Plug-in terminal block with quick-release locking unit

Abstract

Plug-in terminal block with a quick-release locking unit, comprising: a female clamping seat (1) comprising a clamping slot (11), an elastic plate (12) arranged on one side of the clamping slot (11), and a first locking part (13) arranged on the elastic plate (12); and a male clamping seat (2) detachably inserted into the female clamping seat (1) and includes: a male seat body (21) comprising an insulating housing (211), wherein the insulating housing (211) comprises a terminal plug (212) that is inserted into the terminal slot (11); and a quick-release locking unit (22) that is arranged on an outer wall of the terminal plug (212) and is inserted into the terminal slot (11) with the terminal plug (212), wherein the quick-release locking unit (22) comprises a handle (221) arranged at one end thereof and exposed outside the clamping slot (11), at least one stop arm (222) arranged at another end thereof and positioned in accordance with the elastic plate (12), and a second locking part (223) which is alternately locked with the first locking part (13) and is arranged between the handle (221) and the at least one stop arm (222); wherein the at least one stop arm (222) is driven to strike the elastic plate (12) in order to be removed from the clamping slot (11) by pulling the handle (221) in order to cause the first locking part (13) and the second locking part (223) to be released alternately.

Description

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION Technical field

[0001] The present disclosure relates to a terminal block, in particular a pluggable terminal block with a quick-release locking unit. Description of the state of the art

[0002] A terminal block is typically used as a connection unit and is widely used in devices that compactly integrate industrial communication devices handling large amounts of data. This increases the reliability of the power supply system, improves the safety of the energy sector, and raises the overall level of industrial automation control.

[0003] To provide the terminal block with the advantages of quick installation and easy maintenance, a state-of-the-art pluggable terminal block with combined connecting wires and electrical circuit boards was developed. The pluggable terminal block features a female and a male terminal that can be inserted and removed, enabling quick connection and disconnection. To prevent accidental disconnection, a locking mechanism is incorporated between the female and male terminals.

[0004] The locking mechanism is located between several terminal sets; one terminal set and one cable insertion compartment of the pluggable terminal block are balanced to meet the installation requirements of the locking mechanism. Therefore, the design of the terminal block's locking mechanism with quick-release and quick-assembly functions should be improved without reducing the number of terminal sets or the size of the cable insertion compartment.

[0005] Accordingly, the applicant of the present disclosure has committed himself to improving the aforementioned deficiencies. SUMMARY OF THE REVELATION

[0006] The present disclosure provides a pluggable terminal block with a quick-release locking unit, wherein a quick-release locking unit is arranged on an outer wall of a terminal block and a stop arm is driven to strike an elastic plate so that, by pulling a handle, it can be removed from a terminal block slot, causing a first locking part and a second locking part to be mutually released. Thus, the pluggable terminal block of the present disclosure has the advantages of being quickly unlocked and not occupying the installation space of a cable insertion slot.

[0007] Accordingly, the present disclosure provides a pluggable terminal block with a quick-release locking unit, comprising: a female clamping seat having a clamping slot, an elastic plate arranged on one side of the clamping slot, and a first locking part arranged on the elastic plate; and a male clamping seat detachably inserted into the female clamping seat, the male clamping seat comprising: a male seat body with an insulating housing, the insulating housing having a clamping plug inserted into the clamping slot;and a quick-release locking unit arranged on an outer wall of the terminal plug and inserted into the terminal slot with the terminal plug, the quick-release locking unit comprising a handle arranged at one end thereof and exposed outside the terminal slot, at least one stop arm arranged at another end thereof and positioned corresponding to the elastic plate, and a second locking part which is alternately locked to the first locking part and is arranged between the handle and the at least one stop arm; wherein the at least one stop arm is driven to strike the elastic plate in order to be moved away from the terminal slot by pulling the handle, causing the first locking part and the second locking part to be alternately released.

