Electrical connectors – With coupling movement-actuating means or retaining means in... – Retaining means
Reexamination Certificate
2000-06-08
2001-01-09
Bradley, Paula (Department: 2833)
Electrical connectors
With coupling movement-actuating means or retaining means in...
Retaining means
C439S367000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06171132
ABSTRACT:
The present invention is directed to a boot or cover for electrical or fluid line connectors. The cover can provide electrical insulation and may be readily applied and removed.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
Covers or boots for electrical or fluid line connectors are in common use. They serve a number of functions that may or may not be performed simultaneously. Foremost among these functions, at least for electrical connectors, is to provide insulation around exposed metallic conductive surfaces. However, they may also serve to maintain the integrity of connections subject to tension and/or prevent snagging when a cable or hose must be pulled across a surface and around obstructions.
The simplest type of boot is one that is a plain molded cover having a hole at one end the diameter of the wire or cable and an enlarged portion at the other end to cover the connector. This is placed at a free end of the cable and drawn along its length to the point of need. This type of cover has the limitation that, once in place, it is inconvenient to remove or replace. Recognizing this limitation, inventors have designed unitary or multiple piece covers that maybe more readily applied and removed. Many of these are clamshell types, hinged along one edge with some means for securing the two halves along the opposite edge when in place. A variation uses two piece covers that are then secured along both edges by screws, retainer rings, or some other means.
Zieres, in U.S. Pat. No. 5,853,200, shows two versions of a boot covering a hose connection. One is an example of the simple slide-on type. The other is a clamshell version having two latching clips to hold it in place. Other clamshell types are shown in U.S. Pat. No. 3,030,601 to Krebs; U.S. Pat. No. 4,643,505 to House et al.; U.S. Pat. No. 5,755,588 to Sweatman et al.; and U.S. Pat. No. 5,913,692 to Targett. The Krebs patent shows a connector cover in which the two portions are held together by internal springs and simply pried apart to enable insertion of male and female sections of electrical extension cords. The other three patents are all variations of the theme of the Zieres example that uses snap together latches to secure the two halves in place.
Elliott, in U.S. Pat No. 5,895,076, is an example of the two piece variety in which the separate halves are held together by screws after placement over the connection. A similar connector is shown in European Patent 0 257 896. Giffin, in U.S. Pat. No. 5,259,782, shows a somewhat more complex four piece connector for extension cords. Each end of the cable has a two piece snap-together cover forming separate halves. In turn, the two halves may then be united when the male and female plugs are assembled. The latching portions may be disassembled by inserting a pin into appropriate holes provided for this purpose.
Hsu, in U.S. Pat No. 5,266,740, shows a more complex clamshell type having a side opening for a coaxial cable T-connection. After the hinged halves are closed a pair of rings, previously slipped over each end of the main run of cable, are then pushed into place over each end of the clamshell portion to serve as retainers.
The present invention is an improved cable boot that overcomes many of the deficiencies present in known products and one that is easy to install or remove without tools yet which readily permits side access for auxiliary cables.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The boot or cable cover of the present invention comprises a shell-like body having an internal cavity and having proximal and distal ends and a middle portion. The proximal end is cylindrical in cross section and externally threaded while the distal end is preferably frustroconical in configuration. The middle portion is typically enlarged relative to the proximal end and may be of circular or asymmetric cross section.
The body is divided longitudinally along each side into first and second sections that may be readily placed around an electrical or fluid line connection. Where the term “cable” is used it should be considered broadly to either include electrical or fluid carrying lines. The lines of division or separation of the sections lie on a plane passing through the proximal end and substantially through the middle portion of the body. Preferably the longitudinal axis through the boot lies on this plane. When the lines of division reach the distal end they make an angular jog, preferably at about 90°. The lines of division continue through the distal end forming a slot through the superior portion of the distal end. A step is thus created immediately anterior to the distal end. The first section retains a major portion of the distal end while the distal end of the second section is formed as a tongue-like strip. The tongue-like strip of the second section mates into the slot of the first section. The edges formed on the tongue-like strip lie generally at a 90° angle to those formed on the proximal and middle sections.
The longitudinal edges of the tongue-like strip additionally have narrow outwardly extending ridges or flanges which slip into corresponding grooves in the slot formed in the first section. When the two sections are mated, the ridges lock the sections together at the distal end. An internally threaded nut or retainer sized to fit the threads of the proximal end serves to secure that portion of the assembled sections. The opening in the nut is of sufficient size so that it can be slipped over one of the cables.
While the boot may be used along a run of cable it is also useful at a terminal end where a cable joins an appliance or junction box. An example of the latter situation might be where the cable joins a welding unit.
The boot may have apertures in the middle sections to admit one or more cables entering from the side.
The body of the boot is preferably molded in two pieces of a rigid plastic or flexible resilient material. The nut uniting the pieces is molded of a similar material.
It is an object of the invention to provide an improved boot or cover for junctions in electrical cables of fluid lines.
It is a further object to provide a boot or cover that may be readily installed or removed without tools.
It is another object to provide a boot or cover that may be applied directly at the point of need without having to be slipped along the length of the cable or fluid line.
These and many other objects will become readily apparent upon reading the following detailed description taken with the drawings.
REFERENCES:
patent: 3014194 (1961-12-01), Berglund
patent: 3030601 (1962-04-01), Krebs
patent: 3344393 (1967-09-01), Hendee
patent: 4169643 (1979-10-01), Gallagher
patent: 4643505 (1987-02-01), House et al.
patent: 5129839 (1992-07-01), VanSkiver
patent: 5135409 (1992-08-01), Thompson
patent: 5139429 (1992-08-01), Herman et al.
patent: 5259782 (1993-11-01), Giffin
patent: 5266740 (1993-11-01), Hsu
patent: 5755588 (1998-05-01), Sweatman et al.
patent: 5853200 (1998-12-01), Zieres
patent: 5895076 (1999-04-01), Elliott
patent: 5913682 (1999-06-01), Targett
patent: 0 257 896 (1988-02-01), None
Bradley Paula
C-K Worldwide Inc.
Gehr Keith D.
Ta Tho D.
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