Electrical connector and method of making

• US 5,915,998 A
• Filed: 06/19/1996
• Issued: 06/29/1999
• Est. Priority Date: 06/19/1996
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Connector Manufacturing Company (Hubbell, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: ERICO International Corporation (nVent Electric Plc)
• Inventors: Stidham, Curtis R., Flaherty, David S., McPherson, Robert G.
• Primary Examiner(s): NGUYEN, KHIEM M
• Application Number:
  US08/666,010
• Time in Patent Office: 1,105 Days
• Field of Search: 439/135, 439/282, 439/283, 439/521, 439/523, 439/586, 439/587, 439/798, 439/721, 439/723
• US Class Current: 439/723
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 11/09 the connecting locations being identical
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 13/5213 Covers
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 4/36 Conductive members located under tip of screw

Abstract

A low resistance electrical connector comprising a flat bar having multiple lateral fingers projecting from the bar to form flat compression pads for attachment of electrical connectors, and an insulating housing surrounding said bar and including relatively short cylindrical projections enclosing a short extent of each finger and presenting a circular shoulder at the proximal end of each finger or the inner end of each compression pad so that a rocket may telescope over the shoulder and seal the connection to each pad. The number of fingers projecting from each bar may vary and they may project from one or both lateral sides of the bar. The connector is made by laser or waterjet cutting a flat sheet or bar of conductive metal such as copper, aluminum or a laminate to form a blank. The sheet is cut to avoid excessive scrap so that the space between fingers becomes the fingers of another blank. The blank is deburred and placed in a mold to form the insulating housing and cylindrical projections. Holes are drilled and tapped in the projecting pads either before or after molding.

Claims

1. A submersible electrical connector comprising a flat sheet bar having laterally projecting fingers forming flat pad compression connection surfaces, and an insulating casing surrounding said bar, but leaving a portion of said fingers exposed, said casing including a cylindrical projection encasing the proximal end of each finger and forming a cylindrical shoulder to seal a rocket thereon to enclose and seal the connections.

2. A connector as set forth in claim 1 wherein each finger includes opposite flat surfaces, one of which forms a diameter of the cylindrical projection and shoulder and said flat pad compression connection surface in the middle of the shoulder.

3. A connector as set forth in claim 2 including an annular bead on said cylindrical projection to act as an O-ring against the interior of the rocket.

4. A connector as set forth in claim 1 wherein said flat bar has fingers projecting to only one side thereof.

5. A connector as set forth in claim 1 wherein said flat bar has fingers projecting to both sides thereof.

6. A connector as set forth in claim 1 including a conductor with a lug clamped to said pad.

7. A connector as set forth in claim 6 including a rocket enclosing the connection sealed around the conductor at one end and around the projection and shoulder at the other end.

8. An electrical compression connector comprising a flat sheet bar having multiple lateral fingers forming flat pad compression style electrical connection surfaces, and an insulated casing over said bar including projecting shoulders encasing the proximal end of each finger, the respective finger beyond the shoulder forming the compression pad, and means to seal a rocket to the respective shoulder when a compression connection is made.

9. A connector as set forth in claim 8 wherein said shoulders are circular and are at the ends of short cylindrical projections.

10. A connector as set forth in claim 9 wherein each finger includes opposite flat surfaces, one of which forms a diameter of the cylindrical projection and shoulder and said flat pad compression connection surface in the middle of the shoulder.

11. A connector as set forth in claim 10 including an annular bead on said cylindrical projection to act as an O-ring with regard to the interior of the rocket.

12. A connector as set forth in claim 11 including a conductor with a lug clamped to said pad.

13. A connector as set forth in claim 12 including a rocket enclosing the connection sealed around the conductor at one end and around the projection and shoulder at the other end.