Conductive connection body for column material with holding groove
The conductive connector integrates a conductive bolt and nut system to quickly fasten and electrically connect column members, addressing inefficiencies in traditional methods by ensuring conductivity through a rotating nut mechanism and piercing the insulating coating.
Patent Information
- Application Number
- JP2023209951
- Authority / Receiving Office
- JP · JP
- Patent Type
- Applications
- Current Assignee / Owner
- Filing Date
- 2023-12-13
- Publication Date
- 2025-06-25
AI Technical Summary
Existing methods for connecting columnar members with holding grooves require individual insertion of nuts, washers, and bolts, and additional steps to ensure conductivity, which is time-consuming and inefficient.
A conductive connector with an integrally attached conductive bolt, deformed nut, and conduction fitting that allows quick fastening and ensures electrical continuity between column members by rotating the deformed nut within the holding groove and piercing through the insulating coating.
Enables rapid and secure fastening of column members while maintaining electrical conductivity without the need for additional steps to remove insulating coatings.
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Figure 2025094425000001_ABST
Abstract
Description
Technical Field
[0001] The present invention relates to a conductive connector that connects two columnar members having a holding groove with a substantially T-shaped cross section while ensuring mutual conductivity.
Background Art
[0002] Conventionally, a columnar member made of aluminum with an insulating coating, having a holding groove with a substantially T-shaped cross-sectional space extending in the length direction on each of the four side surfaces, has been frequently used as a frame member when constructing a housing, booth, etc. A member for connecting such columnar members is fixed by screwing a bolt into a nut fitted into the holding groove. For example, as a fastener for connecting two columnar members in an orthogonal state, a bracket installed at the inner corner of the two columnar members is known (for example, Patent Document 1). This bracket is fixed to the two columnar members using bolts, nuts, and washers. When fixing this bracket, a nut is inserted into the holding groove of the columnar member, a washer is attached to the bracket, and the bolt is screwed into the nut in the groove through the bolt insertion holes of the washer and the bracket.
Prior Art Documents
Patent Documents
[0003]
Patent Document 1
Summary of the Invention
Problems to be Solved by the Invention
[0004] According to the method of fastening columnar members with holding grooves as described above, it is necessary to individually insert the nut into the holding groove of the columnar member, attach the washer and bolt to the bracket, and it takes time to align the bolt when screwing it into the nut in the groove. Also, when it is required to ensure conductivity between two columnar members, additional steps such as scraping off the insulating coating at the connection part are necessary. Accordingly, an object of the present invention is to provide a connector in which bolts and nuts are integrally attached, capable of quickly fastening two column members with holding grooves and simultaneously ensuring electrical continuity between both column members.
Means for Solving the Problems
[0005] In the following description, reference is made to the reference numerals in the accompanying drawings, but the present invention is not limited thereto. To solve the above problems, the conductive connector 1 of the present invention includes a conductive main body 2 disposed on the surface of the material 101 of two columnar members to be connected, a conductive deformed nut 4 disposed in the holding groove 102 of the columnar member 101, a conductive bolt 3 screwed into the deformed nut 4, and a conduction fitting 5 that is press-contacted by the bolt 3 to be electrically conductive to the columnar member 1401. The main body 2 has a contact flat surface portion 211 that contacts the surface of the columnar member 101, an upper surface portion 212 on the opposite side, and a bolt insertion hole 213 penetrating between the two surface portions, and includes two connection plate portions 21 disposed on the surface of each columnar member 101. The deformed nut 4 is disposed in the inner space 102c of each columnar member 101 and can rotate forward and backward around the axis of the screw hole between an insertion angle position where it can freely enter and exit the opening 102a and a tightening angle position where it contacts the inner side surfaces of both edges of the opening 102a. The bolt 3 passes through the upper surface portion 213 of each connection plate portion 21, is screwed into the deformed nut 4 through the opening 102a of the columnar member 101, and is provided to prevent the deformed nut 4 from rotating when reversing by being prevented from coming off the deformed nut 4 at the tip, and to rotate the deformed nut 4 during forward rotation by being biased to pull up the deformed nut 4 by the spring 6. The conduction fitting 5 is supported so as to be electrically conductive to the main body 2 and is press-contacted to be electrically conductive to the columnar member 101 through the insulating coating on the bottom 102d of the holding groove 102 by tightening the bolt 3. The deformed nut 4 includes a pair of wing portions 41 that contact