[0008] In comparison to the prior art, the present disclosure has an advantageous feature as follows. The quick-release locking unit is arranged on the outer wall of the terminal block, thus preserving the installation space of a cable slot seat and eliminating the need to reduce the number of cable slots. Furthermore, the quick-release locking unit of the present disclosure has the advantage of not occupying the installation space of the cable slot. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS Fig. Figure 1 is a perspective view showing the assembly of the pluggable terminal block according to the present disclosure; Fig. Figure 2 is a perspective exploded view showing the pluggable terminal block according to the present disclosure; Fig. Figure 3 is another perspective exploded view showing the pluggable terminal block according to the present disclosure; Fig. Figure 4 is a schematic view showing an operating state of the pluggable terminal block according to the present disclosure; and Fig. Figure 5 is a schematic view showing another operating state of the pluggable terminal block according to the present disclosure. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE REVELATION

[0009] The technical content of this disclosure will become clear from the detailed description of embodiments that are accompanied by the accompanying drawings, as follows. It is intended that the embodiments and drawings disclosed herein are to be regarded as illustrative and not as limiting.

[0010] It will be on Fig. 1 to Fig. 5 Referenced; the present disclosure provides a pluggable terminal block with a quick-release locking unit. The pluggable terminal block 10 mainly comprises a female clamping seat 1 and a male clamping seat 2.

[0011] As in Fig. 1 to Fig. As shown in Figure 5, the female clamping seat 1 has a clamping slot 11, an elastic plate 12 arranged on one side of the clamping slot 11, and a first locking element 13 arranged on the elastic plate 12. The clamping slot 11 has several first clamps 15 arranged therein.

[0012] Details are provided below. According to one embodiment of the present disclosure, one end of the female clamping seat 1, near the male clamping seat 2, has two cut grooves 14 which are connected to the clamping slot 11. The elastic plate 12 is arranged between the two cut grooves 14, and thus a force can be applied to the elastic plate 12 to elastically deform it. The first locking element 13 is defined as a locking slot 131 formed on an inner wall of the elastic plate 12, this being without limitation.

[0013] As from Fig. 1 to Fig. As shown in Figure 5, the male clamping seat 2 is detachably inserted into the female clamping seat 1; in other words, the male clamping seat 2 can be inserted into the female clamping seat 1, and the male clamping seat 2 can be detached from the female clamping seat 1. The male clamping seat 2 has a male seat body 21 and a quick-release locking unit 22. The male seat body 21 has an insulating housing 211 and several secondary terminals 217. The insulating housing 211 has a terminal plug 212, which is inserted into the terminal slot 11. The secondary terminals 217 are arranged in the terminal plug 212 to be electrically connected to the first terminals 15.

[0014] Details are provided as follows. One end of the insulating housing 211, away from the terminal plug 212, has a cable slot seat 213. One end of the cable slot seat 213 has several cable slots 2131. One end of each of the cable slots 2131 allows the insertion of a cable (not shown in the figures), and another end allows the positioning of each of the second terminals 217. Thus, the cable is electrically connected to the second terminals 217 after being inserted into the cable slot 2131, in order to electrically connect the cable to the first terminals 15 via the second terminals 217.

[0015] The quick-release locking unit 22 is arranged on an outer wall of the terminal plug 212 and inserted into the terminal slot 11 with the terminal plug 212. The quick-release locking unit 22 has a handle 221 located at one end, one or more stop arms 222 located at another end, and a second locking part 223, which is alternately locked to the first locking part 13 and is located between the handle 221 and the stop arm 222. The stop arm 222 is positioned according to the elastic plate 12, and the second locking part 223 is alternately locked to the first locking part 13.

[0016] When the terminal plug 212 is inserted into the terminal slot 11, the handle 221 is exposed outside the terminal slot 11 and is located between the female terminal seat 1 and the cable terminal seat 213. According to one embodiment of the present disclosure, the thickness H1 of the cable terminal seat 213 is greater than the thickness H2 of the terminal plug 212, and thus a recessed area, which makes it possible to conceal the handle 221, is formed between the female terminal seat 1 and the cable terminal seat 213.

[0017] According to one embodiment of the present disclosure, the length of the stop arm 222 is two, and a distal end of each of the stop arms 222 projects with a projection 2221. The quick-release locking unit 22 has a main body 220. The second locking part 223 is arranged on the main body 220, and the two stop arms 222 are arranged on an outer surface of the main body 220. The second locking part 223 is an inclined locking pin 224 that projects from the main body 220 and whose thickness gradually decreases in a direction defined as facing the clamping slot 11. The inclined locking pin 224 is locked in the locking slot 131, without this being said to be restrictive.

