Terminal Block And Terminal Connector

Abstract

The terminal block has a plurality of paralleling apertures for receiving blades of different types of terminal connectors. One type of connector is U-shaped with two generally parallel spaced apart blades interconnected at their bases. Each of the blades has a locating projection. Another type of connector is of the spade type with two spaced apart co-planar blades connected to a co-planar base portion of the spade type connector. A plurality of notches are formed on one face of the terminal block and each notch is located adjacent to and opens into one of the apertures. A slot extends into the one face of the block between and communicating with at least two adjacent apertures. The projections cooperate and mate with the notches to maintain each blade of a U-shaped connector located centrally of the aperture into which it is received and to prevent movement of the blades against a side wall of the aperture. The slot receives the base portion of the spade type connector with the blades thereof received in the two adjacent apertures.

Description

The present invention relates to improvements and innovations in terminal blocks and terminal connectors received therein. More particularly, the present invention relates to cooperating terminal block-connector locating means for centrally locating terminal blades of different types of terminal connectors in apertures in the block.

Terminal blocks having a plurality of apertures extending between opposite faces of the terminal block and with terminal blades received and held within the apertures are well known, such as for example, from U.S. Pat. No. 2,965,872 which issued to R.L. Linn on Dec. 20, 1960. In known terminal block assemblies which include terminal blocks of the type disclosed in the above mentioned patent, it is common to use either a spade type multi-blade terminal connector, a U-shaped two-blade terminal connector or a U-shaped multi-blade terminal strip.

The spade type terminal connector includes at least two spaced apart co-planar terminal blades interconnected at their bases by a base portion of the connector. When the spade type terminal connector is used, one face of the terminal block has at least one slot therein which extends between and communicates with at least two apertures. This slot receives the base portion of the connector.

The U-shaped terminal connector includes two spaced apart terminal blades interconnected by a base portion of the connector. The blades lie in respective, generally parallel, spaced apart, planes. When the U-shaped terminal connector is used, the terminal block has a plurality of slots in one face thereof, each slot communicating with one aperture in the block and being located centrally of the aperture. The slots and the apertures are then arranged in pairs, and the pairs of apertures are typically aligned in one or more rows. The two blades of the U-shaped terminal connector are received in one pair of apertures, and the base portion of the connector rests against the one face of the terminal block.

The U-shaped terminal strip includes a plurality of pairs of spaced apart terminal blades extending outwardly from and on either side of a generally rectangular strip. In effect, the U-shaped terminal strip is a plurality of U-shaped terminal connectors connected together at the base portions thereof. The terminal block having a plurality of pairs of slots arranged in a row will accommodate a U-shaped terminal strip.

It will be understood from the foregoing, that a terminal block having a plurality of slots located centrally of the apertures and adapted to receive U-shaped terminal connectors or terminal strips is not able to receive spade type terminal connectors. On the other hand, a terminal block having at least two longer slots in line with and communicating with at least two apertures and adapted to receive spade type terminal connectors is not necessarily able to receive U-shaped terminal connectors or terminal strips. In this respect, the U-shaped connectors or terminal strips are often times able to move in the slots laterally of the apertures. As a result, a side edge of a blade may slide against a side wall of the aperture. When this occurs, it is difficult, if at all possible, to insert a terminal clip into the aperture and onto the terminal blade.

In view of the inability of presently known terminal blocks to accommodate different types of terminal connectors it is a primary object of the present invention to provide a terminal block which is capable of receiving and mounting both spade type terminal connectors and U-shaped terminal connectors.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a terminal block assembly which can accommodate spade type terminal connectors and U-shaped terminal connectors and in which there is provided cooperating block-connector locating means for centrally locating the terminal blades of a U-shaped terminal connector within the apertures they are received.

Still another object of the present invention is to provide a terminal block with apertures extending between opposite faces of the block with one of the faces having a plurality of notches therein, one each for each aperture, each notch being in axial alignment with one of the apertures, and to provide a terminal connector having at least two spaced apart blades interconnected at their bases, with the connector having at least one projection extending laterally of the plane of at least one of the blades and adapted to be received in the notch for locating the terminal connector with respect to the terminal block.