the inner side surfaces 102e of both edge portions 102b of the opening 102a at the tightening angle position and can pass through the opening 102a at the insertion angle position. The connection plate portion 21 of the main body 2 protrudes from the contact flat surface portion 211 so as to fit into the opening 102 of the columnar member 101 and includes a fitting convex portion 214 having a bolt insertion hole 213 opened at the center. The fitting convex portion 214 includes a stop protrusion 214a that defines the forward and backward rotation range of the deformed nut 4, first and second seating surfaces 214b, 214c, and an inclined surface portion 214d. The stop protrusion 214a allows the screw advancement of the bolt 3 by stopping the reverse rotation of the deformed nut 4 at the insertion angle position and the forward rotation of the deformed nut 4 at the tightening angle position. The first seating surface 214b seats the deformed nut 4 at the insertion angle position and holds the deformed nut 4 in a state where the spring 6 is compressed and the bolt 3 is pulled into the tip direction.The second seating surface 214c seats the deformed nut 4 at the tightening angle position, and in a temporarily held state where the wing portion 41 is pressed against the inner surfaces 102e of both edges 102b of the opening 102a by the pulling force in the direction of the head 31 of the bolt 3 due to the extension of the spring 6. The inclined surface portion 214d connects the first seating surface 214b and the second seating surface 214c and slides the deformed nut 4. The electrical conducting fitting 5 includes a leg portion that slidably engages in the advancing and retreating direction of the bolt 3 while maintaining electrical conduction with the fitting convex portion 2314a, a contact plate portion 51 that is pushed toward the bottom 102d side of the holding groove 102 as the bolt 3 screws in, and a plurality of sharp contact protrusions 51a that can penetrate the insulating coating of the bottom 102d of the holding groove 102 when the contact plate portion 51 is pushed by the bolt 3.
Advantages of the Invention
[0006] According to the conductive connector 1 of the present invention, two column members 101 with holding grooves 102 can be quickly fastened, and at the same time, electrical conduction between both column members 101 can be ensured.
Brief Description of the Drawings
[0007]
Figure 1
Figure 2
Figure 3
Figure 4
Figure 5
Figure 6
Figure 7
Figure 8
Embodiment for Carrying Out the Invention
[0008] Embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. The connector 1 according to the present invention fastens two column materials 101 with holding grooves 102 by screwing a bolt 3 into a deformed nut 4 arranged in the holding groove 102, and at the same time ensures electrical conduction between the two column materials 101. The arrangement of the two column materials 101 can take various different forms. Brackets, hinges, and other various members are included regardless of the application.
[0009] The column material 101 with a holding groove is made of aluminum and is entirely covered with an insulating coating. The holding groove 102 includes an opening 102a extending in the longitudinal direction of the surface, and an inner space 102c on the back side of both left and right edge portions 102b with respect to the extending direction of the opening 102a. The inner space 102c is wider than the opening 102a and has a bottom portion 102d facing the opening 102a. Typically, a square columnar column material 101 provided with a holding groove 102 having a substantially T-shaped cross section extending in the length direction is included on each of the four side surfaces shown in FIG. 1.
[0010] Hereinafter, as an example of the conductive connector 1, a bracket for fastening two column materials 101 perpendicular to each other will be described.
[0011] As shown in FIG. 1, the conductive connector 1 is fixed to the inner corner portion where the first and second two column materials 101 abutting in the orthogonal direction abut.
[0012] As shown in FIG. 2, the conductive connector 1 includes a main body 2 having a substantially L-shaped block cross section, a bolt 3 integrally assembled thereto, a deformed nut 4 to which the bolt 3 is screwed, and a conduction fitting 5. All of the main body 2, the bolt 3, the deformed nut 4, and the conduction fitting 5 are conductive.
[0013] As shown in FIGS. 2 and 6, the main body 2 includes two connecting plate portions 21 arranged in directions orthogonal to each other. The connecting plate portion 21 includes a contact plane portion 211 that contacts the surface of the column member 101, a surface portion 212 on the opposite side thereof, a bolt insertion hole 213 penetrating between these two surface portions, and a rectangular fitting convex portion 214 protruding from the contact plane portion 211 so as to fit into the opening 102 of the column member 101. A bolt insertion hole 213 opens at the center of the fitting convex portion 214.
[0014] In FIGS. 2, 3(a), and 5, the bolt 3 passes through the bolt insertion hole 213 and is screwed into the screw hole of the deformed nut 4 on the fitting convex portion 214 at the end of the screw groove. At the tip portion protruding from the deformed nut 4, it is prevented from coming off the deformed nut 4 by a retaining ring 32. Since the bolt 3 is biased in the direction of the head 31 by the spring 6, the deformed nut 4 is pressed against the fitting convex portion 214.
