FR3002088A1 - Electrical contact for socket-outlet for e.g. dwelling, has cell extending according to perpendicular direction with respect to longitudinal axis when part is encased in another part - Google Patents

Abstract

The electrical contact has a part (6) with a shape of a profile to present a cage to receive a connection unit (10) for an electrical supply wire. Another part (8) includes lateral walls deformable elastically between stressed and prestressed positions, and a cylindrical cell to receive a male plug. The latter part is placed in a housing connected to the former part. The latter part is in the prestressed position so as to be in the housing. The cell extends according to a perpendicular direction with respect to a longitudinal axis when the latter part is encased in the former part. An independent claim is also included for a socket-outlet comprising electrical contacts.

Description

The present invention relates to an electrical contact for socket. The field concerned here is that of electrical connections for domestic or industrial applications. Outlets can be found in any building, house, industrial premises or other building. These outlets make it possible to supply electrical power to all types of devices as long as they are equipped with a corresponding plug. Plugs and plugs are standardized. An outlet has at least two female contacts for receiving male pins from a plug connected to an electrical appliance. The female contacts are connected for one to one phase and for the other to a neutral. Often the socket also has a pin (male) for making a connection to the ground. To limit the size of the socket, it is known to provide an electrical connection (for electrically connecting a female contact to the power grid) in which the supply wire arrives perpendicular to the branch direction of a plug , that is to say, parallel to the wall in which the socket is integrated (in the case of a socket embedded in a wall). The document FR2769410 discloses a contact block for making a connection of the supply wire perpendicular to the branch direction of a plug. The contact block disclosed by this document comprises in one piece a cage used to make a connection with an electrical network and a socket forming a female contact for receiving a corresponding plug.

The contact block disclosed by this document allows only insertion in one direction, for example from the top, and does not allow insertion of a feed wire in two opposite directions. The present invention is therefore intended to provide an electrical contact of a power outlet that can be electrically powered in two opposite directions, these directions being perpendicular to the direction of connection of a plug in the corresponding socket. Advantageously, the electrical contact will be easy to make and therefore cheap. Of course, the electrical contact will have the technical characteristics required by the standards in force. For this purpose; the present invention proposes an electrical contact for socket, characterized in that it comprises: - a first shaped piece defining a longitudinal axis 5 and having at each of its ends a cage for receiving connection means for a electrical supply wire, and - a second part having, on the one hand, elastically deformable side walls between a first, so-called unstressed position, in which the side walls are spaced from each other and a second a so-called prestressing position, in which the lateral walls are brought closer to each other with respect to the unstressed position and, on the other hand, a substantially cylindrical cell intended to receive a plug and arranged between the side walls, in that the second piece is housed by interlocking in a housing made in the first piece of profiled shape, in that the seco nde piece must be in its preloaded position to be able to take place in its housing, and in that the substantially cylindrical cell extends in a direction perpendicular to the longitudinal axis when the second part is nested in the first. The electrical contact proposed here thus makes it possible to make an electrical connection with an electrical conductor in two opposite directions. In addition, as this contact consists essentially of the interlocking of a first part with a second part and the establishment of 25 connection means, it can be easily made industrially and thus have a low cost. For the introduction of a male plug causes a significant contact force, the substantially cylindrical cell has a smaller diameter than the outer diameter of a corresponding male plug. An advantageous embodiment provides that the substantially cylindrical cell has side faces connected to the side walls so that when a plug is inserted into said cell, a force is exerted on the side walls tending to move them to their unbound position. The structure proposed by this advantageous embodiment also allows the introduction of a plug into a corresponding cell causes the increase of the contact pressure between the first part and the second part, thus ensuring sufficient pressure to ensure a good electrical connection. According to one embodiment, the first piece is a C-shaped piece having a partial transverse cut at its center, the transverse cut defining the housing of the second piece. To facilitate the electrical connection of an electrical conductor with a contact according to the invention, it is proposed that the connection means for a power supply wire is each time in the form of a contact spring having a shape general of a V-folded sheet To ensure both a good mechanical and electrical connection, the second part may have: - a substantially flat base, - two lateral branches forming the side walls and extending on the same side of the base, - a return to the end of each lateral branch opposite the base, said return being each directed towards the base and arranged between the lateral branches and each return being shaped so as to form with the other return the substantially cylindrical cell for receiving a plug. The present invention also relates to a socket, characterized in that it comprises at least one electrical contact as described above. A socket according to the invention comprises for example two electrical contacts as described above, each of these two contacts being intended to receive a plug, and the first parts of the two electrical contacts are preferably arranged in parallel.

