Electrical connectors – With circuit conductors and safety grounding provision
Patent
2000-01-12
2000-12-26
Abrams, Neil
Electrical connectors
With circuit conductors and safety grounding provision
361800, H01R 13648
Patent
active
061649856
DESCRIPTION:
BRIEF SUMMARY
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a connecting element having a bracket for fastening the side walls of a switch cabinet to frame sections of a switch cabinet frame, wherein contact springs are attached to the brackets for electrical connection of the side walls to the frame legs, which are provided with contact points that face in the direction of the side wall, in which the contact points protrude above a contact surface of the frame section, on which the corresponding side wall lies.
2. Description of Prior Art
This type of connecting element is taught, for example, by German Patent Publication DE 19 525 851 C1 wherein the connecting element is clamped in a beveled region of the frame section on the outside. The connecting element carries a contact spring, which is provided with contact points, the contact points facing in the direction of a side wall. The contact points are bent on the contact springs so that they are secured by means of a sealing piece of the frame section. The connecting element is provided with a threaded mount for attachment to the side wall, onto which the side wall can be screwed. During tightening of the fastening screw used for this purpose, the side wall is tightened against the sealing piece. The contact points then dig into the paint of the side wall and produce an electrical contact. The contact points are clamped between the side wall and the sealing piece when the side wall is screwed on.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
It is one object of this invention to provide a connecting element of the type mentioned at the outset that is simple to manufacture and guarantees reliable contact.
This object is addressed by a connecting element having a bracket for fastening the side walls of a switch cabinet to frame sections of the switch cabinet frame wherein the bracket has a fastening plate that is screwed onto an outer wall of the frame section and that grades into a fastening section positioned vertical to the side wall, to which a running leg is connected parallel to the side wall, which is equipped with at least one threaded mount for attachment of the side wall. The leg has two plug-in receptacles that are arranged at a spacing from each other in the longitudinal direction of the frame section and in which plug-in projections of the contact springs are accommodated. A spring plate is connected to the plug-in projections, which is sloped at an angle less than or equal to 90.degree. relative to the side wall and secures the contact points to the side of the contact surface for the side wall.
The connecting element of this invention comprises only two components that can be simply joined to each other by way of the plug-in projections and the corresponding plug-in receptacles.
Owing to the fact that the contact points protrude to one side of the contact surface for the side wall, reliable contacting is guaranteed. During assembly, the contact points dig into the paint of the side wall and thus permit contacting. At the same time, the contact spring is forced against the side wall, spring-pretightened with its contact points. Reliable contacting is maintained by this pressing force.
In accordance with one embodiment of this invention, the contact spring is a U-shaped clamp having two parallel spaced arms that form the plug-in projections which are connected to each other by means of the spring plate which is angled relative to the plug-in projections. A support length that permits support of the contact spring stable to tilting is created with spacing of the arms.
For simplified assembly, in accordance with one embodiment of this invention, the insertion movement of the contact spring into the bracket is limited by a stop, so that the contact spring can always be assembled in a predetermined position. Moreover, the plug-in projections of the contact spring are clamped into the plug-in receptacles. The bracket and contact springs can therefore be preassembled, so that only one component needs be fastened to the frame section during assemb
REFERENCES:
patent: 5853296 (1998-12-01), Gunther et al.
patent: 5894106 (1999-04-01), Schwenk
patent: 5930120 (1999-07-01), Gunther
patent: 6042395 (2000-03-01), Munch et al.
Abrams Neil
Rittal--Werk Rudolf Loh GmbH & Co. KG
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