FR2761828A1 - CONNECTION DEVICE FOR THE CONNECTION OF AT LEAST TWO ELECTRIC CABLES - Google Patents

Abstract

The connector includes a box (1) with rectangular shape and its transversal walls (4,5) presenting openings for the two cables which are to be connected. One of the openings (8) presents and elastic sleeve which covers the cable extremity. The other opening (9) has a U-shape and is parallel with a transversal partial wall (10) which forms a chicane. This prevents disconnection of the cable. The longitudinal wall (2) of the box has two reinforcements (2a,b) which define a recess housing a connection block. The box is covered by a lid.

Description

CONNECTION DEVICE FOR CONNECTION

AT LEAST TWO ELECTRIC CABLES.

  The invention relates to a connection device for connecting at least two electric cables of the type comprising: - a housing comprising means for holding at least one metal junction stud having two connection terminals, and provided with a open upper face, a bottom wall, and a peripheral wall having at least two notches formed from the upper edge of said wall, adapted to allow the passage of electric cables to be connected to the terminals of the stud (or studs) (s) metallic (s), - a cover of suitable shape to close off the housing, - and means of latching the cover

on the housing.

  Such devices are intended to produce a class II or class I insulating jacket on a bipolar electrical connection. They therefore guarantee compliance with the standards in force when connecting electrical cables because the metal junction studs are inserted in the housing and therefore necessarily isolated once the cover is closed after connection. On the other hand, they have a drawback, compared with conventional terminal blocks of the domino type, due to the inaccessible nature of the connection terminals which makes the operation of connecting cables not easy to perform, especially when the cables to be connected are high up requiring the electrician to be perched on a ladder or any equivalent means in order to carry out

this operation.

  The present invention aims to overcome this drawback and has the essential objective of providing a connection device, cost price substantially equivalent to that of current devices, and allowing

  very easy connection of electrical cables.

  To this end, the invention relates to a connection device, the means for holding the (or) metal stud (s) comprise a terminal block of dimensions adapted to be housed inside the housing, connected to the peripheral wall of said housing by a flexible hinge system arranged so as to allow said terminal block to be pivoted between two positions: a position, known as of use, where the terminal block is housed inside the housing and authorizes the closure of the cover, and a position, called molding, where said terminal block is located outside the housing. Firstly, such a device can be produced by plastic injection from a single mold, such as current devices, since the housing and the terminal block due to their connection form only one and the same part. Consequently, the cost price of this connection device is substantially

  equivalent to those of current devices.

  In addition, such a connection device guarantees compliance with the standards in force. Indeed, the terminal block cannot be dissociated from the box and the electrical connection is therefore integrated in an insulating envelope after wiring, once the block

  junction housed in the housing and the cover closed.

  Finally, and above all, the wiring operations are greatly simplified because they can be carried out while the terminal block is outside the housing, a position in which it also allows manufacturing by molding, and o connection terminals are easily accessible. Once this wiring has been completed, it then suffices to tilt the terminal block inside the housing, to position the cables in the notches of the peripheral wall of said

  case, and close the cover.

  According to another characteristic of the invention, the terminal block comprises a base connected to the upper edge of the peripheral wall of the housing by the hinge system. This location of the hinge system makes it possible to optimally minimize the length of the latter, and consequently, its size at

inside the housing.

  According to another characteristic of the invention, the hinge system comprises at least one

  flexible strap hinged on the junction box.

  In addition, each strap is advantageously hinged also on the housing, so as to guarantee perfect folding, and therefore a minimum size of this strap during the installation of the terminal block.

in said housing.

  In addition, these flexible strips are preferably two in number, and connected to the terminal block and to the housing so as to extend on either side.

on the other side of said terminal block.

  To this end, and advantageously, the terminal block is extended longitudinally, on both sides, by two lateral appendages to which are connected

each of the flexible straps.

  This arrangement of flexible strips allows the latter not to interfere between the wall of the housing and the junction block once the latter housed in said housing, and therefore allows the production of housings having an optimized reduced bulk and in particular an equivalent internal width. to that of the block

  junction ensuring perfect lateral wedging thereof.

