Abstract: A connection device for charging an electric vehicle includes a main unit on which a charging socket is arranged for plugging in a charging cable for connecting to the electric vehicle or to which the charging cable is connected directly. The connection device includes an additional connection with a separate additional housing on which an additional charging socket for a further charging cable is arranged or to which the further charging cable is connected directly.

Abstract: A connector apparatus connects the flat electrical conductors of a photovoltaic panel with a plurality of insulated electrical output conductors, respectively. The terminal portions of the flat conductors are bent into electrical engagement with corresponding blade contacts mounted on the photovoltaic panel. A plurality of resilient first electrical contacts are clamped in electrical engagement with the flat conductor bent portions, respectively, and a plurality of second electrical contacts are connected with the output conductors, respectively. An electrical circuit including a plurality of diodes is connected between the first and second electrical contacts. In order to dissipate the heat generated by the diodes, the diodes are mounted on a heat conducting plate that transmits the heat toward the photovoltaic panel. A cover member formed of heat conducting material is adhesively secured to the panel to enclose the connector arrangement, thereby to also transfer the diode-generated heat to the panel.

Abstract: A connector apparatus connects the flat electrical conductors of a photovoltaic panel with a plurality of insulated electrical output conductors, respectively. The terminal portions of the flat conductors are bent into electrical engagement with corresponding blade contacts mounted on the photovoltaic panel. A plurality of resilient first electrical contacts are clamped in electrical engagement with the flat conductor bent portions, respectively, and a plurality of second electrical contacts are connected with the output conductors, respectively. An electrical circuit including a plurality of diodes is connected between the first and second electrical contacts. In order to dissipate the heat generated by the diodes, the diodes are mounted on a heat conducting plate that transmits the heat toward the photovoltaic panel. A cover member formed of heat conducting material is adhesively secured to the panel to enclose the connector arrangement, thereby to also transfer the diode-generated heat to the panel.

Abstract: An electrical pin or socket terminal includes a vertical tubular body portion, and a spring clip portion connected with the upper end of the body portion. The spring clip portion includes two opposed electrical contacts at least one of which is resiliently biased toward the other. A separating arrangement is operable between a separated condition retaining the contacts in separated spaced relation for longitudinally receiving therebetween a conductor bare end, and a released condition in which the contacts are released for resilient electrical engagement with diametrically opposed surfaces of the conductor bare end. In one embodiment, the spring clip portion includes a pair of parallel spaced struts the upper ends of which are reversely bent toward each other. In another embodiment, a leaf spring electrical contact biases the bare conductor end against a stationary electrical contact.

Abstract: A connector arrangement connects the flat conductors that extend upwardly from a horizontal photovoltaic cell panel with the insulated conductors of a cable via the circuits of a printed circuit board, respectively. A flat conductor support member is adhesively secured to the upper surface of the horizontal photovoltaic cell panel and includes upwardly extending bridge portions having flat upper edges about which are reversely bent the upper free ends of the flat conductors. A hollow sectional connector housing includes a lower body section containing a bottom opening that receives the flat conductor support member when the lower body section is seated on the panel upper surface. Bifurcated resilient contacts mounted on the lower section have first portions that engage the bent flat conductor ends, respectively, and second portions that engage the circuits on a replaceable printed circuit board carried by the removable upper cover section of the housing.

Abstract: An electrical pin or socket terminal includes a vertical tubular body portion, and a spring clip portion connected with the upper end of the body portion. The spring clip portion includes two opposed electrical contacts at least one of which is resiliently biased toward the other. A separating arrangement is operable between a separated condition retaining the contacts in separated spaced relation for longitudinally receiving therebetween a conductor bare end, and a released condition in which the contacts are released for resilient electrical engagement with diametrically opposed surfaces of the conductor bare end. In one embodiment, the spring clip portion includes a pair of parallel spaced struts the upper ends of which are reversely bent toward each other. In another embodiment, a leaf spring electrical contact biases the bare conductor end against a stationary electrical contact.

Abstract: A connector arrangement connects the flat conductors that extend upwardly from a horizontal photovoltaic cell panel with the insulated conductors of a cable via the circuits of a printed circuit board, respectively. A flat conductor support member is adhesively secured to the upper surface of the horizontal photovoltaic cell panel and includes upwardly extending bridge portions having flat upper edges about which are reversely bent the upper free ends of the flat conductors. A hollow sectional connector housing includes a lower body section containing a bottom opening that receives the flat conductor support member when the lower body section is seated on the panel upper surface. Bifurcated resilient contacts mounted on the lower section have first portions that engage the bent flat conductor ends, respectively, and second portions that engage the circuits on a replaceable printed circuit board carried by the removable upper cover section of the housing.

Abstract: A cable includes a cable sheath in which are embedded a plurality of insulated conductors at least two of which are helically twisted, the cable being provided with visible markings that indicate where one can electrically engage a selected one of the conductors by an insulation-piercing contact. The cable is formed by arranging a plurality of insulated conductors in a light-transmitting synthetic plastic sheath layer, two or more of the insulated conductors being helically twisted about a longitudinal axis, which cable is optically scanned to determine locations at which contiguous portions of the twisted insulated conductors are superposed orthogonally relative to a reference plane, whereupon markings are formed on the cable sheath layer at locations laterally spaced from the contiguous conductor portions, whereby a selected one of the twisted conductors may be engaged by an insulation-piercing contact.

Abstract: An electrical connecting arrangement includes a locator device mounted on a photovoltaic panel for relatively positioning a connector housing such that a resilient contact on the connector housing is arranged for electrical connection with a stationary rigid contact on the photovoltaic panel that extends in space relation within a chamber contained in the locator device, connection being made via an access opening contained in the locator device. Preferably, the stationary contact is a knife contact having a rectangular configuration defining a pair of parallel end edges that are supported by a pair of support slots defined in the opposed walls of the access opening, thereby to support the stationary contact during the engagement thereof by the resilient contact.

Abstract: A quick-fastening plug and socket arrangement includes a locking sleeve arranged concentrically between the plug and the circular socket opening within which the plug is axially inserted, which locking sleeve includes a resilient projection that is radially biased outwardly into locking engagement with screw threads carried by the inner circumferential surface of the socket opening. Alternatively, the projecting portion is biased radially inwardly for locking engagement with screw threads carried by the outer circumferential surface of the plug member. The sleeve is connected against longitudinal displacement relative to one of the plug and socket members, which sleeve is rotatable relative to the associated plug and socket member, thereby to release the plug for removal from the socket opening.

Abstract: An electrical connecting arrangement includes a locator device mounted on a photovoltaic panel for relatively positioning a connector housing such that a resilient contact on the connector housing is arranged for electrical connection with a stationary rigid contact on the photovoltaic panel that extends in space relation within a chamber contained in the locator device, connection being made via an access opening contained in the locator device. Preferably, the stationary contact is a knife contact having a rectangular configuration defining a pair of parallel end edges that are supported by a pair of support slots defined in the opposed walls of the access opening, thereby to support the stationary contact during the engagement thereof by the resilient contact.

Abstract: A quick-fastening plug and socket arrangement includes a locking sleeve arranged concentrically between the plug and the circular socket opening within which the plug is axially inserted, which locking sleeve includes a resilient projection that is radially biased outwardly into locking engagement with screw threads carried by the inner circumferential surface of the socket opening. Alternatively, the projecting portion is biased radially inwardly for locking engagement with screw threads carried by the outer circumferential surface of the plug member. The sleeve is connected against longitudinal displacement relative to one of the plug and socket members, which sleeve is rotatable relative to the associated plug and socket member, thereby to release the plug for removal from the socket opening.

Abstract: A connector arrangement for connecting the insulated conductors of a flat cable with a plurality of tap-off branch conductors includes a plurality of insulation-piercing contacts that extend upwardly from the horizontal upper surface of the rectangular base member of a connector housing. A horizontal actuator plate is arranged in spaced relation above the contacts to define a space for longitudinally receiving the cable. When a housing cover member is initially slidably displaced longitudinally of the base member from an open first position toward a closed second position, a first wedge arrangement displaces the actuator plate downwardly to force the cable into insulation-piercing engagement with the contacts. When the cover member is subsequently displaced to the fully closed second position, a second wedge arrangement clamps the ends of the actuator plate to the cable, thereby to provide the connector contacts with strain relief protection.

Abstract: A cable includes a cable sheath in which are embedded a plurality of insulated conductors at least two of which are helically twisted, the cable being provided with visible markings that indicate where one can electrically engage a selected one of the conductors by an insulation-piercing contact. The cable is formed by arranging a plurality of insulated conductors in a light-transmitting synthetic plastic sheath layer, two or more of the insulated conductors being helically twisted about a longitudinal axis, which cable is optically scanned to determine locations at which contiguous portions of the twisted insulated conductors are superposed orthogonally relative to a reference plane, whereupon markings are formed on the cable sheath layer at locations laterally spaced from the contiguous conductor portions, whereby a selected one of the twisted conductors may be engaged by an insulation-piercing contact.

Abstract: A connector arrangement for connecting the insulated conductors of a flat cable with a plurality of tap-off branch conductors includes a plurality of insulation-piercing contacts that extend upwardly from the horizontal upper surface of the rectangular base member of a connector housing. A horizontal actuator plate is arranged in spaced relation above the contacts to define a space for longitudinally receiving the cable. When a housing cover member is initially slidably displaced longitudinally of the base member from an open first position toward a closed second position, a first wedge arrangement displaces the actuator plate downwardly to force the cable into insulation-piercing engagement with the contacts. When the cover member is subsequently displaced to the fully closed second position, a second wedge arrangement clamps the ends of the actuator plate to the cable, thereby to provide the connector contacts with strain relief protection.

Abstract: An electrical connector for insulated conductors includes a housing containing a chamber and having a conductor opening communicating with the chamber, a bus bar mounted in the chamber adjacent the conductor opening, a compression spring mounted in the chamber for biasing the bare end of an insulated conductor inserted into the chamber via the conductor opening into electrical engagement with the bus bar, a retaining device normally retaining the spring in a retracted inoperable condition, and a manually operable release member for releasing the spring to its operable condition. In one embodiment, the release member is connected for sliding movement between releasing and retaining positions, and the housing contains a reset access opening. In a second embodiment, the release member includes a pair of rigid sections joined by a flexible section, the release member being movable between retaining and releasing positions by operating buttons at exposed ends of the sections.

Abstract: An electrical connector for insulated conductors includes a housing containing a chamber and having a conductor opening communicating with the chamber, a bus bar mounted in the chamber adjacent the conductor opening, a compression spring mounted in the chamber for biasing the bare end of an insulated conductor inserted into the chamber via the conductor opening into electrical engagement with the bus bar, a retaining device normally retaining the spring in a retracted inoperable condition, and a manually operable release member for releasing the spring to its operable condition. In one embodiment, the release member is connected for sliding movement between releasing and retaining positions, and the housing contains a reset access opening. In a second embodiment, the release member includes a pair of rigid sections joined by a flexible section, the release member being movable between retaining and releasing positions by operating buttons at exposed ends of the sections.