[0015] In FIGS. 6 to 8, the deformed nut 4 is inserted into the inner space 102c of the column member 101 through the opening 102a together with the tip side of the bolt 3, and while being pressed against the fitting convex portion 214, it rotates approximately 90° forward and backward around the axis between the insertion angle position (FIGS. 3 and 5) and the tightening angle position (FIGS. 4, 5, 7, and 8) together with the bolt 3.
[0016] The deformed nut 4 includes a pair of wing portions 41 extending radially in opposite directions. At the insertion angle position, the wing portions 41 are directed in the extension direction of the opening 102a, and at the tightening angle position, the wing portions 41 are directed in a direction orthogonal to the opening 102a. The deformed nut 4 can pass through the opening 102a at the insertion angle position, but at the tightening angle position, since the wing portions 41 hit the edge portion 102b, it cannot pass through the opening 102a.
[0017] As shown well in FIG. 2, on the fitting convex portion 214, a stop protrusion portion 214a, first and second seating surfaces 214b, 214c, and an inclined surface portion 214d connecting both seating surfaces 214b, 214c are provided.
[0018] The stop projection 214a abuts against one side surface of the deformed nut 4 at the insertion angle position shown in FIG. 3 to prevent its reverse rotation, and also abuts against the other side surface of the deformed nut 4 at the tightening angle position shown in FIGS. 4 and 5 which is about 90 degrees reverse rotation around the axis from there to prevent its forward rotation.
[0019] The first seating surface 214b is a plane parallel to the abutting plane portion 211 for seating the deformed nut 4 at the insertion angle position. The second seating surface 214c is a plane parallel to the abutting plane portion 211 for seating the deformed nut 4 when the deformed nut 4 is outside the holding groove 102 of the column member 101 and at the tightening angle position as shown in FIGS. 3 and 4.
[0020] As shown well in FIGS. 6 to 8, the first seating surface 214b is at a higher position (higher than the inner side surface 102e of the edge portion 102b in the holding groove 102) away from the tip direction of the bolt 3 from the abutting plane portion 211 than the second seating surface 214c. The second seating surface 214c is at a position slightly lower than the inner side surface 102e of the edge portion 102b in the holding groove 102.
[0021] The inclined surface portion 214d connects the two seating surfaces 214b and 214c and slides the deformed nut 4 during rotation.
[0022] Therefore, in FIG. 6, the deformed nut 4 is on the first seating surface 214b when in the holding groove 102 and at the insertion angle position, compresses the spring 6, and is pulled upward in the direction of the head 31 of the bolt 3, and is at a position away from the inner side surface 102e of the edge portion 102b.
[0023] From this state, when the bolt 3 is tightened by about 90°, the deformed nut 4 rotates together and disengages from the seating surface 214b, slides on the inclined surface portion 214d, abuts against the stop projection 214a, and stops at the tightening angle position shown in FIG. 7. In this state, the wing portion 41 of the deformed nut 4 is pressed against the inner side surface 102e of the edge portion 102b by the spring force. Thereby, the conductive connection body 1 is temporarily fixed to the column member 101 by the spring force. In the temporarily fixed state, the attachment position of the conductive connection body 1 to the column member 101 is adjusted.
[0024] After that, when the bolt 3 is further tightened, since the deformed nut 4 is prevented from rotating in the forward direction by the stop projection 214a, the bolt 3 is screwed into the deformed nut 4 while compressing the spring 6, and the tip advances from the deformed nut 4 and finally the tip comes into pressure contact with the bottom 102d. Thus, the conductive connector 1 is fixed to the column member 101.
[0025] When the bolt 3 is reversed from this state, the tip is drawn into the deformed nut 4, and the deformed nut 4 rotates together and abuts against the stop projection 214a at the insertion angle position and stops to seat on the first seating surface 214b. The bolt 3 stops when the retaining ring 31 abuts against the deformed nut 4 and returns to the state shown in FIG. 6. In this state, the conductive connector 1 can be removed from the column member 101.
[0026] The electrical connection fitting 5 is formed by bending a generally rectangular sheet metal member at right angles on both sides, and includes a contact plate portion 51 and a pair of leg portions 52 on both sides thereof. The electrical connection fitting 5 is movably attached to the fitting projection 214 in the axial direction of the bolt 3 by elastically sandwiching the opposing side surfaces of the fitting projection 214 at the leg portions 52. A plurality of contact protrusions 52a with sharp tips that are pressure - contacted to the opposing side surfaces of the fitting projection 214 are formed at the tip ends of the leg portions 52. A plurality of contact protrusions 51a with sharp tips are also formed on the contact plate portion 51.
