Abstract:
The terminal board component is composed of a box traversed by electrical current-carrying elements ( 30 ), with an end surface ( 110 ) bearing mechanical ( 111 ) and electrical ( 114 ) connection elements allowing its attachment to a modular component of an electrical device and one end surface ( 150 ) bearing elements for connection to at least one electric power cable. The box includes at least one housing ( 104 ) for accommodating a connection element designed to be electrically connected to at least one electric power cable. The connection elements is a screwless connector ( 4 ), and the box bears a plunger ( 136, 137, 138 ) that is obtained by molding with its upper surface ( 13, 113 ) and that is movable perpendicular to the upper surface ( 113 ), positioned over each housing ( 104 ) for accommodating a screwless connector ( 4 ).

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
   1. Field of the Invention 
   This invention generally relates to an electrical device composed of an assembly of modular components and more exactly to a terminal board designed to be used to connect such a device to an electric power circuit. 
   2. Description of the Related Art 
   In the conventional manner, modular components are provided on their ends with mechanical and electrical connection means in order to be connected to one another in succession by engagement, and each supports a defined electrical function, for example receptacle(s), breaker, switch, indicator light, lightning arrester, . . . . 
   The consumer builds or forms an electrical device similar to a strip with the electrical functions that are necessary to it by connecting suitable modular components to one another. 
   Modular components with a terminal board function are installed on the end of the assembly to allow connection to electric power cables. These components that form the terminal board bear means of mechanical and electrical connection to other modular components on one end surface, whereas the other end surface allows access of electrical cables to power supply connection means. 
   These terminal boards have the form of a box containing one or more connection means designed to be electrically connected to electrical cables. 
   Conventionally, ordinary connection means are of the set-screw type or are screwless. 
   Set-screw type connection means comprise a cylindrical opening in which the conductor cable is kept in position by a set screw extending diametrically in said opening. 
   The screwless connection means, often called harpoon-type connectors, comprise elastic means that allow introduction of the conductor, but prevent it from being pulled out. 
   No matter the type of connection means, a tool is necessary to disconnect cables when changing the installation; on the one hand, this requires a passage opening for the tool in the wall of the terminal board, a source of degradation of electrical safety of the box, and, on the other hand, comprises lost time during interventions. 
   SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
   This invention suggests a modular component that forms a terminal board that does not require a tool for disconnecting power distribution cables such that the electrical safety is maintained and interventions are simple and prompt. 
   For this purpose, the invention relates to a terminal board component for an electrical device composed of an assembly of modular components provided on their ends with mechanical and electrical connection means, said terminal board component being composed of a box traversed by electrical current-carrying means, with an end surface bearing mechanical and electrical connection means allowing its attachment to a modular component of said electrical device and one end surface bearing means for connection to at least one electric power cable, said box comprising at least one housing for accommodating a connection means designed to be electrically connected to at least one electric power cable, characterized in that said connection means is a screwless connector and that said box bears a plunger that is obtained by molding with its upper surface and that is movable perpendicular to said upper surface, positioned over each housing for accommodating a screwless connector. 
   The terminal board component according to the invention is again characterized in that:
         said screwless connector is composed of a cage in which an elastic blade is located,   the cage comprises a lower surface, a front surface, located on the end of said lower surface and perpendicular to it, an upper surface perpendicular to the front surface and parallel to the lower surface, and side surfaces located perpendicular to the upper surface and extending on both sides from the front surface in the direction of the lower surface,   two tabs cut into the front surface of the cage extend perpendicular to said front surface, toward the interior of said cage,   the upper surface is traversed by a central opening,   said elastic blade is composed of a lower surface and an oblique surface separated into two parts by a groove,   each part of the oblique surface bears on its end that is not connected to the lower surface and along the groove a lug curved in the direction of said lower surface,   said plungers are composed of a cylinder traversing an opening of the upper surface of the terminal board and a foot,   the contour of the section of said feet fits into the contour of the central opening of the cage,   each plunger is carried by the end of an elastic tongue located parallel to the upper surface of the box, along the wall of the latter turned toward the interior of the box, and connected to it by its end opposite the one bearing the cylinder comprising the plunger,   the end surface bearing the means of connection to at least one electric power cable has round cylindrical openings distributed transversely and arranged in pairs facing the housings designed for the screwless connectors.       

