Abstract:
A relay box having a carrier plate  2  and a plug-in module  5  is disclosed. A conductor to be switched is brought into electrical contact with a relay  4  through the plug-in module  5  and a plug contact arranged in the plug-in module  5.  The relay is plugged both into the plug-in module  5  and into the carrier plate of the relay box through plug contacts. Because of the modular arrangement, increased flexibility is possible when using a prefabricated carrier plate having terminal positions provided for a plurality of relays.

Description:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION  
         [0001]    The invention relates to a modular relay arrangement with a plug-in module having a first terminal element, a second terminal element and a plug position for a fuse.  
         BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
         [0002]    Relay arrangements are used in a variety of ways in electrical circuit arrangements. Relay arrangements are known in which the relay is plugged into a carrier plate, and the conductor to be switched is also plugged directly onto the carrier plate. To connect a conductor, a corresponding contact region is constructed on the carrier plate. Thus, when the carrier plate is manufactured, a decision has to be made as to how many conductors are to be switched by way of the carrier plate using a relay. Since construction of a corresponding terminal region gives rise to additional costs, when the carrier plate is manufactured, the number of terminal positions is minimized. Once the carrier plate has been manufactured, the number of conductors to be switched by the carrier plate is fixed, leaving no possibility for expansion.  
         SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
         [0003]    An object of the invention is to provide a carrier plate having increased flexibility for later expansion of conductors to be switched, a plug-in module for connecting a conductor to the carrier plate, and a relay arrangement having a carrier plate and a plug-in module.  
           [0004]    This and other objects are achieved by an improved plug-in module, a carrier plate and a relay arrangement.  
           [0005]    The carrier plate has holding devices for a plug-in module for connecting conductors to be switched by a relay. The holding device is of simple and low-cost construction, allowing for expansion in the number of conductors to be switched.  
           [0006]    The plug-in module has a holding element for mounting to a carrier plate, preferably in detachable manner. Furthermore, the plug-in module has a first terminal element for a conductor and a second terminal element for a relay conductor. The use of the plug-in module means that the number of conductors to be switched on a carrier plate can be expanded in a simple way.  
           [0007]    Preferably, the plug-in module also has a plug position for a fuse. Thus, the fuse is also positioned off the carrier plate. This offers the advantage that the costs per plug position can be controlled once the number of conductors is determined. Furthermore, the arrangement of the fuse on the plug-in module offers the advantage that a defective fuse is directly coupled to a conductor to be switched. 
       
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0008]    The invention will be explained in more detail below with reference to the figures, in which:  
         [0009]    [0009]FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing part of a carrier plate with a relay and plug-in modules,  
         [0010]    [0010]FIG. 2 is a top view showing the carrier plate with plug-in modules and the relay,  
         [0011]    [0011]FIG. 3 is a rear perspective view showing a plug-in module from the rear,  
         [0012]    [0012]FIG. 4 is a bottom perspective view showing a plug-in module with a bridge clamp and an electrical conductor,  
         [0013]    [0013]FIG. 5 is a perspective view showing a plug-in module with a plugged-in bridge clamp and a plugged-in conductor,  
         [0014]    [0014]FIG. 6 is a top view of the plug-in module,  
         [0015]    [0015]FIG. 7 is a cross-sectional view taken along the line C-C of FIG. 6,  
         [0016]    [0016]FIG. 8 is a cross-sectional view taken along the line B-B of FIG. 6,  
         [0017]    [0017]FIG. 9 is a side view of the plug-in module,  
         [0018]    [0018]FIG. 10 is a cross-sectional view taken along the line A-A of FIG. 9, and  
         [0019]    [0019]FIG. 11 is a bottom view of a relay. 
     
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT  
       [0020]    [0020]FIG. 1 shows part of a relay box  1  having a carrier plate  2 . The relay box  1  serves to connect electrical conductors to a relay  4 . The relay box  1  houses a carrier for the relay signal conductors and control conductors which are to be switched. A relay box housing has the carrier plate  2  positioned on an upper side and connected to a side wall  3 . Further side walls and housing parts of the relay box are not explicitly illustrated. The carrier plate  2  has plug openings  6 ,  7 ,  8  for receiving plug contacts of a relay  4 . In each of the plug openings  6 ,  7 ,  8  there is arranged an electrical receptacle contact  59  which is in turn connected to electrical conductors.  
