CN117175246A

CN117175246A - Elastic binding post for conductor

Info

Publication number: CN117175246A
Application number: CN202310602935.6A
Authority: CN
Inventors: T.施米茨
Original assignee: Weidmueller Interface GmbH and Co KG
Current assignee: Weidmueller Interface GmbH and Co KG
Priority date: 2022-06-02
Filing date: 2023-05-25
Publication date: 2023-12-05
Also published as: DE102022113950A1

Abstract

The invention provides an elastic binding post, which is used for connecting conductors and comprises bus bars used for contacting the electric conductors; a clamping spring acting as a compression spring for fixing the electrical conductor in the spring terminal; a holding spring for locking the clamping spring in the open position, so that the conductor can be guided into the contact region in the sliding direction; the clamping spring has a clamping arm with a clamping edge which can be pivoted in a pivoting direction, and the holding spring has a locking arm which can be pivoted; the locking arm has at least one holding means as a second latching means, and the clamping arm has at least one corresponding first latching means which cooperates with the holding means of the locking arm in the latched state of the clamping arm; the clamping arm is provided with a reset mechanism for swinging the clamping arm, and the clamping arm can swing into a clamping state by swinging along the swinging direction by using the reset mechanism; the return mechanism also acts at least partially on the locking arm when the clamping arm is pivoted into the latching state, so that both the locking arm and the clamping arm are pivoted during this time.

Description

Elastic binding post for conductor

Technical Field

The invention relates to a spring terminal with the features a) to g) of claim 1.

Background

In various embodiments, spring terminals are known which are designed as direct-insertion terminals (push-in terminals), with compression springs which press the conductors against the bus bars.

DE 20 2015 102 045 U1 thus discloses a spring connection terminal with a pivot lever for opening a clamping point.

It is also known that the clamping spring, which is configured as a compression spring, is latched in the open position, so that the conductor can be introduced particularly well into the contact region. According to the known prior art, such a latching of the clamping spring in the open position is effected by an actuating mechanism, such as a push rod which can be latched onto the terminal box, wherein the push rod holds the clamping arm in the open position. By releasing the actuating mechanism after the introduction of the conductor, the clamping arm can be relieved and the conductor can be pressed against the bus bar. The disadvantage is that the handling mechanism must be released manually in order to contact the conductor. A spring connection is therefore known from EP 2 466,689 A1, in which an integrated clamping spring is snapped onto a clamping edge of a clamping arm of the clamping spring. A disadvantage of this embodiment of the clamping arm is the high wear of the clamping edge of the clamping spring, which occurs in the connection of the spring connection terminal. The spring clamping width and the conductor insertion flare are then assigned such that the clamping edge width is not limited by the catch element in the described embodiment.

This problem is solved in DE 10 2019 132 316 A1, which proposes that the latching mechanism of the clamping arm of the spring terminal is formed at a distance from the clamping edge of the clamping arm. In this way, a spring connection is provided which divides the latching mechanism of the clamping spring on the clamping spring, in particular on the clamping arm of the clamping spring, into a separate latching mechanism and a clamping edge which is geometrically and functionally separate from this function for clamping the conductor against the busbar. In this case, too, the wear of the clamping edge of the clamping spring is advantageously reduced by the functional separation of the contact edge and the latching mechanism. These spring terminals have been subject to testing.

It is desirable, however, to provide a spring connection for different applications, which can be moved into the latching position particularly easily and reliably.

Disclosure of Invention

The object of the present invention is therefore to provide a spring connection for conductors, in particular for Litzenleiter, in which the force required to be applied to the actuating device for displacing the clamping spring into its open and locking position is low.

This object is achieved by a spring terminal according to claim 1.

A spring terminal is provided, which is designed as a direct-insert terminal (direktsterk-length), for connecting conductors, in particular strands, having at least:

a bus bar for contacting the electrical conductor;

a clamping spring acting as a compression spring for fixing the electrical conductor (6) in the spring terminal,

a holding spring for latching the clamping spring in the open position, so that the conductor can be guided into the contact region in the sliding direction,

wherein the clamping spring has a clamping arm which can be pivoted in a pivoting direction and has a clamping edge, and the retaining spring has a pivotable locking arm,

wherein the locking arm has at least one holding means as a second latching means and the clamping arm has at least one corresponding first latching means which cooperates with the holding means of the locking arm in the latching state R of the clamping arm,

wherein a return mechanism is provided for pivoting, in particular for pivoting the clamping arm back, with which the clamping arm can be pivoted into the latching state by pivoting in the pivoting direction,

the restoring mechanism also acts at least partially on the locking arm when the clamping arm pivots into the latching state R, so that both the locking arm and the clamping arm are pivoted during this time, i.e. during this section of the movement of the restoring mechanism.

