Abstract:
Disclosed is a clamping device for connecting a conductor without stripping the insulation. Said clamping device comprises a housing ( 14 ) and an actuating part ( 22  which is movably mounted therein and is provided with a duct ( 26 ) accommodating the conductor ( 50 ) that is to be clamped. A blade contact ( 18.1 ) is provided which encompasses a rear web ( 32 ) and two spring legs ( 36 ) that are placed at an angle therefrom. The spring legs ( 36 ) are fitted with contacting blades ( 48 ) on final edges that run into each other. Said contacting blades ( 48 ) penetrate the duct ( 26 ) and contact the conductor ( 50 ) accommodated therein while cutting the insulation therof when the actuating part ( 22 ) is transferred into the contacting position thereof. A second contact piece ( 18.2 ) is provided which is electrically connected to the blade contact ( 18.1 ). The blade contact ( 18.1 ) and the second contact piece ( 18.2 ) are configured as a monolithic contact element ( 18 ) as a result of the fact that spring arms ( 34 ) whose ends are formed into a contact tube or a tulip contact ( 40 ) are placed at an angle from the rear web ( 32 ) of the blade contact ( 18.1 ) in addition to the spring legs ( 36 ).

Description:
TECHNICAL FIELD 
       [0001]    The invention relates to a clamping device for a connector for connecting a conductor to the connector without first having to strip insulation from the wire 
       BACKGROUND INFORMATION 
       [0002]    The invention starts from a clamping device as is known from patent document DE 199 56 750 A1. The known clamping device possesses a housing and an actuating part mounted so that it may move between a receiver position and a contact position. This actuating part possesses a duct for the conductor to be clamped. Further, a blade contact is present that consists of a rear web and two spring legs at an angle to the longitudinal side and at a distance from each other. These spring legs possess end sections bent toward each other that are adjacent along a slot and possess contact blades on their face edges that extend toward the slot. When the actuating part is pivoted into the contact position, the contact blades press into the duct of the actuating part and contact the conductor received therein, cutting through its insulation. A second contact part is provided for subsequent routing of the current path from the blade contact out of the housing that is in electrical contact with the blade contact. In the known implementation, the second contact is implemented as a separately-manufactured contact pin that is combined with the blade contact into a single component. The manufacture of this component is expensive because the pin contact must be secured to the rear web of the blade contact by means of soldering, welding, riveting, or pressing. Such joined contact points also include the uncertainty that contact security may be influenced by corrosive, thermal, or mechanical effects. 
         [0003]    A clamping device with similar structure is known from prototype document DE 203 12 123 U1. The actuating part of this clamp is mounted within the clamp housing between the receiver position and the contact position so that it may pivot, whereby the insulated conductor accepted into the duct of the actuating part is inserted between the contact blades of the blade contact upon pivoting the actuating part into the contact position. The current path within the clamp is continued via a current rail that is inserted with electrical connection into the rear web of the blade contact. 
         [0004]    Patent document DE 2 129 630 A further discloses a clamping device of the above-mentioned type. Here, cutting, clamping contacts are provided that interact with two different actuating parts that are mounted so that they may pivot and that are in the form of flat cutters, and that are connected together by means of a web. They project from this web along the same direction, whereby another contact is mounted at an angle along the opposite direction. 
         [0005]    Patent document US 2004/0029431 A1 discloses a clamping device in another embodiment with one-piece contact parts that include blade contacts at their one ends that are displaced by 90° with respect to each other, and plug connectors at their other ends. 
       SUMMARY 
       [0006]    The task of the invention is to provide a clamping device for connecting a conductor without stripping its insulation in which the blade contact and the second contact leading away from the clamp are manufactured to provide positive electrical contact and to provide a strong embodiment in a particularly efficient manner. 
         [0007]    One feature of the invention is that the blade contact and the second electrical contact leading out of the clamping device from the clamp are of one piece in that they are formed on a contact element that possesses a rear web common to both contacts. After the first production step, the metallic contact element consists of a flat pressed part with spring legs and spring arms cut apart from each other and connected to the rear web. In subsequent production steps, the contact blades are formed on the spring legs, and the tube shapes are formed on the spring arms, and the spring legs and arms are bent into their position at an angle to the rear web. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0008]    These and other features and advantages of the present invention will be better understood by reading the following detailed description, taken together with the drawings wherein: 
           [0009]      FIG. 1  is a perspective, partially exploded view of a clamp arrangement consisting of several clamping devices; 
           [0010]      FIG. 2  is a perspective depiction of the contact elements of each of the clamping devices forming the current path as in  FIG. 1 ; 
           [0011]      FIG. 3  is a lateral view of one of the clamping devices; 
           [0012]      FIG. 4  is a lateral view of the contact elements of the clamping devices and the actuating part interacting with it in its receiver position; and 
           [0013]      FIG. 5  is a representation corresponding to  FIG. 4  with the actuating part located in the contact position. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
       [0014]      FIG. 1  shows individually the clamp arrangement  10  formed from a number of identical modules  12 . Each of the modules  12  represents a clamping device that includes a housing  14 . The interior of the housing  14  includes a specially-shaped inner chamber  16  that is open on one side of the housing  14  in that an aperture  16 . 1  is formed by means of a contoured recess in the pertinent housing sidewall  16 . 2 . The special configuration of the aperture  16 . 1  and of the inner chamber  16  serves for the reception of a contact element  18  that will be described in greater detail using  FIG. 2  herein. 
