Terminal Junction System

Abstract

A terminal junction system is formed of an insulated housing member having a central channel extending along its axial length. A plurality of rows of contact terminals extend along the axis of the housing member, one end of the contact terminals extending into the channel. A bussing spring which comprises a pair of side walls interconnected by an end wall is mounted in the channel and is contiguous with at least a pair of the contact terminals. The distance between the side walls of the bussing spring is such that when the spring is inserted in the channel between rows of contact terminals the side walls are contiguous with at least two adjacent contacts of each row. Moreover, the bussing spring may be utilized to interconnect a plurality of contact terminals of the same row. The other ends of the contact terminals can be coupled through one of the walls of the insulated housing member. Further, means may be formed on the insulating housing member so that when an external contact member is secured to one of the contact terminals an environmental seal may be provided at the junction of the contact terminal of the terminal junction and the external contact member. Visible sealing means may be provided to cover said channel and simultaneously observe interconnection between adjacent contacts formed in the channel.

Description

The invention relates in general to electrical connecting systems and, more particularly, to a terminal junction for terminating a plurality of wire conductors.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Prior art terminal junctions have included female contacts mounted in the junction block which are then connected to an external male member having a wire conductor secured thereto. In most cases, where the junction block is formed of an insulating member, difficulty has arisen in molding in the female contact members since the female contact must contain some provision which allows spring contact to the removable male contact members. Moreover, the connections between adjacent contacts of the terminal posts were not readily discernable after assembly of the junction block. The connections which were normally made by soldering or by a permanent mechanical connection, were difficult to perform and changes therein were not readily and easily made. Also, in order to environmentally seal the connection between the external contact and the contact of the terminal junction, grommets, which are complex and costly, were normally utilized.

In order to overcome the attendant disadvantages of prior art terminal junction systems, the present invention utilizes a male contact member as part of the terminal junction which can be easily molded into the insulator member. Moreover, a simple and rapid bussing arrangement, which may be easily fitted into the housing, allows rapid changes in the bussing configuration of the insulator block. Further, visual inspection of the bussing arrangement can be made without removal of any of the parts of the housing. Also, the interconnections between the external contacts and the contacts in the insulator housing is rapid and simple. In addition, the use of grommets are eliminated while a satisfactory environmental seal is still provided.

The advantages of this invention, both as to its construction and mode of operation, will be readily appreciated as the same becomes better understood by references to the following detailed description when considered in connection with the accompanying drawings in which like referenced numerals designate like parts throughout the figures.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 depicts a perspective view of the electrical interconnecting system in accordance with the invention.

FIG. 2 illustrates a sectional view of the terminal junction system of FIG. 1 taken along the lines 2--2 of FIG. 1.

FIG. 3 shows a perspective view of the bussing strip depicted in FIG. 2.

FIG. 4 depicts an alternative utilization of the bussing strip of the embodiments of FIGS. 1 through 3.

FIG. 5 illustrates a sectional view of an alternative embodiment of the electrical interconnecting system of FIG. 1.

FIG. 6 shows a cross-sectional view of the contacts and seal taken along the lines 6--6 of FIG. 5;

and FIG. 7 depicts an alternative flange configuration of the terminal junction system depicted in FIG. 1.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

Referring now to the drawings, there is shown in FIG. 1, a preferred embodiment of the terminal junction. The terminal junction comprises an insulated housing member 12 which has a generally U-shaped configuration as viewed in cross section in FIG. 2. The inner portion of the U contains a channel-like member 14 having a pair of side walls 16, 18 and a bottom wall 22. The side wall 16 extends upwardly and terminates at an L-shaped bore portion having a bottom wall 24 and a side wall 26. Similarly, the side wall 18 terminates in a bore portion having a bottom wall 28 and a side wall 32. The side walls 26 and 32 extend to the top walls 34, 36, respectively, of the U-shaped insulator housing 12. Extending upwardly from and spaced axially along the top walls 34, 36 are a plurality of cylindrical insulating members 42 having a top wall surface 44 formed in a plane parallel to the walls 34 and 36. The cylindrical insulating members 42 may be formed integral with the insulating housing 12. The ends of the housing 12 contain mounting flanges 52 which are an integral part of the insulator housing, but are of reduced thickness and contain bores 54 therethrough for securing the terminal junction system to a conventional support means.

Terminal post members 62 are mounted integrally in the housing 12, with the housing normally being molded around the posts. Each of the posts 62 may be of a generally U-shaped configuration and of square, rectangular or circular cross section. A first long leg portion 64 extends through the housing 12 parallel to the axis of the cylindrical portions 42 and extend outwardly through the top surface 44 of the cylindrical portion and contain a terminating portion 66. A short leg 68 of the terminal posts extends into the channel 14 to a height less than the walls 24 and 28. Generally, a pair of terminal posts are mounted in the channel 14 such that a pair of the legs 68 will be adjacent to each other but spaced slightly therefrom. A bottom leg portion 72 interconnects the legs 64 and 68.

A bussing spring 82 is also of generally U-shaped configuration in section and comprises a first side wall 84 which is generally straight. The other side wall 86 is formed at a slight angle so that its ends bend toward the first straight wall portion 84. One end of the side wall 86 is connected to a bottom portion 88 of the bussing spring and the other end is connected to an outwardly extending lip portion 92. Further, the straight wall 84 is connected at one end to the portion 88 and the other end thereof contains an outwardly extending lip portion 94. The side walls 84 and 86 of the bussing spring may contain slots 96 which increase the flexibility of the bussing spring as well as allow severing of the spring should it be desirous to shorten the bussing spring. As shown in FIG. 2, the bussing spring 82 is mounted in the channel 14 so that both inner side walls of the spring 82 surround the portion 68 of the terminal posts. Thus, the bussing springs can be used to interconnect adjacent axially spaced legs along one side of the channel.

