Patent Publication Number: US-10312606-B1

Title: Cable fastening terminal block

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     Field of the Invention 
     The present invention is related to a terminal block, and in particular to a cable fastening terminal block. 
     Description of Related Art 
     A traditional cable fastening terminal block mainly utilizes a screw and a terminal slab to jointly clamp and fasten a cable, followed by using one end of the terminal slab to electrically connect with a circuit and another end thereof electrically connected to other electronic component parts in order to achieve the effect of electrical connection between the circuit and other electronic component parts. 
     However, the aforementioned cable fastening terminal block is found to have the following drawbacks. Since the shape of the terminal slab is a thin slab, during the process of using a screw to fasten the cable, the terminal slab can cause the contact surface between the circuit and the terminal slab to be too small due to the relatively thin thickness of the terminal block. Consequently, the cable is likely to be cut by the terminal such that bending or rupture of cable may occur, leading to the increase of improper electrical connection between the circuit and the terminal slab. 
     In view of above, the inventor seeks to overcome the aforementioned drawbacks associated with the currently existing technology after years of research and development along with the utilization of academic theories, which is also the objective of the development of the present invention. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention provides a cable fastening terminal block, which utilizes a top end of a terminal slab and a guiding extension piece extended therefrom in order to increase the contact area between the cable and the terminal slab; therefore, the proper electrical connection between the cable and the terminal slab. 
     In an exemplary embodiment of the present invention, the present invention provides a cable fastening terminal block, used for at least one cable, and the cable fastening terminal block, comprising: a base having at least one opening hole and at least one through hole formed thereon from an external toward an internal thereof, arranged alternating from each other and connected to each other; at least one fastening terminal member received inside the base and arranged corresponding to the opening hole and the through hole; the fastening terminal member having a terminal slab, and a top end of the terminal slab having an engagement portion extended along the opening hole in an axial direction thereof and a guiding extension piece extended along the through hole in an axial direction thereof; the cable penetrating through the through hole and placed on the guiding extension piece: and at least one screw penetrating through the opening hole and engaged with the engagement portion; the screw and the guiding extension piece jointly clamp the cable thereon. 
     In view of the above, the top end of the terminal slab includes the guiding extension piece extended therefrom such that the contact area between the cable and the terminal slab is increased. Consequently, it can overcome the drawback of bending or rupture of the cable due to the cutting by the terminal caused by the overly thin thickness of the terminal slab. As a result, the proper electrical connection between the cable and the terminal slab can be enhanced in order to allow the cable fastening terminal block to have a stable electrical connection capability. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWING 
         FIG. 1  is perspective view of the cable fastening terminal block of the present invention; 
         FIG. 2  is a perspective exploded view of the cable fastening terminal block of the present invention; 
         FIG. 3  is a first state of use schematic view of the cable fastening terminal block of the present invention; 
         FIG. 4  is a first cross sectional view of the cable fastening terminal block of the present invention; 
         FIG. 5  is a second state of use schematic view of use the cable fastening terminal block of the present invention; 
         FIG. 6  is a second cross sectional view of the cable fastening terminal block of the present invention; and 
         FIG. 7  is a third cross sectional view of the cable fastening terminal block of the present invention. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
     The following provides a detailed technical content of the present invention along with the accompanied drawings. However, the accompanied drawings are provided for reference and illustrative purpose only such that they shall not be used to limit the scope of the present invention. 
     Please refer to  FIG. 1  to  FIG. 7 . The present invention provides a cable fastening terminal block, used for one or a plurality of cables  100 . The cable fastening terminal block  10  mainly comprises a base  1 , one or a plurality of fastening terminal members  2  and one or a plurality of screws  3 . 
     As shown in  FIG. 2  to  FIG. 7 , the base  1  includes one or a plurality of opening holes  11  and one or a plurality of through holes  12  formed thereon from an external toward an internal thereof, arranged alternating from each other and connected with each other. In addition, the quantities of the opening hole  11 , through hole  12 , fastening terminal member  2  and screw  3  are the identical with each other. In addition, in this exemplary embodiment, the quantities of the opening hole  11 , through hole  12 , fastening terminal member  2  and screw  3  are plural; however, the present invention is not limited to such configuration only. 
     The following provides further details. The base  1  includes a top surface  13 , a plurality of side surfaces  14  and a bottom surface  15 . Each opening hole  11  is formed on the top surface  13 , and each through hole  12  is formed on one of the plurality of side surfaces  14 . 
     In addition, an inner wall of each opening hole  11  includes two protrusions  111  extended therefrom, an inner side of each of the two protrusions  111  includes a first inner threaded portion  112 , and an inner wall of each opening hole  11  further includes two locking slots  113 . 
