Connection terminal and electronic device

Abstract

The invention relates to an electric connection terminal (100) for connecting an electric conductor, comprising a housing (110), a clamping spring (120) which is arranged in the housing (110), a current bar (160), and a clamping lever (140), wherein the clamping spring (120) has a contact limb (121) in order to clamp an electric conductor to be connected against the current bar (160) in a spring-elastic manner, wherein the clamping lever (140) is secured to the housing (110) and can be pivoted about a pivot axis (141) between an open position and a closed position, and the clamping lever (140) has a driver (142) which is paired with a tab (122) of the clamping spring (120), said tab being provided on the contact limb (121) of the clamping spring (120).

Description

[0001] The present invention relates to a connection terminal for connecting an electrical conductor, which has a housing, a clamping spring arranged in the housing, a current bar, and a clamping lever. The clamping spring has a contact leg for resiliently clamping an electrical conductor to be connected against the current bar. The clamping lever is fastened to the housing. The clamping lever can be pivoted about a pivot axis between an open position and a closed position. The clamping lever has a driver, and the driver is assigned a tab of the clamping spring, which tab is provided on the contact leg of the clamping spring. The invention further relates to an electronic device having such a connection terminal.

[0002] A corresponding terminal block is disclosed, for example, in DE 20 2017 105 467 U1 or US 2019 / 341708 A1. Further terminal blocks are known, for example, from DE 20 2009 010 003 U1 and DE 10 2016 118 331 A1. Terminal blocks for electrical conductors are used to detachably connect electrical conductors.

[0003] The object of the present invention is to provide an improved terminal for connecting an electrical conductor.

[0004] 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.

[0005] The connecting terminal according to the invention is characterized in that the tab is formed in one piece with the clamping spring and is punched out of the contact leg of the clamping spring, wherein the contact leg has a through opening substantially corresponding to the dimensions of the punched-out tab.

[0006] Because the tab that interacts with the driver is provided on the contact leg of the clamping spring, a particularly compact and robust design of the clamping spring can be provided within the connection terminal.

[0007] According to the invention, the tab is formed integrally with the clamping spring and punched out of the contact leg of the clamping spring, with the contact leg having a through-opening substantially corresponding to the punched-out tab. In this way, the tab can be provided cost-effectively and reliably as an integral component of the clamping spring.

[0008] The tab can be arranged so as to project freely between the contact leg and a retaining leg of the clamping spring, whereby the contact leg and the retaining leg can be connected to each other by a curved connecting section. Consequently, the tab can be integrated as compactly as possible into the installation space intended for accommodating the clamping spring.

[0009] The connecting section between the contact leg and the holding leg can be an arc that defines an angle of less than 90° between the holding leg and the contact leg. Accordingly, sections of the contact leg and the holding leg adjacent to the arc can enclose an angle that is less than 90°.

[0010] To prevent bending or deformation of the clamping spring due to improper use and to ensure proper guidance and positioning of the clamping spring relative to the housing, a further embodiment of the terminal can provide the housing with a support section that penetrates the through-opening of the contact leg and rests against the retaining leg of the clamping spring. Accordingly, the clamping spring with the through-opening can be pushed onto the support section, allowing the clamping spring and the contact leg to be positioned in a form-fitting manner on the housing.

[0011] It can be provided that an end section of the support section of the housing that rests against the retaining leg of the clamping spring has a curvature or rounding in order to be able to at least partially adapt the shape of the support section to the different bending radii of the clamping spring under different clamping conditions. Thus, the curvature or rounding can reduce wear on the spring compared to a sharp-edged support and also reduce friction when the spring deforms when it is in contact with the support section. The clamping mechanism formed from the clamping lever, the clamping spring, and the associated support section can therefore be designed to operate more smoothly than with sharp-edged or flat-surface support solutions by providing the end-side rounding of the support section.

[0012] The clamping spring can be enclosed by the housing on two sides, so that in particular no lateral opening of the housing is provided for mounting the clamping spring and the clamping spring can be mounted in the housing by sliding it onto the support section and thereby inserting it between two side housing walls of the housing.

[0013] According to an alternative embodiment, the support section can be provided on the current bar or be part of the current bar.