  According to another characteristic of the invention, the peripheral wall of the housing comprises, at the level of the connection of each flexible strap, a recess and a notch formed from its upper edge. This provision has the advantage of ensuring that the strips once folded do not encroach outside the template of the housing, and therefore do not form an obstacle opposing the closing of the cover. In addition, when it is placed in the housing, the terminal block is positioned between the facing internal shoulders formed by the recesses in the longitudinal wall of said housing, and is therefore wedged longitudinally. According to an alternative embodiment targeting connection devices whose size does not have to be optimized, the hinge system comprises a flexible strip articulated respectively on the peripheral wall

  of the housing and on the terminal block.

  In addition, this flexible strip then advantageously has a width substantially equivalent to the

length of the terminal block.

  According to another characteristic of the invention, each flexible strap or flexible strip comprises, for its respective articulation on the housing and on the terminal block, a transverse zone

thinner.

  Furthermore, the terminal block preferably comprises on either side of the base of said terminal block, two deformable spring tongues extending longitudinally in the extension of said base, said tongues being shaped so as to be curved downwards. relative to the base of the terminal block, and being able to deform to a so-called state

  flattened where they extend coplanarly with said base.

  Such deformable spring tabs make it possible to maintain the terminal block above the housing if the electrician wishes to carry out the wiring in

  this configuration, and are able to retract, that is to say

  say to flatten against the bottom wall of the case when

the cover is closed.

  According to another characteristic of the invention aimed at a housing having a free housing volume of the terminal block of length L greater than the length of the base of said terminal block, said base and the tongues in their flattened state have a total length substantially equal to L. As a result, the terminal block is automatically centered longitudinally in the housing

during its installation.

Other characteristics, purposes and

  advantages of the invention will emerge from the description

  detailed below with reference to the accompanying drawings which show, by way of nonlimiting examples, two preferred embodiments. On these drawings which make

  an integral part of this description:

  - Figure 1 is a perspective view of a connection device according to the invention, - Figure 2 is a cross section through a plane A, representing the terminal block housed in the housing, - Figure 3 in is a cross section through a plane B, representing the terminal block housed in the housing and the cover closed, - Figures 4a to 4f are diagrams showing the placement of the terminal block inside the housing, respectively in cross section for Figures 4a to 4d, and in longitudinal section for Figures 4e and 4f, - and Figure 5 is a perspective view of an alternative embodiment of a connection device

according to the invention.

  The connection device shown by way of example in FIGS. 1, 2 is intended to allow the

  connection of two electric cables.

  This connection device comprises, firstly, a box 1 of rectangular parallelepiped shape having an open upper face, two longitudinal walls 2, 3, two transverse walls 4, 5 and a bottom wall 6 of dimensions substantially greater than those of the upper side and forming a

  external peripheral rim 7 at the base of said housing.

  Each of the transverse walls 4, 5

  has a notch allowing the passage of cables.

  According to the example shown, consisting of a box for the connection to the network of an electrical device, one of these notches 8 formed axially is intended to accommodate a flexible sheathing sleeve of the electrical cable. To this end, it comprises a lower zone 8a of elliptical shape for housing the sleeve, and at the upper part of the wall 4 a passage 8b for the radial introduction of said sleeve, of dimensions

  lower than the latter.

  The other notch 9 intended for the passage of the cable connected to the electrical appliance has, for its part, the shape of a U, and is attached to one of the longitudinal walls 3. In addition, opposite this notch 9, and at a short distance from the corresponding transverse wall 5, the housing 1 comprises a partial transverse wall 10 forming a baffle intended to ensure the maintenance of the cable in the event of disconnection of this

latest.

  The longitudinal wall 2 of this housing 1 has, in its median portion, a height substantially less than that presented by the end portions of said wall, and further comprises two recesses 2a, 2b spaced apart by a distance suitable for form a

  housing for the terminal block described below.

  The longitudinal walls 2, 3 each further comprise two projecting external studs, such that

  11, intended for locking the cover described below.

  Each of these studs 11 has a cylindrical shape and has a front face inclined towards the housing 1 in its upper zone so as to form an access ramp. Finally, the housing 1 comprises at least one external lug 12 for coplanar attachment with the bottom wall 6, provided with a light allowing this to be fixed.

housing on a device or other.