In this way, both the clamping arm and the locking arm can be jointly configured as a displacement of the actuating element of the return mechanism, which considerably simplifies and makes easier and more reliable the return of the spring terminal from any other position into the latching position.

According to a preferred embodiment, it can then be provided that the restoring mechanism, when the clamping arm is moved into the latching state R, at least during the second section of movement, essentially only moves the clamping arm further in the pivoting direction. The locking arm can be moved so far that the locking mechanism of the clamping arm and the locking and holding mechanism of the locking arm are moved into the locking position with little effort during further pivoting. On further pivoting, the locking arm preferably springs back even slightly, so that a stable latching position is achieved in a simple and reliable manner.

The clamping arm is preferably adjusted by movement of the electrical conductor from a locking state, in which the clamping arm is locked in the open position by the holding means of the locking arm, into a clamping state, in which the clamping arm is unlocked from the holding means and the clamping edge of the electrical conductor clamping arm is pressed against the bus bar.

Preferably, the restoring mechanism acts directly on the clamping arm and also directly on the locking arm when the clamping arm swings back.

According to one advantageous embodiment, it can be provided that the return mechanism has a first contact geometry which acts directly or indirectly on the clamping arm, and that the return mechanism also has a second contact geometry which acts directly or indirectly and preferably synchronously on the locking arm.

The invention can be realized in a structurally advantageous manner if the return mechanism is embodied as a pivot lever which is pivotally supported on the terminal box. This is advantageous, but not mandatory. Other types of movement may also be implemented by the reset mechanism.

According to a further embodiment, the locking arm is configured at least partially in the manner of a control curve, which cooperates with the second contact geometry in such a way that the clamping arm is pivoted in synchronization with the locking arm jointly during pivoting of the pivoting lever, and the locking arm and the clamping arm do not pivot in synchronization with each other when the pivoting lever is pivoted further, wherein the holding means and the latching means engage in latching engagement with each other.

It can be further provided that the locking arm, starting from the bend, first has a curved section which is curved first in the direction of the clamping arm and then has again a region W which is closest to the clamping arm and then again curved out of the clamping arm.

According to a further advantageous variant, it can be provided that the pivot lever is coupled to the display element in a movable, preferably rotationally movable, manner, in particular to a display element which is guided in the terminal box in a movable manner, in such a way that a position-independent display of the connection state (latching position, triggering or contact position) is ensured, that is to say that the same and correct state display is always ensured, independently of the position and orientation of the terminal box in space.

The counter latching mechanism of the clamping arm can also be designed at a distance from the clamping edge of the clamping arm. In this way, a spring connection is created which separates the latching mechanism of the clamping spring from the clamping edge for pressing the conductor against the busbar in an advantageous functional separation, and by means of this functional separation the wear of the clamping edge of the clamping spring is advantageously reduced. It is therefore advantageously provided that the holding means of the locking arm do not snap directly onto the clamping edge of the clamping arm.

When the holding means is released from the clamping edge, the holding means therefore do not rub against the clamping edge. The clamping edge is thus protected in a simple manner from excessive wear due to the connection process. Furthermore, it may also be advantageous to prevent incorrect insertion or premature triggering of the clamping spring, since the latching mechanism is not located in the conductor insertion region. This can be achieved, for example, in terms of design, in that the latching mechanism of the clamping arm is formed on the clamping arm at a distance of more than 1mm, in particular more than 3mm, from the clamping edge of the clamping arm.

In order to achieve an advantageously simple design of the clamping spring, the clamping spring can be constructed in one piece with the holding spring. This allows a simple assembly process of the clamping spring and a cost-effective production of the clamping spring. However, it is also possible to provide that the spring connection terminal has a holding spring which is produced separately from the clamping spring, but in which case the clamping spring and the holding spring can be connected to one another by a connection.