         [0015]    Engaging pegs  20  project laterally from the housing  14  that is made of insulating material. These engaging pegs  20  are located on that side of the housing  14  in which the housing aperture  16 . 1  is provided. On the opposing side (not shown), the housing  14  is closed, and on this side are located engaging apertures arranged to match the engaging pegs  20 . Two or more of the modules  12  are correspondingly capable of being matched and engaged together, and thus the clamp arrangement  10  may be formed by placing the modules  12  adjacent to one another. For this, the closed sidewall of the housing  14  of each module  12  covers the housing aperture  16 . 1  of the adjacent module  12 . A cover  19  is provided for the module positioned at the end of the series whose housing aperture  16  in the housing  14  is not covered by a neighboring module in order to be able to close the aperture  16 . 1 . 
         [0016]    An actuating part  22  is mounted within the interior of the housing  14  of each module  12  or of each clamping device so that it may pivot. The actuating part  22  serves to receive the electrical conductor to which contact is to be provided. During conductor insertion, [the actuating part  22 ] is positioned in its first pivoted position in receiving mode, and can be transferred to its second pivoted (contact) position by means of suitable actuation. For this, the actuating part  22  rotates by means of axial pegs  24  within bearing apertures that are located in the upper areas of the housing sidewall  16 . 2 . The actuating part  22  is provided with a duct or opening  26  to receive the conductor  50  ( FIG. 4 ) to which contact is to be provided. This duct  26  includes an insertion aperture on the upper side of the module  12 . Further, a plug insertion aperture for an actuation tool is formed in the actuating part  22  that is also accessible from the upper side of the module  12 . Further, a surface  30  for pressing is located on the upper side of the actuating part  22 . 
         [0017]    As  FIG. 2  shows, the contact element  18  is free-stamped out of a metal plate such as steel plate into a component formed as one piece, and is then shaped (bent) to provide its final shape. The contact element  18  consists of a blade contact  18 . 1  and of a second contact part  18 . 2 . The central connection piece of the blade contact  18 . 1  and of the second contact part  18 . 2  is a rear web  32  that includes an elongated section  32 . 1  extending above the area of the blade contact  18 . 1  and assigned to the second contact  18 . 2 . A spring leg  36  is attached to the longitudinal sides of the rear web  32  in the area of the blade contact  18 . 2  and is bent upward and whose cross section diminishes along the direction of the rear web  32 . Particularly, the thickness of the spring leg  36  diminishes. Contact blades  48  are formed in the area of the upper edges of the spring leg  36  that extend along the face edges of end sections  44  on the spring legs  36 , whereby these end sections  36  are bent down and are adjacent to one another along a slot  42 . The rear web  32  is bent upward slightly with respect to the peg section  32 . 1  at the transition point  38  between the rear web  32  and this peg section  32 . 1  adjacent to it in order to bring the spring leg  36  with its contact blades  48  into a favorable position for establishing contact with the pertinent conductor  50 . The contact blades  48  are located on that face side of the blade contact  18 . 1  that lies toward the peg section  32 . 1 . 
         [0018]    Spring arms  34  extend at a downward angle to the longitudinal sides of the peg section  32 . 1  in opposing directions to the spring legs  36  of the blade contact  18 . 1 . These spring arms  34  converge toward one another along the direction away from the peg section  32 . 1 , and their free ends are shaped into a contact tube or tulip contact. The spring arms  34  also diminish in cross section along the direction away from the peg section  32 . 1 , and they particularly diminish in thickness along this direction. The contact tube or tulip contact formed from the spring arms  34  serves to provide contact with a contact pin  41  ( FIG. 3 ) that is mounted on a base element such as a printed circuit board. 
         [0019]    The spring arms  34  of the second contact may also be angled along a direction to the rear web  32  or to its peg section  32 . 1  different than that shown, along the same direction as the spring leg  36  of the blade contact  18 . 1 . For this, the spring arms  34  of the second contact  18 . 2  leave a gap to the spring legs  36  of the blade contact  18 . 1 . In order to be able to insert the conductor  50  with which contact is to be established into contact blades  48  of the spring leg  36  of the blade contact  18 . 1 , one aligns the contact blades  48  to those edges of the spring leg  36  of the blade contact  18 . 1  that rest to the side of the blade contact  18 . 1  that is adjacent to the second contact  18 . 1 . 
