Abstract:
A device or connection adapter having a base part, in which contact-making units with connection contacts are accommodated for making electrical contact with busbars of a busbar system, and having a holding apparatus for detachably fixing the device adapter with respect to the busbar system. Given a simple design and simple operation, variable coupling options are provided if the holding apparatus has different, modular connections and clamping feet, at least some of which can be fitted detachably to the base part, in order to mechanically fix the device adapter either to a supporting apparatus of the busbar system or directly to at least one busbar.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
       [0001]     1. Field of the Invention  
         [0002]     This invention relates to a device or connector adapter, having a base element, in which contacting units with contacts for making electrical contact with bus bars of a bus bar system are received, and having a holding device for releasable fixation in place of the device adapter with respect of the bus bar system, as well as the use of the adapter.  
         [0003]     2. Discussion of Related Art  
         [0004]     Device or connector adapters have been known in various designs, such as in connection with bus bar systems with mounting units, such as shown in German Patent References DE 103 00 723 A1, DE 93 06 013 U1 and DE 100 61 939 A1, where the connector and/or snap-in elements are formed in one piece on the bus bar holders, on the platform of the mounting unit and on the device or connector adapters and are only used for mechanically connecting mounting units and device or connector adapters matched to each other. This considerably narrows the range of employment of the adapters. For example, an installed system with a mounting unit laid out in a defined manner cannot be connected to different device or connector adapters.  
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
       [0005]     It is one object of this invention to provide a device or connector adapter with increased application and variation range, and to disclose an advantageous employment possibility.  
         [0006]     This object is attained by a device or connector adapter having characteristics discussed in the specification and the claims. The holding device has various module-like connecting devices and clamping feet which can be attached, at least in part releasably, on the base element, in order to mechanically fix the device adapter in place, selectively on a support device of the bus bar system, or directly on at least one bus bar.  
         [0007]     It is thus possible, along with a simple mounting and simple operation, to mechanically connect the adapter having the same base element and simple-to-connect different connecting elements selectively directly with the bus bars, or with a platform receiving the bus bars, wherein a dependable electrical contact is assured.  
         [0008]     One advantage of this invention results from the use of such a device or connector adapter in connection with a bus bar system with a mounting unit, which contains several spaced-apart bus bars in insulated bus bar holders, or an insulating platform.  
         [0009]     In one embodiment of the adapter, a portion of the connecting device is attached on a narrow side of the elongated and approximately cube-shaped base element, and a further portion of the connecting device is attached on the oppositely located side of the base element, and the connecting device on at least one narrow side has snap-in elements. The connecting device being matched to each other on the two narrow sides of the adapter result in simple manipulation during attachment and a dependable connection.  
         [0010]     For a connection, for example on the edges of a trough-shaped receptacle of the platform, the oppositely located connecting device on both narrow sides of the device adapter has connecting sections which are facing each other or away from each other.  
         [0011]     Furthermore, in case of different utilization, steps are advantageous for the mounting and operation, wherein the connection device on at least one narrow side of the device adapter is attached to a attachment piece which is or can be releasably connected with the base element.  
         [0012]     In this embodiment, for example, in the connected state the at least one attachment piece is snapped together, plugged together and/or screwed together with the base element.  
         [0013]     For mounting and manipulating, those steps can be advantageous wherein, on a narrow side of the device adapter, the connecting device is connected in one piece with the base element via a narrow side section formed thereon.  
         [0014]     For simple fixation in place on at least one bus bar, the at least one clamping leg in a hook shape is or can be releasably attached for extending behind the associated bus bar, or a section of the same, at the appropriate underside of the base element.  
         [0015]     In this case, the connection of the clamping leg can occur in a simple way because the at least one clamping leg is snapped, screwed and/or plugged into a wall attachment formed on the underside of the base element.  
         [0016]     A further advantage can be achieved if the wall attachment laterally borders a bus bar receptacle on the underside of the base element.  
