Spring-clamp terminal block

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11677170-B2
Application number	US-202117339629-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jun 4, 2021
Priority date	Dec 4, 2018
Publication date	Jun 13, 2023
Grant date	Jun 13, 2023

Abstract

A spring-clamp terminal block for connecting an electrical conductor, with a busbar, a clamping spring, a housing and a lever, wherein the busbar and the clamping spring and the lever are accommodated at least partially in the housing, wherein the lever has a first bearing plate with a first partially circular outer contour for mounting the lever in a first counter bearing, wherein the lever has a second bearing plate with a second partially circular outer contour for mounting the lever in a second counter bearing, wherein the second bearing plate is spaced apart from the first bearing plate, wherein the lever has an actuation handle which is connected to the first bearing plate and to the second bearing plate, wherein the clamping spring has a clamping arm, wherein the clamping arm together with the busbar forms a clamping point for clamping the electrical conductor on the busbar.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A spring-clamp terminal block to connect an electrical conductor, the spring-clamp terminal block comprising:
a busbar;
a clamping spring;
a housing; and
a lever,
wherein the busbar and the clamping spring and the lever are accommodated at least partially in the housing,
wherein the lever has a first bearing plate with a first partially circular outer contour for mounting the lever in a first counter bearing,
wherein the lever has a second bearing plate with a second partially circular outer contour for mounting the lever in a second counter bearing,
wherein the second bearing plate is spaced apart from the first bearing plate,
wherein the lever has an actuation handle which is connected to the first bearing plate and to the second bearing plate,
wherein the clamping spring has a clamping arm and a contact arm,
wherein the clamping arm together with the busbar forms a clamping point for clamping the electrical conductor on the busbar,
wherein the lever has a follower which is designed to move the clamping arm out of a closed position into an open position when the lever is actuated, and
wherein the contact arm has an opening extending therethrough.

2. The spring-clamp terminal block according to claim 1 , wherein the follower is designed as a strut which is disposed between the first bearing plate and the second bearing plate and wherein the strut connects the first bearing plate to the second bearing plate.

3. The spring-clamp terminal block according to claim 1 , wherein the first bearing plate has a radius that is greater than a thickness of the first bearing plate, and/or wherein the second bearing plate has a radius that is greater than a thickness of the second bearing plate.

4. The spring-clamp terminal block according to claim 1 , wherein the follower and the first bearing plate and the second bearing plate are formed in one piece.

5. The spring-clamp terminal block according to claim 1 , wherein the follower is disposed at least partially within the first partially circular outer contour of the first bearing plate and/or at least partially within the second partially circular outer contour of the second bearing plate.

6. The spring-clamp terminal block according to claim 1 , wherein the first partially circular outer contour of the first bearing plate and the second partially circular outer contour of the second bearing plate define an axis of rotation of the lever when the lever is actuated out of the closed position into the open position, and wherein in the open position and in the closed position, the follower is disposed outside a space between the busbar and a plane parallel thereto through the axis of rotation.

7. The spring-clamp terminal block according to claim 1 , wherein the first partially circular outer contour of the first bearing plate and the second partially circular outer contour of the second bearing plate define an axis of rotation of the lever when the lever is actuated out of the closed position into the open position, and wherein the follower has a curved surface such that when the lever is actuated, a distance between a region of the curved surface, that is in contact with the clamping arm, and the axis of rotation changes.

8. The spring-clamp terminal block according to claim 1 , wherein the follower has a predominantly oval or predominantly elliptical cross-sectional shape.

9. The spring-clamp terminal block according to claim 1 , wherein the first partially circular outer contour of the first bearing plate and the second partially circular outer contour of the second bearing plate define an axis of rotation of the lever when the lever is actuated out of the closed position into the open position, and wherein the follower extends predominantly parallel to the axis of rotation.

10. The spring-clamp terminal block according to claim 1 , wherein a conductor guide channel for receiving the conductor in the region of the first bearing plate and the second bearing plate is formed by a space between the first bearing plate and the second bearing plate, and wherein the space is delimited on at least one side by the busbar.

11. The spring-clamp terminal block according to claim 1 , wherein the clamping spring has a spring bend and a contact arm, wherein the clamping arm is connected via a spring bend to contact arm, and wherein the follower is disposed between the contact arm and the clamping arm.

12. A spring-clamp terminal block to connect an electrical conductor, the spring-clamp terminal block comprising:
a busbar;
a clamping spring;
a housing; and
a lever,
wherein the busbar and the clamping spring and the lever are accommodated at least partially in the housing,
wherein the lever has a first bearing plate with a first partially circular outer contour for mounting the lever in a first counter bearing,
wherein the lever has a second bearing plate with a second partially circular outer contour for mounting the lever in a second counter bearing,
wherein the second bearing plate is spaced apart from the first bearing plate,
wherein the lever has an actuation handle which is connected to the first bearing plate and to the second bearing plate,
wherein the clamping spring has a clamping arm,
wherein the clamping arm together with the busbar forms a clamping point for clamping the electrical conductor on the busbar,
wherein the lever has a follower which is designed to move the clamping arm out of a closed position into an open position when the lever is actuated,
wherein the clamping spring has a spring bend and a contact arm, wherein the clamping arm is connected via a spring bend to contact arm, and wherein the follower is disposed between the contact arm and the clamping arm, and
wherein the follower is disposed closer to the contact arm in the closed position than in the open position.

13. The spring-clamp terminal block for connecting an electrical conductor, the spring-clamp terminal block comprising:
a busbar;
a clamping spring;
a housing; and
a lever,
wherein the busbar and the clamping spring and the lever are accommodated at least partially in the housing,
wherein the lever has a first bearing plate with a first outer contour for mounting the lever in a first counter bearing,
wherein the lever has a second bearing plate with a second outer contour for mounting the lever in a second counter bearing,
wherein the lever has an actuation handle which is connected to the first bearing plate,
wherein the clamping spring has a clamping arm,
wherein the clamping arm together with the busbar forms a clamping point for clamping the electrical conductor on the busbar,
wherein the lever has a follower which is designed to move the clamping arm out of a closed position into an open position when the lever is actuated,
wherein the first counter bearing is designed to absorb the force of the clamping spring, and
wherein the lever has a first pin, which projects axially from the first bearing plate and is arranged in a receptacle of the housing and positions the lever when the follower is not in contact with the clamping arm of the clamping spring.

14. The spring-clamp terminal block according to claim 13 , wherein the first pin has a thickness that is smaller than a thickness of the first bearing plate, and/or wherein the first pin has a radius that is smaller than a radius of the first bearing plate.

15. The spring-clamp terminal block according to claim 13 , wherein the first bearing plate is guided axially by a first outer wall of the housing, and/or wherein the second bearing plate is guided axially by a second outer wal

Assignees

• Wago Verwaltungs Gmbh

Inventors

• Witte Thomas

Classifications

• H01R9/2491

  Terminal blocks structurally associated with plugs or sockets · CPC title

• H01R4/4836 Primary

  Electricity · mapped topic

• H01R4/484

  Spring housing details · CPC title

• H01R4/4852

  Means for improving the contact with the conductor, e.g. uneven wire-receiving surface · CPC title

• H01R4/4821

  Single-blade spring · CPC title