Terminal housings, covers, and plate apparatus

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10505353-B2
Application number	US-201816179036-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Nov 2, 2018
Priority date	Nov 7, 2017
Publication date	Dec 10, 2019
Grant date	Dec 10, 2019

Abstract

Terminal housings, covers, and plate apparatus are disclosed. An example tamper protected terminal housing includes a back wall, a first side wall having a first slot, a second side wall opposite the first side wall and having a second slot, and a removable terminal plate. The removal terminal plate includes a deflection surface connecting a second tab to a planar body, the deflection surface positioned such that a deflection tool can be inserted between the deflection surface and the second side wall when the terminal plate is installed in the housing with the first tab engaged in the first slot and the second tab engaged in the second slot, the side walls configured to deflect at least a first distance to enable disengagement of the second tab from the second slot and removal of the terminal plate from the terminal housing.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A tamper protected terminal housing comprising:
a back wall;
a first side wall having a first slot;
a second side wall opposite the first side wall and having a second slot;
a removable terminal plate, comprising:
a planar body substantially perpendicular to the back wall, the first side wall, and the second side wall;
a first tab at a first end of the planar body, the first tab configured to engage the first slot;
a second tab configured to engage the second slot; and
a deflection surface extending across a first partial width of the planar body and connecting the second tab to the planar body, the deflection surface positioned such that a deflection tool can be inserted between the deflection surface and the second side wall when the removable terminal plate is installed in the terminal housing with the first tab engaged in the first slot and the second tab engaged in the second slot, the first and second side walls configured to deflect at least a first distance to enable disengagement of the second tab from the second slot and removal of the terminal plate from the terminal housing; and

a stop plate coupled to the planar body via a folded tab, the stop plate and the folded tab configured to be loaded by the second side wall to resist vibration of the terminal plate when the terminal plate is installed in the terminal housing.

2. The terminal housing of claim 1 , wherein the deflection surface is substantially perpendicular to the planar body.

3. The terminal housing of claim 2 , wherein the second tab is perpendicular to the deflection surface.

4. The terminal housing of claim 1 , wherein the second slot is not co-planar with the first slot.

5. The terminal housing of claim 1 , wherein the first side wall and the second side wall are configured to deflect in response to insertion and manipulation of the deflection tool between the deflection surface and the second side wall.

6. The terminal housing of claim 1 wherein the terminal plate, the first tab, the second tab, the deflection surface, the folded tab, and the stop plate are constructed from a same piece of material.

7. The terminal housing of claim 1 wherein the folded tab is configured to be capable of being physically grasped from an interior of the terminal housing.

8. The terminal housing of claim 1 , wherein the terminal plate comprises a hole.

9. A system for providing power to an oven comprising:
an oven having internal electrical components; and
a user accessible terminal housing comprising:
a back wall;
a first side wall having a first slot;
a user accessible terminal block connected to the internal electrical wiring for connecting external power to the oven;
a second side wall opposite the first side wall and having a second slot; and
a removable terminal plate, comprising:
a planar body substantially perpendicular to the back wall, the first side wall, and the second side wall;
a first tab at a first end of the planar body, the first tab configured to engage the first slot;
a second tab configured to engage the second slot; and
a deflection surface extending across a first partial width of the planar body and connecting the second tab to the planar body, the deflection surface positioned such that a deflection tool can be inserted between the deflection surface and the second side wall when the removable terminal plate is installed in the terminal housing with the first tab engaged in the first slot and the second tab engaged in the second slot, the first and second side walls configured to deflect at least a first distance to enable disengagement of the second tab from the second slot and removal of the terminal plate from the terminal housing; and

a stop plate coupled to the planar body via a folded tab, the stop plate and the folded tab configured to be loaded by the second side wall to resist vibration of the terminal plate when the terminal plate is installed in the terminal housing.

10. The system of claim 9 , wherein the deflection surface is substantially perpendicular to the planar body.

11. The system of claim 10 , wherein the second tab is perpendicular to the deflection surface.

12. The system of claim 9 , wherein the second slot is not co-planar with the first slot.

13. The system of claim 9 , wherein the first side wall and the second side wall are configured to deflect in response to insertion and manipulation of the deflection tool between the deflection surface and the second side wall.

14. The system of claim 9 wherein the terminal plate, the first tab, the second tab, the deflection surface, the folded tab, and the stop plate are constructed from a same piece of material.

15. The system of claim 9 wherein the folded tab is configured to be capable of being physically grasped from an interior of the terminal housing by a user external to the oven.

16. The system of claim 9 , wherein the terminal plate comprises a mounting hole.

Assignees

• Illinois Tool Works

Inventors

• Sundet Michelle
• Sarauer James

Classifications

• F27D99/0006

  Electric heating elements or system · CPC title

• H05K7/12

  Resilient or clamping means for holding component to structure · CPC title

• H02G3/14

  Fastening of cover or lid to box · CPC title

• H01R9/24

  Terminal blocks · CPC title

• F27B17/02

  specially designed for laboratory use · CPC title