         [0017]     Those measures contribute to a dependable fixation in place of the adapter on bus bars wherein, for the lateral delimitation of a side of a bus bar to be assigned which is located opposite a side facing the wall attachment, a locking element, which is seated in the base element and which can be displaced or pivoted perpendicularly with respect to the underside of the base element, projects into at least one bus bar receptacle.  
         [0018]     Mounting and operation can be favored if the locking element can be removed.  
         [0019]     The mechanical fixation in place, as well as the provision of electrical contacts at the bus bars, can be aided if the contacts are resiliently supported in the base element for making an electrical contact with the bus bars.  
         [0020]     For the rapid and simple establishment of the mechanical connection when using the adapter, the connecting elements of the device or connector adapters, which are embodied as snap-in elements, can be cushioned in the device or connector adapter and can be adjusted in a limited way parallel with the fastening surface of the mounting unit and perpendicular in relation to the bus bars. The snap-in elements of the device or connector adapter, which are provided with a snap-in ramp and a snap-in tip, snap into a snap-in receptacle of the platform of the mounting unit or snap-in receptacle of the bus bar holder when the device or connector adapter is placed on the mounting unit. 
     
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0021]     This invention is explained in view of exemplary embodiments represented in the drawing, wherein:  
         [0022]      FIG. 1  is a lateral view of a bus bar system including a mounting unit with a platform and a connection adapter placed on top of the platform and maintained thereon;  
         [0023]      FIG. 2  is a lateral view of a bus bar system in accordance with  FIG. 1 , wherein the connection adapter is maintained on bus bars;  
         [0024]      FIG. 2A  is a partial enlarged view of the bus bar system in accordance with  FIG. 2 , with a modified locking element and the fixation of the adapter on a bus bar, as well as an attachment on a platform on one side;  
         [0025]      FIG. 3  is a top view of the connection adapter in accordance with  FIG. 1 ;  
         [0026]      FIGS. 4A, 4B  and  4 C each shows a different perspective view of two differently designed adapters in different exploded views; and  
         [0027]      FIG. 5  shows an assembled state of each of two differently assembled adapters in accordance with  FIGS. 4A  to  4 C. 
     
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION  
       [0028]     As the exemplary embodiment of  FIG. 1  shows, three spaced-apart bus bars  20  are fixed in place in an insulated manner. In this case, the platform  11  can have a sort of a trough  9  and can extend over an entire length of the bus bars  20 . The platform  11  can also be equipped with several insulating bus bar holders  8  arranged on the trough  9 , or can be replaced by several insulating bus bars, which are spaced apart from each other in the longitudinal direction of the bus bars  20 . Connecting elements  14  and  16  are attached to the sides of the trough, or platform  11 , which extend parallel with the bus bars  20  wherein, facing the device adapter  30 , the connecting elements  14  and  16  terminate in plug elements in the form of holding sections  15  and  17 , which for example are oriented toward the outside parallel with the fastening surface of the trough  9 . In this case, the fixation on a support is provided, for example, via fastening flanges  18  of the connection elements  16 . In a similar way, the holding sections  15  and  17  can also be formed by outwardly angled end sections of the narrow trough edges. In accordance with  FIG. 1 , the fastening of the device adapter  30  is provided at the holding sections  15 ,  17  on the one side by a hook-like connecting element  40 , and on the other side by a releasable connector or connecting means  50  which, for example, can be snapped in and has a snap-in projection  51  on an attachment piece  35  on the appropriate narrow side of the device adapter  30 , as  FIGS. 1 and 3  show.  
