Clamp

Abstract

The invention relates to a clamp (10) for releasably connecting an electric conductor to an electric line (20), comprising a plug receiving area (30), which is designed to receive the electric conductor, and a clamping device (40), which is designed to assume a position that fixes the electric conductor received by the plug receiving area (30) in the plug receiving area (30) and a position that releases the electric conductor in the plug receiving area (30). The invention is characterized by a first sensor (50) which detects the clamping device (40) in the position which fixes the electric conductor in the plug receiving area (30).

Description

[0001] clamp

[0002] The invention relates to a terminal for the detachable connection of an electrical conductor to an electrical line, comprising a plug-in receptacle configured to receive the electrical conductor and a clamping device configured to assume a position fixing the electrical conductor received by the plug-in receptacle in the plug-in receptacle and a position releasing the electrical conductor in the plug-in receptacle.

[0003] Such terminals are known from a variety of applications for the detachable connection or connection of wires, conductors and cables and can be designed, among other things, as individual terminals or series terminals in the form of screw terminals, insulation displacement terminals or spring-loaded terminals.

[0004] A particular problem arises in the commercial production of electrical machines, which must be subjected to various electrical tests during final testing and, for this purpose, must be connected to a test device, which establishes the connection to the power supply and enables the measurements required for the test to be carried out.

[0005] In the case of low-power devices, the electrical connection between the test object and the test device is made by means of plugs, for example the well-known CEE (3 x 16 A or 3 x 32 A) or Schuko plugs (up to 1 x 16 A), through which the electrical conductor providing the power supply and the protective conductor are contacted almost simultaneously.

[0006] For testing high-power devices, connectors are generally not used to connect to the test device, but rather screw or spring-loaded terminals that connect the electrical conductors of the device to be tested to the power supply and the protective conductor of the test device.

[0007] The use of terminals in the testing of electrical devices, especially high-power devices, therefore requires not only precise electrical engineering knowledge but also increased attention from trained technical personnel when contacting the electrical device under test, while observing all safety-relevant aspects. Although the contact between the device under test and the test device should generally be carefully made during the electrical testing of a device, the contact of electrical conductors connected to the terminal is prone to errors and is difficult to verify due to the contact hidden within the terminal.

[0008] The object of the invention is therefore to provide a terminal for the detachable connection of an electrical conductor to an electrical line, which allows a secure contact of the electrical conductor in the terminal to be recognized.

[0009] This object is achieved according to the invention by the clamp having the features of claim 1. The subclaims represent advantageous embodiments of the invention.

[0010] With the invention, according to particularly preferred embodiments, it is not only possible to create a terminal which is designed to check whether the terminal is properly closed and the electrical conductor is correctly inserted into the plug-in receptacle of the terminal, but also to provide a testing device for testing an electrical device in which the device to be tested, i.e. the test object, is only supplied with electrical energy under the condition that the terminal is properly closed and the electrical conductor is correctly inserted into the plug-in receptacle of the terminal.

[0011] The device according to the invention thus makes it possible to increase the protection of personnel and equipment by automatically checking the contact in the terminal, as it can ensure that the protective conductor, in particular, is properly contacted – especially in devices under test, the protective conductor has the task of safely discharging fault currents. If the fault current is safely discharging, negative effects on the device under test, the operator, and the test equipment can be prevented.

[0012] In this context, the terminal according to the invention is particularly designed so that the sensors provided detect the mechanical movements within the terminal, so that any overvoltages cannot have a negative impact on the sensors. Specifically, it is therefore intended that a test specimen with electrical conductors designed for power supply, which are usually individual stranded conductors with a diameter of at least 6 mm, are connected by a wire end sleeve.2 cross-section, are inserted into the plug-in receptacle of the terminal. A detector pin is arranged in the receptacle so that it is displaced by the individual conductor and the displacement is detected. This allows the presence of the conductor in the plug-in receptacle to be monitored. A lever is arranged on the terminal so that it presses the individual conductor together with the conductive structure inside the terminal. The end position of this clamping device is also detected, so that by ANDing these two safe pieces of information, the information "individual conductor present and contacted" can be generated. This signal can then enable the test process.

[0013] In addition, suitable voltage taps on the terminal make it possible to measure the contact resistance of the arrangement and thus carry out a qualitative assessment of the contact.

[0014] According to the invention, a terminal for the detachable connection of an electrical conductor to an electrical line is proposed, which terminal has a plug-in receptacle configured to receive the electrical conductor and a clamping device configured to assume a position that fixes the electrical conductor received by the plug-in receptacle in the plug-in receptacle and a position that releases the electrical conductor in the plug-in receptacle, wherein a first sensor is additionally provided that detects the clamping device in the position that fixes the electrical conductor in the plug-in receptacle. The signal from the first sensor therefore indicates that a conductor has been received by the plug-in receptacle and fixed in the plug-in receptacle by means of the clamping device, so that proper contact can be assumed.