[0018] According to one embodiment of the present disclosure, two position limiting ribs 214 project from an outer wall of the terminal plug 212 along the insertion direction D. A slot S is defined between the main body 220 and the two stop arms 222. Each of the position limiting ribs 214 is mounted in each of the slots S, and thus the quick-release locking unit 22 is transversely limited and positioned by the position limiting ribs 214.

[0019] A first stop block 215 and a second stop block 216 project from the outer wall of the terminal plug 212, spaced apart along the insertion direction D. A notch 2201 is located at a distal end of the main body 220, away from the handle 221. The first stop block 215 is mounted in the notch 2201 to stop the main body 220, thus longitudinally limiting and positioning the quick-release locking unit 22 by the first stop block 215. When the terminal plug 212 is inserted into the terminal slot 11, the second stop block 216 stops the female clamping seat 1.

[0020] According to one embodiment of the present disclosure, the handle 221 is configured such that it extends from the main body 220 and one end of the two stop arms 222 away from the female clamping seat 1, and an acute angle θ is defined between the handle 221 and the main body 220 and the two stop arms 222. The handle 221 has a hollow opening 2211 which communicates with one of the slots S. The second stop block 216 and one of the position limiting ribs 214 are formed in one piece and penetrate the hollow opening 2211. This prevents the handle 221 from being obstructed by the second stop block 216 when the handle 221 is pulled.

[0021] It will be on Fig. 3 and Fig. Reference is made to Figure 4, which illustrates an operating state of the pluggable terminal block 10 provided by the present disclosure. When the terminal plug 212 is inserted into the terminal slot 11, the inclined locking pin 224 gradually abuts the elastic plate 12 via an inclined surface thereof, causing the elastic plate 12 to deform outwards and elastically to move away from the terminal slot 11, and the abutment process is continuous until the inclined locking pin 224 enters the locking slot 131, at which moment the elastic plate 12 is automatically retracted and drives the inclined locking pin 224 to be locked in the locking slot 131.Thus, the effect of preventing the plug connection between the female clamping seat 1 and the male clamping seat 2 from being loosened is achieved by locking the female clamping seat 1 and the male clamping seat 2 by the quick-release locking unit 22.

[0022] It will be on Fig.Reference is made to Figure 5, which illustrates a further operating state of the pluggable terminal block 10 provided by the present disclosure. The male clamping seat 2 is inserted into the female clamping seat 1. When the handle 221 is pulled, the action of pulling the handle 221 drives the projections 2221 of the stop arms 222 to abut the elastic plate 12, causing the elastic plate 12 to move away from the clamping slot 11, and thus releasing the first locking part 13 from the second locking part 223. This results in the rapid unlocking of the female clamping seat 1 and the male clamping seat 2 by pulling the handle 221.

[0023] The locking structure is arranged between several terminal sets; one terminal set and one cable insertion space of a pluggable terminal block of the prior art are compensated to meet the requirement of installing the locking structure, and thus one cable insertion space of the pluggable terminal block of the prior art is lost for the installation of the locking structure.

[0024] According to the present disclosure, the quick-release locking unit 22 is arranged on the outer wall of the terminal plug 212. The installation space of the cable slot seat 213 is not affected, and thus the number of cable slots 2131 does not need to be reduced. Therefore, the quick-release locking unit 22 of the present disclosure has the advantage that it does not occupy the installation space of the cable slot 2131.

[0025] Since the quick-release locking unit 22 is transversely limited and positioned by the position limiting rib 214, longitudinally limited and positioned by the first stop block 215, and interlocked and locked together by the first locking part 13 and the second locking part 223, the quick-release locking unit 22 is stably arranged between the female clamping seat 1 and the male clamping seat 2 according to the present disclosure without an additional pivotable connecting structure for fastening. Thus, the pluggable clamping strip 10 of the present disclosure has the advantage of simplifying the structure.

[0026] Although this disclosure has been described by reference to specific embodiments, numerous modifications and variations thereof can be made by the person skilled in the art without deviating from the scope and spirit of this disclosure as set out in the claims.