Referring now to FIG. 4, there is shown an alternative arrangement in connection with the use of the bussing spring 82. In FIG. 4, the bussing spring is mounted so that its closed end 88 is adjacent the bottom wall 22 and its outer side walls 84 and 86 are contiguous with opposed legs 68 of the terminal posts. In this way, the same bussing springs utilized in FIG. 2 can be used to join adjacent terminal posts while simultaneously joining terminal posts along the axis of the terminal junction housing. Moreover, it should be noted that if just two adjacent terminal posts were to be electrically connected together a small section of the bussing spring could be utilized such as by severing the bussing spring along two of the adjacent slots 96.

Referring now to FIG. 5, there is shown an alternative arrangement for mounting terminal posts in the insulator housing. In FIG. 5, additional cylindrical insulating members 102 similar to the insulating members 42 and diagonally opposed thereto are formed in the insulator housing, Further, an additional terminal post portion 104 extends from the leg portion 72 adjacent the leg 62 through the member 102 so as to form a feed-thru Connection to the leg portion 68. In this manner, additional connections may be made to each terminal post. Alternatively, it should be understood that the post portion 62 could be eliminated and the terminal post could consist only of the feed-thru contact comprising portions 68, 72 and 104.

A cover member 112 which may be of transparent molded thermoplastic material so as to view the connection of the bussing spring to the terminal posts 68 is utilized in the embodiments of FIGS. 1 and 5. Moreover, as shown in FIG. 1, the plastic cover 112 may be secured by means of screws 114 to the insulator housing 12 in the reduced flange portion 52. The cover 112 is generally pi-shaped in cross-sectional configuration, as viewed in FIGS. 2 and 5, and contains a top portion 116 whose top surface 118 is flush with the surfaces 34 and 36 and whose end surfaces 122, 124 are contiguous with the surfaces 26 and 32 respectively. The bottom end walls 126, 128 are adjacent to the walls 24, 28 with gasket portions 132, 134 interposed between these walls, respectively. A pair of legs 136, 138 of the pi-shaped dust cover 112 have their outer surface adjacent to the side walls 16, 18 respectively. The inner angular surface of the legs 146, 148 abut the outer side walls 86 of the bussing spring in the embodiments of FIGS. 2 and 5.

In FIGS. 5 and 6 there is shown a typical contact 152 which may be utilized to connect to the terminal posts 66 and 104 of FIGS. 1 and 5. Each of the contacts 152 are generally box shaped and have a rectangular cross section. The contact may have been formed from a flat piece of metal which is folded over along a seam 154 and have tab portions 156, 158 which allow the contact to form a tight fit with the terminal posts. The other end of the contact may contain a crimping portion 162 for securing the contact to a conductor 164 although other arrangements for securing the conductors to the contact are, of course, possible.

An elastomeric boot 172, which is generally cylindrical in shape, is utilized to provide an environmental seal around the contacting portion of the terminal junctions. The boot contains an enlarged bottom portion 174 which surrounds the cylindrical insulating members 42 and has a lip 175 which rests upon the surface 34. The other end 176 of the boot 172 has a lip portion 177 which surrounds the end of the contact beyond the crimp portion 162. Thus, the entire junction of the contact and the post is environmentally sealed.

Referring now to FIG. 7, there is shown an alternative arrangement for the terminal junction system. Instead of providing a flange such as 52 shown in FIG. 1, the end contacts of the terminal junction system may be removed and screws 182 utilized to secure the insulator housing to a mounting means. In this way, a generally rectangular shaped housing 184 is formed and the flanges 52 are eliminated on the housing as well as an additional flange on the transparent cover 186.

Claims

What is claimed is:

1. A terminal junction system comprising:

an insulated housing member having a central channel extending along its axial length;

a plurality of rows of contact terminal extending along the axis of said housing member, at least one end of each contact terminal extending into said channel; and

a bussing spring comprising a pair of side walls interconnected by an end wall mounted in said channel and contiguous with at least a pair of adjacent contact terminals, the distance between said side walls being such that when said spring is inserted in said channel between said rows of contact terminals, said side walls are contiguous with at least two adjacent contacts of each row.

2. A terminal junction system in accordance with claim 1 wherein said spring is such that the distance between said side walls is less than the thickness of said contact terminals, said spring being positionable to connect adjacent contact terminals of the same row.

3. A terminal junction system in accordance with claim 1 wherein a transparent cover is removably positioned over said channel, said cover providing an environmental shield for said contact terminals and said bussing spring in said channel while simultaneously allowing a viewable position of said spring and said contacts.

4. In combination, a plurality of rows of electrical contacts mounted in an electrical insulating member, and means for interconnecting said contacts comprising a U-shaped bussing spring member having a pair of side walls and an interconnecting wall, the spacing between the outer surfaces of said side walls being greater than the distance between said rows electrical contacts and the spacing between the inner surfaces of said side walls being less than the thickness of said contacts.

5. A spring member in accordance with claim 1 wherein said electrical contacts are formed of at least a plurality of pairs of rows, said spring member being adapted to connect adjacent contacts of each row as well as adjacent contacts of the same row.