Cable connection device

Abstract

A cable connection device comprising at least one contact support (1) having a busbar with a contact portion (2) and having a clamping element (3) with a clamping arm acting upon the contact portion (2), wherein the contact portion (2) of the busbar can be moved in relation to the clamping element (3) on the contact support (1).

Description

[0001] Description

[0002] The invention relates to a cable connection device. A cable connection device is typically embedded in an insulating housing and generally comprises a contact carrier with a busbar. To connect an electrical conductor, the electrical conductor is typically clamped into the contact carrier, preferably to the busbar.

[0003] Clamping springs are often used for clamping, particularly two-arm leg springs with a resilient contact arm and a more or less rigid bearing arm. The electrical conductor is clamped between the busbar and the contact arm. The contact arm acts as a clamping arm or clamping leg. The term "contact arm" used here is intended to express that the electrical conductor must be subjected to the clamping force of the contact arm in order to establish permanent electrical contact between the conductor and the busbar.

[0004] Essentially, the cable connection device is used to press the electrical conductor, for example a stranded wire or core of an electrical cable inserted into the contact carrier, against the busbar with the contact arm, thus creating an electrically conductive connection to the busbar and at the same time mechanically holding it to the busbar. With the so-called "push-in" technology, the electrical conductor is simply inserted into a cable entry opening on the contact carrier so that it slides between the clamping arm of the clamping spring and a contact section of the busbar and is clamped between the contact arm and this contact section to prevent it from being pulled out against the direction of its insertion. This "push-in" connection technology is particularly user-friendly because it requires very little manual effort and can be easily carried out by the user with two hands.However, the "push-in" technology requires a sufficiently rigid and stable electrical conductor. The individual wires of the wire must be numerous and rigid enough for this, or the wire must be fitted with a wire end ferrule. However, if a less rigid wire is inserted without a wire end ferrule, it may not be able to move the clamping leg of the clamping spring away from the contact section of the busbar, or in particular, to bend it away. A known solution to this problem is to use an external tool or actuator to move the clamping leg away from the contact section of the busbar and then push the thin wire between the clamping leg and the contact section of the busbar. If the actuator is then released again, this thin wire can also be clamped to the contact section of the busbar by the contact arm, creating an electrically conductive connection and securing it against accidental withdrawal.However, this is very uncomfortable to do with two hands, as the contact carrier and the cable have to be held simultaneously and the actuator has to be operated additionally, which would actually require three hands.

[0005] WO 2018 / 153862 A1 discloses a spring-loaded terminal with a pivotably mounted leg spring. A pivot lever acts on the bearing leg of the leg spring. The bearing leg transfers the pivoting movement of the pivot lever to a clamping leg of the leg spring, allowing the clamping leg to be moved away from the contact section of the busbar to simultaneously open the clamping point between the contact section and the clamping leg. In addition to the contact section and the clamping leg, a pivot bearing for the leg spring and the pivot lever for actuating the leg spring must also be provided, which appears to be very complex in terms of design.

[0006] DE 10 2020 119 129 A1 describes a connector module with a

[0007] Connection assembly. The connection assembly in turn comprises a leg spring as a clamping element with a fixed bearing leg and a movable clamping leg. The clamping leg, in turn, is supported on a slide that can be moved horizontally against the force of a return spring. The slide has a guide bevel on which a complementary guide bevel of a vertically movable actuator slides. The two guide bevels form a wedge-thrust gear so that a vertical movement of the actuator is transformed into a horizontal movement of the slide as a horizontal drive for the slide. The slide can thus be moved horizontally back and forth between two functional positions, namely a "push-in" position and an actuated position.In the "push-in" position, the clamping leg of the leg spring rests against a contact section of the busbar, while in the actuated position a slot-like free space is left between the clamping leg and the contact section. In the actuated position, a wire or stranded cable can be inserted into the free space between the clamping leg and the contact section without resistance, or the conductor can be removed from the contact carrier. The "push-in" position, on the other hand, allows the conductor to be connected by simply inserting it between the contact section of the busbar and the clamping leg of the spring. To lock the slide and thus the leg spring in the "push-in" position, the connection assembly requires the spring pressure of the return spring. To lock it in the actuated position, a mechanical locking element engages behind the front edge of the slide, which has been displaced horizontally relative to the "push-in" position.This well-known connection assembly requires a large number of parts, namely the slide and the leg spring, the actuator, the return spring, and the locking element, as well as a correspondingly large installation space in the cable connection device. Furthermore, the vertically movable actuator, located to the side of the slide, appears to be very difficult to operate when installed. Task

[0008] Based on this, the invention is based on the object of simplifying the construction of a cable connection device.

