Rail-based fastening structure for terminal block

A rail-based fastening structure for terminal blocks includes a fastening clip, a positioning rail and a bus body. The fastening clip has a base plate and two side plates each extending upward from the base plate and having an engaging hook. The positioning rail includes a bottom plate and two tracks extending upward and then outward from two opposite sides of the bottom plate, so that the bottom plate and the tracks define a valley. The bottom plate has an opening. The bus body deposited in the valley has a slot and two shoulder portions. The shoulder portions are positioned at two sides of the slot and extend toward the slot. The fastening clip is inserted into the opening through the slot so that the engaging hooks engage with the shoulder portions, respectively. Thereby, the rail-based fastening structure allows quick and convenient mounting/dismounting operation, low manufacturing costs and firm installation.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Technical Field

The present invention relates to rail-based fastening structures for terminal blocks, and more particularly to a rail-based fastening structure for terminal blocks that allows quick and convenient mounting/dismounting operation, low manufacturing costs and firm installation.

2. Description of Related Art

A rail-based fastening structure is an electronic component that extensively used in various devices and serves to connect two or more terminal blocks. Such a rail-based fastening structure primarily comprises a positioning rail and a bus body that has a plurality of conductive bars and is settled in the positioning rail's valley.

Please refer toFIG. 1for a perspective view of a conventional rail-based fastening structure for terminal blocks. As shown inFIG. 1, traditionally, the rail-based fastening structure91comprises a positioning rail911and a bus body912that is received in a valley913of the positioning rail911.

Furthermore, the positioning rail911shown inFIG. 1has two tracks914extending upward from its two lengthwise sides, and at each of the two lengthwise sides of the bus body912there is one or a plurality of engaging hooks915provided, such that when the bus body912is received in the valley913of the positioning rail911, the engaging hooks915can engage with the tracks914to hold the bus body912and the positioning rail911together.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

According to the present invention, a rail-based fastening structure for terminal blocks comprises a fastening clip, a positioning rail and a bus body. The fastening clip has a base plate and two side plates, wherein each of the two side plates extends upward from the base plate and has at least one engaging hook projecting outward. The positioning rail includes a bottom plate and two tracks, wherein the two tracks extend upward and then outward from two opposite sides of the bottom plate so that bottom plate and the two tracks jointly define a valley and the bottom plate has at least one opening. The bus body is deposited in the valley and comprises a slot and two shoulder portions, wherein the two shoulder portions are positioned at two opposite sides of the slot and extend toward the slot. Therein, the fastening clip is inserted into the slot through the at least one opening from below so that the engaging hooks of the two side plates engage with the two shoulder portions, respectively.

The aforementioned rail-based fastening structure further comprises two shoulder plates extend upward from the base plate and are positioned outside the two side plates, respectively, so as to be aligned with the engaging hooks of the two side plate, and the two shoulder plates are lower than the two side plates.

In the aforementioned rail-based fastening structure, each of the two shoulder plates has at least one retaining hook projecting outward.

In the aforementioned rail-based fastening structure, the bottom plate further comprises two raised shoulder portions that are positioned at two sides of the at least one opening and extend toward the at least one opening, so that the retaining hooks of the two shoulder plates engage the two raised shoulder portions, respectively.

As described above, the disclosed configuration is designed to allow quick and convenient mounting/dismounting operation, low manufacturing costs and firm installation.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

Please refer toFIG. 2for a perspective view of a fastening clip according to a first preferred embodiment of the present invention.

As shown inFIG. 2, the fastening clip11comprises a base plate111and two side plates112extending upward from the base plate111. Each of the two side plates112has at least one engaging hook113projecting outward. As depicted, in the present embodiment, the two side plates112each have three separated engaging hooks113projecting outward and the two side plates112are connected with each other. WhileFIG. 2only displays the engaging hooks113of one said side plate112due to perspective limitation, the side plate112at the other side also has the engaging hooks113.

