Classifications

• • H—ELECTRICITY
  • H02—GENERATION; CONVERSION OR DISTRIBUTION OF ELECTRIC POWER
  • H02G—INSTALLATION OF ELECTRIC CABLES OR LINES, OR OF COMBINED OPTICAL AND ELECTRIC CABLES OR LINES
  • H02G3/00—Installations of electric cables or lines or protective tubing therefor in or on buildings, equivalent structures or vehicles
  • H02G3/02—Details
  • H02G3/08—Distribution boxes; Connection or junction boxes
  • H02G3/081—Bases, casings or covers
  • H02G3/083—Inlets
• • H—ELECTRICITY
  • H02—GENERATION; CONVERSION OR DISTRIBUTION OF ELECTRIC POWER
  • H02G—INSTALLATION OF ELECTRIC CABLES OR LINES, OR OF COMBINED OPTICAL AND ELECTRIC CABLES OR LINES
  • H02G3/00—Installations of electric cables or lines or protective tubing therefor in or on buildings, equivalent structures or vehicles
  • H02G3/02—Details
  • H02G3/08—Distribution boxes; Connection or junction boxes
  • H02G3/086—Assembled boxes

Definitions

• the present invention relates to a terminal for electrical cables of the type comprising a casing provided with a housing for insertion of the cables and a seat designed for receiving a threaded element, such as a screw, for withholding the cables.
• electrical cable any cable capable of conducting electricity, such as for example a cable of the electric wiring system of a building, a telephone cable, or any other type of conducting cable.
• terminals for electrical cables in which, in an appropriate casing, the electrically conductive ends of a number of electrical cables are inserted jointly in at least one housing of the terminal and withheld therein by the foot of a screw, which, inserted in a threaded seat communicating with the housing of the cables, has the function of compressing the ends of the cables against a wall of the housing in order to prevent said ends of the cables from coming out of the terminal.
• the housing of the cables may, for example, be of a through type, i.e., one in which the cables can be inserted from both of the end sections of the housing, or of the blind type, with a single section for insertion of the cables, and may comprise a conductive ring for guaranteeing electrical continuity between the cables themselves in the terminal.
• a through type i.e., one in which the cables can be inserted from both of the end sections of the housing, or of the blind type, with a single section for insertion of the cables, and may comprise a conductive ring for guaranteeing electrical continuity between the cables themselves in the terminal.
• the connector block inside which the new terminal, in the case where this is present, is to be set, comprises a disorderly multiplicity of cables and of terminals, the operation of replacement of the terminal proves to be of considerable difficulty. Furthermore, the absence of electric current in the cables to be displaced is a necessary condition for being able to add, or even eliminate, cables in a terminal in order to prevent serious consequences for the operator who is obliged to handle the exposed ends of the electrical cables in the terminals of the known art mentioned above.
• a purpose of the present invention is to provide a terminal for electrical cables that will enable mechanical and possibly electrical coupling to another terminal which does not present the drawbacks of the prior art.
• a further purpose of the present invention is to provide a terminal for electrical cables which will not require the operator to handle the exposed ends of the cables already present in the case where it is necessary to add cables to a pre-existing terminal.
• a further purpose of the present invention is to provide a terminal that can be mechanically and electrically coupled to a pre-existing terminal in a simple and fast way.
• Yet a further purpose of the present invention is to provide a method for reciprocal coupling of two or more terminals which is convenient and reliable.
• the terminal for electrical cables is of the type provided with a casing comprising at least one housing for the cables and at least one first threaded seat, within which there can be engaged a first threaded retention element for withholding cables.
• the said terminal comprises a second threaded seat, within which there can be engaged a second threaded element for coupling the terminal with a further terminal.
• the presence of a second threaded seat, within which a threaded coupling element can be screwed, such as a grub screw or some other screw, which is in turn screwed within a corresponding seat of a further terminal enables convenient coupling of a number of terminals.
• the aforesaid threaded coupling element is electrically conductive and the threaded seats of the two terminals to be coupled, within which the said threaded element is engaged, enable electrical connection of the threaded element with the cables present in each of the terminals.
• the housing for the cables may extend according to a longitudinal axis
