Abstract:
Aspects of the disclosure relate to a mantle terminal for establishing conducting contact, including a threaded stud for inserting a cable; a cap nut to be screwed onto the threaded stud; an insulating element inside which the cap nut is rotatably mounted and which includes a lateral plug portion; and a base plate on which the threaded stud is mounted and which includes a lateral receptacle for securely accommodating the lateral plug portion of the insulating element.

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
       [0001]    The present application is a 371 national phase filing of International Application No. PCT/EP2015/051705, entitled “MANTLE TERMINAL FOR ESTABLISHING ELECTRIC CONTACT”, filed 28 Jan. 2015, which claims priority to German Patent Application No. 10 2014 102 659.4, entitled “Mantelklemme zum Herstellen eines leitenden Kontakts”, filed 28 Feb. 2014. 
     
    
     BACKGROUND 
       [0002]    The present disclosure relates to a mantle terminal for establishing a conductive contact having a U-shaped threaded stud for the insertion of a cable and a cap nut to be screwed onto the threaded stud. 
         [0003]    Various versions of mantle terminals have been known for decades in electrical installation technology. In mantle terminals, the threaded stud is slit axially so as to create an upwardly open U-shaped fork from both lateral crown heads. Wires or cable ends can be inserted therein and clamped by a slotted cap nut. Versions having low impact on conductors utilize detachable washers or, in the case of a cap nut bolt, inner freely rotating studs, in order to also exert central pressure on the conductors. The cap nut is losable. In the case of cramped and hard-to-reach terminal compartments, this can lead to the nut becoming lost. Due to its required operability, the metallic cap nut is not touch-protected. 
         [0004]    Printed publication DE 689 525 A describes in this context a mantle terminal for electrical conductors having a pressure piece rotatably mounted in the bottom of the mantle with interlocking of the mantle and base. 
         [0005]    The task on which the present disclosure is based is that of increasing a mantle terminal&#39;s practical technical value. 
       SUMMARY 
       [0006]    The subject matter solves this task by means of the features of the independent claims. Examples of the principles of this disclosure constitute the subject matter of the figures, the description and the dependent claims. 
         [0007]    According to one aspect of the disclosure, the task is solved by a mantle terminal for establishing a conductive contact having a U-shaped threaded stud for the insertion of a cable and a cap nut to be screwed onto the threaded stud, and comprising an insulating body in which the cap nut is rotatably mounted which has a lateral plug section; and a base plate on which the threaded stud is mounted which has a lateral retainer for securely accommodating the lateral plug section of the insulating member. This thereby achieves the technical advantage of, for example, the cap nut not being able to inadvertently come loose from the mantle terminal and at the same time being touch-protected by the insulating body. 
         [0008]    In one example of the mantle terminal, the lateral plug section of the insulating body can be moved into the retainer in the direction of being received. This thereby achieves the technical advantage of, for example, the insulating body being able to be moved upward and the U-shaped threaded stud being released without the plug section exiting out of the retainer. 
         [0009]    In a further example of the mantle terminal, the lateral plug section is mounted to the insulating body by means of an integral hinge. This thereby achieves the technical advantage of, for example, the cap nut being able to be tilted away, facilitating the insertion of the cable. 
         [0010]    In a further advantageous embodiment of the mantle terminal, the plug section of the insulating body is rotatably mounted in the retainer. This thereby achieves the technical advantage of, for example, the cap nut being able to be rotated sideways, facilitating the insertion of the cable. 
         [0011]    In a further example of the mantle terminal, the lateral plug section of the insulating body is arranged parallel to the cap nut&#39;s axis of rotation. This thereby achieves the technical advantage of, for example, enabling cap nuts to be easily set onto the threaded studs. 
         [0012]    In a further example of the mantle terminal, the retainer extends over an entire width of the base plate. This thereby achieves the technical advantage of, for example, a retainer of higher stability. 
         [0013]    In a further example of the mantle terminal, the insulating body comprises an opening having a circumferential collar for rotating the cap nut with a tool. This thereby achieves the technical advantage of, for example, increasing the mantle terminal&#39;s contact safety. 
