Slip connection

• US 7,737,377 B1
• Filed: 03/21/2007
• Issued: 06/15/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 03/21/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Eaton Intelligent Power Limited (Eaton Corporation PLC.)
• Original Assignee: Cooper Technologies Company (Eaton Corporation PLC.)
• Inventors: Gallas, Gunter, Dodal, Rohit
• Primary Examiner(s): Luebke; Renee S
• Assistant Examiner(s): KAYES, SEAN PHILLIP
• Application Number:
  US11/689,292
• Time in Patent Office: 1,182 Days
• Field of Search: 200/339, 200553-557, 200 6 R- 7, 200/18, 200/431, 200434-439, 296/22
• US Class Current: 200/339
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 23/08 Bases; Stationary contacts mounted thereon
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 23/143 having a generally flat elongated shape
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 23/146 having a generally tubular or conical elongated shape, e.g. dolly
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 23/205 using a compression spring between tumbler and an articulated contact plate

Abstract

An electrical device includes a cradle and a terminal. The cradle includes a body portion, a transition portion, and a connection portion. The body portion includes a transition portion that is bent from the body portion and extends between the body portion and the connection portion. The connection portion includes a plate extending away from the body portion. The terminal includes a main wall and a slip receiver connected to and angled away from the main wall. The slip receiver includes first and second walls connected by an integral receiver bridge. The slip receiver slidably receives the plate of the connection portion to establish an electrical connection between the cradle and the terminal. The plate of the connection portion of the cradle is at least partially disposed between the first and second walls of the slip receiver to complete the electrical connection between the cradle and the common terminal.

Claims

1. An electrical device, comprising:

a cradle comprising a body portion, a transition portion, and a connection portion, the body portion comprising a trough, the transition portion being bent from the body portion and extending between the body portion and the connection portion, the connection portion comprising a plate extending away from the body portion; and

a terminal comprising a main wall and a slip receiver connected to and angled away from the main wall, the slip receiver comprising first and second walls connected by an integral receiver bridge, the slip receiver slidably receiving the plate of the connection portion to establish an electrical connection between the cradle and the terminal,

wherein the plate of the connection portion of the cradle is at least partially disposed between the first and second walls of the slip receiver to complete the electrical connection between the cradle and the common terminal.

2. The device of claim 1, wherein the connection portion is movable within the slip receiver in any direction of a plane while maintaining the electrical connection.

3. The device of claim 2, wherein the slip receiver extends from the main wall at an angle between about 70°

and 90°

.

4. The device of claim 1, wherein the walls of the slip receiver comprise diverging edge portions.

5. The device of claim 1, further comprising a flipper mechanism, wherein the body portion of the cradle further comprises an aperture through which at least a portion of the flipper mechanism extends.

6. The device of claim 1, wherein the receiver configured to elastically deform about the bridge portion to receive the connection portion.

7. The device of claim 1, further comprising at least one other cradle, wherein the terminal comprises at least one other slip receiver, each of the cradles comprising a connection portion that is receivable in a respective one of the slip receivers.

8. The device of claim 1, wherein the terminal comprises three slip receivers for connecting with three cradles.

9. The device of claim 1, wherein the walls of the slip receiver are configured to elastically deform to separate and receive the plate of the connection portion.

10. An electrical device, comprising:

a top housing comprising a switch portion;

a bottom housing coupled to the top housing;

a U-shaped flipper mechanism disposed in the bottom housing and comprising

a bridge portion and first and second arms connected by the bridge portion, the first and second arms each comprising an oppositely extending protruding portion, each protruding portion comprising a lower cradle interfacing edge,

wherein the bridge portion comprises a spring interface portion extending between the first and second arms toward the switching component, the spring interface portion comprising a base portion with a first width and comprising a central region with a second width, the second width being greater than the first width, the bridge portion comprising a centrally disposed electrical contact;

a switch terminal disposed in the bottom housing and comprising a screw receiving aperture and an electrical contact;

a cradle disposed in the bottom housing and comprising a body portion, a transition portion, and a connection portion, wherein the body portion has a central aperture and a U-shaped trough, wherein the transition portion is bent from the body portion and extends between the body portion and the connection portion, and wherein the connection portion is a rectangular plate extending away from the body portion, and wherein the flipper mechanism is disposed to extend through the central aperture in a manner that the cradle interfacing edge of the flipper mechanism extends into and contacts the trough, and wherein the flipper mechanism is suspended by the cradle and is movable in a manner that brings the electrical contact on the bridge portion of the flipper mechanism into contact with and out of contact with the electrical contact on the switch terminal; and