The present invention achieves the above objects by providing a terminal block having a plurality of paralleling apertures extending between opposite faces of the block and being aligned in rows to form a lattice arrangement of apertures, a plurality of notches in one face of the block, one each for each aperture, each notch being axially aligned with one of the apertures, and at least one slot in the one face of the terminal block extending between two adjacent apertures in one of the rows of apertures.

The present invention achieves other of its objects by providing, in combination, a terminal block and a terminal connector, the terminal connector including at least two spaced apart blades interconnected at their bases, the connector being provided with a locating formation projecting laterally of the plane of at least one of the blades for locating the connector with respect to the terminal block, the terminal block being provided with at least one pair of paralleling apertures communicating with opposite faces of the block and notch means on one face of the block and in alignment with at least one of the apertures for engaging the projecting locating formation of the connector to centrally locate the blades in the apertures.

For a more complete understanding of the nature and scope of the present invention reference may now be had to the following description of a preferred embodiment of the invention taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings wherein:

FIG. 1 is a top plan view of the terminal block of the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a sectional view of half of the terminal block shown in FIG. 1 and taken along line 2--2 of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a bottom plan view taken along line 3--3 of FIG. 2;

FIG. 4 is a sectional view taken along lines 4--4 of FIG. 2 and showing a U-shaped terminal connector inserted in the terminal block;

FIG. 5 is a sectional view similar to FIG. 4 but showing spade type terminal connectors inserted in the terminal block instead of the U-shaped terminal connector;

FIG. 6 is an end elevational view of one U-shaped terminal connector;

FIG. 7 is a side elevational view of the terminal connector shown in FIG. 6 and taken along line 7--7 of FIG. 6;

FIG. 8 is a top plan view of the terminal connector and is taken along line 8--8 of FIG. 7;

FIG. 9 is a side elevational view of a spade type terminal connector;

FIG. 10 is a sectional view similar to FIG. 4 and showing a portion of a complete terminal block assembly having a spade type terminal received in the terminal block and held in place by a backplate;

FIG. 11 is a sectional view similar to FIG. 10 and showing U-shaped terminal connectors received in the terminal block instead of the spade type terminal connector;

FIG. 12 is a prospective view of a U-shaped terminal strip; and

FIG. 13 is a sectional view similar to FIG. 10 and showing portions of conventional U-shaped terminal connectors received in the terminal block of the present invention.

Referring now to the drawings in greater detail, one embodiment of the terminal block of the present invention is shown at 10 in FIG. 1. In this embodiment, the terminal block 10 is generally rectangular and has two rows of apertures generally indicated at 11 and 12 with ten apertures in each row. The apertures are identified with the reference numerals 11a-j 12a-j. It is to be understood, of course, that the terminal block 10 can have a different shape than the rectangular shape shown in FIG. 1. In this respect, it could be square or L-shaped. Also, there can be more or less than ten apertures per row and there can be more than two rows of apertures.

The apertures 11a-j and 12a-j extend inwardly of the terminal block 10 from the top or front face 13 thereof and have a generally oval cross section. At a point spaced a short distance from the bottom or back face 14 of the terminal block 10, the oval shape of each of the apertures 11a-j and 12a-j is terminated and the remainder of the aperture extending to the back face 14 of the terminal block 10 is defined by a portion of one of two slots 15 and 16. The slot 15 is in alignment with the row 11 of apertures 11a-j and the slot 16 is in alignment with the row 12 of apertures 12a- j.

Extending into the terminal block from the back face thereof are a plurality of notches, 17a- j and 18a- j, one notch for each aperture. Each of the notches 17a- j and 18a- j is axially aligned with, and opens into, one of the apertures 11a- j and 12a- j. Preferably, and as best shown in FIG. 3, the notches 17a- j and 18a- j extend inwardly into the terminal block 10 from a recessed portion 19 of the back face 14 of the terminal block 10. As will be more fully explained hereinafter the recess portion 19 is adapted to receive portions of terminal connectors.

