Plug adapter for an electrical device for plugging in supply lines, and system formed by a plug adapter and a device

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9859649-B2
Application number	US-201515323998-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jun 29, 2015
Priority date	Jul 5, 2014
Publication date	Jan 2, 2018
Grant date	Jan 2, 2018

Abstract

A plug adapter for plugging in electrical supply lines on the device, the device connection contacts being in adjacent rows, and contacted by the supply line via screwless clamping devices, has a prismatic-like structure of insulating molded material, and an upper side parallel to the device upper side, an output side facing the device, and an access side facing away from the device. Between the output side and access side are parallel supply line core receiving channels, in adjacent rows and corresponding to the device connection contacts. An actuating bracket is on the plug adapter, associated with the device's unlocking device for positioning the plug connection between plug adapter and device.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A plug adapter for an electrical device for plugging a multi-wire electric supply line into the electrical device, connection contacts of the device being positioned in a row next to each other in the device, and the connection contacts being contacted mechanically and electrically by the multi-wire electric supply line via screwless clamping elements, the clamping elements being released by actuating a supply line unlocking element that includes decoupling fingers configured to release the clamping elements and being positioned at 90° relative to an incoming direction of a conductor, and the decoupling fingers protruding by a length of their actuation stroke from a device housing in a direction of a top of the electrical device, the plug adapter comprising:
an approximately prismatic structure, the plug adapter including an insulating molded material;
a top that is parallel to the top of the electrical device;
an outgoing side facing the electrical device, the outgoing side being oriented in a direction of the connection contacts;
an incoming side facing away from the electrical device, the incoming side being configured to receive one or more supply line wires;
receiving channels arranged in parallel and located between the outgoing side and the incoming side, the receiving channels being configured to each receive a respective one of the supply line wires, the receiving channels being associated with the connection contacts of the electrical device; and
an actuation bar that, in an inserted position of the plug adapter, is located above the supply line unlocking element,
wherein the actuation bar is arranged on the plug adapter using a film hinge, and
wherein the actuation bar is formed on the top of the plug adapter on the outgoing side of the receiving channels.

2. The plug adapter of claim 1 , wherein a clearance of the receiving channels is dimensioned such that the receiving channels hold the supply line wires.

3. The plug adapter of claim 1 , wherein each receiving channel is configured to hold an insulated single wire.

4. The plug adapter of claim 1 , wherein each receiving channel is configured to hold a crimp contact configured to compress the respective supply line wire.

5. The plug adapter of claim 1 , configured as a one-part plug adapter.

6. The plug adapter of claim 1 , configured as a two-part plug adapter and further comprising:
an adapter top; and
an adapter bottom.

7. The plug adapter of claim 6 , wherein the adapter top and the adapter bottom include a receiver which permits the adapter top to be inserted into the adapter bottom, parallel to the receiving channels.

8. The plug adapter of claim 6 , further comprising, on an outgoing side of the adapter bottom:
a stop nose configured for the adapter top,
wherein, on the adapter top, the adaptor top includes an undercut associated with the stop nose.

9. The plug adapter of claim 6 , wherein the actuation bar is located on the adapter top.

10. The plug adapter of claim 6 , further comprising:
elastically movable clamping jaws, arranged in the adapter top using film hinges,
wherein the elastically movable clamping jaws are configured to clamp the supply line wires.

11. The plug adapter of claim 6 , wherein outgoing sides of the receiving channels are configured to hold the supply line wires.

12. A system comprising:
the adapter of claim 1 ; and
the electrical device.

13. The system of claim 12 , wherein the clamping elements are configured as push-in contact clamps.

14. A plug adapter for an electrical device for plugging a multi-wire electric supply line into the electrical device, connection contacts of the device being positioned in a row next to each other in the device, and the connection contacts being contacted mechanically and electrically by the multi-wire electric supply line via screwless clamping elements, the clamping elements being released by actuating a supply line unlocking element that includes decoupling fingers configured to release the clamping elements and being positioned at 90° relative to an incoming direction of a conductor, and the decoupling fingers protruding by a length of their actuation stroke from a device housing in a direction of a top of the electrical device, the plug adapter comprising:
an approximately prismatic structure, the plug adapter including an insulating molded material;
a top that is parallel to the top of the electrical device;
an outgoing side facing the electrical device, the outgoing side being oriented in a direction of the connection contacts;
an incoming side facing away from the electrical device, the incoming side being configured to receive one or more supply line wires;
receiving channels arranged in parallel and located between the outgoing side and the incoming side, the receiving channels being configured to each receive a respective one of the supply line wires, the receiving channels being associated with the connection contacts of the electrical device; and
an actuation bar that, in an inserted position of the plug adapter, is located above the supply line unlocking element,
wherein the plug adapter is configured as a two-part plug adapter and further comprises:
an adapter top,
an adapter bottom, and
elastically movable clamping jaws, arranged in the adapter top using film hinges,
wherein the elastically movable clamping jaws are configured to clamp the supply line wires.

Assignees

• Eaton Electrical Ip Gmbh & Co

Inventors

• Konietzko Thomas
• Knoerrchen Oliver
• Stanke Stephan

Classifications

• H01R9/24

  Terminal blocks · CPC title

• H01R13/5829 Primary

  the clamping part being flexibly or hingedly connected to the housing · CPC title

• H01R13/506

  assembled by snap action of the parts · CPC title