[0014] In order to enable a simple and cost-effective construction of the clamping spring, it can be provided that the clamping spring is a multi-curved strip, in particular a spring steel strip, wherein the strip has a constant width. When reference is made here to the strip having a constant width, this means that the overall width of the unwound strip resting on a flat surface, from which the spring is formed, has a constant width. It is understood that, for example, punching out the tab results in the tab itself having a smaller width than the original strip. Nevertheless, the overall width of the clamping section from which the tab is punched out remains the same and continues to correspond to the width of the holding leg. In particular, the width of a section of the clamping leg that bears against a conductor to be connected corresponds to the width of the holding leg.

[0015] It is also possible for the driver to be at a distance from the tab when the clamping lever is in the closed position, and for the driver to rest against the tab when the clamping lever is in the open position. In the closed position, this ensures that the entire spring force of the spring clamp is available to clamp a conductor in the direction of the current bar, and that part of the spring force is not lost through contact with the driver. Accordingly, starting from the closed position of the clamping lever, the driver initially performs an idle stroke until the driver comes into contact with the tab, whereby the subsequent further opening movement can cause the clamping spring to deform via the tab and the driver.

[0016] The driver can, for example, be a mandrel or web projecting along the width direction of the clamping spring, which is formed on the clamping lever.

[0017] In particular, it can be provided that pivoting the clamping lever from the closed position to the open position can cause an increase in a distance between the current bar and the contact leg, wherein the spring can be tensioned between the driver and a stop.

[0018] Furthermore, it is possible that a further clamping spring with a further clamping lever is provided in order to resiliently clamp another electrical conductor to be connected against the current bar.

[0019] In particular, the further clamping spring and the further clamping lever can be designed analogously to the clamping lever and the clamping spring described above.

[0020] In particular, the connection terminal is designed to be mirror-symmetrical, allowing two conductors to be connected to be inserted into the connection terminal from both sides in order to enable an electrically conductive connection of the conductors to be connected.

[0021] In order to achieve a compact design of the connection terminal, it can be provided that the clamping springs have end sections that rest against one another, wherein the clamping spring, as long as the clamping lever is in the open position, can be clamped between the driver and the end section of the further clamping spring and the further clamping spring, as long as the further clamping lever is in the open position, can be clamped between the end section of the clamping spring and a driver of the further clamping lever.

[0022] The clamping springs are then mutually supported within the terminal, enabling compact integration of the clamping springs into the terminal housing.

[0023] Furthermore, it can be provided that the clamping levers assigned to the clamping springs also abut one another in their open position in order to be able to limit a pivoting path of the respective clamping lever in the open position.

[0024] To specify a defined position of the contact leg, the current bar can be provided with a shoulder against which the contact leg rests when the clamping lever is in the closed position and no conductor is inserted into the housing in the area of ​​the clamping lever. Because the clamping lever rests against the current bar in the closed position, conductors of different diameters can be inserted between the contact leg and the current bar. The contact leg can be moved or displaced away from the current bar by the diameter of the conductor end, and the conductor end can thus be clamped to the current bar by the contact leg.

[0025] The opening between the current bar and the contact leg, which is limited to accommodate the conductor, can therefore automatically adjust to the diameter of the conductor to be contacted. This allows a conductor to be contacted with the current bar and secured in the terminal without having to move the clamping lever from its closed position to the open position.

[0026] Alternatively, the clamping lever can be moved to its open position to lift the contact leg from the current bar, thus facilitating the insertion of a conductor end. This allows a conductor to be inserted into the housing without having to displace the clamping leg with the conductor end. This prevents deformation of the conductor end during insertion into the terminal. Subsequently, pivoting the clamping lever from its open position to the closed position causes the contact spring to be biased toward the current bar, clamping the conductor end between the clamping leg of the clamping spring and the current bar.

[0027] It can be provided that the housing comprises a plastic or is made of a plastic.

[0028] Furthermore, it can be provided that the clamping lever has a handle to enable tool-free operation of the connection terminal and thus to enable tool-free connection and release of electrical conductors to or from the connection terminal.

[0029] It can be provided that the housing has a stop associated with the clamping lever in order to limit a pivoting path of the clamping lever.

[0030] The connection terminal can be designed, for example, as a series terminal, block terminal or potential terminal.

[0031] The object of the invention is further achieved with an electronic device which can have at least one connection terminal designed and developed as described above.

