AU726190B2 - Terminal connection with insulation removal device - Google Patents

Description

P/00/ 011 Regulation 3.2

AUSTRALIA

PATENTS ACT 1990 COMPLETE SPECIFICATION FOR A STANDARD PATENT

ORIGINAL

TO BE COMPLETED BY APPLICANT Name of Applicant: Actual Inventor(s): Address for Service: ROBERT BOSCH GMBH CALLINAN LAWRIE, 278 High Street, Kew, 3 10 1, Victoria, Australia Invention Title: "TERMINAL CONNECTION WITH INSULATION REMOVAL DEVICE" The following statement is a full description of this invention, including the best method of performing it known to me:- -2- The invention relates to a terminal connection with an insulation removal device.

A terminal connection of this kind is shown in German Patent Application No. 42 03 628 Al. In such a known terminal connection, the need exists to create a secure, vibration resistant and corrosion proof contact between the clamp and the electric conductor as economically as possible.

The terminal connection of prior art also provides a soldering point which has been demonstrated not to be secure enough because of possible melting faults and/or proneness to corrosion at the soldering point.

The incorporation of a wire electrical conductor lateral to its axis into a fork terminal connection shaped inlet which is then pressed into a narrow area adjoined to the inlet, the insulation being broken off and the metallic circumferential surface of the electrical conductor being connected to the terminal connection, is known through the US Patent No. 4557544. It can also happen that the fork terminal connection with its area of contact and/or through contact edges lying adjacent to each other in pairs scotches the metallic circumferential surface of the electrical conductor producing a selfo• closure connection with the conductor. But a connection of this kind is not adequately secure or strong for many sustained loads, particularly in the case S: 20 of vibration loads and changes in temperature occurring in piston-driven internal combustion engines.

•oo• It is the object of the invention to avoid the described disadvantages and to create a terminal connection which makes possible a contact which is reliable in operation even in more difficult operating circumstances. The 25 contacting surface should, in particular, be vibration resistant and corrosion- S immune and it should be easily manufactured.

Accordingly, the present invention provides a terminal connection clamp with an insulation removal device integrated into one contact piece for the connecting and the electrical contact of an electrical conductor inserted into a slit, said contact piece having alongside said slit cutting sections formed by means of indentations and the width of the slit narrows in the conductor ertion direction to force solid contact with the electrical conductor, wherein 21/0800,td9238.spe,2 the cutting sections are attached, in pairs, to an underside and an upper side of the contact piece A preferred embodiment of the invention is shown in the accompanying drawing and explained more fully in the following description. Figure 1 shows a terminal connection in front of the assembly of the electrical conductor.

Figure 2 shows a terminal connection with an electrical conductor pressed into a slit in the terminal connection and Figure 3 shows a section along the line 1 I 1/111 in Figure 2, enlarged.

In the drawing there is shown a terminal connection 11 depicted in Figure 1 and Figure 2 constructed as a sheet metal stamping having a contact piece 12 for the closing and the contacting of an electrical conductor 13 encased in an insulation 14 which can take the form of lacquer insulation or thick-walled plastic casing.

The contact piece 12 is furnished with a slit 16 for the insertion of the conductor 13. In the insertion direction of the conductor 13 into the slit 16 which runs in the direction of the arrow 17 is a funnel-shaped inlet opening at the beginning of the slit 16 narrowing along the length of the slit 16 which facilitates an easy insertion of the conductor 13 into the slit 16 so that a sealed assembly is practicable.

o 20 Stripping edges are arranged at right angles at the insertion opening on either side of the slit, they narrow the gap of the slit and when the conductor 13 is pushed through, the insulation 14 is removed.

The stripping edges 19, arranged in the insertion direction are attached :to the stripping surfaces 21, which run, roughly, in the insertion direction and 25 which narrow the gap of the slit lengthwise only slightly. When the conductor 13 is led through, the remainder of the insulation 14 is removed from the conductor.

Four cutting sections 22 are connected to the stripping surfaces 21 as can be seen particularly from Figure 3 in the insertion direction with a further narrowing of the clear cross-section of the slit 16 and as its sealing area, which move in the insertion direction. The cutting sections 22 are constructed 21/08/00,td9238.spe,3 -4indentations 23 running lengthwise which are fastened in pairs in the end area of the slit 16, slightly removed from its side on an upper side 24 and on an under side 26 of the contact piece 12, so that the material displace as a result forms the cutting sections 22 in the slit. If, as can be seen in Figures 2 and 3, the conductor 13 is pressed along the cutting sections 22 into the slit 16, then they penetrate the circumferential surface of the conductor 13 as a result of their own elastic warpage and the elastic warpage of the conductor 13 and bite into it.

Through the solid closure connection between the contact piece 1 2 and conductor 13, a secure holding in place and a long lasting contacting of the 10 conductor 13 in the contact piece is achieved which is resistant to mechanical S•pulling and pushing loads due to vibration stress or variations in temperature.

The configuration of the cutting section 22 can be changed through the geometry and state of the indentation 23. Through variations in the depth of the indentations 23, adaptations to various wire diameters can be made.

The terminal connection 11 of the invention can, because of its construction, also be used inside devices such as distributor coils etc. which are not accessible for other contact types. A particular assembly free space which would be necessary for crimping, welding or soldering connections is not Ol necessary.

In addition, the contacting process is economically workable and in the 0. outcome is clearly controllable. When the terminal connection 11 is coated in insulating resin, its reliability in operation is further enhanced.

24/6/97GV9238.SPE,4

Claims (4)

1. A terminal connection clamp with an insulation removal device integrated into one contact piece for the connecting and the electrical contact of an electrical conductor inserted into a slit, said contact piece having alongside said slit cutting sections formed by means of indentations and the width of the slit narrows in the conductor insertion direction to force solid contact with the electrical conductor, wherein the cutting sections are attached, in pairs, to an underside and an upper side of the contact piece.

2. The terminal connection clamp as claimed in Claim 1, wherein the cutting sections run lengthwise to the slit and, in the insertion direction of the conductor, an insertion opening is positioned for the centring of the conductor, stripping edges for the removal of the insulation of the conductor and stripping surfaces for the stripping of the remainder of the insulation.

3. The terminal connection clamp as claimed in Claim 2, wherein the insertion opening narrows in the insertion direction in the shape of a funnel, the stripping edges and the stripping surfaces are arranged in pairs and symmetrically to the slit and the gap of the slit narrows from the insertion opening to the cutting sections. 20

4. The terminal connection clamp as claimed in any one of Claims 1 to 3, wherein the terminal connection is constructed as a sheet metal stamping. A terminal connection clamp, substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the accompanying drawing. a. 0.0o.:25 DATED this 17th day of August, 2000. ROBERT BOSCH GMBH By their Patent Attorneys: CALLINAN LAWRIE 21/08/00,td9238.spe,5