Connector for joining protective ducts of hoses for the installation of insulated electrical conductors in an aircraft

• US 6,155,609 A
• Filed: 11/16/1998
• Issued: 12/05/2000
• Est. Priority Date: 01/24/1997
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Daimlerchrysler North America Corporation (Mercedes-Benz Group AG)
• Original Assignee: Daimlerchrysler North America Corporation (Mercedes-Benz Group AG)
• Inventors: Kirma, Safa
• Primary Examiner(s): Arola, Dave W.
• Application Number:
  US09/192,771
• Time in Patent Office: 750 Days
• Field of Search: 285/126.1, 285/179.1, 285/179.2, 285/272.1, 285/284.1, 285/153.1, 285/154.1, 285/319, 285/321, 285/901, 174/176 T, 174/65 R, 174/67, 174/61, 220/3.2, 292/299, 292/DIG. 11
• US Class Current: 285/126.1
• CPC Class Codes: F16L 27/0837 the joint elements being bends
• CPC Class Codes: F16L 45/00 Pipe units with cleaning aperture and closure therefor
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 285/901 Cap closures
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 285/906 Equivalents

Abstract

Connectors for joining protective ducts and/or hoses for the installation of insulated electrical conductors and/or cables in an aircraft are equipped with lids that are easily opened even without a tool. The lids are preferably permanently secured to the connectors. The lids are constructed as roll-up tapes or as flat or curved plates. The curved plates are held in place in the closed condition by springs. A flat plate lid is held in place, for example by a circlip, or by a leg spring or by a hinge.

Claims

1. A connector for joining sections of protective conduits for the installation of insulated electrical conductors or cables in an aircraft, comprising:

a connector body including a first body end section, a second body end section and an intermediate body section, wherein said intermediate body section has an elongated opening for access into said connector;

a lid comprising a flexible tape spring including a lid-forming spring body dimensioned and arranged to selectively cover and uncover said elongated opening, a first free spring end, and a second wound-up spring end;

first securing elements releasably attaching said first free spring end of said lid to one of said body end sections of said connector body; and

second securing elements attaching said second wound-up spring end of said lid to the other of said body end sections of said connector body.

2. The connector of claim 1, wherein said connector body has a wall with an edge along each side of said opening, and said edge has a groove or shoulder on which said lid-forming spring body rests in its closed position and on which said lid-forming spring body is guided.

3. The connector of claim 1, wherein said wound-up spring end has an inherent bias to wind said lid-forming spring body around said wound-up spring end so as to remove said lid-forming spring body from said elongated opening for uncovering said elongated opening.

4. The connector of claim 1, wherein said flexible tape spring has a flat cross-sectional configuration.

5. The connector of claim 1, wherein said flexible tape spring has a vaulted cross-sectional configuration.

6. The connector of claim 1, wherein said connector body forms an elbow having a bend angle within the angular range of 45°

to 180°

.

7. The connector of claim 6, wherein said bend angle is less than 90°

.

8. The connector of claim 7, wherein said elongated opening lies on a flat plane.

9. The connector of claim 6, wherein said bend angle is 90°

.

10. The connector of claim 9, wherein said elongated opening extends over said elbow and curves through said bend angle.

11. The connector of claim 6, wherein said bend angle is 180°

.

12. The connector of claim 11, wherein said elongated opening extends over said elbow and curves through said bend angle.

13. The connector of claim 1, further comprising a cable binder, and slots in said connector body for passing said cable binder through said slots, whereby ends of said cable binder are accessible outside said connector body.