Resilient terminal including conductor centering means

Details Resilient terminal including conductor centering means Resilient terminal including conductor centering means

2000-04-04

2001-08-07

Abrams, Neil (Department: 2839)

Electrical connectors

Metallic connector or contact having movable or resilient...

Spring actuated or resilient securing part

Reexamination Certificate

active

06270383

ABSTRACT:

FIELD OF THE INVENTION
This invention relates to a resilient electrical terminal including first centering means on the resilient member for centering a conductor between the side edges of a clamping opening through which the conductor and a bus bar extend in clamped side-by-side conductive relation. Second centering means on the bus bar center the conductor relative to the bus bar.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
Resilient electrical terminals operable to clamp a bare conductor in electrically conductive side-by-side relation with a bus bar are well known in the prior art, as shown by the U.S. Pat. No. 5,879,204 to Delarue, et al., and U.S. Pat. No. 5,938,484, Beege, et al., and the German patent Nos. DE 296 08 178 U1 and DE 42 377 33 C1, among others.
In the known resilient terminals, the bus bar and the conductor are inserted within a clamping opening contained in a first leg of the resilient body that extends generally normal to the base portion of the body. The second leg portion of the resilient body is bent back over the base portion, and biases the conductor and the bus bar in clamped side-by-side conductive relation against a clamping edge of the clamping opening. Generally, only one electrical conductor can be inserted into the opening for clamping to the bus bar in positive electrically-conductive engagement.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
Accordingly, a primary object of the present invention is to clamp one or more conductors in positive electrical contact with a bus bar that extends in side-by-side relation with the conductor through a common clamping opening contained in the resilient terminal element.
According to a more specific object of the invention, first centering means are provided for centering a conductor relative to the side walls of the clamping opening. The first centering means comprise a pair of spaced beveled surfaces on the clamping edge that are initially inwardly inclined toward a central portion of the clamping edge.
In accordance with another object of the invention, second centering means are provided for centering the conductor relative to the bus bar. Preferably, these second centering means comprise a longitudinal groove that is contained in the surface of the bus bar adjacent the conductor.
According to another object of the invention, the surface of the bus bar adjacent the conductor is ribbed to prevent longitudinal displacement of the conductor relative to the bus bar.
As a consequence of the invention, it is possible to firmly and positively clamp to the bus bar not only one centered conductor, but also a plurality of conductors, including conductors having different diameters. More particularly, when the conductors are in the clamped condition, they are displaced centrally inwardly by the beveled surfaces of the clamping edge of the clamping opening. This applies also to the conductors that are not in direct engagement with the clamping edge, but are biased together centrally inwardly by the beveled edges. The invention also facilitates the simultaneous electrical connection of a plurality of conductors of different diameters, as well as the connection of multiwire and even fine-wire conductors.


REFERENCES:
patent: 985821 (1911-03-01), Manson
patent: 3757281 (1973-09-01), Woertz et al.
patent: 5860837 (1999-01-01), Bock et al.
patent: 5879204 (1999-03-01), Delarue et al.
patent: 5938484 (1999-08-01), Beege et al.
patent: DE 2 213 301 (1973-06-01), None
patent: DE 31 22 303 A1 (1983-01-01), None
patent: DE 42 16 927 C1 (1993-09-01), None
patent: DE 42 37 733 C1 (1993-12-01), None
patent: DE 296 08 178 U1 (1996-09-01), None
patent: DE 196 14 977 A1 (1996-10-01), None

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