FLEXIBLE CONDUIT CONNECTOR

• US 3,858,151 A
• Filed: 06/04/1973
• Issued: 12/31/1974
• Est. Priority Date: 06/04/1973
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Joseph Henry Paskert
• Original Assignee: Joseph Henry Paskert
• Inventors: Paskert, Joseph Henry
• Primary Examiner(s): Frazier, Roy D.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Hafer, Robert A.
• Application Number:
  US05/366,341
• Time in Patent Office: 575 Days
• Field of Search: 339/13,14 174/51 285/162 287/20 248/56
• US Class Current: 439/98
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 4/64 Connections between or with conductive parts having primarily a non-electric function, e.g. frame, casing, rail
• CPC Class Codes: H02G 3/0616 Joints for connecting tubing to casing

Abstract

An improved connector for securing a helically grooved flexible electrical conduit with a junction box is formed as a one-piece metal clip. The clip has a tubular body with tabs and barbs which engage the helical groove in the conduit to prevent the conduit from being pulled out of the clip and to electrically interconnect the clip and conduit. The barbs and tabs are disposed along a common helical path to facilitate turning or screwing of the clip onto one end of the conduit. A collar on the inner end of the clip encloses the end of the conduit to protect wires in the conduit against engagement with any burrs which may be formed on the end of the conduit. Resiliently deflectable retaining arms and flanges clampingly engage a wall of the junction box to hold the clip and conduit in place. The retaining arms are provided with pointed end portions which are pressed against the wall of the junction box to electrically interconnect the clip and junction box.

Claims

1. A one-piece, self-retaining metal clip for use in connecting an electrical conduit having a helically grooved outer metal covering and electrical wires therein with a junction box or the like, said clip being adapted to extend through an opening in a wall portion of the junction box, said one-piece metal clip comprising a tubular body portion for extending through the opening in the junction box and into which the electrical conduit extends, said tubular body portion having a first opening at one end thereof through which the electrical wires extend and a second opening at the other end thereof into which sAid electrical conduit extends, flange means at said other end of said tubular body portion for engaging an outer wall portion of the junction box, said flange means comprising deflectable portions which extend transverse to the axis of said first and second openings and which have surface portions which engage the outer surface of the junction box upon insertion of the clip into the opening in the wall portion of the junction box, retaining arms connected with said tubular portion, said retaining arms projecting outwardly from said tubular body portion and being resiliently deflectable radially inwardly upon insertion of the tubular body portion through the opening in the junction box and springing outwardly upon clearing the wall of the junction box as to engage the inner surface of the wall of the junction box, said retaining arms, in an undeformed position, being separated from said flange means by an axial distance less than the thickness of the wall portion whereby said clip is resiliently clamped to the junction box by said flange means and said retaining arms to positively electrically ground said clip to said junction box, said tubular body portion also having a pair of inwardly extending tabs having an inner elongated edge disposed along a helix of the same pitch as the helical groove in the metal covering for threaded engagement with the helical groove in said metal covering to threadably connect said metal covering with said tubular body portion and a pair of barbs also formed on said tubular body portion for gripping the helically grooved metal covering of the electrical conduit to effect a grounding of the metal covering to said clip, said barbs being diposed along the same helix as the inner edges of said tabs, said barbs having points thereon defining an inscribed circle of smaller diameter than the minor diameter of said helical groove and said points oriented in the same circumferential direction to allow said metal covering to be threaded into said clip but to resist threaded disengagement of said clip and said metal covering, said tabs and said barbs being spaced from said flange means toward said one end of said tubular body portion whereby said tabs and barbs are disposed within the junction box when the electrical conduit is connected with the junction box.

2. A one-piece metal clip as set forth in claim 1 further including collar means connected with said one end of said tubular body portion for shielding the wires against engagement with any burrs which may be formed on the outer end portion of the electrical conduit, said collar means including a rim portion disposable within the electrical conduit in a telescopic relationship with the outer end portion of the electrical conduit.

3. A one-piece metal clip as set forth in claim 1 wherein said tabs have a generally rectangular configuration and said inner end portions have an arcuate configuration and extend transversely to the central axis of said tubular body portion.

4. A one-piece metal clip as set forth in claim 1 wherein said tabs are located at axially and circumferentially offset locations on said tubular body portion.

5. A one-piece metal clip as set forth in claim 1 wherein said flange means includes a pair of flange portions which extend radially outwardly from said tubular body portion and have arcuate outer end portions which are pressed against the outer surface of the junction box to provide additional electrical connections between the junction box and said clip.

6. A one-piece metal clip for use in connecting an electrical conduit having a helically grooved outer metal covering and electrical wires therein with a junction box or the like, said clip being adapted to extend through an opening in a wall portion of the junction box, said one-piece metal clip comprising a tubular body portion for extending through the opening in the junction box and into which the electrical conduit extends, said tubular body portion having a first openinng at one end thEreof through which the electrical wires extend and a second opening at the other end thereof into which said electrical conduit extends, flange means at said other end of said tubular body portion for engaging an outer wall portion of the junction box, said flange means comprising deflectable portions which extend transverse to the axis of said first and second openings and which have surface portions which engage the outer surface of the junction box upon insertion of the clip into the opening in the wall portion of the junction box, retaining arms on a wall portion of said tubular portion, said retaining arms projecting outwardly from said tubular body portion and being resiliently deflectable radially inwardly upon insertion of the tubular body portion through the opening in the junction box and springing outwardly upon clearing the wall of the junction box so as to engage the inner surface of the wall of the junction box whereby said clip is clamped to the junction box by said flange means and said retaining arms, said tubular body portion also having a pair of barbs disposed intermediate said flange means and said one end portion of said tubular body portion for engaging the helically grooved metal covering of the electrical conduit to effect a grounding of the covering to said clip and to retard relative movement between the electrical conduit and said tubular body portion, said tubular body portion including a plurality of edge portions extending from said flange means toward said open end portion of said tubular body portion, each of said barbs being disposed along an associated one of said edge portions, said barbs being disposed along a helix of the same pitch as the helical groove in the metal covering to enable said barbs to engage the helical groove at spaced apart locations along the helical groove.

7. A one-piece metal clip as set forth in claim 6 wherein each of said barbs includes a pointed end portion disposed inwardly of an inner surface of said tubular body portion.