Since each of the notches 17a-j and 18a-j are identical, only one notch, notch 18b, will be described in detail with reference to FIGS. 2, 3 and 4. As shown in FIG. 3, the notch 18b is defined by three side walls 21, 22 and 23. The side walls 21 and 22 extend laterally of the aperture 18b and inwardly from the recessed portion of the back face 14 in a direction generally parallel to the aperture 12b. As best shown in FIG. 4, the third side wall 23 which faces toward the aperture 12b includes a portion 24 which extends parallel to the aperture 18b and a portion 25 which is inclined with respect to the portion 24 and extends between the portion 24 and the recessed portion 19 of the back face 14. As will be hereinafter more fully explained, each of the notches 17a-j and 18a-j is adapted to receive a projection on a terminal connector for locating a blade of the terminal connector centrally within one of the apertures 11a-j and 12a-j.

As best shown in FIG. 2, adjacent apertures 12a-j are separated by internal walls 27. As best shown in FIG. 3, a portion of each one of the slots 15 and 16 extends through each one of the side walls 27 and is adapted to receive the base portion of a spade type connector as will be hereinafter more fully described.

The terminal block 10 is also formed with two end flanges 31 and 32 each of which has a bore 33, 34 extending therethrough. Each of the bores 33 and 34 is adapted to receive therethrough a fastener for holding a terminal connector retaining means to the back face 14 of the terminal block 10. In FIGS. 10, 11 and 13 the fastener is in the form of an eyelet generally indicated at 35, and the retaining means is in the form of a back plate generally indicated at 37.

Referring now to FIGS. 4, 6, 7 and 8, a U-shaped terminal connector made in accordance with the teachings of the present invention is generally indicated at 40. The U-shaped terminal connector 40 includes two terminal blades 41 and 42 which are interconnected at their bases by a base portion 43 of the terminal connector 40. The terminal blades 41 and 42 are spaced apart and lie in respective parallel spaced planes as best shown in FIGS. 6 and 8. The free ends 45 and 46 respectively of the blades 41 and 42 are tapered in a conventional manner to facilitate the placing or fitting of a terminal clip thereover. Also, each blade 41, 42 has a hole 47, 48 therethrough which is adapted to mate with a small bump or protuberance on the clip fitted over the blade to firmly hold the clip to the blade in a conventional manner.

As best shown in FIG. 4, one U-shaped terminal connector 40 is inserted into the terminal block 10 with the blades 41 and 42 of the terminal connector 40 received respectively in the apertures 11b and 12b and with the base portion 43 of the terminal connector 40 received in the recessed portion 19 in such a way that the base portion 43 of the terminal connector 40 does not protrude beyond the back face 14 of the terminal block 10. As a result the terminal connectors 40 are simply and easily held in place within the terminal block by a plate such as the back plate 37 as shown in FIG. 11.

In accordance with the teachings of the present invention each of the blades 41, 42 has a rib 51, 52 formed thereon as best shown in FIGS. 6 and 8. As shown, the ribs 51 and 52 extend laterally outwardly from the plane of each blade and inwardly of the U. Stated otherwise, the ribs 51 and 52 extend toward each other. When the connector 40 is inserted into the terminal block 10 from the back face 14 thereof, as shown in FIG. 4, the ribs 51 and 52 will be received in the notches 17b and 18b respectively.

In the illustrated embodiment, a portion 53, 54 of each of the ribs 51, 52 extends from the base portion 43 of the terminal connector 40 inwardly of the U and are formed in the terminal connector 40 when the terminal connector 40 is stamped from a metal sheet. It will be readily appreciated that the notch 18b is formed with the inclined wall portion 25 to provide space for the portion 54 of the rib 52. In like manner, a space is formed in the notch 17b for receiving the portion 53 of the rib 51. Although each of the notches 17a-j and 18a-j are shown with an inclined wall portion 25, it is to be understood that in larger terminal block assemblies the ribs in the larger terminal connector will not have portions extending from the base portion of the terminal connector. As a result the larger terminal block which is adapted to receive the larger terminal connector may not need, or have, an inclined wall portion such as the wall portion 25. Thus, in one modified embodiment of the terminal block 10 of the present invention, the third side wall 23 of the notch will extend between the oval shaped portion of the aperture 12b and the recessed portion 19 of the back face 14 in a direction parallel to the longitudinal axis of the aperture 12b. Of course, it is to be understood that the other notches 17a-j and 18a-j also can be formed without the inclined wall portion 25 particularly in larger embodiments of the terminal block 10.

