Terminal block assembly with a plurality of terminal blocks held side by side by a pair of end connecting units

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9039460-B2
Application number	US-201314087115-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Nov 22, 2013
Priority date	Nov 28, 2012
Publication date	May 26, 2015
Grant date	May 26, 2015

Abstract

A terminal block arrangement includes a plurality of generally rectangular terminal blocks having vertical parallel side walls, vertical end walls, and horizontal top and bottom walls, a connecting arrangement connecting said terminal blocks in contiguous side-by-side stacked relation, thereby to define a terminal block assembly in which at least portions of the terminal block top and bottom walls are exposed, and a fastening arrangement for fastening the bottom portion of the terminal block assembly to a fixed support. In a first embodiment, the fastening arrangement includes vertically displaceable end support members arranged at each end of the terminal block assembly, each support member having pairs of support feet arranged for connection with the fixed support. In a second embodiment, an adapter plate is secured to the fixed support, and the terminal block assembly is fastened to the adapter plate.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A terminal block arrangement, comprising:
(a) a plurality of generally rectangular terminal blocks ( 300 ) having vertical parallel side walls, vertical end walls, and horizontal top and bottom walls;
(b) a connecting arrangement ( 4 ) connecting said terminal blocks in contiguous side-by-side stacked relation, thereby to define a terminal block assembly ( 3 ) in which at least portions of said terminal block top and bottom walls are exposed; and
(c) fastening means ( 4 b ; 95 ) for fastening the bottom portion of said terminal block assembly to a fixed support, wherein a pair of end connecting units ( 302 ) are arranged at opposite ends of the stacked terminal blocks and the end units are locked together by locking means ( 301 , 450 and 451 ).

2. A terminal block assembly as defined in claim 1 , wherein each of said end connecting units includes:
(a) a hollow rectangular end member ( 302 a ) having a vertical side wall and a pair of vertical end walls that cooperate to define a chamber ( 401 ) that is open at its bottom and at one side;
(b) a rectangular locking plate ( 301 ) arranged to close the open side of said chamber; and
(c) a generally rectangular end support member ( 400 ) arranged between and parallel with said locking plate and said end member side wall, said support member having a bottom portion including at opposite ends a pair of coplanar spaced support feet ( 4 b ) that extend downwardly out of said chamber, said support feet being adapted for connection with said fixed support;

and further wherein said locking means includes:
(a) at least one horizontal locking rod ( 450 ) extending longitudinally successively through a first one of said end connecting units, through said stacked terminal blocks, and through the other one of said end connecting units; and
(b) locking nuts ( 451 ) threadably connected with the ends of said locking rods.

3. A terminal block assembly as defined in claim 2 , wherein said end support member is mounted for vertical displacement on said locking rod; and further wherein said fastener means includes a screw arrangement ( 304 , 440 ) for vertically displacing said end support member between a lower extended connecting/disconnecting position and an upper fastening position relative to said end connecting unit, respectively.

4. A terminal block assembly as defined in claim 3 , wherein said fixed support comprises a generally inverted hat-shaped mounting rail ( 25 ) arranged longitudinally below and parallel with said terminal block arrangement between said support feet, said mounting rail having outwardly extending horizontal flange portions that extend within recesses defined by inwardly directed projecting portions ( 4 e ) of said support feet.

5. A terminal block assembly as defined in claim 3 , wherein said fixed support comprises a wall ( 26 ) containing a generally rectangular wall opening ( 26 a ) having a pair of opposed side edges; and further wherein said terminal block arrangement is positioned with its lower portion extending into said wall opening, said support feet having at their remote ends outwardly extending portions ( 4 f ) that define slots receiving said opening opposed side edges, respectively.

6. A terminal block assembly as defined in claim 3 , wherein said support member ( 400 ) has an inverted generally U-shaped configuration defining a pair of parallel spaced vertical legs connected by a transverse top portion, each of said side walls including at its lower edge portion a pair of said support feet; and further wherein said screw arrangement includes a vertical adjusting member ( 440 ) arranged between the side legs of said end support member, and a screw ( 304 ) that extends downwardly through and opening contained in said support member transverse portion, said screw having a threaded lower portion that extends into a threaded opening contained in said adjusting member.

7. A terminal block assembly as defined in claim 2 , wherein said fixed support comprises a horizontal imperforate planar wall ( 900 ); and further including:
(d) a horizontal adapter plate ( 95 ) secured to the upper surface of said wall, said adapter plate having an upper surface ( 93 ) upon which the bottom surface ( 306 ) of said terminal block assembly is seated, said adapter plate having a thickness ( 91 ) that is greater than the height ( 4 h ) of said support feet, said adapter plate containing a rectangular opening ( 90 ) receiving the terminal block assembly bottom portion ( 307 ) and said support feet ( 4 b ) at opposite ends of said terminal block assembly; and
(e) a plurality of adapter screws ( 304 ′) for fastening said terminal block assembly to said adapter plate.

8. A terminal block assembly as defined in claim 7 , wherein said terminal block bottom surface ( 306 ) has a surface contour that corresponds with the contour of the upper surface ( 93 ) of said adapter plate.

Assignees

• Weidmueller Interface Gmbh & Co Kg

Inventors

• Hackemack Frank
• Richts Joerg
• Jaschke Bernhard
• Sander Roetger

Classifications

• H01R9/2608 Primary

  Fastening means for mounting on support rail or strip (H01R9/2691 takes precedence; for switch or other electrical device H02B1/042) · CPC title

• H01R9/16 Primary

  Fastening of connecting parts to base or case; Insulating connecting parts from base or case · CPC title

• H01R9/2616

  End clamping members · CPC title

• H01R13/74

  Means for mounting coupling parts in openings of a panel · CPC title

• H01R9/2666

  with built-in test-points · CPC title