         [0021]    On the left side of the carrier plate are illustrated three relays  4 , plugged into three corresponding plug openings  6 ,  7 ,  8 . The plug openings  6 ,  7 ,  8  are preferably arranged perpendicular to the edge of the carrier plate  2  which is joined to the side wall  3 . In the embodiment described, each relay  4  has four contact pins  58  (FIG. 11). Three of these contact pins  58  are plugged into the plug openings  6 ,  7 ,  8  and hence into the associated receptacle contacts. Three plug openings  6 ,  7 ,  8  are arranged on the carrier plate  2  to receive three respective contact pins  58  of the relay  4 . While the fourth plug opening  9  is located in a plug-in module  5  for receiving a fourth contact pin  58  of the relay  4 . The plug-in module  5  is detachably mounted to the relay box  1 .  
         [0022]    The three plug openings  6 ,  7 ,  8  are arranged near the side wall  3 . The side wall  3  has a mount  12  in the form of a first and a second retaining member  14 ,  15 . The first and second retaining members  14 ,  15  are each constructed in the form of an elongate angled holding strip. The first and the second retaining members  14 ,  15  are angled with respect to each other and project from the side wall  3  at a predetermined spacing, so that two opposing holding edges  48  are formed. The retaining member  15  has a latching cutout  49  for receiving a latching lug on the plug-in module  5 . Between the first and the second retaining members  14 ,  15  the side wall  3  has a cutout  11  which is arranged parallel to and between the first and second retaining members  14 ,  15 . Both the cutout  11  and the first and second retaining members  14 ,  15  are freely accessible from the upper side, so that a plug-in module  5  can be pushed into either the cutout  11  or the mount  12 .  
         [0023]    Provided next to one another on the carrier plate  2  are mounts  12  which are arranged next to one another for receiving a plurality of relays  4 . Because of the advantageous arrangement of the plug contacts in the region of the edge where the carrier plate  2  meets the side wall  3 , a compact arrangement of the relays  4  with the plug-in modules  5  is possible. A relay  4  has all four contact pins  58  (FIG. 11) on an underside and, when a relay  4  is plugged in, these are arranged in the direction of the carrier plate  2 . However, at least one contact pin  58  is arranged next to the carrier plate  2  and is plugged into a fourth plug opening  9  in a plug-in module  5 .  
         [0024]    The plug-in module  5  has a rear side which is secured in the mount  12 . Provided on an upper side of the plug-in module  5  is a fuse mount  50  which serves to hold a fuse  16 . The fuse mount  50  is freely accessible from above the fourth plug opening  9  located between the fuse mount  50  and the rear side of the plug-in module  5 . The fourth plug opening  9  is preferably arranged with the longitudinal side parallel to the rear side of the plug-in module  5 . Similarly, the fuse mount  50  is preferably arranged on the upper side, parallel to the side edge of the rear side of the plug-in module  5 . Because of the preferred arrangement of the fuse mount  50  and the fourth plug opening  9 , a compact structure of the plug-in module  5  is possible with a small surface area on the upper side. Furthermore, the arrangement of the fuse mount  50  on the upper side of the plug-in module  5  offers the advantage that it is easily discernible which fuse  16  belongs with which relay  4 .  
         [0025]    Opposite the upper side, on an underside of the plug-in module  5 , a conductor  10  is connected to the plug-in module  5 . Preferably, the longitudinal side of the fourth plug opening  9  is not arranged parallel to the longitudinal sides of the first, second and third plug openings  6 ,  7 ,  8 , to prevent incorrect insertion of the relay  4 . It goes without saying that the contact pins associated with the plug openings  6 ,  7 ,  8 ,  9  are also arranged in the corresponding orientation. In the embodiment described, the second and third plug openings  7 ,  8  are used to connect control conductors to the relay  4 . The first plug opening  6  and the fourth plug opening  9  are used as terminals for a signal conductor to be switched. The relay  4  serves as a switch which closes or opens the conductor to be switched (completes or opens the circuit) by way of the first and fourth plug openings  6 ,  9 , in dependence on the control signals.  