         [0029]     In the present case, a foot  21  of the bus bars  20  is inserted into receptacles  12  of the bus bar holders  8  or of the platform  11 , wherein filler pieces  13  fill up the receptacles, and cover plates  19  fix the feet  21  and the filler pieces  13  in place. The bus bars  20  project outward by sections  22  and  23  in an L-shape at the top of the mounting unit  10 . On the side facing the mounting unit  10 , the device or connector adapter  30  has three bus bar receptacles  31 , into which the electrical contact elements  32  project. The wall attachments  33  divide the bus bar receptacles  31  and can have removable clamping feet  36 , such as shown in  FIG. 2 , which extend behind the end sections  23  of the bus bars  20 . The clamping feet  36  can be snapped into place in the device or connector adapter  30 . In this case, a spring-loaded locking element  37  can project into at least one bus bar receptacle  31 , besides the contact element  32 , as shown in  FIGS. 2, 2A  and  3 . The locking element  37  is placed behind the transition from the end section  23  to the section  22  of the bus bar  20  and assures that the device or connector adapter  30  is maintained on the mounting unit  10  even if no lock or locking means  51 , such as for example the connecting device or connecting means  50 , are provided for securing on the platform  11  or the bus bar holders  8 . If a locking means for securing on the platform  11  is provided, the additional locking element  37  can be omitted, as shown in  FIG. 1 . Flat bus bars can also be used.  
         [0030]     As the left side of  FIGS. 1 and 2  and the enlarged partial view in accordance with  FIG. 2A  show, following the plug-in movement the plug elements  15  and  17  of the connecting elements  14  and  16  are introduced into the connecting element  40  at the device or connector adapter  30  and a mechanical connection between the mounting element  10  and the device or connector adapter  30  is achieved. In this case, the connecting element  40  can be attached fixedly, or releasably and exchangeably, to the narrow side end  34  of the device or connector adapter  30 . This mechanical connection assures that the device or connector adapter  30  is securely fixed in place with respect to the fastening surface of the mounting unit  10 .  
         [0031]     As shown in  FIGS. 1 and 3 , the narrow side end of the device or connector adapter  30  located opposite the narrow side, or the narrow side section  34  with the connecting element  40 , supports the attachment piece  35 . As a connector or connecting means, the attachment piece  35  has a snap-in element  50  with a snap-in ramp for deflection during placement, and a snap-in projection  51  for holding in the inserted state. The snap-in element  50  is resiliently seated in the attachment piece  35  and can be displaced in a limited way substantially parallel with respect to the fastening surface of the mounting unit  10  and perpendicularly with respect to the long sides of the bus bars  20 . If the connecting element  40  is placed or hooked on the flange-like holding sections  15  and  17  of the mounting unit  10  by a sideward movement, it is then possible by a pivot movement to deflect the snap-in element  50  on the opposite side over the snap-in element  50  in such a way that the snap-in tip, or snap-in projection  51 , is moved sideways and thereafter the associated holding section  17  is grasped from behind. In that case, the mechanical connection between the device or connector adapter  30  and the mounting unit  10  is assured in a simple manner. It can only be released by setting the snap-in element  50  back.  
         [0032]     It still remains that a multitude of embodiment variations regarding the details of the connecting and/or snap-in elements can exist, as well as the releasable and interchangeable connection with the bus bar holders, the mounting unit and the device of connector adapters.  
         [0033]     If as shown in  FIGS. 2 and 2 A, at least one clamping foot  36  is installed, and at least one adjustable locking element  37  is provided, it can be securely fixed in place on bus bars  20  without the connecting and/or snap-in elements  40 ,  50  being installed. This results in variable employment possibilities.  
         [0034]      FIGS. 4A, 4B  and  4 C show two device adapters  30  embodied in different ways, having connector or connecting means  40 ,  50  and clamping feet  36 , in various exploded views, always with the same base element  31 , in a perspective view.  FIG. 5  shows the two embodiments of the device adapter  30  in the assembled state, also in a perspective view.  
