Screwless terminal block
First Claim
1. A screwless-type terminal block, comprising housing means defining first and second openings, clamping means in said housing means, conductor means, and actuator means, said housing means being adapted to receive therein a wire end through said first opening, said actuator means extending through said second opening and having an operable end outside of said housing means and a cammed end adapted to displace said clamping means between locked and unlocked positions thereof respectively for securing the wire end in an electrically conductive manner with said conductor means and for allowing the wire end to be inserted in or withdrawn from said housing means, said operable end being adapted to cause said actuator means to rotate about a longitudinal axis thereof such that said cammed end causes said clamping means to displace between said locked and unlocked positions said cammed end having an angled surface intercepting said longitudinal axis, said angled surface contacting said clamping means.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A screwless-type terminal block comprising a housing, a clamping member in the housing, a PCB conductive pin, and an actuating member. The housing defines a first opening for receiving therein a wire end and a second opening through which extends the actuating member which has a operating knob outside of the housing and a cammed end adapted to displace the clamping member between locked and unlocked positions thereof respectively for securing the wire end in an electrically conductive manner with the PCB pin and for allowing the wire end to be inserted in or withdrawn from the housing. When rotated, the operating knob causes the cammed end to rotate about a longitudinal axis of the actuating member such that the cammed end causes the clamping member to selectively displace between the locked and unlocked positions. The cammed end includes a flat surface angled with respect to the longitudinal axis and contacting the clamping member which displaces along a plane parallel to this longitudinal axis. The clamping is spring loaded such as to be biased towards the PCB pin. The operating knob and the housing are provided with visible indicators to indicate if the clamping member is in its locked or unlocked position. The terminal block is nestable in a side-by-side relationship with other similar terminal blocks.
74 Citations
19 Claims
- 1. A screwless-type terminal block, comprising housing means defining first and second openings, clamping means in said housing means, conductor means, and actuator means, said housing means being adapted to receive therein a wire end through said first opening, said actuator means extending through said second opening and having an operable end outside of said housing means and a cammed end adapted to displace said clamping means between locked and unlocked positions thereof respectively for securing the wire end in an electrically conductive manner with said conductor means and for allowing the wire end to be inserted in or withdrawn from said housing means, said operable end being adapted to cause said actuator means to rotate about a longitudinal axis thereof such that said cammed end causes said clamping means to displace between said locked and unlocked positions said cammed end having an angled surface intercepting said longitudinal axis, said angled surface contacting said clamping means.
- 17. A screwless-type terminal block, comprising housing means defining first and second openings, clamping means in said housing means, conductor means, and actuator means, said housing means being adapted to receive therein a wire end through said first opening, said actuator means extending through said second opening and having an operable end outside of said housing means and an inside end adapted to displace said clamping means between locked and unlocked positions thereof respectively for securing the wire end in an electrically conductive manner with said conductor means and for allowing the wire end to be inserted in or withdrawn from said housing means, wherein said operable end and said housing means are each provided with contrasting visible indicator means positioned in a substantially facing relationship to each other for allowing to determine from outside of said terminal block if said clamping means is in said locked or unlocked position thereof.
Specification