Test plug block

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9620898-B2
Application number	US-201415036527-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Oct 22, 2014
Priority date	Nov 15, 2013
Publication date	Apr 11, 2017
Grant date	Apr 11, 2017

Abstract

A test plug block for plugging onto a series terminal block has a plurality of interconnected test plugs and two securing parts which are arranged on both sides of the plurality of test plugs having a plug-in portion and which are connected to each other via a handle. Plugging of the test plug block onto the series terminal block is simplified in that each plug-in portion of the securing parts has two latching elements which, together with corresponding counter latching elements of the securing clamps determine a first latched position and a second latched position of the securing parts in the securing clamp, wherein the two latched positions are arranged one behind the other in the plug-on direction of the test plug block. An unlocking element is movably arranged in the housing of each securing part from a base position into first and second unlocking positions by rotating the handle.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A test plug block for slipping onto a modular terminal block, comprising,
a plurality of interconnected test plugs, and
two fastening parts which are located on either side of the plurality of test plugs and which are connected to one another via a handle, each of the fastening parts having a housing with a plug-in section which is adapted for being plugged into a receiving section in a clip housing of a mounting clip of the modular terminal block,
wherein the plug-in section of at least one of the fastening parts has at least two latching elements which is adapted to fix a first latching position and a second latching position of the at least one fastening part in the mounting clip together with corresponding opposed latching elements of the mounting clip, the two latching positions being arranged behind one another in a slip-on direction of the test plug block,
wherein an unlocking element is movably arranged in the housing of said at least one fastening part, the unlocking element being movable by a rotary motion of the handle out of a base position into a first unlocking position and into a second unlocking position,
wherein, in the first unlocking position, the locking of the first latching position being released by the unlocking element, and in the second unlocking position, the locking of the second latching position being released by the unlocking element, and
wherein the at least one fastening part has at least one limiting element which limits the extent to which the handle is rotatable relative to the housing.

2. The test plug block as claimed in claim 1 , wherein there is a gear train arrangement in the housing of the at least one fastening part via which the unlocking element is connected to the handle.

3. The test plug block as claimed in claim 2 , wherein the gear train has two gear wheels which engage one another and a connecting rod, the first gear wheel being connected to the handle and the connecting rod being connected at one end to the second gear wheel and at an opposite end to the unlocking element.

4. The test plug block as claimed in claim 3 , wherein, in the housing of the at least one fastening part, at least one stop is provided as said limiting element, wherein the at least one stop interacts with a corresponding counter stop on one of the first gear wheel and the second gear wheel for limiting rotation of the handle relative to the housing.

5. The test plug block as claimed in claim 4 , wherein said at least one stop and the counter stop which are located in a first plane and teeth of the gear wheel are located in second plane which is offset relative to the first plane in a direction of an axis of rotation of the gear wheel.

6. The test plug block as claimed in claim 4 , wherein, in the housing of at said least one fastening part, two stops are provided which interact with the corresponding counter stop for limiting rotation of the handle relative to the housing to a rotary motion of less than 180°.

7. The test plug block as claimed in claim 6 , wherein the unlocking element in the housing of at least one fastening part is movable out of a base position into the first unlocking position by rotating the handle by an angle α in a first direction, wherein the unlocking element can be moved further into a third position by further rotation of the handle in the same direction by an angle β and by turning the handle back into the base position, the unlocking element can be moved into the second unlocking position, and wherein the counter stop in the base position of the unlocking element adjoins the first stop and in the third position of the unlocking element adjoins the second stop.

8. The test plug block as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the unlocking element is located in the housing of at least one of the fastening parts such that the unlocking element is in the base position when the handle has not been actuated.

9. The test plug block as claimed in claim 8 , wherein there is at least one spring element in the housing of the at least one fastening part, the at least one spring being arranged such that the unlocking element is moved into the base position by spring force of the spring element when the handle has not been actuated.

10. The test plug block as claimed in claim 9 , wherein there are two compression springs in the housing of said at least one fastening part, each of the two compression springs has one end supported on a stop on the unlocking element and an opposite end on a bearing section in the housing.

11. The test plug block as claimed in claim 1 , wherein in the housing of at least one fastening part there is a position indicator which indicates a respective position of the plug-in section of the fastening part in the clip housing of a mounting clip.

12. The test plug block as claimed in claim 11 , wherein the position indicator has a position rod which is movably arranged on the unlocking element parallel to the slip-on direction of the test plug block and a position wheel which is pivotally mounted in the housing, a section of the positioning rod is provided with teeth which engage teeth on a section of the position wheel, wherein an opening is in the unlocking element through which a free end of the position rod can protrude, and wherein a viewing window is provided in the housing of the fastening part through which an indication section of the position wheel is visible from outside of the housing.

13. The test plug block as claimed in claim 12 , wherein a spring element is arranged in the housing of the fastening part such that the position rod is exposed to a force by the spring element in a direction of the opening in the unlocking element.

14. The test plug block as claimed in claim 12 , wherein the indication section of the position wheel has at least three different markings which are assigned to different positions of the plug-in section of the fastening part in the clip housing of a mounting clip.

15. The test plug block as claimed in claim 1 , wherein a plug-in cycle counter is provided in the housing of the at least one fastening part, the plug-in cycle counter displaying the number of plug-in cycles that the test plug has been plugged into a modular terminal block.

Assignees

• Phoenix Contact Gmbh & Co

Inventors

• Kloppenburg Christian

Classifications

• H01R2201/20

  for testing or measuring purposes · CPC title

• H01R13/62944 Primary

  Pivoting lever comprising gear teeth · CPC title

• A47B88/407

  Adjustably or detachably mounted drawers (A47B88/423 takes precedence) · CPC title

• H01R9/2666

  with built-in test-points · CPC title

• G01R1/0416

  Connectors, terminals (G01R1/0425 and G01R1/0433 take precedence; with measurement function for battery poles G01R31/364) · CPC title