Referring now to FIGS. 5, 9 and 10, it is to be understood that the slots 15 and 16 enable the terminal block 10 to receive and mount spade type connectors which are of the type generally indicated at 60. In FIG. 5, an end view of two spade type terminal connectors 60 is shown and in FIG. 9 a side elevational view of one spade type terminal connector 60 is shown. The spade type terminal connector 60 has four co-planar terminal blades 61-64 which are interconnected at their bases by a base portion 65 of the connector 60. As shown, the blades 61-64 are adapted to be received in adjacent apertures in one of the rows 11 or 12 of the apertures 11a-j. When the four blades 61-64 are received in four of the apertures in a row 11 or 12 of the apertures, the base portion 65 of the spade type terminal connector 60 is received in one of the slots 15 or 16.

As best shown in FIGS. 9 and 10, each blade 61-64 at the base thereof has shoulder formations 67 which extend laterally from the side edge of each blade and outwardly from the base portion 65. As shown, the shoulders 67 are spaced apart a predetermined distance which is slightly larger than the width of each internal wall 27. As a result, the shoulders 67 define therebetween a groove which mates with a portion of one of the internal walls 27. Thus, when the spade type connector 60 is inserted into a slot 15 or 16 in the terminal block 10, such as in the slot 16 as shown in FIG. 10, the shoulders 67 and groove defined therebetween form a means for centrally locating the blades 61-64 in the four apertures 12a-d.

Typically, and as shown in FIG. 10, each terminal connector whether it be a U-shaped terminal connector 40 or a spade type terminal connector 60 is held in place within the terminal block by the back plate 37 which is secured to the back face 14 of the terminal block 10 by the eyelets 35. In this way, the terminal blades 41, 42, and 61-64 of the terminal connectors 40 and 60 are held in position to receive a quick connect-disconnect terminal clip, such as the clip 70 connected to the end of a shielded wire conductor 72 and fitted over the terminal blade 63 in the aperture 12c as shown in FIG. 10.

In FIG. 11 is shown a portion of a terminal block assembly utilizing the terminal block 10 of the present invention and terminal connectors 40 of the present invention. In this respect, three blades 42 of three terminal connectors 40 are shown received in apertures 12a-c and a terminal clip 70 is received in the aperture 12c and fitted over the terminal blade 42 in the aperture 12c. The rib 52 in each of the blades 42 is received in one of the notches 18a-c. In this respect, from FIG. 11 it will be understood that each of the ribs 52 cooperates with one of the notches 18a-c for centrally locating the blade 42 within the respective apertures 12a-c. In this way, the ribs 52 and notches 18a-c form mating and cooperating locating means for centrally locating the blades 42 within the apertures 12a-c and for preventing sliding movement of the terminal connectors 40 in a direction perpendicular to the plane of the U. It will be noted that the recessed portion 19 and the slots 15 and 16 are continuous. As a result, the base portion 43 of each of the U-shaped terminal connectors could slide within the recessed portion 19 and the blades 41 and 42 could slide within the slots 15 and 16 if such sliding movement of the terminal connectors 40 was not prevented by the cooperative engagement of the locating ribs 51 and 52 and the notches 17a-j and 18a-j.

Although the terminal blades shown in FIG. 11 have been described above as being individual blades of separate U-shaped terminal connectors 40, it is to be understood that the blades shown can be part of a U-shaped terminal strip of the type generally indicated at 80 in FIG. 12. The terminal strip 80 has a plurality of pairs of spaced apart terminal blades 81 and 82 which are interconnected at their bases by a strip or base portion 83. The strip portion 83 extends perpendicular to the plane of the U and interconnects the bases of each pair of blades 81 and 82. Also, the free end of each of the blades 81, 82 is tapered as indicated at 85, 86 and has a hole 87, 88 therethrough spaced a short distance from the free end 85, 86. The holes 87, 88 are similar to the holes 47 and 48 in the U-shaped terminal connector 40 and serve the same purpose. Moreover, in accordance with the teachings of the present invention each of the blades 81, 82 has a rib 91, 92 formed thereon similar to the ribs 51, 52. The ribs 91, 92 are adapted to cooperate with notches in the apertures, for example, with notches 17a-c and 18a-c in the same manner as the ribs 51 and 52 for the purpose of centrally locating the blades 81 and 82 within the apertures in which they are received and for preventing sliding movement of the U-shaped terminal strip 80 in a direction perpendicular to the plane of the U and within the slots 15 and 16 and the recessed portion 19.

