A junction box

Abstract

A junction box 100 comprises a base 10 and a lid 20 that defines a cavity. At least one opening 16A-C is provided through the base 10 to the cavity through which a wire or cable is received. The base 10 comprises at least two slots 11A-C suitable for receiving electrical connectors. The slots 11A-C are stepped relative to an adjacent slot 11A-C so that a wire or cable is receivable into an electrical connector in a slot 11A-C at a different level to an electrical connector in the adjacent slot 11A-C. Each opening may comprise a sprung arm 40 for retaining the wire or cable. The sprung arm may comprise at least one raised node (figure 5b, 43) that is presented to the wire or cable.

Description

Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a junction box, in particular a modified junction box that guides a wire or cable through an opening to an electrical connector. Background Junction boxes are used as a container in which wires are connected together, in some cases by means of an electrical connector to make the electrical connection. Often a number of wires or cables are received to a junction box and the separate connections are made within the junction box, however it can be difficult to fully separate the wires. Furthermore when using electrical connectors it is often necessary to fix the electrical connector within the junction box and this is often achieved by having electrical connectors provided in a row. However, this means that all wires run along the same pathway which can make it difficult to position the wires. The present invention overcomes these problems. Prior Art UK Patent GB2592480 (HUSSAIN) discloses a wire connection terminal apparatus. Summary of the Invention According to a first aspect of the present invention there is provided a junction box comprising: a base and a lid that defines a cavity; at least one opening through the base to the cavity through which a wire or cable is received; wherein the base has at least two slots for receiving electrical connectors and the slots are stepped relative to the adjacent slot so that a wire or cable is receivable in to an electrical connector in a slot at a different level to an electrical connector in the adjacent slot. In this way each wire or cable that is received through an opening is received to an electrical connector in a slot at a different height (level) relative to the adjacent slot so the wires or cables do not overlap and each has its own pathway, thereby keeping the wires or cables tidy and making it easier to add and remove wires or cables as there is no tangling and no requirement to move or reposition another wire or cable. It is appreciated that wires, or cables containing multiple wires, may be received through the openings of the junction box. For the purposes of the application the terms wire or cable may be interchangeable. The base and lid are shaped and dimensioned to define a cavity into which wires are received into electrical connectors. The cavity therefore contains all electrical connections. Preferably the base is connected to the lid by at least one hinge so that the lid can be displaced and replaced with respect to the case but is not separated from the base. Ideally the hinge is a living hinge providing a reliable and cost effective hinge. Preferably the lid closes to the base by a catch so that once closed the junction box does not open unless force is applied to flex the base and or lid and displace the catch. In a preferred embodiment at least one catch is provided on the lid which is a projection that engages with a corresponding lip on the base. In this way the lid and base are locked closed by a form of snap fit connection. The lid can be opened by displacing the catch(es) from the lip. The slots are shaped and dimensioned to receive an electrical connector such as a WAGO (RTM) connector. The slots are provided on the base so that the lid can be displaced and any wires and electrical connections that are made in the cavity are not displaced. In preferred embodiments the slots receive an electrical connector so that it is seated in a horizontal plane that is substantially parallel to the base. In this way each wire is received in the same horizontal orientation. The slot has at least a bed upon which the electrical connector is positioned in use and at least one side wall extending from the bed against which the electrical connector abuts. The bed and at least one side wall define the location in which the electrical connector is seated so that it remains in a fixed position in the cavity. Preferably the slot has three side walls extending orthogonally from the bed, a left side wall, a rear side wall and a right side wall. In this way the slot has an open top and front and the electrical connector can be inserted from the top and / or front and cables / wires can be inserted to the electrical connector from the front. The walls are preferably spaced apart to correspond to the dimensions of an electrical connector. The bed of each slot is spaced a different level from the lower surface of the base so that the position of each electrical connector, when inserted to a slot, is at a different level. In this way the bed of each slot is stepped with respect to an adjacent slot. In preferred embodiments each slot has an engagement means for receiving and retaining the electrical connector. The engagement means acts to hold the electrical connector in place to ensure it stays in the same location. In a preferred embodiment the engagement means comprises at least one resiliently deformable finger that is arranged in the slot to deform from a first position to a second position as an electrical connector is inserted and that returns to the first position when the electrical connector is located. Preferably the resiliently deformable finger(s) is arranged on a side wall of the slot. In this way the electrical connector is inserted as a snap fit connection and once the electrical connector is inserted it cannot be removed without deforming the resiliently formable finger(s). Preferably the slot has at least two resiliently deformable fingers, each engaging with a different region of the electrical connector so that the electrical connector is held in place whatever orientation the junction box is arranged. In a preferred embodiment the resiliently deformable fingers are provided on opposed side walls, such as the left and right side walls. In some embodiments the base has channels passing though the base to a resiliently deformable finger to enable a tool, or user’s fingertip to be inserted to depress a resiliently deformable finger to facilitate removal of an electrical connector from a slot. The channel may also act to provide a space in which the finger can deform and move from the first position to the second position (within the space of the channel). In some embodiments the slot includes one or more guide to help position the electrical connector in the correct orientation. The guide may be a shaped ridge on the side wall(s) to help guide the electrical connector to the desired position. The openings for the wires / cables are in the base to correspond to the location of the slots, so that wires or cables received through the openings are not displaced by opening the lid to access the cavity. Each opening is arranged in a side of the base so that wires are received through a side of the base into the cavity. The openings are preferably extended through at least part of the depth of the base and in some embodiments the whole depth of the base so that wires can be received at different levels in the opening that correspond to the bed height of each slot. Advantageously this enables the wires to be fed through