         [0026]    [0026]FIG. 2 shows a view from above of the carrier plate  2 . A first and a second retaining member  21 ,  22  of the fuse mount  50  are arranged opposite one another at a predetermined spacing. The retaining members  21 ,  22  have on the mutually facing sides latching hooks which hold a fuse  16  firmly after it has been pushed into the fuse mount  50  from above.  
         [0027]    Between the retaining members  21 ,  22  are a fifth and a sixth plug opening  19 ,  20  which are arranged with their longitudinal sides corresponding to the longitudinal side of the fuse mount  50 . The fifth and sixth plug openings  19 ,  20  serve to receive a first and a second fuse contact  17 ,  18  of a fuse  16 . A fuse  16  is pushed from above, with the first and second fuse contacts  17 ,  18  forward, into the fuse mount  50  and the correspondingly associated fifth and sixth plug openings  19 ,  20 . In so doing, the fuse  16  is pushed in far enough for the fuse  16  to be held firmly in a seated position by the first and second retaining members  21 ,  22 .  
         [0028]    Furthermore, the shape, angled in cross-section, of the first and second retaining members  14 ,  15  and the central adjustment of the cutout  11  between the first and second retaining members  14 ,  15  are clearly visible.  
         [0029]    The relays  4  have two diametrically arranged spacers  51  on two opposing side faces. The arrangement of the spacers  51  is selected to ensure correct insertion of the relay  4  into the plug openings of the carrier plate  2  and into the plug opening of the plug-in module  5 . In FIG. 2, a plug opening arrangement  52  used for plugging in a single relay  4  is encircled by a dashed line. For each relay  4 , a corresponding plug opening arrangement  52  is provided, with the plug opening arrangements  52  being arranged next to one another near an edge of the carrier plate  2 .  
         [0030]    [0030]FIG. 3 shows a perspective view of the rear side of the plug-in module  5 . Here, the shape of the first and second retaining members  21 ,  22  can clearly be seen. Each retaining member  21 ,  22  has at the upper end a latching hook  56  for receiving a fuse  16 . The two retaining members  21 ,  22  are surrounded by a protective frame  23 . The protective frame  23  has raised protective elements  54  in the region of the first and second retaining members  21 ,  22  which are extended beyond the retaining members  21 ,  22 . Between the retaining members  21 ,  22 , the protective frame  23  has connection web  53 . The preferred embodiment of the protective frame  23  makes it possible to mount and remove the fuse  16  simply and yet ensures that the retaining members  21 ,  22  are screened, so that inadvertently detaching the fuse  16  or damaging the retaining members  21 ,  22  is prevented.  
         [0031]    Two mutually parallel rails  25  are constructed on the rear side of the plug-in module  5  near the fourth plug opening  9 . The rails  25  run substantially parallel to a longitudinal axis of the plug-in module  5 . The rails  25  serve to guide and orient the plug-in module  5  in the cutout  11 . The position of the rails  25  when a plug-in module  5  is pushed in can clearly be seen in FIG. 2.  
         [0032]    Furthermore, the plug-in module  5  has first and a second rails  26 ,  27  located on the side edges of the rear side facing opposite one another. When the plug-in module  5  is pushed into the mount  12 , the first and second rails  26 ,  27  are pushed into the region delimited by the first and second angled retaining members  14 ,  15 . The lateral spacing between the first and second holding rails  26 ,  27  are matched to the spacing between the first and second retaining members  14 ,  15 . In the upper region, the first and second holding rails  26 ,  27  have a stop wall  30  which lies on the upper side of the first and second retaining members  14 . The position of the stop wall  30  establishes the vertical position of a plug-in module  5  when plugged into the carrier plate  2 . Furthermore, a latching lug  24  which latches into the latching cutout  49  (FIG. 1) is constructed in the top right-hand region of the rear side of the plug-in module  5 . The plug-in module  5  is detached by urging a flexible tab  55  on which the latching lug  24  is formed away from the latching cutout  49 . The flexible tab  55  is connected to the housing of the plug-in module  5  by connection webs  57 .  
