Conductor Terminal Actuating Plunger Design
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conductor connection terminals lack user-friendly and efficient mechanisms for manual actuation without requiring external tools, and existing designs may compromise structural integrity or require separate components for conductor and actuator passages.
Innovation Solution
A conductor connection terminal with a housing, clamping spring, and actuating element that allows for manual operation via a protruding actuating plunger, where the actuating element is mechanically coupled to the clamping leg, enabling easy insertion and removal of electrical conductors without external tools, and featuring a common opening for both conductor and actuator passages to minimize structural weakening.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If a separate accessory such as a screwdriver is required for actuation, then the actuation mechanism can be simple, but the ease of operation deteriorates because users need external tools
Solution Approach 1:
The actuating element is integrated into the conductor terminal housing, allowing the device to actuate itself without external tools. The actuating element includes a manual actuation area that protrudes from the housing, enabling users to directly operate the clamping leg through the integrated mechanism.
2Ease of manufacture
If separate openings are provided for conductor passage and actuator passage, then structural integrity is maintained, but device complexity increases and manufacturing becomes more difficult
Solution Approach 1:
The conductor passage opening area and actuating plunger passage opening area are merged into a single common opening in the connecting leg. This allows both the electrical conductor and the actuating plunger to pass through the same opening, simplifying manufacturing and reducing the number of separate features required in the connecting leg.
3Ease of operation
If the actuating element protrudes from the housing in the unactuated state, then ease of operation improves, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The actuating element is designed to be movable relative to the housing, transitioning between a protruding state (when not actuated) and a retracted state (when actuated). This dynamic configuration allows the manual actuation area to be accessible for operation while integrating smoothly with the housing 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
Facilitates easy, tool-free manual operation of the conductor terminal, ensuring reliable electrical contact and low-resistance current conduction while maintaining structural integrity and reducing production complexity.
Implementation Method 1
at least one clamping spring (4), which has a mounting leg (40) serving to fix the clamping spring, a connecting leg (41) adjoining the mounting leg and bent away from the mounting leg
Data Source
Figure 1~2
Figure 3~4
Figure 5~7
AI summary
The invention relates to a conductor terminal (1) with at least one housing (2) and at least one clamping spring (4), which has a support leg (40) serving to fix the clamping spring (4), a connecting leg (41) adjoining the support leg (40) and bent away from the support leg (40), a spring arc (42) adjoining the connecting leg (41), and a clamping leg (43) adjoining the spring arc (42), which is configured to clamp an electrical conductor (10) at a clamping point, and wherein the connecting leg (41) has at least one conductor passage opening area (46a) through which an electrical conductor (10) can be guided from a conductor entry opening (20) of the housing (2) through the conductor passage opening area (46a) to the clamping point, characterized in that the conductor terminal (1) has an actuating element (5) for actuating the clamping leg (43).which has an actuating area (53) that can be manually operated from outside the housing (2) and an actuating plunger (51) designed to deflect the clamping leg (43), wherein the actuating plunger (51) extends through an actuating plunger through-opening area (46b) in the connecting leg (41).