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(11) | EP 3 528 350 B1 |
| (12) | EUROPEAN PATENT SPECIFICATION |
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| (54) |
TERMINAL BLOCK ANSCHLUSSLEISTE BLOC TERMINAL |
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| Note: Within nine months from the publication of the mention of the grant of the European patent, any person may give notice to the European Patent Office of opposition to the European patent granted. Notice of opposition shall be filed in a written reasoned statement. It shall not be deemed to have been filed until the opposition fee has been paid. (Art. 99(1) European Patent Convention). |
TECHNICAL FIELD
[0001] The present disclosure relates to a terminal block, in particular to a terminal block which is able to illuminate for indicating.
BACKGROUND
[0002] Light sources are commonly arranged on a conventional terminal block for indicating electrical connection status of the terminal block. In general, the terminal block includes a circuit board and an insulation base arranged on the circuit board, coupling openings are defined on the insulation base. In order to arrange the lights adjacent to the respective coupling openings for indicating electrical connection status of the corresponding coupling opening, a light source and corresponding light guiding structures are commonly disposed on the circuit board, and the light guiding structures extending to the respective corresponding coupling openings are arranged on the insulation base. When the insulation base is assembled onto the circuit board, light guiding structures on the circuit board are connected to the respective corresponding light guiding structures on the insulation base, and the light source is thereby guided to the respective coupling opening.
[0003] However, a large part of space in the terminal block is occupied by the terminal block light guiding structures although the light guiding structures are not big, because the terminal block is tiny. Therefore, a volume of the terminal block is difficult to be decreased.
[0004] US 4 924 213 A discloses with reference to Figs. 5 to 7 a terminal block according to the preamble of claim 1, wherein the housing comprises a plurality of docking chambers, each accommodating a terminal 86. The LEDs are connected with a circuit board for operation and accommodated in a side-pocket of the docking chamber. However, these are not formed in a lateral surface of the housing. Rather, the LEDs are disposed in bores formed in the housing. The circuit board does not form a bottom end of the docking chambers. Rather, the docking chambers have a closed bottom. The LEDs are not arranged on the circuit board. Rather, the LEDs are arranged on the bottoms of the docking chambers.
[0005] DE 32 33 153 A1 discloses a terminal block having a housing, wherein the connecting holes are openings in a lateral side of the housing, and wherein the LEDs are disposed inside the housing. However, the LEDs illuminate via through holes, which are disposed at an upper side of the housing, which is different to the lateral side thereof. The through holes are not disposed on the same lateral surface as the connecting holes. The LEDs are connected by means of a clamping connection with a circuit board, on which the housing of the terminal block is mounted. However, the circuit board does not form a bottom end of the terminal block. The LEDs are not arranged on the circuit board, but instead on the bottom of the housing.
[0006] WO 2014/124475 A2 discloses a connecting terminal for electrically connecting at least one conductor and at least one electrical contact body, comprising a housing in which the contact body is arranged, wherein the electrical contact body comprises a conductor-clamping connection for the at least one electrical conductor, and the electrical contact body has at least one punched part having at least one spring element for a conductor-clamping connection. It is suggested to weld the insulation base on the circuit board..
SUMMARY
[0007] It is an object of the present invention to provide an enhanced terminal block capable to illuminate for indicating which offers the advantage of reduced volume / space at low costs.
[0008] This problem is solved by a terminal block as claimed by claim 1. Further advantageous embodiments are the subject-matter of the dependent claims.
[0009] According to the present invention there is provided a terminal block which is able to illuminate for indicating.
[0010] A terminal block including an insulation base and a circuit board is provided in the present disclosure for coupling with at least one conductive wire. A docking chamber is defined in the insulation base, multiple connecting holes for inserting the respective conductive wires therein and multiple through holes corresponding to the respective connecting holes are defined on a lateral surface of the insulation base. The respective through holes are communicated with the docking chamber and adjacent to the respective corresponding connecting holes. The circuit board is arranged in the docking chamber, and multiple LEDs are arranged on the circuit board corresponding to the respective through holes. The LEDs are accommodated in the docking chamber and the respective LEDs are able to illuminate through the respective corresponding through holes.
[0011] According to the terminal block of the present invention, an opening is defined on the docking chamber and the circuit board is inserted into the docking chamber through the opening.