   This invention likewise relates to a screwless connector composed of a cage containing an elastic blade, characterized in that the cage has a lower surface, a front surface located on the end of said lower surface and perpendicular to it, an upper surface perpendicular to the front surface and parallel to the lower surface, and side surfaces located perpendicular to the upper surface and extending on both sides from the front surface in the direction of the lower surface, and in that two tabs cut into the front surface of the cage extend perpendicular to said front surface, toward the interior of said cage. 
   Said screwless connector according to the invention is again characterized in that:
         the cage has two guide passages delineated by a tab, a cutout of the front surface, the upper surface and a side surface,   the side surfaces have a height that is less than the height of the front surface and bear extensions continuing to the lower surface and ending in hooks turned under said lower surface,   the upper surface is traversed by a central opening,   said elastic blade is composed of a lower surface and an oblique surface separated into two parts by a groove,   each part of the oblique surface bears on its end—that is not connected to the lower surface and along the groove—a lug curved in the direction of said lower surface,   the elastic blade is positioned in the cage with its lower surface on the lower surface of the cage and its oblique surface in two parts turned toward the front surface of the cage and is kept in position in said cage by the interworking of a cutout of its lower surface with a tab formed in the lower surface of the cage based on a slash,   the lugs of the elastic blade are arranged under the central opening of the upper surface of the cage,   the lower surface of said elastic blade has a corrugated part.       

   In the following description, we will call the modular component forming the terminal board a terminal board. 

   
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING FIGURES 
     The invention will be better understood from the following description given by way of nonlimiting example with reference to the accompanying drawings in which: 
       FIG. 1  is a perspective view, from the front of the cable insertion surface, of a terminal board according to a first embodiment of the invention, 
       FIG. 2  is an exploded perspective view, from the surface opposite the cable insertion surface, of a terminal board according to a first embodiment of the invention, 
       FIG. 3  is a view, similar to  FIG. 1 , of a terminal board according to a second embodiment of the invention, 
       FIG. 4  is an exploded perspective view corresponding to  FIG. 3 , 
       FIG. 5  is a cutaway view of the upper surface of the terminal board according to the first embodiment of the invention along line V-V of  FIG. 3 , 
       FIG. 6  is a partial cutaway view of the upper surface of the terminal board according to the first embodiment of the invention along line VI-VI of  FIG. 3 , 
       FIGS. 7 and 8  are perspective views of the surface and bottom respectively of the screwless connector formed on the end of a power supply bus, 
       FIG. 9  is a longitudinal cutaway view of a screwless connector, 
       FIG. 10  is a perspective view of the elastic blade positioned in the screwless connector, 
       FIG. 11  is a view along the arrow XI of the elastic blade of  FIG. 10 , 
       FIG. 12  is a top view of the elastic blade from  FIG. 10 . 
   

   DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
   In the embodiments shown in the drawings by way of nonlimiting examples, the terminal boards according to the invention are designed for equipment in which each modular component bears on a first end surface female electrical connection components and male mechanical connection components, whereas the second end surface bears male electrical connection components and female mechanical connection components. 
   The end surface  10  of the terminal board  1  shown in  FIGS. 1 and 2  bears female mechanical connection means  11 , only one of which is shown in the drawings, each positioned along a side surface  12 , and male electrical connection means, composed of the ends of current busses  30  to allow the connection of said terminal board to the first end surface of a modular component. 
   In the example shown in the drawings, the end surface  10  bearing the mechanical and electrical connection means of the terminal board  1  is equipped with a spring ( 25 )-operated safety unit  24  that pushes it toward the outside of the terminal board. This safety unit covers the male electrical connection means  30  when the terminal board  1  is not connected to a modular component and is pushed toward the interior of the terminal board as a modular component is being moved closer, such that the ends of the current busses  30  are disengaged and connected to the female electrical connection means of said modular component. During this connection of the terminal board and the modular component, the ends of the current busses  30  are never accessible from the outside of the components, which eliminates any possibility of contact of an external object with said current busses  30 . 