A socket according to the present invention may also include an electrical ground connection comprising, on the one hand, a profiled shaped cage having the same transverse profile as the profile of the profiled shape of a first piece of shape profile of an electrical contact as described above of said socket and, secondly, a plug extending perpendicularly to the longitudinal axis of the profile-shaped cage and electrically connected thereto. Details and advantages of the present invention will become more apparent from the following description, with reference to the accompanying diagrammatic drawing, in which: FIG. 1 is a perspective view of an electrical socket contact according to the present invention, FIG. 2 is a top view of the electrical contact of FIG. 1; FIG. 3 is a perspective view of a first part of the electrical contact of FIGS. 1 and 2; FIG. 4 is a perspective view of a second part of FIG. FIG. 5 is a perspective view of a contact spring, FIG. 6 is an enlarged cross-sectional view of the second part illustrated in FIG. 1 in a stressed position, FIG. FIG. 7 is a view similar to that of FIG. 6 but showing the second part in the unstressed position. FIG. 8 illustrates an example of an electrical contact corresponding to a connection to the ground for a trunk. FIG. 9 shows in perspective an example of a rear part of a socket according to the present invention. FIG. 10 corresponds to FIG. 9 but without a cap so as to make the electrical contacts apparent. of the rear part, and Figure 11 illustrates a front face of a socket. The present invention is described in connection with a power outlet such as outlets that are commonly found in a home or a tertiary / industrial premises. Such an outlet is most often recessed and only the front face, for example as shown in Figure 11, is then apparent. Such an outlet comprises two cells 2 and a plug 4. The two cells 2 are each intended to receive a plug (not shown) of an electrical plug and the plug 4 is housed in a corresponding cell when the electrical plug comes to cooperate with the socket represented. Most often, such a system (in Europe at least) is designed so that the potential difference between the two cells is about 220 V and currents up to about 10 to 15 A. However, the invention is not limited to these numerical values given merely by way of illustration, nor to sockets having the appearance illustrated in FIG. 11. Such a system, and its numerous variants, are known to those skilled in the art and are not described in more detail here.

The present invention relates more particularly to the way in which the cells 2, but also the plug 4, are connected to the electrical network and the corresponding means. FIG. 1 illustrates an electrical contact used to make an electrical connection between a cell 2 and the electrical network, and more specifically an electric wire of this network. The assembly illustrated in FIG. 1 comprises four distinct parts, a first piece 6 of profiled shape, a second piece 8 and two contact springs 10. The first piece 6 is illustrated in perspective in FIG. a part made of an electrically conductive material, for example a metal alloy. This piece can be obtained by cutting a profile or by cutting and folding a strip. The piece has an elongate shape along an axis subsequently called longitudinal axis. It is profiled type because its cross section relative to this longitudinal axis is similar over the entire length of the room (except in its center as explained below). The first piece 6 is for example obtained from a profiled piece C, that is to say an elongated piece having a cross section C with a bottom 12, branches 14 which have at their end opposite the bottom 12 a return to the inside of the profile. Note in Figure 3 in particular, the present in the center of the first piece of a transverse cut made in the bottom 12 and the branches 14, the returns 16 for making a connection between the parts of the first part 6 being of both sides of the transverse cut. The latter forms a housing 18 for receiving the second piece 8 as described below and illustrated for example in Figure 1. In addition, it is noted that a bore 20 is formed in the profiled piece. It is made perpendicularly to the bottom 12 which is not affected since this bore 20 is made at the housing 18 but it affects the returns 16 which are "notched" by this bore 20. Finally, note that in the preferred embodiment shown in the drawings, the first part 6 is symmetrical, on the one hand, with respect to a longitudinal plane parallel to the two branches 14 and, on the other hand, with respect to a transverse median plane. A first plane of symmetry is then the plane containing the longitudinal axis and the axis of the bore 20 and the other plane of symmetry is perpendicular to the first plane of symmetry and also contains the axis of the bore 20.

The second piece 8 is illustrated alone in Figures 4, 6 and 7. This second piece 8 is for example obtained by cutting and folding a strip of electrically conductive material, including a metal strip. The second part 8 comprises a base 22, side walls 24 and side faces 26 defining a cell 2.

The base 22 is substantially planar. Two opposite edges thereof each bear a side wall 24 which both extend on the same side of the base 22 forming with the latter a stirrup. The ends of the side walls 24 opposite the base 22 bear a fold 28 at about 180 ° which bears the side faces 26.