[0012] According to the terminal block of the present disclosure, corresponding to each connecting hole, a conductive point is arranged on the circuit board and the conductive points are accommodated in the docking chamber, and corresponding to each connecting hole, a terminal is arranged in the insulation base and the respective terminals are extended into the docking chamber and electrically connected with the respective corresponding the conductive points. The respective terminals could be coupled with the respective corresponding conductive points, or the respective terminals could alternatively press on the respective corresponding conductive points. The conductive points are arranged on one surface of the circuit board, and the LEDs are arranged on the other surface of the circuit board. Alternatively, the conductive points and the LEDs can be arranged on the same surface of the circuit board. The respective terminals are extended into the respective corresponding connecting holes for electrically connecting with the conductive wires. At least a partition plate is arranged in the docking chamber, and the terminals are thereby isolated from each other.
[0013] According to the terminal block of the present disclosure, the through holes are defined on the insulation base and the LEDs are arranged corresponding to the respective through holes, and the respective LEDs are thereby able to illuminate from the insulation base through the respective corresponding through hole for indicating an electrical connection status of the terminal block. Therefore, a light guiding structure should not be arranged in the terminal block according to the present disclosure, and a volume of the terminal block could be decreased.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWING
[0014] The present disclosure can be more fully understood by reading the following detailed description of the embodiment, with reference made to the accompanying drawings as follows:
Fig. 1 is a perspective view showing a first embodiment of the terminal block of the present disclosure that serves for a better understanding of the present invention.
Fig. 2 is an exploded view showing the first embodiment of the terminal block of the present disclosure.
Fig. 3 is a cross-sectional view showing the first embodiment of the terminal block of the present disclosure.
Fig. 4 is a perspective view showing a second embodiment of the terminal block of the present disclosure.
Fig. 5 is an exploded view showing the second embodiment of the terminal block of the present disclosure.
Fig. 6 is a cross-sectional view showing the second embodiment of the terminal block of the present disclosure.
Fig. 7 is a perspective view showing another arrangement of the second embodiment of the terminal block of the present disclosure.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
[0015] According to a first embodiment that serves for a better understanding of the present invention and is shown in Figs. 1 to 3, a terminal block for coupling with at least a conductive wire (not be shown in Figs.) and further electrically connected to a predetermined element or device is provided the terminal block according to the present disclosure includes an insulation base 100 and a circuit board 200.
[0016] According to the present embodiment, the insulation base 100 is preferably a rectangular plastic block. a concave docking chamber 101 is defined on a bottom of the insulation base 100 and an opening 104 communicated with the docking chamber 101 is defined on the bottom of the insulation base 100, and multiple connecting holes 102 and multiple through holes 103 corresponding to the respective connecting holes 102 are defined on a front surface of the insulation base 100. The respective through holes 103 are defined on an edge of the opening 104 communicated with the docking chamber 101, the respective through holes 103 are notches. Each connecting hole 102 is allowed a conductive wire to be inserted thereinto, the respective through holes 103 are communicated with the docking chamber 101 and arranged adjacent to the respective corresponding connecting holes 102.
[0017] The circuit board 200 is arranged in the docking chamber 101, according to the present embodiment, the circuit board 200 is preferably arranged on the bottom of the insulation base 100 to cover the opening 104 of the docking chamber 101, and the circuit board 200 covers one side of each through hole 103 and each through hole 103 is thereby closed to be defined as a hole. Corresponding to each through hole 103, a LED 210 is arranged on the circuit board 200, and the LEDs 210 are accommodated in the docking chamber 101 and each LED 210 could illuminate through the respective through hole 103.
[0018] Corresponding to each connecting hole 102, a conductive point 201 is arranged on the circuit board 200, and the conductive points 201 are accommodated in the docking chamber 101; corresponding to each connecting hole 102, a terminal 110 is arranged in the insulation base 100, and the respective terminal 110 are extended into the respective corresponding docking chamber 101 and thereby electrically connected with the respective corresponding conductive points 201; and the respective terminals 110 are additionally extended into the respective corresponding connecting holes 102 for electrically connecting with the conductive wires. The conductive wires are electrically connected to the circuit board 200 via the terminals 110. According to the present embodiment, each conductive point 201 is a copper welding hole, the respective terminals 110 are inserted in the respective corresponding conductive point 201, and at least a partition plate 120 could be arranged in the docking chamber 101 for isolating the terminals 110 from each other.
[0019] According to a second embodiment shown in Figs. 4 to 6, a terminal block is provided in the present embodiment, and the same as the first embodiment, the terminal block is used for coupling with at least a conductive wire and further electrically connected to a predetermined element or device is provided. According to the present disclosure, the terminal block includes an insulation base 100 and a circuit board 200, and the structure thereof is similar to the first embodiment and will not be repeated. The differences between the present embodiment and the first embodiment are described below.
