Lever-Actuated Conductor Terminal for Compact Wire Clamping
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing conductor terminals face challenges in providing a compact, efficient, and user-friendly mechanism for clamping electrical conductors to bus bars, with issues related to space-saving design, force effect optimization, and wire retention.
Innovation Solution
The conductor connection clamp features a bus bar, a clamping spring with a main portion and a spring member, a housing with a conductor insertion opening, and an operating lever that applies force to the spring member to actuate the clamping spring connection between open and closed states, enhancing user experience and manufacturing simplicity.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Volume of moving object
If the operating lever is positioned within the conductor insertion opening path, then the device achieves a compact and space-saving construction, but the force effect of the operating lever is reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The patent repositions the operating lever's rotation axis from within the conductor insertion opening path to the housing wall, utilizing the lateral dimension of the housing. This dimensional shift allows the lever to achieve both compactness through optimized space utilization and enhanced force effect through improved mechanical leverage, resolving the contradiction between compact design and force effectiveness.
2Ease of manufacture
If the center axis of the conductor insertion opening is aligned with the clamping spring connection, then the manufacturing and assembly are simplified, but the wire retention capabilities are reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The patent intentionally offsets the center axis of the conductor insertion opening from the clamping spring connection location, creating an asymmetric configuration. This asymmetry improves wire retention by ensuring proper wire alignment and engagement with the clamping mechanism, while the offset distance is carefully controlled to maintain manufacturing feasibility and assembly simplicity.
3Reliability
If a complex actuating mechanism is used to open the clamping spring connection, then the wire retention is improved, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the complex actuating mechanism from the conductor insertion path and positions it on the housing wall. The operating lever is rotatably mounted on the housing wall and acts on the clamping spring from the lateral direction, separating the actuating function from the conductor insertion function. This extraction simplifies the overall device structure while maintaining reliable wire retention through the lever's mechanical advantage.
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
The solution provides a compact, efficient, and user-friendly conductor terminal with improved wire retention capabilities, reduced manufacturing costs, and simplified assembly processes.
Implementation Method 1
an operating lever configured to apply force to the spring member in order to deflect the main portion to open the clamping spring connection
Implementation Method 2
a clamping spring including a main portion for clamping an electrical conductor to the bus bar
Implementation Method 3
actuation of the lever arm causes the wedge portion to wedge between the bearing arm and the spring member so as to apply force to the spring member
Data Source
AI summary
Various conductor terminals are described each having one or more lever-like, actuating elements that are designed to open one or more corresponding spring clamps related to one or more corresponding conductor ports wherein.