Please refer toFIG. 3andFIG. 4together.FIG. 3is an exploded view of a rail-based fastening structure for terminal blocks and the fastening clips according to the first preferred embodiment of the present invention.FIG. 4is a perspective view of the rail-based fastening structure and the fastening clips assembled according to the first preferred embodiment of the present invention.FIG. 2is also to be referred to herein.

As shown inFIG. 3andFIG. 4, a rail-based fastening structure12is configured to work with the foregoing fastening clip11. In the present embodiment, plural said fastening clips11are implemented and there may be two, three or more said engaging hooks113provided on the side plate112of the fastening clip11.

In addition, the rail-based fastening structure12as shown comprises a positioning rail121and a bus body122. Therein, the positioning rail121includes a bottom plate123and two tracks124. The two tracks124extend upward and then outward from two opposite sides of the bottom plate123, respectively. The bottom plate123and the two tracks124jointly define a valley125. The bottom plate123comprises at least one opening126. In the present embodiment, the bottom plate123is formed with a plurality of openings126. The bus body122is received in the valley125of the positioning rail121. The bus body122comprises a slot127and two shoulder portions128. The two shoulder portions128are positioned at two opposite sides of the slot127and extend toward the slot127.

During the assembling operation, as shown inFIG. 3andFIG. 4, the fastening clips11are inserted into the slot127of the bus body122through the opening126of the bottom plate123of the positioning rail121from below, so that the engaging hooks113at the side plates112of the fastening clips11engage with the two shoulder portions128of the bus body122.

With the configuration of the fastening clip11as described above, the bus body122can be firmly held in the valley125of the positioning rail121. Dismounting the bus body122from the positioning rail121can be easily performed by removing the fastening clips11.

With the fastening clip11such configured, quick and convenient mounting/dismounting operation, low manufacturing costs and firm installation are achievable. Moreover, the fastening clip11as described above is compatible to bus bodies with and without engaging hooks.

Please refer toFIG. 5for a perspective view of a fastening clip according to a second preferred embodiment of the present invention.

The fastening clip21shown inFIG. 5is substantially similar to that of the first preferred embodiment. However, the fastening clip21ofFIG. 5has two shoulder plates212extending upward from the base plate211. The two shoulder plates212are positioned outside the two side plates213and aligned with the engaging hooks214of the two side plates213. The two shoulder plates212are lower than the two side plates213. In other words, the height of each of the two shoulder plates212is smaller than that of the side plate213. As shown, in the present embodiment, the two side plates213of the fastening clip21are not connected with each other and the engaging hooks214are integratedly formed with the two side plates213.

Please refer toFIG. 6andFIG. 7together.FIG. 6is an exploded view of a rail-based fastening structure for terminal blocks and the fastening clips according to the second preferred embodiment of the present invention.FIG. 7is a perspective view of the rail-based fastening structure and the fastening clips assembled according to the second preferred embodiment of the present invention.FIG. 5is also to be referred to herein.

Similarly, during the assembling operation, as shown inFIG. 6andFIG. 7, the fastening clip21is inserted into the slot225of the bus body222through the opening224of the bottom plate223of the positioning rail221of the rail-based fastening structure22from below, so that the engaging hooks214of the two side plates213of the fastening clip21engage with the two shoulder portions226, respectively.

Thus, the second preferred embodiment such configured is also able to function as the previous preferred embodiment.

Please refer toFIG. 8throughFIG. 10.FIG. 8is an exploded view of a rail-based fastening structure for terminal blocks and a fastening clip according to a third preferred embodiment of the present invention.FIG. 9illustrates the assembling operation of the rail-based fastening structure and the fastening clip according to the third preferred embodiment of the present invention.FIG. 10is a perspective view of the rail-based fastening structure and the fastening clip assembled according to the third preferred embodiment of the present invention.

The fastening clip31shown inFIG. 8throughFIG. 10is structurally similar to the fastening clip11of the first preferred embodiment (referring toFIG. 2), and the difference there between relies on that fact that the each of the two shoulder plates311of the fastening clip31further has at least one retaining hook312projecting outward. In the present embodiment, the two shoulder plates311each have two separated retaining hooks312projecting outward. Of course, the number of the retaining hooks312is not to be limited.

