Patent Publication Number: US-10333232-B2

Title: Wire connection terminal device

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     1. Field of the Invention 
     The present invention relates generally to the structural design of a wire connection terminal device, and more particularly to a terminal device for a conductive wire to plug therein. The terminal has a pressing/moving unit. The pressing/moving unit can freely rotate or swing within a chamber of the main body of the terminal. A metal leaf spring is disposed in the chamber of the main body for pressing and electrically connecting with the conductive wire. The metal leaf spring is responsive to the motion of the pressing/moving unit to release the conductive wire from the pressing of the metal leaf spring. 
     2. Description of the Related Art 
     A conventional terminal device or wire-pressing terminal has an insulation case (generally made of plastic material) and a metal leaf spring mounted in the insulation case to press and electrically connect with a conductive wire plugged in the insulation case. A tool can be inserted into the insulation case to press and move the metal leaf spring so as to release the conductive wire. 
     Basically, the metal leaf spring of such kind of connection terminal is assembled with a slenderer or narrower terminal pin in a symmetrical form for plugging on a circuit board (such as a PCB, not shown) and electrically connecting with the circuit board. 
     With respect to such kind of terminal device, it is necessary to operate a tool to electrically disconnect the metal leaf spring from the conductive wire. This is quite inconvenient. In order to eliminate this shortcoming, an improved terminal device has been disclosed. The improved terminal device has a shift member or drive member disposed on the insulation case for controlling the metal leaf spring to press and electrically connect with the conductive wire plugged into the case or release the conductive wire. 
     Please refer to  FIG. 1 , which shows a conventional connection terminal equipped with the shift member. Such kind of terminal device can be plugged on a circuit board (such as a PCB, not shown). The connection terminal includes an insulation case  10  and a shift member  20  mounted on the case  10 . The case  10  has a perforation or a wire inlet  12  for a conductive wire  50  to plug into the case  10 . The case  10  defines a chamber  11  in which a metal leaf spring  30  is mounted. By means of operating the shift member  20 , the metal leaf spring  30  is controlled to contact or electrically connect with the conductive wire  50  plugged into the case  10 . 
     To speak more specifically, the metal leaf spring  30  includes ahead end  31  inserted on a hole  21  of the shift member  20 . After the conductive wire  50  is plugged into the case  10 , the head end  31  of the metal leaf spring  30  will bite the conductive wire  50  and prevent the conductive wire  50  from easily detaching from the metal leaf spring  30  or the case  10 . Only when an operator pushes down the shift member  20  to drive the head end  31  of the metal leaf spring  30 , the conductive wire  50  is released from the pressing of the metal leaf spring  30 . 
     However, as well known by those who are skilled in this field, the above conventional connection terminal has a relatively complicated structure that the shift member  20  is formed with the hole  21  on which the head end  31  of the metal leaf spring  30  is inserted. Also, it is more troublesome to assemble these components. In addition, the volume of the shift member  20  must be enlarged so that the handle  22  can protrude out of the case  10  for an operator to operate. This will increase the possibility of mis-touch of the operator to the shift member  20 . Moreover, with respect to the above conventional connection terminal, it is necessary to reserve a larger operational space around the connection terminal to allow the operation and motion of the shift member  20 . This will more limit the arrangement of the environmental equipment in the working site. This is not what we expect. 
       FIG. 2  shows a connection terminal equipped with a drive member  25  to minimize the operational and motional space of the conventional shift member  20  or increase the arrangement space of the environmental equipment in the working site. The connection terminal has a case  10  defining a chamber  11 . The chamber  11  is formed with a longitudinal cavity  13  in which the drive member  25  is mounted. The drive member  25  is allowed to reciprocally move along the cavity  13 . 
     When the drive member  25  pressed down the head end  31  of the metal leaf spring  30 , the conductive wire  50  is allowed to plug into the case  10  from the wire inlet  12 . After the down pressing force of the drive member  25  disappears, the head end  31  of the metal leaf spring  30  will bite the conductive wire  50  and electrically connect therewith. Only when an operator presses down the drive member  25  again to push away the head end  31  of the metal leaf spring  30 , the conductive wire  50  is released from the pressing of the metal leaf spring  30 . 
