Patent ID: 8231391

Claim:
A ground conductor ( 1 ) for connecting an electrical component ( 22 ) with a mounting rail ( 16 ) having a generally U-shaped top-hat configuration including a pair of oppositely outwardly-directed horizontal flange portions ( 17 , 18 ), comprising: (a) a conductor body ( 2 ) formed from a sheet of conductive metal material and having an inverted U-shaped configuration including: (1) a horizontal base portion ( 4 ); and (2) a pair of vertical leg portions ( 5 and 6 ) extending downwardly from said base portion, said leg portions having lower edge portions containing corresponding opposed mounting rail cavities (C), respectively; (3) said mounting rail cavities (C) having first ends containing a pair of flange recesses ( 9 ), respectively, said rail cavities having second ends; (4) said conductor body further including a conductive vertical tongue portion ( 3 ) extending transversely across said conductor body leg portions at said mounting rail cavity second ends, said tongue portion having a width (w) that is greater than the thickness (t) of said conductive metal sheet, whereby when said conductor body is mounted transversely across the mounting rail with the mounting rail extending within said mounting rail cavities, a first one of the mounting rail flange portions extends into said pair of flange recesses at said cavity first ends, the second one of the mounting rail flange portions having a free extremity that terminates adjacent said vertical tongue portion; and (b) spring means ( 11 ) for biasing said conductor body relative to the mounting rail in a direction to effect electrical engagement between the second mounting rail flange extremity and said conductor body vertical tongue portion.