[0032] The invention will be explained in more detail below with reference to exemplary embodiments in the accompanying drawings. Each of these drawings schematically shows: Fig. 1A a terminal according to the invention in a perspective view from above; Fig. 1B the terminal from Fig. 1A in a side view in a longitudinal section; Fig. 1C a part of the housing of the terminal in a perspective view from above; Fig. 1D the terminal from Fig. 1A in a side view; Fig. 2 a clamping spring in a perspective view from above; Fig. 3 a clamping body in a perspective view from above; Fig. 4 the connection terminal from Fig. 1A in a side view in a longitudinal section with conductors to be connected and clamping bodies in the closed position; Fig. 5A the connection terminal from Fig. 1A in a side view in a longitudinal section with conductors to be connected and clamping bodies in the open position; Fig. 5B the connection terminal from Fig. 1A in a side view in a longitudinal section with conductors to be clamped and clamping bodies in the closed position; Fig. 6 the clamping bodies, the clamping springs and the current bar of the connection terminal in a side view in a longitudinal section.

[0033] A terminal block 100 for connecting an electrical conductor has a housing 110. A clamping spring 120 and another clamping spring 130 are arranged in the housing 110. The terminal block 100 has a clamping lever 140, which is associated with the clamping spring 120. The terminal block 100 has another clamping lever 150, which is associated with the other clamping spring 130. The terminal block 100 has a current bar 160.

[0034] The clamping spring 120 has a contact leg 121 for resiliently clamping an electrical conductor to be connected against the current bar 160. The further clamping spring 130 has a contact leg 131 for resiliently clamping an electrical conductor to be connected against the current bar 160.

[0035] The clamping lever 140 is attached to the housing 110, and the clamping lever 140 is pivotable between an open position and a closed position about a pivot axis 141. The clamping lever 140 has a driver 142. A tab 122 of the clamping spring 120 is assigned to the driver 142. The tab 122 is provided on the contact leg 121 of the clamping spring 120.

[0036] The additional clamping lever 150 is attached to the housing 110, and the additional clamping lever 150 is pivotable between an open position and a closed position about a pivot axis 151. The additional clamping lever 150 has a driver 152. A tab 132 of the additional clamping spring 130 is assigned to the driver 152. The tab 132 is provided on the contact leg 131 of the additional clamping spring 130.

[0037] The connecting terminal 100 is constructed with mirror symmetry, with the geometry of the clamping spring 120 corresponding to the geometry of the clamping spring 130. Likewise, the geometry of the clamping lever 140 corresponds to the geometry of the other clamping lever 150.

[0038] The geometry of the clamping springs 120, 130 is explained below using the clamping spring 120 as an example with reference to Fig. 2 The geometry of the clamping levers 140, 150 is further described using the clamping lever 140 as an example with reference to Fig. 3 described.

[0039] Fig. 2 shows the clamping spring 120 in a perspective view from above. The tab 122 is formed integrally with the clamping spring 120 and has been punched out of the contact leg 121 of the clamping spring 120. The contact leg 121 has a through-opening 123 corresponding to the dimensions of the punched tab 122.

[0040] The tab 122 is arranged so as to project freely between the contact leg 121 and a retaining leg 124 of the clamping spring 120. The contact leg 121 and the retaining leg 124 are connected to each other by a curved connecting section 125.

[0041] The through-opening 123 serves to position the clamping spring 120 on the housing 110. Thus, the housing 110 has a support section 111 that penetrates the through-opening 123 of the contact leg 121 and rests against the retaining leg 124 of the clamping spring 120. The clamping spring 120 is a multiply curved band, wherein the band has a constant width B1.

[0042] Likewise, the housing 110 has a support portion 112 that penetrates a through-opening 133 of the clamping spring 130 and rests against a retaining leg 134 of the clamping spring 130. The clamping spring 130 is a multiply curved band, wherein the band has a constant width.

[0043] Accordingly, the respective clamping spring 120, 130 can be pushed with its through-opening onto the associated support section 111, 112, so that the respective clamping spring 120, 130 is positioned with its contact leg 121, 131 in a form-fitting manner on the housing 110.

[0044] The support sections 111, 112 of the housing 110 have a curvature or rounding 115, 116 at the end in order to at least partially adapt the shape of the support sections 111, 112 to the different bending radii of the clamping springs 120, 130 for different clamping states.

[0045] The clamping springs 120, 130 are enclosed on two sides by the housing 110, so that in particular no lateral openings of the housing are provided for mounting the clamping springs 120, 130 and the clamping springs 120, 130 can be mounted in the housing 110 by sliding them onto the support sections 111, 112 and thereby inserting them between two side housing walls 117, 118 of the housing 110 ( Fig. 1C ).

[0046] Fig. 1D shows an example of improper use of the terminal 100, in which a screwdriver 400 is inserted into the terminal. The support section 112 can prevent deformation or destruction of the clamping spring 130.

