Washer for establishing electrical continuity between conductive components having non-conductive coatings

• US 5,453,027 A
• Filed: 01/23/1995
• Issued: 09/26/1995
• Est. Priority Date: 12/08/1993
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Hoffman Enclosures Incorporated (Pentair Plc (Ireland))
• Original Assignee: Federal-Hoffman Inc. (Pentair Plc (Ireland))
• Inventors: Lucyk, Roman M., Mickley, Todd J., Buell, Scott D.
• Primary Examiner(s): Schwartz, Larry I.
• Assistant Examiner(s): WITTELS, DANIEL NMN
• Application Number:
  US08/378,863
• Time in Patent Office: 246 Days
• Field of Search: 439/387, 439/426, 439/433, 439/434, 439/883, 439/864, 439/533, 439/160, 439/161, 439/162, 439/163, 439/164, 439/165
• US Class Current: 439/433
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 4/2479 penetrating the area under the screw head
• 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: Y10S 439/927 Conductive gasket

Abstract

The invention comprises a washer for establishing electrical continuity between two conductive members each having a non-conductive coating and which are secured together by threaded fasteners such as screws. The washer has projections that pierce the non-conductive coatings of the two conductive components as the threaded fasteners are tightened thereby establishing electrical continuity through the washer.

Claims

1. In an electrical housing having first and second housing members secured together by threaded fasteners received within corresponding apertures in said housing members, said first and second housing members formed of electrically conductive material and having a non-conductive protective coating and a sealing gasket disposed between the first and second housing members, the improvement comprising:

a washer formed of conductive material and having a substantially planar ring member with an inner surface defining an opening adapted to receive a threaded fastener, a central axis, and first and second surfaces lying in parallel planes substantially perpendicular to said central axis, said ring member having a first projection extending from said ring member above said first surface to engage a coated surface of the first housing member and a second projection extending from said ring member above said second surface to engage a coated surface of the second housing member, said first and second projections adapted to penetrate the non-conductive coatings to establish electrical continuity between said first and second housing members upon tightening of the threaded fastener to secure the first and second housing members together and

whereby said first and second projections form a compression stop preventing over-tightening the threaded fastener; and

said ring member having a plurality of teeth projecting into said opening to engage the threaded fastener thereby retaining said washer on the fastener.