DESC:TECHNICAL FIELD

The present subject matter described herein, in general relates to a design of terminals for any multi-functional modular device and more particularly, to the design of terminals for any multi-functional modular device which may require more than two input or output signals.

BACKGROUND

Today’s trend calls for multi-functionality in a single device. Integration of various products into one is being done in various electrical protection products. For such a product the number of terminals increases.

In the existing range of modular devices, a typical 1 mod product has usually two terminals and rarely four terminals on each side. If more than four input or output signals are required for a particular application, the size of the product will need to be increased to accommodate the extra terminal.

The terminal design of modular devices as seen today is of a typical nature. The number of terminals is almost fixed to be a maximum of four on each side. If more functionality needs to be addressed, the size of the product needs to be increased to accommodate more terminals. Also, compactness for the modular devices is not being achieved.

Thus, there is a need for a compact design and arrangement of terminals for multi-functional modular devices.

SUMMARY

This summary is provided to introduce concepts related a compact design and arrangement of terminals for multi-functional modular devices. This summary is not intended to identify essential features of the subject matter nor is it intended for use in determining or limiting the scope of the subject matter.

In one implementation, the present invention relates a compact design and arrangement of terminals for multi-functional modular devices.

In one implementation, the invention is related to a design of terminals for any multi-functional modular device which may require more than two input or output signals.

In one implementation, the proposed invention addresses to the design of terminals for any multi-functional modular device which may require more than two input or output signals, for example , an accessory which combines most of the existing accessories of today such as Overvoltage, Under voltage, Shunt trip, Aux. Contact, trip alarm, and the like.

In one implementation, the invention proposes a new design for terminal arrangement which can be used for any such product requirements. Proposes arrangement has five terminals on each side, each terminal can address different application need.

In one implementation, the design of the proposed invention is done in such a way that optimum clearance and creep age distances are maintained and proper isolation is given between the terminals.

Accordingly, in one implementation, a terminal arrangement for a device with multiple input and multiple output signals is disclosed. The terminal arrangement characterized in that, having at most five terminals on each side, at most five terminal holders, at least one metal strip, at least one metal strip-screw separator to avoid shorting, and at least one cable holder. The at most five terminals are inserted into a box clamp for proper insertion of cables thereby providing maximum contact area with at most five terminals giving firm contact with said at most five terminals resulting in lower mill volt drop values across said at most five terminals; and said at most five terminal holders holds said at most five terminals in a position.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE ACCOMPANYING DRAWINGS

The detailed description is described with reference to the accompanying figures. In the figures, the left-most digit(s) of a reference number identifies the figure in which the reference number first appears. The same numbers are used throughout the drawings to refer like features and components.

Figure 1 illustrates a terminal holder in accordance with an embodiment of the present subject matter.

Figure 2 illustrates a cable holder in accordance with an embodiment of the present subject matter.

Figure 3 illustrates a metal strip-screw separator in accordance with an embodiment of the present subject matter.

Figure 4 illustrates a detailed view of wire routing from terminal one in accordance with an embodiment of the present subject matter

Figure 5 a complete product assembly, in accordance with an embodiment of the present subject matter.

Figure 6 illustrates a terminal assembly in accordance with an embodiment of the present subject matter.

Figure 7 illustrates a cross sectional view of terminal assembly in accordance with an embodiment of the present subject matter.

Figure 8 illustrates a detailed view of wire routing from terminal three in accordance with an embodiment of the present subject matter.

Figure 9 illustrates a five terminal arrangement for UV, OV, Shunt and Aux in accordance with an embodiment of the present subject matter.

Figure 10 illustrates a Side View of Five terminal arrangement, in accordance with an embodiment of the present subject matter.

Figure 11 illustrates a top View of Five terminal arrangement, in accordance with an embodiment of the present subject matter.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PRESENT INVENTION

Preferred embodiments of the present disclosure will be described herein below with reference to the accompanying drawings. In the following description, well-known functions or constructions are not described in detail to avoid obscuring the present disclosure in unnecessary detail.

The terms and words used in the following description are not limited to the bibliographical meanings, but, are merely used by the inventor to enable a clear and consistent understanding of the invention. Accordingly, it should be apparent to those skilled in the art that the following description of exemplary embodiments of the present invention are provided for illustration purpose only and not for the purpose of limiting the invention.

It is to be understood that the singular forms “a,” “an,” and “the” include plural referents unless the context clearly dictates otherwise.