[0009] This object is achieved by the cable connection device according to claim 1. Preferred embodiments are defined in the subclaims.

[0010] In all known cable connection devices, the actuated position with the free space between the clamping element and the contact section is achieved by moving the clamping element out of its clamped position. Typically, the clamping leg of the leg spring is pivoted into the actuated position, as in the latter prior art, either with the aid of a slide, an actuator, or another tool. Relatively high spring forces must be overcome in this process. Furthermore, there is a risk that the spring force of the leg spring will weaken if it remains in the actuated position for a long time. The present invention takes a completely different, new approach:

[0011] According to the invention, the contact section, on the one hand, and the clamping element, on the other hand, are designed to be movable relative to each other on the contact carrier. In this way, the contact section can be easily moved away from the clamping element. Relatively low forces are required for this, which protects the material. Furthermore, the clamping element is not subjected to any further stress in the actuated position, in which a slot-like space is left between the clamping element and the contact section. The cable connection device can also be designed such that the clamping element can be moved back and forth relative to the contact section.

[0012] In a preferred embodiment, the contact section and the clamping element are moved in a translational relative movement to one another. This is easily achieved with simple guides on the contact carrier. In a further advantageous embodiment, the contact section and the clamping element are connected to one another by a locking mechanism. The conceptual model for such a locking mechanism is the pressure mechanism of a ballpoint pen. The pressure mechanisms of ballpoint pens are designed such that the refill is retracted into the barrel of the ballpoint pen in its rest position and the refill protrudes from one end of the ballpoint pen in its writing position. A single actuation leads to a change, e.g. from the rest position to the writing position. A further actuation, which corresponds at least in the direction of movement to the aforementioned actuation, then leads to the opposite change, i.e. in the aforementioned example from the writing position to the rest position.

[0013] Thus, there are preferably four sounds or stops at the end, which are caused by the two actuations, i.e. the actuation to change from the rest position to the writing position and back. The other two sounds or stops are caused by the energy of the spring. The first actuation leads to the spring absorbing energy, and upon release, a locking geometry of the locking mechanism is pressed against a stop, which is caused by the spring. When further force is introduced through actuation, energy is again stored and the locking geometry or the locking mechanism releases from the stop and is pushed back towards the starting position by the spring.

[0014] The locking mechanism makes it possible to maintain a gap between the contact section of the busbar and the clamping arm of the clamping element in the so-called actuated functional position of the locking mechanism, while in a second, non-actuated position, the "push-in" position, the clamping arm of the clamping element rests against the contact section of the busbar. The locking mechanism connecting the contact section and the clamping element thus makes it very easy to move the contact section and the clamping element relative to each other, particularly to shift them translationally, so that the desired functional position can be selected simply and easily.

[0015] In a further advantageous embodiment, the locking mechanism is designed as a cam mechanism. For this purpose, a link is hinged either to the contact section or to the clamping element. This link engages with its free end in a control cam. The link is thus movably guided in the control cam via its free end. If the link is hinged to the contact section, the control cam is located on the clamping element. If, however, the link is located on the clamping element, the control cam is located on the contact section.

[0016] A control curve with the geometry of the lowercase letter d is particularly advantageous. The upper end of the vertical d-beam serves as the starting point for the control curve. The lower end of the vertical d-beam accordingly serves as the turning point of the control curve. At the turning point, the control curve transitions from the vertical d-beam into the C-shaped curve located to the left of the d-beam. The C-shaped curve thus serves as a return path for the control curve to the starting point.

[0017] Particularly preferably, the geometry in the area of ​​the C-shaped arch, viewed from above, has a cone that serves to guide the guide rod. This means that the lower section of the d at the transition between the vertical d-beam and the C-shaped arch has no edge, whereas the upper transition between the C-shaped arch and the vertical d-beam preferably has an edge. This serves to guide the guide rod by giving it a twist in the direction of the C-shaped arch, thus finding its way into the C-shaped arch and not always moving in a translational manner.

[0018] Following the basic idea of ​​the aforementioned pressure mechanism of the ballpoint pen, receiving contours are formed both at the starting point of the control arm in the control curve and in the area of ​​the turning point of the control arm in the curve, into which the free end of the control arm can snap. The receiving contour at the starting point of the control arm in the control curve corresponds to the aforementioned actuated position of the clamping element relative to the contact section, and the fixation of the control arm in the position at the turning point corresponds to the unactuated position, i.e. the "push-in" position of the contact section and clamping element. In this way, a secure locking of the clamping element relative to the contact section in the selected functional position is ensured using simple means. The clamping element or contact section can therefore be easily switched back and forth in the contact carrier.

[0019] The shape of the control cam is not restricted to the described d-shape. In other embodiments, it is preferred that the control cam essentially forms the contour of an acute triangle with two straight guide bars and a locking position formed between them as the third side of the triangle. The transition between the respective positions can be made possible here by preloading the complementary link - alternatively a spring element - as well as ramps and radii formed in the contour. One of the guide bars is designed to guide the link from its starting point in the control cam at the intersection of the two guide bars to the locking position located between the guide bars, and the other guide bar is designed to return the link to the starting point in the control cam.

[0020] In a further advantageous embodiment, the contact section is designed as a U-shaped contact cage in order to better shield the contact point from the outside. A tab is also bent out of the contact cage on the contact section as an adapter for the bearing arm. In another advantageous embodiment, the clamping element is designed in the usual way as a leg spring, wherein the leg spring has a clamping leg that is spring-movable relative to a bearing leg as a clamping arm. At the free end of the bearing leg or bearing arm, a cam plate is advantageously adapted, into which the control cam is formed. The cam plate on the bearing leg and the tab on the contact section overlap each other in the position of the link at the turning point in the control cam and thus form a further side wall of the contact cage in addition to the U-legs of the contact section and thus additionally advantageously shield the contact point from the outside.

[0021] Preferably, the cable connection device comprises a U-shaped contact cage as the contact section with two side walls forming U-shaped limbs and a contact plate formed between them on the U-shaped base. Control cams of the locking mechanism are symmetrically arranged on the outside of both side walls. This dual design ensures reliable relative movement between the contact section and the clamping element.

[0022] Also preferred is a clamping element designed as a clamping bracket, which has two adjusted and spring-loaded links that engage from the outside in the control curves.

[0023] Finally, it is preferred that the contact section and / or the clamping bracket, preferably both, be manufactured in one piece from sheet metal by cutting, bending, and / or stamping operations. This allows for simple production and minimizes the number of components.

[0024] The invention is explained in further detail using the exemplary embodiment shown in the drawing figures. They show:

[0025] Fig. 1 A front view of a contact carrier in its “push-in” position,

[0026] Fig. 2 is a view of the contact carrier shown in Fig. 1 rotated by 180°, looking at its rear side with the cam plate adapted to the clamping element and with the link fixed at the turning point of the control cam, Fig. 3 is the contact carrier from Fig. 2 with the link fixed at the turning point,

[0027] Fig. 4 the view of the contact carrier according to Fig. 3 with the handlebar fixed at the starting point,

[0028] Fig. 5 shows the contact carrier shown in Fig. 4 rotated by 180° in a front view in “actuated position”,

[0029] Fig. 6 the rear view of the contact carrier from Fig. 4 with the handlebar released from the fixed position at the starting point during the movement of the handlebar to the turning point,

[0030] Fig. 7 shows the illustration from Fig. 6 with the handlebar moved in the control curve shortly before reaching the turning point,

[0031] Fig. 8 shows a further embodiment of a contact section of a contact carrier,

[0032] Fig. 9 is a further view of the contact section shown in Fig. 8,

[0033] Fig. 10 is a view of a complementary to Figs. 8 and 9

[0034] Clamp bracket to complete the locking gear and

[0035] Fig. 11 is another view of the clamp bracket from Fig. 10.

[0036] The figures contain partially simplified, schematic representations. Identical reference symbols are used for identical and structurally identical parts. Different views of identical parts may be scaled differently.

