Protective sheath for electrical cables

• US 5,166,478 A
• Filed: 06/10/1991
• Issued: 11/24/1992
• Est. Priority Date: 06/10/1991
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Kerry Sprouse
• Original Assignee: Kerry Sprouse
• Inventors: Sprouse, Kerry
• Primary Examiner(s): Picard, Leo P.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Korka, Trinidad
• Application Number:
  US07/712,598
• Time in Patent Office: 533 Days
• Field of Search: 174/138 F, 174/5 R, 174/5 SG, 439/135, 439/142, 439/147, 439/367, 439/366, 439/503, 439/504, 439/506, 439/892, 439/893
• US Class Current: 174/138.00F
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 4/70 Insulation of connections end caps H01R4/22
• CPC Class Codes: H02G 15/04 Cable-end sealings

Abstract

A protective sheath for insulating a live end of an electrical cable is provided, the sheath comprising a receptacle constructed of insulative material and having interior and exterior portions, the sheath including both open and closed ends, the open end being accessible for insertion of a live end of an electrical cable. The receptacle includes a structure of attaching the receptacle to an electrical cable near a live end thereof. A retainer mounting plate may be provided within the receptacle near the closed end, the mounting plate serving as a point of attachment for the live end of the electrical cable to be protected.

Claims

1. A protective sheath for insulating a live end of at least one electrical cable, the sheath comprising

a receptacle constructed of insulative material and having interior and exterior portions, the receptacle including a permanently closed stopping end, which is closed by the insulative material of the receptacle, and an open entrance end which is accessible for insertion of a first live end of an electrical cable into the interior portion, and

exterior attachment means for connecting the sheath to an electrical cable near a second live end thereof, the attachment means being connected to the exterior portion of the receptacle.

2. A protective sheath as in claim 1 wherein the first live end of the electrical cable for insertion into the interior portion of the receptacle is an alligator clip.

3. A protective sheath as in claim 2 further comprising a retainer mounting plate mounted in the interior portion of the receptacle on a line approximately bisecting the closed stopping end and extending directly toward the open entrance end, the retainer mounting plate serving to secure the alligator clip within the interior portion of the receptacle by bracing the jaws of the alligator clip in a closed position about the mounting plate.

4. A protective sheath as in claim 1 wherein the exterior attachment means is formed integrally with the receptacle.

5. A protective sheath as in claim 2 wherein the receptacle has a trapezoid configuration which tapers from the open entrance end to the closed stopping end to substantially conform to the shape of the alligator clip.

7. A protective sheath as in claim 1 wherein first the live end of an electrical cable is a stereo jack.

8. A protective sheath as in claim 1 wherein the insulative material from which the receptacle is constructed is a hardened plastic.

9. A protective sheath as in claim 1 wherein the attachment means is constructed of hardened plastic.

6. A protective sheath as in claim wherein the exterior attachment means comprises a flexible structure which includes

a channel for receipt of an electrical cable, and

a plurality of curved fingers for securing the electrical cable within the channel.

10. An apparatus for preventing electric shock or short-circuit in the handling of automobile jumper cables comprising:

a pair of jumper cables, each having first and second opposing ends each comprising an alligator jaw clamp;

a sheath constructed of hardened plastic having first, second, third, and fourth generally flat sides, the first and third sides having a generally trapezoidal shape and the second and fourth sides having a generally rectangular shape, the sheath also having a closed stopping end at the narrow ends of the trapezoids and an open entrance end at the wide ends of the trapezoids for the insertion of an alligator jaw clamp, thereby forming an interior cavity;

a plate mounted on the stopping end of the sheath and extending into the interior cavity generally perpendicular to the closed end and the first and third sides, adapted for the securing of an alligator jaw clamp thereon by clamping the opposing jaws of the clamp on opposite sides of the plate;

exterior attachment means mounted on the exterior surface of a side of the sheath for attachment of the sheath to an jumper cable.