[0027] As shown in FIG. 7, when the bolt 3 of the conductive connector 1 temporarily fixed to the column member 101 is tightened, the tip advances from the deformed nut 4, pushes out the electrical connection fitting 5 toward the contact plate portion 51 of the holding groove 102, and as shown in FIG. 8, the tips of the contact protrusions 51a pierce the insulating film of the bottom 102d. The contact protrusions 51a reach the conductive portion under the insulating film to ensure electrical conduction with the column member 101. Therefore, between the two column members 101, they are fastened by the conductive connector 1 and at the same time become electrically conductive.
Explanation of Reference Numerals
[0028] 1 Conductive connector 2 Body 21 Connection plate portion 211 Contact flat portion 212 Upper face part 213 Bolt insertion hole 214 Fitting convex part 214a Stop projection 214b First seating surface 214c Second seating surface 3 Bolt 31 Head part 32 Lock ring 4 Special-shaped nut 41 Wing part 42 Cylindrical part 43 Engagement part 5 Conductive fitting 51 Contact plate part 51a Contact projection 52 Leg part 52a Contact projection 6 Spring 101 Column member with holding groove 102 Holding groove 102a Opening 102b Edge part 102c Inner space 102d Bottom part 102e Inner surface
Claims
Claim 1 A conductive connection body that ensures conductivity and connects between first and second insulated aluminum column members having a holding groove with an opening extending in the longitudinal direction of the surface, an inner space wider than the opening provided inside both left and right edges with respect to the extending direction of the opening, and a bottom surface facing the opening, a conductive main body having a contact flat surface portion that contacts the surface of the column member, an upper surface portion on the opposite side, and a bolt insertion hole penetrating between the two surface portions, and having two connection plate portions disposed on the surface of each column member; a conductive deformed nut disposed within the inner space of each column member, capable of rotating forward and backward around the axis of the screw hole between an insertion angle position where it can freely enter and exit the opening and a tightening angle position where it contacts the inner surfaces of both edges of the opening; a conductive bolt passing through the bolt insertion hole of each connection plate portion and screwed into the deformed nut through the opening of the column member; a conduction fitting supported so as to be electrically conductive with the main body and pressed into electrical conduction with the column member by penetrating the insulating coating on the bottom of the holding groove by tightening the bolt; the bolt is provided so as to prevent the deformed nut from coming off with respect to the deformed nut at the tip, causing the deformed nut to rotate in the circumferential direction during reverse rotation, and being biased in the head direction to pull up the deformed nut by a spring interposed between the bolt and the connection plate portion, thereby causing the deformed nut to rotate in the circumferential direction during forward rotation; the deformed nut has a pair of wing portions that contact the inner surfaces of both edges of the opening at the tightening angle position and can pass through the opening at the insertion angle position; the connection plate portion of the main body protrudes from the contact flat surface portion so as to fit into the opening of the column member, and has a fitting convex portion with the bolt insertion hole opening at the center; the fitting convex portion has a stop protrusion that stops the reverse rotation of the deformed nut at the insertion angle position and the forward rotation of the deformed nut at the tightening angle position to allow the screw advancement of the bolt, a first seating surface for seating the deformed nut at the insertion angle position, a second seating surface for seating the deformed nut at the tightening angle position, and a slope portion connecting the first seating surface and the second seating surface for sliding the deformed nut; the first seating surface is provided so as to seat the deformed nut in a state where the bolt is pulled into the tip direction while compressing the spring; The second seating surface is provided so that the deformed nut is seated in a state where the wing portion is pressed against the inner surfaces of both edges of the opening by the pulling force in the direction of the head of the bolt due to the extension of the spring. The electrical connection fitting includes a leg portion that slidably engages in the advancing and retreating direction of the bolt while maintaining electrical conductivity with the fitting convex portion, a contact plate portion that is pushed toward the bottom side of the holding groove by the screwing-in of the bolt, and a plurality of sharp contact protrusions that can penetrate the insulating coating at the bottom of the holding groove when the contact plate portion is pushed by the bolt. The electrical connection body for a column member with a holding groove is characterized by this.
2. The electrical connection body is a bracket that presses and fixes the two connection plate portions in the orthogonal direction to the inner corner portion where the first and second column members that are arranged in contact in the orthogonal direction are in contact, and fastens the first and second column members in the orthogonal direction. The electrical connection body for a column member with a holding groove according to claim 1, characterized by this.
Citation Information
Patent Citations
Fastener
JP2014084993A