[0047] Fig. 3 shows the clamping lever 140 in isolation in a perspective view from above. The clamping lever 140 has a handle 143 to enable manual, tool-free operation of the clamping lever 140. In the area of ​​the pivot axis 141, the clamping lever 140 has pivot feet 144, 145, which are positively connected to the housing 110 and enable the clamping lever 140 to be rotatably mounted on the housing 110. The clamping lever 140 also has a stop surface 146 and another stop surface 147.

[0048] As long as the clamping lever 140 is in the closed position, as shown in Fig. 1B , in Fig. 4 , in Fig. 5B and in Fig. 6 As can be seen, the driver 142 has a distance A to the tab 122. As long as the clamping lever 140 is in the open position, as shown in the Fig. 5A As shown, the driver 142 rests on the tab 122.

[0049] Pivoting the clamping lever 140 from the closed position to the open position increases the distance between the current bar 160 and the contact leg 121, whereby the clamping spring 120 is clamped between the driver 142 and a stop 136. The stop 136 is part of the clamping spring 130 and forms an end portion 136 of the clamping spring 130. Likewise, an end portion 126 of the clamping spring 120 forms a stop for the clamping spring 130.

[0050] The clamping springs 120, 130 accordingly have end sections 126, 136 that abut one another, wherein the clamping spring 120, as long as the clamping lever 140 is in the open position, is clamped between the driver 142 and the end section 136 of the further clamping spring 130, and the further clamping spring 130, as long as the further clamping lever 150 is in the open position, is clamped between the end section 126 of the clamping spring 120 and the driver 152 of the further clamping lever 150. The clamping springs 120, 130 are thus supported against one another at their ends, abutting one another.

[0051] The current bar 160 has a shoulder 161 against which the contact leg 121 rests, provided that the clamping lever 140 is arranged in the closed position and no conductor is inserted into the housing 110 in the area of ​​the clamping lever 140. The current bar 160 has a further shoulder 162 against which the contact leg 131 rests, provided that the clamping lever 150 is arranged in the closed position and no conductor is inserted into the housing 110 in the area of ​​the clamping lever 150 ( Fig. 1B ).

[0052] To establish an electrically conductive connection between two electrical conductors 200, 300, the conductors 200, 300 can be inserted into the connection terminal 100 while the clamping levers 140, 150 are in their open position (cf. Fig. 4 ). Accordingly, the electrical conductor 200 is inserted with an end portion 210 into an opening 113 of the housing 110 of the terminal 100.

[0053] The end section 210 displaces the clamping leg 121 of the clamping spring 120, so that the end section 210 is clamped between the clamping leg 121 and the current bar 160 due to the spring force of the clamping spring 120. The end section 126 of the clamping spring 120 forms a stop for the end section 210 of the conductor 200.

[0054] Similarly, an end portion 310 of the conductor 300 can be inserted into an opening 114 of the housing 110 to be clamped between the clamping leg 131 of the clamping spring 130 and the current bar 160.

[0055] An electrically conductive connection is thus established between the conductors 200, 300 via the electrically conductive current bar 160. Both the clamping legs 121, 131 and the shoulders 161, 162 of the current bar 160, in conjunction with the clamping force of the springs 120, 130, counteract the pulling out of the conductors 200, 300 from the terminal 100. Fig. 5B shows a state in which both conductors 200, 300 are clamped with their end sections 210, 310 within the connection terminal 100.

[0056] Alternatively, before inserting a conductor 200, 300, the clamping levers 140, 150 can be opened, as shown in Fig. 5A shown as an example. As soon as the conductor ends 210, 310 are positioned in the respective housing openings 113, 114, the clamping levers 140, 150 are Fig. 5A shown open position in the Fig. 5B shown closed position in order to clamp the conductors 200, 300 within the connection terminal 100 and to contact them with each other via the current bar 160.

[0057] To adjust the swivel path in the Fig. 5A To limit the open position shown, the clamping lever 140 rests against the housing 110 with its stop surface 147. Likewise, the clamping lever 150 rests against the housing 110 with a stop surface 157. In addition, the stop surface 146 of the clamping lever 140 is supported on a stop surface 156 of the clamping lever 150.

[0058] In order to further clarify the functioning of the clamping mechanism of the terminal 100 formed by the clamping levers 140, 150, the associated clamping springs 120, 130 and the current bar 160, these components are shown in Fig. 6 shown on its own, with the clamping lever 140 shown in the closed position and the clamping lever 150 shown in the open position.

