US4596438A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Plug-in contact device
Assignee: ABB Norden Holding AB
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Filing: 1985-04-04
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Granted: 1986-06-24
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Expires: 2005-04-04
Abstract
Abstract For use in low-voltage switchgear there is provided a plug-in contact device for connecting two bars, each of which has two confronting parallel contact surfaces. The contact device includes two co-acting elongated contact fingers which form two electrically parallel-connected current paths between the two bars. At the two end portions of the contact device the current paths intersect each other, whereas in a relatively long middle portion of the contact device the current paths are parallel and lie relatively close to each other, thus obtaining an electrodynamic contact pressure increase.
Inventors
- 👤 Martin Nygard
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-02 21:19
CPC Classifications
H; H01; H01H; H01H1/00; H01H1/50; H01H1/54; H01R; H01R25/00; H01R25/16; H01R25/161; H01R25/162; H02; H02G; H02G5/00; H02G5/02
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 13
Claim 1
Independent Claim
350 words
An elongated plug-in contact device capable of electrically connecting two bars, each bar having two spaced-apart contact surfaces which are parallel to one another, said contact device being supportable at one end by one of said bars while being longitudinally displaced relative to the other bar, said contact device comprising a first contact finger which includes a flat middle portion and opposite end portions, said middle portion having a flat upper surface and a flat lower surface and said end portions extending above a plane defined by said flat upper surface, a separated second contact finger which includes a flat middle portion and opposite end portions, said middle portion having a flat upper surface and a flat lower surface and said end portions extending below a plane defined by said flat lower surface, said first and second fingers being substantially identical and positioned relative to one another such that the flat upper surface of said first finger faces the flat lower surface of said second finger and such that the opposite end portions of said first finger extend above the plane of the flat upper surface of said second finger and the opposite end portions of said second finger extend below the plane of the flat lower surface of said first finger, one end portion of each contact finger comprising a middle contact tongue lying in a plane of symmetry of the contact finger, the other end portion of the contact finger comprising two side contact tongues lying at either side of the plane of symmetry, the distance between said side contact tongues being greater than the thickness of the middle contact tongue, said two contact fingers of the contact device facing in opposite directions such that the middle contact tongue of each contact finger enters between the side contact tongue of the co-acting contact finger, and spring means contacting said first and second fingers so as to bias said middle portions thereof towards one another and to cause the opposite end portions to contact the opposite contact surface of said two bars when said contact device is connected therebetween.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
350 words
An elongated plug-in contact device capable of electrically connecting two bars, each bar having two spaced-apart contact surfaces which are parallel to one another, said contact device being supportable at one end by one of said bars while being longitudinally displaced relative to the other bar, said contact device comprising a first contact finger which includes a flat middle portion and opposite end portions, said middle portion having a flat upper surface and a flat lower surface and said end portions extending above a plane defined by said flat upper surface, a separated second contact finger which includes a flat middle portion and opposite end portions, said middle portion having a flat upper surface and a flat lower surface and said end portions extending below a plane defined by said flat lower surface, said first and second fingers being substantially identical and positioned relative to one another such that the flat upper surface of said first finger faces the flat lower surface of said second finger and such that the opposite end portions of said first finger extend above the plane of the flat upper surface of said second finger and the opposite end portions of said second finger extend below the plane of the flat lower surface of said first finger, one end portion of each contact finger comprising a middle contact tongue lying in a plane of symmetry of the contact finger, the other end portion of the contact finger comprising two side contact tongues lying at either side of the plane of symmetry, the distance between said side contact tongues being greater than the thickness of the middle contact tongue, said two contact fingers of the contact device facing in opposite directions such that the middle contact tongue of each contact finger enters between the side contact tongue of the co-acting contact finger, and spring means contacting said first and second fingers so as to bias said middle portions thereof towards one another and to cause the opposite end portions to contact the opposite contact surface of said two bars when said contact device is connected therebetween.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
48 words
A contact device according to claim 1, wherein said spring means is a leaf spring which is bent into a substantially U-shape and surrounds the contact fingers, the legs of said leaf spring comprising spring arms extending in opposite directions in the longitudinal direction of the contact fingers.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
49 words
A contact device according to claim 1, wherein the contact tongues at one end of the contact device are provided with transversal slots which are adapted to the shape of a hole in one of said bars, into which the contact device is intended to be snapped and retained.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
29 words
A contact device according to claim 1, wherein the contact tongues at one end of the contact device are provided with a through-hole for attachment of a contact carrier.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
293 words
A plug-in contact device adapted to electrically connect two bars, each of which has two confronting, spaced apart parallel contact surfaces, said contact device being supportable by one of said bars and being displaceable in its longitudinal direction relative to the other bar, said contact device comprising two separated co-acting elongated contact fingers forming two electrically parallel-connected current paths between the two bars, said contact fingers being substantially identical and arranged with their longitudinal axes substantially parallel to each other and to said contact surfaces and being movable relative to each other in a direction substantially perpendicular to said contact surfaces, each contact finger comprising a substantially flat middle portion and two end portions extending in the same direction from the plane of the middle portion, one end portion of each contact finger comprising a middle contact tongue lying in a plane of symmetry of the contact finger, the other end portion of the contact finger comprising two side contact tongues lying at either side of the plane of symmetry, the distance between said side contact tongues being greater than the thickness of the middle contact tongue, said two contact fingers of the contact device facing in opposite directions such that the middle contact tongue of each contact finger enters between the side contact tongues of the co-acting contact finger, and separate spring means for providing contact pressure between said contact fingers and the contact fingers of said bars, said contact fingers being formed so that they cross each other at both end portions of the contact device and, in a relatively long middle portion of the contact device, are substantially parallel and lie relatively close to each other for achieving an electrodynamic contact pressure increase when current flows through the contact device.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