the openings at a height relative to the slot in which it will be received thereby further helping to separate the wires by enable a separate pathway to each slot. In preferred embodiments the number of openings corresponds to the number of stepped slots. In this way each opening may direct a wire or a cable to a particular slot so that each wire or cable has a separate pathway from an opening to a slot. This has the advantage that separate wires or cables can be easily visually identified and tangling is limited or prevented since there is no requirement for any wire or cable to cross. Furthermore this may help prevent overloading at the junction box by only providing the intended number of openings for the number of wires / cables to be received. In a preferred embodiment each opening has at least one sprung arm for retaining the wire or cable. The sprung arm is biased to close the opening, so that the arm must be displaced to insert a wire or cable and thus once the sprung arm(s) is released the wire / cable is gripped to prevent movement through the opening without disengaging the sprung arm. Preferably each sprung arm is anchored at an outer edge of the base and the arm extends inwards, towards the cavity so that the distal end of the arm is naturally displaced as a wire is pulled into the cavity but so that attempting to pull the wire from the opening will not act to release the sprung arm. In a preferred embodiment an upper face of each sprung arm is angled and / or profiled to assist with easily receiving a wire or cable. For example the upper face of each sprung arm may be angled downwards from the proximal end of the sprung arm 40 towards the distal end so that a wire or cable is easily guided into the opening and fixed by the sprung arm. Additionally or alternatively the upper face may be radiused to present a smooth curved surface that will not kink or damage the cable or wire. In some embodiments each sprung arm has at least one raised node that is presented to the wire or cable. The node provides a region of enhanced contact. In some embodiments the at least one node has a raised and lowered surface. For example the node may be toothed or have an array of projections that act to further engage with and grip the wire or cable. In some embodiments a wall of the at least one opening has a raised and lowered surface to also help to grip the wire or cable. For example the wall may have an array of elongate teeth. In this way the grip of the wire is enhanced and at the time of fitting and over time movement of the wire or cable is prevented, thereby providing enhanced safety to the electrical connections within the junction box. In some embodiments the lid has at least one projection that corresponds to the location of an open lever on an electrical connector held in a slot so that the lid is prevented from closing when the lever is open. The presence of the projections in the lid acts as a safety mechanism to prevent closure of the junction box if all wires are not secured in the lever engaging electrical connectors. Typically each projection extends from the lid downwards towards the slot(s). The shape of the projection(s) is intended to connect with a part of the lever and thereby stop the lid being fully closed. Preferred embodiments of the invention will now be described, by way of example and with reference to the Figures in which: Brief Description of Figures Figure 1A shows an external isometric view of a preferred embodiment of the junction box when open; Figure 1B shows an internal isometric view of a preferred embodiment of the junction box when open; Figure 2A shows a top internal view of the junction box when open; Figure 2B shows a bottom external view of the junction box when open; Figure 3A shows a front view of the junction box in the open configuration shown in Figures 2A and 2B; Figure 3B shows a rearview of the junction box in the open configuration shown in Figures 2A and 2B; Figure 3C shows a cross section of the base through the slots; Figure 4A shows a left side view of the junction box when open; Figure 4B shows a right side view of the junction box when open; Figure 4C shows a cross section of the junction box shown in Figures 4A and 4B; Figure 5A shows a close up of one opening with a sprung arm with two nodes; Figure 5B shows a second double opening with sprung arm in each opening and each sprung arm having two nodes; Figure 6A shows a cross section of a closed junction box shown in Figure 6B; and Figure 6B shows a right side view of a junction box. Detailed Description of Figures Figures 1 to 4 show a preferred embodiment of the junction box 100 with a base 10 and a lid 20 connected by a hinge 30. The pictured base 10 has three slots 11 A, 11B, 11C. Each slot 11 has a bed 12, and side walls 13. Each slot 11 as two resiliently deformable fingers 14A, 14B. Each slot 11 has two guides 15A, 15B. The guides 15 are shaped to direct the electrical connectors (not shown) into the slots 11. The guides 15 are ridges that extend from the side walls upon which the electrical connector is placed and then pushed towards the back of the slot 11. The guides 15 are sloped downwards towards the back of the slot to guide the electrical connector backwards and downwards during insertion so that the electrical connector becomes seated on the bed 12. Once the electrical connector is fully inserted upon the bed 12 (horizontal to the bed) an edge 15C of the guide prevents the electrical connector from being pulled forward from the slot 11 (see Figure 2A). The base 10 has three openings 16A, 16B, 16C. Each opening 16 has a sprung arm 40. A proximal end 41 of the arm is connected to a wall of the base 10 and a distal end 42 of the arm 40 extends inwards towards the cavity 50. The upper face 45 of each sprung arm 40 is angled and profiled to allow easy insertion of the cables / wires. This shaping allows the openings 16 to easily accommodate thick and thin cables / wires. The upper face 45 is angled downwards from the proximal end of the sprung arm 40 towards the distal end and the upper face 45 is radiused to present a smooth curved surface that will not kink or damage the cable or wire. Each arm 40 has two nodes 43. Each node 43 has a raised and lowered surface 44. The raised and lowered surface is formed by spikes 44. An upstanding edge 17 of the opening 16 has elongate teeth 18 for gripping the wire / cable (not shown). The teeth 18 run from top (closest to the lid) to bottom (at the lower face of the base). The lid 20 has projections 21 that are intended to engage with levers of an electrical connector (not shown) when in the open configuration to prevent the lid from closing if the lever is up. The projections 21 are elongate ridges that extend downwards from the lid 20 towards the slots 11. The lid 20 has catches 22 that engage with lips 19 on the base 10 to connect the lid 20 to the base 10 in a closed position. The lower face of the base 10 has a plurality of blank apertures 31 which provide ribs for structural support. There are also a plurality of through holes 32A, 32B, 32C that enable a tool to be inserted. Through holes 32A give access to a rear region of the electrical connectors to assist with dislodging one from a slot. Through holes 32B provide access to the two resiliently deformable fingers 14A, 14B to release an electrical connector by using a tool to displace the fingers 14A, 14B. Through holes 32C give access to displace the sprung arms 40 to help displace a wire or cable from the openings 16. The invention has been described by way of examples only and it will be appreciated that variation may be made to the above-mentioned embodiments without departing from the scope of invention as defined by the claims.

