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(11) | EP 2 503 642 A1 |
| (12) | EUROPEAN PATENT APPLICATION |
| published in accordance with Art. 153(4) EPC |
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| (54) | TERMINAL STRIP CIRCUIT |
| (57) The present invention provides a terminal plate circuit wherein the reliability of
the electrical connection state between the terminal plate and the rectangular wire
is enhanced by the simple method without using any independent component. The present
invention is a terminal plate circuit including a terminal plate and a rectangular
wire, characterized in that the terminal plate includes a cutout which has been formed
by pushing out a material of a part of the terminal plate from one side to the other
side in such a manner as not to be completely separated from the terminal plate; in
that the rectangular wire extends on the terminal plate in tight contact therewith,
then passes under the cutout, and finally, emerges above the terminal plate again;
and in that the surface of the rectangular wire is sandwiched between the edge of
the cutout and the edge of the terminal plate existing around the cutout. |
Technical Field of the Invention
[0001] The present invention relates to a terminal plate circuit being able to securely hold an electrical connection state between a terminal plate and a rectangular wire even in a severe environment such as within a terminal box for solar cell panel.
Background Art
[0002] Conventionally, in order to connect a rectangular wire electrically to a terminal plate in a terminal plate circuit, it has been carried out by providing an opening, through which the rectangular wire penetrates, in the terminal plate, inserting the rectangular wire through this opening from upper side or lower side, contacting the terminal plate with the rectangular wire electrically, and soldering or welding the contacting part.
[0003] However, in a case where the terminal plate circuit is used within a terminal box for solar cell panel, the electrical connection state between the terminal plate and the rectangular wire must be maintained for an extremely long period of time in the severe environment, so that the reliability has not been sufficient by a connection method implemented by only soldering or welding of the aforementioned background art.
[0004] On the other hand, as a method for enhancing the reliability of the electrical connection state between the terminal plate and the rectangular wire, fixing the rectangular wire to the terminal plate with use of a screw and thereafter soldering or welding the fixed part has been carried out conventionally; however, fixation with a screw involves formation of a screw hole and a work of mounting the screw, so that the manufacturing processes become complex and hence the above method is not desirable.
[0005] In view of this, the applicant has already proposed a terminal plate circuit, in which a pressing member capable of sandwiching an end of a terminal plate presses a rectangular wire against the terminal plate, so as to enhance the reliability of an electrical connection state between the terminal plate and the rectangular wire (cf. Patent Document 1).
[0006] The terminal plate circuit disclosed in Patent Document 1 can remarkably enhance the reliability of the connected part between the terminal plate and the rectangular wire. However, the pressing member is independently needed, and therefore, there was a space to further improve this terminal plate circuit in terms of management of manufacturing processes.
Prior Art Document
Patent Document
Disclosure of the Invention
Problem that the Invention is to Solve
[0008] The present invention has been devised under such a circumstance of the background art, and an object thereof is to provide a terminal plate circuit in which the reliability of an electrical connection state between a terminal plate and a rectangular wire is enhanced by a simple method without using any independent component.
Means for Solving the Problem
[0009] As a result of an earnest study by the inventors of the present application in order to achieve the above object, they have found that by forming a cutout by pushing out a material of a part of a terminal plate from one side to the other side, and further, by allowing a rectangular wire to pass under the cutout so that the surface of the rectangular wire is sandwiched between the edge of the cutout and the edge of the terminal plate, the reliability of an electrical connection state between the terminal plate and the rectangular wire can be readily enhanced in a simple method without using any independent component, and finally, they have reached the completion of the present invention.
[0010] Specifically, the present invention provides a terminal plate circuit including a terminal plate and a rectangular wire, characterized in that the terminal plate includes a cutout which has been formed by pushing out a material of a part of the terminal plate from one side to the other side in such a manner as not to be completely separated from the terminal plate; in that the rectangular wire extends on the terminal plate in tight contact therewith, then passes under the cutout, and finally, emerges above the terminal plate again; and in that the surface of the rectangular wire is sandwiched between the edge of the cutout and the edge of the terminal plate existing around the cutout.
[0011] In a preferred embodiment of the terminal plate circuit of the present invention, a part of the terminal plate in tight contact with the rectangular wire before the rectangular wire passes under the cutout has a depressed shape compared with remaining part of the terminal plate.