The side faces 26 are intended to receive a male plug such as the male plug 4 between them. In order to ensure good electrical contact, they define a substantially circular cylindrical housing corresponding to a cell 2. The end of each side face 26 through which it is intended to introduce a plug is advantageously flared, as illustrated in the drawings. , so as to facilitate the introduction of the corresponding plug by promoting the elastic deformation of the second part 8 by the spacing of the two side faces 26. The second part 8 is a dual-elastic piece.

It is first elastic so that the side faces 26 come to ensure good electrical contact with a plug when such a plug is inserted between them. At rest, that is to say in the absence of plug, the side faces are slightly close to one another so that the cell 2 they define is not perfectly cylindrical but rather a little flattened. On the other hand, when a male plug comes into place between the lateral faces 26, at least part of each lateral face 26 forms a circular cylindrical housing. The lateral faces 26 are thus elastically constrained when the corresponding cell 2 houses a plug.

The elasticity required here is obtained in particular thanks to the folds 28. In addition, the second piece 8 is elastic to ensure its retention in the housing 18 of the first piece 6. It is assumed that the edges of the cutout defining the housing 18 are transverse . The second piece 8 is intended to take place in the housing 18 (see Figure 1 or 2 for example) so that the side walls 24 each bear on a corresponding transverse edge of the housing 18. The second piece 8 is thus elastically deformable between a first position, or unstressed position illustrated in Figure 7, wherein the side walls 24 diverge from the base 22 and a second position, or constrained position, in which the side walls 24 are parallel and distant l one of the other a distance corresponding to the space available between the edges of the cut defining the housing 18 (taking into account, of course, the thickness of the material). The second piece 8 can thus take three distinct positions. An unbounded first in which the piece is free. This position corresponds to the shape of the second piece 8 after cutting and folding a strip and is illustrated in FIG. 7. A second position, illustrated for example in FIGS. 1, 2 and 4, corresponds to the second piece 8 when it is placed in its housing 18. The side walls 24 are then brought closer to each other with respect to the first position. Finally, the third position corresponds to the position of the second piece 8 when it is in place in its housing 18 and that it receives a male plug between its lateral faces 26. This position is illustrated in FIG.

One could consider other positions such as another position in which a plug would be inserted between the side faces 26 while the second part 8 is not arranged in a housing 18 but in practice it is a case of figure that has no place to appear.

Figure 5 illustrates a contact spring 10. Such a spring is known to those skilled in the art and is not described in detail here. In the embodiment shown, it is a blade, for example a metal blade folded into a V-shape and shaped so as to fit, on the one hand, with a cage shape and, on the other hand, with a type and diameter of electric wire. This contact spring 10 is one of the other means within the reach of the skilled person to ensure good electrical contact between the first part 6 and a power supply wire. Due to its profiled shape, the first part 6 carries at each of its ends, on either side of the housing 18, a cage for receiving a power supply wire (not shown). The contact spring 10 illustrated in Figure 5 for example, is used in the embodiment shown in the drawings to ensure good electrical contact and good mechanical maintenance of the power supply wire relative to the corresponding connection cage, that is to say here an end of the first piece 6.

Here, the shape of the contact spring 10 is adapted to the shape of the first part 6 to best fulfill its electrical and mechanical functions. This means (contact spring) is also advantageous here because it also allows a connection to be made quickly. Figure 8 illustrates a preferred embodiment to allow the connection of the plug to the ground. Here the plug 4 is carried by a support bracket 30 having in this embodiment a square shape. This support lug 30 and connected (mechanically and electrically) to a profiled piece 32 which has the same profile as the first piece 6. Thus, contact springs 10 in all respects similar to the contact springs 10 used in cooperation with the first 6 pieces can be used. In the preferred embodiment illustrated in FIG. 8, the support lug 30 and the profiled piece 32 are made in one piece. Such a part can be obtained by cutting and folding a strip, for example a strip of the same nature as that used for the production of the first part 6. FIG. 9 illustrates a rear part 34 of a plug integrating two assemblies such as that shown in Figure 1 arranged in parallel in the same plane and an assembly such as that shown in Figure 8 between them, always in the same plane. As it is clear to those skilled in the art, it is thus possible to electrically connect the socket corresponding to the electrical network by two opposite sides of the socket. Depending on the orientation of the socket, we can feed it for example indifferently either from above or from below. A cover 36 provides electrical isolation of the electrical contacts described above and inserted in the rear portion 34 shown. To access it, openings 38 are provided to allow the passage of electrical supply son. In addition, the cover 36 guides push buttons 40 each associated with a contact spring 10 so as to act on them to make the connection (or possibly a disconnection) of a power supply wire. By combining a rear portion 34 such as that illustrated in FIG. 9 with a front face like that illustrated in FIG. 11, an embodiment of a power outlet according to the present invention can be realized. Figure 10 is a view similar to Figure 9 for which the cover 36 has however been removed to reveal the electrical contacts described above.