• the first and second threaded seats may be coaxial and extend according to an axis transverse to the axis of the housing.
• the second seat is provided with a removable protective lid
• the first seat may comprise a substantially tubular protective shell, which is also removable.
• FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view of the terminal illustrated in Figures l a and l b;
• - Figure 3 is a cross-sectional view of two terminals coupled together, of the type illustrated in Figure 2;
• FIG. 4 is an axonometric view of an arrangement of terminals according to the present invention.
• the terminal 1 for electrical cables comprises an outer casing 2 made of electrically insulating material, within which there is present a housing 6, in which the electrical cables are inserted, for example the cables of the electric wiring system or the telephone-wiring system of a building, and a first threaded seat 7, in which a threaded retention element 4 is engaged for withholding the cables, such as for example a grub screw or some other screw.
• the terminal 1 further comprises a second threaded seat 8, within which it is possible to insert a further threaded element (designated by the reference number 12 in Figure 3), which has the purpose, as will be seen in greater detail in what follows, of providing the mechanical or possibly electrical coupling with another terminal.
• the housing 6 extends longitudinally and is of the blind type, i.e., one in which the cables are inserted from a single opening section of the terminal 1 , and the threaded seat 7 develops along an axis transverse to the axis of the housing 6 in such a way that the cables are kept in their position within the same terminal 1 by the threaded element 4 by compression between the foot of the same threaded element 4 and the side wall opposite to the seat 7 of the casing 2.
• the housing 6, has inside it a ring 10 designed to engage with the cables inserted in the terminal 1.
• the conductive ring 10 may be made of electrically conductive material and may be provided with threaded holes 1 1 , which constitute extensions of the threaded seats 7 and 8.
• Threaded holes 1 1 Set within the conductive ring 10 are the exposed ends of the electrical cables, which are withheld, by compression, inside the same conductive ring 10 by the threaded element 4, as schematically illustrated in Figure 2.
• holes 1 1 in the conductive ring 10 enables the threaded elements, respectively 4 and 12, to enter physically into contact with the exposed ends of the cables set inside the conductive ring 10 and thus provide, in the case of electrically conductive threaded elements, an electrical coupling between the cables and the said, threaded elements 4, 12.
• the first threaded seat 7, within which the threaded retention element 4 for withholding the cables is screwed, may have a shell 5 for protecting the screw which projects from the casing 2, the said shell possibly being made of electrically insulating material.
• the shell 5 may be made of a single piece with the casing 2 or else be made as a separate removable part for facilitating mechanical coupling of two consecutive terminals.
• the second threaded seat 8 is coaxial to the first seat 7 and is set on the side opposite to the first seat 7 with respect to the longitudinal axis of the housing 6.
• the second threaded seat 8 may be provided with a protective lid 9, which is removable to enable insertion or removal of the threaded coupling element 12 (see Figure 3).
• the removable protective lid 9, which has the function of preventing an operator from coming into contact with conductive parts of the terminal when the second threaded seat 8 is not in use, may comprise a raised notch which enables use of a tool with a flat tip, for example a screwdriver, for removing the said lid 9.
• the casing 2, the shell 5, and the lid 9 are usually made of electrically insulating material for preventing the operator from coming into contact with the live cables.
• Each or both of the threaded retention element 4 and coupling element 12 may be electrically insulating, in the case where there is required just mechanical coupling of two terminals, or electrically conductive, in the case where there is required also an electrical coupling between the cables present in two or more terminals coupled together.
• the threaded seats 7 and 8 must enable electrical connection, either direct or indirect, with the cables present inside the housing 6, and the threaded coupling element 12 may be a metal grub screw.
• the threaded seats 7 and 8 of the terminal 1 may * have, at their outer end edge, means for engagement 3, consisting, for example, of contrast elements and concavities, which have the function of favouring mechanical coupling of the joined threaded seats of two terminals coupled together by means of the threaded element 12.