[0020] According to the present embodiment, an opening 104 communicated with the docking chamber 101 is defined on a back surface of the insulation base 100, and the circuit board 200 is inserted into the docking chamber 101 through the opening 104. However, scope of the present disclosure should not be limited to the embodiments, for example, the opening 104 alternatively could be defined on another lateral surface. According to the present embodiment, each conductive point 201 is a gold finger, the respective terminals 110 press on the respective corresponding conductive points 201 when the circuit board 200 is inserted in the docking chamber 101. According to the present embodiment, the conductive points 201 and the LEDs 210 are preferably arranged on the same surface of the circuit board 200.
[0021] According to another alternative arrangement shown in Fig. 7, the conductive points 201 are arranged on one surface of the circuit board 200, and the LEDs 210 are arranged on the other surface of the circuit board 200.
[0022] According to the present disclosure terminal block, through holes 103 are defined on the insulation base 100 and the LEDs 210 are arranged corresponding to the respective through holes 103, and the respective LEDs 210 are thereby able to directly illuminate from the insulation base 100 through the respective through hole 103 for indicating an electrical connection status of the terminal block. Therefore, a light guiding structure should not be arranged in the terminal block according to the present disclosure, and a volume of the terminal block could be decreased.
an insulation base (100),
a docking chamber (101) defined in the insulation base (100),
a plurality of connecting holes (102) for coupling with a respective conductive wire and
a plurality of through holes (103) corresponding to the respective connecting holes (102) being defined on a lateral surface of the insulation base (100), the respective through holes (103) being communicated with the docking chamber (101) and arranged adjacent to the respective corresponding connecting holes (102); and
a circuit board (200) arranged in the docking chamber (101), a plurality of LEDs (210)
corresponding to the respective through holes (103) being arranged on the circuit
board (200), the LEDs (210) being accommodated in the docking chamber (101) and the
respective LEDs (210) being able to illuminate through the respective through holes
(103);
characterized in that an opening (104) is defined on the docking chamber (101) and the circuit board (200)
is inserted into the docking chamber (101) through the opening (104).
einen isolierenden Sockel (100),
eine Ankopplungskammer (101), die in dem isolierenden Sockel (100) festgelegt ist,
eine Mehrzahl von Verbindungslöchern (102) zur Kopplung mit einem zugeordneten leitenden Draht und
eine Mehrzahl von Durchgangslöchern (103), die den jeweiligen Verbindungslöchern (102) zugeordnet sind und auf einer Seitenfläche des isolierenden Sockels (100) festgelegt sind, wobei die jeweiligen Durchgangslöcher (103) mit der Ankopplungskammer (101) in Verbindung stehen und neben den jeweils zugeordneten Verbindungslöchern (102) angeordnet sind; und
eine Leiterplatte (200), die in der Ankopplungskammer (101) angeordnet ist, wobei auf der Leiterplatte (200) mehrere den jeweiligen Durchgangslöchern (103) zugeordnete LEDs (210) angeordnet sind, wobei die LEDs (210) in der Ankopplungskammer (101) aufgenommen sind und die jeweiligen LEDs (210) durch die jeweiligen Durchgangslöcher (103) hindurch leuchten können;
dadurch gekennzeichnet, dass eine Öffnung (104) in der Ankopplungskammer (101) festgelegt ist und die Leiterplatte (200) durch die Öffnung (104) hindurch in die Ankopplungskammer (101) eingeführt ist.
une base d'isolation (100),
une chambre de connexion (101) définie dans la base d'isolation (100),
une pluralité de trous de connexion (102) pour le couplage avec un fil conducteur respectif et
une pluralité de trous d'interconnexion (103) correspondant aux trous de connexion respectifs (102) étant définis sur une surface latérale de la base d'isolation (100), les trous d'interconnexion respectifs (103) étant en communication avec la chambre de connexion (101) et disposés de manière adjacente aux trous d'interconnexion respectifs correspondants (102); et
une carte de circuit imprimé (200) disposée dans la chambre de connexion (101), une pluralité de DEL (210) correspondant aux trous d'interconnexion respectifs (103) étant disposées sur la carte de circuit imprimé (200), les DEL (210) étant logées dans la chambre de connexion (101) et les DEL respectives (210) étant capables de s'éclairer à travers les trous d'interconnexion (103) respectifs;
caractérisé en ce qu'une ouverture (104) est définie sur la chambre de connexion (101) et la carte de circuit imprimé (200) est insérée dans la chambre de connexion (101) à travers l'ouverture (104).
REFERENCES CITED IN THE DESCRIPTION
This list of references cited by the applicant is for the reader's convenience only. It does not form part of the European patent document. Even though great care has been taken in compiling the references, errors or omissions cannot be excluded and the EPO disclaims all liability in this regard.
Patent documents cited in the description