     It should be noted that the drive member  25  must have sufficient operational travel so as to truly control and drive the metal leaf spring  30  to press or release the conductive wire  50 . Therefore, the above connection terminal must be structurally designed with a case  10  with enlarged volume so that the cavity  13  can provide larger longitudinal operational travel range. However, this is unbeneficial to the structural design of the connection terminal. Also, the drive member  25  has the structural form that protrudes from the case  10  in normal state. This increases the possibility of mis-touch of the operator to the drive member  25 . 
     Please now refer to  FIG. 3 , which shows a conventional connection terminal employs a push member  29  in cooperation with an α-shaped metal leaf spring  30 . This connection terminal improves the shortcoming of mis-touch of the operator. The case  10  is formed with a transverse slot  14 , whereby the push member  29  can transversely move along the slot  14  to push/press the metal leaf spring  30  and expose the opening  32  of the metal leaf spring  30 . Under such circumstance, the conductive wire  50  can be plugged into the case  10  and the opening  32  from the wire inlet  12 . 
     After the push member  29  restores to its home position, the head end  31  of the metal leaf spring  30  cooperates with the opening  32  to bite the conductive wire  50  and electrically connect therewith. Only when an operator again operates the push member  29  to transversely move along the slot  14  to push away the head end  31  of the metal leaf spring  30  and expose the opening  32 , the conductive wire  50  is released from the pressing of the metal leaf spring  30 . 
     It should be noted that the push member  29  must have sufficient operational travel so as to truly control and drive the metal leaf spring  30  to press or release the conductive wire  50 . Therefore, the above connection terminal also must be structurally designed with a case  10  with enlarged volume so that the slot  14  can provide larger transverse operational travel range. Moreover, the moving direction of the push member  29  along the slot  14  is different from the down pressing direction of the metal leaf spring  30 , (that is, the force is not applied in such a direction as to directly press down the metal leaf spring  30 ). Therefore, it is laborious to operate the push member  29 . 
     With respect to the structural design and application of such kind of terminal devices, all the above terminal devices have the shortcoming that the structural design is not ideal. For example, the handle  22  of the shift member  20  or the drive member  25  protrudes out of the case  10  so that the possibility of mis-touch of the operator is increased or the arrangement space of the environmental equipment in the working site is affected. Also, the volume of the case  10  must be enlarged so that the drive member  25  or the push member  29  can have sufficient operational travel. In addition, it is laborious to operate the push member  29 . 
     To speak representatively, the conventional connection terminals or terminal devices and the shift member (or drive member and push member) and the metal leaf spring have some shortcomings in design of the relevant assembling structures. To overcome the above shortcomings, it is necessary to redesign the assembling structures of the terminal devices and the shift member (or drive member and push member) and the metal leaf spring so as to change the structure and the use form of the terminal devices and widen the application range thereof as well as enhance the convenience in operation of the terminal devices. 
     In order to overcome or improve the above shortcomings of the structural form of the conventional terminal devices, the present invention provides a wire connection terminal device having several advantages in design. For example, in the condition that as a whole, the terminal device can keep securely pressing the conductive wire, the terminal device includes a pressing/moving unit. The force application direction of the pressing/moving unit is identical to the down pressing direction of the metal leaf spring so as to improve the shortcoming of the conventional terminal device that it is laborious to operate the push member. Also, in the condition that the volume of the case is not increased, the operational travel range of the pressing/moving unit is as minimized as possible. This improves the shortcomings of the conventional terminal device that the arrangement space of the environmental equipment in the working site is affected and the handle  22  of the shift member  20  or the drive member  25  protrudes out of the case  10  to cause mis-touch of the operator. All these are not substantially taught, suggested or disclosed in the above conventional terminal devices. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     It is therefore a primary object of the present invention to provide a wire connection terminal device including a main body and a pressing/moving unit assembled with the main body. The pressing/moving unit has a shafted section, a cam section connected with the shafted section and a force application section formed on the cam section and a press section formed on the cam section. The cam section can freely rotate or swing within a chamber defined by the main body. A metal leaf spring is disposed in the chamber of the main body for pressing and electrically connecting with a conductive wire. The metal leaf spring is responsive to the motion of the pressing/moving unit to release the conductive wire. The wire connection terminal device improves the shortcomings of the conventional structure that the volume of the case and the operational space are larger and the motional travel is longer. 
