Connector assemblies with integrated wiring diagrams and methods of using the same

• US 8,221,157 B2
• Filed: 09/16/2010
• Issued: 07/17/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 09/21/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Ideal Industries Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Ideal Industries Incorporated
• Inventors: Zantout, Alan E.
• Primary Examiner(s): Duverne, Jean F
• Application Number:
  US12/883,749
• Publication Number:
  US 20110070768A1
• Time in Patent Office: 670 Days
• Field of Search: 439/491, 439/676, 439488-490, 439/916
• US Class Current: 439/491
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 43/00 Apparatus or processes specially adapted for manufacturing, assembling, maintaining, or repairing of line connectors or current collectors or for joining electric conductors of trolley lines B60M1/28
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 9/2475 Means facilitating correct wiring, e.g. marking plates, identification tags
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/53222 Means comprising hand-manipulatable implement

Abstract

Disclosed are connector assemblies having an integrated wiring diagram or being in conjunction with a tool having an integrated wiring diagram, and methods of using such connector assemblies or tools. The connector assemblies include wire entry ports for insertion of respective wires depicted on the wiring diagram. The connector assemblies have at least one housing having a wiring diagram on the at least one housing, on a receptacle that holds the at least one housing or on a tool that temporarily holds the at least one housing.

Claims

1. A connector assembly having an integrated wiring diagram comprising:

a connector assembly having at least one housing having walls extending rearward from a face, wherein the face includes a plurality of wire entry ports;

a wiring diagram located on the outer surface of the face of the connector assembly that has the plurality of wire entry ports, the wiring diagram having wire indicia depicting wires and electrical or electronic components that are external to the connector assembly displayed in association with the respective plurality of wire entry ports through the face of the connector assembly;

wherein each wire entry port is configured to receive a conductive stripped end of at least one inserted wire; and

wherein a plurality of conductive contacts are held within the housing, and each of the conductive contacts is configured to receive and electrically connect at least two different respective conductive stripped ends of wires that are inserted through separate respective wire entry ports in the face of the connector assembly that includes the wiring diagram on its outer surface.

2. The connector assembly having an integrated wiring diagram of claim 1 wherein the wiring diagram is applied to the connector assembly in the form of a label.

3. The connector assembly having an integrated wiring diagram of claim 1 wherein the wiring diagram is applied to the connector assembly by printing on the connector assembly.

4. The connector assembly having an integrated wiring diagram of claim 1 wherein the wiring diagram is displayed on the connector assembly by forming the diagram on an outer surface of the connector assembly.

5. The connector assembly having an integrated wiring diagram of claim 1 further comprising a plurality of housings, with each housing having at least one face having a plurality of wire entry ports.

6. The connector assembly having an integrated wiring diagram of claim 5 wherein the connector assembly further comprises a receptacle that receives the plurality of housings.

7. The connector assembly having an integrated wiring diagram of claim 1 wherein the wiring diagram is applied to the connector assembly in the form of a label having at least one aperture.

8. The connector assembly having an integrated wiring diagram of claim 7 wherein the label includes a plurality of apertures and only one wire entry port of the connector assembly is associated with each respective aperture.

9. The connector assembly having an integrated wiring diagram of claim 1 wherein each conductive contact is configured and positioned to be aligned with at least two of the respective plurality of wire entry ports.

10. A tool for use with a connector assembly and having an integrated wiring diagram, the tool comprising:

a front panel;

a receptacle including walls extending rearward from the front panel, with the receptacle configured to temporarily receive a connector assembly, wherein the connector assembly further comprises at least one wire connector housing, with the at least one wire connector housing having at least one face and a plurality of wire entry ports in the at least one face;

a wiring diagram located on the front panel and being disposed adjacent the receptacle and having wire indicia depicting wires and electrical or electronic components located in correspondence to positions of the respective plurality of wire entry ports of the at least one wire connector housing;

wherein the tool is configured to allow wires to be inserted into a connector assembly that is temporarily received in the receptacle of the tool and to allow a connector assembly having inserted wires to be removed from the receptacle, wherein the connector assembly and wires are completely separated from the tool.

11. The tool of claim 10 wherein the connector assembly further comprises a plurality of wire connector housings, with each wire connector housing having at least one face and a plurality of wire entry ports in the at least one face.

12. A label for in combination with a connector assembly comprising:

a connector assembly having at least one housing having walls extending rearward from a face, wherein the connector assembly includes a plurality of wire entry ports;

wherein each wire entry port is configured to receive a conductive stripped end of at least one inserted wire;

wherein a plurality of conductive contacts are held within the housing, and each of the conductive contacts is configured to receive and electrically connect at least two different respective conductive stripped ends of wires that are inserted through separate respective wire entry ports in the face of the connector assembly;

a label having a front panel including at least a portion of a wiring diagram having wire indicia depicting wires and electrical or electronic components that are external to the connector assembly displayed on the front surface of the front panel and the wire indicia being associated with respective wire entry ports of a the connector assembly, the front surface being opposite a rear surface of the front panel which is to be disposed in a planar orientation with respect to a front the face of the connector assembly, the label being constructed for fixed attachment to the connector assembly and the label having at least one aperture associated with the wire indicia and through which conductive ends of wires may be inserted.

13. The label of claim 12 further comprising adhesive on the rear surface of the front panel for connection to the front of the connector assembly.

14. The label of claim 12 wherein the label is configured for connection to a connector assembly comprising at least one connector housing.

15. The label of claim 12 wherein the label is configured for connection to a connector assembly comprising a plurality of connector housings.

16. The label of claim 15 wherein the label is configured for connection to a connector assembly further comprising a receptacle configured to receive the plurality of connector housings.

17. The label of claim 12 further comprising a thermal formable sheet configured to be connected to the connector assembly by heat shrinking the sheet to at least partially cover the side portions of the connector assembly.

18. The label of claim 12 wherein the label includes a wiring diagram for a plurality of electrical devices on the front surface of the front panel.