         [0014]    In a further example of the mantle terminal, the cap nut is threadlessly supported in the insulating body. This thereby achieves the technical advantage of, for example, obtaining an adherent fit and the cap nut being able to be anchored by reciprocally mated retention action such as, for example, by means of a circumferential bead and groove. 
         [0015]    In a further example of the mantle terminal, the mantle terminal comprises a latching means for the secured mounting of the insulating body to the base plate when the lateral plug section is inserted into the retainer. This thereby achieves the technical advantage of, for example, the cap nut being able to be securely connected in an easy way by the plug section being inserted into the retainer. 
         [0016]    In a further example of the mantle terminal, the retainer has a cylindrical form. This thereby achieves the technical advantage of, for example, the insulating body being rotatably mounted. 
         [0017]    In a further example of the mantle terminal, the retainer has a rectangular form in cross section. This thereby achieves the technical advantage of, for example, preventing the insulating body from twisting. 
         [0018]    In a further example of the mantle terminal, the insulating body comprises a pressure piece for pressing on the cable in the threaded stud. This thereby achieves the technical advantage of, for example, improving the conductive contact. 
         [0019]    In a further example of the mantle terminal, the pressure piece has a sawtooth profile for fixing the pressure piece in a pressure piece receptacle of the insulating body. This thereby achieves the technical advantage of, for example, the pressure piece being able to be fixed by being pressed into the insulating body. 
         [0020]    In a further example of the mantle terminal, the insulating body comprises two diametrically facing pressure piece receptacles. This thereby achieves the technical advantage of, for example, the pressure piece being able to transfer forces to the insulating body from both sides. 
         [0021]    In a further example of the mantle terminal, the insulating body has a snap-on plate for attaching a label. This thereby achieves the technical advantage of, for example, being able to easily label a conductor. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0022]    Examples of the principles of this disclosure are depicted in the drawings and described in greater detail in the following. 
           [0023]      FIG. 1  shows a schematic view of an example of a mantle terminal; and 
           [0024]      FIG. 2  shows a schematic view of a further example of a mantle terminal. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
       [0025]      FIG. 1  shows a schematic view of a mantle terminal  100 . The mantle terminal  100  serves to establish a conductive contact. The mantle terminal  100  comprises a U-shaped threaded stud  101  having an external thread, a slot  121  for the insertion of a cable and a cap nut  103  having an internal thread to be screwed onto the threaded stud  101  in order to clamp the cable between the threaded stud  101  of the cap nut  103 . The threaded stud  101  is mounted to a base plate  111 . The base plate  111  can be formed from a molded plastic part. 
         [0026]    The cap nut  103  is rotatably mounted threadlessly within a cylindrical recess in an insulating body  105 . With an adherent fit, the cap nut  103  is moderately rotatable in common fashion within the insulating body  105 , which can be formed from a thermoplastic material, and is anchored by reciprocally mated retention action, for example by means of a circumferential bead on the inner side and a groove on the outer side of the cap nut  103 . 
         [0027]    The insulating body  105  comprises a lateral plug section  107  which inserts into an retainer  109  of the base plate  111 . The retainer  109  is formed by a cylindrical opening in a section of the base plate  111 . The plug section  107  of the insulating member  105  and the retainer  109  of the base plate  111  run parallel to the rotational axis of the cap nut  103 . 
         [0028]    The insulating body  105  has an opening  127  which circularly exposes a slot  123  for a screwdriver for the cap nut  103  and which is provided with a circumferential insulating collar. The insulating collar on the one hand increases contact safety and, on the other, improves screwdriver guidance. In addition, a flat arm  125  with mechanisms or surfaces for affixing/applying a snap-on plate  117  for attaching a label is integrally flanged onto the upper part of the cup-shaped insulating body  105 , thereby allowing the connection points to be labeled. 
         [0029]    The plug section  107  is integrally molded to the arm  125  in the form of a parallel axial round peg. The plug section  107  is guided into the retainer  109  having a corresponding drill hole in the base plate  111 . The unit of cap nut  103  and insulating body  105  is raised/ lowered in the retainer  109  by the tightening or untightening action of a screwdriver. When screwed completely upwards, the cap nut  103  can pivot sideways to the right or left about the axis in the direction of being received and, for example, under an angular limitation. The sideways pivoting of the insulating body  105  is depicted by arrows. 
