Electric distributor device

Systems and methods are disclosed relating to an electric distributor device for connecting to at least one cable, comprising a guide device, a connection part, and a coupling nut for screwing onto the connection part. According to one illustrative implementation, the guide device may have a cable holder part for holding several cable end regions, each having at least one conductor and a conductor guide part for guiding the conductors by means of conductor guiding structures, wherein the insulation displacement connector device has a number of crimping clamps corresponding to the number of cables and each of the connectors is electrically connected to an assigned connection element. Here, for example, when the coupling nut which overlaps the guide device, is screwed onto the connection part, the conductor insulation of the conductors that run in the guide device may be severed by the crimping clamps.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application is a National Stage of International Application No. PCT/EP2011/059313, filed Jun. 6, 2011, published as WO2011/154365, which, in turn, claims the benefit of German Patent Application No. 10 2010 017 266.9, filed Jun. 7, 2010, which are incorporated herein by reference in entirety.

The invention relates to an electric distributor device for connecting to at least one cable, comprising a guide device, a connection part, and a coupling nut for screwing onto the connection part, the latter having at least one connection element and at least one insulation displacement connector that is electrically connected to the connection element.

Distributor devices exist for the transmission of electrical signals or electric power from a machine or system to several other machines or systems. These distribution devices consist of, for example, a form of a distributor for connection to electric distribution lines or as connectors to plug-in cable and/or connector devices. The distributor is constructed, for example, as a T-connector (Y-connector) or as an H-piece.

Distributor systems and/or distribution devices as Y- or H-connectors are available in various forms. These are, for example, the cable connector, which however has a completely separate cable inlet. The IDC (Insulation Displacement Connector) components of this distribution device are individual insulation displacement connectors.

According to DE 10 2008 019 764 A1, a distribution system is made consisting of an electric distributor formed by an H-piece and screwed into the cable connectors. This guide device, cable holder and coupling nut to screw on the connector are, in the respective cable connectors, formed with the components for the distribution function of the distribution device via a separate/separable H-piece.

However, due to the multiple cable connectors and the many disparate distributor components and a comparatively large amount of space, such a distribution system needs to have a very flexible configuration on the basis of the “modular concept”.

The invention therefore has the task of creating an alternative distribution device which is compact, has few parts to assemble, and yet remains simple.

The object is achieved according to the invention by the features of independent claim1. Advantageous embodiments of the invention are specified in the subclaims.

Provided for in the invented distributor device is the guide device with a cable holder part for holding several cable end regions, each having at least one conductor and a conductor guide part for guiding the conductors by means of conductor guide structures, wherein the insulation displacement connector device has a number of insulation displacement connectors corresponding to the number of cables, each of the connectors is electrically connected to an assigned element, is screwed onto the connection part, and when the coupling nut which overlaps the guide device is screwed onto the connecting part, the conductor insulation of the conductors that run in the guide device is severed by the crimping clamps. The distributor device is constructed such that its outer shape corresponds to a cable connection device, such as a cable connector for connecting several cables, but internally has the electrical wiring of a distributor device. In this way, at least one insulation displacement device is formed as a multiple-IDC-contact IDC: Insulation Displacement Connector—which is a connection by insulation displacement). By this integration of the distribution function into a cable connection device for several cables the number of components is reduced and a compact design is achieved. The connector part is a particular plug connector with a finger-safe connecting element.

An advantage provided is that an insulation displacement connector is the connecting element. The connecting element is therefore available already pre-designed for incorporation into the connector in a particularly simple design. It exists, for example, between a terminal and the insulation displacement connector.

According to a preferred embodiment of the invention, it provides for the integration of the crimping clamp into the insulation displacement connectors.

According to another preferred embodiment of the invention, it provides that the connection element is formed as an integral connection element. This may be formed, for example, as a bending punched part.

In particular, it is provided that the distributor device comprises a seal for inclusion in the cable holder part, wherein this seal has a number of apertures corresponding to the maximum number of cables to be connected.

According to another preferred embodiment of the invention, it is provided that cable end regions in the cable holding part can be crimped by this seal when the coupling nut which overlaps the guide device is screwed onto the connection part.

This seal shall then continue to function as a strain relief device.

According to a further advantageous embodiment of the invention, it is provided that the connector comprises a connector body which receives a connection of the connection element and at least a portion of the insulation displacement connector. If the connecting element integrally formed as a connecting element with an insulation displacement connector is present, then it is particularly easy to incorporate into the connector body.

In particular, it is considered that the connecting part has an external thread and the nut has an internal thread, wherein the thread for screwing the coupling nut matches with the connection element.

According to a further advantageous embodiment of the invention, it is provided that the connecting part can be in particular permanently connected to a device, a plug and/or a compatible cable connection device. Preferably, the connector part further includes a locking nut, such as a coupling nut, to fix the connection to the device, the connector, or to the cable terminal connector.

Finally, it is advantageously provided that the distributor device is designed as Y-distribution device for two cables, wherein the insulation displacement connector has two insulation displacement terminals. The insulation displacement connector is formed as a double-IDC interface that performs the Y-distribution function. The corresponding seal is a double seal. This is, for example, substantially in a cylindrical shape with two aligned openings parallel to the cylinder axis of the cylinder form (holes),

which is equivalent to the outer diameter of the corresponding cable diameter.