By providing the holding spring with a pressure surface which can be arranged transversely to the sliding direction or the conductor insertion direction, a simple and effective and thus advantageous possibility is provided for unlocking the clamping spring by the conductor end. It is also advantageous if the holding means are integrally formed on the locking arm. A simple design of the retaining mechanism on the locking arm is thereby achieved.

The invention also relates to a terminal block or a plug connector having one or more spring terminals according to one or more of the claims relating to spring terminals.

Further advantageous embodiments of the invention are evident from the dependent claims.

Drawings

The invention is described in more detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings. The invention is not limited to these embodiments but may also be implemented in other ways semantically or in other ways that are equivalent. In the figure:

fig. 1 shows a perspective view of the spring terminal according to the invention in fig. 1 a), with the terminal box hidden, with the clamping arms of the clamping spring in the latched state, and in fig. 1 b) the spring terminal of fig. 1 a), with the conductor in contact in the clamped state, with the clamping arms of the clamping spring in contact with the conductor ends of the conductor;

fig. 2 shows in fig. 2 a) a perspective view of the spring terminal of fig. 1 a) and 1 b) rotated approximately 180 ° relative to fig. 1 a) and 1 b), in which case the terminal box is shown with the clamping arm in the non-latching state or in the open state, and in fig. 2 b) the spring terminal of fig. 2 a) with the actuating lever pressed down in the latching state, and in fig. 2 c) a perspective view of the actuating lever of the spring terminal of fig. 1 a) and 1 b) and 2 a);

fig. 3 shows in fig. 3 a) a perspective view of the spring terminal according to the invention of fig. 1 a) and 1b, with the terminal box hidden, with the clamping arm in the non-latched or closed state, and in fig. 3 b) the spring terminal of fig. 3 a), with the clamping spring in the latched state, without the conductor, respectively;

fig. 4 shows in fig. 4 a) and 3 b) a perspective view of the spring terminal according to the invention, with the terminal box hidden, with the clamping arm in the non-latched or closed state, and in fig. 4 b) the spring terminal of fig. 4 a), with the clamping spring in the latched state, with the display element added in each case; and is also provided with

Fig. 5 shows different views of the spring terminal according to the invention from fig. 1 a) and from fig. 1 b), from fig. 2 a) and from fig. 2 b), with a terminal box, with a rotary lever pressed downward, and with a display element from d) and with a clamping and locking spring arrangement of the spring terminal from fig. 5 a) from e).

List of reference numerals

1. Elastic binding post

11. Introduction opening

12. Terminal box

13. Free space

14. Support profile

15. Pin

2. Bus bar

3. Clamping spring

30. Bending part

31. Support arm

311. Retaining tab

312a, b connecting arm

32. Clamping arm

321. Clamping edge

322. Locking mechanism

4. Retaining spring

40. Bending part

41. Locking arm

411. Curved section

412. Holding mechanism

42. Pressure surface

5. Swinging rod

51. Through hole

521. First contact geometry

522. Second contact geometry

53. Control surface and control handle

54. Groove

56. Shaft arm

560. Shaft side

561. Guide groove

57. Manipulator arm

570. Manipulation side

58. Base arm

59. Open end of manipulator arm

6. Electrical conductor

61. Sheath

62. Core wire

7. Display element

71. Pin

72. Display section

8. Swing axis

81. Swing direction

9. Swing axis

91. Swing direction

K clamping state

R latch state

W section

Detailed Description

One embodiment is illustrated in the following description of the drawings. The features of this embodiment, singly or in combination, may also be implemented in embodiments covered by the protection claims, which are not shown. They are also suitable, individually or in combination, as advantageous designs for single or multiple ones of the subject matter specified in the independent and dependent claims, respectively.

Fig. 1a and 2a show a spring terminal 1 without a terminal box as a connecting device for an electrical conductor 6. The functional elements of the spring terminal, which are provided for contacting and conducting electricity, are arranged in a terminal box 12, which is shown in fig. 2a and 2b and fig. 5a to 5c and is preferably made of an electrically insulating material, in particular plastic. The terminal box 12 can be configured in particular in the form of a disk and can preferably be stacked.