[0037] The contact carrier 1 according to the invention shown in Fig. 1 initially comprises a contact section 2 of a busbar and a clamping element 3 designed as a leg spring. The contact section 2 is connected to the remaining busbar (not shown in the drawing figures) in a conventional manner. In the exemplary embodiment, the contact section 2 is constructed as a U-shaped contact cage with its U-legs as side walls 4 and with the contact plate 5 connecting the side walls 4, which simultaneously forms the U-shaped base of the U-shaped contact section 2.

[0038] The leg spring acting as a clamping element 3 consists of a bearing leg 6 and a clamping leg 7 spring-mounted on the bearing leg 6. The free end of the clamping leg 7 is clearly visible against the underside of the contact plate 5 of the contact section 2. If a dimensionally stable conductor provided with a wire end ferrule, not shown in the drawings, is pushed into the contact section 2 in the conductor insertion direction 8, the clamping leg 7 springs downwards towards the bearing leg 6 and releases a clamping space for the conductor, which is delimited by the side walls 4 and the contact plate 5 as well as the clamping leg 7. The clamping leg 7 then springs back towards the contact plate 5 so that the conductor is clamped in the clamping space.In addition, a bead 9 is formed in the clamping leg 7, which is intended to further increase the pressure of the clamping leg 7 on the conductor lying in the clamping space, thus contributing to improving the contact connection in the cable connection device according to the invention.

[0039] In the rear view of the contact carrier 1 from Fig. 1 shown in Fig. 2, the side walls 4 and the contact plate 5 of the contact section 2 can be seen. Furthermore, the front side of the free end of the bearing leg 6 of the leg spring acting as the clamping element 3 is visible. A cam plate 10 is adapted to the bearing leg 6. The cam plate 10 runs at a right angle to the bearing leg 6. A control cam 11 is formed into the cam plate 10. The control cam 11 has approximately the geometry of the lowercase letter “d.” The control cam 11 is thus composed of a vertical d-beam 12 and a c-shaped arc 13 that complements the vertical d-beam 12 to form the d-contour. Also visible is a tab 14 bent at a right angle from the contact plate 5 of the contact section 2. The tab 14 has a bearing bore 15 through which it extends. The bearing end of a link 16 is inserted into this bearing bore 15.In the illustrated embodiment, the link 16 has a cylindrical cross-sectional shape. The free end of the link 16 facing away from the bearing end passing through the bearing bore 15 engages the control cam 11.

[0040] In the illustration in Fig. 3, a receiving contour 17 can be seen that complements the cross-sectional shape of the link 16. The receiving contour 17 is essentially semicircular and thus adapted to the cylindrical outer contour of the link 16. In the illustration in Fig. 2, the free end of the link 16 rests in the receiving contour 17. The link 16 is, as it were, snapped into the receiving contour 17 with its free end. Since the link 16 is in turn connected to the contact section 2 via the tab 14, the link 16 thus holds the contact section 2 in the "push-in" position of the contact carrier 1 shown in Fig. 1 and Fig. 2. The contact section 2 can be mounted against the pressure of a spring element not shown in the drawings.

[0041] If the link 16 is released from its snap-in position in the receiving contour 17 according to Fig. 3 and moved in the direction of the C-shaped arc 13 of the control cam 11, the free end of the link 16 simultaneously releases the contact section 2 so that it can be moved upwards in a direction of movement 18 away from the clamping element 3 or the cam plate 10, which is shown in Fig. 4.

[0042] Comparing the illustrations in Fig. 3 and Fig. 4, it can be seen that the free end of the link 16, starting from its position in Fig. 3, first passes upwards through the C-shaped base of the control cam 11 in the direction of movement 18, before then entering the vertical d-beam of the control cam 11 and moving there to the upper end. The upper end of the control cam 11 is also semicircularly recessed, thus forming a receiving contour for the free end of the link 16. In its functional position shown in Fig. 4, the "actuated position", the link 16 is again snapped into place at the end point of the control cam 11.