  The connection device further comprises a junction block 13 incorporating two metal connection pads, connected to the housing 1 by a flexible hinge system, and designed to be produced simultaneously with said housing by means of a single mold. To this end, this terminal block 13 is produced, during molding, as shown in FIG. 1 in a position where it is located laterally relative to the longitudinal wall 2 of the housing 1, and overturned by

  compared to its normal position of use.

  This terminal block 13 of rectangular parallelepiped shape has a base wall 14 axially pierced with a longitudinal slot 15, four longitudinal walls such as 16, 17 arranged so as to define, on either side of the slot 15, two housings 18, 19 suitable for each receiving a metal connection pad 20, 21, and two transverse walls such as 22, each provided with two notches 23, 24 in

  correspondence with each of the housings 18, 19.

  In addition, each internal longitudinal wall 17 of the junction block 13 has a lug, such as 25, projecting, capable of allowing the introduction of the connection pad 20, 21 in the corresponding housing 18, 19 by elastic deformation of said wall , and to lock

  this connection pad once it is in place.

  This terminal block 13 further comprises two lateral appendages 26, 27 extending in the

  longitudinal extension of the base wall 14.

  It finally comprises two deformable axial tongues 28, 29 each extending longitudinally in the extension of the base wall 14, and shaped so as to naturally present a curved shape. These tongues 28, 29 and the base wall 14 are designed so as to have a developed length, when said tongues are deformed and extend coplanar with said base wall, substantially identical to the distance separating the transverse wall 4 and the wall 9 forming

housing baffle 1.

  The flexible hinge system connecting this terminal block 13 to the housing 1 is, in turn, made up of two flexible strips 30, 31 extending perpendicularly to the longitudinal wall 2 of said housing, each between an appendage 26, 27 of the block of junction 13 and the upper edge of a recess 2a, 2b of said longitudinal wall. These two flexible straps, 31 further comprise two transverse zones 32, 33 of less thickness at their respective junctions with the appendix 26, 27 of the junction block 13 and the longitudinal wall 2 of the housing 1. As shown in FIGS. 4a to 4f and in FIG. 2, such flexible strips 30, 31 make it possible to tilt the terminal block 13 from its molding position in which the wiring operations can easily be carried out up to: an optional intermediate position shown in Figure 4e, o the terminal block 13 is located above the housing 1 and rests on the bottom wall 5 of the latter by means of the deformable tongues 28, 29, position in which the wiring operations, a final position where the terminal block 13 is housed in the housing 1, and perfectly positioned and centered inside the latter thanks to the presence of the deformable tongues 28, 29. In addition, and as shown in FIG. 2, in this final position, the flexible strips 30, 31 do not encroach outside the template of the housing 1 thanks to: 25. the transverse zones 32 , 33 of lesser thickness of these strips 30, 31 forming articulations ensuring the compact folding of the latter, the shape of the recesses 2a, 2b of the longitudinal wall 2 of the housing 1 which make it possible to accommodate the end portion of each flexible strap 30,

  31 folded over the upper edge of said wall.

  Finally, the connection device comprises a cover 34 comprising an upper wall 35 connected to the peripheral rim 7 of the housing 1, directly above the transverse wall 5 of the latter, by a strap.

flexible 36.

  This cover 34 also has a rectangular parallelepiped shape, and comprises two longitudinal walls such as 37, and two transverse walls such as 38, of dimensions adapted so that said cover comes to cover the housing 1, and to extend to near the peripheral edge 7 of said housing. The longitudinal walls 37 of this cover 34 further comprise four slots such as 39 arranged and of dimensions adapted to accommodate

each a stud 11 of the housing 1.

  The transverse walls 38, for their part, each have a notch 40, 41, positioned and of a shape suitable for being opposite the notches 8, 9 of the transverse walls 4, 5 of the housing.

  1, in the closed position of said housing.

  Finally, this cover 34 comprises two pins such as 42 projecting from the internal face of its upper wall 35, positioned to come to bear on the connection pads 20, 21 when said cover is closed. The connection device shown in

  Figure 5 is largely similar to this one

  above described, and the same references are therefore used to designate the elements common to these two devices

of connection.