The conductor 6 to be connected is in particular designed as a conductor end stripped of an insulating sheath. Electrical conductor 6 is shown having an electrically insulating sheath 62, wherein the end of conductor 6 is stripped of insulation so that core 61 of electrical conductor 6 is visible. Such a single core wire or stranded multi-strand core wire 61 should preferably be in contact with the elastic connection terminal 1.

The spring terminal 1 can be used in different ways, and thus is used, for example, as a connection device for a terminal block (not shown) or also as a spring terminal 1 for a plug connector or the like (not shown). Still other applications not shown herein are contemplated.

The spring terminal 1 has a bus bar 2 made of an electrically conductive material, such as a copper plate, for contacting an electrical conductor 6. The bus bar 2 may be designed, for example, in an L-shape. However, the bus bar may also be part of a multiwall clamping cage (not shown here) or be arranged on such a clamping cage.

The spring terminal 1 then has clamping and retaining spring means. The clamping and holding spring device in turn has a clamping spring 3, which acts as a compression spring and is provided for clamping the electrical conductor 6 in the spring terminal 1 (clamping position, see fig. 1 b), whereby the electrical conductor 6 permanently contacts the busbar 2 in an electrically conductive manner. The clamping spring 3 thus serves to press the conductor 6 against the bus bar 2. It may for example consist of spring steel or the like.

The clamping and holding spring device has a holding spring 4 in addition to the clamping spring 3. Such a holding spring serves to lock a part of the clamping spring 3, i.e. the clamping arm 32, in the open position and in the locked position, so that the conductor 6 can be inserted into the insertion opening 11 of the spring terminal 1 in the open and tensioned state of the clamping spring until it reaches the contact region.

The clamping spring 3 can be designed integrally with the holding spring 4. However, the retaining spring 4 can also be produced separately from the clamping spring 3. The holding spring 4 can then be connected to the clamping spring 3.

The "clamping and holding spring arrangement" is preferably used to provide a component which integrates the function of the clamping spring 3 and the function of the holding spring 4 into one component, i.e. is integrated in one piece. This functionally integrated design of the clamping spring 3 with the integrally formed holding spring 4 is advantageous, but not mandatory. The clamping spring 3 and the holding spring 4 can be punched out of the sheet metal strip as a single piece as a punching/bending piece and bent.

The bus bar 2 and the clamping spring 3 are arranged in a terminal box 12, see fig. 2a and 2b, which is preferably made of an electrically insulating material, in particular plastic. An insertion opening 11 for inserting the electrical conductor 6 is provided in the terminal box 12. The terminal box 12 furthermore has a free space 13 into which essentially all of the components of the spring terminal of fig. 1 a) and 1 b), in particular except for the portion of the pivot lever 5, can be inserted. The bus bar 2 is used for connection to an electrical circuit or other component, such as a plug contact or the like (not shown here) on a plug face (stepgesicht).

The clamping spring 3 has a clamping arm 32 pivotable about the first pivot axis 8 in and against a pivot direction 81, and a support arm 31, with which support arm 31 the clamping spring 3 is supported on the respective support in a simple and safe manner, in particular when the clamping arm 32 pivots. This support can be configured as a support region 14 of the terminal box 12 (see fig. 2 a). The support arm 31 is in other embodiments (shown here in this way) but is also supported in other ways on the bus bar 2 or on a clamping cage or the like.

The supporting arm 31 and the clamping arm 32 of the clamping spring 3 are preferably connected to one another by a bend 30 (fig. 1 a) and 1 b)). An advantageous support contour in the form of a pin 15 of the terminal box 12 can engage in this bend 30 (see fig. 2 a), the support contour being penetrated by the rotation shaft 8. The clamping spring 3 is generally V-shaped in overall design. At the free end of the clamping arm 32, a clamping edge 321 is formed, which can press the conductor end 61 against the busbar (see also fig. 5 a).

The support arm 31 also serves as a support arm for the holding spring 4, which is connected here in one piece with the clamping spring 3, and thus performs a dual function here. The retaining spring 4 may alternatively be mounted on the clamping spring 3, for example as a separate component on the support arm 31, and thus attached to the support arm 31.