         [0030]    The plug section  107  of the insulating body  105  inserts into the retainer  109  to an appropriate depth so that it will also remain securely undetachable when screwed upwards. Fully non-detachable latching of the insulating body  105  at a pivoted position can additionally be provided. 
         [0031]    The insulating body  105  comprises a bracket-shaped pressure piece  115  realized in the form of a U-shaped stamped part so as to have low impact on the conductors. The pressure piece  115  is burnished on its face in order to prevent damage to the conductor wires when tightening. The pressure piece  115  is securely locked into place in the laterally protruding pressure piece receptacles  119  of the non-rotatable insulating body  105 . 
         [0032]    The diametrically arranged pressure piece receptacles  119  for the pressure piece  115  are configured with protruding flanks so as to additionally provide contact safety for stripped bare wires. The bent end sections of the pressure piece  115  are given a sawtooth profile which forms barbs so that the pressure piece  115  can be fixed by being pressed into the pressure piece receptacle  119  of the insulating body  105 . 
         [0033]    The laterally protruding pressure piece receptacles  119  can be further provided with labeling surfaces. The insulating body  105  can be color-controlled, for example in order to indicate phase or voltage. All these functionalities can be realized by the plastic part of the insulating body  105 . 
         [0034]      FIG. 2  shows a schematic view of a further mantle terminal  100 . The mantle terminal  100  likewise comprises a U-shaped threaded stud  101  having a slot  121  for the insertion of a cable and a cap nut  103  for screwing onto the threaded stud  101  in order to clamp the cable between the threaded stud  101  of the cap nut  103  and create an electrical contact. 
         [0035]    The retainer  109  of the base plate  111  and the plug section  107  of the insulating body  105  exhibit a rectangular form in cross section should a sideways pivoting motion not be desired for structural or technical application reasons. The plug section  107  forms a guide disk which also permits the raising and lowering of the insulating body  105  in the retainer  109 . In the upwards screwed position of the cap nut  103 , the cylinder portion of the insulating body  105  can be tilted away together with the cap nut  103  so as to achieve easy insertion of the conductor. An integral hinge  113  allowing said tilting is provided for this purpose in the upper part of the plug section  107 . 
         [0036]    An insulating body  105  allowing both tilting away as well as sideway pivoting of the cap nut  103  can generally also be used. In this case, a thicker round peg comprising an integral hinge in its upper section can be provided as the plug section  107  so as to be able to realize the two functional modes of tilting and sideways pivoting. Doing so thereby improves accessibility to the conductors in the U-shaped slot  121  of the threaded stud  101 . In a further embodiment, two parallel guide pins can be used as plug section  107 . 
         [0037]    Except for uncut conductors, the mantle terminal  100  is also capable of directly clamping multiple conductors of differing cross sections and wire types together such as, for example, solid, stranded or fine-stranded, with or without ferrules. The mantle terminal  100  constitutes an ruggedly secure, application-specific solution for connecting conductors without impairing manipulation when said conductors are to be connected. The insulating body  105  enables the up/down movement of the cap nut  103  without it being able to become lost. The insulating body  105  enables a movable and yet secure mounting of the cap nut  103 . 
         [0038]    All of the features described and shown in connection with individual examples can be provided in different combinations in the inventive subject matter so as to realize their advantageous effects simultaneously. 
         [0039]    The protective scope of the present invention is conferred by the claims and is not limited by the features defined in the description or illustrated in the figures. 
       LIST OF REFERENCE NUMERALS 
       [0000]    
       
           100  mantle terminal 
           101  threaded stud 
           103  cap nut 
           105  insulating body 
           107  plug section 
           109  retainer 
           111  base plate 
           113  integral hinge 
           115  pressure piece 
           117  plate 
           119  pressure piece receptacle 
           121  slot 
           123  screwdriver slot 
           125  arm 
           127  opening