a common terminal comprising a main wall with a screw aperture and comprising a slip receiver connected to and angled away from the main wall, the slip receiver comprising first and second walls connected by an integral receiver bridge, the first wall comprising a first and a second portion, the first portion being spaced a first distance from the second wall, the second portion extending from the first portion and being spaced a second distance from the second wall, the first distance being greater than the second distance, wherein the second wall is directly connected to the main wall and the first wall s supported by the second wall through the receiver bridge,

wherein the connection portion of the cradle is disposed between the first and second walls of the slip receiver in a manner to complete an electrical connection between the cradle and the common terminal, the connection portion of the cradle being moveable within the slip receiver in any direction of a plane while maintaining the electrical connection, the common terminal comprising receptacle contacts disposed in a receptacle portion of the bottom housing.

11. A method, comprising the steps of:

inserting a terminal into a bottom housing, the terminal comprising a main wall and a slip receiver connected to and angled away from the main wall, the slip receiver comprising first and second walls connected by an integral receiver bridge;

introducing a cradle into the bottom housing, the cradle comprising a body portion, a transition portion, and a connection portion, the body portion comprising troughs formed therein, the transition portion being bent from the body portion and extending between the body portion and the connection portion, the connection portion comprising a plate extending away from the body portion; and

electrically coupling the cradle and the terminal by inserting the connection portion of the cradle substantially between the walls of the slip receiver of the terminal, the walls of the slip receiver elastically deforming to separate and receive the plate of the connection portion to establish an electrical connection between the cradle and the terminal.

12. The method of claim 11, further comprising the step of adjusting the connection portion within the slip receiver while manipulating the cradle into a desired position within the housing.

13. The method of claim 11, further comprising the step of introducing a flipper mechanism into the troughs in the cradle to establish an electrical coupling between the flipper mechanism and the terminal though the connection portion and the slip receiver.

14. The method of claim 11, further comprising the steps of:

introducing a second cradle into the bottom housing, the second cradle comprising a body portion comprising troughs formed therein; and

electrically coupling the second cradle and the terminal by inserting a connection portion of one of the second cradle and the terminal with a slip receiver of the other of the second cradle and the terminal.

15. The method of claim 11, further comprising the steps of:

introducing two additional cradles into the bottom housing; and

electrically coupling the two additional cradles and terminal by inserting a connection portion of each of the two additional cradles into two additional slip receivers on the terminal.

16. The method of claim 11, further comprising the step of aligning the cradle in the bottom housing so that the cradle interfaces with housing features to secure the cradle in the housing.

17. A method, comprising the steps of:

inserting a common terminal into a bottom housing of an electrical device, the common terminal comprising a main wall with a screw receiving aperture and comprising a slip receiver connected to and angled away from the main wall, the slip receiver comprising first and second walls connected by an integral receiver bridge, the first wall comprising a first and a second portion, the first portion being spaced a first distance from the second wall, the second portion extending from the first portion being spaced a second distance from the second wall, the first distance being greater than the second distance, wherein the second wall is directly connected to the main wall and the first wall is supported by the second wall;

introducing a cradle into the bottom housing, the cradle comprising a body portion, a transition portion, and a connection portion, wherein the body portion has a central aperture and a U-shaped trough, wherein the transition portion is bent from the body portion and extends between the body portion and the connection portion, and wherein the connection portion is a rectangular plate extending away from the transition portion;

connecting the cradle and the terminal by inserting the connector portion between the first and second walls of the slip receiver in a manner to complete an electrical connection between the cradle and the common terminal;

adjusting the connector portion within the slip receiver while manipulating the cradle into a desired position within the housing, comprising sliding the connector portion in both of longitudinal and transverse directions in a single plane; and

introducing a flipper mechanism into the bottom housing through the central aperture of the cradle in a manner that a cradle interfacing edge of the flipper portion extends into and contacts the trough, and wherein the flipper mechanism is suspended by the cradle and the flipper mechanism is movable in a manner that brings an electrical contact on a bridge portion of the flipper into contact with and out of contact with an electrical contact on a switch terminal.