Adhesive bonding and miscellaneous chemical manufacture – Methods – Making electrical conductors of indefinite length
Patent
1993-11-30
1995-07-11
Ball, Michael W.
Adhesive bonding and miscellaneous chemical manufacture
Methods
Making electrical conductors of indefinite length
156 52, 439523, 174 84R, H01R 0460, H01R 0422
Patent
active
054317584
DESCRIPTION:
BRIEF SUMMARY
This invention relates to arrangements for forming sealed electrical splices between two or more elongate electrical conductors.
There are many different ways known in the art, of forming sealed electrical splices between elongate electrical conductors. Some methods for example involve the use of adhesives and heat-recoverable polymers, whereas others involve the use of encapsulating materials such as grease, or curable or pre-cured encapsulating materials. The use of pre-cured encapsulants such as gels, is often desirable since usually no mixing of chemicals or application of heat is necessary to produce a sealed splice. Furthermore, gels have an advantage over grease in that they are less likely to flow out of the splice and expose it to corrosion.
In the past, electrical connectors incorporating gels have often tended to be more complicated than simple traditional connectors. Consequently, for many purposes simple traditional connectors which do not provide any great degree of protection against corrosion continue to be used.
We have discovered a way of sealing traditional types of connectors, by means of a gel-containing cap which seals the open end of such connectors and allows elongate electrical conductors to extend through it into the connector.
The invention provides an arrangement for forming a stub splice between two or more elongate electrical conductors, comprising: a hollow electrical connector having an insulating connector body containing a connecting element, the connector having an open end to allow insertion of the elongate conductors; a hollow cap which is capable of engaging the connector and at least partially closing its open end, the cap having an open end and a closed end, the closed end containing one or more apertures to allow the elongate conductors to extend through it into the connector; and a quantity of gel contained in the cap to seal the splice from moisture ingress.
The invention also provides a method of forming a stub splice between two or more elongate electrical conductors, by means of an arrangement according to the invention. The method includes passing the ends of the conductors through the apertures in the cap and through the gel, so that they extend beyond the open end of the cap; connecting the ends of the conductors in the connecting element of the electrical connector; and engaging the cap with the connector so as to close the splice and seal it from moisture ingress.
The invention further provides a hollow cap for closing and sealing an electrical connector, the cap having an open end and a closed end, the closed end containing one or more apertures to allow one or more elongate conductors to extend through it into the connector, the cap containing a quantity of gel for sealing the connector against moisture ingress.
The arrangement according to the invention enables a sealed stub splice to be produced using any one of several types of conventional electrical connectors which, when used by themselves, do not provide protection against corrosion of the conductors. The types of connectors which may be used are well known in the art, and include crimp connectors and connectors which allow conductors to be screwed into them, such as, for example those manufactured by Legrand and 3M.
A preferred arrangement according to the invention includes an electrical connector containing a connecting element which has a tapering internal surface provided with a screw thread to allow the elongate electrical conductors to be connected by screwing them into the connector. The connecting element may for example comprise a tapering coil of wire, the screw thread being the internal surface of the coil. Alternatively, the connecting element may for example comprise a conical frustum containing an internal screw thread.
The connecting element will normally be formed from an electrical conductor, and in particular a metal or metal alloy, to aid electrical connection of the elongate conductors. The connecting element may, for example, be formed from copper or a copper alloy. The coppe
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Dri-Splice Wire Connector brochure Feb. 1987.
Ball Michael W.
Burkard Herbert G.
Lorin Francis J.
Novack Sheri M.
Raychem SA
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