The retaining spring 4 then has a locking arm 41 connected to the support arm 31 by a further bend 40. This locking arm 41 can in turn be designed as a single bend or as a plurality of bends or with a bent section 411. This curved section 411 can be curved from the curve 40 first in the direction of the clamping arm 32, then has a region W in the form of a local maximum, which is closest to the clamping arm 32 and then curves out of the clamping arm again, and finally transitions into the pressure surface 42. The bend 40 and the bent section 411 may be bent reversely, like "S" or similar to "S".

The side of the locking arm 41 facing the clamping spring 3 with the clamping arm 32 can therefore be used as a control curve in the region of the curved section 411 in a manner to be explained in more detail still.

The holding spring 4 and the clamping spring 3 complement each other into an almost circumferential closed contour, under which the clamping arm 321 can be snapped onto the locking arm 41 (fig. 1b, 3b, 4 b).

The locking arm 41 may have a pressure surface 42 at the free end, against which the conductor 6 strikes when the conductor 6 is introduced in the conductor introduction direction 7, so that the conductor 6 can move the locking arm 41. The pressure surface 42 is preferably formed on the end of the locking arm 41 and is preferably oriented perpendicular to the conductor insertion direction X.

The locking arm 41 is in this connection configured to be elastically pivotable relative to the clamping spring 3, in particular the support arm 31 of the clamping spring 3. The locking arm 41 may be integrally formed to the support arm 31.

The retaining spring 4 or its locking arm 41 can pivot about the second pivot axis 9 in and counter to the second pivot direction 91. The pivot axis 8 and the pivot axis 9 are preferably oriented parallel to one another. The locking arm 41 and the clamping arm 32 can move in the same and opposite swing directions. In this case, their movements are at least partially advantageously coupled.

In order to be able to pivot the clamping arm 32 in the second pivot direction 91, the holding spring 4a furthermore has a pressure surface 42, with which pressure surface 42 the locking arm can pivot away from the conductor 6 when the spring terminal is connected to the conductor 6.

The clamping arm 32 of the clamping spring 3 has at least one or more first latching mechanisms 322. The one or more, in this case two, latching mechanisms are formed at a distance from the clamping edge 321 of the clamping arm 32. They can be configured as partially freely punched hook elements which can be punched out of the two edges of the clamping arm and in particular slightly bent out of the clamping edge 321 in the pivoting direction 81.

One or more second latching means or holding means 412, which are preferably integrally provided on the latching arm 41, in particular protruding by stamping and bending, are formed on the latching arm 41, which correspond to the first latching means 322. The terms secondary latch mechanism and retaining mechanism 412 are used synonymously.

The holding means 412 or holding means can be formed as two latching hooks which are formed by the arcuate latching arm 41 on its edge and are partially free to be punched out and bent away from the hook element, slightly bent out of the latching edge, and which can be oriented in particular toward the clamping arm 32. The first latching mechanism or the first latching mechanisms 322 are designed to latch onto the holding mechanism or the holding mechanisms 412 of the latching arms 41 of the holding spring 4, so that the clamping arms 41 can in turn be latched in the open position (referred to as the latched state or the latched and open state, see fig. 1a, 2b, 3b, 4 b).

Electrical conductor 6 can be inserted between clamping arm 32 and bus bar 2 along conductor insertion direction X. In the contact position, the electrical conductor is pressed onto the busbar 3 by the clamping arm 32 at the clamping point (also referred to as clamping position K, fig. 1 a).

The pressure surface 42 can be arranged transversely to the conductor insertion or sliding direction 7. The locking arm 41 of the retaining spring 4 can be pivoted in the second pivoting direction 91 by applying a pressure to the pressure surface 42 with the corresponding conductor end of the conductor 6 to be introduced or with the one or more core wires 61. This releases the latch between the latch mechanism 322 and the retaining mechanism 412.

The latching mechanism 322 is preferably designed at a distance of more than 1mm, in particular more than 2mm, from the clamping edge 321, so that it is not damaged when the connection terminal is connected to and disconnected from the conductor. The holding means 412 is not in an operative relationship with the clamping edge 312, i.e. it does not latch onto this clamping edge, so that the clamping edge 312 is not damaged during use. The latch mechanism 322 is instead in operative relationship with the retaining mechanism 412.

