CN112310782B

CN112310782B - Method and device for producing a plug-in bridge

Info

Publication number: CN112310782B
Application number: CN202010727750.4A
Authority: CN
Inventors: 海因茨·赖布克
Original assignee: Phoenix Contact GmbH and Co KG
Current assignee: Phoenix Contact GmbH and Co KG
Priority date: 2019-07-23
Filing date: 2020-07-23
Publication date: 2022-05-31
Anticipated expiration: 2040-07-23
Also published as: DE102019119874A1; DE102019119874B4; CN112310782A

Abstract

The invention relates to the production of a plug-in bridge (10) for connecting a plurality of connecting terminals, wherein two comb-shaped metal strips (40, 50) are produced from at least one semi-finished strip by a separating process in a separating device (20), wherein the metal strips (40, 50) extend parallel to one another along the longitudinal extent of the at least one semi-finished strip (30) and each have a bridging strip (42, 52) from which a plurality of contact tongues (41, 51) project. Subsequently, the two metal strips (40, 50) are successively transferred from a position after the separating operation into a relative position with respect to one another in which the bridging strips (42, 52) and the respective two contact tongues (41, 51) of the two metal strips (40, 50) are superposed on one another, wherein the transfer takes place during a feed movement of the two metal strips (40, 50) in the direction of their longitudinal extent. Furthermore, the two metal strips (40, 50) are encapsulated with an insulating material at least in the region of the bridging strips (42, 53) lying one above the other, whereby an insulating head (11) is formed, from which the contact tongues (41, 51) project, wherein the two corresponding contact tongues (41, 51) of the two metal strips (40, 50) respectively lie elastically against one another and thus form a plug (12).

Description

Method and device for producing a plug-in bridge

Technical Field

The invention relates to a method for producing a plug-in bridge for connecting a plurality of connecting terminals. The invention also relates to a device for carrying out the method in an automated manner.

Background

In order to connect different terminals, for example terminal blocks, of the same potential to one another, so-called potential bridges or cross connectors are generally used. Such a transverse connector can be designed, for example, as a plug bridge with a plurality of plugs, wherein two corresponding contact tongues or contact prongs or contact pins form one plug which is inserted into the connection terminal to be bridged. The at least one contact tongue is designed to be elastic, so that the plug can be pushed elastically onto the flat contact of the connection terminal. The contact tongues are electrically connected to one another by electrically conductive connection webs.

In such plug bridges, it is known that they are essentially formed from two stamped metal strips which are fixed to one another and are provided with an insulator in one region. Each metal strip is comb-shaped and has a connecting web from which a plurality of contact tongues or pins project. When assembling such a plug bridge, the two metal strips are assembled on top of each other such that the respective two contact tongues are on top of each other. The two metal strips are then partially encapsulated by an insulating material, the contact tongues protruding in the open. If these contact tongues are inserted into the corresponding contact holes of the terminals arranged in a row, the contact tongues spring back towards one another, so that an electrical contact can be established.

For example, DE 4411306C 1 discloses a plug-in bridge produced in such a way that two comb-shaped stampings are positioned and held relative to one another, for example by a pin-hole connection. To form the insulation head, this arrangement is partially encapsulated with an insulating material. In an alternative embodiment, a single stamping is produced with two comb-shaped rows of contact tongues which project in opposite directions from the connecting webs. The stamping is then bent back along the connecting webs and partially encapsulated by the insulating material in order to form an insulating head.

The first mentioned manufacturing process with two metal strips is often provided for the two metal strips to be pre-stamped to form a semi-finished product and then wound. In a next step, the metal strips are again spread apart and riveted to one another. They are then cut into sections and partially injection molded to form the insulation head.

Disclosure of Invention

Against this background, it is an object of the present invention to provide a more efficient method for producing a plug-in bridge.

This object is achieved by a method having the features of claim 1. Advantageous developments of the method result from the dependent claims 2 to 7. The object is also achieved by a device for producing a plug-in bridge according to claim 8.

The method according to the invention for producing a plug-in bridge for connecting a plurality of connecting terminals provides for at least one metal semi-finished strip to be fed to a separating device having means for separating material from the semi-finished strip. The semi-finished strip is formed from a conductive metal sheet and may also be referred to as a semi-finished strip. Two comb-shaped metal strips are produced from the at least one semifinished strip by a separating operation in a separating device, wherein the metal strips extend parallel to one another along the longitudinal extent of the at least one semifinished strip and each have a bridging strip from which a plurality of contact tongues project. The bridge strip and the contact tongues projecting therefrom are constructed in a known manner.

