Conductor Connection Clamp Independent Clamping
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing conductor connection terminals struggle to maintain a compact design while reliably clamping both electrical conductors and contact pins independently, with existing solutions often requiring simultaneous connection and limited space optimization.
Innovation Solution
The conductor terminal features a busbar piece with a through-opening at its free end, allowing side webs to move transversely and be gripped by spring arms of the clamping spring, enabling independent clamping of electrical conductors and contact pins without affecting each other's clamping forces, with the contact leg's spring arms acting transversely to enhance spring force and utilize space efficiently.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Device complexity
If a single clamping spring is used to clamp both electrical conductor and contact pin, then the device complexity is reduced, but the reliability of independent clamping for both components deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The clamping spring is segmented into two functionally independent clamping elements: a clamping leg with clamping edge for electrical conductors, and a contact leg with contact edge for contact pins. This segmentation allows each element to independently clamp its respective component while maintaining a unified spring structure, thus reducing device complexity while preserving clamping reliability.
Solution Approach 2:
Different parts of the clamping spring are designed with different local properties: the clamping leg has a clamping edge optimized for electrical conductors, while the contact leg has a contact edge optimized for contact pins. The spring arms are positioned to provide localized clamping forces at different locations, ensuring reliable independent clamping for both components.
2Volume of moving object
If the busbar piece is made compact to reduce overall terminal size, then the volume is reduced, but the ease of operation for inserting contact pins deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The through-opening in the busbar piece extends to the free end, creating an opening that allows contact pins to be inserted from the side rather than requiring top-down access. This dimensional change in the insertion path enables compact terminal design while maintaining ease of contact pin insertion operation.
Solution Approach 2:
The side webs of the busbar piece are designed to be movable towards one another in the region of the opening, creating a dynamic clamping action. This mobility allows the busbar piece to adapt to the insertion of contact pins and maintain reliable electrical contact while keeping the overall terminal volume compact.
3Force
If the spring arms of the contact leg are positioned to grip the busbar piece, then the spring force is improved, but the area occupied by the clamping spring increases
Solution Approach 1:
The spring arms of the contact leg are positioned to grip the side webs of the busbar piece in a nested arrangement, where the clamping spring is effectively nested within the boundary of the busbar piece. This nesting allows the spring arms to exert gripping force on the busbar piece while minimizing the overall area occupied by the clamping spring structure.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
This design allows for optimal utilization of spring clamping force, keeps the terminal's overall height low, and ensures independent clamping forces for electrical conductors and contact pins, improving the spring characteristics and secure clamping of flexible conductors and contact pins.
Implementation Method 1
a clamping spring (7) which is designed as a torsion spring and has a clamping leg (11), a spring bow (10) and a contact leg (9)
Implementation Method 2
a clamping spring (7) which is designed as a torsion spring
Data Source
Figure 1
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Figure 3
AI summary
The invention relates to a conductor terminal (1) comprising an insulating material housing (2) which has a conductor insertion opening (15) for inserting an electric conductor (16) and a contact pin insertion opening (40) for inserting a contact pin (18), comprising a clamping spring (7) which has a clamping limb (11), a spring bow (10), and a contact limb (9), and comprising a busbar piece (8) which has a through-opening (13) for receiving the contact pin (18) and is designed to clamp the electric conductor (16) between the clamping limb (11) and a transverse web (14) of the busbar piece (8). The through-opening (13) has an opening (26) on the face opposite the transverse web (14) at the free end of the busbar piece (8). The contact limb (9) of the clamping spring (7) has two mutually spaced spring arms (20) which surround the busbar piece (8) on both sides and form a spring force clamping point for clamping a contact pin (18) inserted into the through-opening (13) in the region of the opening (26) into the busbar piece (8) by means of the spring force of the spring arms (20) of the contact limb (9).