Swing mount for terminal blocks

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9252534-B2
Application number	US-201414310493-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jun 20, 2014
Priority date	Jun 20, 2014
Publication date	Feb 2, 2016
Grant date	Feb 2, 2016

Abstract

A swing mount 110 for a terminal block includes a hinge 122 mounted on a wall 105 of an electrical enclosure 100 , located near an opening 115 in the wall, for passing a movable plug connector 112 from inside the enclosure to connect to a terminal block 114 outside the enclosure. A lever 124 is carried by the hinge, for moving the moveable connector. A guide 130 for directing movement of the movable connector is mounted on the wall near the opening. A connector support 126 is mounted on the lever, supporting the movable connector, the support including a pin 138 that slideably engages a longitudinal slot 140 in the lever to move the support toward or away from the terminal block when the lever is actuated. The support includes a guide rail 134 that slides through slot 136 in the guide to align the movable connector with the opening.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A swing mount for a terminal block, comprising:
a lever pivotally carried on a hinge mounted on a wall of an electrical enclosure, the hinge located on an interior side of an opening in the wall, the opening for passing a movable plug connector from inside the electrical enclosure to connect with a stationary terminal block outside the electrical enclosure, the lever actuating the swing mount to move the moveable plug connector toward or away from the stationary terminal block; and
a connector support mounted on the lever, the connector support supporting the movable plug connector, the connector support including a pin that slides in a longitudinal slot in the lever as the moveable plug connector moves toward or away from the stationary terminal block.

2. The swing mount for a terminal block of claim 1 , further comprising:
the lever being a generally U-shaped frame pivotally mounted on the hinge, with an upper portion of the lever including the longitudinal slot.

3. The swing mount for a terminal block of claim 2 , further comprising:
the lever having a lower portion including a lower longitudinal slot; and
the connector support including a lower pin that slides in the lower longitudinal slot as the moveable plug connector moves toward or away from the stationary terminal block.

4. The swing mount for a terminal block of claim 1 , further comprising:
a guide mounted on the wall of the electrical enclosure and located near the opening in the wall; and
the connector support including a guide rail that slides through a slot in the guide to align the movable plug connector with the opening in the wall of the electrical enclosure.

5. The swing mount for a terminal block of claim 4 , further comprising:
a second guide mounted on the wall of the electrical enclosure and located near the opening opposite to the first said guide; and
the connector support including a second guide rail that slides through a slot in the second guide to align the movable plug connector with the opening in the wall of the electrical enclosure.

6. The swing mount for a terminal block of claim 1 , further comprising:
a latch mounted on the lever, to secure the moveable plug connector with the stationary terminal block in a connected position.

7. The swing mount for a terminal block of claim 1 , further comprising:
the electrical enclosure being a motor control unit with the moveable plug connector located inside the motor control unit and the stationary terminal block mounted to a motor control center structure outside of the motor control unit.

8. The swing mount for a terminal block of claim 1 , further comprising:
the movable plug connector, when connected to the stationary terminal block, providing feed-through terminals for test points or pilot devices or both.

9. The swing mount for a terminal block of claim 1 , further comprising:
the lever having one end mounted on the hinge and having generally arcuate shape beginning near the hinge and extending toward the longitudinal slot.

10. A motor control unit, comprising:
a swing mount for a terminal block, mounted on an interior side of a wall of the motor control unit;
the swing mount including a lever pivotally carried on a hinge located on the interior side of an opening in the wall, the opening for passing a movable plug connector from inside the motor control unit, to connect with a stationary terminal block outside the motor control unit, the lever actuating the swing mount to move the moveable plug connector toward or away from the stationary terminal block; and
the swing mount further including a connector support mounted on the lever, the connector support supporting the movable plug connector, the connector support including a pin that slides in a longitudinal slot in the lever as the moveable plug connector moves toward or away from the stationary terminal block.

Assignees

• Schneider Electric Usa Inc
• Richards Nathan

Inventors

• Richards Walter J
• Romero Legorreta German

Classifications

• H01R13/629 Primary

  Additional means for facilitating engagement or disengagement of coupling parts, e.g. aligning or guiding means, levers, gas pressure {electrical locking indicators, manufacturing tolerances (separate tools or apparatus H01R43/26)} · CPC title

• H01R13/62933 Primary

  Comprising exclusively pivoting lever · CPC title