Two wire folder line plugs and connectors

Details Two wire folder line plugs and connectors Two wire folder line plugs and connectors

2001-07-24

2004-02-24

Gilman, Alexander (Department: 2833)

Electrical connectors

With stress relieving means for conductor to terminal joint

Conductor gripped by or entirely within connector housing

C439S465000

Reexamination Certificate

active

06695639

ABSTRACT:

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS
Not Applicable
STATEMENT REGARDING FEDERALLY SPONSORED RESEARCH OR DEVELOPMENT
Not Applicable
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to electrical connectors for terminating electrical wires and cords, and more particularly to a strain-relief device used with electrical connectors to prevent forces applied to the electrical wires and cords affecting the connector or the connections made therein.
2. Description of the Related Art
In the manufacture of plugs, sockets, and other components in electrical wiring, for example, disposed at the ends of electrical cords such as extension cords, such plugs and sockets are typically fabricated as foldable assemblies between which the wires of the electrical cords are securely held and attached to electrical connector devices mounted in the folded and assembled electrical connector assembly. Example implementations of such foldable electrical connector assemblies are described in U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,934,931; 5,975,941; and 6,056,588, each of which is incorporated herein by reference, which provide components to securely mount the cords and wires into the assemblies and which provide strain relief on the assemblies and the wires when the cores and/or wires are moved or pulled.
Heretofore, such folded and assembled electrical connector assemblies experienced weakening of their structural integrity in response to various pressures or stresses applied from different sources and directions. For example, prior art electrical connector assemblies have used fastening screws to hold the folded assembly in the folded configuration. However, such fastening screws have typically been incapable of securely holding the entire folded and assembled electrical connector assembly together in response to diverse sources of pressure or stress, such as pulling the mounted wires outward from the folded assembly.
A need exists for mechanisms which supplement the retaining capabilities of fastening screws or other fastening devices to securely hold the entire folded and assembled electrical connector assembly together, and so to relieve the strain experienced by the fastening screws/devices.
In the prior art, a foldable electrical connector assembly typically utilizes multiple fastening screws to maintain the structural integrity of the folded and assembled electrical connector assembly. Such use of multiple fastening screws complicate fabrication of the foldable electrical connector assembly and also increase the time and effort of a user to completely fold and secure an electrical connector assembly onto or about inserted wires.
A need exists for a foldable electrical connector assembly requiring a single fastening screw to reduce fabrication complexity and to improve the ability of a user to completely and securely assembly the electrical connector assembly with inserted wires.
In addition, in the prior art, such foldable assemblies typically utilize flexible/living hinges between portions of the unfolded electrical connector assembly, such that the portions are rotated around the living hinges to engage complementary portions to mount the wires and other components between the complementary portions. The hinges also function to keep the folded assembly together. However, due to external factors such as age and the application of external sources of pressure, such hinges may wear out or otherwise break, which may result in the dissolution of the folded and assembled electrical connector assembly.
A need exists for additional safeguards and mechanisms of foldable electrical connector assemblies to maintain the structural integrity of the folded assemblies even though any of the hinges between portions of the assemblies may break.
Furthermore, although strain relief mechanisms are known in the prior art, such strain relief mechanisms may limit the path of the wires mounted in the foldable electrical connector assemblies. For example, prior art strain relief mechanisms may cause exposed ends of the wire having different electrical characteristics, such as polarity, to engage each other.
A need exists for providing an improved path for the wires in the interior of the foldable electrical connector assembly to be disposed near an internally-positioned electrical connector device, and for providing such strain relief of wires running along the improved path.
BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
An electrical connector assembly receives exposed ends of an electrical wire, and includes a foldable body with complementary first and second body portions and components for securely mounting a third body portion in the assembly using a single fastening screw, and for mounting the exposed ends to electrical contacts of an electrical connector device attached to the third body portion and securely mounted in the folded and assembled body portions. The components on the body portions include posts, ribs, and bridges for relieving strain on the electrical wire in the assembly, and other ribs and interlocking components prevent the electrical connector assembly from allowing the wires, the electrical connector device, and/or the third body portion from being removed from the folded and assembled electrical connector assembly.


REFERENCES:
patent: 2505518 (1950-04-01), Benander
patent: 3810075 (1974-05-01), Turner
patent: 3981555 (1976-09-01), Deurloo
patent: 4210380 (1980-07-01), Brzostek
patent: 4432593 (1984-02-01), Waluk
patent: 5514006 (1996-05-01), Getselis et al.
patent: 5591046 (1997-01-01), Klein et al.
patent: 5782653 (1998-07-01), Sandor
patent: 5885099 (1999-03-01), Sandor
patent: 5934931 (1999-08-01), Castaldo
patent: 5975941 (1999-11-01), Castaldo
patent: 6056588 (2000-05-01), Castaldo
patent: 6126478 (2000-10-01), Presson et al.

Affiliated with

Also associated with

Rating

Two wire folder line plugs and connectors does not yet have a rating. At this time, there are no reviews or comments for this patent.

If you have personal experience with Two wire folder line plugs and connectors, we encourage you to share that experience with our LandOfFree.com community. Your opinion is very important and Two wire folder line plugs and connectors will most certainly appreciate the feedback.

Rate now

Comments { 0 }

Profile ID: LFUS-PAI-O-3283118