         [0020]    The spring legs  36  of the blade contact  18 . 1  are designed stronger then the spring legs  34  of the second contact part  18 . 2 . Thus, the spring legs  36  extend longitudinally as seen from the rear web  32  over a greater length than do the spring arms  34  of the second contact part  18 . 2 . The end sections  44  bent toward one another at the spring legs  36  may be separated from each other in the area of the slot  42 . The spring legs  36  of the blade contact  18 . 1  may be so tensioned that the end sections  44  in the area of the slot  42  may rest against one another under spring pressure, which serves to an increase of the contact pressure against a clamped conductor. The contact blades  48  on the face edges of the spring leg  36  in the area of its end sections  44  are shaped concave, and extend as far as the slot  42 . 
         [0021]    As may be seen in  FIGS. 1 and 3 , the housing  14  of the modules  12  possesses a box-shaped upper part  14 . 1  to which a hollow base part  46  of the housing  14  is attached from below. The inner chamber  16  within the housing and the aperture  16 . 1  in the pertinent sidewall  16 . 2  of the housing  14  extend from the upper housing part  14 . 1  into the housing base part  46 . Thus, the contact element  18  in its installed position with the spring legs  36  of its blade contact  18 . 1  and with the spring arms  34  of its second contact part  18 . 2  are fit into the inner chamber  16  of the housing  14  in that the blade contact  18 . 1  is received within the housing upper part  14 . 1  and the second contact  18 . 2  is received within the housing base part  46 . During this, the blade contact  18 . 1  is located below the actuating part  22  formed as a pressing surface. The cover part  19  is thus matched to the special contour of the aperture  16 . 1  such that a continuation  19 . 1  is formed underneath that covers the portion of the aperture above the base part  46 . 
         [0022]    Contact with the conductor with which contact is to be established upon separation of the conductor insulation may be seen in  FIGS. 4 and 5 .  FIG. 4  shows one of the modules  12  or of the clamping devices in the conductor-insertion position. The actuating part  22  is thus rotated upward counter-clockwise so that the surface  30  for pressing is located above the housing. The conductor  50  is inserted into the receiver duct  26  of the actuating part  22  to the point that its end rests against a stop  52 . The conductor  50  may include a one-part core or twisted metal core of individual wires. After the conductor  50  is inserted into the duct  26  of the actuating part  22 , a long tool is inserted into its insertion aperture and/or the surface  30  is pressed and thus the actuating part  22  is rotated clockwise from its wire-insertion position into its contact position, as shown in  FIG. 5 . In the contact position of the actuating part  22 , its surface  30  lies against the upper side of the housing  14 . 
         [0023]    When the actuating part  22  with the inserted conductor is pivoted into the contact position, the conductor comes into contact with the contact blades  48  of the blade contact  18 . 1 . The contact blades  48  cut through the insulation of the conductor  50  in order to expose the conductor core. While the conductor core  51  is forced into the slot  42  between the end sections  44  of the spring leg  36 , the spring leg  36  is expanded outward, and reliable electrical contact between the blade contact  18 . 1  and the conductor core  51  because of the spring tension. 
         [0024]    In order to remove the conductor  50  from the module  12 , a long tool is again inserted into the insertion aperture  28  of the actuating part  22 , and the actuating part  22  is pivoted counter-clockwise away from the contact position into the insertion position, whereby the conductor  50  is released from the spring legs  36  of the blade contact  18 . 1 . The conductor  50  may then be extracted from the conductor receiver duct  26  of the actuating part  22 . 
         [0025]    The pivotable pressing part  22  includes an engagement notch  54 . During pivoting of the pressing part  22  between the conductor-receiving position and the contact position, the engaging notch  54  slides into a slot  56  in one of the housing sidewalls  16 . 2 , whereby it engages with the pivoting end positions into a circularly-formed end of the slot  56 . 
         [0026]    When the clamp arrangement  10  is used as a plug element, the conductors  50  are first clamped to the individual modules  12 , and then the clamp arrangement  10  is positioned onto a corresponding number of contact pins  41  that are mounted on the base component of each circuit. Subsequently, these pins  41  are electrically connected with conductors  50  or their conductor cores by means of the contact elements  18 . 
         [0027]    The present invention is not intended to be limited to a device or method which must satisfy one or more of any stated or implied objects or features of the invention and should not be limited to the preferred, exemplary, or primary embodiment(s) described herein. Modifications and substitutions by one of ordinary skill in the art are considered to be within the scope of the present invention, which is not to be limited except by the allowed claims and their legal equivalents.