Low profile electrical terminal assembly

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9595777-B2
Application number	US-201615091688-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Apr 6, 2016
Priority date	Apr 7, 2015
Publication date	Mar 14, 2017
Grant date	Mar 14, 2017

Abstract

An electrical terminal assembly is provided for use in a low-profile electrical raceway or the like. The terminal assembly includes first and second conductive bodies and an insulator disposed between them. The first body has at least two branches including respective electrical terminals extending outwardly from a main or central portion, with the terminals positioned in a terminal plane. The second body also has at least two branches including respective electrical terminals extending outwardly from a main or central portion, with the terminals positioned in the same terminal plane as the terminals of the first body. The terminals of the second body are positioned next to respective terminals of the first body. The central portions of the first and second bodies are stacked atop one another and therefore lie in different planes, at least one of which is different from the terminal plane.

First claim

The embodiments of the invention in which an exclusive property or privilege is claimed are defined as follows:

1. An electrical terminal assembly for use in a low-profile electrical raceway, said electrical terminal assembly comprising:
a first conductive body including a first main body portion, at least two first electrical terminals spaced outwardly from said first main body portion, and respective first conductor arms electrically coupling said first electrical terminals to said first main body portion, wherein said first main body portion is located in a first plane and said first electrical terminals are positioned in a terminal plane;
a second conductive body including a second main body portion, at least two second electrical terminals spaced outwardly from said second main body portion, and respective second conductor arms electrically coupling said second electrical terminals to said second main body portion, wherein said second main body portion is located in a second plane spaced below said first plane, and said second electrical terminals are positioned in said terminal plane;
wherein said terminal plane is non-coplanar with at least one of said first and second planes, and wherein each of said first electrical terminals is positioned adjacent a respective one of said second electrical terminals.

2. The electrical terminal assembly of claim 1 , further comprising an insulative body disposed between said first main body portion and said second main body portion.

3. The electrical terminal assembly of claim 1 , wherein said first plane is substantially parallel to said second plane and said terminal plane.

4. The electrical terminal assembly of claim 1 , wherein said first and second electrical terminals each comprise respective base portions and upwardly-extending portions, and wherein said base portions are positioned in said terminal plane and said upwardly-extending portions are positioned above said terminal plane.

5. The electrical terminal assembly of claim 1 , wherein at least one of said first conductor arms includes a middle region disposed between said first main body portion and a respective one of said first electrical terminals, at least one of said second conductor arms includes a middle region disposed between said second main body portion and a respective one of said second electrical terminals, and wherein said middle regions are coplanar with one another and are non-coplanar with said terminal plane.

6. The electrical terminal assembly of claim 5 , further comprising a third conductive body including a third main body portion, at least two third electrical terminals spaced outwardly from said third main body portion, and respective third conductor arms electrically coupling said third electrical terminals to said third main body portion, wherein said third main body portion is located in a third plane spaced below said second plane, and said third electrical terminals are positioned in said terminal plane, wherein at least one of said third conductor arms includes a middle region disposed between said third main body portion and a respective one of said third electrical terminals, and wherein said middle region of said at least one of said third conductor arms is coplanar with said middle regions of said first and second conductor arms.

7. An electrical terminal assembly for use in a low-profile electrical raceway, said electrical terminal assembly comprising:
a first conductive body including a first main body portion, at least two first electrical terminals spaced outwardly from said first main body portion, and respective first conductor arms electrically coupling said first electrical terminals to said first main body portion, wherein said first main body portion is located in a first plane and said first electrical terminals are positioned in a terminal plane;
a second conductive body including a second main body portion, at least two second electrical terminals spaced outwardly from said second main body portion, and respective second conductor arms electrically coupling said second electrical terminals to said second main body portion, wherein said second main body portion is located in a second plane spaced below said first plane, and said second electrical terminals are positioned in said terminal plane;
a third conductive body including a third main body portion, at least two third electrical terminals spaced outwardly from said third main body portion, and respective third conductor arms electrically coupling said third electrical terminals to said third main body portion, wherein said third main body portion is located in a third plane spaced below said second plane, and said third electrical terminals are positioned in said terminal plane;
a first insulative body disposed between said first and second main body portions; and
a second insulative body disposed between said second and third main body portions;
wherein each of said first electrical terminals is positioned adjacent a respective one of said second electrical terminals, and each of said second electrical terminals is positioned adjacent a respective one of said third electrical terminals.

8. The electrical terminal assembly of claim 7 , wherein said first conductor arms extend outwardly in different respective directions from said first main body portion, said second conductor arms extend outwardly in different respective directions from said second main body portion, said third conductor arms extend outwardly in different respective directions from said third main body portion, and wherein the different respective directions of said first conductor arms correspond to the different respective directions of said second and third conductor arms.

9. The electrical terminal assembly of claim 8 , wherein the different respective directions of said first, second and third conductor arms are oriented at about 90 degrees apart.

10. The electrical terminal assembly of claim 8 , wherein the different respective directions of said first, second and third conductor arms are oriented at about 180 degrees apart.

11. The electrical terminal assembly of claim 7 , wherein said first electrical terminals are configured to electrically and mechanically engage respective line polarity electrical conductors, said second electrical terminals are configured to electrically and mechanically engage respective ground polarity electrical conductors, and said third electrical terminals are configured to electrically and mechanically engage respective neutral polarity electrical conductors.

12. The electrical terminal assembly of claim 11 , wherein at least one of said first electrical terminals is configured to electrically and mechanically engage a line polarity blade or bus bar, at least one of said second electrical terminals is configured to electrically and mechanically engage a ground polarity blade or bus bar, and at least one of said third electrical terminals is configured to electrically and mechanically engage a neutral polarity blade or bus bar.

13. The electrical terminal assembly of claim 7 , wherein said first conductive body includes at least three of said first electrical terminals and at least three of said first conductor arms, said second conductive body includes at least three of said second electrical terminals and at least three of said second conductor arms, and said third conductive body includes at least three third electrical terminals and at least three of said third conductor arms.

14. The electrical terminal assembly of claim 13 , wherein all of said first, second, and third electrical terminals are positioned in said terminal plane.

Assignees

• Byrne Norman R
• Knapp Robert L
• Meek Steven K
• Andree Matthew R

Inventors

• Byrne Norman R
• Knapp Robert L
• Meek Steven K
• Andree Matthew R

Classifications

• H01R4/184

  comprising a U-shaped wire-receiving portion · CPC title

• H01R11/05

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

• H01R9/226 Primary

  comprising a plurality of conductive flat strips providing connection between wires or components (H01R9/2425 takes precedence) · CPC title

• H01R13/111

  co-operating with pins having a circular transverse section · CPC title

• H01R24/28

  Coupling parts carrying pins, blades or analogous contacts and secured only to wire or cable · CPC title