[0015] The clamping device preferably comprises two clamping jaws movable relative to one another, forming at least a portion of the plug-in receptacle, and an actuating element acting on one of the clamping jaws, which causes the electrical conductor to assume the position that fixes or releases it. - -

[0016] Specifically, it is provided that one clamping jaw is slidably mounted relative to the other clamping jaw, with the first sensor being configured to detect the position of the slidably mounted clamping jaw in the position that secures the electrical conductor in the plug-in receptacle. Particularly preferably, one clamping jaw is spring-mounted relative to the other clamping jaw.

[0017] According to a highly preferred embodiment, both clamping jaws are displaceably mounted relative to the actuating element, with the first sensor being configured to detect the position of one or the other clamping jaw in the position that secures the electrical conductor in the plug-in receptacle. In this case, both clamping jaws are particularly preferably spring-mounted relative to the actuating element. If both clamping jaws are spring-mounted, they are arranged relative to the first sensor such that the thickness of the conductor is taken into account when detecting the position that secures the electrical conductor in the plug-in receptacle: without a conductor received in the plug-in receptacle, only one clamping jaw would be displaced relative to the other clamping jaw, without the position of both clamping jaws changing.If, however, a conductor is picked up by the plug-in receptacle, one clamping jaw is pressed against the conductor and thus against the spring-loaded other clamping jaw, the change in position of which is recorded and provides information not only about the position of the clamping device, but also about the presence of a conductor picked up by the plug-in receptacle.

[0018] The position of the clamping device is preferably detected indirectly by penetration of a section connected to at least one displaceably mounted clamping jaw into the detection area of ​​the first sensor.

[0019] The adjusting element is preferably an eccentric lever acting on at least one adjusting element.

[0020] According to a further preferred embodiment, in addition to the first sensor, a second sensor is provided which detects the electrical conductor in the plug-in receptacle.

[0021] For this purpose, an actuating element mounted axially displaceably in the plug-in receptacle is particularly preferably provided, with the second sensor being configured to detect the actuating element displaced by an electrical conductor arranged in the plug-in receptacle. Here, too, the actuating element is preferably mounted against the force of a spring.

[0022] The first sensor and / or the second sensor are preferably designed as inductive sensors.

[0023] Finally, a testing device for testing an electrical device is proposed, comprising at least one terminal designed according to the invention and a controller communicating with the first sensor and the second sensor of the terminal.

[0024] The control of this test device is designed to output an alarm signal, in particular in the absence of a sensor signal indicating the detection of the electrical conductor in the plug-in receptacle or a sensor signal indicating the detection of the clamping device in the position fixing the electrical conductor in the plug-in receptacle.

[0025] It is particularly preferred that the control system is configured to supply an electrical device connected to the testing device with electrical energy exclusively upon transmission of a sensor signal indicating the detection of the electrical conductor in the plug-in receptacle and a sensor signal indicating the detection of the clamping device in the position fixing the electrical conductor in the plug-in receptacle.

[0026] Finally, the control system can be communicatively connected to voltage taps arranged on the terminal's terminal device to check the contact, so that not only the presence of proper contact but also its quality can be checked.

[0027] The invention is explained in more detail below with reference to a particularly preferred embodiment shown in the attached drawing:

[0028] Fig. 1 shows a partially sectioned view of a particularly preferred embodiment of a terminal according to the invention as a detail in the area of ​​the clamping device (A) in the open position and as a general overview (B) in the closed position. Specifically, Fig. 1 shows a terminal 10 for the detachable connection of an electrical conductor to an electrical line 20 (wherein the electrical conductor itself is not shown). The terminal 10 has a plug-in receptacle 30 configured to receive the electrical conductor and a clamping device 40. The clamping device 40 serves to fix an electrical conductor received in the plug-in receptacle 30 and consists of two clamping jaws 42, 44 which are movable relative to one another and which, in the example shown, form a section of the plug-in receptacle 30. The lower clamping jaw 44 shown in Fig. 1 is designed as part of the electrical line 20 and is arranged in a stationary manner in the terminal 10. The clamping jaw 44 shown in Fig.The upper clamping jaw 42 shown in Fig. 1, however, is mounted against the lower clamping jaw 44 against the force of a spring 48 and is moved by the eccentric lever 46 interacting with the upper clamping jaw 42. In the open position of the eccentric lever 46 (Fig. 1A), the clamping device 40 assumes a position releasing the electrical conductor (not shown) in the plug-in receptacle 30, and in the closed position of the eccentric lever 46 (Fig. 1B), it assumes a position fixing the electrical conductor (not shown) received by the plug-in receptacle 30 in the plug-in receptacle 30.