When the locking arm 41 of the retaining spring 4 swings in the direction 91 about the second swing axis 9, the retaining mechanism 412 swings together against the restoring force of the locking arm 41. The position of the holding mechanism 412 is thereby changed until the clamping arm 32 of the clamping spring 3 is unlocked.

In this way, the clamping arm 32 is unlocked from the holding mechanism 412 and pivoted into the clamping state K counter to the pivoting direction 81, as is shown in fig. 1 b. The pressure surface 42 is arranged below the holding means 412 in the conductor insertion direction X, so that the clamping arm 32 can be pivoted reliably in a simple manner in and against the pivoting direction 81.

The locking elements of the tensioned "mousetrap", i.e. the elements 322 and 412, are advantageously arranged such that the conductor 6 does not strike the locking elements when introduced into the connector, but only the triggering or pressure surface 42.

The spring terminal 1 then has a return mechanism 5. The resetting mechanism 5 can be moved in and against the sliding direction 7, which takes place here by the resetting mechanism being designed as a resetting pendulum rod, which is hereinafter referred to as pendulum rod. Which is shown separately in fig. 2 c).

By means of the resetting mechanism, in this case the pivoting lever 5, not only the electrical conductor can be released from the spring terminal 1. The pendulum rod 5 can also be designed and provided for opening the clamping point 40. It also enables the clamping point 40 to be opened before the electrical conductor, in particular the electrical conductor 6 of the thin wire, should be clamped in the spring terminal 1.

In this movement, the pivoting lever can also rotate the clamping arm 32 in the pivoting direction 81 until the first latching mechanism 322 latches onto the holding mechanism 412, so that the clamping arm 412 is also latched onto the latching arm 41 in the open and latched position. This is shown in fig. 1a, 3a and 4 a.

The clamping arm 32 can thus be "pivoted back" into the latching state R from the clamping state K by pivoting the pivot lever 5 in the pivoting direction 81, so that the latching mechanism 322 of the clamping arm 32 of the clamping spring 3 latches again with the holding mechanism 412 of the latching arm 41 of the holding spring 4. The electrical conductor 6 of the spring terminal 1, which was previously clamped in the spring terminal 1 in the clamped state K, can then be removed again in the latched state R.

The pendulum rod 5 has an axis side 560 and a control side 570, which are connected by a base arm 580 (fig. 3). The base arm of the pendulum rod 5 is here of approximately c-shaped design. The bus bar 2 and the clamping spring 3 and the holding spring 4 can be arranged opposite one another on the one hand with respect to the pivot lever 5 on the other hand, so that they form, if appropriate in cooperation with the terminal box 12, a closed contour which encloses the inserted conductor 6, wherein the pivot lever 5 is held pivotable.

Other shapes of the swing rod 5 are also conceivable, for example a semicircular or u-shaped or v-shaped swing rod 5.

The pendulum rod 5 has a shaft arm 56 on its shaft side 560. At the end 58 of the shaft arm 56, a pivot rod is arranged on the pin 15 and is rotatably supported about the pivot axis 8. For this purpose, a through-hole 51 may be provided, for example, which extends concentrically to the pivot axis 8 and may be arranged rotatably on the pin 15. But such support can be achieved in other ways.

Furthermore, at the end opposite shaft arm 56, pivot lever 5 has an actuating arm 57 on its actuating side 570. The actuating surface 53, in this case the actuating handle 53, can be arranged on the open end 59 of the actuating arm 57. The terms control surface 53 and control handle may be used synonymously in the following. The swing lever 5 can be manually operated on the operating handle 53. Furthermore, a recess 54 for an actuating tool (the latter not shown) can also be provided at the open end 59 of the actuating arm 57, so that the pivot lever 5 can also be actuated there by an actuating tool, for example a screwdriver (see fig. 2 c). Instead of the actuating handle 53, however, a more compact actuating surface is preferred, which only allows actuation with an actuating tool.

In order to be able to actuate and move the clamping arm 32 with the pivot lever 5, a first contact geometry 521 is provided between the shaft arm 56 and the actuating arm 57 (fig. 2c and 1 b). The first contact geometry is designed such that it presses the contact geometry 521 onto the clamping arm 32 when the pivot lever 5 pivots about the pivot axis 8 in the first pivot direction 81. The clamping arm 32 is thereby also pivoted about the pivot axis 8 in a pivot direction 81.

