Panel mount ground termination apparatus

• US 4,739,126 A
• Filed: 01/16/1987
• Issued: 04/19/1988
• Est. Priority Date: 01/16/1987
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: AMP Incorporated (Johnson Controls International plc)
• Original Assignee: AMP Incorporated (Johnson Controls International plc)
• Inventors: Gutter, David H., Shatto, Walter C. Jr.
• Primary Examiner(s): Grimley, Arthur T.
• Assistant Examiner(s): TONE, DAVID
• Application Number:
  US07/003,979
• Time in Patent Office: 459 Days
• Field of Search: 174/65 R, 174/65 SS, 174/51, 174/78, 439/98, 439/391, 439/394
• US Class Current: 174/78
• CPC Class Codes: H02G 3/065 with means biting into the conductor-insulation, e.g. teeth-like elements or gripping fingers H02G3/0675, H02G3/0683 take precedence

Abstract

Panel-mount ground termination apparatus for terminating the outer shielding conductor of an electrical cable and for simultaneously mounting the cable to a panel. The apparatus includes a housing mounted to the panel and having an axial aperture for receiving the cable to be terminated; a flexible termination member having a plurality of inwardly extending, electrically conductive prongs positioned within the housing aperture and surrounding the cable; a compression member having a tapered, inner compression surface; and a housing closure member threadable onto the housing. As the closure member is threaded onto the housing, the compression member is urged into the housing aperture between the outer surface of the termination member and the sidewall of the housing aperture. The tapered compression surface of the compression member engages the outer surface of the termination member, compressing the termination member inwardly and driving the plurality of prongs into the cable and into engagement with the outer conductor of the cable. The prongs are preferably arranged in pairs, and the termination member includes curved surface portions which deform as the prongs are driven into the cable, causing the prongs of each prong pair to turn toward one another to firmly retain the outer conductor therebetween.

Claims

1. Apparatus for terminating an outer conductor of an electrical cable comprising:

a housing having a cylindrical aperture for receiving a cable to be terminated;

an annular termination member positioned within said housing aperture and surrounding the space to be occupied by at least a portion of said cable, said termination member having a plurality of pairs of electrically conductive contact prongs positioned around the circumference of said termination member and extending inwardly toward said cable space;

a compression member having a compression surface for engaging said termination member; and

means for urging said compression member into said housing aperture between the sidewall of said aperture and said termination member, said compression surface engaging said termination member and compressing said termination member inwardly for driving said plurality of electrically conductive contacts into said cable and into electrical contact with said outer conductor;

wherein said compression surface comprises an annular, tapered compression surface for compressing said termination member inwardly by an increasingly greater extend as said compression member is urged into said housing aperture by said urging means for driving said plurality of electrically conductive contact prongs into said cable;

and wherein said termination member includes a plurality of curved surface portions to be engaged by the outer surface of said cable and by said compression surface during compression of said termination member inwardly for deforming said termination member to turn the prongs of each pair of prongs toward one another to retain said outer conductor therebetween.

2. Apparatus mounting a cable to a panel and for simultaneously terminating an outer conductor of said cable, comprising:

a housing having an aperture extending axially therethrough for receiving said cable;

means for mounting said housing to said panel with said housing aperture aligned with an aperture in said panel;

a cable extending through said housing aperture and said panel aperture, said cable having an outer conductor to be terminated;

an annular termination member positioned within said housing aperture and surrounding said cable, said termination member including an outer surface and having a plurality of pairs of electrically conductive prongs extending substantially inwardly toward said cable;

an annular compression member having an internal, tapered, compression surface;

said termination member includes curved surface portions engaged by the outer surface of said cable and by said compression surface for deforming said termination member for causing the prongs of each prong pair to turn toward one another to retain said outer conductor therebetween.

3. Apparatus for mounting a cable to a panel and for simultaneously terminating an outer conductor of said cable, comprising;

a housing having an aperture extending axially therethrough for receiving said cable;

means for mounting said housing to said panel with said housing aperture aligned with an aperture in said panel;

a cable extending through said housing aperture and said panel aperture, said cable having an outer conductor to be terminated;

an annular termination member positioned within said housing aperture and surrounding said cable, said termination member including an outer surface and having a plurality of electrically conductive prongs extending substantially inwardly toward said cable;

an annular compression member having an internal, tapered, compression surface;

a closure member threadably attached to said housing and provided for closing said housing, said closure member including a drive surface for urging said compression member into said housing aperture between the outer surface for said termination member and the sidewall of said housing aperture when said closure member is attached to said housing, said tapered compression surface engaging the outer surface of said termination member as it is urged into said housing aperture to compress said termination member inwardly to drive said plurality of prongs into said cable and into electrical contact with said outer conductor for terminating said outer conductor;

and further including means for preventing rotation of said compression member as said closure member is threaded onto said housing and said compression member is urged into said housing aperture.

4. The apparatus of claim 14 wherein said rotation-preventing means comprises a longitudinal rib on the sidewall of said housing aperture and a longitudinal groove on the outer surface of said compression member for engaging said rib to prevent rotation of said compression member.