The separating device is preferably a punching device, so that two metal strips are produced by one or more punching operations and are punched out therefrom. However, it may also be another suitable separating device, by means of which the shape of the two metal strips can be produced from at least one semifinished strip and separated out. For example, it may be a device having a mechanism for laser cutting.

For example, two comb-shaped metal strips are produced from a single semifinished strip, which is fed to the separating device. Two narrow metal strips are thus produced in the production process from the width B of the semifinished strip, which metal strips extend substantially parallel to one another and leave the separating device in the direction of their longitudinal extent. Furthermore, the metal strip after the separating operation is located in the same plane and leaves the separating device in this position. In another embodiment of the invention, the two comb-shaped metal strips are produced from two separate semifinished strips which are fed to the separating device. The two semifinished strips are preferably fed to the separating device simultaneously and in parallel, but other types of feeding are also possible. A comb-shaped metal strip is then produced from each semifinished strip. Preferably, it is also provided here that the two metal strips extend substantially parallel to one another and leave the separating device in the direction of their longitudinal extent. The metal strip after the separating operation, for example in this embodiment, also lies in the same plane and leaves the separating device in this position.

According to the invention, after the production of the metal strips, the two metal strips are then successively transferred from a position after the separation process into a relative position in which the bridging strips and the respective two contact tongues of the two metal strips are superposed on one another, wherein the transfer takes place during a feed movement of the two metal strips in the direction of their longitudinal extension. Thus, while the metal strip is advancing in its longitudinal direction, the metal strip is gradually transferred to a desired position in which the bridging strip of two metal strips and the respective two contact tongues are superposed on each other. The metal strips then lie in planes which extend substantially parallel to one another.

After the two metal strips have been moved to the desired position relative to one another in this way, the method according to the invention provides for the two metal strips to be encapsulated with an insulating material at least in the region of the bridging strip lying one on top of the other, as a result of which an insulating head is formed from which the contact tongues project, wherein the two corresponding contact tongues of the two metal strips respectively lie elastically against one another and thus form a plug.

The manufacturing method according to the invention has various advantages. In particular, this offers the possibility of efficiently automating the manufacture of the plug-in bridge, by means of which the manufacturing costs can be reduced. In particular, it is more efficient to produce two metal strips simultaneously from one or two semifinished strips than to produce two metal strips separately. Furthermore, the metal strips produced do not have to be processed in an expensive manner in an intermediate step, but rather can be combined into a plug-in bridge immediately after their production. By means of suitable mechanisms for feeding and simultaneously transferring the metal strip into the desired position, a continuous process of forming the plug-in bridge, consisting of the production and further processing of the metal strip, can be achieved.

In one embodiment of the invention, the two metal strips are therefore fed directly from the separating device by means of a transport device to a mounting device, which automatically carries out the step of transferring the metal strips into the desired position. The assembly device therefore has means for moving the metal strips in the direction of their longitudinal extension and means for changing the plane in which the metal strips lie respectively. The other steps of the method can also be carried out automatically in a common apparatus, which includes, inter alia, feeding the semifinished strip to a separating device, producing two metal strips and transferring the produced metal strips into the desired position. The injection molding of the two joined metal strips is likewise carried out in this common assembly device or in a separate assembly device to which the joined metal strips are fed.

Before the partial encapsulation at least in the region of the bridge webs lying one above the other, further steps are optionally provided. For example, two metal strips are connected to one another, in particular riveted, before the injection molding. This can also be carried out in an automated device together with other steps. It is also preferably provided that the two metal strips are cut into sections before the injection molding. This can also be carried out in an automated device together with other steps.

How the two metal strips are transferred from their position after the separation process into the desired position depends on the production of the metal strips and their shape. For example, in one embodiment, it is provided that the two comb-shaped metal strips are produced from at least one semifinished strip such that the contact tongues of the two metal strips project in the same direction. When the metal strip is transferred to the desired position, the two metal strips lying in one plane after the separation process are moved into two parallel planes in such a way that a small distance is produced between them and the metal strips are moved continuously towards one another. This approach takes place continuously, while the two metal strips are subjected to a feed movement in their longitudinal direction.

In another embodiment of the invention, two comb-shaped metal strips are produced from at least one semi-finished belt, so that the contact tongues of the two metal strips project in opposite directions to one another. The contact tongues can be directed towards one another or away from one another. In both cases, during the transfer of the metal strip to the desired position, the metal strip is moved into two parallel planes by rotation both about an axis extending substantially in its longitudinal direction. At the same time, the two metal strips are moved towards each other. The approach process is also carried out continuously, while the two metal strips are given a movement in their longitudinal direction.