The present invention thus makes it possible, as illustrated by the preferred but nonlimiting embodiment described above, to provide, for at least one phase, a connection of the electrical conductors in two opposite directions, for example at the top and at the bottom or still well for example by the right and the left.

The proposed electrical contacts can be made at a competitive cost price. The different parts (first and second parts and contact springs can be made in an automated manner and their assembly is done by simply interlocking, the second part in the corresponding housing of the first part, on the one hand, and the springs of contact in the first parts and in the profiled part, on the other hand.A simple mechanical interlocking between the first part and the second part, we achieve the electrical connection of the cell to receive a male plug with the cage intended to be connected to an electrical conductor The proposed construction makes it possible to guarantee sufficient contact forces between the first part and the second part to meet (strict) standards concerning, in particular, the contact pressures making it possible to ensure a good electrical connection. Indeed, the deformation caused by the insertion of a plug in the corresponding cell increases the contact forces between the side walls and the edges of the cutout defining the housing of the first piece (intended to receive the second piece). The present invention is not limited to the preferred embodiment described above and illustrated in the accompanying drawings and the variants mentioned. It also relates to all the variants within the scope of those skilled in the art within the scope of the claims below.

Claims (9)

REVENDICATIONS1. Electrical contact for socket, characterized in that it comprises: - a first piece (6) of profiled shape defining a longitudinal axis and having at each of its ends a cage for receiving connection means (10) for a electrical supply wire, and - a second piece (8) having, on the one hand, side walls (24) elastically deformable between a first position, said unconstrained, in which the side walls (24) are distant the one of the other and a second position, called prestressing, in which the lateral walls (24) are brought closer to each other with respect to the unstressed position and, on the other hand, a cavity (2) substantially cylindrical for receiving a plug and disposed between the side walls (24), in that the second piece (8) is housed by interlocking in a housing (18) formed in the first piece (6) of profiled shape, what the second piece (8) must be in its preloaded position to be able to seat in its housing (18), and in that the substantially cylindrical cell (2) extends in a direction perpendicular to the longitudinal axis when the second piece (8) is nested in the first. 2. Electrical contact according to claim 1, characterized in that the cell (2) substantially cylindrical has a diameter smaller than the outer diameter of a corresponding plug. 3. Electrical contact according to one of claims 1 or 2, characterized in that the substantially cylindrical cell (2) has side faces (26) connected to the side walls (24) so that when a plug is inserted in said cell, a force is exerted on the side walls (24) tending to move them to their unstressed position. 4. Electrical contact according to one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that the first piece (6) is a C-shaped piece having a partial transverse cut at its center, the transverse cut defining the housing (18) of the second piece (8). Electrical contact according to one of claims 1 to 4, characterized in that the connection means for a power supply wire are each in the form of a contact spring (10) having a general shape. a sheet folded in V. 6. Electrical contact according to one of claims 1 to 5, characterized in that the second piece (8) has: - a substantially flat base (22), - two lateral branches forming the side walls (24) and extending on the same side of the base (22), - a return to the end of each lateral branch opposite to the base, said return being each directed towards the base and arranged between the lateral branches and each return being shaped by so as to form with the other return the substantially cylindrical cell (2) intended to receive a plug. 7. Socket, characterized in that it comprises at least one electrical contact according to one of claims 1 to 6. 8. Socket according to claim 7, characterized in that it comprises two electrical contacts according to one of claims 1 to 6, each of these two contacts being intended to receive a plug, and in that the first parts two electrical contacts are arranged parallel. 9. Socket according to one of claims 7 or 8, characterized in that it also comprises an earth connection electrical contact comprising, on the one hand, a profiled shaped cage having the same transverse profile as the profile of the profiled shape of a first shaped part of an electrical contact according to one of claims 1 to 6 of said socket and, secondly, a plug extending perpendicularly to the longitudinal axis of the profiled cage and electrically connected thereto.