     In the above wire connection terminal device, the shafted section of the pressing/moving unit is formed with a shaft hole pivotally connected on the shaft post of the main body, whereby the shaft post serves as a fulcrum or rotational center or swinging center for the pressing/moving unit to rotate or swing around the shaft post. In addition, the down pressing motional direction of the press section is identical to the motional direction of the metal leaf spring so that the metal leaf spring can be directly pressed and moved. Moreover, the distance between the force application section and the shafted section is smaller than the distance between the press section and the shafted section, whereby the operational travel of the pressing/moving unit is as minimized as possible. 
     The present invention can be best understood through the following description and accompanying drawings, wherein: 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         FIG. 1  is a structural plane view of a conventional terminal device, showing that the shift member is assembled with the case, the metal leaf spring and the conductive wire and the shift member is operated; 
         FIG. 2  is a structural plane view of another conventional terminal device, showing that the drive member is assembled with the case, the metal leaf spring and the conductive wire and the drive member is operated; 
         FIG. 3  is a structural plane view of still another conventional terminal device, showing that the push member is assembled with the case, the metal leaf spring and the conductive wire and the push member is operated; 
         FIG. 4  is a structural perspective view of the present invention, showing that the case, the pressing/moving unit and the metal leaf spring are cooperatively assembled with each other; 
         FIG. 5  is a structural perspective view of the present invention seen from another angle, showing that the case, the pressing/moving unit, the metal leaf spring and the terminal pin component are assembled with each other; 
         FIG. 6  is a perspective exploded view of the present invention, showing that the case, the pressing/moving unit, the metal leaf spring and the terminal pin component are assembled with each other; 
         FIG. 7  is a structural plane view of the present invention, showing that the case, the pressing/moving unit, the metal leaf spring and the terminal pin component are cooperatively assembled with each other; 
         FIG. 8  is a structural plane view of the present invention, showing the operation of the present invention, in which the conductive wire is plugged into the case and the pressing/moving unit, the metal leaf spring and the terminal pin component are cooperatively assembled with each other; and 
         FIG. 9  is another structural plane view of the present invention, showing the operation of the present invention, in which the press section pushes/presses the metal leaf spring to release the conductive wire from the pressing of the metal leaf spring and the conductive wire is allowed to be extracted out of the case. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
     Please refer to  FIGS. 4, 5 and 6 . The wire connection terminal device of the present invention includes a main body  40  made of insulation material and a pressing/moving unit  60  assembled with the main body  40 . The main body  40  defines a chamber  41 . A metal leaf spring  70  and a terminal pin component  80  are mounted in the chamber  41 . The terminal pin component  80  is plugged on a circuit board (such as a PCB, not shown). The main body  40  includes a wire inlet  42  in communication with the chamber  41  and a recessed section  42   a  formed on the wire inlet  42 . The recessed section  42   a  serves to help in guiding a conductive wire  50  to plug through the wire inlet  42  into the chamber  41 . After plugged into the chamber  41 , the conductive wire  50  is pressed by the metal leaf spring  70  and electrically connected with the terminal pin component  80 . 
     The upper section, upper side, lower section, lower side or bottom section mentioned hereinafter are referred to with the direction of the drawings as the reference direction. 
     In this embodiment, the metal leaf spring  70  is responsive to the motion of the pressing/moving unit  60  to release the conductive wire  50 . To speak more specifically, the pressing/moving unit  60  has a shafted section  61 , a cam section  62  connected with the shafted section  61  and a force application section  63  formed on the cam section  62  and a press section  64  formed on the cam section  62 . 
     As shown in the drawings, the shafted section  61  is formed with a shaft hole  65  pivotally connected on a shaft post  43  of the main body  40  (or the chamber  41 ). Accordingly, the cam section  62  can freely rotate or swing within the chamber  41  of the main body  40 . The force application section  63  protrudes from an upper section of the cam section  62  to form two stepped structures. In addition, the force application section  63  and the cam section  62  together define a cavity  66 . A base board  67  is formed on one side of the cam section  62  (or one of the stepped structures). One end of the base board  67  protrudes from the base board  67  to form the press section  64 . 
     In this embodiment, as shown in the drawings, the upper section of the main body  40  is formed with a socket  44  and an insertion section  45  for detachably assembling with a cover  55 . Corresponding to the socket  44  and the insertion section  45 , the cover  55  is formed with an insertion block  56 , an insertion portion  57  and a shoulder section  58  formed at a rear end of the insertion portion  57 . Accordingly, when the insertion block  56  and the shoulder section  58  are respectively mounted into the socket  44  and the insertion section  45  of the main body  40 , the insertion portion  57  of the cover  55  is received in the cavity  66  of the pressing/moving unit  60 . 
