Distribution block

The invention relates to a rail with a plurality of adjacently attachable, Busbar pieces-containing fiber connectors according to the preamble of claim 1.

Manifolds of the generic type are to supply technical and control technology linkage of electrical components such as Voltage sources and signal receivers used. They may for this purpose used for example for building Initiator terminal blocks be, as set out for example in EP 0222030 A2. In this literature, is carried out, that the supply lines to a voltage source connected two located in a Initiator terminal block Manifolds be and the supply voltage from there via internal cross connection bars distributed over a plurality of juxtaposed terminals is, to the supply lines turn example of initiators for electrical Signal receivers are connected. The structure of use for this purpose Manifolds used is relatively complicated because between Busbar pieces of the lead terminals and the components for the actual Cross-distribution of electrical power additional components such as Spacer sleeves must be present, with each current transition between the components naturally results in a contact resistance.

A further generic fiber connectors, US-PS 4,469,128, wherein the lead terminals include plug-in contact elements, each having a Connector tab and have a contact sockets, in each case the plug plate contact for transverse distribution of electric power in the bushes of a neighboring Busbar piece engages. The sockets contact is of a substantially U-shaped Arrangement of current rail pieces formed, the plug-in direction of socket contact and associated connector tab adjacent the housing of the arranged conductor terminal surmounted, parallel to the direction of arrangement of the lead terminals is trained. In the lead terminals designated as a base is of above into associated busbar pieces one for controlling compressed air streams suitable valve plugged and electrically connected to the associated plug-in elements connectable.

Object of the present invention is therefore, a distribution strip of the generic to provide the type in which the cross-distribution of electrical power with is intuitively low constructive and montage moderate effort, in particular compact on achieving lowest ranking widths for ensuring Types of fiber connectors emphasis.

The inventive solution results from the characterizing features of Claim 1 in cooperation with the features of the preamble.

The inventive solution consists in the spatial association of the functional elements the busbar pieces and the arrangement of the functional areas of Busbar pieces within the conductor connections, mainly based on the Of arrangement of the individual conductor connections. The current rail pieces are made in a first section of two lateral, opposite and centrally a connecting plate is U-shaped interconnected spring contact legs, on one side of the connecting plate at their free ends the socket contact form. In a second section of the conductor rail pieces at the Socket contact opposite side of the connecting plate is a connecting plane formed for insertion of a conductor into the wire connection, the Connecting plane, the connecting plate and the connectors contact substantially perpendicular to the direction of arrangement of the lead terminals in spatial sequence superimposed are arranged. The spring contact limbs form the connecting plate a structural unit, wherein the main extension of the spring contact legs perpendicular is aligned with the direction of arrangement of the lead terminals. This is the size the busbar pieces in the direction of arrangement of the lead terminals is very low interpretable, since both the spring contact arms and the connecting plate as well as the disposed on the other side of the connecting plate portion as a connecting plane for the conductor terminals substantially perpendicular to the direction of arrangement are arranged. This requires a slightly larger height of the lead terminals, whereby, however, at the same time a very low ranking width of the lead terminals is achievable. The plug contact elements form the lateral juxtaposition of Conductor connections to a rail by latching a plug contact in a socket contact, an electrical connection automatically, so that an additional Control the effect does not apply to the assembly whether all interconnections of Transverse distribution have been made. By plug-in contact of the busbar pieces the individual lead terminals, these to Manifolds any length, that is put together any number of wire connection. hereby can be Manifolds for every application build, in turn, For example, for the construction of the initiator terminal blocks any number of poles be used. The space requirement can be due to the arrangement of the current rail pieces significantly reduce perpendicular to the direction of arrangement, since the connector tabs a plug contact element directly between the both sides substantially the Einsteckraumes the socket contact arranged spring contact legs intervention. The to be connected to the conductor connection conductor is, for example, a clamping spring directly to the corresponding section of the busbar piece the corresponding conductor terminal connected. Plug and socket contact are thus designed in one piece, which reduces the production costs and simplifies the assembly. Since the connecting plane of the conductor terminal easily accessible from above is, can be other than the already mentioned connection option via a clamping spring also realizing all other conventional types of connection the conductor connection.

In a particularly preferred embodiment, the insertion of the conductor contacts in the lead terminals and the Einsteckräume the jacks substantially in a plane perpendicular to the direction of arrangement of the lead terminals is aligned. This allows the required minimum of ranking the Conductor connections are designed to be very low.

In a further preferred embodiment, the plug tab at the free End of spring contact leg of a busbar piece parallel to its arranged end edge, wherein the connector strap in the direction of the opposite Spring contact arm is cranked so that its median plane centrally between the the contained two spring contact legs midplane matches. hereby in particular, the connector tab from one of the spring contact legs be angled by simple bending operations, which in turn better for a Contact behavior and lower assembly costs makes.

More special features of the subject of the invention result from the features of other dependent claims.

The execution of the plug-in contact elements are designed as socket contact offers the possibility the socket member from a plurality of directions, for example, from the side or Angle contact. Since the socket contact of the first conductor terminal a rail for the connection to the next bus bar section or to Structure of the total power rail is not required, this offers an opportunity an if necessary arranged beneath the circuit board terminals a to provide additional connection option.

Since the socket contact of each busbar track both from below is also accessible from the side, can be used for power supply to the rail the socket contact to arrange additional contact areas, both in the engage socket contact and laterally on the outer surface of the socket contact can establish an electrical connection, as well is a U-shaped Cable contact for electrical connection producing the female contact conceivable. In particular, the fork-shaped contact has the advantage that a power supply in principle can be made at any point of the rail from below. Especially with limited space can be as a special power terminal save. The possibility of the socket contact either centrally laterally contact, makes it very easy, with the help of special openings in the wire connection housing to provide a coding possibility of the conductor terminal, depending on whether you the possibility of power feeding into the current rail component off through the central female contact or the lateral socket contact.

It must be emphasized that the use of a rail of the invention Type in particular for the construction of the initiator terminal block as were initially briefly described, are of great advantage. The special configuration an initiator terminal provides that two manifolds in a Base housing an initiator terminal, which can be fixed on the mounting rail is arranged. The connection to the base housing via releasable plug fixings, so that the distribution strips and easy to assemble in the initiator terminal block can be rearranged. Furthermore, let the already mentioned Possibilities of an advantageous simple coding of the present invention PDU particular often necessary Grounding Busbar connections easily appear to be realizable. By accessibility the busbar pieces from below is a connection of the rail to the the ground bearing rail realized without problems.

It remains to be noted that the detachable connection of the manifolds within the initiator terminal block base housing a contact for wiring via plug contacts, that is the realization of PNP and NPN circuits easily makes simply by replugging the power strips.

The following will list some examples of manifolds of the inventive type and the use of power strips in Initiator terminal blocks on the basis of accompanying drawings for a better understanding be explained in more detail.

Show it:<dl tsize="7"><dt>figure 1</dt><dd>a rail according to the invention with three optical connectors,</dd><dt>figure 2</dt><dd>the sectional image of a conductor terminal corresponding to the section BB of Figure 1,</dd><dt>figure 3</dt><dd>Busbar piece of an inventive distribution strip without Wire connection housing,</dd><dt>figure 4</dt><dd>Section through a wire connection with power strips invention.</dd></dl>

1 shows an in its entirety designated 1 PDU, consisting of three juxtaposed with the numerals I-III marked fiber connectors 2 there.

In the housing 10 of each conductor terminal each is a busbar piece 4, the mesh each using their plug contact elements. 5 Of the Construction of a conductor terminal 2 is illustrated with the aid of the sectional image in FIG. 2 In the middle of the conductor connection housing 10 is there, in turn, the busbar piece 4 to recognize. At this busbar piece 4 is in the connecting plane a clamp spring 14 which serves the conductor 3 from above into the insertion funnel introduce 13 of the lead terminal housing 10, under the current rail component to draw 4 and fix it there by clamping spring force. At the top the conductor terminal housing 10 is located laterally adjacent to the insertion funnel 13 a mounting breakthrough 15, through the actuation of the clamping spring 14 for the Assembly operation of the conductor 3 is possible. Each conductor terminal housing has to a sidewall compound cam 12, with position and size appropriate Connecting bores 11 at the opposite side surface of the lead terminal housing 10 corresponds, so that when a succession of lead terminals 2 these to each other by the engagement of the connection cam 12 in the respective connecting holes 11 of the adjacent conductor terminal 2 set.

In the series of lead terminals 2 access in each conductor connection 2 located busbar pieces 4 by means of its plug-in contact elements 5 into each other, so that an electrically conductive connection between the individual conductor terminals 2 is made. To illustrate this, in Figure 3 three current rail pieces represented 4, wherein, for better understanding, the corresponding Wire connection housing were 10 omitted. Each bus bar section 4 has a U-shaped main body 21, the two spring contact legs 23 and 24 and a connecting them connecting plate 25 is.

The contact legs on the spring 24 and projecting laterally at an angle of 45 Degree angled retaining tab 22 serves the busbar piece 4 in its to maintain position in the wire connection housing 10th At the retaining tab 22 opposite Page, both the spring contact leg 23 and the leg 24 extended laterally. The spring contact leg 24 has at its extended free end a connector plate 27. The spring contact arm 23 is in the direction of the opposing spring contact legs 24 so cranked that the at opposite free ends of the two legs two parallel opposite, provided with contact pads 28 and 29 faces revealed their distance lower than that of the spring contact legs 23 and 24 in the region of the Base body 21 provided with the contact plates 28 and 29 gegenübeliegenden Surfaces together form a contact sockets 26. In Figure 3 also can be clearly seen that for the production of a continuous rail, the current U-shaped base body 21 of the busbar pieces 4 are lined up, that the connector tab 27 of a current rail section in the socket contact 26 can engage an adjacent busbar piece. For this purpose, it is necessary that the connector tab facing away from 27 at its spring contact legs 24 End is so bent that their median plane with the between the Spring contact legs 23 and 24 of the socket contact 26 resulting midplane matches.

In addition to the current rail pieces 4 in Figure 3 to a current rail component 4, the clamping spring 14 is shown, on the outer side of the spring contact leg 24 is placed. It has at its retaining tab 22 facing Side an opening 30 and is shaped so that they in a spring force direction the arrow F generated. Since the retaining tab 22 protrudes through the opening 30, is the Movement of the free leg 32 of the clamping spring 14 is limited in the direction of arrow F. If a counterforce to the edge 31 of the clamping spring 14 is exercised, moves her free leg 32 with the opening 30 against the arrow F downwards, so that in the interior of the U-shaped base body 21 of the busbar piece 4, a lead wire can be inserted. releasing the clamping spring 14 snaps the free leg 32 due to the spring force in the direction the arrow F upward, pulling the lead wire under the spring contact legs 24 of the current rail piece 4 and fixes it there. This type of clamp requires very little installation effort, since the connection of a connecting wire quickly at bus bar section 4 and without special mounting means can accomplish. Of course, apart from a clamp all conceivable other types of preparing a compound of conductors and bus bar section possible such. B. screw, flat connector, solder joint and the like.

