EP0408247A2 - Electrical connector - Google Patents

Electrical connector Download PDF

Info

Publication number
EP0408247A2
EP0408247A2 EP90307328A EP90307328A EP0408247A2 EP 0408247 A2 EP0408247 A2 EP 0408247A2 EP 90307328 A EP90307328 A EP 90307328A EP 90307328 A EP90307328 A EP 90307328A EP 0408247 A2 EP0408247 A2 EP 0408247A2
Authority
EP
European Patent Office
Prior art keywords
heat
conductive polymer
sleeve
electrical
conductors
Prior art date
Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
Withdrawn
Application number
EP90307328A
Other languages
German (de)
French (fr)
Other versions
EP0408247A3 (en
Inventor
Richard John Murphy
Current Assignee (The listed assignees may be inaccurate. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation or warranty as to the accuracy of the list.)
Associated Electrical Industries Ltd
Original Assignee
Associated Electrical Industries Ltd
Priority date (The priority date is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the date listed.)
Filing date
Publication date
Application filed by Associated Electrical Industries Ltd filed Critical Associated Electrical Industries Ltd
Publication of EP0408247A2 publication Critical patent/EP0408247A2/en
Publication of EP0408247A3 publication Critical patent/EP0408247A3/en
Withdrawn legal-status Critical Current

Links

Classifications

    • H—ELECTRICITY
    • H01—ELECTRIC ELEMENTS
    • H01R—ELECTRICALLY-CONDUCTIVE CONNECTIONS; STRUCTURAL ASSOCIATIONS OF A PLURALITY OF MUTUALLY-INSULATED ELECTRICAL CONNECTING ELEMENTS; COUPLING DEVICES; CURRENT COLLECTORS
    • H01R4/00—Electrically-conductive connections between two or more conductive members in direct contact, i.e. touching one another; Means for effecting or maintaining such contact; Electrically-conductive connections having two or more spaced connecting locations for conductors and using contact members penetrating insulation
    • H01R4/70—Insulation of connections
    • H01R4/72—Insulation of connections using a heat shrinking insulating sleeve
    • H01R4/726—Making a non-soldered electrical connection simultaneously with the heat shrinking

Definitions

  • This invention relates to electrical connectors, especially but not exclusively for joining the bared ends of insulated wires, and to a method of connecting electrical conductors.
  • an electric wire whose conducting medium consists of a conductive polymer - textile composite, one example being a rope whose fibres have individually been coated with polypyrrole, a conductive polymer, the rope insulated with a plastics sheath.
  • the purpose of the present invention is to provide some means of connecting mechanically and electrically such non-metallic electric wires; conventional techniques employing soldering or crimping are of course inappropriate.
  • the invention in one aspect provides an electrical connector for joining two or more electrical conductors, comprising a heat-shrinkable sleeve coated on at least part of its inner surface with a conductive polymer.
  • the sleeve is heat-shrunk over the bare conductors to grip them frictionally and to create an electrical joint.
  • the invention provides a method of connecting electrical conductors comprising placing a heat-shrinkable sleeve, coated on at least part of its inner surface with a conductive polymer, over the conductors, and heat-shrinking the sleeve onto the conductors to create an electrical path therebetween which includes the conductive polymer.
  • connection is most conveniently made between two electric wires; in the case of insulated wires, the ends are preferably bared and the sleeve should be long enough to cover the bared ends. There may be a lengthwise gap between the conductor ends; alternatively, the ends may be butted up against each other.
  • a connector of appropriate shape, cylindrical or irregular could be provided for connecting any number of electric wires, or electric conductors of other configuration such as strips. It is not essential for the sleeve to be cylindrical.
  • the sleeve is preferably of electrically-insulating heat-shrinkable polymer, so that the resulting electrical connection is insulated.
  • the invention is particularly useful for connecting textile-composite wires of the type described above, because an even pressure is applied around their periphery at the join, giving a good frictional grip and a strong electrical connection without crushing or interfering with the surface of the wire.
  • the invention provides an electrical joint comprising two non-metallic wires interconnected electrically and mechanically by a connector comprising a heat-shrunk sleeve coated on at least part of its inner surface with a conductive polymer.
  • the connectors may be made by extruding thermoplastics tubing, expanding the tubing within a rigid cylindrical chamber by fluid pressure and cooling it so that it becomes heat-shrinkable, coating its inner surface with a conductive polymer, and cutting the tubing to size.
  • the surface may be coated with conductive polymer, such as polypyrrole or polyaniline, from appropriate solvents by spraying, or else by building up a coating of the polymer from a reacting solution of the appropriate monomer, e.g. pyrrole, with an oxidising agent, e.g. ferric chloride.

Landscapes

  • Connections Effected By Soldering, Adhesion, Or Permanent Deformation (AREA)

Abstract

An electrical connector for joining two or more electrical conductors, comprising a heat-shrinkable sleeve coated on at least part of its inner surface with a conductive polymer.