         [0035]     The variations of the device adapter  30 , which can only be fixed in place on the platform  11 , such as with the holding sections  15 ,  17  which are outwardly angled on both sides, are here represented in the partial representations a), while the embodiment variations of the device adapter  30  which can be fixed in place on the bus bars  20  are shown in the partial representations b). As  FIGS. 4A and 4B  show, in particular, the connecting means equipped with the snap-in elements  50  are formed on the attachment piece  35  at its lower section facing the platform, wherein the snap-in element  50  with the snap-in projection  51  is inserted as a separate element into the slit-shaped cutout of the attachment piece  35  and is resiliently seated therein for lateral displacement parallel with the level of the platform  11  for producing and releasing the snap-in connection. In its upper section facing the respective narrow side of the base element  39 , the attachment piece  35  has lateral plug-in pegs  38 , which can be plugged into matched openings in the area of or near the longitudinal side elements of the base element  39  and fixed in place therein, for example snapped in. The narrow side section  34  on the opposite side of the base element  39  is formed as one piece with it and has on an underside the connecting element  40 , also formed on it, with the hook-like plug-in receptacle  41  for the holding section  15 ,  16  matched to it. For connecting the device adapter  30  thus equipped on the platform  11 , first the connecting element  40  is suspended on the respective holding section  15 ,  17  by a displacement movement in the direction of the level of the platform, and then the snap-in connection is provided on the opposite narrow side of the device adapter  30  at the appropriate holding section  15 ,  17  by a pivot movement, wherein the snap-in element  50  is pushed back against the spring force by the snap-in ramp on the snap-in projection  51 , and then snaps into the snapped-in position under the spring force by extending it behind the holding section  15 ,  17 .  
         [0036]     Longitudinally extending receptacles for contact springs  72  are formed in the base element  39 , which are connected with suitable conductors in connecting pieces  71  and together form a contacting unit  70 . In this case, the connecting pieces  71  are received in matched recesses of the narrow side section  34 , as shown in  FIG. 4A  and in  FIG. 4B , as well as  FIG. 4C . A set-up plate  60  is attached to the top of the base element  39 , for which purpose snap-in springs  62  and snap-in hooks are formed on the underside of the set-up plate  60 , which engage matching openings in the top of the base element  39 . Further snap-in hooks  63  are designed so that they work together with the attachment piece  35 . Helical springs on the underside of the set-up plate  60  are supported on the contact elements  32  of the contact springs  72 , so that a dependable contact is provided on the bus bars  20  and during this the mechanical connection possibly made there is also aided. Further connectors or connecting means for receiving devices can be attached to the top of the set-up plate  60  or to strips laterally bordering it.  
         [0037]     In connection with the variation of the device adapter  30  designed for attachment to the bus bars  20  in accordance with the partial representations b), the attachment piece  35  is not provided, which is also shown in  FIG. 2 . Instead, a cover plate  62  is formed, or removably attached, on the set-up plate  60  which, in place of the attachment pieces  35 , forms a simple closure on the narrow side of the device adapter  30 . This embodiment has the clamping feet  36  for fixation on the bus bars  20 , which are releasably attached to the wall attachments  33  on the underside of the base element  39 , for example snapped in, plugged in or screwed on. The clamping feet  36  can have inserted reinforcement elements. Fixation in place on the bus bars  20  is also reinforced by the helical springs on the contact elements  32  at the contact springs  72 . The wall attachments  33  form lateral borders for received bus bars  20 . At least one bus bar  20  is secured on its longitudinal side located opposite the wall attachment  33  by a locking element  37 , which is seated, perpendicularly displaceable or pivotable in regard to the underside of the base element  39 , and is pressed outward by a spring force. The locking element  37  has various settings for different widths of bus bars and can be displaced inward against the spring force by a handle  37 . 1  in the top of the narrow side section  34  by a pivot movement or a displacement movement parallel with the longitudinal orientation of the base element  30  via a snap-in ramp in order to unlock the adapter  30 . The locking element  37  and, if required also the handle  37 . 1 , can be taken out of the base element, or introduced into it as separate parts.