  This connection device differs only by the design of the flexible hinge system connecting the terminal block 13 to the housing 1. In fact, according to this variant, this hinge system consists of a flexible strip 43 of width equivalent to the length of the junction block 13, extending between the base 14 of the latter and the upper edge of the middle portion

  of the longitudinal wall 2 of the housing 1.

  In addition, the flexible strip 43 has two transverse zones 44, 45 of less thickness at the level

  of its junction with the junction block 13 and the housing 1.

  This variant leads to the same results as those of the connection device initially described, except that the size of the housing 1 cannot be optimized due to the fact that the flexible strip 43 is folded up when the block is put in place. junction, between said

  terminal block and the longitudinal wall 2 of the housing 1.

Claims (10)

  1 / - Connection device for connecting at least two electric cables comprising: - a housing (1) comprising holding means (13) of at least one metal junction stud (20, 21) having two terminals connection, and having an open upper face, a bottom wall (6), and a peripheral wall (2 - 5) having at least two notches (8, 9) formed from the upper edge of said wall, adapted to allow the passage of electric cables to be connected to the terminals of the metal stud (s) (20, 21), - a cover (34) of a shape adapted to close off the housing (1), - And latching means (11, 39) of the cover (34) on the housing (1), said connection device being characterized in that the means for holding the (or) metal stud (s) (20, 21) comprise a junction block (13) of dimensions adapted to be housed inside the housing (1), connected to the peripheral wall ique (2 - 5) of said housing by a flexible hinge system (30, 31; 43) arranged so as to make it possible to pivot said terminal block between two positions: a position, known as of use where the terminal block (13) is housed inside the housing (1) and authorizes the closing of the cover (34), and a position, called molding, or said terminal block is located outside the housing (1).   2 / - Connection device according to claim 1, characterized in that the terminal block (13) comprises a base (14) connected to the upper edge of the peripheral wall (2 - 5) of the housing (1) by the system of hinge (30, 31; 43).   3 / - Connection device according to one   claims 1 or 2, characterized in that the system   hinge comprises at least one flexible strap (30, 31)   articulated on the junction box (13).   4 / - Connection device according to claim 3, characterized in that each flexible strap (30, 31) is articulated on the peripheral wall (2 - 5) of the housing (1). / - Connection device according to one   claims 3 or 4, characterized in that it comprises   two flexible straps (30, 31) connected to the terminal block (13) and to the housing (1) so as to extend from one side and on the other side of said terminal block.   6 / - Connection device according to claim 5, characterized in that the terminal block (13) is extended longitudinally, on both sides, by two lateral appendages (26, 27) to which are connected   each of the flexible straps (30, 31).   7 / - Connection device according to one   claims 3 to 6, characterized in that the wall   device (2 - 5) of the housing (1) comprises, at the level of the connection of each flexible strap (30, 31), a recess (2a - 2b) and a notch formed from from its upper edge.   8 / - Connection device according to one   claims 1 or 2, characterized in that the system   hinge comprises a flexible strip (43) articulated respectively on the peripheral wall (2 - 5) of the housing   (1) and on the terminal block (13).   9 / - Connection device according to claim 8, characterized in that the flexible strip (43) has a width substantially equivalent to the length   of the base (14) of the terminal block (13).   / - Connection device according to one   claims 3, 4, 8 or 9, characterized in that   each flexible strap (30, 31) or the flexible strip (43) comprises, for its respective articulation on the housing (1) and on the terminal block (13), a zone   transverse (32, 33; 44, 45) of lesser thickness.   11 / - Connection device according to one   of claims 2 to 10, characterized in that the block of   junction (13) comprises, on either side of the base (14) of said junction block, two deformable spring tongues (28, 29) extending longitudinally in the extension of said base, said tongues being shaped so as to be curved downward relative to the base (14) of the terminal block (13), and being able to deform to a state called flattened o they   extend coplanarly with said base.   12 / - Connection device according to claim 11 wherein the housing (1) has a free housing volume of the terminal block (13) of length L greater than the length of the base (14) of said terminal block, characterized in that said base and the tongues (28, 29) in their flattened state have a total length substantially equal to L.