MULTI-DIRECTIONAL TERMINAL BLOCK AND METHOD OF MAKING

1 . A terminal block comprising:

a terminal housing comprising a plurality of walls forming a plurality of terminal openings; and

a plurality of terminals, each terminal positioned in a respective terminal opening of the plurality of terminal openings;

wherein each terminal of the plurality of terminals is electrically conductive and comprises:

a front portion comprising:

a front surface having a first fastener opening formed therein;

a first side surface having a second fastener opening formed therein;

a rear surface opposite the front surface;

a rear portion extending from the rear surface and having an adaptor fastener opening formed therein; and

an adaptor coupled to the rear portion via an adaptor fastener positioned within the adaptor fastener opening.

2 . The terminal block of claim 1 , wherein the rear portion further has a wire fastener opening formed in a first surface of the rear portion; and

wherein a rear surface of the rear portion has a wire opening formed therein communicating with the wire fastener opening.

3 . The terminal block of claim 2 further comprising a wire fastener positioned within wire fastener opening and configured to secure a wire inserted within the wire opening against a wall of the wire opening.

4 . The terminal block of claim 1 further comprising:

a first fastener inserted within the first fastener opening; and

a second fastener inserted within the second fastener opening.

5 . The terminal block of claim 4 , wherein the first and second fasteners comprise screws.

6 . The terminal block of claim 1 , wherein the adaptor is formed from a copper sheet.

7 . The terminal block of claim 1 , wherein the first side surface is orthogonal to the front surface.

8 . The terminal block of claim 1 , wherein each wall of a pair of walls of the plurality of walls forming a first terminal opening of the plurality of terminal openings comprises:

an end stop extending from the wall and configured to engage the front surface of the front portion of a respective terminal of the plurality of terminals; and

a ramp portion extending from the wall and configured to:

engage one of an opposite side surface of the front portion of the respective terminal during insertion of the respective terminal within the first terminal opening; and

engage the rear surface of the respective terminal after insertion of the respective terminal within the first terminal opening.

9 . The terminal block of claim 1 , wherein the adaptor comprises a solder pin configured to electrically couple the adaptor to a printed circuit board.

10 . The terminal block of claim 1 , wherein the adaptor fastener comprises a rivet.

11 . A multi-position terminal block comprising:

a housing comprising a pair of openings formed via a plurality of walls;

a first terminal positioned in a first opening of the pair of openings; and

a second terminal positioned in a second opening of the pair of openings;

wherein each of the first and second terminals is electrically conductive and comprises:

a front portion comprising:

a front surface having a first fastener opening formed therein;

a first side surface having a second fastener opening formed therein; and

a rear surface opposite the front surface;

a rear portion extending from the rear surface and having a wire fastener opening formed in a first surface of the rear portion; and

wherein a rear surface of the rear portion has a wire opening formed therein communicating with the wire fastener opening.

12 . The multi-position terminal block of claim 11 , wherein the rear portion further has an adaptor fastener opening formed therein; and

further comprising an adaptor coupled to the rear portion via an adaptor fastener positioned within the adaptor fastener opening.

13 . The multi-position terminal block of claim 11 further comprising a wire fastener positioned within the wire fastener opening;

wherein the wire fastener is configured to secure a wire inserted within the wire opening against a wall of the wire opening.

14 . The multi-position terminal block of claim 13 , wherein the wire fastener comprises a set screw.

15 . The multi-position terminal block of claim 11 further comprising:

a first fastener inserted within the first fastener opening; and

a second fastener inserted within the second fastener opening.

16 . A method of making a multi-position terminal block comprising:

forming a housing comprising a plurality of walls forming a plurality of terminal openings; and

inserting, into each of the terminal openings, a terminal comprising:

a front-facing surface having a first fastener opening formed therein;

a top-facing surface having a second fastener opening and a third fastener opening formed therein;

a first rear-facing surface opposite a first portion of the front-facing surface;

a second rear-facing surface opposite a second portion of the front-facing surface and having a wire opening formed therein communicating with the second fastener opening;

a first side-facing surface; and

a second side-facing surface opposite one another and having an adaptor fastener opening formed between the first and second side-facing surfaces.

17 . The method of claim 16 further comprising inserting, into each of the front-facing surface and the top-facing surface, a wire fastener comprising a screw.

18 . The method of claim 16 further comprising:

positioning an adaptor adjacently to the first and second side-facing surfaces; and

coupling the adaptor to the terminal via securing an adaptor fastener within the adaptor fastener opening.

19 . The method of claim 18 further comprising forming the adaptor from a single piece of sheet metal, the adaptor comprising a solder pin configured to electrically couple the adaptor to a printed circuit board.

20 . The method of claim 16 , wherein forming the housing comprises forming, on a first wall of the plurality of walls:

an end stop configured to abut the front-facing surface; and

a ramp having an end wall configured to abut the first rear-facing surface.