• means for engagement 3 consisting, for example, of contrast elements and concavities, which have the function of favouring mechanical coupling of the joined threaded seats of two terminals coupled together by means of the threaded element 12.
• a threaded element 12 designed for withholding the cables set in the housing 106 of the said first terminal 101 in such a way that a portion of the said threaded element 12 will project out of the said terminal 101 ;
• the presence of two threaded seats 7 and 8 in the terminal 1 according to the invention enables both coupling of the terminal 1 to the terminal 101 , thanks to the threaded element 12, which engages simultaneously in the second threaded seat 8 of the terminal 1 and in the first threaded seat 107 of the terminal 101 , and the simple insertion of the threaded retention element 4 for withholding the cables in the terminal 1.
• the threaded element 12 then acts both as a threaded retention element for withholding the cables in the terminal 101 and as a threaded coupling element of the terminal 1 in regard to the terminal 101.
• the threaded elements 4 and 12 may be made of electrically insulating material, and the threaded seats 7, 8, 107, 108 of the two terminals to be coupled 1 , 101 need not necessarily enable a physical or electrical connection between the threaded elements and the cables that are withheld.
• the operator inserts and screws the threaded element 12 within the first threaded seat 107 of the terminal 101 until the said threaded element 12 withholds the cables in position within the ring 1 10.
• the operator removes the shell 5 in such ⁇ way that a portion of the said threaded element 12 will project laterally from the terminal 101 and will thus be available for being inserted into a corresponding threaded seat 8 of a next terminal 1.
• the operator removes the protective lid 9, which obstructs access to the threaded seat 8 of said terminal 101 , and screws the projecting portion of the threaded element 12 within said seat 8, or vice versa.
• the threaded coupling element 12 is electrically conductive and for at least the threaded seats 8 and 107 of the terminals 1 , 101 connected by the element 12 to enable electrical connection of the said element 12 with the cables inserted in the terminals 1 , 101 in order to achieve the required effect.
• the simultaneous electrical connection of the cables present within the ring 1 10. of the terminal 101 with the cables present in the ring 10 of the terminal 1 is obtained thanks to the contact of the threaded element 12 with the exposed ends of the cables in both of the terminals, so as to guarantee electrical continuity of the two terminals 1 , 101 themselves.
• Terminal 1 A chain of terminals for electrical cables has been realised by coupling three different kinds of terminal, according to the present invention, with the following details: Terminal 1:
• Diameter (approx) of the first threaded seat 5,5 mm
• Material of the housing Polycarbonate Diameter (approx) of the inner ring (for the electrical cables): 8 mm
• Diameter (approx) of the first threaded seat 8,5 mm
• Diameter (approx) of the first threaded seat 8,5 mm
• Diameter (approx) of the second threaded seat 4,5 mm
• Terminal 1 and terminal 2 were mechanically and electrically coupled by means of a metallic grub screw having one threaded end portion with diameter of 5,5 mm (approx) and the other end portion with diameter of 8,5 mm (approx). This variable-sized grub screw was screwed in the threaded seats of terminal 1 and terminal 2 respectively.
• Terminal 2 was mechanically and electrically coupled to terminal 3 by means of a metallic grub screw - with diameter of 8,5 mm - screwed within the free threaded seat of terminal 2 and within said first threaded seat (with diameter of 8,5 mm) of terminal 3.
• terminal 1 and terminal 2 have different threaded seats and they were thus coupled by means of a variable-sized grub screw, while terminal 3 has threaded seats with different diameter and it was coupled to terminal 2 by connecting - with a metallic grub screw - threaded seats having the same diameter.

Landscapes

• Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
• Architecture (AREA)
• Civil Engineering (AREA)
• Structural Engineering (AREA)
• Connections By Means Of Piercing Elements, Nuts, Or Screws (AREA)

Priority Applications (1)

Applications Claiming Priority (4)

Publications (1)

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ID=32338246

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Family Applications Before (1)

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• 2002
  • 2002-12-16 EP EP02425774A patent/EP1432092A1/de not_active Withdrawn
• 2003
  • 2003-12-12 WO PCT/IB2003/005885 patent/WO2004055953A1/en not_active Ceased
  • 2003-12-12 EP EP03777070A patent/EP1576708A1/de not_active Withdrawn
  • 2003-12-12 AU AU2003286327A patent/AU2003286327A1/en not_active Abandoned

Non-Patent Citations (1)

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