     As shown in  FIG. 1  to  FIG. 7 , each fastening terminal member  2  is received inside the base  1  and is arranged corresponding to the opening hole  11  and the through hole  12 . Each fastening terminal member  2  includes a terminal slab  21 . A top end  221  of each terminal slab  21  includes an engagement portion  22  extended along each opening hole  11  in an axial direction thereof and a guiding extension piece  23  extended along each through hole in an axial direction thereof. Each guiding extension piece  23  includes a concave inner surface  231 . Each cable  100  penetrates into each through hole  12  and is placed on each guiding extension piece  23 . Each concave inner surface  231  uses its shape to cooperate with the cable  100  in order to be more firmly attached onto each cable  100 . 
     The following provides further details. Each engagement portion  22  includes two engagement shafts  221  extended from the top end  211  of the terminal slab  21  and penetrated into the opening hole  11 . Each of the two engagement shafts  221  is arranged on two sides of each guiding extension piece  23 , and each of the two protrusions  111  is arranged on two sides of each of the two engagement shafts  221 . An inner side of each of the two engagement shafts  221  is formed of a first second inner threaded portion  222 ; therefore, each first inner threaded portion  112  and each second inner threaded portion  222  can jointly form a complete spiral inner threaded portion. 
     In addition, each engagement portion  22  penetrates into each opening hole  11 , and each guiding extension piece  23  is formed to extend in a direction away from each through hole. In addition, each terminal slab  21  is of a T-shape such that each terminal slab  21  and each of the two engagement shafts  221  jointly form a Y-shape. However, the present invention is not limited to such configuration only. 
     Furthermore, an outer side of each of the two engagement shafts  221  includes two locking pins  223  extended therefrom and locked onto each of the two locking slots  113  in order to allow each engagement portion  22  to be firmly penetrated into each opening hole  11 . 
     Moreover, an inner side of each of the two engagement shafts  221  includes two protruding points  224  extended therefrom and arranged underneath each first inner threaded portion  222 . In addition, a bottom end of each terminal slab  21  includes a protruding leg  212 , and each protruding leg  212  protrudes outward and is exposed at the bottom surface  15 . The protruding leg  212  is used for electrical connection with other electronic component parts. 
     As shown in  FIG. 2  to  FIG. 7 , each screw  3  includes an outer threaded portion  31  engaged with each first inner threaded portion  112  and each second inner threaded portion  222  in order to allow each screw  3  to penetrate into each opening hole  11  and to be engaged with each engagement portion  22 . Each screw  3  and each guiding extension piece  23  jointly clamp each cable  100  thereon. Furthermore, each screw  3  can be blocked and limited by each one of the two protruding points  224  in order to prevent the depth of the screw  3  engaged with the engagement portion  22  to be too great such that the cable  100  may be overly compressed. 
     As shown in  FIG. 3  to  FIG. 7 , in exemplary states of use of the cable fastening terminal block  10  of the present invention, it utilizes the top end  211  of the terminal slab  21  having the guiding extension piece  23  extended therefrom. First, the cable  100  is used to penetrate into the through hole  12  and is placed on the guiding extension piece  23 . Next, the screw  3  is rotated in order to allow the screw  3  to penetrate into the opening hole  11  and to be engaged with the engagement portion  22  until the screw  3  and the guiding extension piece  23  jointly clamp the cable  100  thereon. Consequently, the cable  100  can be firmly attached onto the terminal slab  21  in order to achieve the effect of electrical connection. 
     Furthermore, the top end  211  of the terminal slab  21  includes the guiding extension piece  23  extended therefrom; therefore, the contact area between the cable  100  and the terminal slab  21  is increased in order to prevent the condition of bending or rupture of the cable  100  due to the cutting by the terminal slab  21  caused by the overly thin thickness of the terminal slab  21 . Consequently, the proper electrical connection between the cable  100  and the terminal slab  21  can be enhanced; thereby allowing the cable fastening terminal block  10  to have a stable electrical connection capability. 
     In addition, only small amount of component parts of the base  1 , fastening terminal member  2  and screw  3  are required for the fastening operation of the cable  100 ; therefore, the objectives of material saving and cost reduction can be achieved. 
     Moreover, the screw  3  is engaged with the engagement portion  22  such that the cable  100  can be fastened (press-fit) tightly. In addition, since the contact area between the cable  100  and the terminal slab  21  is large, the clamping of the cable  100  by the screw  3  and the terminal slab  21  would not generate any bending or rupture of the cable such that the issue of damages of the cable  100  can be prevented and the effect of proper cable fastening can be enhanced. 
     In view of the above, the cable fastening terminal block of the present invention can achieve the expected objectives and overcome the drawbacks of known arts. In addition, the above describes the preferable and feasible exemplary embodiments of the present invention for illustrative purposes only, which shall not be treated as limitations of the scope of the present invention. Any equivalent changes and modifications made in accordance with the scope of the claims of the present invention shall be considered to be within the scope of the claim of the present invention.