[0012] In another preferred embodiment of the terminal plate circuit of the present invention, the rectangular wire is bent to be placed on the cutout in tight contact therewith after the rectangular wire emerges above the terminal plate again.
[0013] In a further preferred embodiment of the terminal plate circuit of the present invention, a part where the rectangular wire and the terminal plate contact with each other and/or the surroundings thereof are soldered or welded.
[0014] In a more preferred embodiment of the terminal plate circuit of the present invention, the terminal plate circuit is used within a terminal box for solar cell panel. Advantages of the Invention
[0015] The terminal plate circuit of the present invention includes the cutout which has been formed by pushing out the material of a part of the terminal plate from one side to the other side, in which the rectangular wire is allowed to pass under the cutout so that the surface of the rectangular wire is sandwiched between the edge of the cutout and the edge of the terminal plate around the cutout. Thus, it is possible to enhance the reliability of the electrical connection state between the terminal plate and the rectangular wire by the simple configuration without using any independent component. Consequently, the terminal plate circuit of the present invention is suitable for a terminal box for solar cell panel which is used in severe outdoor environment.
Brief Descriptions of Drawings
[0016]
[Fig. 1] Fig. 1 is a perspective outline view of the first embodiment of a terminal plate circuit of the present invention.
[Fig. 2] Fig. 2 is a sectional outline view of the first embodiment of the terminal plate circuit of the present invention.
[Fig. 3] Fig. 3 is a perspective outline view of the second embodiment of a terminal plate circuit of the present invention.
[Fig. 4] Fig. 4 is a sectional outline view of the second embodiment of the terminal plate circuit of the present invention.
[Fig. 5] Fig. 5 is a perspective outline view of the third embodiment of a terminal plate circuit of the present invention.
[Fig. 6] Fig. 6 is a sectional outline view of the third embodiment of the terminal plate circuit of the present invention.
Best Mode for Carrying Out the Invention
[0017] The embodiments of the terminal plate circuit of the present invention will now be illustrated with reference to the drawings hereinafter, but the present invention is not limited thereto.
(First Embodiment)
[0018] Fig. 1 is a perspective outline view showing the first embodiment of a terminal plate circuit of the present invention. Fig. 2 is a sectional outline view of the terminal plate circuit of Fig. 1. As is obvious from FIGS. 1 and 2, a terminal plate circuit 1 includes a terminal plate 2 and a rectangular wire 3. The terminal plate 2 includes a cutout 4 which has been formed by pushing out a material of a part of the terminal plate from lower side to upper side. The cutout 4 is not completely separated from the terminal plate 2, and allows the rectangular wire 3 to pass thereunder.
[0019] The rectangular wire 3 is guided near the terminal plate 2 so as to supply a current generated at, for example, a solar cell panel. As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the rectangular wire 3 extends on the terminal plate 2 in tight contact therewith, passes under the cutout 4, and finally, emerges above the terminal plate 2. At this time, the surface of the rectangular wire 3 (specifically, a surface of a part of the rectangular wire 3 which is to go under the cutout 4 and a surface of a part of the rectangular wire which is to emerge above the terminal plate through lower side of the cutout 4) is sandwiched between the edge of the cutout 4 and the edge of the terminal plate 2 existing around the cutout 4. This sandwich state can be achieved by slightly raising the cutout 4 from the terminal plate 2 to allow the rectangular wire 3 to pass from upper side of the terminal plate 2 to lower side of the cutout 4 and emerge above the terminal plate 2, and subsequently, by lowering and pressing the cutout 4 against the terminal plate 2 to the original position. This sandwich structure more enhances the electrical connection state between the terminal plate 2 and the rectangular wire 3 than that in the conventional art because there are at least two sandwich parts.
[0020] Although the cutout 4 is required to have such a shape and a size as to allow the rectangular wire 3 to extend from upper side of the terminal plate 2, via lower side of the cutout 4, to upper side of the terminal plate 2 again, it may be formed into any shape and in any size within a realistic range unless it is completely separated from the terminal plate 2. For example, the cutout 4 may be partly cut off or may be divided into a plurality of parts. The important thing herein is that the cutout 4 which is not completely separated from the terminal plate 2 presses the surface of the rectangular wire 3 in such a manner as to sandwich the rectangular wire 3 between the edge of the cutout 4 and the edge of the terminal plate 2 around the cutout 4, so as to securely establish the electrical connection state between the terminal plate 2 (or the cutout 4) and the rectangular wire 3.