FIG. 13 illustrates a problem which can arise of the U-shaped terminal connectors 40 were of conventional construction without having ribs formed in the blades thereof. In this respect, two conventional U-shaped terminal connectors are indicated at 140. These terminal connectors 140 are able to slide or twist within the terminal block 10. In this respect, a blade 142a of one connector 140 is shown with an edge thereof positioned up against the side 145 of one of the internal walls 27. This is possible since the U-shaped terminal connector 140 can slide within the slots 15 and 16, the recessed portion 19 and the apertures 11a and 12a in a direction perpendicular to the plane of the U. When this occurs a terminal clip 70 cannot fit over the blade 142a as shown in FIG. 13, and can only be fitted onto the blade 142a when it is centrally located within the aperture 12a.

With the allowable tolerances for the terminal connectors 140 and the terminal block 10 it is also possible for a blade, such as the blade 142b, of the terminal connector 40 to twist slightly as shown in FIG. 13 such that at least the side edge at the upper end 146b of the blade 142b rests against a side 147 of one of the internal aperture-separating walls 27. Again, as a result of this contact of the upper edge of the terminal blade 142b.

It will be appreciated from the foregoing description that in terminal block assemblies including terminal blocks and terminal connectors made according to the teachings of the present invention, sliding or twisting of terminal connectors within the terminal block assembly as shown in FIG. 13 is prevented. Also, and more importantly, with the terminal block and terminal connectors of the present invention, the blades of the terminal connectors are centrally located within the apertures in which they are received, and this is accomplished by reason of the cooperating and mating ribs 51, 52, 91 and 92 and notches 17a-j and 18a-j.

It will also be appreciated from the foregoing description that obvious modifications can be made to the terminal block and terminal connectors of the present invention without departing from the scope of the invention. For example, each of the notches can have a U-shape conforming to the outer periphery of each of the ribs. Accordingly, the scope of the present invention is only to be limited as necessitated by the accompanying claims.

Claims

We claim:

1. In combination, a terminal block and a terminal connector, said connector including at least two spaced apart parallel blades which are not coplanar and are interconnected at their bases by a connecting portion, said connector being provided with first locating means extending from said connector and projecting away from the plane of at least one of said blades for locating said connector with respect to said block, said terminal block being provided with at least one pair of paralleling channels communicating with opposite faces of said block, and spaced to receive said blades therein, second locating means on one face of said block and in alignment with the aperture of at least one of said channels for engaging said first locating means of said connector to centrally locate said blades in said channels.

2. The combination of claim 1 wherein said second locating means of said block is in the form of a notch in said block and in axial alignment with one of said channels.

3. The combination of claim 1 wherein said second locating means of said block is in the form of a notch which extends into said block from said one face thereof and opens into one of said channels.

4. The combination of claim 3 wherein said notch is defined by three sidewalls within said terminal block, two of said sidewalls extending away from said one channel and inwardly from said one face of said block generally parallel to said one channel and a third sidewall which faces said one channel having at least a portion thereof which extends parallel to the longitudinal axis of said one channel.

5. The combination of claim 4 wherein at least a portion of said third sidewall facing said channel is inclined and extends between said one face of said block and said portion of said remaining sidewall which faces said aperture.

6. The combination of claim 1 wherein the laterally projecting first locating means of said terminal connector extends outwardly from one of said blades.

7. The combination of claim 1 wherein the first locating means of said terminal connector extends outwardly from at least one of said blades and from a portion of said connecting portion of said connector.

8. The combination of claim 1 wherein said block has at least two additional channels in said one face of said block, and a slot extending between, and on a line passing through said two additional channels and at least one channel of said pair of channels.

9. The combination of claim 1 wherein said block includes at least two additional channels with a slot extending between said two additional channels and a second terminal connector integral with said terminal connector and having at least two additional parallel non-coplanar blades interconnected at their bases, respective blades in said second connector being parallel with respective blades in said terminal connector, the portion of said second connector interconnecting said bases of said blades being received in said slot.

10. The combination of claim 9 wherein said second connector has means engaging a wall portion of said block located between and separating said two additional channels for locating each of said blades of said second connector centrally within one of said two additional channels.