First contact geometry 521 can be configured in a planar manner and at least partially rests in a planar manner on clamping arm 32 at least when the clamping point is open, i.e., when pivoting lever 5 is pivoted in pivoting direction 81. The clamping arm can also engage in a groove, the side of which forms the first contact geometry 521, which leads the clamping arm 32 well and in a defined manner. The clamping arm may then slide slightly in the slot during pivoting and may also be pivoted in addition.

By means of an effective lever arm between the pivot axis 8 and the first contact geometry 521 of the pivot lever 5, which is correspondingly dimensioned, it is ensured that the actuating force of the pivot lever 5 introduced into the pivot lever 5 on the first contact geometry 521 is dimensioned such that an operator of the pivot lever 5 can exert this force without any special effort.

In order to be able to lock the clamping arm 32 particularly well and easily with the pivot rod 5, a second contact geometry 522 is additionally provided. This second contact geometry is configured as a pin shape (fig. 1b, 2 c). This second contact geometry 522 is designed such that it is pressed onto the locking arm 41 of the retaining spring 4 during pivoting of the pivot lever 5 about the pivot axis 8 in the pivot direction 81, in particular in the region of the curved section 411.

As a result, when the pivoting lever 5 is pivoted out of the closed position of fig. 3a or 3b in the pivoting direction 81, the locking arm 41 is also pivoted about the pivoting axis 8 along the pivoting direction 81 together with the clamping arm 32 or is pressed "downward" in this case. The locking arm 41 with the holding means 412 and the actuating surface 42 are likewise pressed downward, so that the catch means 322 can slide well and reliably over the holding means 412 when the pivot lever 5 is pivoted further. Furthermore, since the locking arm 41 is itself bent in the region of the bent section 411, the second contact surface is guided on the region W closest to the clamping spring 3 when the pivot lever 5 is pivoted further, so that the holding spring 41 can now remain stationary or even spring back slightly again in the direction of the clamping spring 32 when the pivot lever 5 is pivoted further in the pivot direction 81, as a result of which the holding means 412 and the latching means 322 engage in a good and secure manner with one another (fig. 1 a). In this way, the spring terminal 1 can be brought particularly simply into its open and latched position.

It is also mentioned that the display element 7 may be pivotably coupled to the swivel lever 5. This display element can protrude outwards partly by means of the recess 16 of the terminal box 12 in at least one pivot position of the pivot lever 5 and can thus be used as a display element for displaying the state of the spring terminal 1, for example, in the closed state or in the clamped state, with the display section 72 protruding slightly outwards from the terminal box 12 and not protruding or slightly outwards from the terminal box 12 in the latched state. The display element 7 can be engaged with a small pin 71 in a hole of the pivot lever 5, so that the display element can be moved relative to this pivot lever in the terminal box 12. By this or a similar further coupling, a position-independent display of the connection state (latching position, triggered or contacted position) is ensured, i.e. the same and correct state display is always ensured independently of the position of the terminal box 12.

It is also to be noted that the triggering of the catch function or the release of the catch ("mousetrap function") can also be achieved by means of the rotary lever 5 when the rotary lever is pulled upwards, for example with a finger.

Claims

1. Spring terminal (1) designed as a direct connection terminal for connecting conductors, in particular twisted wires, having at least:

a. a bus bar (2) for contacting the electrical conductor (6);

b. a clamping spring (3) acting as a compression spring for fixing the electrical conductor (6) in the spring terminal (1),

c. a retaining spring (4) for locking the clamping spring (3) in the open position, so that the conductor (6) can be inserted into the contact region in the sliding direction (7),

d. wherein the clamping spring (3) has a clamping arm (32) which can be pivoted in a pivoting direction (81) and has a clamping edge (321), and the retaining spring (4) has a pivotable locking arm (41),

e. wherein the locking arm (41) has at least one holding means (412) as a second latching means and

the clamping arm (32) has at least one corresponding first latching mechanism (322) which cooperates with a holding mechanism (412) of the latching arm (41) in a latching state R of the clamping arm (32),

f. wherein a return mechanism (5) is provided for pivoting, in particular for tilting, the clamping arm (32), with which the clamping arm (32) can be pivoted into a latching state (R) by pivoting in a pivoting direction (81),

g. wherein the return mechanism (5) also acts at least partially on the locking arm (41) when the clamping arm (32) is pivoted into the latching state R, so that both the locking arm (41) and the clamping arm (32) are pivoted during this time.

