Electrical connectors – Contact comprising cutter – Insulation cutter
Reexamination Certificate
2000-01-21
2001-07-17
Abrams, Neil (Department: 2839)
Electrical connectors
Contact comprising cutter
Insulation cutter
C439S411000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06261119
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an insulation-piercing contact and a corresponding connector capable of connecting, in particular but not exclusively, a pair of electric supply cables to the two longitudinal copper ribbons of a LED (Light Emitting Diode) light strip, respectively.
2. Brief Description of the Prior Art
LED light strips comprise a series of light emitting diodes distributed along the LED light strip. The light emitting diodes are supplied with electric current through a pair of spaced apart, longitudinal and electrically conductive copper ribbons. Both the right emitting diodes and the copper ribbons are embedded in an extrusion of at least partially transparent insulating plastic material.
LED light strips are currently used for many purposes, in particular in security lighting in aircrafts, buses, boats, buildings, etc.
To supply the light emitting diodes with electric current, electric supply cables have to be connected to the copper ribbons. Since the copper ribbons are usually exposed at each end of a LED light strip, a prior art connector has been proposed to connect electric supply cables to the exposed ends of the copper ribbons.
This prior art connector comprises a plastic housing containing a pair of spring-loaded pins. The spring-loaded pins are compression connected to respective electric supply cables and are applied to the exposed ends of the copper ribbons. In this manner, the supply cables are connected to the copper ribbons through the spring-loaded pins. The plastic housing is mounted to the end of the LED light strip with the spring-loaded pins applied to the exposed ends of the copper ribbons. For that purpose, a U-shaped metal bracket embraces the plastic housing and is secured to the at least partially transparent insulating material through a screw.
A drawback of the prior art connector is that connection of the supply cables to the copper ribbons is permitted only at the ends of the LED light strip where the ends of the copper ribbons are exposed. Another drawback of this prior art connector is its low reliability.
OBJECT OF THE INVENTION
An object of the present invention is therefore to provide an insulation-piercing connector capable of eliminating the above discussed drawbacks of the prior art.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
More specifically, in accordance with the present invention as broadly claimed, there is provided an insulation-piercing contact for connecting an insulated conductor with a ribbon conductor embedded in an electrically insulating body, and for insertion in a hole made through both the electrically insulating body and ribbon conductor and having a larger-diameter hole section and a smaller-diameter hole section separated by an annular abutment surface formed at least in part by one face of the ribbon conductor. This insulation-piercing contact comprises (a) a contact body comprising a larger-diameter body section for insertion in the larger-diameter hole section, a smaller-diameter body section for insertion in the smaller-diameter hole section, and an annular shoulder surface for application to the annular abutment surface to make contact with the ribbon conductor, wherein the smaller-diameter body section has a free end, (b) a tapered contact portion for piercing the insulation of the insulated conductor to make contact with this conductor, and (c) means for securing the tapered contact portion to the free end of the smaller-diameter body section.
In accordance with a preferred embodiment of the insulation-piercing contact, the contact body comprises a geometrical axis, the tapered contact portion comprises a point for piercing the insulation of the insulated conductor to make contact with that conductor, and the securing means comprises:
a threaded hole made in the free end of the smaller-diameter body section, this threaded hole being centered on the geometrical axis of the contact body; and
a threaded shank of the tapered contact portion, the threaded shank being disposed 180° apart from the point and being screwed in the threaded hole for securing the tapered contact portion to the free end of the smaller-diameter body section.
The present invention also relates to an insulation-piercing connector for connecting an insulated conductor with a ribbon conductor embedded in an electrically insulating body, comprising an insulation-piercing contact for insertion in a hole made through both the electrically insulating body and ribbon conductor and having a larger-diameter hole section and a smaller-diameter hole section separated by an annular abutment surface formed at least in part by one face of the ribbon conductor. This insulation-piercing contact comprises:
a contact body comprising a larger-diameter body section for insertion in the larger-diameter hole section and a smaller-diameter body section for insertion in the smaller-diameter hole section, and an annular shoulder surface for application to the annular abutment surface to make contact with the ribbon conductor, the smaller-diameter body section having a free end;
a tapered contact portion for piercing the insulation of the insulated conductor to make contact with this conductor; and
means for securing the tapered contact portion to the free end of the smaller-diameter body section.
Finally, the insulation-piercing connector includes a housing device for holding the tapered contact portion in contact with the insulated conductor to thereby establish an electrical connection between the insulated conductor and the ribbon conductor through the insulation-piercing contact.
Further in accordance with the present invention, there is provided an insulation-piercing connector for interconnecting (a) first and second insulated cables and (b) a LED light strip comprising an elongated body of at least partially transparent insulating material, a series of light emitting diodes distributed along the elongated body, first and second spaced apart longitudinal ribbon conductors embedded in the at least partially transparent insulating material for electrically supplying the light emitting diodes, and first and second holes made through both the elongated body and the first and second ribbon conductors, respectively, and having first and second larger-diameter hole sections and first and second smaller-diameter hole sections separated by first and second annular abutment surfaces formed at least in part by one face of the first and second ribbon conductors, respectively. The insulation-piercing connector comprises first and second insulation-piercing contacts respectively including:
first and second contact bodies comprising first and second larger-diameter body sections for insertion in the first and second larger-diameter hole sections, respectively, and first and second smaller-diameter body sections for insertion in the first and second smaller-diameter hole sections, respectively, and first and second annular shoulder surfaces for application to the first and second annular abutment surfaces to make contact with the first and second ribbon conductors, respectively, the first and second smaller-diameter body sections having respective first and second free ends;
first and second tapered contact portions for piercing the insulation of the first and second insulated cables, respectively, and making contact with the first and second cables; and
first and second means for securing the first and second tapered contact portions to the first and second free ends of the first and second smaller-diameter body sections, respectively.
The insulation-piercing connector further includes a housing device (a) for holding the first tapered contact portion in contact with the first cable to thereby establish a first electrical connection between the first cable and the first ribbon conductor through the first insulation-piercing contact, and (b) for holding the second tapered contact portion in contact with the second cable to thereby establish a second electrical connection between the second cable and the second ribbon conductor
Abrams Neil
Framatome Connectors International
Perman & Green LLP
Zarroli Michael C.
LandOfFree
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