makes the representation of the concatenated current rail pieces 4 in Figure 3 clear that the respective first socket contact 26 of a PDU for power transmission is not needed within the track. For this reason can these jacks contact as well as the connection of the current rail piece 4 with a conductor 3 used to another electrical connection to manufacture busbar. In Figures 1 and 2 is one way of contacting the busbar from the bottom of the lead terminal 2 forth over the socket contact illustrated 26th The embodiment shows this one solder contact 42, which is electrically connected with a circuit board 41 and the printed circuit board at its 41 facing away from the end of a contact plate 43 has, passing through an opening 44 on the underside of the conductor connection housing 10 in the socket contact 26 of the Busbar piece 4 engages. As an alternative to a contact between the supply rail according to Figures 1 and 2, Figure 4 shows a possibility for the bushings 26 contact on the outer sides to grip by a fork contact 40th The fork contact 40 as the solder contact 42 described above are electrically connected to a printed circuit board 41 and engages from below the sockets contact 26 wherein the wire connection housing 10 In this case, a sufficiently large outbreak at its 45 having bottom. For contacting the busbar through the fork contact 40, it is not necessary in contrast to the example discussed previously, that the socket contact 26 of a lead terminal 2 is unused, but may the fork contact 40 at any conductor terminal 2 a rail 1 attack unless the conductor terminal housing 10 of appropriate outbreak 45 to Up the side contact sockets 26 encompassing fork parts of contact 40 is available. A rail of the inventive type can thus positioned anywhere on a arranged in a circuit board 41 Fork Contact 40th In addition, when space is limited by the supply of Busbar Angle omitted an otherwise necessary supply connection, which is particularly advantageous when space is limited.

An application of the invention is particularly Manifolds for the construction of the initiator terminal blocks on. Initiator terminal blocks are usually constructed from individual Initiator terminal blocks, in Figure 5 is exemplary an initiator terminal in cross-section with three manifolds to the invention belonging conductor terminals 2 ready. An initiator terminal block sets from perpendicular to the plane juxtaposed Initiator terminal blocks 50 along which the illustrated drawing plane perpendicular to each other are fixed on a common standardized supporting rail 54th By Stringing together the initiators terminal blocks 50 necessarily results as a series of individual conductor terminals 2 to Manifolds that in Figure 5 are designated 1, II and III. The initiator terminal 50 has a Terminal housing 51 of insulating material, which with locating arms 80 for releasable provided down the conductor terminal housing 10 in the terminal housing 51 is. This recording webs 80 have small ridges 81, into corresponding Recesses 82 of the wire connection housing engage. This construction is ensures that the lead terminals 2 interchanged within a terminal can be to transform z. B. a PNP arrangement in an NPN configuration.

The busbars of the individual distributor strips I, II and III provide when using course in Initiator terminal blocks also have the option of contacting from the bottom of the conductor terminal housing 10. In Figure 5, with the aid of such Contacting a compound of the busbar of the rail 3 with the Rail 54 shown to build a PE rail. The connection is made through the contact bridge 58, which by the insertion funnel 53 of the conductor housing 10 engages in a socket contact of the busbar of the rail. 3 Since the Contact bracket 58 contact penetrates into the sockets, the contact must necessarily take place at the beginning of the distribution strip, since a free socket contact available is. The contact clip 58 is riveted to a transfer sheet 59 which in Initiator terminal housing 51 is fixed and the mounting rail 54 contacts, so that the corresponding electrical connection is established. The definition of the initiator terminal housing 51 to the support rail 54 is usually carried out by two housing feet 56 and 57, the angled retaining leg 61 of the support rail 54 embrace.

In Figure 6, an initiator terminal is shown, in which the switching state of the is initiator indicated by a control LED 70th In this embodiment, engages a conductor connecting the rail from below a contact plate 72nd The contact plate 72 is part of a contact angle 71 via a jumper is 73 and a resistor 74 connected to the control LED 70th In the Figure 6 is particularly important that the contact plate 72 is not like the one in Figure 5 Contact bracket 58 described centrally in a contact sockets of the busbar Rail engages, but one of the spring contact legs of the socket contact 26 laterally touches. Here, the contact plate 72 via the insertion funnel 76 so positively guided that other than the lateral contacting of the socket contact not possible. This results in the fact that, for example, results in a Exchange not the PDU III of Figure 5 with the rail II of Figure 6 is possible because the insertion funnel 76 and 53 for the forced guidance of the contacts Busbar the PDU do not match. By selecting the contact site of the socket contact of a busbar arises thus a simple Coding possibility if interchangeability of different Manifolds should be excluded.