Also shown in the figures is a rail-based fastening structure32for working with the above-mentioned fastening clip31. The rail-based fastening structure32comprises a positioning rail321and a bus body322. Therein, the positioning rail321includes a bottom plate323and two tracks324. The two track324each extend upward and then outward from two opposite sides of the bottom plate323so that the bottom plate323and the two tracks324jointly define a valley325. The bottom plate323has at least one opening326and two raised shoulder portions327. The two raised shoulder portions327are positioned at two opposite sides of the at least one opening326and extend toward the at least one opening326. In the present embodiment, the bottom plate323is formed with a plurality of openings326. The two raised shoulder portions327are formed at two sides of each said opening326. The bus body322is received in the valley325of the positioning rail321. The bus body322comprises a slot328and two shoulder portions329. The two shoulder portions329are positioned at two sides of the slot328and extend toward the slot328.

During the assembling operation, as shown inFIG. 9andFIG. 10, the fastening clip31is inserted into the slot328of the bus body322through the opening326of the bottom plate323of the positioning rail321from below, so that the retaining hooks312on the two shoulder plates311of the fastening clip31engage with the raised shoulder portions327of the bottom plate323of the positioning rail321, respectively, and the engaging hooks314of the two side plates313of the fastening clip31engage with the two shoulder portions329of the bus body322, respectively.

Particularly, when the fastening clip31is inserted from below, the retaining hooks312of the two shoulder plates311of the fastening clip31first engage with the raised shoulder portions327of the bottom plate323of the positioning rail321, causing the fastening clip31to firmly combine with the positioning rail321(as shown inFIG. 9), so as to facilitate the assembling operation as the fastening clip31is positioned on the positioning rail321and prevented from falling off. Afterward, the engaging hooks314of the two side plates313of the fastening clip31engage with the two shoulder portions329of the bus body322, causing the fastening clip31, the positioning rail321and the bus body322to be assembled together firmly.

Consequently, the third preferred embodiment such configured is also able to function as the previous preferred embodiments.

Please refer toFIG. 11throughFIG. 13.FIG. 11is an exploded view of a rail-based fastening structure for terminal blocks and a fastening clip according to a fourth preferred embodiment of the present invention.FIG. 12illustrates the assembling operation of the rail-based fastening structure and the fastening clip according to the fourth preferred embodiment of the present invention.FIG. 13is a perspective view of the rail-based fastening structure and the fastening clip assembled according to the fourth preferred embodiment of the present invention.

The fastening clip41shown inFIG. 11throughFIG. 13is structurally similar to the fastening clip21of the second preferred embodiment (referring toFIG. 5), and the only difference is that the each of the two shoulder plates411projects outward and has at least one retaining hook412. In the present embodiment, the retaining hook412is integratedly formed with and projecting outward from the shoulder plate411.

During the assembling operation, similar to the third preferred embodiment, the fastening clip41is inserted into the slot428of the bus body422through the opening426of the bottom plate423of the positioning rail421from below. The retaining hooks412of the two shoulder plates411of the fastening clip41engage with the raised shoulder portions427of the bottom plate423of the positioning rail421, respectively, and the engaging hooks414of the two side plates413of the fastening clip41engage with the two shoulder portions429of the bus body422, respectively.

Particularly, when the fastening clip41is inserted from below, the retaining hooks412of the two shoulder plates411of the fastening clip11first engage with the raised shoulder portions427of the bottom plate423of the positioning rail421, causing the fastening clip41to firmly combine with the positioning rail421(as shown inFIG. 12), so as to facilitate the assembling operation as the fastening clip41is positioned on the positioning rail421and prevented from falling off. Afterward, the engaging hooks414of the two side plates413of the fastening clip41engage with the two shoulder portions429of the bus body422, causing the fastening clip41, the positioning rail421and the bus body422to be assembled together firmly.

Hence, as described above, the fourth preferred embodiment such configured is also able to function as the previous preferred embodiments.