Terminal block

• US 10,003,142 B1
• Filed: 05/26/2017
• Issued: 06/19/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 12/13/2016
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Excel Cell Electronic Co., Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Excel Cell Electronic Co., Ltd.
• Inventors: Lin, Chih-Ming
• Primary Examiner(s): Duverne, Jean F
• Application Number:
  US15/606,419
• Publication Number:
  US 20180166802A1
• Time in Patent Office: 389 Days
• Field of Search: 439722
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 4/4809 using a leaf spring to bias the conductor toward the busbar
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 4/48365 with integral release means
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 9/2408 Modular blocks H01R9/26 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 9/2416 Means for guiding or retaining wires or cables connected to terminal blocks

Abstract

A terminal block is adapted to be connected to a wire, and includes an insulating base seat and a clamping unit. The insulating base seat includes first and second seat portions cooperating with each other to define a passage and a receiving space that communicates with the passage. The clamping unit includes a positioning member connected to the first seat portion and having an upper press section, and a resilient member having a base portion that is proximate to the second seat portion, and a resilient arm portion that is connected to the base portion, and that has a lower press section extending toward the positioning member. The upper and lower press sections are adapted for clamping resiliently an end segment of the wire therebetween.

Claims

1. A terminal block adapted to be connected to a wire, said terminal block comprising:

an insulating base seat including

a first seat portion, and

a second seat portion that is connected to said first seat portion, and that cooperates with said first seat portion to define a passage adapted for insertion of the wire therethrough, and a receiving space communicating with said passage and adapted for receiving an end segment of the wire; and

a clamping unit including

a positioning member that is connected to said first seat portion, and that has an upper press section, and

a resilient member that has

a base portion proximate to said second seat portion, and

a resilient arm portion connected to said base portion, and having a lower press section that is distal from said base portion and that extends toward said positioning member, said upper press section of said positioning member and said lower press section of said arm portion of said resilient member being adapted for cooperatively and resiliently clamping the end segment of the wire therebetween;

wherein said positioning member and said resilient member are molded as one piece and are configured to be an electrically conductive terminal.

2. The terminal block as claimed in claim 1, wherein said positioning member of said clamping unit further has a head section connected to an end of said upper press section, a connecting section connected to an opposite end of said upper press section, and a tail section interconnecting said connecting section and said base portion of said resilient member.

3. The terminal block as claimed in claim 2, wherein:

said upper press section has a convex surface connected to said head section and adapted to facilitate insertion of the wire into said receiving space, and a plane surface interconnecting said convex surface and said connecting section of said positioning member; and

said convex surface cooperates with said plane surface to define an angle structure adapted to abut the wire to prevent withdrawal of the wire when the wire is inserted into the receiving space.

4. The terminal block as claimed in claim 3, wherein:

said positioning member further has a neck section connected to said upper press section, said head section, and said connecting section; and

said neck section and said upper press section are arranged in an arranging direction, and cooperatively form a stepped structure.

5. The terminal block as claimed in claim 2, wherein said resilient member further has a bent portion connected between said arm portion and said base portion, and having a plurality of ridge sections and a plurality of trough sections that are alternately arranged in an arranging direction.

6. The terminal block as claimed in claim 5, wherein each of said trough sections of said bent portion of said resilient member has a density higher than that of each of said ridge sections.

7. The terminal block as claimed in claim 2, wherein:

said first seat portion of said insulating base seat has

an end surface proximate to said passage, and

a rail groove extending from said end surface in an extending direction, and communicating with said receiving space; and

said terminal block further comprises a releasing member disposed in said rail groove, and is movable in the extending direction to bias resiliently said arm portion of said resilient member away from said positioning member.

8. The terminal block as claimed in claim 2, wherein:

said second seat portion of said insulating base seat has

a side surface proximate to said passage, and

an end surface connected to and transverse to said side surface; and

said positioning member further has a first contact bent outwardly from said connecting section and extending outwardly of said end surface.

9. The terminal block as claimed in claim 8, wherein said resilient member further has a second contact bent outwardly from said base portion and extending outwardly of said end surface of said second seat portion of said insulating base seat.

10. The terminal block as claimed in claim 9, further comprising a cover member disposed on said insulating base seat and covering said receiving space.