Electronic power distribution device

• US 5,266,057 A
• Filed: 03/31/1992
• Issued: 11/30/1993
• Est. Priority Date: 03/29/1990
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Monster, Inc. (Atlantic Acquisition, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Monster, Inc. (Atlantic Acquisition, Inc.)
• Inventors: Pitcher, David H., Harvey, Matthew S., Angel, Donald E. Jr.
• Primary Examiner(s): Paumen, Gary F.
• Application Number:
  US07/861,085
• Time in Patent Office: 609 Days
• Field of Search: 439/723, 439/798, 439/810, 439/394, 439/416, 439/814, 439/427, 439/428, 439/429, 439/431, 403/362, 411/393
• US Class Current: 439/724
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 4/30 utilising a screw or nut clamping member H01R4/50 takes precedence; utilising a clamping member acted on by screw or nut H01R4/38; for coaxial cables H01R9/0521
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 4/5025 combined with a threaded ferrule operating in a direction parallel to the conductor

Abstract

An electronic power distributor is provided. The distributor is a cylindrical base unit shaped like a hockey puck which contains a top surface, bottom and side circular surfaces. In the top surface, there are a number of holes which extend into the base unit. These holes have a threaded portion for engaging with a power bolt. The side circular surface contains a number of holes which extend into the base unit and are positioned to perpendicularly intersect the holes which extend from the top surface. The holes on the side are capable of receiving the strands of a wire conductor or an adapter of other size conductors. The power bolts which hold the wire conductors in the holes through the side circular surface contain three portions. The first portion is conical and contain a first annular beveled surface extending radially and axially generally toward the vertex. The second portion contains a second annular beveled surface adjacent the threaded portion and extending radially and axially toward the vertex, a third portion having an annular beveled surface between the first and the second annular surfaces extending radially and axially toward the vetex. The angle of the first annular portion is about the same angle as the angle of the second annular portion but the third annular surface is angled greater than that of the first and second. In this design, the conic portion bores through the strands of wire at an equal force to cause the stands to separate and spread along the annular beveled surfaces of the screw. The power puck contains a clear encasing to protect it from the outside environment.

Claims

1. An electrical power distributor for retaining stranded wire conductors, comprising:

a conductive base unit having a first and second surface, said base unit further having a first opening in said first surface of said base unit and extending therein, said opening having an inner surface, said inner surface having a threaded portion, and a second opening in said second surface of said base unit and extending therein, for accommodating a stranded wire conductor,

a first bolt having a threaded portion for engaging with said threaded portion of said first opening, said bolt including an end portion of conical shape including a contacting annular beveled surface, said end portion contacting a plurality of strands of said wire conductor inserted in said base unit and causing said strands to spread throughout said second opening along said annular beveled surface thereby maximizing electrical contact between the stranded cable and the base unit,

said first bolt further having a second portion between said threaded portion and said end portion, said second portion having a second annular beveled surface extending axially and radially inwardly toward said end portion, and a third portion between said second portion and said end portion, said third portion having a third beveled annular surface extending axially and radially toward said end portion.

2. The invention of claim 1, wherein said base unit further includes:

a first plurality of openings through said first surface and extending into said base unit, said first plurality of openings having an inner surface, each inner surface having a threaded portion;

a second plurality of opening in said second surface of said base unit for accommodating stranded wire conductors;

a plurality of bolts, each bolt having a threaded portion for engaging with said threaded portion of said first plurality of openings, respectively, and an end portion having a conical shape and including a first annular beveled surface, said end portion contacting said plurality of strands of a wire conductor inserted in said base unit and causing said strands to spread throughout said second plurality of openings along said first annular beveled surface.

3. The invention of claim 2, wherein said plurality of bolts further each having a second portion between said threaded portion and said end portion, said second portion having a second annular beveled surface extending axially and radially inwardly toward said end portion.

4. The invention of claim 3, wherein said plurality of bolts further having a third portion between said second portion and said conic end portion, said third portion having a third beveled annular surface extending axially and radially toward said conic end portion.

5. The invention of claim 4, wherein said conductive base unit has a third surface between said first and second surfaces defining a cylindrical shape.

6. The invention of claim 5, wherein said second surface having a second opening extending in said conductive base unit and positioned to intersect said first opening.

