Screen connector

• US 5,934,818 A
• Filed: 04/08/1998
• Issued: 08/10/1999
• Est. Priority Date: 04/12/1997
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: WAGO Verwaltungsgesellschaft mbH (WAGO Holding GmbH)
• Original Assignee: WAGO Verwaltungsgesellschaft mbH (WAGO Holding GmbH)
• Inventors: Schmitt, Ralf, Kollmann, Hans-Josef
• Primary Examiner(s): Reichard, Lynne
• Assistant Examiner(s): BOCHNA, DAVID
• Application Number:
  US09/057,130
• Time in Patent Office: 489 Days
• Field of Search: 403/399, 403/398, 403/400, 403/396, 403/384, 403/DIG. 9, 403/322.1, 403/321, 403/389, 403/390, 439/98, 439/100, 439/810, 439/811, 439/812, 439/814, 439/815, 174/40 CC, 174/135, 24/525, 24/569
• US Class Current: 403/399
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 25/142 Their counterparts
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 4/4872 axially compressed to retain wire end
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 9/0527 Connection to outer conductor by action of a resilient member, e.g. spring
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 9/2608 Fastening means for mounting on support rail or strip H01R9/2691 takes precedence; for switch or other electrical device H02B1/042
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 403/7171 Two rods encompassed by single connector
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 403/7188 Rod received in open channel

Abstract

A screen connector for engaging a cable, including an uncovered cable screen, positioned on a plate member is disclosed. The screen connector includes a clamp clip having at least two clamping legs which are spring-mounted relative to one another. The legs of the clamp clip encompass the plate member or busbar by lying opposite one another on the outside, whereby they engage the busbar from below, preferably by a coupling hook. The screen connector also includes a guide press piece having an outer and inner guide surface which slides along outer and inner guideways of the clamping legs when the guide press piece is moved to enclose the clamping legs. The guideways are shaped on the clamping legs in such a way that the clamping legs can be spring-mounted relative to one another when the guide press piece is in an upper initial position, and consequently can be locked onto the busbar in a perpendicular direction to the upper side of the busbar by means of their coupling hooks. In the other positions of the guide press piece deviating from the initial position and pulled up against the cable, the clamping legs are fixed relative to one another and consequently are joined solidly or undetachably with the busbar.

Claims

1. A screen connector for clamping a screened cable with an uncovered part of the its screen against a busbar, the screen connector comprising:

a U-shaped clamp clip having a first end and a second end, each of the first and second ends including at least two clamping legs spring-loaded against each other, each of the at least two clamping legs including an end portion having a coupling hook configured and arranged to engage the busbar from below and further including an outer and an inner guideway;

an adjustable guide press piece including an outer guide surface and an inner guide surface, the outer and inner guide surfaces each being constructed and arranged to engage the outer and inner guideways of the at least two clamping legs;

a tightening screw disposed through a back portion of the clamp clip and engageable with the guide press piece to move the guide press piece along the outer and inner guideways of the clamping legs;

wherein positioning the guide press piece in an upper initial position so that the outer guide surface of the guide press piece is spaced from the outer guideway of the at least two clamping legs allows the clamping legs to be spring mounted relative to one another so that the clamping legs can be locked onto the busbar, and wherein positioning the guide press piece in a locked position so that the outer and inner guide surfaces of the guide press piece engage the outer and inner guideways of the at least two clamping legs causes the at least two clamping legs to be fixed relative to each other such that the clamping legs can be joined to the busbar by the coupling hooks in order to lock the screen connector to the busbar.

2. The connector according to claim 1, wherein the clamp clip includes an upper end stop such that positioning the guide press piece against the upper end stop spaces the outer guide surface of the guide press piece from the outer guideway of the at least two clamping legs so that the inner guide surface of the guide press piece presses against the inner guideway of the at least two clamping legs to move the lower ends of the clamping legs apart to release the coupling hooks from the busbar so that the screen connector can be removed from the busbar in a vertical direction.

3. The connector according to claim 1, wherein each of the clamping legs includes a lower leg portion that is engageable with the upper surface of the busbar in a planar manner so as to further stabilize the seating of the connector on the busbar.

4. A method of releasably engaging a screen connector including a clamp clip having at least two clamping legs with outer and inner guideways and end portions configured and arranged to engage a plate member, and an adjustable guide press piece including an outer guide surface and a inner guide surface engageable with the outer and inner guideways of the at least two clamping legs with a cable disposed on a plate member, the cable including an uncovered cable screen, the method comprising:

positioning the guide press piece in an upper initial position so that the outer guide surface of the guide press piece is spaced from the outer guideway of the at least two clamping legs so that the clamping legs are spring mounted relative to each other;

positioning the guide press piece in a locked position such that the outer and inner guide surfaces of the guide press piece engage the outer and inner guideways of the at least two clamping legs so that the at least two clamping legs are fixed relative to each other and joined to the plate member by the end portions of the at least two clamping legs such to lock the screen connector to the plate member; and

positioning the guide press piece against an upper end stop of the clamp clip so that the outer guide surface of the guide press piece is spaced from the outer guideway of the at least two clamping legs and the inner guide surface of the guide press piece presses against the inner guideway of the at least two clamping legs to move the lower ends of the clamping legs apart and release the end portions from the plate member so that the screen connector can be removed from the plate member.