     In a preferred embodiment, the main body  40  is formed with a stopper section  48  in adjacency to the shaft post  43 . The stopper section  48  is a block body structure, which can cooperate with the base board  67  to hinder the pressing/moving unit  60  from being over-rotated. For example, the base board  67  can be formed with a protrusion section or a slot rail structure  67   a  assembled with the stopper section  48 . When operating the pressing/moving unit  60  to swing, the slot rail structure  67   a  can cooperate with the stopper section  48  to restrict the rotation or swing of the pressing/moving unit  60  within a certain range. 
     The mechanism for restricting the rotation or swing of the pressing/moving unit  60  within a certain range can also include a stop section  49  formed on the main body  40  in the form of a block body structure. Therefore, when the base board  67  of the pressing/moving unit  60  is rotated or swung to a position where the stop section  49  is positioned, the stop section  49  will stop the base board  67  to prevent the pressing/moving unit  60  from being over-rotated or over-swung. 
     As shown in the drawings, the lower end section of the base board  67  is formed with a restriction section  68 . The restriction section  68  has an extension face  68   a  in the form of a slope structure for guiding the conductive wire  50  to enter the terminal pin component  80 . That is, when the conductive wire  50  passes through the extension face  68   a , the slope structure of the extension face  68   a  will guide the conductive wire  50  into the terminal pin component  80 . A notch  69  is formed between the restriction section  68  and the press section  64 . The restriction section  68  also serves to help in restricting the rotation or swing of the pressing/moving unit  60  within a certain range. This will be further described hereinafter. 
     Please further refer to  FIGS. 4, 5 and 6 . The metal leaf spring  70  is a substantially U-shaped structure. The metal leaf spring  70  has a first section  71 , a second section  72  and a bight section  73  connected between the first and second sections  71 ,  72 . The first section  71  includes ahead end  74  and the second section  72  includes a tail end  75 . The metal leaf spring  70  is mounted on a stake  46  of the main body  40 , whereby the first section  71  and/or the head end  74  can move or swing within the chamber  41 . As shown in the drawings, the pressing/moving unit  60  and the metal leaf spring  70  are respectively disposed on two sides of the chamber  41  of the main body  40 . 
     Please now refer to  FIGS. 5, 6 and 7 . The terminal pin component  80  is mounted in the chamber  41  of the main body  40 . The terminal pin component  80  is a board body structure with a geometrical configuration. The terminal pin component  80  includes a first side  81 , which is bent and formed on lower side of the board body structure, a second side  82  positioned above the first side  81 , a subsidiary side  83  connected with the first side  81  and terminal pins  84  bent and protruding from the first side  81 . The second side  82  has the form of a slope inclined from the first side  81 . The inclination angle of the second side  82  is equal to the angle by which the conductive wire  50  is plugged into the main body  40  or the wire inlet  42 , whereby the second side  82  can more snugly contact the conductive wire  50 . In addition, the second side  82  has a tip  85  for helping the head end  74  of the metal leaf spring  70  to together bite the conductive wire  50  and truly secure the conductive wire  50 . 
     As shown in the drawings, the first side  81  of the terminal pin component  80  is positioned on the bottom section  47  of the main body  40  with the terminal pins  84  extending out of the main body  40 . In addition, the second section  72  and the tail end  75  of the metal leaf spring  70  respectively contact the first side  81  and the subsidiary side  83  of the terminal pin component  80 . The head end  74  of the metal leaf spring  70  contacts the second side  82  of the terminal pin component  80 . 
     Please now refer to  FIG. 8 . The above structurally cooperative form permits an operator to directly plug the conductive wire  50  through the wire inlet  42  into the chamber  41 . Due to the elasticity of the metal leaf spring  70  and/or the head end  74 , the conductive wire  50  can move along the second side  82  of the terminal pin component  80  to be pressed or bitten by the head end  74  of the metal leaf spring  70  and electrically connected with the terminal pin component  80  and the metal leaf spring  70 . 