7. The invention of claim 6, wherein said second plurality of openings extending in said conductive base unit, positioned generally opposite said second opening and positioned to intersect said first plurality of openings.

8. The invention of claim 7, wherein said second opening being larger than said second plurality of openings.

9. The invention of claim 8, wherein said second opening having a shoulder for preventing insulation on a wire conductor from entering said solid base unit.

10. The invention of claim 1 further comprising an insulating housing surrounding said conductive base unit, said housing having an opening aligned over said first opening.

11. The invention of claim 10, wherein said conductive base unit having a third opening extending from said first to said third surfaces completely through said base unit and said housing having openings aligned over said opening extending through said base unit.

12. The invention of claim 1, further comprising a removable adapter for connecting a battery wire to said conductive base unit.

13. The invention of claim 1, wherein said first bolt further having a top portion with an opening for receiving one of said flat head screw driver, phillips head screw driver, and allen wrench head.

14. The invention of claim 1 wherein said base unit has the shape of a puck.

15. The invention of claim 1, wherein said conductive base unit having a opening extending completely through the base unit and said housing.

17. The invention of claim 15, wherein said base unit further comprising:

a plurality of openings through said first surface and extending into said base unit, said plurality of openings each having an inner surface, said inner surface having a threaded portion; and

a plurality of bolts, each having a threaded portion for engaging with said threaded portion of said inner surface of said plurality of openings, respectively, and a end portion having a first annular beveled surface, said first annular beveled surface of said end portion bores through a plurality of strands of a wire conductor inserted in said base unit and causing said strands to spread along said first annular beveled surface.

18. The invention of claim 15, wherein said insulating housing having openings aligned over said first opening and said plurality of openings.

19. The invention of claim 18, wherein said conductive base unit further having third surface opposite said first surface, said second surface being between said first and second surfaces and defining said cylindrical shape of said base unit.

20. The invention of claim 19, wherein said second surface having a second opening extending in said conductive base unit and positioned to intersect said first opening.

21. The invention of claim 20, wherein said second surface further having a second plurality of openings extending in said conductive base unit, positioned generally opposite said second opening and positioned to intersect said first plurality of openings.

22. The invention of claim 21, wherein said second opening being larger than said second plurality of openings.

23. The invention of claim 22, wherein said second opening having a shoulder for preventing insulation on a wire conductor from entering said solid base unit.

24. The invention of claim 23, wherein said first and second openings being perpendicular and said first and second plurality of openings being perpendicular.

16. An electrical power distributor for connecting a plurality of stranded wire conductor comprising:

a cylindrical conductive base unit having a first surface and second surface; and

means in said first surface for retaining stranded wire conductors in said second surface and

an insulating housing surrounding said base unit, said housing having openings aligned over said means for retaining said wire conductors,

said base unit comprises a first opening through said first surface and extending into said base unit and having an inner surface, said inner surface having a threaded portion, and said power distributor further comprising a first bolt having a threaded portion for engaging with said threaded portion of said opening and an end portion having a first annular beveled surface, a second portion between said threaded portion and said end portion having a second beveled annular surface extending axially and radially inward toward said end portion; and

a third portion between said second and end portions, said third portion having a third beveled annular surface extending axially and radially toward said end portion,

said first annular beveled surface of said end portion bores through a plurality of strands of a wire conductor inserted in said base unit and causing said strands to spread along said first annular beveled surface.

25. An electrical power distributor for retaining stranded wire conductors, comprising:

a conductive base unit having a first and second surface, a first opening in said first surface and extending in said base unit, and a second opening in said second surface of said base unit and extending therein for accommodating a stranded wire conductor, said first opening having an inner surface with a threaded portion,

a first bolt having a threaded portion for engaging with said threaded portion of said first opening, said bolt including an end portion including a contacting annular beveled surface, said end portion contacting a plurality of strands of said wire conductor inserted in said base unit and causing said strands to spread throughout said second opening along said annular beveled surface thereby maximizing electrical contact between the stranded cable and the base unit,

said first bolt further having a second portion between said threaded portion and said end portion, said second portion having a second annular beveled surface extending axially and radially inwardly toward said end portion, and a third portion between said second portion and said end portion, said third portion having a third beveled annular surface extending axially and radially toward said end portion.

26. The invention of claim 25 wherein said end portion having a conical shape.