293 words
A plug-in contact device adapted to electrically connect two bars, each of which has two confronting, spaced apart parallel contact surfaces, said contact device being supportable by one of said bars and being displaceable in its longitudinal direction relative to the other bar, said contact device comprising two separated co-acting elongated contact fingers forming two electrically parallel-connected current paths between the two bars, said contact fingers being substantially identical and arranged with their longitudinal axes substantially parallel to each other and to said contact surfaces and being movable relative to each other in a direction substantially perpendicular to said contact surfaces, each contact finger comprising a substantially flat middle portion and two end portions extending in the same direction from the plane of the middle portion, one end portion of each contact finger comprising a middle contact tongue lying in a plane of symmetry of the contact finger, the other end portion of the contact finger comprising two side contact tongues lying at either side of the plane of symmetry, the distance between said side contact tongues being greater than the thickness of the middle contact tongue, said two contact fingers of the contact device facing in opposite directions such that the middle contact tongue of each contact finger enters between the side contact tongues of the co-acting contact finger, and separate spring means for providing contact pressure between said contact fingers and the contact fingers of said bars, said contact fingers being formed so that they cross each other at both end portions of the contact device and, in a relatively long middle portion of the contact device, are substantially parallel and lie relatively close to each other for achieving an electrodynamic contact pressure increase when current flows through the contact device.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
48 words
A contact device according to claim 5, wherein said spring means is a leaf spring which is bent into a substantially U-shape and surrounds the contact fingers, the legs of said leaf spring comprising spring arms extending in opposite directions in the longitudinal direction of the contact fingers.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
49 words
A contact device according to claim 5, wherein the contact tongues at one end of the contact device are provided with transversal slots which are adapted to the shape of a hole in one of said bars, into which the contact device is intended to be snapped and retained.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
29 words
A contact device according to claim 5, wherein the contact tongues at one end of the contact device are provided with a through-hole for attachment of a contact carrier.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
233 words
A plug-in contact device adapted to electrically connect two bars, each of which has two confronting, spaced apart parallel contact surfaces, said contact device being supportable by one of said bars and being displaceable in its longitudinal direction relative to the other bar, said contact device comprising two non-unitary co-acting elongated contact fingers forming two electrically parallel-connected current paths between the two bars, said contact fingers being manufactured by punching and bending of sheet metal and formed with a plane rectangular base portion with a longitudintal stiffening edge bent up at right angles to said base portion, and with two end portions in the form of contact tongues each bent in from the stiffening edge at the ends of the contact finger, said contact fingers being arranged with their longitudinal axes substantially parallel to each other and to said contact surfaces and being movable relative to each other in a direction substantially perpendicular to said contact surfaces, and separate spring means for providing contact pressure between said contact fingers and the contact surfaces of said bars, said contact fingers being arranged so that the base portion of each finger is situated between the base portion and the contact tongues of the other finger and so that the base portions are substantially parallel and lie relatively close to each other for achieving an electrodynamic contact pressure increase when current flows through the contact device.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
233 words
A plug-in contact device adapted to electrically connect two bars, each of which has two confronting, spaced apart parallel contact surfaces, said contact device being supportable by one of said bars and being displaceable in its longitudinal direction relative to the other bar, said contact device comprising two non-unitary co-acting elongated contact fingers forming two electrically parallel-connected current paths between the two bars, said contact fingers being manufactured by punching and bending of sheet metal and formed with a plane rectangular base portion with a longitudintal stiffening edge bent up at right angles to said base portion, and with two end portions in the form of contact tongues each bent in from the stiffening edge at the ends of the contact finger, said contact fingers being arranged with their longitudinal axes substantially parallel to each other and to said contact surfaces and being movable relative to each other in a direction substantially perpendicular to said contact surfaces, and separate spring means for providing contact pressure between said contact fingers and the contact surfaces of said bars, said contact fingers being arranged so that the base portion of each finger is situated between the base portion and the contact tongues of the other finger and so that the base portions are substantially parallel and lie relatively close to each other for achieving an electrodynamic contact pressure increase when current flows through the contact device.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
59 words
A contact device according to claim 9, wherein said spring means comprises two curved leaf springs arranged on opposite sides of the contact device, the middle portion of each leaf spring resting against the base portion of one of the contact fingers and its ends abutting against the inner side of the contact tongues of the other contact finger.
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USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1989-06-23 | 1989-12-23 | 1990-06-24 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1993-06-23 | 1993-12-23 | 1994-06-24 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1997-06-23 | 1997-12-23 | 1998-06-24 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |