Snap-in locknut adapter for connectors

• US 5,912,431 A
• Filed: 10/09/1996
• Issued: 06/15/1999
• Est. Priority Date: 12/27/1993
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Sheehan, Robert K.
• Original Assignee: Sheehan, Robert K.
• Inventors: Sheehan, Robert K.
• Primary Examiner(s): REICHARD, DEAN ALAN
• Application Number:
  US08/728,434
• Time in Patent Office: 979 Days
• Field of Search: 174/65 R, 174/65 SS, 174/151, 248/56, 285/158, 285/162, 285/139.1
• US Class Current: 174/653
• CPC Class Codes: H02G 3/0658 with means constricting the conductor-insulation H02G3/065, H02G3/0675, H02G3/0683 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H02G 3/0675 with bolts operating in a direction parallel to the conductors
• CPC Class Codes: H02G 3/083 Inlets

Abstract

A snap-in locknut adapter is shown for connectors having a flange adjacent a threaded distal end to be inserted through an opening of predetermined diameter in a bulkhead. The adapter is to include a body with front and rear ends, an outer surface, and a hollow interior portion having internal threads corresponding to the threaded distal end of the connector. At least a portion of the outer surface of the body is to have an effective outer diameter less than the predetermined diameter of the opening. The adapter also includes a plurality of peripherally spaced, displaceable snap-lock members which extend outwardly from the outer surface of the body and have an effective outer diameter larger than the predetermined diameter of the opening. Once the displaceable snap-lock members are displaced inwardly and pushed through an opening in a bulkhead, they assume their original shape to thereby resist removal of the adapter from the opening. The adapter also preferably includes integrally formed areas which facilitate tightening of the adapter on the threaded distal end of the connector once the snap-lock members have been snapped through the opening. In this way, the adapter ensures that the connector is drawn into intimate contact with the bulkhead.

Claims

1. A snap-in locknut adapter for providing quick and reliable connection of a connector member to an opening of predetermined diameter in a bulkhead, wherein said connector member comprises a flange adjacent a threaded distal end to be inserted through said opening, said adapter comprising:

a body having oppositely disposed front and rear ends, an outer surface, and a hollow interior portion with internal threads for threaded interaction with said threaded distal end of said connector member, said body provided in a substantially continuous and undivided form at least adjacent its rear end, and at least a portion of said outer surface having an outer diameter which is less than said predetermined diameter of said opening; and

a plurality of peripherally spaced displaceable snap-lock members extending outwardly from the outer surface of said body adjacent the front end, said snap-lock members adapted to remain displaceable after said front end is assembled on said connector member and having an effective outer diameter larger than said predetermined diameter of said opening to resist removal of said adapter from said opening once snapped therethrough.

2. The snap-in locknut adapter of claim 1, further comprising at least one tab along the front end and adjacent at least one of the snap-lock members.

3. A snap-in locknut adapter for providing quick and reliable connection of a connector member to an opening of predetermined diameter in a bulkhead, wherein said connector member comprises a flange adjacent a threaded distal end to be inserted through said opening, said adapter further comprising:

a substantially continuous and undivided body having oppositely disposed front and rear ends, an outer surface, and a hollow interior portion with internal threads for threaded interaction with said threaded distal end of said connector member, at least a portion of said outer surface having an outer diameter which is less than said predetermined diameter of said opening;

a plurality of peripherally spaced displaceable snap-lock members extending outwardly from the outer surface of said body, said snap-lock members having an effective outer diameter larger than said predetermined diameter of said opening to resist removal of said adapter from said opening once snapped therethrough; and

a plurality of spaced fingers extending forwardly from said front end of said body.

4. The snap-in locknut adapter of claim 3, wherein said fingers are flexible, are spaced about a peripheral front edge of said front end, and extend outwardly therefrom for preliminarily radially aligning said connector and adapter within said predetermined diameter of the opening in the bulkhead.

