US 4,055,737 A · Terminal block assembly for mounting a switch or other electrical component

Abstract

The assembly includes a dielectric base having molded structural portions for receiving and mounting a manually operated switch, and for receiving and mounting a plurality of electrical connection terminals that serve to connect lead wires to the switch contacts. The switch contacts and electromechanical switching mechanism are mounted in a preassembled switch body, from which a plurality of substantially rigid electrical connection prongs extend. The base includes a honeycomb-like cluster of terminal receiving recesses and a plurality of prong receiving apertures, one for each recess. The prong receiving apertures extend inwardly of the base from a surface thereof defining a recess for seating the body of the switch, with each aperture opening into a separate one of the terminal receiving recesses through an interior recess sidewall. The recesses, apertures and switch prongs are cooperatively formed and disposed so that the switch prongs are insertable through the apertures to protrude into the terminal receiving recesses when the switch body is seated on the base. An electrical connection terminal means is positionable in each terminal receiving recess for mechanically gripping and electrically contacting the prong that resides therein thereby securing the switch component to the base. These terminal means also serve to detachably connect a lead wire to the associated switch prong.

Claims35

Dependent claims

An assembly of an electrical component and a terminal block, comprising:

an electrical component having a body and a substantially rigid electrical connection prong mechanically affixed to said body and projecting outwardly therefrom;
terminal connection means;
a base including structure formed of dielectric material that defines a terminal receiving recess and a prong receiving aperture, said terminal receiving recess having an opening through which said terminal connection means is inserted and having an interior wall extending inwardly of said base from said opening, said body of said component being mounted adjacent a surface of said base that is spaced from said recess and said prong receiving aperture being sized and positioned to extend from said surface and enter into said terminal receiving recess through said interior wall thereof at a location spaced inwardly from said opening, said prong being disposed in said prong receiving aperture so that a free end of said prong protrudes into said terminal receiving recess from said aperture in said interior wall;
said terminal connection means being disposed in said terminal receiving recess and having a pair of prong gripping elements, at least one of which is electrically conductive, receiving said prong therebetween, and having tightening means coacting with said prong gripping elements for drawing said elements into mechanical and electrical engagement with said prong, said terminal connection means being sized and oriented with respect to both said terminal receiving recess and said prong receiving aperture so as to anchor said prong in said recess and thus secure said component to said base.

1 more element

In an assembly of a terminal block and an electrical component of the type having body and a plurality of substantially rigid electrically conductive prongs extending in spaced apart parallelism outwardly from said body, the improvement in said terminal block comprising:

a base having structure formed of a dielectric material defining a cluster of similarly formed terminal receiving recesses each having an opening in an upper surface of said base and having an interior sidewall extending into said base from said recess opening and terminating at a bottom wall of said recess, said sidewalls of said recesses being substantially perpendicular to a 1st reference plane defined on said base, said base further having a surface portion lying substantially parallel to a 2nd reference plane that is orthogonal to said 1st reference plane and that is located on said base to one side of said cluster of recesses, said base having further structure formed of dielectric material defining a plurality of prong receiving apertures each extending inwardly from said surface portion and each entering a separate one of said recesses through said sidewall thereof, said component prongs being disposed in said apertures and being positioned so that end portions of said prongs protrude into individual said recesses;
and
a plurality of terminal means individually disposed in separate ones of said recesses, each of said terminal means mechanically gripping and electrically contacting the end portion of the one of said prongs residing within a corresponding one of said recesses.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Terminal block assembly for mounting a switch or other electrical component

Life of this patent

Terminal block assembly for mounting a switch or other electrical component

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims35