WIRE CONNECTOR

• US 20080105461A1
• Filed: 11/07/2006
• Published: 05/08/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 11/07/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: The Patent Store Llc
• Original Assignee: The Patent Store Llc
• Inventors: King, Lloyd Herbert, Hiner, William, Keeven, James C.
• Granted Patent: US 7,384,297 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 174/535
• CPC Class Codes: H02G 15/007 Devices for relieving mechanical stress
• CPC Class Codes: H02G 15/113 Boxes split longitudinally in main cable direction
• CPC Class Codes: H02G 3/081 Bases, casings or covers

Abstract

An open-face electrical connector comprising a first housing having a chamber therein, a second housing mateable to the first housing to form an enclosure for supporting an electrical wire therein and a latchable wire retainer secured to one of the housings, the latchable wire retainer having a first jaw with a wire support surface and a second jaw with a wire support surface with the latchable wire retainer having an open condition for laterally inserting a wire between the first jaw and the second jaw and then bringing the first jaw and the second jaw into clamping engagement around a peripheral wire surface by bringing the first jaw toward the second jaw.

Claims

1. An open-face electrical connector comprising:

a first housing having a chamber therein;

a second housing mateable to the first housing to form an enclosure for supporting an electrical wire therein; and

a latchable wire retainer secured to one of the housings, the latchable wire retainer having a first jaw with a wire support surface and a second jaw with a wire support surface, said second jaw having a body with a first end, a second end, a first side, and a second side, with the latchable wire retainer having an open condition for laterally inserting a wire between the first jaw and the second jaw and then bringing the first jaw and the second jaw into clamping engagement around a peripheral wire surface by bringing the first jaw toward the second jaw;

a plurality of spaced ribs extending from the first end, the second end, the first side, and the second side of the body, the ribs forming a plurality of guide channels therebetween;

a first set of teeth located on the first end and a second set of teeth located on the second end of the second jaw; and

a first set of holes and a second set of holes extending from the first side to the second side of the second jaw.

2. The open-face electrical connector of claim 1 including a hinge holding the second housing in a pivotable spaced condition from the first housing.

3. The open-face electrical connector of claim 1 wherein the latchable wire retainer is secured to one of the housings in a spaced condition from a sidewall of the housing.

4. The open-face electrical connector of claim 1 wherein the second housing includes an open end mateable with an open end of the first housing to form an enclosure for supporting an electrical connection therein.

5. The open-face electrical connector of claim 1 including a second latchable wire retainer.

6. The open-face electrical connector of claim 1 wherein the first jaw of the latchable wire retainer is pivotably attachable to the second jaw of the latchable wire retainer.

7. The open-face electrical connector of claim 1 wherein the first jaw includes a cable tie supporting channel and the second jaw comprises a cable tie.

8. The open-face electrical connector of claim 1 including a sealant supported in at least one of the housings.

9. The open-face electrical connector of claim 1 wherein an electrical wire is clamped between the first jaw and the second jaw.

10. The open-face electrical connector of claim 1 wherein the first and second housing comprise electrically insulating material with a mounting post for securing the electrical connector to a support surface.

11. The open-face electrical connector of claim 1 wherein the first housing includes a lip and the second includes at least one snap extension for engagement with the lip to lockingly hold the first and second housing in a closed condition.

13. The open-face electrical connector of claim 1 wherein the first jaw comprises:

a first end, a second end and a wire-engaging surface;

a first latch extending from the first end of the first jaw, the first latch having a tooth for lockingly engaging the first set of teeth of the second jaw;

a second latch extending from the second end of the cover, the second latch having a tooth for lockingly engaging the second set of teeth of the second jaw;

a first pair of flexible extensions located proximal the first end of the first jaw, the first pair of extensions each include a pin located thereon with the pins positioned diametrically opposed to each other for locking engagement with the first set of holes of the second jaw;

a second pair of flexible extensions located proximal the second end of the first jaw, the second pair of extensions each include a pin located thereon with the pins positioned diametrically opposed to each other for locking engagement with the second set of holes of the second jaw; and

a plurality of alignment members extending from the cover for mating engagement with the guide channels of first jaw to provide for an aligned uniformed connection of locking cover to the first jaw.

12. (canceled)

14. An open-face electrical connector comprising:

a first housing having a chamber therein;

a second housing having chamber therein, the second housing including an open end mateable with an open end of the first housing to form an enclosure for supporting an electrical wire branching connection therein;

a hinge holding the second housing in a pivotable spaced condition from the first housing; and

a first latchable wire retainer and a second latchable wire retainer located in the chamber of the first housing, the latchable wire retainers each having a first jaw with a wire support surface and a second jaw with a wire support surface with the latchable wire retainers each having an open condition for laterally inserting a wire between the first jaw and the second jaw and then bringing the first jaw and the second jaw of each latchable wire retainers into clamping engagement around a peripheral wire surface by bringing the first jaws toward the second jaws for securing the wires without bringing the first housing and the second housing into engagement with each other.

15. The open-face electrical connector of claim 14 wherein the first jaw of the first latchable wire retainer and the second latchable wire retainer each comprise a cable tie for securing a portion of the electrical wire therein.

16. The open-face electrical connector of claim 14 wherein each of the wire retainers comprises a locking jaw pivotally attachable to the second jaw.

17. The open-face electrical connector of claim 14 wherein each of the second jaws includes a cable tie supporting channel and each of the first jaws comprises a cable tie.

18. The open-face electrical connector of claim 14 wherein the first wire retainer and the second wire retainer supports an electrical connection therebetween.

19. The open-face electrical connector of claim 14 including a split bolt connector branching a secondary electrical wire to a main electrical wire.

20. A method of forming a branch attachment comprising the steps of:

forming a first housing having a chamber containing a first wire retainer and a second wire retainer;

forming a second housing having a chamber therein;

placing an electrical wire on a wire-supporting surface of the first wire retainer and on a wire-supporting surface of the second wire retainer;

latching the electrical wire to the first wire retainer and the second wire retainer; and

placing an open end of the first housing and an open end of the second housing in engagement to form an enclosure.

21. The method of claim 20 including the step of placing a sealant in the second housing.

22. The method of claim 20 including the step of latching a wire retainer upper jaw to a wire retainer lower jaw through engagement of a set of teeth.

23. The method of claim 20 including the step of sliding an upper retainer jaw into latched engagement with a lower retainer jaw.

24. The method of claim 23 including clamping the upper retainer jaw too the lower retainer jaw.