 30, which is designed as a substantially flat sheet metal component and forms the majority of the busbar 3. A contact section 31 of the busbar 3 is bent out from the main body 30. The contact section 31 serves to electrically connect an electrical conductor to be connected.

[0045] The clamping spring 4 has a support leg 41 and a clamping leg 43. The support leg 41 serves to bear the clamping spring 4 and to brace the clamping spring 4 against the spring force of the clamping leg 43. The clamping leg 43 serves to clamp an electrical conductor to the contact section 31 by transmitting a spring force to the electrical conductor in the direction of the contact section 31 through the clamping leg 43 in a clamping position of the spring-clamp terminal 1.

[0046] The mounting leg 41 is connected to the clamping leg 43 via a spring arch 42. Fig. Figure 1 shows an embodiment of the clamping spring 4 in the form of a cage spring. In this embodiment, the spring arc 42 is connected to the clamping arm 43 via a back section 44 of the clamping spring 4. The back section 44 serves to transmit a manual actuating force to deflect the clamping arm into the open position, as described in Fig. Figure 1 shows that an external tool can be used to manually deflect the clamping arm 43 into the open position, or, as shown in the Fig. Figure 1 shows a separate actuating element 6, e.g., in the form of an actuating push button, which is part of the spring-loaded clamping connection 1. The actuating element 6 can, for example, be displaceable in a linear direction. If a manual actuating force is exerted on an actuating surface 60 of the actuating element 6, the actuating element 6 is displaced along the back section 44 and, in doing so, presses against the back section 44 with an actuating force via an actuating section 61 of the actuating element 6.

[0047] The mounting leg 41 extends through an opening in the busbar 3 with a bearing section 40, which may have a reduced width compared to the part of the mounting leg 41 adjacent to the spring arch 42, and is thus supported on the busbar 3.

[0048] The spring-loaded clamping connection 1 also has an automatic holding function for the clamping arm 43 in the open position and an automatic release function for releasing the clamping arm 43 from the open position when an electrical conductor is inserted. For this purpose, the spring-loaded clamping connection 1 has a holding element 5 by which the clamping arm 43 is held in the open position, and a release element 8 by which the clamping arm 43, held in the open position, can be released so that it springs back and clamps the electrical conductor against the contact section 31. The release element 8 has a release section 80, which is arranged behind the clamping arm 43 in the conductor insertion direction L and can be actuated by inserting an electrical conductor.

[0049] The retaining element 5 has at least one first locking element 50, with which the retaining element 5 is engaged in the Fig. The clamping leg 43 is locked in the open position shown in Figure 1 by at least one second locking element 49, whereby the clamping leg is held in the open position by this locking mechanism. The retaining element 5 can, for example, be connected to the mounting leg 41 and / or the busbar 3 to fix and hold the retaining element 5 in its position. In the illustrated embodiment, the retaining element 5 is box-shaped and has at least two side sections 51 that laterally surround a conductor receiving space 22 for receiving a free end of an electrical conductor. The two side sections 51 can be connected to a rear section 52 of the retaining element 5, so that the box-shaped area is also closed on this side by the rear section 52. The rear section 52 can merge integrally into the release section 80 at an angle.In this way, the retaining element 5 and the release element 8 can be formed as a single unit or as a one-piece component, e.g. as a one-piece sheet metal component.

[0050] The spring-loaded clamping connection 1 has a cutting blade 7 which is arranged on and attached to the clamping leg 43, e.g. in the area of ​​the free end of the clamping leg 43. The cutting blade 7 is designed to automatically cut through the insulation of a cable provided with insulation when the clamping leg 43 is moved from the open position to the clamping position and to expose a stripped section of the electrical conductor located inside the insulation.

[0051] The Fig. 2 and Fig. Figure 3 shows the clamping spring 4 as a single component. As can be seen, the clamping spring 4 has a window-like opening 48 on the clamping leg 43, through which at least part of the contact leg 41 extends, in particular the bearing section 40. The window-like opening 48 is bounded on both opposite sides by a narrow web of the clamping leg 43, with a second locking element 49 potentially being formed on each of these narrow webs. As can be seen, the bearing section 40 is narrower than the part of the contact leg 41 adjacent to the spring arch 42. The laterally projecting material areas of the contact leg 41 form angled support tabs 45 on both sides of the bearing section 40. These angled support tabs 45 can, for example, serve to hold the clamping spring 4 or the entire spring-clamp connection 1 in a housing of a conductor terminal.

