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US 4,540,232 AGranted
Terminal box apparatus
AssigneeSwisstronic (Proprietary) Limited
InventorRene A. Zibung
Life of this patent
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AssigneeSwisstronic (Proprietary) Limited
InventorRene A. Zibung
Estimating the term…
This apparatus includes a series of terminal boxes having a base and a detachable lid. Each accommodates a PCB. The terminal boxes are shaped to nest neatly alongside one another. Electrical interconnection between PCB terminals in adjacent terminal boxes is achieved by way of conductive straps which are located partially in a recess in the base of one terminal box and partially in an aligned recess in a neighboring terminal box. Conductive pins extending from the PCB terminals into the base, where they engage the ends of the straps, complete the connections. Provision is also made for connection of the PCBs to external devices, such as switches, batteries and so on. In all cases, the straps, PCBs and pins are concealed so the apparatus is neat and orderly in appearance.
A terminal box apparatus including at least one terminal box having a base for supporting a PCB, the base being shaped to nest alongside the bases of other similar boxes, one or more lids for covering the PCB, a plurality of conductive straps each locatable partially in a recess formed in the base of the terminal box and partially in an aligned recess formed in the base of an adjacent similar terminal box, and a plurality of conductive pins each for securance to the PCB and each for passage through a hole in a part of the base of the terminal box into releasable, electrical engagement with one end of one of the straps to hold the PCB to the base and to establish an electrical interconnection between a terminal of the PCB and a terminal of a PCB in the adjacent terminal box via the strap.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.
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Structural associations of a plurality of mutually-insulated electrical connecting elements, specially adapted
Coupling with the edge of the rigid printed circuits or like structures: connecting to other rigid printed circuits or like structures
Structural associations of a plurality of mutually-insulated electrical connecting elements, e.g. terminal strips or terminal blocks; Terminals…
Electrically-conductive connections
Term ended 7 Feb 2004 (estimated)
USPTO file history isn’t available for this patent, so only indexed dates are shown.
This invention relates to a terminal box apparatus, each terminal box of the apparatus serving in use to accommodate a PCB (printed circuit board).
Up to now, when a number of PCBs have to be linked together to provide continuous circuitry, their individual terminal boxes have generally been arranged haphazardly with a multitute of individual wires extending between the terminal boxes from the terminals of the PCB in one box to the terminals of the PCB in an adjacent box. The actual connections with the terminals of the PCB are usually made via holes formed arbitrarily in the wall of the terminal box. Haphazard interconnection techniques are especially prevalent in the electronic circuitry assembly by hobbyists.
The present invention has as an object to provide apparatus whereby electrical connections between individual PCBs and between PCBs and external devices such as switches, batteries, etc is achieved in a simple and orderly manner.
FIG. 1 is a front view on a series of terminal boxes of an apparatus according to this invention;
FIG. 2 is a section at the line 2--2 of FIG. 1;
FIG. 3 is an end view on a terminal box;
The illustrated apparatus includes a series of individual terminal boxes 10, each of which has a base 12 and a lid 14 as can be seen in FIG. 3. In use, each terminal box accommodates a PCB 16 (shown in broken outline in FIG. 1). A series of rocker switches 18 and LED displays 20 are mounted on each terminal box.
Each terminal box can mate with terminal boxes to either side of it. For this purpose, each base has on one side one or more tongue projections (not shown) and on the other side one or more recesses, the tongue projections being sized to clip into the recesses of neighbouring bases. End pieces 22 are clipped to the outermost bases to provide a pleasing finish.
As an alternative to the provision of a lid for each base, it is possible for there to be lids each dimensioned to cover two or more bases. In each case, the lids and bases carry formations enabling them to be clipped together.