Electrical Terminal Clamp with Release Lever Guide Sections
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Existing terminal designs for electrically connecting conductors face challenges in achieving a compact design while ensuring safe and easy conductor insertion, often resulting in conductor jamming due to the required length of the conductor insertion channel.
Innovation Solution
The terminal features a release lever with two lever arm sections that form part of the conductor insertion channel, narrowing towards the clamping point, allowing for a compact design and safe conductor guidance, with guide sections that can be concavely arched or have varying geometries to accommodate different conductor types.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Volume of moving object
If a conventional terminal design with a separate insulating housing and spring-loaded clamping connection is used, then the terminal provides reliable electrical connection, but the terminal results in a longer overall length and cannot be miniaturized
Solution Approach 1:
The release lever is integrated into the insulating housing as a single component, where the lever body forms part of the conductor insertion channel. This merging eliminates the need for separate guidance structures and reduces the overall terminal length while maintaining conductor guidance functionality.
Solution Approach 2:
The release lever serves multiple functions: it acts as both the actuating mechanism for opening the clamping connection and as part of the conductor insertion channel providing guidance. This multi-functionality reduces the number of separate components needed, enabling terminal miniaturization.
2Manufacturing precision
If the conductor insertion channel is narrowed to guide the conductor securely to the clamping point, then conductor guidance is improved, but the channel length must be increased which prevents compact design
Solution Approach 1:
The release lever features localized guide sections with specific geometries (such as concave arches) at critical positions within the insertion channel. These localized guidance features provide precise conductor alignment without requiring the entire channel to be long, enabling compact design with high guidance precision.
3Volume of moving object
If the conductor insertion channel is made short for compact design, then terminal miniaturization is achieved, but conductor guidance is compromised and jamming risk increases
Solution Approach 1:
The release lever incorporates guide sections with concave arched geometries that provide smooth curved surfaces for conductor guidance. These curved surfaces guide the conductor reliably through the short insertion channel without creating sharp edges or transitions that could cause jamming, maintaining high insertion reliability in a compact design.
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 compact and safe conductor insertion process, reducing the risk of jamming and allowing for flexible conductor insertion, while maintaining optimal guidance and miniaturization.
Implementation Method 1
a spring-loaded clamping connection (2) with at least one conductor clamping point (K) for the electrical connection of at least one conductor
Implementation Method 2
The release lever (5) is pivotably mounted in the insulating housing (6) about a pivot axis (A) extending transversely to the conductor insertion direction (E)
Data Source
Figure 1~4
Figure 5~6
Figure 7~8
AI summary
The present application relates to a terminal (1) with a spring-loaded clamping connection (2) having at least one conductor clamping point (K), an insulating housing (6), a conductor entry channel (60), and a release lever (5). The release lever (5) is pivotally mounted in the insulating housing (6) about a pivot axis (A) extending transversely to a conductor entry direction (E) of an electrical conductor, between a rest position with the conductor clamping point (K) closed and an actuating position with the conductor clamping point (K) open. The release lever (5) has two spaced-apart lever arm sections (50) which extend at least partially into the insulating housing (6) on both sides of the conductor entry channel (60). Each lever arm section (50) has a guide section (53) which faces each other and forms at least a portion of the conductor entry channel (60) between them.The guide sections (53) run in the rest position and/or in the actuation position, narrowing the conductor insertion channel (60) towards the conductor clamping point (K) in the direction of the conductor insertion.