Electrical connector apparatus and method

• US 20030054700A1
• Filed: 07/17/2002
• Published: 03/20/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 07/17/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Centerpin Technology, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Centerpin Technology, Inc.
• Inventors: Hanks, Rip, Korte, Donald R.
• Granted Patent: US 6,857,895 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 439/762
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 11/287 Intermediate parts between battery post and cable end piece
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 11/289 characterised by the shape or the structure of the battery post
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 4/5033 using wedge or pin penetrating into the end of a wire in axial direction of the wire
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 4/5091 combined with a screw

Abstract

The subject invention pertains to a method and an electrical connector for coupling to a multi-stranded conductor. In a specific embodiment, the subject method and electrical connector can be used for coupling to an insulated multi-stranded conductor. In a specific embodiment, the subject connector can have: a housing having at least one bore for receiving an insulated multi-stranded electrical conductor; an electrically conductive prong located in the bore and electrically connected to the housing; and a securing means for insertion into the bore after insertion of the electrical conductor into the bore and onto the prong. Insertion of the securing means into the bore, after insertion of the electrical conductor into the bore and onto the prong, presses the strands of the electrical conductor against the conductive prong such that the connector makes electrical contact with the electrical conductor and acts to mechanically secure the electrical conductor to the connector.

Claims

1. A connector for coupling to an insulated multi-stranded conductor cable comprising:

an electrically conductive housing having a bore for receiving a multi-stranded conductor cable;

an electrically conductive prong electrically connected to said housing and positioned in the bore of the housing for impaling the end of the cable;

a collar disposed on the end of cable; and

securing means for engaging said housing and driving said collar into the bore of said housing;

whereby, the strands of the cable are impaled on to said prong to make electrical connection between said housing and the cable and the cable is secured in said housing.

2. The connector set forth in claim 1 wherein said collar disposed on the cable engages both the surface of the cable and the wall of the bore in said housing at said electrically conductive prong.

3. The connector set forth in claim 2 wherein said securing means engages the exterior surface of said housing.

4. The connector set forth in claim 2 wherein said securing means engages the interior surface of the bore in said housing.

5. The connector set forth in claim 3 wherein said collar and said securing means threadably engages the exterior surface of said housing.

6. The connector set forth in claim 1 wherein said collar and said securing means are integral.

7. The connector set forth in claim 6 wherein said securing means interlocks with the housing at the interior surface of the bore.

8. The connector set forth in claim 6 wherein said securing means threadably engages the interior surface of the bore.

9. A connector for coupling to a multi-stranded conductor cable, comprising:

an electrically conductive housing having a bore for receiving a multi-stranded conductor cable;

an electrically conductive prong connected to the housing and positioned in the second bore of the housing, wherein the second electrically conductive prong is electrically connected to the housing;

a second securing means for securing the second multi-stranded conductor cable to the housing after insertion of the second multi-stranded conductor cable into the second bore and onto the second electrically conductive prong,

wherein the second securing means presses the strands of the second multi-stranded conductor cable against the second prong so as to make electrical contact between the second multi-stranded conductor cable and the housing, wherein the connector acts as a splize connector for the first and second multi-stranded conductor cable.

10. The connector according to claim 9, wherein the bore comprises internal threads, and wherein the securing means comprises a tube comprising external threads complimentary with the internal threads of the bore of the housing, wherein after insertion of the multi-stranded conductor cable into the bore and onto the electrically conductive prong, threading the tube into the bore presses the tube against the multi-stranded conductor so as to press the strands of the multi-stranded conductor cable against the prong so as to make electrical contact between the cable and the housing.

11. The connector according to claim 9, wherein the bore comprises a female clip-on profile, and wherein the securing means comprises a tube comprising a male clip-on profile complimentary to the female clip-on profile of the bore of the housing, wherein after insertion of the multi-stranded conductor cable into the bore and onto the electrically conductive prong, pushing the tube into the bore presses the tube against the multi-stranded conductor cable so as to press the strands of the multi-stranded conductor cable against the prong so as to make electrical contact between the cable and the housing.

12. The connector according to claim 9, wherein the housing comprises external threads, wherein the securing means comprises an inner tube and an outer tube, wherein the outer tube comprises internal threads which are complimentary with threading on the housing, wherein after insertion of the multi-stranded conductor cable into the bore and onto the electrically conductive prong, threading the outer tube onto the threading on the housing drives the inner tube into the bore such that the inner tube presses against the multi-stranded conductor cable so as to press the strands of the multi-stranded conductor cable against the prong so as to make electrical contact between the cable and the housing.

13. The connector according to claim 12, wherein the inner tube and outer tube are fixedly attached to each other.

14. The connector according to claim 12, wherein the outer tube comprises a lip having an inside wall which contacts an outside wall of a second lip of the inner tube so as to drive the inner tube into the bore as the outer tube is threaded onto the threading on the housing.

15. The connector according to claim 9, wherein the electrically conductive prong is integral with the housing.

16. The connector according to claim 9, wherein the electrically conductive prong is threaded into the housing.

17. The connector according to claim 9, wherein the electrically conductive prong comprises a base section having a first slope and a tip section having a second slope.

18. The connector according to claim 9, wherein the bore comprises an inner accepting groove, wherein the securing means comprises an inner tube comprising an outer engaging post which is complimentary with the inner accepting groove of the bore, wherein after insertion of the multi-stranded conductor cable into the bore and onto the electrically conductive prong, guiding the outer engaging post of the tube into the inner accepting groove of the bore presses the tube against the multi-stranded conductor cable so to press the strands of the multi-stranded conductor cable against the prong so as to make electrical contact between the multi-stranded conductor cable and the housing.

19. The connector according to claim 9, wherein the housing has at least one additional bore for receiving at least one additional multi-stranded conductor cable, and comprises a corresponding at least one additional electrically conductive prong each connected to the housing and positioned in a corresponding bore, wherein each of the at least one additional prong is electrically connected to the housing, wherein the securing means comprises a first inner tube and a corresponding at least one additional inner tube, and an outer tube, wherein the outer tube comprises internal threads complimentary with external threads on the housing, wherein after insertion of the multi-stranded conductor cable into the bore and the one or more of the at least one additional multi-stranded conductor cable, into the corresponding at least one additional bore, threading the outer tube onto the housing drives the first inner tube into the bore and the corresponding inner tube into the corresponding at least one additional bore so as to press the multi-stranded conductor cable against the prong and each of the at least one additional multi-stranded conductor cables against a corresponding at least one additional prong so as to make electrical contact between each of the cables and the housing.

20. The connector according to claim 9, wherein the housing has a second bore for receiving a second multi-stranded conductor cable, further comprising:

a second electrically conductive prong connected to the housing and positioned in the second bore of the housing, wherein the second electrically conductive prong is electrically connected to the housing;

a second securing means for securing the second multi-stranded conductor cable to the housing after insertion of the second multi-stranded conductor cable into the second bore and onto the second electrically conductive prong,

wherein the second securing means presses the strands of the second multi-stranded conductor cable against the second prong so as to make electrical contact between the second multi-stranded conductor cable and the housing, wherein the connector acts as a splice connector for the first and second multi-stranded conductor cable.