FIG. 1shows one form of a Y-shaped cable-distributor device assembly10in exploded view. The distributor device10includes a coupling nut12, a guide device14with cable holder part16and conductor guide part18, one as a double seal for two cable terminals20for insertion into the cable holder part16of the guide device14, four connection elements22, which are connected to the cables to be connected and the guide device14on their facing sides are each connected to a two insulation displacement connectors26with insulation displacement connector device24, and a terminal body28, which together with the connection body28disposed connecting elements22and insulation displacement connector24, forms a connecting part30. The connection body28further comprises an internal thread (not shown) to the corresponding external thread32of coupling nut12.

The conductor guide device18has the lead and direction of the conductor ends of the conductors in front of the assembly of the guide device14and connection part30with eight paired conductor guide structures34. Each two of the eight paired conductor guide structures34are a corresponding pair of cutting clamps26and assigned one of the four insulation displacement connectors24. Each of the Insulation displacement connector24is part of the connection element22in this integrally formed embodiment. The four connections of the connector elements are themselves formed as other cutting clamps36, which combine in a guide device38with a cable connection device40for a single cable. This cable connecting device40is known as such. This is, in turn, next to the guide device38also on a coupling nut42and a ring seal44.

FIG. 2shows the guide device14and the connection part30of the distributor device10in standard sectional view. The guide device14is, as stated, in the longitudinal direction of the cable holder part16and the subsequent conductor guide device18with paired conductor guide structures34. The guide device14is formed in the longitudinal direction, also substantially aligned along the longitudinal axis38as a hollow cylinder.

The cable holder part16has several circumferentially arranged slats46, which may be present on the inside of seal20as shown inFIG. 2. The slats46act upon the inner side of the threading for the coupling nut12together as a so-called Pg-screw, so that upon when screwing the coupling nut12onto the connection part30, the slats46are pressed against the seal20, thereby sealing the cable end region outside. At the same time, this arrangement acts as a strain relief for the two cables.

It results in the following function of the arrangement of the paired conductor guide structures34of the conductor guide device18and the insulation displacement connectors24, each with two insulation displacement connectors26: Both cable end regions are inserted and threaded through the cable holder part16via the seal apertures, so that the cable conductors thread into the interior of the guide device14and reach into their conductor guide part18. There, the conductors are radially bent outwards and into the recesses formed by the guide structures36, in each case one conductor of one of the two cables in one of the pairs of conductor guide structures34and any one conductor of the other of the two cables is inserted in the other conductor guide structure34of the respective pair. The conductor guide structures34serve as restraint locks for the conductor ends.

In this configuration, any one conductor guide structure pair inserted in the conductor guide structures34crosses the slats24of a common insulation displacement connector24of the connection part30, which when the coupling nut12is screwed onto the connection part30cuts the conductor insulation and then connects with the head of the conductor via the insulation displacement connector24. Since the crimping clamps26are inside the insulation displacement connectors24and/or connection elements22, the distributor function of the distributor device10takes place at this point.

The circularly arranged connection elements22are designed to be inserted from the compact plug-in area in the connector body30to the larger connection region in the core guide part18. The connection elements22with crimping clamps26(IDC contacts) are still locked in the connection body28and remain in place for wiring and incorporation.

By means of the other crimping clamps36, the connection element22closes an electronic connection from the facing side of the guide device14to other cables of the lines of the conductors of the connection elements22of the cable connection device40.

Thus, inFIGS. 1 to 3, the displayed arrangement of distributor device10and cable connecting device40, a Y-splitter device (T-distributor device) is connected to three cables.

Alternatively to the arrangement shown, the distributor device10may also serve to connect these to an electrical device, a plug, or the like.

For guiding the crimping clamps34inside the conductor guide device18to the position in which each inserted conductor is held by the conductor guide structure34, the corresponding crimping clamp26is engaged in a guide structure of the conductor guide device18.FIG. 3shows a sectional view of the guide device14with crimping clamp inserted into the guide structure (not shown) of connection element22

The result is the following function:

For connection of both cables inserted in the cable holder part16of the distributor device10, they are stripped at a certain length. Then the two end regions of both cables are inserted until they stop in the guide device14, wherein each conductor is positioned according to the wiring diagram in conductor guide part18and cut flush using a tool (such as a standard side cutter). Then the whole assembly is placed into a preferably polarity-shielded connection part30and the coupling nut12is tightened with a predetermined torque. Here the wiring of the connection of the connecting elements22takes place, as well as the sealing and cable strain relief, which are held in turn in a standard cable bracket.

This results in the following benefits:

1. Each of the electrical devices to be connected requires only one outlet for the distributor device10. The last device in a row can be connected with a standard cable connection device (for example, corresponding to cable connection device40). By setting a seal of one of both (cable inlet) apertures of the seal20it allows the distributor device10also to be connected with just one cable.

2. In the exchange of electrical devices, the energy distribution is not interrupted.

3. To connect two cables there only has to be parent (i.e., the coupling nut12). This saves time and money.

4. The physical energy distribution takes place in the distributor device10, outside the electrical devices.

As a result, the devices are cheaper and they are not subject to contact heating.

5. The assembly of the distributor device10is device independent and can be conveniently performed within any spot in the range of the reach radius of the cable. If the total length of the installation is straightforward, then entire energy distributor can also be pre-assembled and only needs to be plugged in on site.

6. The constructive design of the distributor device10is minimal compared to other technical solutions, so therefore the total cost for energy distribution will be considerably cheaper.

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