5. A snap-in locknut adapter for providing quick and reliable connection of a connector member to an opening of predetermined diameter in a bulkhead, wherein said connector member comprises a substantially hollow opening through which cable and other items can be passed and a flange adjacent a threaded distal end which will be inserted through said opening in use, said adapter comprising:

a body having oppositely disposed front and rear ends, an outer surface, and a hollow interior portion with internal threads for threaded, telescoping interaction with said threaded distal end of said connector member, said outer surface having an effective outer diameter which is less than said predetermined diameter of said opening;

a plurality of peripherally spaced displaceable snap-lock members extending outwardly from the outer surface of said body, said snap-lock members having an effective outer diameter larger than said predetermined diameter of said opening to resist removal of said adapter from said opening once snapped therethrough; and

an insulated throat adjacent said rear end and extending inwardly to provide a relatively smooth insulated surface adjacent said distal end of the connector once said adapter is threadedly engaged thereon.

6. The snap-in locknut adapter of claim 5, wherein said body further comprises an extended portion adjacent said rear end of said body which extends beyond the threaded distal end of said connector in use to provide an insulated sleeve thereover.

7. The snap-in locknut adapter of claim 5, wherein the hollow opening of said connector has a predetermined effective inside diameter, and said insulated surface of said throat has an inner diameter which is smaller than said effective inside diameter.

8. The snap-in locknut adapter of claim 5, further comprising means for facilitating tightening of the adapter on said threaded distal end of said connector after said snap-lock members have been snapped through said opening, thereby drawing said flange of said connector into intimate contact with said bulkhead.

9. The snap-in locknut adapter of claim 5, further comprising at least one tab along the front end and adjacent at least one of the snap-lock members.

10. The snap-in locknut adapter of claim 5, further comprising a plurality of spaced fingers extending forwardly from said front end of said body.

11. The snap-in locknut adapter of claim 10, wherein said fingers are flexible, are spaced about a peripheral front edge of said front end, and extend outwardly therefrom for preliminarily radially aligning said connector and adapter within said predetermined diameter of the opening in the bulkhead.

12. The snap-in locknut adapter of claim 5, further comprising two or more substantially flat surfaces associated with said outer surface for tightening the adapter on said threaded distal end of the connector after the snap-lock members have been snapped through an opening.

13. The snap-in locknut adapter of claim 12, wherein said flat surfaces are provided in the form of a multi-faced nut-like conformation formed adjacent said rear end of said body.

14. A method for quickly and snugly connecting a connector member to an opening of predetermined diameter in a bulkhead, wherein said connector member has a substantially hollow opening through which cable and other items can be passed, and a flange adjacent a threaded distal end which will be inserted through said opening in use, said method comprising the following steps:

providing a snap-lock adapter comprising a body having oppositely disposed front and rear ends, an outer surface, and a hollow interior portion with internal threads for threaded, telescoping interaction with said threaded distal end of said connector member, said outer surface having an effective outer diameter which is less than said predetermined diameter of said bulkhead opening, a plurality of peripherally spaced displaceable snap-lock members extending outwardly from the outer surface of said body, said snap-lock members having an effective outer diameter larger than said predetermined diameter of said bulkhead opening to resist removal of said adapter from said opening once snapped therethrough;

threadably attaching said adapter onto the threaded distal end of said connector, with the front end of the adapter facing the flange of said connector;

inserting the distal end of said connector and the rear end of the attached adapter through the opening in a bulkhead, thereby displacing said snap-lock members as they are forced through said bulkhead opening; and

snapping said adapter into locking engagement with said bulkhead opening by pushing said snap-lock members through said bulkhead opening.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein said adapter comprises one or more spacer fingers located adjacent said front end thereof, and said method includes utilizing the spacer fingers to preliminarily align the connector and adapter relative to the bulkhead opening prior to final tightening of the adapter.

16. The method of claim 14, wherein said adapter comprises an insulated throat adjacent its rear end, and wherein said method comprises situating said insulated throat adjacent the distal end of said connector in use to support and effectively minimize contact of cable and other items to be passed through said connector with the distal end of the connector.

17. The method of claim 14, wherein said adapter is threadably attached to the distal end of said connector as part of the manufacturing assembly process of the connector, whereby each connector is ready for immediate insertion into an opening of a bulkhead.

