Electricity: conductors and insulators – Conduits – cables or conductors – Combined
Reexamination Certificate
2001-07-10
2003-04-22
Reichard, Dean A. (Department: 2831)
Electricity: conductors and insulators
Conduits, cables or conductors
Combined
C174S08400S, C439S877000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06552271
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to electrical connectors and, more particularly, to an electrical compression connector.
2. Brief Description of Prior Developments
U.S. Pat. No. 5,898,131 discloses a twisted H-shaped electrical connector. A hydraulic compression tool can be used to compress the connector for connecting two conductors to each other at the same time. FCI USA Inc. sells electrical compression connectors under the part designation YH3931C which are specifically designed for the telecommunications industry for making parallel and tap connections to copper Class I and Class K stranded conductors.
Class K conductors are more flexible than Class I conductors. This increased flexibility is provided by a substantially larger number of individual strands in the conductor. For example, a 4/0 AWG Class I copper stranded conductor has 532 strands and a 4/0 AWG Class K copper stranded conductor has 2107 strands. The individual strands of a Class K conductor have a smaller diameter than the individual strands in a Class I conductor (0.01 inch versus 0.201 inch). However, a Class K conductor has a larger outer diameter than a Class I conductor of the same electrical size (i.e., a 4/0 AWG Class K conductor has a 0.627 inch nominal diameter, and a 4/0 AWG Class I conductor has a 0.613 inch nominal diameter).
For the YH3931C connector, the largest tap conductor receiving channel can accept and be properly crimped onto a Class I conductor between 4/0 and 1/0 AWG or a Class K conductor between 3/0 and 1/0 AWG. The YH3931C connector cannot be properly crimped onto a 4/0 AWG Class K conductor at its largest tap conductor receiving channel. The largest tap conductor receiving channel is too small to properly receive and connect to the larger diameter Class K conductor. Although a 4/0 AWG Class K conductor might be placed (at least partially) inside the largest tap conductor receiving channel of the conventional YH3931C compression connector, during compression strands of the Class K conductor are pushed out of the lateral side aperture of the tap conductor receiving channel before the aperture is closed. This creates a problem electrically due to the small percentage of strands actually contained in the compressed conductor tap receiving channel. These non-contained stands can also contact and thereby cause problems with nearby electrical or electronic components. In addition, these strands can break off of the conductor and cause additional problems with nearby electrical or electronic components.
There is a desire to provide an electrical compression connector with tap conductor receiving channels which can be used with Class I and Class K conductors having the same electrical wire size. There is also a desire to provide an electrical compression connector adapted to be connected to a Class I conductor or a Class K conductor of the same size and can be compressed onto the Class K conductor without strands of the conductor being pushed out of a lateral side aperture into the tap conductor receiving area before the aperture is closed.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
In accordance with one aspect of the present invention, an electrical compression connector is provided including a first section having a main conductor receiving channel extending into a top side of the connector; and a second section integrally formed with the first section. The second section has three tap conductor receiving channels. A first one of the tap channels extends into a first lateral side of the connector. Second and third ones of the tap channels extend into a second lateral side of the connector. The second section has a bottom cantilevered leg with a curved downward and laterally outward extending portion and a laterally outward extending substantially straight portion extending to a distal end of the leg.
In accordance with another aspect of the present invention, an electrical compression connector is provided including a first section having a main conductor receiving channel extending into a top side of the connector; and a second section integrally formed with the first section. The second section has a first tap conductor receiving channel extending into a first lateral side of the connector and a second tap conductor receiving channel extending into an opposite second lateral side of the connector. The second section comprises a cantilevered leg which forms a bottom section of the first tap conductor receiving channel. An end portion of the leg is substantially straight and projects laterally outward from the first lateral side.
In accordance with another aspect of the present invention, an electrical compression connector is provided including a first section having a main conductor receiving channel extending into a top side of the connector; and a second section integrally formed with the first section. The second section has a first tap conductor receiving channel extending into a first lateral side of the connector. A second tap conductor receiving channel extends into an opposite second lateral side of the connector. A third tap conductor receiving channel extends into the second lateral side of the connector. The first tap conductor receiving channel has a concave top surface with a first radius of curvature and a bottom surface with a second different radius of curvature. The second radius of curvature is more than fifty percent larger than the first radius of curvature.
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YH3429 Data Sheet, Burndy Electrical (FCI USA Inc), Mar. 23, 1996, Rev # 1.
Connor Brian W.
Michaud Benjamin J.
FCI USA Inc.
Harrington & Smith ,LLP
Mavo, III William H.
Reichard Dean A.
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