Description

  • This invention relates to electrical connectors, especially but not exclusively for joining the bared ends of insulated wires, and to a method of connecting electrical conductors.
  • In 'Research Disclosure' April 1990, page 348, there is disclosed an electric wire whose conducting medium consists of a conductive polymer - textile composite, one example being a rope whose fibres have individually been coated with polypyrrole, a conductive polymer, the rope insulated with a plastics sheath.
  • The purpose of the present invention is to provide some means of connecting mechanically and electrically such non-metallic electric wires; conventional techniques employing soldering or crimping are of course inappropriate.
  • Accordingly, the invention in one aspect provides an electrical connector for joining two or more electrical conductors, comprising a heat-shrinkable sleeve coated on at least part of its inner surface with a conductive polymer. In use, the sleeve is heat-shrunk over the bare conductors to grip them frictionally and to create an electrical joint.
  • In another aspect, the invention provides a method of connecting electrical conductors comprising placing a heat-shrinkable sleeve, coated on at least part of its inner surface with a conductive polymer, over the conductors, and heat-shrinking the sleeve onto the conductors to create an electrical path therebetween which includes the conductive polymer.
  • The connection is most conveniently made between two electric wires; in the case of insulated wires, the ends are preferably bared and the sleeve should be long enough to cover the bared ends. There may be a lengthwise gap between the conductor ends; alternatively, the ends may be butted up against each other.
  • However, a connector of appropriate shape, cylindrical or irregular, could be provided for connecting any number of electric wires, or electric conductors of other configuration such as strips. It is not essential for the sleeve to be cylindrical.
  • The sleeve is preferably of electrically-insulating heat-shrinkable polymer, so that the resulting electrical connection is insulated.
  • The invention is particularly useful for connecting textile-composite wires of the type described above, because an even pressure is applied around their periphery at the join, giving a good frictional grip and a strong electrical connection without crushing or interfering with the surface of the wire.
  • According to a third aspect, therefore, the invention provides an electrical joint comprising two non-metallic wires interconnected electrically and mechanically by a connector comprising a heat-shrunk sleeve coated on at least part of its inner surface with a conductive polymer.
  • The connectors may be made by extruding thermoplastics tubing, expanding the tubing within a rigid cylindrical chamber by fluid pressure and cooling it so that it becomes heat-shrinkable, coating its inner surface with a conductive polymer, and cutting the tubing to size. The surface may be coated with conductive polymer, such as polypyrrole or polyaniline, from appropriate solvents by spraying, or else by building up a coating of the polymer from a reacting solution of the appropriate monomer, e.g. pyrrole, with an oxidising agent, e.g. ferric chloride. Such a process is described, in relation to coating textiles, in Gregory, R.V., Kimbrell, W.C and Kuhn, N.H., "Conductive Textiles", Paper presented at the International Conference on Science and Technology of Synthetic Metals, June 26th-July 2nd 1988, Santa Fe, New Mexico, and in our copending Patent Application mentioned above.

Claims (6)

1. An electrical connector for joining two or more electrical conductors, comprising a heat-shrinkable sleeve coated on at least part of its inner surface with a conductive polymer.
2. A method of connecting electrical conductors comprising placing a heat-shrinkable sleeve, coated on at least part of its inner surface with a conductive polymer, over the conductors, and heat-shrinking the sleeve onto the conductors to create an electrical path therebetween which includes the conductive polymer.
3. A connector according to Claim 1, in which the sleeve is of electrically-insulating heat-shrinkable polymer.
4. An electrical joint comprising two non-metallic wires interconnected electrically and mechanically by a connector comprising a heat-shrunk sleeve coated on at least part of its inner surface with a conductive polymer.
5. A connector according to Claim 2 and substantially as described herein.
6. A method of connecting electrical conductors, substantially as described herein.
EP19900307328 1989-07-13 1990-07-04 Electrical connector Withdrawn EP0408247A3 (en)

Applications Claiming Priority (2)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
GB898916027A GB8916027D0 (en) 1989-07-13 1989-07-13 Electrical conductor
GB8916027 1989-07-13

Publications (2)

Publication Number Publication Date
EP0408247A2 true EP0408247A2 (en) 1991-01-16
EP0408247A3 EP0408247A3 (en) 1991-07-17

Family

ID=10659976

Family Applications (1)

Application Number Title Priority Date Filing Date
EP19900307328 Withdrawn EP0408247A3 (en) 1989-07-13 1990-07-04 Electrical connector

Country Status (2)

Country Link
EP (1) EP0408247A3 (en)
GB (2) GB8916027D0 (en)

Cited By (2)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
WO2006126215A1 (en) * 2005-05-23 2006-11-30 Pirelli Tyre S.P.A. Method for installing a detecting unit in a pneumatic tyre and a pneumatic tyre provided with said unit
FR3087992A1 (en) * 2018-10-29 2020-05-01 Commissariat A L'energie Atomique Et Aux Energies Alternatives HEAT SHRINKABLE SYSTEM

Citations (3)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US3297819A (en) * 1964-08-10 1967-01-10 Raychem Corp Heat unstable covering
US3717717A (en) * 1970-04-20 1973-02-20 Joslyn Mfg & Supply Co Shrinkable cable joint sleeve, cable joint employing the same, and method of forming a cable joint
EP0061294A1 (en) * 1981-03-24 1982-09-29 Eaton Corporation Heat recoverable connector

Family Cites Families (1)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
GB1514924A (en) * 1974-08-05 1978-06-21 Raychem Ltd Heat recoverable article

Patent Citations (3)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US3297819A (en) * 1964-08-10 1967-01-10 Raychem Corp Heat unstable covering
US3717717A (en) * 1970-04-20 1973-02-20 Joslyn Mfg & Supply Co Shrinkable cable joint sleeve, cable joint employing the same, and method of forming a cable joint
EP0061294A1 (en) * 1981-03-24 1982-09-29 Eaton Corporation Heat recoverable connector

Cited By (2)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
WO2006126215A1 (en) * 2005-05-23 2006-11-30 Pirelli Tyre S.P.A. Method for installing a detecting unit in a pneumatic tyre and a pneumatic tyre provided with said unit
FR3087992A1 (en) * 2018-10-29 2020-05-01 Commissariat A L'energie Atomique Et Aux Energies Alternatives HEAT SHRINKABLE SYSTEM

Also Published As

Publication number Publication date
GB8916027D0 (en) 1989-08-31
EP0408247A3 (en) 1991-07-17
GB2236440A (en) 1991-04-03
GB9014793D0 (en) 1990-08-22

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