Performance indicating electrical connector

• US 20060019540A1
• Filed: 06/29/2005
• Published: 01/26/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 07/26/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Hubbell, Inc.
• Original Assignee: FCI Americas Technology Incorporated (FCI)
• Inventors: Waltz, Peter A., Rzasa, Michael, Beck, Alan, Werthman, Paul A., Schrader, Gary E.
• Granted Patent: US 7,306,489 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 439/488
• CPC Class Codes: G01K 1/14 Supports; Fastening devices; Arrangements for mounting thermometers in particular locations
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 19/0717 the sensor being capable of sensing environmental conditions such as temperature history or pressure
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 1/2225 used in active tags, i.e. provided with its own power source or in passive tags, i.e. deriving power from RF signal
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 13/641 by indicating incorrect coupling; by indicating correct or full engagement

Abstract

An electrical connector including a connector section and a connector performance indicating section. The connector section includes a first connection section adapted to connect to a first electrical conductor and a second connection section adapted to connect to a second electrical conductor. The connector section is adapted to electrical connect the first electrical conductor to the second electrical conductor. The connector performance indicating section is connected to a portion of the connector section. The connector performance indicating section includes a temperature sensitive indicator adapted to signal occurrence of a temperature of the portion of the connector section above a predetermined temperature. The temperature sensitive indicator comprises a Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) tag.

Claims

1. An electrical connector comprising:

a connector section comprising a first connection section adapted to connect to a first electrical conductor and a second connection section adapted to connect to a second electrical conductor, wherein the connector section is adapted to electrical connect the first electrical conductor to the second electrical conductor; and

a connector performance indicating section connected to a portion of the connector section, wherein the connector performance indicating section comprises a temperature sensitive indicator adapted to signal occurrence of a temperature of the portion of the connector section above a predetermined temperature, wherein the temperature sensitive indicator comprises a Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) tag.

2. An electrical connector as in claim 1 wherein the first connection section comprises a crimp connection section, wherein the connector section comprises a non-crimp section which is adapted not to be deformed when the electrical connector is connected to the first and second electrical conductors, and wherein the RFID tag is connected to the non-crimp section.

3. An electrical connector as in claim 1 wherein the RFID tag comprises a chip section and an antenna section, and wherein the connector performance indicating section comprises a temperature sensitive electrical section coupling the chip section to the antenna section, and wherein the temperature sensitive electrical section is adapted to interrupt signal transmission between the chip section and the antenna section when the predetermined temperature is reached.

4. An electrical connector as in claim 1 wherein the connector performance indicating section is adapted to permanently record the occurrence of the temperature of the portion above the predetermined temperature.

5. An electrical connector as in claim 1 wherein the RFID tag comprises multiple RFID tags.

6. An electrical connector as in claim 1 wherein the RFID tag comprises at least one antenna and multiple chip sections coupled to the at least one antenna, each chip section comprising a different RFID response signal code.

7. An electrical connector as in claim 1 wherein the temperature sensitive indicator comprises a thermocouple.

8. An electrical connector as in claim 1 wherein the temperature sensitive indicator comprises a temperature sensing device.

9. An electrical connector as in claim 1 wherein the connector performance indicating section comprises a pressure sensing device.

10. An electrical connector as in claim 1 wherein the connector performance indicating section comprises a strain sensing device.

11. An electrical connector as in claim 1 wherein the connector performance indication section comprises a humidity sensing device.

12. An electrical connector as in claim 1 further comprising a protective cover connected to the connector section and covering the RFID tag.

13. An electrical connector as in claim 1 wherein the temperature sensitive indicator is adapted to modify the response signal to be sent from the RFID tag based upon occurrence of the temperature of the portion above the predetermined temperature.

14. An electrical connector as in claim 1 wherein the temperature sensitive indicator is adapted to select the response signal to be sent from the RFID tag based upon occurrence of the temperature of the portion above the predetermined temperature.

15. An electrical connector comprising:

a connector section comprising a first connection section adapted to connect to a first electrical conductor and a second connection section adapted to connect to a second electrical conductor, wherein the connector section is adapted to electrical connect the first electrical conductor to the second electrical conductor; and

a connector performance indicating section connected to a portion of the connector section, wherein the connector performance indicating section comprises a Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) section comprising at least one RFID chip.

16. An electrical connector as in claim 15 wherein the RFID section comprises an RFID chip electrically coupled to the connector section, wherein the connector section is adapted to function as an antenna for the RFID chip.

17. An electrical connector as in claim 15 wherein the RFID section comprises multiple RFID chips.

18. An electrical connector as in claim 15 wherein the connector performance indicating section comprises at least one RFID chip and at least one antenna section coupled to the at least one RFID chip by at least one thermocouple.

19. An electrical connector as in claim 15 wherein the connector performance indicating section is adapted to send an RFID response signal based upon an incoming RFID polling signal and at least one condition of the electrical connector comprising at least one of temperature, pressure, stain and humidity.

20. A method of assembling an electrical connector comprising:

providing an electrical connector section adapted to electrically and mechanically connect a first electrical conductor to a second electrical conductor; and

providing a connector performance indicating section on the electrical connector section, wherein the connector performance indicating section comprises a Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) adapted to signal a condition of the electrical connector.

21. A method of inspecting an electrical connector comprising:

providing the electrical connector with a connector performance indicating section comprising a Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) section;

sending a first radio frequency signal to the RFID section; and

transmitting a second radio frequency signal from the RFID section based upon the first radio frequency signal and a condition of the electrical connector.