[0029] When the electrical conductor is in the position that fixes it in the plug-in receptacle 30, a section that is connected to the upper clamping jaw 42 and extends below the lower clamping jaw 44 and is designed to be non-conductive engages in the detection range of a first sensor 50, which is designed in particular as an inductive sensor.

[0030] Furthermore, an actuating element 70 can be seen, which is mounted axially displaceably in the plug-in receptacle 30 against the force of a spring 72 and signals the absence or presence of a conductor received in the plug-in receptacle 30. When an electrical conductor is inserted into the plug-in receptacle 30, it strikes the actuating element 70, which is displaced from the plug-in receptacle 30 upon further insertion of the conductor into the plug-in receptacle 30. Once the actuating element 70 is completely displaced from the plug-in receptacle 30, the actuating element engages the detection range of a second sensor 60, which is also preferably designed as an inductive sensor.

[0031] The spatial and electrical separation of the electrical components from the mechanical components that indicate the presence of the conductor and the correct position of the eccentric lever 46 ensures that the sensors are not damaged even if overvoltages occur.

Claims

REQUIREMENTS 1. Terminal (10) for the detachable connection of an electrical conductor to an electrical line (20), comprising a plug receptacle (30) designed to receive the electrical conductor and a clamping device (40) configured to assume a position fixing the electrical conductor received by the plug receptacle (30) in the plug receptacle (30) and a position releasing the electrical conductor in the plug receptacle (30), characterized by a first sensor (50) detecting the clamping device (40) in the position fixing the electrical conductor in the plug receptacle (30). . Terminal (10) according to claim 1, characterized in that the clamping device (40) comprises two clamping jaws (42, 44) movable relative to each other, forming at least a section of the plug receptacle (30), and an actuating element (46) acting on one of the clamping jaws (42) to cause the electrical conductor to assume the position fixing or releasing it.

3. Terminal (10) according to claim 2, characterized in that one clamping jaw (42) is slidably mounted relative to the other clamping jaw (44), wherein the first sensor (50) is configured to detect the position of the slidably mounted clamping jaw (42) in the position fixing the electrical conductor in the plug receptacle (30). . Terminal (10) according to claim 2, characterized in that both clamping jaws (42, 44) are slidably mounted relative to the actuating element (46), wherein the first sensor (50) is configured to detect the position of one or the other clamping jaw (42, 44) in the position fixing the electrical conductor in the plug holder (30).

5. Clamp (10) according to one of claims 2 to 4, characterized in that the actuating element (46) is an eccentric lever.

6. Clamp (10) according to one of claims 2 to 5, characterized in that one clamping jaw (42) is spring-mounted against the other clamping jaw (44) and / or both clamping jaws (42, 44) are spring-mounted against the actuating element (46).

7. Terminal (10) according to one of the preceding claims, characterized by a second sensor (60) detecting the electrical conductor in the plug receptacle (30).

8. Terminal (10) according to claim 7, characterized by an actuating element (70) axially displaceable in the plug receptacle (30), wherein the second sensor (60) is configured to detect the actuating element (70) displaced by an electrical conductor arranged in the plug receptacle (30).

9. Clamp (10) according to claim 8, characterized in that the actuating element (70) is mounted against the force of a spring (72).

10. Terminal (10) according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the first sensor (50) and / or the second sensor (60) is an inductive sensor. Test device for testing an electrical device with at least one terminal (10) according to one of claims 7 to 10 and a control unit communicating with the first sensor (50) and the second sensor (60) of the terminal (10). Test device according to claim 11, characterized in that the control unit is configured to output an alarm signal if a sensor signal indicating the detection of the electrical conductor in the plug receptacle (30) or a sensor signal indicating the detection of the clamping device (40) in the position fixing the electrical conductor in the plug receptacle (30) is not received.Test device according to one of claims 11 and 12, characterized in that the control unit for supplying an electrical device connected to the test device with electrical energy is configured to transmit a sensor signal indicating the detection of the electrical conductor in the plug receptacle (30) and a sensor signal indicating the detection of the clamping device (40) in the position fixing the electrical conductor in the plug receptacle (30). Test device according to one of claims 11 to 13, characterized in that the control unit is communicatively connected to voltage taps arranged on the clamping device (40) of the terminal (10) for checking the contact.

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