[0043] In the illustration in Fig. 4, the front side of the free end of the clamping leg 7 of the clamping element 3 can be seen, as can the front side of the bearing leg 6. Fig. 4 shows the contact carrier 1 viewed from its rear side in the same functional position as the illustration in Fig. 5, which has been rotated by 180° compared to Fig. 4. The perspective in Fig. 5, the view of the front, again corresponds to Fig. 1. If one compares the two functional positions of the contact carriers 1 shown in Fig. 1 and Fig. 5, it is noticeable that in the illustration in Fig. 5 the contact section 2 is clearly shifted upwards in the direction of movement 18 relative to the clamping element 3, so that a clearly visible longitudinal distance 19 is created between the free end of the clamping leg 7 of the clamping element 3 and the underside of the contact plate 5. Fig. 5 shows the so-called “actuated position” of the contact carrier 1, whereas Fig.1 - as already mentioned - shows the so-called "push-in" position of the contact carrier 1. In the actuated position shown in Fig. 5, a conductor fixed in the contact carrier 1 can be pulled out of the contact carrier and removed. The actuated position is therefore used to disassemble a previously installed conductor. Furthermore, the actuated position serves to assemble conductors with non-dimensionally stable conductor ends, especially conductor ends without wire end ferrules.

[0044] In order to return to the "push-in" position from the actuated position shown in Fig. 4 and Fig. 5, the contact section 2 is simply pressed downwards in the direction of movement 18 towards the cam plate 10. The link 16 then moves downwards in the direction of movement 18 in the vertical d-beam 12, in order to finally reach its locking position shown in Fig. 2 in the receiving contour 17 at the inflection point of the control cam 11. In particular, the comparative analysis of Fig. 1 and Fig. 2 on the one hand and Fig. 4 and Fig. 5 on the other hand shows that with the contact carrier 1 according to the invention, it is very easy to switch back and forth between the "push-in" position on the one hand and the "actuated position" on the other, at least in terms of operation analogous to the pressure mechanism of a ballpoint pen.

[0045] Figs. 8 and 9 show an alternative embodiment in which control cams 11 are formed twice, each on the side walls 4 of the contact section 2. In this embodiment, the contact section 2 has the function of holding the contact and transmitting the current.

[0046] The control cams 11 are less curved here than in the first version. A first straight actuating bar 12' of the control cam 11 guides the link (see Figs. 10 and 11) to a locking position in the receiving contour 17, the so-called "push-in" position of the contact carrier. Upon further actuation, the link is returned to the actuated position described above via a second straight actuating bar 13' of the control cam 11.

[0047] In this embodiment, the actuating bar 13' is cut out of the material, so there is no material at this point. The actuating bar 12' is embossed into the material, so the material thickness is less than at surrounding locations. This enables a guide section 20 to be formed between the two actuating bars 12' and 13', which has the full material thickness of the remaining side walls 4. The embossings forming a ramp and a radius in the vicinity of the locking position in the receiving contour 17 can, as an alternative to embossing, also be designed by bending away in the direction of the opposite side surface 4. A complementary clamping bracket 21 is shown in Figs. 10 and 11. The clamping bracket 21 comprises two links 16, which here are designed as arms angled inwards and upwards.The links 16 themselves provide the spring action to implement the locking mechanism, also known as a push-latch mechanism, in this design. The free ends of the links 16 engage the guides of the control cams 11, shown in Figs. 8 and 9.

[0048] A leg spring (not shown) is preferably applied to the clamping bracket 21 as a clamping element, so that the clamping bracket 21 itself can also be referred to as a clamping element. In particular, a bearing leg of the leg spring can be accommodated between clamping arms 22 of the clamping bracket 21. Thus, in this embodiment, too, a particularly translational relative movement between the clamping element and the contact section 2 is implemented by actuating the push-latch mechanism.

[0049] Both the contact section 2 and the clamp holder 21 are preferably made from a sheet metal using only cutting, bending, and / or stamping operations, so that production requires few work steps and is easily automated.

[0050] The contour of the control cam 11 can be exchanged between the designs, so the control cam 11 shown in Fig. 8 can also be used instead of the rounded control cam 11 shown, for example, in Fig. 2 and vice versa.