   In the terminal board  100  shown in  FIGS. 3 and 4 , the end surface  110  bears male mechanical connection means  111 , one on the end of each side surface  112 , and female electrical connection means  114 , the clips  114  located on the ends of the current busses  30  in order to allow connection of said terminal board to the second end surface of a modular component. 
   On the end surface that does not bear mechanical and electrical connection means, the terminal board of an electrical device composed of an assembly of modular components has means for connection to electric power cables. 
   According to the invention, the connection means of the electric power cables positioned in the terminal boards are composed of screwless connectors  4  that are borne by the current busses  30 . 
   These screwless connectors  4  will now be described in detail before completing the description of the means implemented in the terminal board according to the invention, based on their use. 
   Said screwless connectors  4  are composed on the whole of a cage  40  in which an elastic blade  5  is placed. 
   As is apparent in the drawings and more especially in  FIGS. 7 to 9 , the cage  40  comprises a lower surface  41  formed in the extension of one flat end  34  located perpendicular to the general plane of the current bus  30 . Said flat end  34  is obtained by folding the metallic flange comprising said current bus  30 . 
   As shown in the drawings, a tab  49  formed from a slash  35  of the flat end  34  of the current bus  30  is turned toward the interior of the cage  40 . 
   The cage  40  again comprises a front surface  42  located on the end of the lower surface opposite the current bus  30  and perpendicular to said lower surface  41 , and an upper surface  43  perpendicular to the front surface  42  and parallel to the lower surface  41 . 
   Two tabs  44  are cut into the front surface  42  and folded toward the interior of the cage  40  to extend perpendicular to said front surface  42 . 
   The front surface  42  accordingly has the shape of an inverted T. 
   The upper surface  43  is traversed by a central opening  45  with a square cross-section in the embodiment shown in the drawings. 
   Side surfaces  46  located perpendicular to the upper surface  43  extend on both sides from the front surface  42  in the direction of the lower surface  41 . These side surfaces  46 , in the example shown in the drawing, are of a height that is less than the height of the front surface  42  and bear extensions  47  that continue as far as the lower surface  41  and end in hooks  48  turned under said lower surface  41 . 
   This composition of the cage  40  allows two guide passages  400  to be formed that are delineated by a tab  44 , a cutout of the front surface  42 , the upper surface  43  and a side surface  46 . 
   The elastic blade  5  shown in  FIGS. 10 to 12  is composed of a lower surface  51  and an oblique surface separated into two parts  54  by a groove  55 . 
   Each part  54  of the oblique surface bears on its end that is not connected to the lower surface  51  and along the groove  55  a lug  56  that is curved in the direction of said lower surface  51 . 
   As shown in  FIGS. 9 and 4 , said lugs are arranged under the central opening  54  of the upper surface  43  of the cage  40  when the elastic blade  5  is positioned in said cage  40 . 
   The elastic blade  5  is positioned in the cage  40  with its lower surface  51  on the lower surface  41  of the cage and its oblique surface in two parts  54  turned toward the front surface  42  of the cage  40 . Said elastic blade  5  is kept in position in the cage  40  by the interworking of a cutout  53  of its lower surface  51  with a lug  49  of the cage  40 . 
   To improve the elastic characteristics of the elastic blade  5 , its lower surface  51  has a corrugated part  52 . 
   To connect an electric power cable that is not shown in the drawings, its stripped end is inserted into one of the passages  400  of the cage  40 . The walls surrounding the passages  400  precisely guide the stripped end of the cable that strikes one part  54  of the oblique surface of the elastic blade  5  and turns it toward the lower surface  51 , opposing its elastic force. 
   The elastic blade  5  applies a force to the cable that pins it against the upper surface  43  and supports the connection of said cable to the screwless connection means  4  of the invention. Any movement tending to pull said cable out of the cage  40  is blocked by the elastic blade  5 . 
   Supplementary means implemented in the terminal boards according to the invention to work with the screwless connection means  4  will now be described with reference to  FIGS. 1 to 6 . 
   The end surface  150  of the terminal boards by which the cables are inserted as well as the portion  135  of the upper surface  13 ,  113  near it are identical for the terminal boards  1 ,  2  according to two embodiments; consequently we will use the same references for these components. 