The invention also relates to a device for producing a plug-in bridge for connecting a plurality of connecting terminals. The device has a separating device with a mechanism for producing two comb-shaped metal strips from at least one metal semifinished strip by means of a separating process, wherein the metal strips extend parallel to one another along a longitudinal extent of the at least one semifinished strip and each have a bridging strip from which a plurality of contact tongues project. The separating device is preferably a punching device. The device according to the invention also has an automated assembly device with a mechanism for continuously transferring the two metal strips from a position after the separation process to a relative position in which the bridge strip and the respective two contact tongues of the two metal strips are superposed on one another, wherein the transfer takes place during a feed movement of the two metal strips in the direction of their longitudinal extension.

With such a device, together with the means for partially injection-molding the metal strip, a plug-in bridge can be produced in an efficient manner, which in turn brings about the aforementioned advantages in terms of automation of the manufacturing process. The device is in particular designed for carrying out a method according to one embodiment of the invention, which in particular comprises means for fixing two metal strips to one another and cutting them into sections.

Drawings

Further advantages, features and advantageous refinements of the invention emerge from the dependent claims and the following description of preferred embodiments with the aid of the drawings.

In which is shown:

fig. 1 shows a schematic top view of a process in a method according to the invention in terms of a stamping device;

fig. 2 shows the process according to fig. 1 in a three-dimensional view in accordance with a punching device;

fig. 3 shows the process of gathering two metal strips in an enlarged detail;

FIG. 4 shows an enlarged detail of a metal strip; and

fig. 5 shows an embodiment of a plug-in bridge produced by the method according to the invention.

Detailed Description

The method according to the invention is described by way of example with reference to fig. 1 to 5. Fig. 1 and 2 schematically show a stamping device 20. A semifinished strip 30 made of sheet metal is fed to the stamping device 20. The transport takes place in a transport direction indicated by the arrow Z. The semi-finished belt 30 has a width B in the conveying direction. From this width B, two

metal strips

40 and 50 are produced by a stamping operation in the stamping device 20. The two metal strips have widths b1 and b2, respectively, and are placed side by side in parallel. The metal strips 40, 50 extend in the direction of the longitudinal extent of the semifinished strip 30, that is to say along the conveying direction Z. The punching device 20 thus produces two

metal strips

40, 50 which, after the punching operation, lie side by side in one plane and are thus removed from the punching device.

After the stamping process, the two

metal strips

40, 50 are continuously brought together in the assembly device 21, while they are subjected to a feed movement in the Z direction. This mounting device 21 is shown in dashed lines in fig. 1 and is suitably constructed. It has at least means for moving the metal strips 40, 50 in the Z direction and means for changing the plane in which the metal strips lie respectively.

Fig. 3 shows an enlarged view of the two

metal strips

40, 50 and their conglomerates. Each metal strip has a longitudinally extending bridging

strip

42, 52, respectively, which serves as a connecting web for a plurality of

contact tongues

41, 51. These

contact tongues

41, 51 project from the

respective bridge strip

42, 52. In the embodiment of fig. 1 to 3, the

contact tongues

41, 51 of the two

metal strips

40, 50 project in the same direction. Furthermore, a plurality of connecting

elements

43, 53 are provided on the

bridge webs

42, 52, wherein the connecting elements can be, for example, pins and holes for later connecting two metal webs.

Fig. 4 shows an enlarged detail of a metal strip 40 with a bridge strip 42 and a plurality of projecting contact tongues 41. The contour of the contact tongue 41 can be formed in a known manner, wherein various steps and inclined portions are provided in order to be able to make a suitable contact with the terminal.

The two

metal strips

40, 50 extend first in parallel after the punching operation in the punching device 20, but then move continuously toward one another. For this purpose, the two metal strips are moved from their initial plane into two different planes, which are arranged parallel to one another above one another. They are brought together in these planes in such a way that their bridging strips 42, 52 and

contact tongues

41, 52 lie one above the other. These movement processes are coordinated in the automation accordingly. In this realized position, the metal strips 40, 50 are connected to one another by connecting

elements

43, 53, which are realized, for example, by riveting. The metal strip is then cut to the desired length. These additional steps can likewise be carried out in the automated assembly device 21.

Subsequently, the region of at least two

bridge webs

42, 52 lying one above the other is injection-molded with an insulating material in order to form the insulation head 11, as can be seen from the schematic illustration in fig. 5. This step of the injection molding can also be carried out in a common apparatus which also automatically carries out at least the steps of stamping and gathering of the two metal strips. As a result, the plug-in bridge 10 with the insulation head 11 is formed in such a way that the

contact tongues

41, 51 project barely from the insulation head 11. The two contact tongues each form a plug 12 with spring contact tongues which are pressed apart on the connecting terminal in order to make contact with the flat contacts.