Claims

1. A junction box comprising: a base and a lid that defines a cavity; at least one opening through the base to the cavity through which a wire or cable is received; wherein the base has at least two slots for receiving electrical connectors and the slots are stepped relative to an adjacent slot so that a wire or cable is receivable in to an electrical connector in a slot at a different level to an electrical connector in the adjacent slot.

2. A junction box according to claim 1 wherein each slot has an engagement means for receiving and retaining the electrical connector.

3. A junction box according to claim 1 or claim 2 wherein the number of openings corresponds to the number of stepped slots.

4. A junction box according to any preceding claim wherein each opening has a sprung arm for retaining the wire or cable.

5. A junction box according to claim 5 wherein the sprung arm has at least one raised node that is presented to the wire or cable.

6. A junction box according to claim 6 wherein the at least one node has a raised and lowered surface.

7. A junction box according to any preceding claim wherein a wall of the at least one opening has a raised and lowered surface.

8. A junction box according to any preceding claim wherein the lid has at least one projection that corresponds to the location of an open lever on an electrical connector so that the lid is prevented from closing when the lever is open.

9. A junction box according to any preceding claim wherein the base is connected to the lid by at least one hinge.

10. A junction box according to claim 9 wherein the hinge is a living hinge.

11. A junction box according to any preceding claim including a guide to direct the electrical connector into the correct orientation in the slot.

12. A junction box according to any preceding claim wherein the lid has at least one catch for engaging with a lip on the base to close the lid to the case.

13. A junction box according to any preceding claim wherein the base includes through holes through which a tool can be inserted to assist with displacement of an electrical connector or wire or cable.

14. A junction box according to any preceding claim wherein an upper face of each sprung arm is angled.

15. A junction box according to any preceding claim wherein an upper face of each sprung arm is profiled.

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