[0052] Furthermore, it can be seen that a recess or opening 46 is formed on the mounting leg 41. The retaining element 5 can engage in this recess or opening 46 with a fixing section 53, as shown by the Fig. Figure 1 shows that this allows the retaining element 5 to be fixed to the clamping spring 4. Furthermore, the figures show... Fig. 2 and Fig. 3, that a functional tab 47 may be formed on the clamping leg 43, particularly in the area of ​​the free end of the clamping leg 43, e.g., in the form of a short tab projecting towards the side of the spring arch 42. The functional tab 47 serves to clamp the electrical conductor. For this purpose, the functional tab 47 may have a conductor clamping edge. The functional tab 47 may also have other functions, e.g., as a positioning aid or knife holder for the cutting blade 7. For example, the cutting blade 7 can be secured to this functional tab 47, e.g., by positive locking.

[0053] The Fig. 4 and Fig. Figure 5 shows the cutting blade 7 as a separate component with further details. As can be seen, the cutting blade 7 can have a base body 70 from which two cutting arms 71, spaced apart from each other by a gap 74, project essentially parallel to each other. A cutting edge 72 is formed on each cutting arm 71, for example, in the area of ​​the free end of the cutting arms 71 facing away from the base body 70. The cutting blade 7 formed from the base body 70 and the cutting arms 71 can be designed, for example, as a metallic sheet metal component or as another component with sufficient hardness for the cutting process, so that the cutting edges 72 can be formed on it. The cutting arms 71 are spaced apart from each other in the area of ​​the cutting edges 72 by a cutting gap 73. The part of the gap 74 adjoining the cutting gap 73 and the base body 70 can be wider than the cutting gap 73.

[0054] As can be further seen, a spacer 75, which has a greater material thickness than the base body 70 and the cutting arms 71, can be applied to the relatively flat cutting blade 7. In plan view, the spacer 75 can have essentially the same shape as the base body 70 with the cutting arms 71, with at least the cutting edges 72 protruding slightly from the spacer 75. The spacer 75 serves to at least largely prevent direct contact between the electrical conductor located within the insulating sheath and the sharp-edged cutting edges 72, in order to minimize damage to the electrical conductor. Furthermore, the spacer 75 is formed with a chamfer 76, e.g., a linearly or arcuately ramped chamfer.This inclined plane 76 allows the parts of the insulation covering separated by the cutting edges 72 to be pushed apart in a defined manner, thereby exposing a defined area of ​​the internal electrical conductor.

[0055] The Fig. Figure 6 shows the combined retaining element 5 with the release element 8 as a single component. As can be seen, a first locking element 50 can be formed on each of the side sections 51. The rear section 52 is connected to the fixing section 53 via a connecting section 54. The connecting section 54 is narrower than the rear section and can thus be spring-loaded to deflect, for example, to return the retaining element 5 to its initial position. The side sections 51 can be coupled to the release section 80 via a positive locking connection, so that a force applied orthogonally to the release section 80 is transmitted to the side sections 51, allowing the entire retaining element 5 with the release element 8 to be pivoted slightly or otherwise displaced to release the first locking elements 50 from the second locking elements 49.

[0056] The Fig. Figure 7 shows the busbar 3 as a separate component. It can be seen that a conductor feed-through opening 32 is formed in the main body 30, through which the electrical conductor to be connected can be inserted. Furthermore, recesses 34 are formed laterally on both sides of the main body 30, through which the first locking elements 50 can extend laterally along the busbar 3 to the clamping leg 43 arranged above it and its second locking elements 49. It can also be seen that the contact section 31 projects from the surface of the main body 30, and the contact section 31 can extend through the through-opening 48 in the clamping leg 43. The busbar 3 also has a feed-through opening 33 through which the bearing section 40 of the clamping spring 4 and the connecting section 54 of the retaining element 5 can be passed, as shown, for example, in the Fig. 8 is recognizable.

[0057] The Fig. Figure 8 shows a conductor terminal 10 with an insulating housing 2 in which a spring-loaded clamping connection 1 of the type described above is arranged. The insulating housing 2 has a conductor entry opening 20 through which the cable to be connected can be inserted in a conductor entry direction L and guided up to the aforementioned conductor receiving chamber 22 through the conductor entry opening 32 of the busbar 3 and the window-like through-opening 48 in the clamping leg 43. Furthermore, the insulating housing 2 has a receiving channel 21 for receiving and guiding the actuating element 6.

[0058] The Fig. Figure 8 shows the conductor connection terminal 10 in the clamping position without an inserted cable in a side sectional view, which Fig. Figure 9 shows the conductor terminal in the clamping position in a side view, so that it is particularly evident that the first locking element 50 is still below the clamping leg 43 in this state, i.e., it is not locked with the second locking element 49.

[0059] The Fig. 10 and Fig. Figure 11 shows the conductor terminal 10 in the open position, i.e. the clamping leg 43 has been moved to the right by actuating the actuating element 6, whereby the clamping leg 43 is held in this open position by the locking of the first locking element 50 with the second locking element 49.

[0060] In the Fig. 9 and Fig. Figure 11 shows that the cutting blade 7 is guided in a slot-like opening 23 of the insulating housing 2. Therefore, the clamping arm 43 and the cutting blade 7 cannot lift off the busbar 3.

[0061] If a cable 9 is now used, as the Fig. As shown in Figure 12, the cable 9, inserted through the conductor entry opening 20 and pushed through to the release section 80, exerts an actuating force on the release section 80 with its free end. This causes the release section 80, together with the retaining element 5, to be displaced slightly downwards and / or pivoted, as shown in Figure 12. Fig.Figure 13 illustrates this. This releases the locking mechanism between the first locking element 50 and the second locking element 49. Due to the spring force of the clamping spring 4, the clamping arm 43 springs back towards the clamping position. The insulating sheath 90 of the cable 9 is thereby cut open by the cutting blade 7. In particular, the spacer 75 pushes the separated parts of the insulating sheath 90 apart, creating an exposed section 92 of the inner electrical conductor 91. This exposed section 92 is then pressed against the contact section 31 by the clamping arm 43, thus establishing an electrically conductive connection between the electrical conductor 91 and the busbar 3. Reference symbol list 1 spring clamp connection 2 insulating housings 3 Power rail 4 clamping springs 5 retaining element 6 manual actuating element 7 cutting blades 8 Solvent element 9 cables 10 conductor connection terminal 20 conductor entry openings 21 Recording channel 22 Ladder reception room 23 slit-like openings 30 main bodies 31 Contact section 32 Conductor feedthrough opening 33 Implementation opening 34 recess 40 Storage section 41 Attachment legs 42 feather bows 43 clamping legs 44 Back section 45 Support bracket 46 recess 47 Functional tab 48 window-like passage openings 49 second locking element 50 first locking element Section 51 52 rear section 53 Fixing section 54 Connecting section 60 operating area 61 Actuation section 70 basic bodies 71 Cutting arm 72 cutting edge 73 Cutting gap 74 space 75 spacers 76 Slanted 80 Solution section 90 Insulation wrapping 91 electrical conductor 92 exposed section L conductor entry direction

Claims

Spring-loaded clamping connection (1) for stripping-free clamping of a cable (9) formed with an insulating sheath (90), in which at least one electrical conductor (91) is arranged within the insulating sheath (90), wherein the spring-loaded clamping connection (1) has at least one busbar (3) and a clamping spring (4), wherein the clamping spring (4) has a clamping leg (43) which is configured for clamping the electrical conductor (91) to a contact section (31) of the busbar (3), and a support leg (41) for supporting the clamping spring (4) against the spring force of the clamping leg (43), characterized in that the spring-loaded clamping connection (1) has a cutting blade (7) arranged on the clamping leg (43), which is configured toWhen the clamping arm (43) is moved from an open position to a clamping position, the insulation covering (90) is automatically cut open and a stripped section (92) of the inner electrical conductor (91) is exposed. Spring clamp connection according to claim 1, characterized in that the spring clamp connection (1) has a spacer (75) arranged on the cutting blade (7) which is designed to push apart the insulation covering (90) cut by the cutting blade (7) and thereby expose the internal electrical conductor (91). Spring clamp connection according to claim 2, characterized in that the spacer (75) is made of a plastic material and / or insulating material. Spring clamp connection according to claim 2 or 3, characterized in that the spacer (75) is configured to keep the electrical conductor (91) apart from the cutting blade (7) during the cutting of the insulation covering (90) by the cutting blade (7). Spring clamp connection according to one of claims 2 to 4, characterized in that the spacer (75) has at least one inclined plane (76) at which the material thickness of the spacer (75), measured perpendicular to the plane of the cutting blade (7), increases in a direction pointing away from the contact section (31). Spring-loaded clamping connection according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that in the clamping position the exposed stripped section (92) of the electrical conductor (91) can be electrically contacted by the contact section (31) of the busbar (3), in particular without contact of the electrical conductor (91) to the cutting blade (7). Spring clamp connection according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the cutting blade (7) has two opposing cutting edges (72) between which a cutting gap (73) is formed. Spring clamp connection according to claim 7, characterized in that the cutting blade (7) has a base body (70) from which two cutting arms (71) project apart from each other by a space (74), on each of which one of the cutting edges (72) is arranged. Spring force clamp connection according to claim 8, characterized in that a gap (74) is formed between the cutting arms (71) away from the cutting edges (72), which is wider than the cutting gap (73). Spring-loaded clamping connection according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the clamping spring (4) is designed as a cage tension spring. Spring-loaded clamping connection (1) for clamping an electrical conductor (91) by means of spring force, in particular a spring-loaded clamping connection (1) according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the spring-loaded clamping connection (1) has at least one busbar (3) and a clamping spring (4), wherein the clamping spring (4) is designed as a cage spring and has a clamping leg (43) with a window-like opening (48) and a support leg (41) for supporting the clamping spring (4) against the spring force of the clamping leg (43), wherein the support leg (41) and / or the busbar (3) extends through the window-like opening (48) of the clamping leg (43), wherein the busbar (3) has a main body (30) which is designed as a substantially planar sheet metal component and / or forms the largest part of the busbar (3), characterized in that the main body (30) is substantially orthogonal to the support leg (41) and / or substantially parallel to the clamping leg (43) is ordered. Spring clamp connection according to claim 11, characterized in that the busbar (3) has a conductor feedthrough opening (32) through which the electrical conductor (91) clamped to the spring clamp connection (1) is inserted. Spring-loaded clamping connection according to one of claims 11 to 12, characterized in that the busbar (3) has a contact section (31) bent out of the plane of the main body (30), which extends through the window-like opening (48) of the clamping leg (43). Spring clamp connection according to one of claims 11 to 13, characterized in that at least one support tab (45) bent substantially parallel to the clamping leg (43) is formed on the contact leg (41). Spring clamp connection according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the spring clamp connection (1) has a retaining element (5) which is designed to hold the clamping leg (43) in the open position. Spring clamp connection according to claim 15, characterized in that the spring clamp connection has a release element (8) by actuation of which the retaining element (5) can be deflected to such an extent that the clamping leg (43) held on the retaining element (5) is released from the retaining element (5). Conductor terminal according to claim 16, characterized in that the clamping leg (43) held on the retaining element (5) in the open position can be released from the retaining element (5) when an electrical conductor (91) to be clamped exerts an actuating force on a release section (80) of the release element (8). Spring clamp connection according to claim 16 or 17, characterized in that the retaining element (5) is box-shaped with at least two side sections (51) that surround an area of ​​a conductor receiving space (22) for receiving the electrical conductor (91) at least on two sides. Conductor terminal according to one of claims 16 to 18, characterized in that the release section (80) extends transversely from one side section (51) to the other side section (51). Spring clamp connection according to one of claims 16 to 19, characterized in that the retaining element (5) and the release element (8) are designed as a single unit in the form of a combined retaining-release element (5, 8). Conductor terminal (1) with an insulating housing (2) which has at least one conductor entry opening (20) for receiving an electrical conductor in a conductor entry direction (L), wherein at least one spring clamp connection (1) according to one of the preceding claims is arranged in the insulating housing (2).

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