Patent Publication Number: US-7223116-B2

Title: Insulation piercing connecting device

Description:
This application is the national phase under 35 U.S.C. § 371 of PCT International Application No. PCT/DE01/02975 which has an International filing date of Aug. 3, 2001, which designated the United States of America and which claims priority on German Patent Application number DE 100 39 963.0 filed Aug. 16, 2000, the entire contents of which are hereby incorporated herein by reference. 
   FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
   The present invention generally relates to an insulation piercing connecting device with a base body, an insulation piercing connector which is held in the base body and a closing element which is guided by the base body and can be transferred at least from one open position into a closed position. Preferably, it is possible in the open position for a conductor to be inserted into the closing element and it is possible by transferring the closing element into the closed position for a conductor, which has been inserted into the closing element, to be inserted into the insulation piercing connector and held and clamped by the insulation piercing connector. The insulation piercing connector is preferably surrounded by an over spring which contacts the insulation piercing connector with contact pieces and thereby exerts a pressing force on the insulation piercing connector. 
   BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
   An insulation piercing connecting device is known for example from DE 197 32 182 C1. On it, the over spring is rigidly connected to the insulation piercing connector. 
   SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
   An object of an embodiment of the present invention is to provide an improved insulation piercing connecting device. 
   An object may be achieved by the over spring being arranged on the closing element, so that in the open position the contact pieces contact the insulation piercing connector in opening contact regions and in the closed position they contact it in closing contact regions. 
   This is because it is made possible in this way to vary the action of the over spring on the insulation piercing connector. 
   If the closing element and the over spring are integrally connected to each other, the insulation piercing connecting device is constructed in a particularly simple form. 
   If the closing element and the over spring are formed as a punched/bent part, the production of the closing element and the over spring is particularly simple. 
   The actuation of the closing element is possible particularly easily if a bearing element for an actuating tool is formed onto the closing element. In this case, the bearing element is preferably also a component part of the punched/bent part. 
   If the insulation piercing connector between the opening contact regions and the closing contact regions is formed in such a way that the pressing force varies when the closing element is transferred from the open position into the closed position, the exertion of force onto the insulation piercing connector can be adapted to the respective position of the closing element between the open position and the closed position. 
   If the insulation piercing connector in the opening contact regions and/or the closing contact regions and the contact pieces are formed in such a way that the pressing force is minimal in the open position and/or the closed position, the open position and/or the closed position form preferential positions. Consequently, reaching them can be sensed by a tactile device or tactilly. Minimizing the pressing force can be achieved, for example, by the insulation piercing connector being narrowed in a curved manner in the opening contact regions and/or the closing contact regions. The contact pieces are preferably narrowed in a way which corresponds thereto. 

   
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     Further advantages and details emerge from the following description of an exemplary embodiment in conjunction with the drawings, which constitute a basic representation and in which: 
       FIG. 1  shows an insulation piercing connecting device with a closing element, conductor and operating tool and 
       FIG. 2  shows an insulation piercing connector with a closing element. 
   

   DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
   According to  FIG. 1 , an insulation piercing connecting device has a base body  1 . Held in the base body  1  is an insulation piercing connector  2 . The insulation piercing connecting device also has a closing element  3 . In  FIGS. 1 and 2 , the closing element  3  is represented in an open position. In the open position, a single-core conductor  4 , which does not have to be stripped, can be inserted into the closing element  3 . 
   The closing element  3  can be transferred from the open position into a closed position. For this purpose, an actuating tool  5 , generally a customary screwdriver, is inserted into a bearing element  6 , which is formed onto the closing element  3 . By pivoting the actuating tool  5  in an actuating direction A, the closing element  3  is then transferred into the closed position. The conductor  4  is thereby inserted into the insulation piercing connector  2  and is held and clamped by the latter in the closed position. The position of the conductor  4  in the closed position is symbolized in  FIG. 2  by a circle indicated by dashed lines. 
   Arranged on the closing element  3  is an over spring  7 , which surrounds the insulation piercing connector  2 . The over spring  7  thereby contacts the insulation piercing connector  2  with contact pieces  8  and therefore exerts a pressing force F on the insulation piercing connector  2 . On account of the way in which the over spring  7  is formed, in particular on account of the presence of front wrap-around lugs  9  and rear wrap-around lugs  10 , the over spring  7  thereby forms at the same time a guiding element, on account of which the closing element  3  is guided with respect to the insulation piercing connector  2  and consequently ultimately also in the base body  1 . 
   On account of the arrangement of the over spring  7  on the closing element  3 , the over spring  7  is moved together with the closing element  3 . In the open position of the closing element  3 , the contact pieces  8  therefore contact the insulation piercing connector in opening contact regions  11 , in the closed position they contact it in closing contact regions  12 . It is evident here that the closing element  3  and the over spring  7  are integrally connected to each other. In particular, the closing element  3 , the bearing element  6  and the over spring  7  are formed as an (integral) punched/bent part. 
   According to  FIG. 2 , the insulation piercing connector  2  is narrowed in a curved manner in the opening contact regions  11  and closing contact regions  12 . The contact pieces  8  are also narrowed in a curved manner corresponding thereto. This way of forming the insulation piercing connector  2  and the over spring  7  achieves the effect that the pressing force F in these two positions is minimal. Consequently, preferential positions are produced, the reaching of which can be sensed by a tactile device or tactilly. 
   Between the open position and the closed position, on the other hand, the insulation piercing connector  2  is widened in a convex manner. As a result, when the closing element  3  is transferred from the open position into the closed position, the pressing force F is varied according to the convex profile of the insulation piercing connector  2 . 
   With the insulation piercing connecting device according to an embodiment of the invention, a series of advantages can be achieved. In particular, the pressing force F can be adapted to the individual process steps, and changed, when transferring from the open position into the closed position (firstly insertion and piercing of the insulation, then contacting of the conductor  4 ). It is consequently possible to realize a force characteristic which is optimized to the individual process steps and permits ergonomically favorable actuation. By minimizing the pressing force F in the two end positions of the clamping element  3 , reaching these two positions can on the one hand be reliably brought about and on the other hand sensed by a tactile device or tactilly. As a result, both the actuating forces and the displacement distances can be reduced. Consequently, a relatively small overall volume of the insulation piercing connecting device is obtained. Finally, the insulation piercing connecting device according to the invention can also be used in a greater cross-sectional range than comparable insulation piercing connecting devices of the prior art. 
   The invention being thus described, it will be obvious that the same may be varied in many ways. Such variations are not to be regarded as a departure from the spirit and scope of the invention, and all such modifications as would be obvious to one skilled in the art are intended to be included within the scope of the following claims.