   In the conventional manner, walls formed during molding of said boxes comprising each terminal board  1 ,  2  support positioning and separation of the current busses  30  and of the connectors for the power supply cables that they carry. 
   Said end surface  150  has six round cylindrical openings  140  distributed transversely; these openings  140  are arranged in pairs facing the housings designed for the screwless connectors  4 . 
   When said screwless connectors  4  according to the invention are positioned in the housings  104  defined by said walls of the box, each of the openings  140  faces a passage  400  of a cage  40 . 
   By its insertion into an opening  140 , a power supply cable is arranged precisely facing a passage  400  of the cage  40  that guides it inside the corresponding screwless connector  4 . 
   The terminal boards according to the invention are more advantageous in that during modifications of the installation, they allow a power supply cable to be removed without a tool such as a screwdriver. 
   For this purpose, the portion  135  of the upper surface  13 ,  113  of the terminal board  1 ,  2  that is near the end surface  150  by which the terminal board is connected to the power supply cables bears three plungers  136 ,  137  and  138  that are obtained by molding to said upper surface  13 ,  113  and that are movable perpendicular to the latter. 
   These plungers  136 ,  137 , and  138  are designed respectively to allow disconnection of the cables from the ground, from the line and from the neutral conductor and are positioned above the housings  104  defined by the walls for accommodating the screwless connectors  4 . 
   As shown in  FIGS. 5 and 6 , said plungers  136 ,  137 , and  138  are composed of a cylinder  136 ,  137  and  138  traversing an opening  141  of the portion  135  of the upper surface of the terminal board and a foot  139  with a diameter that is smaller than that of said cylinder  136 ,  137  and  138 . 
   For reasons that will be described below, the contour of the section of said feet  139  can be fitted into the contour of the central opening  45  of the cage  40 . 
   Said feet  139  can then be inserted into a central opening  45  of the cage  40 . 
   The plungers  136 ,  137  and  138  are formed to be able to move perpendicular to the upper surface of the terminal board. For this purpose, each of said plungers  136 ,  137  and  138  is carried by the end of an elastic tongue  142  located parallel to the upper surface of the box, along the wall of the surface turned toward the interior of the box, and connected to the latter by its end  143  opposite the one bearing the cylinder comprising the plunger. In the conventional manner, the openings  144  of the upper surface allow said elastic tongues  142  to be produced by molding. 
   By virtue of these arrangements, each plunger  136 ,  137  and  138  is located with its foot  139  on the vertical of the central opening  45  of a cage  40  of the screwless connector  4 . 
   Pressing on one of these plungers  136 ,  137  and  138  allows it to be moved perpendicular to the upper surface of the terminal board and in the direction of the interior of said terminal board. 
   Such a movement inserts the foot  139  of said plunger through the opening  45  of the cage of the connector such that said foot  139  presses on the lugs  56  of the elastic blade  5  of the connector. The elastic blade  5  is thus deformed, the parts  54  of its oblique surface coming closer from its lower surface  51  and thus releasing the power cable(s) connected to the screwless connector  4  corresponding to the action of pinning it against the upper surface  43  of the cage  40 . 
   It is then sufficient to pull the cable(s) toward the outside of the terminal board to disconnect them. 
   As shown in the drawings, the plungers  137 ,  138  positioned near the edge of the upper surface  13 ,  113  have their upper surface in the same plane as the edge  145  of said upper surface. This arrangement prevents unintentional pressing on said plungers. 
   It is for the same safety reason that a boss  146  is formed in front of the plunger  136  corresponding to the grounding that is located in the middle of the upper surface  13 ,  113 , thus easily accessible even unintentionally, the more so, due to the internal installation stresses of the box, that said plunger  136  is located higher than the other two plungers. 
   Usually, the upper surfaces  13 ,  113  bear lugs  134  designed to be positioned in openings  153  of the end surfaces  10 ,  150  of the terminal board. 
   As shown at  131  and  151 , technical specifications required by current standards are written on the terminal board and are molded with the walls of the latter. 
   Advantageously, among the modular components designed for the structure by assembly of an electrical device, two terminal boards according to the invention are suggested. It is thus possible to provide for connection to power supply cables on one end or the other of the device depending on the environment in which installation must be done.