Electrical connectors – Contact comprising cutter – Insulation cutter
Reexamination Certificate
1998-11-10
2001-03-06
Abrams, Neil (Department: 2839)
Electrical connectors
Contact comprising cutter
Insulation cutter
C439S395000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06196861
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates in general to electrical connectors, whether they be connectors used as one-offs, for example for joining two electric wires together or for connecting such an electric wire to any electrical appliance, for example forming a junction terminal built into this electrical appliance, or whether they be connectors used modularly, in one or more rows, for example in the form of a strip.
It is targeted, more specifically, although not necessarily exclusively, at self-stripping connectors, that is to say at connectors which, intended for connecting at least one insulated electric wire, themselves locally strip this wire by locally displacing its insulating jacket.
2. Description of the Prior Art
More particularly still, the present invention is aimed at connectors of the type that are the subject of the French patent filed on Aug. 8, 1989 under the number 89 10664 and published under the number 2,650,920.
These connectors generally comprise two jaws, at least one of which is made of a conductive material, and which are mounted so that they can move one with respect to the other between two positions, one an open position, in which they are relatively distant from one another, and the other a closed position, in which they are relatively close together, these two jaws each having at least one contact slot by virtue of which they are able to interengaged when closed.
These connectors have, in particular, the advantage that they are simple to use and, when closed, firmly hold the electric wire that they grip and advantageously have only a very small transverse size compared with the wire.
To allow them to adapt to suit electric wires of different diameters, it has been envisaged for the two lips of the contact slot of each of their jaws to be dissociated by making these lips from two parts of such a jaw which are separate from each other.
In fact, given the transverse elasticity of such a jaw, these lips can thus move apart, depending on the diameter of the electric wire engaged between them.
However, to date, the lips of such a contact slot have extended in a straight line parallel to each other along the entire height of this slot.
While, therefore, for a relatively small-diameter electric wire, a relatively small separation between the two lips of such a contact slot will suffice; the same is not true in the case of a relatively large-diameter electric wire.
On the contrary, for such an electric wire, the ability of the two lips of the contact slot to move apart has to be relatively great.
What this means is that in order to accept relatively large-diameter electric wires, the contact slot itself has to be relatively tall, to the detriment of the transverse size of the device as a whole.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The subject of the present invention is, in general, an arrangement that will make it possible to avoid this drawback and will also lead to other advantages.
More specifically, the subject of this invention is a connector of the kind comprising at least two jaws, at least one of which is made of a conductive material, and which are mounted so that they can move one with respect to the other between two positions, one an open position, in which they are relatively distant from one another, and the other a closed position, in which they are relatively close together, these two jaws each having at least one contact slot formed of two non-touching lips by virtue of which they are able to interengage when closed, wherein both, on the one hand, the lips of the contact slot of each of the jaws are, at least locally, at an angle to one another, diverging toward the mouth of this contact slot and, on the other hand, closure means capable of holding these jaws in position when they are closed are associated with these jaws.
Thanks to the obliqueness, at least locally, of the two lips of the contact slot of each of the jaws with respect to each other, the connector according to the invention can advantageously accommodate a wide range of different diameters for the electric wire that is to be gripped, while at the same time transversely having a relatively modest size.
As a subsidiary effect, while this very obliqueness inevitably causes the jaws to tend to open, because of their transverse elasticity and the fact that they are pressing against the electric wire that they are gripping, the closure means which are also provided according to the invention advantageously counteract this tendency to open.
According to a first embodiment, these closure means come into operation only when the jaws are closed.
For example, these closure means comprise at least two racks each of which is borne by a respective one of the two jaws, and which engage with each other when these jaws are closed.
As an alternative, when the jaws are used inside a box, these closure means may comprise an auxiliary piece which, arranged on a first side with respect to the jaws, is capable of catching on the box on the opposite side of these jaws to the previously-mentioned side.
In either event, it is advantageously possible for the jaws to be opened very easily if, for example, the electric wire that they are gripping needs to be removed.
However, according to another embodiment that can also be envisaged, the closure means provided according to the invention may be permanently in action.
For example, they may comprise an elastic piece which longitudinally grips the two jaws.
In any event, the relative obliqueness of the lips of the contact slot of each of the jaws advantageously leads to a lower deformation force upon contact with the electric wire that is to be gripped, this electric wire positioning itself at a point along such a contact slot which best corresponds to its diameter.
If desired, there may, however, also be provided a stop, which in any case limits the extent to which such an electric wire can enter the contact slot of one and/or other of the jaws, and at which this electric wire thus settles in a good position in this contact slot.
REFERENCES:
patent: 4153321 (1979-05-01), Pombrol
patent: 4324450 (1982-04-01), Weisenburger
patent: 4629274 (1986-12-01), Pollock
patent: 4653830 (1987-03-01), Pegram
patent: 0067917 (1982-12-01), None
patent: 0419301 (1990-08-01), None
patent: 8910664 (1989-08-01), None
patent: 2747241 (1997-10-01), None
Abrams Neil
Nasri Javaid
Young & Thompson
LandOfFree
Connector with interlocking jaws does not yet have a rating. At this time, there are no reviews or comments for this patent.
If you have personal experience with Connector with interlocking jaws, we encourage you to share that experience with our LandOfFree.com community. Your opinion is very important and Connector with interlocking jaws will most certainly appreciate the feedback.
Profile ID: LFUS-PAI-O-2516111