[0059] It can be seen that the driver 142 is spaced apart from the tab 122 according to the closed position of the clamping lever 140 and pivoting, as shown by way of example for the clamping spring 130 and the clamping lever 150 in the open position, causes the spring 130 to be tensioned.

[0060] It can also be seen that by pivoting a clamping lever 140, 150, the respective clamping leg 121, 131 is moved away from the current bar 160 as soon as the respective driver 142, 152 comes into contact with the associated tab 122, 132 when pivoting the respective clamping lever 140, 150 from the closed position into the open position. Bezugszeichenliste

[0061] 100Connecting terminal 110Housing 111Support section 112Support section 113Opening 114Opening 115Rounding 116Rounding 117Side housing wall 118Side housing wall 120Clamping spring 121Contact leg 122Tab 123Through opening 124Retaining leg 125Connecting section 126End section 130Clamping spring 131Contact leg 132Tab 133Through opening 134Retaining leg 136Stop, end section 140Clamping lever 141Pivoting axis 142Carrier 143Handle 144Pivoting foot 145Pivoting foot 146Stop surface 147Stop surface 150Clamping lever 151Pivoting axis 152Carrier 156Stop surface 157Stop surface 160Current bar 161Step 162Step 200Conductor 210End section 300Conductor 310End section 400Screwdriver ADistance B1Width

Claims

1. Connection terminal (100) for connection of an electrical conductor, comprising a housing (110), comprising a clamping spring (120) arranged in the housing (110), comprising a current bar (160) and comprising a clamping lever (140), wherein the clamping spring (120) has a contact limb (121) in order to resiliently elastically brace an electrical conductor to be connected against the current bar (160), wherein the clamping lever (140) is fastened to the housing (110), wherein the clamping lever (140) can be pivoted between an open position and a closed position about a pivot axis (141), wherein the clamping lever (140) has a driver (142), wherein a lug (122) of the clamping spring (120) is associated with the driver (142), the lug being provided on the contact limb (121) of the clamping spring (120), characterized in that the lug (122) is formed in one piece with the clamping spring (120) and is punched out of the contact limb (121) of the clamping spring (120), wherein the contact limb (121) has a passage opening (123) which corresponds substantially to the dimensions of the punched-out lug (122).

2. Connection terminal (100) according to Claim 1, characterized in that the lug (122) is arranged in a freely projecting manner between the contact limb (121) and a retaining limb (124) of the clamping spring (120), wherein the contact limb (121) and the retaining limb (124) are connected to each other by a curved connecting section (125).

3. Connection terminal (100) according to Claims 1 and 2, characterized in that the housing (110) has a supporting section (111) which passes through the passage opening (123) in the contact limb (121) and bears against the retaining limb (124) of the clamping spring (120).

4. Connection terminal (100) according to any of the preceding claims, characterized in that the clamping spring (120) is a strip with several bends, wherein the strip has a constant width (B1).

5. Connection terminal (100) according to any of the preceding claims, characterized in that the driver (142) is at a distance from the lug (122) when the clamping lever (140) is in the closed position, and in that the driver (142) bears against the lug (122) when the clamping lever (140) is in the open position.

6. Connection terminal (100) according to any of the preceding claims, characterized in that pivoting of the clamping lever (140) from the closed position to the open position causes an increase in a distance between the current bar (160) and the contact limb (121), wherein the clamping spring (120) is braced between the driver (142) and a stop.

7. Connection terminal (100) according to any of the preceding claims, characterized in that a further clamping spring (130) is provided with a further clamping lever (150) in order to resiliently elastically brace a further electrical conductor to be connected against the current bar (160).

8. Connection terminal (100) according to Claim 7, characterized in that the clamping springs (120, 130) have end sections (126, 136) which bear against each other, wherein the clamping spring (120), provided that the clamping lever (140) is in the open position, is braced between the driver (142) and the end section (136) of the further clamping spring (130), and the further clamping spring (130), provided that the further clamping lever (150) is in an open position, is braced between the end section (126) of the clamping spring and a driver (152) of the further clamping lever (150).

9. Connection terminal (100) according to any of the preceding claims, characterized in that the current bar (160) has a projection (161) against which the contact limb (121) bears, provided that the clamping lever (140) is arranged in the closed position and no conductor is inserted into the housing (110) in the region of the clamping lever (140).

10. Electronic device, comprising at least one connection terminal (100) according to any of Claims 1 to 9.

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