         [0033]    [0033]FIG. 4 shows a view of the underside of the plug-in module  5 , with a first and a second holding cutout  28 ,  29  formed by the first and second holding rails  26 ,  27  being clearly visible. When the plug-in module  5  is fixed to the carrier plate  2 , the angled longitudinal edges of the first and second retaining members  14 ,  15  are pushed into the first and second holding cutouts  28 ,  29  respectively. Furthermore, a cable opening  38  for receiving a plug connector  37  is provided on the underside of the plug-in module  5 . An electrical conductor  10  is connected to the plug connector  37 . Furthermore, a first and a second clamp opening  31 ,  32  are provided on the underside for receiving a bridge clamp  33 . The bridge clamp  33  has a first and a second clamping arm  34 ,  36 , being electrically connected to one another by a rear connection plate  35 . The first and second clamp limbs  34 ,  36  and the connection plate  35  are made from an electrically conductive material. The housing of the plug-in module  5  and the relay box  1  are made from an electrically insulating material. The first and second clamp limbs  34 ,  36  each have two opposing double clamps. A latching lug  39  projects from a short transverse side of the connection plate  35 . When the bridge clamp  33  is pushed into the first and second clamp openings  31 ,  32 , the latching lug  39  engages in a latching cutout  40  on the inside of the housing. In this way, the bridge clamp  33  is securing latched. Corresponding fixing means are also constructed on the plug connector  37  and the inner wall of the cable opening  38  in order to connect the plug connector  37  firmly to the plug-in module  5 .  
         [0034]    [0034]FIG. 5 shows the plug-in module  5  with the bridge clamp  33  plugged in and the plugged-in plug connector  37  with the electrical conductor  10 .  
         [0035]    [0035]FIG. 6 shows the upper side of the plug-in module  5  in an enlarged illustration. The first clamping arm  34  of the bridge clamp  33  is illustrated diagrammatically in the fourth plug opening  9 . A contact pin of the relay  4 , which is plugged into the fourth plug opening  9 , is received by the first clamping arm  34  to form an electrical connection. Furthermore, the second clamping arm  36  can be seen diagrammatically in the sixth plug opening  20 . If a fuse with a second fuse contact  18  is pushed into the fuse mount  50 , then the second fuse contact  18  is grasped by the second clamping arm  36  to form an electrical contact between the bridge clamp  33  and the second fuse contact  18 . Furthermore, the plug connector  37  can be seen in the fifth plug opening  19 . When a fuse  16  is plugged in, the plug connector  37  receives the first fuse contact  17  and makes an electrical connection between the conductor  10  and the first fuse contact  17 .  
         [0036]    In FIG. 7, the electrical contact is clearly shown between the electrical conductor  10 , with a conductor  46 , and a first contact  44 . The first contact  44  is arranged in the plug connector  37 . Above the first contact  44  in the housing of the plug-in module  5 , the fifth plug opening  19  is illustrated The first contact  44  comprises two contact arms which are pre-tensioned toward each other and form a funnel-like receiving region corresponding with the fifth plug opening  19 .  
         [0037]    In FIG. 8, the arrangement of the first and second contact arms  34 ,  36  of the bridge clamp  33  can clearly be seen. The first contact arm  34  is associated with the fourth plug opening  9  and the second contact arm  36  is associated with the fifth plug opening  20 .  
         [0038]    In FIG. 10, once again a cross-section through the fifth and sixth plug openings  19 ,  20  is illustrated. Here, it can be seen that the first contact  44  is composed of two opposing spring arms.  
         [0039]    When a plug-in module  5  is plugged onto the carrier plate  2  and a relay is plugged into both the carrier plate  2  and the plug-in module  5 , the conductor  10  to be switched is connected through the fifth plug opening  19 , the fuse  16 , the sixth plug opening  20 , the bridge clamp  33  and the fourth plug opening  9  to a contact pin of the relay  4 . The relay  4  preferably has as the input to the conductor to be switched by a plug contact which is associated with the second plug opening  7 . The first and third plug openings  6 ,  8  are used to feed control signals and preferably a control voltage to the relay.  
         [0040]    [0040]FIG. 11 shows a relay  4  from the underside, with four contact pins  58  which project downwards out of the relay  4 .  
         [0041]    An advantage of the invention consists in setting at least one electrical terminal of a relay outside a carrier plate. The missing electrical terminal is constructed on a plug-in module  5  which is detachably connected to the carrier plate  2 .