Connection device for electrical conductors, and spring element for a connection device

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11658427-B2
Application number	US-202017433980-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Feb 19, 2020
Priority date	Feb 25, 2019
Publication date	May 23, 2023
Grant date	May 23, 2023

Abstract

A connection device includes a bearing device for at least one spring element formed on a busbar of the connecting contact; a spring element configured to move from a first tension state in which a contact end of the spring element bears against the busbar, a second tension state in which the connection for the conductor to the busbar is closed, and a third tension state in which the contact connection for the conductor to the busbar is opened.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A connection device configured to provide an electrical contact between at least one electrical conductor and a busbar of an electrical connecting contact, said connection device comprising
a bearing device including at least one spring element formed on the busbar of the connecting contact;
wherein the spring element is formed and arranged in an actuable manner on the bearing device in such a way that the spring element can be brought from a first tension state to a second and third tension state; wherein,
in the first tension state of the spring element, a contact end of the spring element abuts against the busbar and,
in the second tension state of the spring element, the conductor is fixed on the busbar by the contact end of the spring element whereby to close a contact connection of the conductor to the busbar and,
in the third tension state of the spring element, the contact connection for the conductor to the busbar is opened,
wherein the spring element is a meander-shaped or S-shaped spring having a first and second bend;
a first and second bearing portion of the spring element are formed by the first and second bend;
an elongated clamping limb adjoins the second bearing portion, on which clamping limb the contact end is formed as a first freely projecting end for the contact connection of the conductor to the busbar and for fixing the conductor on the busbar;
the freely projecting contact end is bent in a direction of the busbar on the clamping limb such that a locking contour for the conductor is provided, and
wherein a second freely projecting end having an opening for insertion of a tool is formed on the clamping limb in a contrary direction to the busbar as the device for actuating the spring element.

2. The connection device as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the spring element is formed and arranged on the bearing device in such a way that the spring element has a predetermined spring constant and a predetermined spring travel, in that the contact connection is suitable for multiple conductors having different conductor cross-sections; and
the spring element can be brought from the first tension state to the second tension state by a conductor having predetermined properties by inserting the conductor into the connection device; wherein a device for actuating the spring element is provided, which device is formed and arranged in such a way that the spring element can be brought from the first tension state to the second tension state; and/or a device for actuating the spring element is provided, which device is formed and arranged in such a way that the spring element can be brought from the first and/or second tension state to the third tension state; and/or a device for actuating the spring element is provided, which device is formed and arranged in such a way that the spring element can be brought from the third tension state to the first and/or second tension state.

3. The connection device as claimed in claim 1 , wherein:
a first and second opposing limb are angled on the busbar;
a first and second bearing portion are provided on the busbar of the connecting contact y the first and second limb;
a first and second bearing pin are provided on the first and second bearing portion;
the bearing device for the spring element is formed on the connecting contact by the first and second bearing portion and the first and second bearing pin; wherein
the first and second bearing pin are arranged in the bend of the first and second bearing portion of the spring element in each case.

4. The connection device as claimed in claim 1 , having a housing half shell for accommodating the spring element, wherein the housing half shell has an inner contour, which interlocks with the first and second limb and/or the connecting contact and/or the bearing pins and/or the spring element and/or the actuating element, and an insertion aid for inserting the conductor.

5. The connection device as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the connection device has two spring elements arranged next to one another.

6. The connection device as claimed in claim 1 , having the features:
the connecting contact is provided for an insert of a plug connector having an insulating body and extends with its busbar and a contact element in the mating direction of the plug connector to provide an electrical contact with a mating plug connector.

7. The connection device as claimed in claim 6 , wherein the connecting contact is a grounding element, and the conductor is a protective conductor, and a protective conductor connection is provided by means of the connection device.

8. The connection device as claimed in claim 7 , wherein a central mounting region of the grounding element is configured to contact a wall of the insulating body via the busbar.

9. A connection device configured to provide an electrical contact between at least one electrical conductor and a busbar of an electrical connecting contact, said connection device comprising
a bearing device including at least one spring element formed on the busbar of the connecting contact;
wherein the spring element is formed and arranged in an actuable manner on the bearing device in such a way that the spring element can be brought from a first tension state to a second and third tension state; wherein,
in the first tension state of the spring element, a contact end of the spring element abuts against the busbar and,
in the second tension state of the spring element, the conductor is fixed on the busbar by the contact end of the spring element whereby to close a contact connection of the conductor to the busbar and,
in the third tension state of spring element, the contact connection for the conductor to the busbar is opened,
wherein the spring element is a meander-shaped or S-shaped spring having a first and second bend;
a first and second bearing portion of the spring element are formed by the first and second bend;
an elongated clamping limb adjoins the second bearing portion, on which clamping limb the contact end is formed as a first freely projecting end configured for the contact connection of the conductor to the busbar and for fixing the conductor on the busbar;
the freely projecting contact end is bent in a direction of the busbar on the clamping limb such that a locking contour for the conductor is provided, and
wherein
a second and third freely projecting end are formed on the clamping limb in a contrary direction to the busbar as a mounting aid for an actuating element for actuating the spring element.

10. The connection device as claimed in claim 9 , having the features:
the actuating element is an unlocking lever having a lever arm, two brackets arranged opposite one another and two eccentric shafts, wherein a respective cam is formed on the eccentric shafts, the unlocking lever is formed and arranged on the electrical connecting contact in such a way that, by actuating the unlocking lever, the cams cooperate with the clamping limb in such a way that the spring element is brought from the first and/or second tension state to the third tension state and from the third tension state to the first and/or second tension state.

11. The connection device as claimed in claim 9 , having the features:
the spring element is a meander-shaped or S-shaped spring having a first and second bend;
a first and second bearing portion of the spring element are formed by the first and second bend;
an elongated clamping limb adjoins the second bearing portion, on which clamping limb the contact end is formed as a first freely projecting end for the contact connection of the conductor to the busbar and for fixing the conductor on t

Assignees

• Harting Electric Gmbh & Co Kg

Inventors

• Schlegel Bernard
• Herbrechtsmeier Heiko
• Loetkemann Irina

Classifications

• H01R4/483

  Pivoting arrangements, e.g. lever pushing on the spring · CPC title

• H01R4/485

  Single busbar common to multiple springs · CPC title

• H01R4/4842 Primary

  the spring housing being provided with a single opening for insertion of a spring-activating tool · CPC title

• H01R4/4821

  Single-blade spring · CPC title

• H01R13/04

  Pins or blades for co-operation with sockets · CPC title