11. A terminal block assembly comprising, in combination, a terminal block having a front face, a back face and a plurality of paralleling channels extending through said terminal block between said faces, said channels being aligned in rows to form a lattice arrangement of channels in said terminal block, a generally U-shaped terminal connector having two spaced apart parallel non-coplanar terminal blades interconnected at their bases, said blades being received into two aligned channels in adjacent rows of said channels, each of said blades having a rib projecting away from the plane of said blade for locating said connector with respect to said block, said back face of said block having an individual locating notch associated with each of said channels, each of said notches extending into said terminal block and opening into its associated channel for receiving said locating rib on said blade to centrally locate said blade in said channel, and a retaining means secured to said back face of said terminal block for holding said terminal blades within said two aligned channels.

12. The terminal block assembly of claim 11 wherein said terminal block has a slot extending into said terminal block a predetermined distance from said back face, said slot being located in the area between adjacent channels along said rows of channels, and wherein said assembly includes a spade type terminal connector having a base portion and at least two pairs of terminal blades which are attached to opposite sides of said base portion, said base portion being received in said slot with said blades being received in adjacent apertures in one of said rows of apertures, and wherein said spade type terminal connector has means engaging a wall portion of said block located between and separating said adjacent apertures for centrally locating said blades of said spade type terminal connector in said adjacent apertures.

13. The terminal block assembly of claim 11 including a U-shaped terminal strip having a base portion and at least two pairs of spaced apart generally parallel terminal blades extending substantially perpendicularly from opposite sides of said base portion, said terminal blades which extend from one side of said base portion being received into adjacent apertures in the same row of said apertures and said terminal blades which extend from the other side of said base portion being received into adjacent apertures in an adjacent row of said apertures, each of said terminal blades of said terminal strip having a rib formed thereon which is received in one of said notches such that said ribs and said notches define means for maintaining said terminal blades of said terminal strip centrally located within said apertures and for preventing sliding movement of said U-shaped terminal strip in a direction perpendicular to the plane of the U.

14. In a terminal block assembly of the type including a terminal block and one or more terminal connectors, the improvement comprising a terminal block which is adapted to receive a spade type terminal connector, a U-shaped terminal connector and/or a U-shaped terminal strip having at least a pair of blades with locating means extending away from the at least one of the faces of each of said blades, said terminal block having a plurality of paralleling channels communicating with opposite faces of said block, a plurality of notches in one face of said block, one notch for each aperture, each of said notches being alignment with its associated channel and being adapted to receive and engage said locating means on a terminal connector for centrally locating a blade of the connector in said associated channel, and said terminal block having a slot in said one face thereof, said slot extending between at least two of said channels and being adapted to receive the base portion between the pair of blades which are received in said two channels.

15. In combination a terminal block and a terminal connector, said connector having at least two spaced apart blades interconnected at their bases, said connector being provided with means projecting away from the plane of at least one of said blades for locating said connector with respect to said block, said terminal block being provided with at least one pair of parallel apertures communicating with opposite faces of said block, second locating means on one face of said block and in alignmentwith at least one of said apertures for engaging said projecting locating means of said connector to centrally locate said blades in said apertures, wherein said second locating means of said block is in the form of a notch which extends into said block from said one face thereof and opens into one of said channels, wherein said notches defined by three side walls within said terminal block, two of said side walls extending laterally of said one aperture and inwardly from said one face of said block generally parallel to said one aperture and said remaining side wall which faces said one aperture having at least a portion thereof which extends parallel to the longitudinal axis of said one aperture, wherein at least a portion of said remaining side wall facing said channel is inclined and extends between said one face of said block and said portion of said remaining side wall which faces said aperture.

16. In combination a terminal block and a terminal connector, said connector including at least two spaced apart blades interconnected at their bases, said connector being provided with means projecting laterally of the plane of at least one of said blades for rotating said connector with respect to said block, said terminal block being provided with at least one pair of parallel apertures communicating with opposite faces of said block, means on one face of said block and in alignment with at least one of said apertures for engaging said projecting locating means of said connector to centrally locate said blades in said apertures, wherein the laterally projecting locating means of said terminal connector extends outwardly from at least one of said blades and from a portion of the blade-interconnecting portion of said connector.