Electrical connectors – Contact comprising cutter – Insulation cutter
Reexamination Certificate
2000-06-02
2001-07-24
Paumen, Gary (Department: 2833)
Electrical connectors
Contact comprising cutter
Insulation cutter
Reexamination Certificate
active
06264492
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a compact branch connector allowing to connect at least one branch cable into one main cable and, when two branch cables are provided, allowing to connect them separately.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Branch connectors are known which allow to make connections of one branch cable into a main line, particularly into electric live cables, by perforation of the insulating material.
Independent connections for each phase are needed, which means that three connections are required for three-phase current, or four in the case of a three-phase line with the addition of a ground cable.
The problem consists in providing compact branch connectors while reducing the size of these connectors which are generally successively immersed in an insulating resin inside a cleat.
Moreover, since cables are energized in most applications, it might be useful to provide arrangements preventing the cable to be peeled off for branch connection.
Another restriction imposed by specifications is to provide a secure connection, which means that the operator shall be certain, during the installation, that he connector is properly mounted. To this end, all lamping operations shall be performed with torque meters.
From patent application FR-A-2 744 289 U.S. Pat. No. 6,086,406, a branch connector for an underground cable is known, which comprises two parts, an upper part and a lower part, fastened together by a central screw having means for controlling the clamping torque mutually exerted by the upper and lower parts.
These two parts have a housing, perpendicular to the clamping direction, on one side, designed to accommodate the end/s of one or two branch cables, shutters ensuring that the housings are closed when they are not used and, on the other side, a housing formed by two half-grooves of the upper and lower parts respectively.
Two transverse conductive blades, also borne by the upper and lower parts respectively, perforate and cut at the same time the insulating sleeves of the main and branch cables to contact their conductive cores.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
This invention proposes a connector for at least one branch cable into a main cable, which has a high compactness, which allows to connect the different cables without having to peel them off, which allows to connect one or two branch cables into a main cable separately, which allows to orient the connector with respect to the cable, which includes installation aids, which is reliable and includes integrally molded parts for an optimized industrial production.
Therefore, in accordance with the invention, the electric connector for assembling at least one branch cable into a main cable of the type comprising a lower body and an upper body both having contact blades, means for accommodating these cables between the two bodies, as well as clamping means, is characterized in that the means for accommodating the branch cable/s comprise a tube having apertures for the passage of the contact blades.
According to another characteristic, the blades are disposed in flexible insulating cleats, accommodated in housings formed in the lower and upper bodies, only the contact blades protruding out of these cleats.
Preferably, the cleats penetrate the apertures of the tube so that continuity of electric insulation is ensured.
This tube further comprises shutter means in the median part, which also form a positioning abutment for the ends of the branch cables, as well as at the entries. Such means advantageously consist in open slots, arranged transversely to the tube and receiving sliding flap shutters, the latter comprising elastic fingers for locking them in the inserted position.
Regarding the clamping means, they comprise a threaded housing formed in the lower body and a screw whose shank passes through the upper body inside an elongated hole, which allows reciprocal self-positioning of the two bodies upon clamping.
Further, according to the invention, this screw has at its head a calibrated rupture clamping device such as a screw cap.
According to a further characteristic, the lower and upper bodies comprise guide pins and through holes for these pins respectively, with calibrated rupture means for abutment during their sliding motion, and safety means for the extraction of the pins out of the holes after insertion thereof.
According to a preferred arrangement, the tube comprises split rings between the two bodies, for cooperation with the guide pins.
Each of the two bodies has a Y shape, consisting of a half-base and two stems, symmetric to a median plane P, as well as means for accommodating the contact blades.
REFERENCES:
patent: 1943020 (1934-01-01), Johnson
patent: 3848956 (1974-11-01), Kraft Russell
patent: 4427253 (1984-01-01), Smith et al.
patent: 4643512 (1987-02-01), Prodel
patent: 4684196 (1987-08-01), Smith et al.
patent: 4964813 (1990-10-01), Francois et al.
patent: 4985003 (1991-01-01), Francois et al.
patent: 5015198 (1991-05-01), Delin
patent: 5041012 (1991-08-01), Caprio
patent: 5302144 (1994-04-01), Francois et al.
patent: 6086406 (2000-07-01), Francois et al.
patent: 6106323 (2000-08-01), Elisei et al.
patent: 2601516 (1988-01-01), None
patent: 2744289 (1997-08-01), None
Couvert Jean-Luc
Lalaouna Said
Framatome Connectors International
Nguyen P
Paumen Gary
Perman & Green LLP
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