Mechanical connector splice for cable

• US 5,821,463 A
• Filed: 06/14/1996
• Issued: 10/13/1998
• Est. Priority Date: 06/14/1996
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: CommScope Technologies, LLC (CommScope Holding Company, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: The Whitaker Corporation (Meggitt PLC)
• Inventors: Ngo, Hung Viet
• Primary Examiner(s): Ledynh, Bot L.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Nguyen, Chau N.
• Application Number:
  US08/663,837
• Time in Patent Office: 851 Days
• Field of Search: 174/84 C, 174/92, 439/98, 439/877, 439/882
• US Class Current: 174/84.00C
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 4/26 Connections in which at least one of the connecting parts has projections which bite into or engage the other connecting part in order to improve the contact H01R4/188, H01R4/203, H01R4/5075 take precedence; using shape memory materials H01R4/01
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 4/36 Conductive members located under tip of screw

Abstract

The invention is directed to an electrical connector having a main body with a conductor receiving passageway extending therethrough. The conductor receiving passageway has a conductor gripping surface with an upper level and a lower level for engaging a conductor. A pair of gripping jaws are moveable to secure a conductor within the conductor receiving passageway, there being a longer gripping jaw corresponding to the lower level and a shorter gripping jaw corresponding to the upper level. The conductor is secured within the conductor receiving passageway between the longer gripping jaw and the lower surface and also between the shorter gripping jaw and the upper surface.

Claims

1. An electrical connector, comprising:

a main body having a conductor receiving passageway extending therethrough, the conductor receiving passageway having a conductor gripping surface therealong, the conductor gripping surface having an upper level and a lower level for engaging at least one conductor; and

a pair of gripping jaws moveable to secure said conductor within the conductor receiving passageway, there being a longer gripping jaw corresponding to the lower level and a shorter gripping jaw corresponding to the upper level;

whereby the conductor is secured within the conductor receiving passageway between the longer gripping jaw and the lower surface and also between the shorter gripping jaw and the upper surface.

2. The electrical connector of claim 1, wherein a gripper member has the gripping jaws thereon, the gripper member being movably mounted to the main body to move the gripping jaws into and out of engagement with the conductor.

3. The electrical connector of claim 1, wherein the gripping jaws having a serrated surface thereon to grippingly engage the conductor.

4. The electrical connector of claim 2, wherein the conductor gripping surface has a serrated surface for grippingly engaging the conductor.

5. The electrical connector of claim 1, wherein the main body has two ends with the conductor receiving passageway extending therebetween, there being a separating wall disposed within the passageway to separate the passageway into two halves for receiving two of the conductors.

6. The electrical connector of claim 5, wherein the lower level is adjacent the separating wall and the upper level is adjacent one of the ends.

7. The electrical connector of claim 2, wherein the gripper member is secured to the main body by a screw and the gripping jaws are moved into and out of engagement with the conductor by actuating the screw.

8. The electrical connector of claim 7, wherein the main body has a pair of jaw openings extending along a top surface thereof, the jaw openings being in communication with the conductor receiving passageway, the gripping jaws being received through the jaw openings into the conductor receiving passageway.