Electricity: conductors and insulators – Conduits – cables or conductors – Combined
Patent
1993-08-02
1995-03-14
Nimmo, Morris H.
Electricity: conductors and insulators
Conduits, cables or conductors
Combined
29872, 174 84R, 174DIG8, H01R 422, H01R 402, H01R 4302
Patent
active
053978587
DESCRIPTION:
BRIEF SUMMARY
This invention relates to electrical connectors, and especially to connectors for forming solder joints between conductors in such articles as automotive harnesses and the like.
Electrical harnesses, for example as manufactured in the automotive industry, are often quite complex. In some instances they are manufactured by forming two or more sub-assemblies of wires, terminals, connectors and any other components, and then forming electrical connection(s) between the sub-assemblies. In such a case the assembly of the harness may be controlled by computer permitting, with the aid of a monitor, the assembly operator to see schematically the lay up and to check correct build-up of the assembly at each stage of the harness manufacture. In order to enable this control process to operate the ends of the conductors of the sub-assemblies are connected, e.g. by means of spring contacts, and an electrical current or signal is passed through the assembly in order to obtain verification that the harness is correct. It is only after such verification is obtained that the clips are removed and a permanent electrical connection is formed.
A device for forming an electrical connection in such a harness described in our copending application No. PCT/GB91/01016 (FIGS. 1 to 6) the disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference. That device comprises a metallic connecting element in the form of tapering helical coil of wire located in a dimensionally heat-recoverable sleeve, and a quantity of solder. Such a device enables a temporary electrical connection to be formed by screwing the device onto the wires and then, after the harness has been tested, the device can be heated to form a permanent electrical connection.
According to one aspect, the present invention provides a device for forming an electrical connection between a plurality of electrical conductors, which comprises an electrically insulating sleeve, a metallic connecting element located within the sleeve and a quantity of solder for forming a permanent electrical connection between the conductors, the connecting element having an external surface that is sufficiently uneven that a significant porportion of any radiation that is radially inwardly directed onto the external surface of the element will be reflected at least twice by the external surface of the element.
The device according to the present invention has the advantage that it enables the connecting element, and hence the solder if they are in thermal contact, to be more responsive to infrared radiation used for heating the device than the device described in the above international application since a greater proportion of the radiation is absorbed by the element due to the increased number of reflections.
The device preferably has a connecting element with a tapering internal surface having a screw thread so that a temporary electrical connection can be formed by twisting the connecting element about the conductors.
Thus, according to another aspect, the invention provides a method of forming an electrical connection between a plurality of electrical conductors, which comprises: electrically insulating sleeve, a metallic connecting element located within the sleeve and a quantity of solder, the connecting element having a tapering internal surface with a screw thread, and having an uneven external surface; connecting element; and so cause the solder to melt and form a permanent connection between the conductors; twice by the external surface of the connecting element.
The connecting element may generally have any form although it is preferred for it to be formed by coiling a piece of wire into a tapering coil so that the windings form the screw thread. Preferably the internal surface of the connecting element is at least partly conical, for example it may be conical or frusto-conical. If the connecting element is formed from a wire, it can grip the bundle of conductors introduced therein due to the resilience of the wire and the fact that it will be enlarged radially to some extent by the intro
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Burkard Herbert G.
Nimmo Morris H.
Novack Sheri M.
Raychem S.A.
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