Connector for affixing cables within junction boxes

• US 7,126,064 B1
• Filed: 08/22/2005
• Issued: 10/24/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 08/22/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Atkore Steel Components, Inc. (Atkore, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Sami Shemtov
• Inventors: Shemtov, Sami
• Primary Examiner(s): PATEL, DHIRUBHAI R
• Application Number:
  US11/210,000
• Time in Patent Office: 428 Days
• Field of Search: 174/65.R, 174/59, 174/135, 174/60, 174/655.S, 174/650, 174/657, 174/658, 174/666, 439/460
• US Class Current: 174/662
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 13/5812 the cable clamping being achieved by mounting the separate part on the housing of the coupling device
• CPC Class Codes: H02G 3/0666 with means clamping the armour of the conductor H02G3/0675, H02G3/0683 take precedence

Abstract

A connector for affixing cables (e.g., of the type having wires bundled within a corrugated cover) within an electrical or other junction box has a body with a first end into which the cable cover (and the wires therein) may be inserted, and a second end configured to affix to the entry of a junction box, and which is configured to allow the wires of the cable to leave the connector and extend into the junction box. The connector has an engagement member thereon with one or more engagement legs which extend into the body of the connector, and into the internal passage of the connector body into which the cable is fit, to engage the cable cover and fix the cable to the connector body.

Claims

1. A cable connector comprising:

a. a body including;

(1) an outer body surface extending between opposing first and second body ends,

(2) an internal passage into which a cable may be inserted, the internal passage extending between the first and second body ends,

(3) a slot having;

(a) a slot depth extending between the outer body surface and the internal passage, and

(b) a slot length extending along the outer body surface between opposing slot sides, with the slot length being oriented at least substantially perpendicular to the axis of the internal passage;

b. an engagement leg having a driving end and an insertion end sized for at least substantially complementary insertion within the slot, wherein the engagement leg exhibits more resistance to withdrawal from the slot than to insertion within the slot when the insertion end of the engagement leg is inserted into the slot from the outer body surface to extend into the internal passage.

2. The cable connector of claim 1 wherein the engagement leg includes:

a. protruding teeth arrayed in series between the insertion end and the driving end, and

b. one or more protruding ribs having lengths extending between the insertion end and the driving end.

3. The cable connector of claim 1 wherein the engagement leg includes one or more protruding teeth arrayed in series between the insertion end and the driving end, the teeth engaging the body about the slot when the engagement leg is inserted within the slot.

4. The cable connector of claim 3 wherein:

a. the slot includes slot faces extending between the slot sides, and

b. the teeth engage at least one of the slot sides when the engagement leg is inserted within the slot.

5. The cable connector of claim 3 further comprising one or more protruding ribs on the engagement leg, the ribs:

a. being spaced from the teeth, and

b. having lengths extending between the insertion end and the driving end of the engagement leg.

6. The cable connector of claim 3 wherein the teeth include at least one beveled face, whereby the teeth ratchet against the body when the engagement leg is inserted within the slot.

7. The cable connector of claim 1 wherein the slot is bounded by:

a. the opposing slot sides, and

b. opposing slot faces extending between the slot sides, wherein at least one of the slot faces is beveled to converge towards the other of the slot faces as the slot extends toward the internal passage.

8. The cable connector of claim 7 wherein the engagement leg includes one or more teeth arrayed in series between the insertion end and the driving end, the teeth protruding to engage the beveled slot face when the engagement leg is inserted within the slot.

9. The cable connector of claim 7 wherein the slot includes at least one notch defined therein, the notch extending along the depth of the slot between the outer body surface of the body and its internal passage.

10. The cable connector of claim 1 wherein:

a. the insertion end of the engagement leg has opposing engagement leg sides situated between opposing engagement leg faces, wherein the engagement leg faces are wider than the slot sides, whereby the engagement leg faces extend along the slot length when the engagement leg is inserted within the slot; and

b. at least one of the engagement leg faces includes a raised rib defined thereon, the rib extending from the insertion end of the engagement leg toward the driving end.

11. The cable connector of claim 10 wherein:

a. the slot includes slot faces extending between the slot sides, and

b. at least one of the slot faces includes a notch defined therein, the notch being situated to complementarily receive the nib when the engagement leg is inserted within the slot.

12. The cable connector of claim 1:

a. wherein the body includes at least two of the slots, the slots being spaced adjacently along the body; and

b. the engagement leg is defined as a portion of an engagement member, the engagement member having two or more of the engagement legs extending therefrom, wherein the engagement member further includes a bridge joining the driving ends of the engagement legs.

13. The cable connector of claim 1 wherein the length of the slot is oriented at an angle between 1 and 20 degrees to a plane oriented perpendicular to the axis of the internal passage.

14. The cable connector of claim 1 wherein the insertion end of the engagement leg includes opposing engagement leg sides with a concave depression defined therebetween.

15. The cable connector of claim 1 wherein at least one of the opposing first and second body ends includes threading defined thereon.

16. A cable connector comprising:

a. a body including;

(1) an outer body surface extending between opposing first and second body ends,

(2) an internal passage into which a cable may be inserted, the internal passage extending between the first and second body ends,

(3) a slot having;

(a) a slot depth extending between the outer body surface and the internal passage, and

(b) a slot length extending along the outer body surface between opposing slot sides;

b. an engagement member having an engagement leg extending therefrom, the engagement leg having a length;

(1) terminating in an insertion end, the insertion end being sized to be at least substantially complementarily fit within the slot,

(2) including teeth arrayed thereon, with the teeth sequentially engaging the body as the insertion end is urged into the slot toward the internal passage.

17. The cable connector of claim 16 wherein:

a. the engagement leg includes a rib protruding therefrom, the rib being spaced from the teeth and having a length extending between the insertion end and the driving end; and

b. the slot includes a notch defined therein, the notch extending between the outer body surface of the body and the internal passage, with the notch being aligned to receive the rib when the insertion end of the engagement leg is fit within the slot.

18. The cable connector of claim 16 wherein:

a. the body includes at least two of the slots, and

b. the engagement member includes at least two of the engagement legs, the engagement legs being situated to simultaneously fit within the slots when the engagement member is urged radially inwardly toward the body.

19. A cable connector comprising:

a. a body including;

(1) an outer body surface extending between opposing first and second body ends,

(2) an internal passage into which a cable may be inserted, the internal passage extending between the first and second body ends,

(3) two or more slots, each slot having;

(a) a slot depth extending between the outer body surface and the internal passage, and

(b) a slot length extending along the outer body surface between opposing slot sides;

b. an engagement member having two or more engagement legs extending therefrom, wherein;

(1) the engagement legs are joined in spaced relation by a bridge;

(2) each engagement leg includes an insertion end sized for insertion within one of the slots to extend into the internal passage,

wherein urging the bridge toward the outer body surface when the engagement legs are within the slots simultaneously urges the engagement legs toward the internal passage to engage any cable therein.

20. The cable connector of claim 19 wherein the slots are:

a. situated on the same side of the internal passage, and

b. oriented at least substantially parallel to each other.