EP0436177B1 - Device for connecting multiple shunts on an electric line with twisted insulated conductors - Google Patents

Description

The present invention relates to a device for connecting multiple branches to an electrical line with twisted insulated conductors, such as a line with two phase conductors and an earth conductor or with three phase conductors and a ground conductor.

Both for permanent installations and for site installations, there is generally at a point on the line a box provided with branches equal in number to the number of branch lines to be supplied with current.
The document EP-A-0 292 414 describes a device for connecting branches to a supply line or main cable. This device comprises a junction box, which is held on the main cable and receives one or two branch cables, and inside the box of branch conductors, of short length connecting the conductors of the branch cable (s) to contacts perforating. These perforating contacts are carried by opening jaws, inside the box and assembled to each other around all of the conductors of the main cable, ensuring or at least contributing to the maintenance of the junction box on the main cable.

These branches are generally very long and constitute obstacles in a large area in the vicinity of the box. In addition, if the number of derivative lines required exceeds the possibilities of connection to the box, the box should be replaced by another larger one or a new one added.

The object of the present invention is to provide a connection device which avoids the presence in a large area of long branch cables and which makes it possible to connect, as required, additional branch lines to the supply line as required.

It relates to a device for connecting multiple branches to a power supply line with twisted insulated electrical conductors, comprising sockets or branch blocks connected by short insulated conductors called branch conductors to perforated connectors of insulation fixed to each of the insulated conductors of the supply line, the socket or the branch block being held on the supply line by means of mechanical retaining means, characterized in that said conductors bypass come out of sockets or bypass blocks to be connected from the outside of each, via insulation piercing connectors, to the insulated conductors of the supply line.

Preferably, the sockets or branch blocks are arranged on the supply line at equidistant intervals.

FIG. 1 shows in plan a double socket outlet of a device for connection to a line with two phase conductors and one earth conductor.

FIG. 2 shows the same socket outlet in side view of a plane perpendicular to the axis of the supply line, according to arrow II in FIG. 1.

Figure 3 shows the same socket in side elevation.

Figure 4 shows in plan a branch block with two lines derived from a connection device on a line with two phase conductors and an earth conductor.

FIG. 5 represents the same branch block in side view of a plane perpendicular to the axis of the supply line, according to arrow V in FIG. 4.

In FIGS. 1 to 3, the supply line 100 comprises the phase conductors 1 and 2 and the earth conductor 3. The double socket 7, 8 is fixed to the line by stirrups 4.

The conductors are housed inside the body 4A in a semi-circular channel 5 and kept tight in the latter using a cap 6. The double socket 7, 8 is connected by short conductors 9 , 10, 11 respectively to insulation piercing connectors 16, 17, and 18, fixed on the phase conductors 1, 2 and the earth conductor 3.
These connectors will be waterproof for use in humid places. Caps 14, 15 protect the double plug from dust and moisture.

The branch block of FIGS. 4 and 5 is also placed on a supply line 20 with phase conductors 21, 22 and earth conductor 23.
It is fixed to the line by the stirrups 24. The conductors are held inside the body 24A in the semi-circular channel 25 by the cap 26. The branches 27, 28 are connected by short conductors 29, 30 , 31 to connectors with insulation perforation not shown in these figures, but similar to those of FIG. 3.

The device of the invention is particularly useful, not only for final electrical installations, but also for construction sites where electrical current connections are multiple and often dispersed over the entire construction site. You can install one or more twisted power lines and then mount power outlets or tap-off blocks as needed in places close to users. Or you can pre-equip a twisted power line with a series of spaced outlets before installing it on site. It is possible, in particular for public lighting installations, to provide a twisted supply line at fixed intervals with sockets or branch blocks and connectors with insulation perforation, which avoids the usual assembly which is often difficult in congested places. or with high traffic of junction boxes and connections to luminaires.

The branch block connection device is particularly suitable when an explosion-proof installation is required for environments where there is a danger of explosion.

We can naturally form the device of parts in non-halogenated materials for applications where fire safety is paramount, such as tunnels, metros, pedestrian galleries, etc.

Claims (2)

1. Device for connecting multiple shunts to an electrical feed line (100; 20) with twisted insulated electrical conductors (1, 2, 3; 21, 22, 23), including terminals (7, 8) or shunt units (27, 28) connected by short insulated shunt conductors (9, 10, 11; 29, 30, 31) to insulation piercing connectors (16, 17, 28) fixed to each of the insulated conductors of the feed line, the terminal or the shunt unit being secured to the feed line by mechanical retaining means (4; 24), characterised in that said shunt conductors leave the terminals or the shunt units to be connected outside them by the insulation-piercing connectors to the insulated conductors of the feed line.
2. Device according to claim 1 characterised in that the terminals (7, 8) or the shunt units (27, 28) are equidistantly spaced along the feed line (100; 20).

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