Automatically operable end connector for a power distribution system

Claim 2

An end connector or the like for use in a power distribution system having a track component provided with a longitudinally extending chamber therealong equipped with a conductor assembly that includes a plurality of conductors insolated one from the others, comprising a casing having a section thereof insertable into such chamber, a contact mounted within said casing and movable transversely with respect thereto between an inner conductor-engaging position and an outer position transversely displaced therefrom and being biased toward the outer position thereof, and stop structure provided by said casing for abutment by said contact upon inward movement thereof to define the maximum permissible inner position of said contact, said contact being automatically engageable with one such conductor upon insertion of said casing section into such chamber to establish an electric connection therebetween and being displaced into such maximum inner position and positively constrained therein against said stop structure by such one conductor upon complete insertion of said casing section, whereby such engagement of said contact with the aforesaid one conductor deforms at least one thereof as a result of the transverse constraint against displacement imposed on said contact by said stop structure.

Claim 3

The end connector of claim 1 in which said casing is provided with a longitudinally disposed wall having an opening therein through which said contact projects, said contact being movable relative to said wall between said inner and outer positions and having an abutment portion extending along said wall on the exterior thereof, said wall defining the aforesaid stop structure and said abutment portion of said contact being abuttable therewith as aforesaid to establish the maximum permissible inner position.

Claim 4

The end connector of claim 1 in which a plurality of said contacts are mounted within said casing and each being movable transversely with respect thereto between inner conductor-engaging and outer positions and being biased toward the outer positions thereof, in which a plurality of stop structures as aforesaid are provided by said casing in respective association with said contacts for abutment thereby to define the maximum permissible inward position of each, said casing being provided with a plurality of longitudinally disposed walls respectively associated with said contacts and each having an opening therein through which the associated contact projects, each of said contacts being movable relative to its associated wall between said inner and outer positions.

Claim 5

The end connector of claim 3 in which each of said contacts is an elongated longitudinally extending component having an end portion projecting through the associated wall opening, each of said contacts being characterized by an inherent spring-like resilience effecting the aforesaid biasing thereof toward its outer position, and in which at least certain of said contacts have an abutment portion extending along the associated casing wall on the exterior thereof, the casing walls associated with said certain contacts defining the aforesaid stop structures therefor and said abutment portions of such certain contacts being abuttable therewith as aforesaid to establish such maximum permissible inner positions.

Claim 6

An end connector or the like for use in a power distribution system having a track component provided with a longitudinally extending chamber therealong equipped with a conductor assembly that includes a plurality of conductors insolated one from the others, comprising a casing having a section thereof insertable into such chamber, a plurality of contacts mounted within said casing and each being movable transveRsely with respect thereto between inner and outer positions and being biased toward the outer position thereof, a plurality of stop structures provided by said casing for respective abutment by said contacts upon inward movements thereof to define the maximum permissible inner position of each contact, each of said contacts being automatically engageable with one such conductor upon insertion of said casing section into such chamber to establish an electric connection therebetween, and polarization means carried by said casing and cooperative with such track component to positively determine the permissible interconnections of said end connector with such track component so as to preserve predetermined polarities throughout a power distribution system, said casing being provided with a plurality of longitudinally disposed walls respectively associated with said contacts and each having an opening therein through which the associated contact projects, each of said contacts being movable relative to its associated wall between said inner and outer positions and being an elongated longitudinally extending component having an end portion projecting through the associated wall opening, each of said contacts being characterized by an inherent spring-like resilience effecting the aforesaid biasing thereof toward its outer position, said casing section being equipped with a top wall defining one of the aforesaid longitudinally extending walls having an opening therein and one of said contacts projecting through such opening, said upwardly extending rib defining one of the aforesaid stop structures and the abutment portion of the contact associated therewith being abuttable thereagainst as aforesaid.

Claim 7

An end connector or the like for use in a power distribution system having a track component provided with a longitudinally extending chamber therealong equipped with a conductor assembly that includes a plurality of conductors insolated one from the others, comprising a casing having a section thereof insertable into such chamber, a plurality of contacts mounted within said casing and each being movable transveRsely with respect thereto between inner and outer positions and being biased toward the outer position thereof, a plurality of stop structures provided by said casing for respective abutment by said contacts upon inward movements thereof to define the maximum permissible inner position of each contact, each of said contacts being automatically engageable with one such conductor upon insertion of said casing section into such chamber to establish an electric connection therebetween, and polarization means carried by said casing and cooperative with such track component to positively determine the permissible interconnections of said end connector with such track component so as to preserve predetermined polarities throughout a power distribution system, said casing being provided with a plurality of longitudinally disposed walls respectively associated with said contacts and each having an opening therein through which the associated contact projects, each of said contacts being movable relative to its associated wall between said inner and outer positions and being an elongated longitudinally extending component having an end portion projecting through the associated wall opening, each of said contacts being characterized by an inherent spring-like resilience effecting the aforesaid biasing thereof toward its outer position, said casing section being equipped with a top wall defining one of the aforesaid longitudinally extending walls having an opening therein and one of said contacts projecting through such opening, said upwardly extending rib defining one of the aforesaid stop structures and the abutment portion of the contact associated therewith being abuttable thereagainst as aforesaid.

Claim 8

The end connector of claim 5 in which said upwardly extending rib has an inclined leading edge engageable with a conductor assembly provided by such track component so as to enforce a predetermined positional relationship upon such conductor assembly relative to said end connector and thereby facilitate connection of said contacts with the respective conductors of such conductor assembly.

Claim 9

The end connector of claim 5 defining a splice box adapted to couple a pair of successive track components, said casing having a pair of the aforesaid sections oriented in opposite directions and being respectively insertable into the chambers provided by successive track components, each of said contacts extending from end-to-end of said splice box and being provided with an end portion in each casing section independently movable as aforesaid between inner and outer positions.

Claim 10

An end connector or the like for use in a power distribution system having a track component provided with a longitudinally extending chamber therealong equipped with a conductor assembly that includes a plurality of conductors insolated one from the others, comprising a casing having a section thereof insertable into such chamber, a plurality of contacts mounted within said casing and each being movable transversely with respect thereto between inner and outer positions and being biased toward the outer position thereof, and a plurality of stop structures provided by said casing for respective abutment by said contacts upon inward movements thereof to define the maximum permissible inner position of each contact, each of said contacts being automatically engageable with one such conductor upon insertion of said casing section into such chamber to establish an electric connection therebetween, said casing being provided with a plurality of longitudinally disposed walls respectively associated with said contacts and each having an opening therein through which the associated contact projects, each of said contacts being movable relative to said wall between said inner and outer positions, said casing section being equipped with a top wall having an upwardly extending rib located therealong, said top wall defining one of the aforesaid longitudinally extending walls having an opening therein and one of saiD contacts projecting through such opening, said upwardly extending rib defining one of the aforesaid stop structures and the abutment portion of the contact associated therewith being abuttable thereagainst as aforesaid.

Claim 11

An end connector or the like for use in a power distribution system having a track component provided with a longitudinally extending chamber therealong equipped with a conductor assembly that includes a plurality of conductors insolated one from the others, comprising a casing having a section thereof insertable into such chamber, a plurality of contacts mounted within said casing and each being movable transversely with respect thereto between inner and outer positions and being biased toward the outer position thereof, and a plurality of stop structures provided by said casing for respective abutment by said contacts upon inward movements thereof to define the maximum permissible inner position of each contact, each of said contacts being automatically engageable with one such conductor upon insertion of said casing section into such chamber to establish an electric connection therebetween, said casing being provided with a plurality of longitudinally disposed walls respectively associated with said contacts and each having an opening therein through which the associated contact projects, each of said contacts being movable relative to said wall between said inner and outer positions, said casing section being equipped with a top wall having an upwardly extending rib located therealong, said top wall defining one of the aforesaid longitudinally extending walls having an opening therein and one of saiD contacts projecting through such opening, said upwardly extending rib defining one of the aforesaid stop structures and the abutment portion of the contact associated therewith being abuttable thereagainst as aforesaid.

Claim 12

The end connector of claim 8 in which at least certain of said contacts have an abutment portion extending along the associated casing wall on the exterior thereof, the casing walls associated with said certain contacts defining the aforesaid stop structures therefor and said abutment portions of such certain contacts being abuttable therewith as aforesaid.

Claim 13

The end connector of claim 8 in which said upwardly extending rib has an inclined leading edge engageable with a conductor assembly provided by such track component so as to enforce a predetermined positional relationship upon such conductor assembly relative to said end connector and thereby facilitate connection of said contacts with the respective conductors of such conductor assembly.

Claim 14

The end connector of claim 8 in which each of said contacts is an elongated longitudinally extending component having an end portion projecting through the associated wall opening, each of said contacts being characterized by an inherent spring-like resilience effecting the aforesaid biasing thereof toward its outer position.