Clamping spring-type contact device having an overstretch prevention mechanism, and plug connector insert having at least one such clamping spring-type contact device

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12573773-B2
Application number	US-202218282524-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Mar 28, 2022
Priority date	Apr 16, 2021
Publication date	Mar 10, 2026
Grant date	Mar 10, 2026

Abstract

Disclosed is an overstretch prevention mechanism for a clamping spring (3) of a clamping spring-type contact device, the overstretch prevention mechanism consisting of a stop (21, 11) of an actuator (2) on a bus bar (1).

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1 . A clamping spring-type contact device, comprising:
a busbar ( 1 ) for electrically contacting an electrical conductor; a clamping spring ( 3 ) held on the busbar ( 1 ) for clamping and electrically connecting the electrical conductor to a contact region of the busbar ( 1 ) in an unactuated state of the clamping spring ( 3 ); and an actuator ( 2 ) comprising two actuating arms ( 22 ) connected by a projection ( 223 ), whereupon actuation of the actuator ( 2 ), the projection ( 223 ) moves a clamping limb ( 32 ) of the clamping spring ( 3 ) away from the contact region where at maximum deflection of the clamping limb ( 32 ), a spring bow ( 33 ) portion of the clamping spring ( 3 ) is positioned between the two actuating arms ( 22 ).

2 . The clamping spring-type contact device as claimed in claim 1 ,
wherein at least one actuator arm has a stop edge ( 21 ), and wherein the busbar has at least one counter-stop edge ( 11 ) which jointly form a stop in order to limit a range of movement of the actuator ( 2 ) in an actuating direction.

3 . The clamping spring-type contact device as claimed in claim 1 ,
wherein the clamping spring ( 3 ) has a protrusion ( 323 ) which comes into contact with the actuator ( 2 ) at the same time as the actuator ( 2 ) strikes against the busbar ( 1 ).

4 . The clamping spring-type contact device as claimed in claim 1 ,
wherein the busbar ( 1 ) forms a peripheral cage with a first cage wall ( 101 ) and a second cage wall ( 102 ) opposing the first cage wall ( 101 ), wherein the first cage wall ( 101 ) and the second cage wall ( 102 ) are connected together via two side walls ( 103 , 104 ), wherein the second cage wall ( 103 , 104 ) forms the contact region and wherein the clamping spring ( 3 ) is arranged at least partially inside the cage and is held on the first cage wall ( 101 ).

5 . The clamping spring-type contact device as claimed in claim 4 ,
wherein the clamping spring ( 3 ) is designed in one substantially V-shaped piece, and has a holding limb ( 31 ) and the clamping limb ( 32 ) which are connected together via the spring bow ( 33 ), wherein the clamping spring ( 3 ) is fastened by its holding limb ( 31 ) to the first cage wall ( 31 ) or is at least supported thereon in a planar manner and at the same time pushes directly or indirectly with its clamping limb ( 32 ) via the electrical conductor against the second cage wall ( 102 ).

6 . The clamping spring-type contact device as claimed in claim 5 ,
wherein the two side walls each have a stepped portion ( 113 ), wherein the shape of the stepped portion firstly prevents an overstretching of the clamping spring ( 3 ) and secondly permits a guidance of the actuator ( 2 ).

7 . A plug connector insert, formed from
at least one clamping spring-type contact device as claimed in claim 1 and an insulating body ( 4 ) with a connecting region ( 41 ) which has at least one connecting chamber ( 410 ), and a plug-in region ( 45 ) which opposes the connecting region ( 41 ) and has at least one contact chamber ( 450 ), wherein each contact chamber ( 450 ) is connected to a connecting chamber ( 410 ) and wherein a clamping spring-type contact device is received in each connecting chamber ( 410 ).

8 . The plug connector insert as claimed in claim 7 ,
wherein, when actuated, the actuator ( 2 ) is guided jointly by the insulating body ( 4 ) and the busbar ( 1 ).

9 . The plug connector insert as claimed in claim 7 ,
wherein, when the actuator ( 2 ) is actuated, the projection ( 223 ) cooperates with a clamping limb ( 32 ) of the clamping spring ( 3 ) and at the same time is guided on a sliding edge ( 13 ) of the busbar ( 1 ).

10 . The plug connector insert as claimed in claim 7 ,
wherein a plug-in contact ( 5 ) is arranged in each contact chamber ( 450 ), the plug-in contact being electrically conductively connected to the busbar ( 1 ) of the clamping spring-type contact device received in the respective connecting chamber ( 410 ).

11 . The plug connector insert as claimed in claim 10 ,
wherein the busbar ( 1 ) has a connecting portion ( 15 ) which is angled-back perpendicularly to a plug-in direction of the plug-in contact ( 5 ), the plug-in contact ( 5 ) being fastened thereto and being electrically conductively connected thereby to the busbar ( 1 ).

Assignees

• Harting Electric Stiftung & Co Kg

Inventors

• Kropiewnicki Norbert
• Wesseler Daniel

Classifications

• H01R4/4833 Primary

  Sliding arrangements, e.g. sliding button · CPC title

• H01R4/4821

  Single-blade spring · CPC title

• H01R4/4846

  Busbar details · CPC title

• H01R11/05 Primary

  the connecting locations having different types of direct connections · CPC title

• H01R4/4828 Primary

  Spring-activating arrangements mounted on or integrally formed with the spring housing · CPC title