Claims

[1] Plug-in terminal block with a quick-release locking unit, comprising: a female clamping seat (1) comprising a clamping slot (11), an elastic plate (12) arranged on one side of the clamping slot (11), and a first locking part (13) arranged on the elastic plate (12); and a male clamping seat (2) detachably inserted into the female clamping seat (1) and includes: a male seat body (21) comprising an insulating housing (211), wherein the insulating housing (211) comprises a terminal plug (212) that is inserted into the terminal slot (11); and a quick-release locking unit (22) that is arranged on an outer wall of the terminal plug (212) and is inserted into the terminal slot (11) with the terminal plug (212), wherein the quick-release locking unit (22) comprises a handle (221) arranged at one end thereof and exposed outside the clamping slot (11), at least one stop arm (222) arranged at another end thereof and positioned in accordance with the elastic plate (12), and a second locking part (223) which is alternately locked with the first locking part (13) and is arranged between the handle (221) and the at least one stop arm (222); wherein the at least one stop arm (222) is driven to strike the elastic plate (12) in order to be removed from the clamping slot (11) by pulling the handle (221) in order to cause the first locking part (13) and the second locking part (223) to be released alternately. [2] Pluggable terminal block with the quick-release locking unit according to claim 1, wherein an end of the insulating housing (211) that is away from the terminal plug (212) comprises a cable plug slot seat (213) and the handle (221) is arranged between the female terminal seat (1) and the cable plug slot seat (213) when the terminal plug (212) is inserted into the terminal plug slot (11). [3] Pluggable terminal block with the quick-release locking unit according to claim 2, wherein a thickness (H1) of the cable plug slot seat (213) is greater than a thickness (H2) of the terminal plug (212) and thus a recessed zone which makes it possible to conceal the handle (221) is formed between the female terminal seat (1) and the cable plug slot seat (213). [4] Pluggable terminal block with the quick-release locking unit according to claim 1, wherein the length of the stop arm (222) is two, the quick-release locking unit (22) comprises a main body (220), the second locking part (223) is arranged on the main body (220) and the two stop arms (222) are arranged on an outside of the main body (220). [5] Pluggable terminal block with the quick-release locking unit according to claim 4, wherein the first locking part (13) is a locking slot (131) formed on an inner wall of the elastic plate (12), the second locking part (223) is an inclined locking pin (224) projecting from the main body (220) and the thickness of which gradually decreases in a direction defined as facing the terminal plug slot (11), and the inclined locking pin (224) is locked in the locking slot (131). [6] Pluggable terminal block with the quick-release locking unit according to claim 4, wherein the handle (221) is designed in such a way that it extends away from the main body (220) and one end of the two stop arms (222) from the bushing clamping seat (1), and an acute angle (θ) is defined between the handle (221) and the main body (220) and the two stop arms (222). [7] Pluggable terminal block with the quick-release locking unit according to claim 4, wherein the terminal plug (212) is inserted into the terminal plug slot (11) along a plugging direction (D), two position limiting ribs (214) project from an outer wall of the terminal plug (212) along the plugging direction (D), a slot (S) is defined between the main body (220) and the two stop arms (222), and each of the position limiting ribs (214) is mounted in each of the slots (S). [8] Pluggable terminal block with the quick-release locking unit according to claim 7, wherein a first stop block (215) and a second stop block (216) project from an outer wall of the terminal plug (212) which are spaced apart along the insertion direction (D), a notch (2201) is arranged at a distal end of the main body (220) away from the handle (221), the first stop block (215) is mounted in the notch (2201) to stop the main body (220), and the second stop block (216) stops the socket clamping seat (1) when the terminal plug (212) is inserted into the terminal plug slot (11). [9] Pluggable terminal block with the quick-release locking unit according to claim 8, wherein the handle (221) comprises a hollow opening (2211) which is connected to one of the slots (S), the second stop block (216) and one of the position limiting ribs (214) are formed in one piece and penetrate the hollow opening (2211). [10] Pluggable clamping strip with the quick-release locking unit according to claim 1, wherein one end of the female clamping seat (1) near the male clamping seat (2) comprises two cutting grooves (14) which are connected to the clamping slot (11), and the elastic plate (12) is arranged between the two cutting grooves (14).

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