Lever-Actuated Spring Clamp Terminal for Compact High-Force Wiring
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing spring connection terminals for electrical conductors lack an optimal design that balances compactness, ease of assembly, and effective clamping force, often requiring complex mechanisms that increase manufacturing costs and user effort.
Innovation Solution
A spring terminal design featuring a lever with bearing discs and a driver mechanism that allows for a compact structure, utilizing a clamping spring with a clamping leg and contact leg, and a housing that guides the conductor, enabling easy assembly and high clamping force with reduced user effort.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If a traditional pivot lever mechanism is used, then the terminal can clamp conductors effectively, but the width of the terminal increases and the structure becomes more complex
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines the pivot lever, bearing discs, and driver into a single integrated lever component. The first and second bearing discs are mounted on the same lever body, which also carries the driver for actuating the clamping spring. This merging of multiple components into one reduces structural complexity while maintaining the clamping function.
Solution Approach 2:
The lever serves multiple functions simultaneously: it acts as a pivot lever for rotational movement, supports bearing discs for guiding motion, and carries the driver for actuating the clamping mechanism. This multi-functionality eliminates the need for separate components, simplifying the overall structure.
2Manufacturing precision
If multiple bearing discs are used to guide the lever, then the lever movement is more precise, but the manufacturing complexity and assembly difficulty increase
Solution Approach 1:
Multiple bearing discs are mounted on a single lever body rather than being separate components. This integration reduces the number of parts that need to be manufactured and assembled individually, while still providing precise guidance through the multiple bearing surfaces.
Solution Approach 2:
The bearing discs are pre-positioned on the lever during lever manufacturing, ensuring precise alignment and spacing before the lever is installed in the terminal. This preliminary positioning eliminates the need for complex field assembly and adjustment.
3Stability of the object's composition
If the bearing discs are positioned far apart, then the lever has more stable movement, but the terminal width increases
Solution Approach 1:
The bearing discs are arranged in a compact configuration along the lever's length rather than spreading them out laterally. This repositioning in the longitudinal dimension maintains stability through proper spacing while minimizing the terminal's width dimension.
4Ease of manufacture
If a simple clamping spring design is used, then the manufacturing cost is reduced, but the clamping force is insufficient
Solution Approach 1:
The clamping spring incorporates an arc-shaped configuration that provides mechanical advantage and amplifies the clamping force. The curved geometry allows the spring to store and release energy more effectively, generating higher clamping forces from a simpler spring design.
Solution Approach 2:
The clamping spring is designed to dynamically adjust its force output based on the conductor's position and the lever's movement. The spring's elastic properties allow it to maintain optimal clamping force throughout the actuation cycle without requiring an overly complex mechanism.
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 design achieves a compact and efficient connection terminal with reduced manufacturing complexity and user effort, while maintaining a high clamping force and accommodating various conductor types, including stranded wires.
Implementation Method 1
a clamping spring (200), wherein the clamping spring (200) has a clamping leg (210), wherein the clamping leg (210) together with the busbar (100) forms a clamping point (K) for clamping the electrical conductor (2) to the busbar (100)
Implementation Method 2
The lever (400) has a first bearing disc (410) with a first part-circular outer contour (411) for supporting the lever (400) in a first counter bearing (510)
Data Source
Figure 1
Figure 2
Figure 3a~3b
AI summary
The invention relates to a spring-clamp terminal block (1) for connecting an electrical conductor (2) with a bus bar (100), a clamping spring (200), a housing (300) and a lever (400), wherein the lever (400) has a bearing plate (420) with a semi-circular outer contour (421) for mounting the lever (400) in a counter bearing (520), and wherein the lever (400) has a follower (430) which is designed to move the clamping arm (210) out of a closed position (GS) into a open position (OS) when the lever (400) is actuated.