By the term “substantially” it is meant that the recited characteristic, parameter, or value need not be achieved exactly, but that deviations or variations, including for example, tolerances, measurement error, measurement accuracy limitations and other factors known to those of skill in the art, may occur in amounts that do not preclude the effect the characteristic was intended to provide.

In one implementation, a compact design and arrangement of terminals for multi-functional modular devices is disclosed.

In one implementation, the present invention describes the proposed invention as the design of terminals for any multi-functional modular device which may require more than two input or output signals, for example , an accessory which combines most of the existing accessories of today such as Overvoltage, Under voltage, Shunt trip, Aux. Contact, trip alarm, and the like.

In one implementation, the invention proposes a new design for the terminals of a multi-functional modular device.

The arrangement may consist of following components:

1. Terminal holder
2. Cable Holder
3. Metal strip-screw separator
4. Metal strip

In one implementation, the invention may have five terminals on each side of the product, each terminal for a different application as shown in figure 5. The profiles of the housing adopted are in line with the existing profile of modular devices. In one example, the modular devices may include but not limited to a circuit breaker, an MCB, and the like.

In one implementation, the figure 6 shows the terminal assembly that goes into both the incoming and the outgoing sides of the modular device. The terminal assembly gives a provision for a total ten terminals. The terminals are well isolated from each other with optimum clearance and creepage distances.

A cable holder (2) is shown in figure 2. The holder (2) is inserted into a box clamp for proper insertion of cables and to prevent the cable from coming out of the other side of the box clamp, thus preventing shoring of the cable with any other live part. The cable holder (2) also provides maximum contact area with the terminal giving firm contact with terminal resulting in lower milli volt drop values across terminals. It helps in lower temperature rise when the device is in ON condition.

The terminals are held in position using a part terminal holder (1) as shown in figure 1. The slots are provided for inserting at least one screw and for locking the box clamp in the correct position. Two such parts are used on one side to assemble all five terminals. The terminal holder may be designed in such a way that it can be used one after the other giving a unique terminal, box clamp and terminal screw arrangement.

In one implementation, in order to avoid the inter-accessory shorting; a U-shaped metal strip-screw separator (3) is assembled in between metal strip (4) and the terminal screw.

Referring now to figure 4, which shows the detailed view of wire routing from terminal one).The U-shaped separator is placed on top of the wire after it is routed. In one implementation, the screw for a terminal (2) is inserted with the terminal insulator as the base. The routing of wires from the terminals is as shown in figure 7 wherein the said two terminal parts assembled together to form terminal assembly.

In one implementation, the figure 8 shows the detailed view of wire routing from terminal three. The outgoing wire is welded with the terminal as shown in figure 8. The figure 8 comprises of a terminal screw (801), a wire welded to the box clamp (802), a wire going towards output side (803), an incoming wire (804), and a box clamp (805).

In one implementation, a terminal arrangement for a device with multiple input and multiple output signals is disclosed. The terminal arrangement characterized in that, having at most five terminals on each side, at most five terminal holders, at least one metal strip, at least one metal strip-screw separator to avoid shorting, and at least one cable holder. The at most five terminals are inserted into a box clamp for proper insertion of cables thereby providing maximum contact area with at most five terminals giving firm contact with said at most five terminals resulting in lower mill volt drop values across said at most five terminals; and said at most five terminal holders holds said at most five terminals in a position.

In one implementation, at most five terminal holders are characterized in that at least one slot is given for inserting a screw and for locking said box clamp in the correct position.

In one implementation, at least two of at most five terminal holders are used on one side to assemble at most five terminals.

In one implementation, at most five terminal holders are used one after another providing a unique terminal, a box clamp and a terminal screw arrangement.

In one implementation, at least one metal strip-screw separator is a U-shaped metal strip-screw separator assembled in between metal strip and said terminal screw.

In one implementation, the U-shaped separator is placed on top of the wire after it is routed.

In one implementation, said screw for at least one terminal of at most five terminals is inserted with the terminal insulator as a base.

In one implementation, the compact terminal system having five terminals on either side is mainly for multi-functional modular devices in standard modular size.

In one implementation, the optimum clearance and creep age distances maintained in the proposed invention.

In one implementation, the design of the terminals of the product is simple and easy to wire and install.

In one implementation, each terminal in the proposed invention serves the function of a different accessory, which is exclusively marked and easy to identify maximum insulation provided between the terminals and the live parts.

Referring now to figure 1 illustrates a terminal holder in accordance with an embodiment of the present subject matter.

Referring now to figure 2 illustrates a cable holder in accordance with an embodiment of the present subject matter.

Referring now to figure 3 illustrates a metal strip-screw separator in accordance with an embodiment of the present subject matter.

Referring now to figure 4 illustrates a detailed view of wire routing from terminal one, in accordance with an embodiment of the present subject matter

Referring now to figure 5 illustrates a complete product assembly, in accordance with an embodiment of the present subject matter.

Referring now to figure 6 illustrates a terminal assembly, in accordance with an embodiment of the present subject matter.

Referring now to figure 7 illustrates a cross sectional view of terminal assembly, in accordance with an embodiment of the present subject matter.

Referring now to figure 8 illustrates a detailed view of wire routing from terminal three, in accordance with an embodiment of the present subject matter.

Referring now to figure 9 illustrates a five terminal arrangement for UV, OV, Shunt and Aux, in accordance with an embodiment of the present subject matter. The figure 9 shows five terminals comprising an AUX Contact NC (901), a Neutral (902), a phase (903), an AUX contact common (904), an AUX Contact NC (905), Tripping type indicators (906), and terminals for future use (907).

Referring now to figure 10 illustrates a Side View of Five terminal arrangement, in accordance with an embodiment of the present subject matter.

Referring now to figure 11 illustrates a top View of Five terminal arrangement, in accordance with an embodiment of the present subject matter.

In one implementation, the working example of the invention includes when it is combined with UV, OV, Shunt and Aux. Contact in Single (1M) Modular Unit. The figure 9 shows the 5 terminal arrangements (On both input and output side) for UV, OV, Shunt and Aux. Contact in 1M.

In one implementation, the figure 10 and figure 11 shows side view and top view of five terminal arrangements respectively. In one impledmentnantion the width of said five terminal arrangements is preferably of 17.5. The figure 9 shows 5 terminals each on input and output side of the modular device.
The 5 terminals on input side may include:
• Phase
• Neutral
• Aux. contact NO
• Aux. contact NC
• Aux. contact Common

The 2 out of 5 terminals on the output side may be used for external trip by phase supply (Shunt Trip). The remaining 3 terminals may be kept for the future use. The modular device also gives the provision for the tripping type indicators such as UV, OV, ST and TA as shown in figure 9.

Exemplary embodiments discussed above may provide certain advantages. Though not required to practice aspects of the disclosure, these advantages may include those provided by the following features:

One feature of the invention is that, the design of the terminals of the product is simple and easy to wire and install.

Another feature of the invention is that, in the proposed invention each terminal serves the function of a different accessory, which is exclusively marked and easy to identify.

Yet another feature of the invention it that, using the proposed invention an optimum clearance and creep age distances maintained.

Still another feature of the invention is that, isolation between different terminals is possible using the present invention.

Although a compact design and arrangement of terminals for multi-functional modular devices has been described in language specific to structural features and/or methods, it is to be understood that the embodiments disclosed in the above section are not necessarily limited to the specific features or methods or devices described. Rather, the specific features are disclosed as examples of implementations of a compact design and arrangement of terminals for multi-functional modular devices.
,CLAIMS:1. A terminal arrangement for a device with multiple input and multiple output signals, said terminal arrangement characterized in that, having:
at most five terminals on each side;
at most five terminal holders;
at least one metal strip;
at least one metal strip-screw separator to avoid shorting; and
at least one cable holder, wherein
said at most five terminals are inserted into a box clamp for proper insertion of cables thereby providing maximum contact area with at most five terminals giving firm contact with said at most five terminals resulting in lower mill volt drop values across said at most five terminals;
said at most five terminal holders hold said at most five terminals in a position.

2. The terminal arrangement as claimed in claim 1, wherein at most five terminal holders are characterized in that at least one slot is given for inserting a screw and for locking said box clamp in the correct position.

3. The terminal arrangement as claimed in claims 1 and 2, wherein at least two of at most five terminal holders are used on one side to assemble at most five terminals.

4. The terminal arrangement as claimed in claims 1 to 3, wherein at most five terminal holders are used one after another giving a unique terminal, a box clamp and a terminal screw arrangement.

5. The terminal arrangement as claimed in claims 1 to 4, wherein at least one metal strip-screw separator is a U-shaped metal strip-screw separator assembled in between metal strip and said terminal screw.

6. The terminal arrangement as claimed in claims 1 to 5, wherein the U-shaped separator is placed on top of the wire after it is routed.

7. The terminal arrangement as claimed in claims 1 to 6, wherein said screw for at least one terminal of at most five terminals is inserted with the terminal insulator as a base.