Cord connector

• US 5,505,634 A
• Filed: 11/23/1994
• Issued: 04/09/1996
• Est. Priority Date: 11/23/1994
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Angel Guard Products Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Frederick F. Osten
• Inventors: Osten, Frederick F.
• Primary Examiner(s): Vu, Hien D.
• Application Number:
  US08/344,023
• Time in Patent Office: 503 Days
• Field of Search: 439/367, 439/369-371, 439/373
• US Class Current: 439/369
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 13/5205 Sealing means between cable and housing, e.g. grommet H01R13/5221 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 13/6392 for extension cord

Abstract

An electrical cord connector for holding together a male electrical plug and a female electrical plug wherein the connector includes two one-piece receptacle-like members with their side walls forming conic threads such that the members may be threaded securely together to prevent the male and female electrical plugs from being pulled apart and if desired provide a water resistant environment for the male and female electrical plugs.

Claims

1. An electrical cord connector for holding together a male electrical plug connected to a first electrical cord and a female electrical plug connected to a second electrical cord, comprising:

a first substantially hollow receptacle-like member, said first member having a side wall and a first end with an opening therein for circumferentially encompassing the first electrical cord and said side wall being positionable over the male electrical plug thereon, said side wall shaped in the form of a thread so that an outside surface of said side wall has a male thread in the form of a plurality of partial conical shapes so that an inside surface of said side wall has a female thread in the form of a plurality of partial conical shapes; and

a second substantially hollow receptacle-like member, said second member having a side wall and a first end with an opening therein for circumferentially encompassing the second electrical cord and said side wall being positionable over the female electrical plug thereon, said second member substantially identical to said first member except that the second member is larger than said first hollow member to permit threading said second member onto said first member to thereby prevent disengagement of the male and female connectors located in the respective first and second members, said second member having a tapering side wall with a thickness of said tapering side wall on said second member decreasing from said first end of said second member to an opposite end of said second member so that when said first member is threaded onto said second member the tapering side wall aids in causing said first member and said second member to from a tight water resistance connection between the two members and to prevent disengagement of the two members.

2. The cord connector of claim 1 wherein the thickness of the side wall of the first member decreases from the first end of the first hollow member.

3. The cord connector of claim 1 wherein said second hollow receptacle-like member and said first hollow receptacle-like member are made of PVC.

4. The cord connector of claim 1 wherein the threads on said first member is molded in said side wall.

5. The cord connector of claim 1 wherein said first and second members each include an end extension for forming a water resistant connection around each of the electrical cords extending through each of said extensions.

6. The cord connector of claim 1 wherein said first member and said second member are secured to each other in a water resistant connection.

7. The cord connector of claim 1 wherein said first member is one piece.

8. The cord connector of claim 1 wherein said threads have a flat root and a flat crest.

9. The cord connector of claim 1 wherein the side wall is resilient such that it is squeezable by the hand.

10. The cord connector of claim 1 wherein said first hollow receptacle-like member includes a nipple seal and said second hollow receptacle-like member includes a nipple seal to retard moisture from entering said hollow receptacle-like members.

11. The cord connector of claim 10 wherein said first hollow receptacle-like member and said second hollow receptacle-like member coact to retard moisture from entering into a cavity formed by said receptacle-like members.

12. An electrical cord connector for holding together a male electrical plug on a first electrical cord and a female electrical plug on a second electrical cord, comprising:

a first substantially hollow receptacle-like member, said first member having a side wall and a first end with an opening therein for circumferentially encompassing the first electrical cord and said side wall being positionable over the male electrical plug thereon, said side wall shaped in the form of a thread so that an outside surface of said side wall has a male thread and so that an inside surface of said side wall has a female thread and wherein each of said threads have root portions and crest portions, the crest portions having a width about the width of an adult'"'"'s finger whereby the members may be easily gripped by the hand; and

a second substantially hollow receptacle-like member, said second member having a side wall and a first end with an opening therein for circumferentially encompassing the second electrical cord and said side wall being positionable over the female electrical plug thereon, said second member substantially identical to said first member except that the second member is larger than said first hollow member to permit threading said second member onto said first member in tight engagement to thereby prevent disengagement of the male and female plugs located in the respective first and second members.

13. An electrical cord assembly, comprising:

a pair of electrical cords for carrying electricity and each of said cords having an end to be connected with a male electrical plug or a female electrical plug;

a first substantially hollow receptacle member, said first member having a side wall and a first end with an opening therein for circumferentially encompassing one of the respective cord ends and said side wall being positionable over the male electrical connector thereon, said wall shaped in the form of a thread so that an outside surface of said side wall has a male thread with partial conic shaped portions and so that an inside surface of said side wall has a female thread with partial conic shaped portions; and

a second substantially hollow receptacle member, said second member having a first end with an opening therein for circumferentially encompassing one of the respective cord ends and a side wall being positionable over the female electrical connector thereon, said second member substantially identical to said first member except that the second member is larger than said first member to permit threading said second member onto said first member to thereby form a tight water resistant sealing engagement and to prevent disengagement of the male and female connectors located in the respective first and second members.

14. The electrical cord assembly of claim 13 wherein each of the members is formed in a shape of portions of a cone so that each of the side walls tapers from a respective end such that when the members are threaded together an increasingly greater seal is formed.

15. The electrical cord assembly of claim 13 wherein each of the members is formed in a shape that appears cylindrical to the eye.

16. A connector assembly comprising:

a male connector comprising a first substantially hollow receptacle-like member for encompassing a male electrical plug, said first member having a side wall and a first end, said wall shaped in the form of a thread so that an outside surface of said side wall has a male thread with partial conic shaped portions so that an inside surface of said side wall has a female thread with partial conic shaped portions; and

a female connector comprising a second substantially hollow receptacle-like member for encompassing a female electrical plug, said second member having a first end, said second member substantially identical to said first member except that the second member is larger than said first hollow member to permit threading said second member onto said first member to thereby prevent disengagement of the male and female connectors, said second member having a tapering side wall so that a thickness along said side wall on said second member decreases from said first end of said second member to an opposite end of said second member so that when said first member is threaded onto said second member the tapering side wall aids in causing said first member and said second member to form a water resistant connection between the two members as the first member is threaded onto the second member.