2. Spring terminal (1) according to claim 1, characterized in that the clamping arm (32) can be adjusted by a movement of the electrical conductor (6) from the locking state R, in which the clamping arm (32) is locked in the open position by a holding means (412) of the locking arm (41), into a clamping state K, in which the clamping arm (32) is unlocked from the holding means (412) and the electrical conductor (6) is pressed against the busbar (2) by means of a clamping edge (321) of the clamping arm (32).

3. Spring terminal (1) according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the return mechanism (5) can act directly on the clamping arm (32) on the one hand and on the locking arm (41) on the other hand when the clamping arm (32) swings back.

4. Spring terminal (1) according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the return mechanism (5) has a first contact geometry (521) which can act on the clamping arm (32).

5. Spring terminal (1) according to claim 4, characterized in that the return mechanism (5) has a second contact geometry (522) which can act on the locking arm (41).

6. Spring terminal (1) according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the return mechanism (5) is configured as a pivot lever (5), the pivot lever (5) being pivotally supported on the terminal box (12).

7. Spring terminal (1) according to any of the preceding claims, characterized in that the locking arm (41) has a substantially S-shaped geometry.

8. Spring terminal (1) according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the locking arm (41) is configured at least partially in the manner of a control curve which cooperates with the second contact geometry (522) in such a way that the clamping arm (32) is pivoted together in synchronization with the locking arm (41) in part when the pivot lever (5) is pivoted and that the locking arm (41) and the clamping arm (32) are not pivoted further in synchronization when the pivot lever (5) is pivoted further, wherein the holding means (412) and the latching means (322) are in latching engagement with one another.

9. Spring terminal (1) according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the locking arm (41) has a curved section (411) starting from a bend (40), which is curved firstly in the direction of the clamping arm (32) and then has a region (W) which is closest to the clamping arm (32) and then again curves out of the clamping arm (32).

10. Spring terminal (1) according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that, in the case of pivoting of the pivoting lever (5), the clamping arm (32) and the locking arm (41) no longer move synchronously when the second contact geometry passes through a partial region (W) of the curved section (411) which is closest to the clamping arm (32) when the pivoting lever (5) is pivoted.

11. Spring terminal (1) according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the locking arm (41) transitions into a pressure surface (42).

12. Spring terminal (1) according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the pivoting lever (5) is movably coupled to a display element (7) for displaying the state of the spring terminal (1) in such a way that a position-independent display of the wiring state of the spring terminal is ensured.

13. Spring terminal (1) according to claim 12, characterized in that the pivot lever (5) is coupled in a rotationally movable manner to the display element (7) for displaying the state of the spring terminal.

14. Spring terminal (1) according to any of the preceding claims, characterized in that the display element (7) is movable in the terminal box (12).

15. Spring terminal (1) according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the retaining means (412) of the locking arm do not snap directly onto the clamping edge of the clamping arm (32).

16. Spring terminal (1) according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that a latching mechanism (322) of the clamping arm (32) is formed on the clamping arm (32) at a distance of more than 1mm, in particular more than 3mm, from the clamping edge.

17. Spring connection terminal (1) according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the clamping spring (3) is constructed integrally with the holding spring (4) or the clamping spring (3) and the holding spring (4) are constructed as a single spring element.

18. Spring terminal (1) according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the clamping spring (3) preferably together with the holding spring (41) has a supporting arm (31), with which supporting arm (31) the clamping spring (3) is supported on the corresponding abutment.

19. Spring terminal (1) according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the retaining means (412) are formed on the locking arm (41), in particular integrally on the locking arm (41), wherein the individual retaining means (412) of the locking arm (41) are preferably formed as projecting webs of the locking arm (41).

20. Spring terminal (1) according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the terminal box (12) is configured in a disk shape and is preferably stackable.

21. Spring terminal (1) according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the first and second latching elements (322, 412) are arranged such that the conductor (6) does not strike the first and second latching elements but only the triggering or pressure surface (42) when introduced into the spring terminal.

22. A terminal block or plug connector having one or more spring terminals according to one or more of the preceding claims.