In an alternative embodiment of the invention, which is not shown in the drawings, the contact tongues of the two

metal strips

40, 50 project from the respective bridging strip in opposite directions after the stamping process. Here, the contact tongues point towards one another or they point away from one another. In both cases, the metal strips must be rotated about an axis and moved towards each other in order to bring them into two planes parallel to each other. The axis of rotation extends substantially along the longitudinal extension of the metal strip. Thus, when the metal strip is transferred into the desired position, a rotation of the metal strip about its longitudinal axis and a displacement of the metal strips towards each other take place simultaneously with the feed movement. The metal strips are brought together so that their bridging strips and contact tongues overlap one another. In this case, a plurality of movement processes are also coordinated in automation.

In a further alternative embodiment of the invention, which is not shown in the drawings, the separating device 20 is not supplied with a semifinished strip 30 of width B, from which two

narrower metal strips

40 and 50 are then formed. In contrast, two semifinished strips are fed in the Z direction for the separating device 20, which preferably takes place simultaneously and in parallel. Then, a comb-shaped metal strip is produced in the separating device 20 from each of these semifinished strips, so that the two metal strips leave the separating device again in parallel. The two metal strips are in the same plane and other manufacturing processes that automatically transfer the two metal strips into the desired position can be performed as described.

Description of the reference numerals

Contact bridge 10

Insulating head 11

Plug 12

Separating device, press device 20

Assembling device 21

Semi-finished belt 30

Metal strip 40

Contact tongue 41

Bridging strip 42

Connecting elements, pins, holes 43

Metal strip 40

Contact tongue 51

Bridging strip 52

Connecting elements, pins, holes 53

Z conveying direction

Claims

1. Method for producing a plug-in bridge (10) for connecting a plurality of connection terminals, comprising at least the following steps:

a) feeding at least one metal semifinished strip (30) to a separating device (20) having means for separating material from the at least one semifinished strip (30);

b) two comb-shaped metal strips (40, 50) are produced from at least one semifinished strip (30) by means of a separating operation in the separating device (20), wherein the metal strips (40, 50) extend parallel to one another in the longitudinal direction of the at least one semifinished strip (30) and each have a bridging strip (42, 52) from which a plurality of contact tongues (41, 51) project;

c) Continuously transferring the two metal strips (40, 50) from a position after the separating process into a relative position with respect to each other in which the bridging strips (42, 52) and the respective two contact tongues (41, 51) of the two metal strips (40, 50) are superposed on each other, wherein the transfer takes place during a feed movement of the two metal strips (40, 50) in the direction of their longitudinal extension;

d) the two metal strips (40, 50) are encapsulated by means of an insulating material at least in the region of the bridging strips (42, 53) lying one on top of the other, whereby an insulating head (11) is formed, from which the contact tongues (41, 51) project, wherein the two corresponding contact tongues (41, 51) of the two metal strips (40, 50) respectively lie elastically against one another and thus form a plug (12).

2. Method according to claim 1, wherein the separating device (20) is a stamping device which produces the two metal strips (40, 50) in step b) by one or more stamping processes.

3. Method according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the two metal strips (40, 50) are directly fed by the separating device (20) to an assembly device (21) by means of a transport mechanism, which automatically performs step c).

4. The method of claim 1, wherein at least the steps a) through c) are performed automatically in a common device.

5. Method according to claim 1, wherein the two metal strips (40, 50) are interconnected between steps c) and d).

6. Method according to claim 5, wherein the two metal strips (40, 50) are riveted to each other between steps c) and d).

7. Method according to claim 1, wherein between steps c) and d) two metal strips (40, 50) are cut into sections.

8. Method according to claim 1, wherein in step b) two comb-shaped metal strips (40, 50) are produced from the at least one semi-finished belt (30) in such a way that the contact tongues (41, 51) of the two metal strips (40, 50) project in the same direction.

9. Device for producing a plug-in bridge (10) for connecting a plurality of connecting terminals, comprising:

-a separating device (20) having means for producing two comb-shaped metal strips (40, 50) from at least one metal semifinished strip (30) by means of a separating process, wherein the metal strips (40, 50) extend parallel side by side along the longitudinal extension of the at least one semifinished strip (30) and each have a bridging strip (42, 52) from which a plurality of contact tongues (41, 51) project; and

-an automated assembly device having means for continuously transferring the two metal strips (40, 50) from a position after the separation process to a relative position of each other in which said bridging strip (42, 52) and the respective two contact tongues (41, 51) of the two metal strips (40, 50) are superimposed on each other, wherein the transfer is performed during a feed movement of the two metal strips (40, 50) along their longitudinal extension.

10. Apparatus according to claim 9, wherein said separating device (20) is a punching device.

11. The device according to claim 9 or 10, wherein the device is designed for carrying out the method according to any one of claims 1 to 8.