18. A combination connector and snap-in locknut adapter for providing quick and reliable connection of a connector member to an opening of predetermined diameter in a bulkhead, wherein said connector member comprises a flange adjacent a threaded distal end to be inserted through said opening, said adapter comprising:

a body having oppositely disposed front and rear ends, an outer surface, an extended portion adjacent said rear end of said adapter which extends beyond the threaded distal end of said connector in use to provide an insulated sleeve thereover, and a hollow interior portion with internal threads for threaded interaction with said threaded distal end of said connector member, at least a portion of said outer surface having an outer diameter which is less than said predetermined diameter of said opening; and

a plurality of peripherally spaced displaceable snap-lock members extending outwardly from the outer surface of said body, said snap-lock members having an effective outer diameter larger than said predetermined diameter of said opening to resist removal of said adapter from said opening once snapped therethrough.

19. The connector and snap-in locknut adapter of claim 18, wherein said locknut adapter further comprises at least one tab along the front end and adjacent at least one of the snap-lock members.

20. The snap-in locknut adapter of claim 18, wherein said connector includes a substantially hollow internal opening through which cable and other items can be passed, and wherein said extended portion of said adapter comprises a hollow interior substantially aligned with said internal opening of said connector in use and an insulated throat adjacent said rear end to provide a relatively smooth insulated surface adjacent said distal end thereof.

21. The snap-in locknut adapter of claim 20, wherein said insulated surface of said throat has an inner diameter which prevents significant contact between cable or other items passed through said internal opening and the distal end of said connector.

22. A snap-in locknut adapter for providing quick and reliable connection of a connector member to an opening of predetermined diameter in a bulkhead, wherein said connector member comprises a flange adjacent a threaded distal end to be inserted through said opening, said adapter further comprising:

a substantially continuous and undivided body having oppositely disposed front and rear ends, an outer surface, and a hollow interior portion with internal threads for threaded interaction with said threaded distal end of said connector member, at least a portion of said outer surface having an outer diameter which is less than said predetermined diameter of said opening;

a plurality of peripherally spaced displaceable snap-lock members extending outwardly from the outer surface of said body, said snap-lock members having an effective outer diameter larger than said predetermined diameter of said opening to resist removal of said adapter from said opening once snapped therethrough; and

means for facilitating tightening of the adapter on said threaded distal end of said connector after said snap-lock members have been snapped through said opening, thereby drawing said flange of said connector into intimate contact with said bulkhead.

23. The combination of claim 22, wherein said means for facilitating tightening of the adapter comprises two or more substantially flat surfaces associated with said outer surface for interaction with a tightening tool.

24. The snap-in locknut adapter of claim 23, wherein said flat surfaces are provided in the form of multi-faced nut-like conformation formed adjacent said rear end of said body.

25. A snap-in locknut adapter and connector combination for providing quick and reliable connection of a connector member to an opening of predetermined diameter in a bulkhead, wherein said connector member comprises a flange adjacent a threaded distal end to be inserted through said opening, and said adapter comprises:

a body having oppositely disposed front and rear ends, an outer surface, and a hollow interior portion with internal threads for threaded interaction with said threaded distal end of said connector member, said body having a substantially continuous and undivided form at least adjacent its rear end, and at least a portion of said outer surface having an outer diameter which is less than said predetermined diameter of said opening; and

a plurality of peripherally spaced displaceable snap-lock members extending outwardly from the outer surface of said body adjacent the front end, said snap-lock members adapted to remain displaceable when said front end is assembled on said connector member and having an effective outer diameter larger than said predetermined diameter of said opening to resist removal of said adapter from said opening once snapped therethrough.

26. The combination of claim 25, wherein said body has a substantially continuous and undivided form adjacent both of said front and rear ends.

27. The combination of claim 25, wherein said snap-lock members comprise outwardly angled resilient flaps.

28. The combination of claim 25, wherein said adapter further comprises at least one tab along the front end and adjacent at least one of the snap-lock members.