ELECTRICAL CONNECTION TERMINAL

• US 20110223795A1
• Filed: 08/27/2009
• Published: 09/15/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 08/27/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Phoenix Contact GmbH & Company KG
• Original Assignee: Phoenix Contact GmbH & Company KG
• Inventors: Schafmeister, Arndt
• Granted Patent: US 8,444,443 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 439/370
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 4/4821 Single-blade spring
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 4/483 Pivoting arrangements, e.g. lever pushing on the spring

Abstract

An electrical connection terminal having a clamping spring, a metal part and a housing accommodating the clamping spring and the metal part and having at least one conductor insertion opening, the clamping spring having a clamping leg, an operating leg and a back connecting the two legs to each other, the clamping leg, together with the metal part, forming a clamping point for a stripped conductor, the clamping spring being pivotably mounted in such a way that the clamping spring is movable from a first (open) position to a second (closed) position. An operating element is pivotably mounted in the housing in such a way that the operating element can be moved from a first position to a second position, and that the clamping spring is pivoted out of its first position to its second position when the operating element is pivoted from the first position to the second position.

Claims

1-13. -13. (canceled)

14. Electrical terminal comprising:

a clamping spring having a clamping leg, an actuating leg, and a back which connects the legs to each other,

a metal part and

a housing which holds the clamping spring and the metal part, the housing having at least one conductor insertion opening,

wherein the clamping leg forms with the metal part a clamping site for a stripped conductor which is to be connected,

wherein the clamping spring is pivotably mounted to one of the housing and the metal part so as to be movable between a first, opened, position, in which a stripped electrical conductor is insertable into a clamping site, without the clamping leg having to be deflected against its spring force, into a second, closed, position in which an inserted stripped electrical conductor is clamped in an electrically conductive manner between an end of the clamping leg and the metal part, and

wherein an actuating element is pivotably supported in the housing so as to be movable between a first position and a second position, the clamping spring being pivoted out of its said first position into its said second position when the actuating element is pivoted out of its said first position into its said second position.

15. Electrical terminal as claimed in claim 14, wherein the clamping spring is pivoted out of its said second position into its said first position when the actuating element is pivoted out of its said second position into its said first position.

16. Electrical ten final as claimed in claim 14, wherein the clamping spring and the actuating element are arranged and supported in the housing so as to pivot in opposite directions.

17. Electrical terminal as claimed in claim 14, wherein the clamping spring is lockable in its said second position.

18. Electrical terminal as claimed in claim 17, wherein the actuating leg has a retaining section on an end which is away from the clamping leg, the retaining section being bent in toward the clamping leg and wherein the metal part has a clamping section and a retaining section which is bent away from the clamping section, the clamping leg and the clamping section forming the clamping site, and wherein the retaining section of the actuating leg and the retaining section of the metal part are lockable with one another in the second position of the clamping spring.

19. Electrical terminal as claimed in claim 18, wherein at least one catch element is provided on the retaining section of the actuating leg and at least one corresponding mating catch element is provided on the retaining section of the metal part.

20. Electrical terminal as claimed in claim 19, wherein two outwardly directed projections are formed on the retaining section of the actuating leg and wherein the retaining section of the metal part has two separate bent catch ends so that the clamping springs are fixable in the second position by the projections locking under the catch ends.

21. Electrical terminal as claimed in claim 18, wherein, when the actuating element is pivoted out of the second position into the first position, the retaining section of the actuating leg is deflected by the actuating element such that the locking between the retaining section of the actuating leg and the retaining section of the metal part is released.

22. Electrical terminal as claimed in claim 21, wherein the retaining section of the actuating leg has two retaining legs which are separated from one another by a slot.

23. Electrical terminal as claimed in claim 22, wherein the actuating element has an actuating wall which is located in a plane of the slot and two unlocking sections which are located laterally next to the actuating wall, when the actuating element is pivoted out of the second position into the first position, first the unlocking sections of the actuating element release the locking between the retaining section of the actuating leg and the retaining section of the metal part and then the actuating wall presses against the actuating leg so that the clamping spring is pivoted out of its second position into its first position.

24. Electrical terminal as claimed in claim 14, wherein a stop is provided in the housing against which the clamping spring lies in the first position of the clamping spring.

25. Electrical terminal as claimed in claim 14, wherein the metal part is connected in an electrically conductive manner to at least one solder terminal pin.

26. Electrical terminal as claimed in claim 14, wherein the actuating element has a grip section which projects over an end surface of the housing.