[0051] In addition, the design shown in Figs. 8 to 11 is also provided with only one control cam 11 and a complementary link 16, for example, by forming a corresponding control cam 11 on only one of the side surfaces 4. Applicant: HARTING Electric Stiftung & Co. KG

[0052] Title: Cable connection device

[0053] List of reference symbols

[0054] 1 contact carrier

[0055] 2 Contact section

[0056] 3 clamping element

[0057] 4 side wall

[0058] 5 Contact plate

[0059] 6 bearing legs

[0060] 7 clamping legs

[0061] 8 Conductor insertion direction

[0062] 9 bead

[0063] 10 Curved plate

[0064] 11 Control curve

[0065] 12 vertical d-beams

[0066] 12' operating bar

[0067] 13 C-shaped arch

[0068] 13' operating bar

[0069] 14 lobes

[0070] 15 bearing bore

[0071] 16 handlebars

[0072] 17 Recording contour

[0073] 18 Direction of movement

[0074] 19 Longitudinal distance

[0075] 20 guide section

[0076] 21 clamp bracket

[0077] 22 clamping arms

Claims

Claims Cable connection device with at least one contact carrier (1) comprising a busbar with a contact section (2) and a clamping element (3) with a clamping arm acting on the contact section (2), characterized in that the contact section (2) of the busbar is movable relative to the clamping element (3, 21) on the contact carrier (1). Cable connection device according to claim 1, characterized by a translational movement between the contact section (2) and the clamping element (3). Cable connection device according to claim 1 or 2, characterized by a locking gear connecting the contact section (2) and the clamping element (3).Cable connection device according to claim 3, characterized by a first actuated functional position of the locking gear with a free space between the contact section (2) of the busbar and the clamping arm of the clamping element (3) and by a second unactuated functional position of the locking gear with the clamping arm of the clamping element (3) resting on the contact section (2) of the busbar. Cable connection device according to claim 3 or 4, characterized in that the locking gear is designed as a cam gear such that a link (16) articulated on the contact section (2) or on the clamping element (3) engages with its free end in a control cam (11) arranged on the clamping element (3) or on the contact section (2) and is movably guided in the control cam (11). Cable connection device according to claim 5, characterized in that the control curve (11) has substantially the shape of the lower case letter d with the vertical d-bar (12) as a guide for the link (16) from its starting point in the control curve (11) at the upper end of the d-bar (12) to the turning point of the control curve (11) at the lower end of the d-bar (12) and with the c-shaped arch (13) arranged on the left side in the lower region of the d-bar (12) as a return for the link (16) to the starting point in the control curve (11),or that the control curve (11) essentially has the contour of an acute triangle with two straight guide beams (12', 13') and a locking position formed therebetween as the third side of the triangle, wherein one of the guide beams (12', 13') is designed as a guide for the handlebar (16) from its starting point in the control curve (11) at the intersection point of the two guide beams (12', 13') to the locking position lying between the guide beams (12', 13') and the other of the guide beams (12', 13') is designed as a return guide for the handlebar (16) to the starting point in the control curve (11). Cable connection device according to claim 6, characterized by a receiving contour (17) complementary to the geometry of the link (16) at the starting point of the link (16) in the control curve (11), as well as a further receiving contour (17) complementary to the geometry of the link (16) at the turning point of the link (16) in the control curve (11) for releasably fixing the link (16) in its respective position in the control curve (11). Cable connection device according to one of claims 1 to 7, characterized by a U-shaped contact cage as the contact section (2) with a tab (14) bent out from the U-base and running at right angles to the U-legs, with a bearing bore (15) receiving the bearing end of the link (16) as the articulation point for the link (16) on the contact section (2).Cable connection device according to one of claims 1 to 8, characterized by a leg spring as the clamping element (3) with a clamping leg (7) as the clamping arm, the free end of which clamps the end of the conductor to be connected to the contact section (2), and with a bearing leg (6), to the free end of which a cam plate (10) with the control cam (11) is adapted. Cable connection device according to claim 9, characterized in that the cam plate (10) on the bearing leg (6) and the tab (14) on the contact section (12) overlap one another in the position of the link (16) at its turning point in the control cam (11). Cable connection device according to one of claims 3 to 6, characterized by a U-shaped contact cage as the contact section (2) with two side walls (4) as U-legs and a contact plate (5) formed between them on the U-base, wherein control cams (11) of the locking gear are designed symmetrically on the outside on both side walls (4). Cable connection device according to claim 11, characterized by a clamping element (3) designed as a clamping holder (21) which has two adjusted and resilient links (16) which engage from the outside in the control cams (11). Cable connection device according to claim 12, characterized in that the contact section (2) and / or the clamping holder (21), preferably both, can be produced in one piece from sheet metal by cutting, bending and / or stamping operations.

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