Module for electrically connecting conductor wires to circuits of flat surfaces such as solar panels
First Claim
1. A conductor assembly for connecting at least one discrete conductor to a respective circuit of an article and that is mountable to a generally planar mounting surface of the article defining a connection site, comprising:
- a housing module having a base section defining a mounting face adapted to be mounted to said surface at said connection site with adhesive sealing material disposed between said mounting surface and said surface surrounding said connection site, said housing module including at least one housing section for a respective terminal, and an at least one said terminal disposed in a terminal-receiving cavity of a respective said housing section and having at least one conductor-terminating section exposed in a respective conductor-receiving opening of said housing section, with fluid sealing material disposed within said terminal-receiving cavity embedding said terminal, and said housing module further including an actuator adapted to move said terminal from a first unterminated position to a second terminated position upon insertion of an end of a said conductor into said conductor-receiving opening of said housing section;
a lead member affixed to said article in a manner defining an electrical connection thereof to each said circuit of said article to which a said discrete conductor is to be interconnected, each said lead member including a pin section extending orthogonally from a surface of said article to a free end; and
said mounting face of said housing module including a pin-receiving opening orthogonal to the mounting face and associated with each said lead member adapted to receive thereinto said pin section thereof upon mounting said housing module to said article surface, said pin-receiving opening being in communication with said terminal-receiving cavity of a respective said housing section, said terminal-receiving cavity adapted to urge said pin section of a respective said lead member against a surface of a said terminal upon mounting of said housing module to said connection site and during actuation thereof from said first position to said second position,whereby a sealed connective arrangement is defined upon mounting said housing module to said mounting surface at said connection site.
1 Assignment
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A connector module (10,100,200) having at least one electrical terminal (24,116,206) therein, adapted to be sealingly mounted to a mounting surface upon being placed thereagainst at a connection site (30,112,204), and simultaneously form electrical connections of each terminal with a circuit (38,152,214) thereat, with the terminal adapted to be thereafter terminated to a discrete conductor wire (60,138,210,212) to interconnect the circuit with the wire. Upstanding lead members (40,160,216) are electrically connected to the circuits and are received into pin-receiving holes (50,172) along the module'"'"'s bottom surface and become engaged with respective terminals. Each terminal is terminated to such a wire upon actuation of an actuator (26,118). A base section (14,104) of the module forms a seal with the mounting surface around the connection site (30,112,204). Such module can easily be mounted to a solar panel (32,110) or circuit board (202). The module can receive thereinto a circuit-bearing element (124) having components (122) mounted thereon upon being mounted to the mounting surface and environmentally seal therearound.
157 Citations
18 Claims
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1. A conductor assembly for connecting at least one discrete conductor to a respective circuit of an article and that is mountable to a generally planar mounting surface of the article defining a connection site, comprising:
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a housing module having a base section defining a mounting face adapted to be mounted to said surface at said connection site with adhesive sealing material disposed between said mounting surface and said surface surrounding said connection site, said housing module including at least one housing section for a respective terminal, and an at least one said terminal disposed in a terminal-receiving cavity of a respective said housing section and having at least one conductor-terminating section exposed in a respective conductor-receiving opening of said housing section, with fluid sealing material disposed within said terminal-receiving cavity embedding said terminal, and said housing module further including an actuator adapted to move said terminal from a first unterminated position to a second terminated position upon insertion of an end of a said conductor into said conductor-receiving opening of said housing section; a lead member affixed to said article in a manner defining an electrical connection thereof to each said circuit of said article to which a said discrete conductor is to be interconnected, each said lead member including a pin section extending orthogonally from a surface of said article to a free end; and said mounting face of said housing module including a pin-receiving opening orthogonal to the mounting face and associated with each said lead member adapted to receive thereinto said pin section thereof upon mounting said housing module to said article surface, said pin-receiving opening being in communication with said terminal-receiving cavity of a respective said housing section, said terminal-receiving cavity adapted to urge said pin section of a respective said lead member against a surface of a said terminal upon mounting of said housing module to said connection site and during actuation thereof from said first position to said second position, whereby a sealed connective arrangement is defined upon mounting said housing module to said mounting surface at said connection site. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8)
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9. A connective arrangement for connecting at least two discrete conductors to respective circuits of an article and that is mountable to a generally planar mounting surface of the article defining a connection site, comprising:
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an article containing at least two circuits and including an electrical or electronic component secured thereto in electrical connection with at least two said circuits; a housing module having a base section defining a mounting face adapted to be mounted to said surface at said connection site with adhesive sealing material disposed between said mounting surface and said surface surrounding said connection site, said housing module including at least one housing section for a respective terminal, an at least one said terminal disposed in a terminal-receiving cavity of a respective said housing section and having at least one conductor-terminating section exposed in a respective conductor-receiving opening of said housing section, with fluid sealing material disposed within said terminal-receiving cavity embedding said terminal, and said housing module further including an actuator adapted to move said terminal from a first unterminated position to a second terminated position upon insertion of an end of a respective said conductor into said conductor-receiving opening of said housing section; a lead member affixed to said article in a manner defining an electrical connection thereof to each said at least one circuit of said article, said lead member including a pin section extending orthogonally from a surface of said article to a free end; and said mounting face of said housing module including a pin-receiving opening orthogonal to the mounting face and associated with each said lead member adapted to receive thereinto said pin section thereof upon mounting said housing module to said article surface, said pin-receiving opening being in communication with said terminal-receiving cavity of a respective said housing section, said terminal-receiving cavity adapted to urge said pin section of a respective said lead member against a surface of a said terminal upon mounting of said housing module to said connection site and during actuation thereof from said first position to said second position; and said housing module includes in communication with said mounting face a cavity adapted to receive thereinto an at least one electrical or electronic component mounted onto said article and electrically connected to at least two said circuits thereof, whereby a sealed connective arrangement is defined upon mounting said housing module to said mounting surface at said connection site. - View Dependent Claims (10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18)
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Specification