[0021] The rectangular wire 3 used in the terminal plate circuit 1 of the present invention may be appropriately selected from conventionally known ones. The terminal plate 2 should be preferably enlarged as shown in Figs. 1 and 2 in order to enhance the function for cooling a diode to be mounted thereon in the case where the terminal plate 2 is used within a terminal box for solar cell panel. As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, a part of the terminal plate 2 with which the rectangular wire 3 is brought into tight contact before passing under the cutout 4 preferably has a depressed shape compared with remaining part of the terminal plate 2. This is for enabling the rectangular wire 3 to readily pass under the cutout 4 and for securing the sandwich state. Although the other constituent components used in the terminal plate circuit 1 are not described in detail here, conventionally known constituent components may be appropriately adopted.
[0022] In the terminal plate circuit 1 of the present invention, in addition to that the rectangular wire 3 is sandwiched between the cutout 4 of the terminal plate 2 and the terminal plate 2 around the cutout 4 as described above, the part and/or the surroundings where the terminal plate 2 and the rectangular wire 3 are brought into electric contact with each other may be soldered or welded, whereby it is possible to achieve the firmer electrical connection state between the terminal plate 2 and the rectangular wire 3.
(Second Embodiment)
[0023] Fig. 3 is a perspective outline view showing the second embodiment of a terminal plate circuit of the present invention. Fig. 4 is a sectional outline view of the terminal plate circuit of Fig. 3. In the above first embodiment, the cutout 4 of the terminal plate 2 has a rectangular shape, wherein one side is continuous to the terminal plate 2. The second embodiment is largely different from the first embodiment in that a cutout 4 of a terminal plate 2 has a U shape, wherein both ends of the U-shaped cutout 4 are continuous to the terminal plate 2, and further, a rectangular wire 3 is surrounded by the U-shaped cutout 4. This structure in the second embodiment is advantageous in that the cutout 4 uniformly presses the surface of the rectangular wire 3 against the edge of the terminal plate 2 with ease. The other configurations are basically identical to each other between the first and second embodiments without any substantial difference.
(Third Embodiment)
[0024] Fig. 5 is a perspective outline view showing the third embodiment of a terminal plate circuit of the present invention, and Fig. 6 is a sectional outline view of the terminal plate circuit of Fig. 5. The principal differences between the above first embodiment and the third embodiment are the shape of a cutout 4 of a terminal plate 2 and the path of a rectangular wire 3 near the cutout 4. Specifically, the third embodiment is largely different from the first embodiment in that the rectangular cutout 4 is located at a slightly higher position than the surface of the terminal plate 2, and the rectangular wire 3 passes under the cutout 4, emerges above the terminal plate 2 and then is bent to be placed on the cutout 4 in close contact therewith. With the above configuration in the third embodiment, there is an advantage that the rectangular wire 3 hardly slips even if it is pulled. The other configurations are basically identical to each other between the first and third embodiments without any substantial difference.
Industrial Applicability
[0025] The terminal plate circuit of the present invention can enhance the reliability of the electrical connection state between the terminal plate and the rectangular wire by the simple method without using any independent component, and therefore, it can be suitably used for a terminal box for solar cell panel which is exposed to a severe environment.
Explanation of Reference Number
1. A terminal plate circuit including a terminal plate and a rectangular wire, characterized in that the terminal plate includes a cutout which has been formed by pushing out a material
of a part of the terminal plate from one side to the other side in such a manner as
not to be completely separated from the terminal plate; in that the rectangular wire extends on the terminal plate in tight contact therewith, then
passes under the cutout, and finally, emerges above the terminal plate again; and
in that the surface of the rectangular wire is sandwiched between the edge of the cutout
and the edge of the terminal plate existing around the cutout.
2. The terminal plate circuit according to claim 1, wherein a part of the terminal plate
in tight contact with the rectangular wire before the rectangular wire passes under
the cutout has a depressed shape compared with remaining part of the terminal plate.
3. The terminal plate circuit according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the rectangular wire
is bent to be placed on the cutout in tight contact therewith after the rectangular
wire emerges above the terminal plate again.
4. The terminal plate circuit according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein a part where
the rectangular wire and the terminal plate contact with each other and/or the surroundings
thereof are soldered or welded.
5. The terminal plate circuit according to any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein the terminal
plate circuit is used within a terminal box for solar cell panel.
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