Busbar Connection System

• US 20090047814A1
• Filed: 08/13/2008
• Published: 02/19/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 08/13/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Tyco Electronics Nederland Bv (TE Connectivity Ltd. (United Kingdom))
• Original Assignee: Tyco Electronics Nederland Bv (TE Connectivity Ltd. (United Kingdom))
• Inventors: Daamen, Ron
• Granted Patent: US 7,581,972 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 439/251
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 12/7088 Arrangements for power supply
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 13/113 co-operating with pins or blades having a rectangular transverse section
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 13/18 with the spring member surrounding the socket
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 13/187 with spring member in the socket
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 13/6315 allowing relative movement between coupling parts, e.g. floating connection for coupling devices specially adapted for printed circuits, flat or ribbon cables, or like generally planar structures, H01R12/91 takes precedence

Abstract

A busbar connection system includes at least two pluggable connectors spaced apart from each other a predetermined distance. Each of the pluggable connectors has an opening for receiving a conductor. At least one contact member for contacting the conductor is provided inside each of the openings. The contact member is rotatable about an axis in a direction transverse to a mating direction of the conductors. At least one urging member engages the contact member and biases the contact member in the direction transverse to the mating direction of the conductors.

Claims

1. A busbar connection system, comprising:

at least two pluggable connectors spaced apart from each other a predetermined distance, each of the pluggable connectors having an opening for receiving a conductor;

at least one contact member for contacting the conductor provided inside each of the openings, the contact member being rotatable about an axis in a direction transverse to a mating direction of the conductors; and

at least one urging member engaging the contact member and biasing the contact member in the direction transverse to the mating direction of the conductors.

2. The busbar connection system of claim 1, wherein at least one of the contact member and the urging member of at least one of the connectors is bendable in the direction transverse to the mating direction of the conductors.

3. The busbar connection system of claim 1, wherein the urging member is a U-shaped clip.

4. The busbar connection system of claim 1, wherein the connectors are fixed to a printed circuit board.

5. The busbar connection system of claim 1, wherein the contact members are rotatable up to about 2 mm.

6. The busbar connection system of claim 1, wherein at least one of the connectors includes a housing, the housing including at least one guiding track that receives a guiding rail on the contact member in order to fix the contact member to the housing.

7. The busbar connection system of claim 1, wherein the urging member has at least one protrusion at a front portion thereof and the contact member has at least one groove that accommodates the protrusion.

8. The busbar connection system of claim 1, wherein the contact member is a metal strip.

9. The busbar connection system of claim 1, wherein the contact member of at least one of the connectors has a curved contact zone for contacting the conductor and the urging member biases the contact member at the contact zone.

10. The busbar connection system of claim 9, wherein the contact member has a curved sacrificial zone for causing electrical arcs arranged between the contact zone and a distal end of the contact member.

11. The busbar connection system of claim 1, wherein at least one of the connectors comprises two of the contact members, the contact members facing each other such that the opening is formed there between.

12. The busbar connection system of claim 11, wherein at least one of the contact members facing each other is provided with a stop that maintains a gap between the contact members.