     Please refer to  FIG. 9 . When the operator presses down the force application section  63  of the pressing/moving unit  60  (in the direction of the arrow), the press section  64  is driven to press down the head end  74  of the metal leaf spring  70  so as to release the conductive wire  50  from the pressing or biting of the head end  74 . At this time, the operator can extract the conductive wire  50  out of the main body  40 . 
     As shown in the drawings, the restriction section  68  of the pressing/moving unit  60  contacts the tail end  75  of the metal leaf spring  70  or the base board  67  is stopped by the stop section  49  of the main body  40 . That is, the rotation range or swing range of the pressing/moving unit  60  is set to the position where the restriction section  68  reaches the tail end  75  of the metal leaf spring  70  or the first side  81  (or the subsidiary side  83 ) of the terminal pin component  80 , or the rotation range or swing range of the pressing/moving unit  60  is set to the position where the base board  67  reaches the stop section  49 . In this case, the pressing/moving unit  60  will not be over-rotated or swung. 
     It should be noted that in case the position where the shaft hole  65  of the pressing/moving unit  60  is pivotally connected with the shaft post  43  as a fulcrum is defined as a rotational center or swinging center C, the length L 1  between the force application section  63  (or the force application point) and the swinging center C (or the shaft hole  65  and the shaft post  43 ) is smaller than the length L 2  between the press section  64  and the swinging center C (or the shaft hole  65  and the shaft post  43 ). Accordingly, the (depressing) displacement S 1  of the force application section  63  is smaller than the (depressing) displacement S 2  of the press section  64 . That is, in comparison with the conventional terminal device, the motional travel of the pressing/moving unit  60  or the force application section  63  is as minimized as possible. The operator only needs to operate the force application section  63  to move by a smaller amount or travel so as to release the conductive wire  50  from the pressing of the head end  74  of the metal leaf spring  70  and electrically disconnect the conductive wire  50  from the metal leaf spring  70 . 
     It should be noted that the (depressing) operational direction of the force application section  63  or the press section  64  is as identical to the (longitudinal) motional direction of the metal leaf spring  70  as possible. This is beneficial to directly press the head end  74  of the metal leaf spring  70 . In this case, the shortcoming of the conventional structure that it is laborious to use a push member to laterally push/press the metal leaf spring. 
     To speak representatively, the wire connection terminal device of the present invention can be stably operated to truly press the conductive wire. In comparison with the conventional terminal device, the wire connection terminal device of the present invention has the following advantages:
     1. The terminal device or the relevant connection components thereof have been redesigned in use, structural design and connection relationship. For example, the main body  40  is formed with the socket  44  and the insertion section  45  assembled with the insertion block  56 , the insertion portion  57  and the shoulder section  58  of the cover  55 . The pressing/moving unit  60  has a shafted section  61 , whereby the cam section  62  can freely rotate or swing within the chamber  41  of the main body  40 . The force application section  63  and the cam section  62  together define the cavity  66  for receiving therein the insertion portion  57 . The base board  67  is formed on one side of the cam section  62  and one end of the base board  67  protrudes from the base board  67  to form the press section  64  and the restriction section  68 . The terminal pin component  80  includes the first side  81 , the subsidiary side  83  and the second side  82  in the form of a slope in cooperation with the metal leaf spring  70 . The use form and application of the terminal device of the present invention are obviously changed and different from the conventional terminal device.   2. The length between the force application section  63  of the pressing/moving unit  60  and the shafted section  61  (or the swinging center C) is smaller than the length between the press section  64  and the shafted section  61  (or the swinging center C). Accordingly, the operational travel of the force application section  63  is obviously smaller than the operational travel of the conventional structure. The pressing/moving unit  60  and/or the force application section  63  can be as disposed in the main body  40  as possible without protruding from the main body  40  so as to minimize the possibility of mis-touch of an operator. Moreover, in the conventional terminal device, it is necessary to enlarge the volume of the case to provide sufficient operational travel or reserve operational space to affect the arrangement space of the working site and the environmental equipment. The terminal device of the present invention apparently improves the shortcomings of the conventional terminal device.   

     In conclusion, the wire connection terminal device of the present invention is effective and different from the conventional terminal device in space form. The wire connection terminal device of the present invention is inventive, greatly advanced and advantageous over the conventional terminal device. 
     The above embodiments are only used to illustrate the present invention, not intended to limit the scope thereof. Many modifications of the above embodiments can be made without departing from the spirit of the present invention.