Pivoting Electrical Terminal With Insulating Actuator
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing electrical connection terminals require laborious actuation and have a risk of accidental electrical contact due to protruding metal components, and they often compromise between high spring force for good contact and low force for easy insertion, with large dimensions and complex designs.
Innovation Solution
The clamping spring and actuating element are arranged oppositely in the housing, allowing for a compact design where the actuating element, made of non-conductive material, prevents accidental contact, and the clamping spring is locked in the closed position to maintain secure connections, with a mechanism for easy opening and closing.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If the clamping spring is made with high spring force, then good electrical contact is achieved, but insertion of the conductor becomes difficult
Solution Approach 1:
The clamping spring is designed to dynamically change its spring force during the insertion process. During insertion, the spring force is reduced to facilitate easy conductor insertion. After insertion, the spring force increases to maintain good electrical contact. This dynamic adjustment resolves the contradiction between easy insertion and good contact quality.
2Ease of operation
If the clamping spring is made accessible for actuation, then easy operation is achieved, but risk of accidental electrical contact increases
Solution Approach 1:
An insulating actuating element is introduced as an intermediary between the user's hand and the conductive clamping spring. This actuating element allows the user to easily actuate the clamping spring while preventing direct contact between the user and the conductive parts, thus eliminating the risk of accidental electrical contact while maintaining ease of operation.
3Volume of moving object
If the terminal design is made compact, then space efficiency is improved, but actuation mechanism complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The actuating element is merged with the clamping spring assembly, integrating the actuation function into the existing structure. The actuating element is directly coupled to the clamping spring, allowing compact arrangement of components while maintaining a simple actuation mechanism. This integration eliminates the need for separate actuation mechanisms, thus achieving compactness without increasing complexity.
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 enables a user-friendly, secure, and compact electrical connection with reduced risk of accidental contact and improved ease of use, allowing for efficient insertion and removal of conductors without requiring excessive force or complex actuation.
Implementation Method 1
the clamping spring (2) has a clamping leg (6), an actuating leg (7) and a back (8) connecting the two legs (6, 7) to one another... the clamping leg (6) forms a clamping point (9) for a stripped conductor (10) with the metal part (3)... the clamping spring (2) can be brought from a first (open) position into a second (closed) position
Data Source
Figure 1
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AI summary
The invention illustrates and describes an electrical connection terminal having a clamping spring (2), having a metal part (3) and having a housing (5) which accommodates the clamping spring (2) and the metal part (3) and has at least one conductor insertion opening (4), wherein the clamping spring (2) has a clamping limb (6), an operating limb (7) and a back (8) which connects the two limbs to one another, wherein the clamping limb (6), together with the metal part (3), forms a clamping point () for a stripped conductor (10) which is to be connected, wherein the clamping spring (2) is pivotably mounted in the housing (5) or on the metal part (3) in such a way that the clamping spring (2) can be moved from a first (open) position to a second (closed) position, and wherein a stripped electrical conductor (10) which is inserted through the conductor insertion opening (4) can be inserted into the clamping point (9) in the first position of the clamping spring (2), without the clamping limb (6) having to be deflected against its spring force, and is electrically conductively clamped in the second position of the clamping spring (2) between the end of the clamping limb (6) and the metal part (3). In the electrical connection terminal (1) according to the invention, a simple yet secure connection of an electrical conductor is made possible by an operating element (12) being pivotably mounted in the housing (5) in such a way that the operating element (12) can be moved from a first position to a second position, and that the clamping spring (2) is pivoted out of its first position to its second position when the operating element (12) is pivoted from the first position to the second position.