EP0852824A1

EP0852824A1 - Device for connecting at least two sheathed conductive wires

Info

Publication number: EP0852824A1
Application number: EP96932654A
Authority: EP
Inventors: Jacques Lacroix
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1995-09-29
Filing date: 1996-09-26
Publication date: 1998-07-15
Anticipated expiration: 2016-09-26
Also published as: BR9610798A; FR2739499A1; MX9802458A; WO1997013293A1; FR2739499B1; PL182917B1; AU723780B2; EP0852824B1; AU7135496A; EA000587B1; CN1097321C; CA2233914A1; US6261117B1; CN1198260A; DE69602612T2; DE69602612D1; EA199800344A1; CA2233914C; PL325957A1

Abstract

A device including a housing with an opening for inserting an end portion of each sheathed wire, a blade for receiving said end portions in the housing, and a clip (12) designed to be inserted transversely into the housing relative to the sheaths, and provided with at least two slots (13) for gripping the wire sheaths and drawing them to the back of the housing so that the clip and the blade together strip the wires. Spacing means (52, 53) are also provided between the blade and the gripping and drawing clip (12) for maintaining a spacing therebetween that is greater than a cutting threshold.

Description

Device for connecting at least two sheathed conductive wires

The present invention relates to a device for connecting at least two conductive wires, each surrounded by an insulating sheath, comprising a housing, in which is provided a passage for introducing an end portion of the sheathed wires, means for receiving said end portions in the housing, means arranged to be introduced into the housing transversely to the sheaths, comprising at least two slots for grasping the sheaths of the wires and pulling them towards the inside and the bottom of the housing and arranged to cooperate with the means for receiving the sheaths to strip the wires longitudinally.

The device of the invention is used to connect, mechanically and electrically, wires with several strands or, and preferably, with a single strand.

Such connection devices are already known, in particular from French patent 86 15553 published under the number 2 606 558.

In the device of this patent, a conductive clip, provided with wire pulling slots, between teeth, is moved along a latch, provided with a wire receiving opening with a lower edge constituting a stripping edge conductive, to pull the ends of the wires towards the bottom of the housing and strip the wires longitudinally.

The latter device already perfected other devices of an even more prior art, but it is not yet fully satisfactory.

The clip is carried by a drawer, or plug, which is pushed into the housing to move the clip along the latch and make the connection, the insertion of the plug into the housing being carried out by the operator using '' pliers.

It may happen that the plug is not perfectly inserted into the housing. In this case, when it is pushed in, the clip does not move parallel to the latch. It can also be so by the simple fact of the handling of the clamp. So, by tilting the clip, a wedge effect between the clip and the latch may arise and cause cutting, beyond the sheaths of the fif themselves

The present invention therefore aims to propose a connection device of the type mentioned above, without risk of cutting the wires.

To this end, the connection device is characterized by the fact that it comprises spacer means between the means for receiving the sheathed wires and the gripping and drawing means to maintain their spacing greater than a cutting threshold.

Preferably, the spacer means are arranged so that the gripping and pulling means are introduced into the housing parallel to the means for receiving the sheathed wires.

In an advantageous embodiment of the device of the invention, the spacer means are arranged on the gripping and pulling means

In this case, the spacer means may have been attached to the gripping and drawing means, for example by welding, or may have been produced by shaping the gripping and drawing means, for example by stamping. '' a positive conformation on the side facing the receiving means (rib brushing or any other projection), or negative, on the opposite side (groove)

Still with the aim of avoiding cutting the wires, the passage for introducing the sheathed wires of the housing advantageously comprises means for separating the wires, whereby the wires cannot cross and be cut during the cooperation of the means of reception and means of entry and printing

The invention will be better understood on reading the following description of several embodiments of the device of the invention made with reference to the attached drawing in which - Figure 1 shows a perspective view of the drawer, or the cap, of the device of the invention;

FIG. 2 represents a view, in a slightly different perspective, of the housing of the device of the invention:

- Figure 3 shows a side sectional view of the housing of Figure 2;

- Figure 4 shows a partial sectional view and simplified of the latch and the clip of the device of the invention;

- Figure 5 shows a part of the view of Figure 4, with a wire after it has been stripped;

- Figure 6 shows a sectional view of the stripped wire, between the clip and the latch;

- Figure 7 shows an alternative embodiment of the device housing, with son separation membrane;

- Figure 8 shows on a larger scale the clip of the plug of the device, front view;

- Figure 9 shows a top view of the clip of Figure 8 and

- Figure 10 shows an alternative embodiment of the clip, seen from above.

The device shown comprises a substantially cylindrical housing 1 and comprising on its outer surface a chimney 2 for supplying the wires, of substantially oblong section. The chimney 2 extends into 2 'inside the housing.

The housing is open on its upper side. The housing can be for example of molded plastic, giving it near its opening a certain elasticity. Inside the housing, perpendicular to its open face and facing the opening of the extension 2 ′ of the chimney 2, and close to this opening, there is a receiving latch 3, rigid, of substantially rectangular shape, and comprising in the extension of the chimney 2, 2 ', an opening 4 intended to be crossed by wires, and whose section is substantially equal to that of the chimney 2, or preferably slightly greater. The lower edge 4 'of the latch, closest to the bottom of the housing, is rounded to avoid possible cutting of the wires. The latch 3 is resistant and a good conductor of electricity. The latch 3 has, in the lower part, a base 5, of smaller width and of low height, introduced into a groove 6 formed in the bottom of the case, for, when the latch is placed in the case, to give it a correct position .

On its face opposite to that facing the chimney, the base 5 of the latch 3 carries a latch 7 for locking in the adjacent wall of the groove 6, to prevent its possible rise. The lug 7 was obtained by stamping.

Behind the groove 6 and in its adjacent part, the bottom of the stepped housing 1 is raised at 20, to provide a stop surface for the end portions of the wires to be connected, parallel to the chimney 2, as well as for a clip which will be discussed later. The abutment surface 20 is extended rearward by a downwardly inclined surface.

The device further comprises a drawer, or stopper, hollow 9 also of generally cylindrical shape.

The cap has a skirt 91. here extending substantially over two-thirds of its height, with an outside diameter slightly greater than the inside diameter of the upper opening of the housing over most of its height, only the portion 92 of the skirt, adjacent to an annular shoulder formed by the closed upper part 93 of the plug, having an outside diameter less than the inside diameter of the opening in the housing. When an operator fits, or pushes, the plug into the housing, a click occurs when this part 92 crosses the opening of the housing. In this pre-closing position of the device, the upper part, or cover, 93 covers the internal edge of the opening of the housing. The hood 93 of generally frustoconical shape has a lower part, therefore of larger section than that of the opening of the case, and an upper part, of smaller section but always larger than that of the opening of the case It is with, this time, a clamp , that it is necessary to push the cover 93 into the housing, in order to completely lock the assembly. click, louder than the first, is heard at the time of the forced and complete insertion of the plug into the housing The lower end of the skirt carries lugs 94 for temporarily securing the plug and the housing before crimping or for storing all

The legs 94, which are elastic, are curved outwards After the opening of the case has been forcefully crossed by the legs 94, the plug 9 is connected to the case

The cap is also HERE in molded plastic

The plug 9 has a recess 11, crossed by the extension 2 'of the chimney 2 in the closed position

The inside of the plug 9 is shaped so as to receive and hold in place a clip 12 The clip 12 consists of a substantially rectangular plate, the narrowest edges 50, 51 of which have been previously curved by an angle of approximately 180 ° each on the same side It should be noted that in all rigor an angle greater than 90 ° would ensure the function The diameter of the bends and the thickness of the plate forming the clip 12 are such that it can, as we will see further, come to cooperate, by fitting, with the latch 3 In the same way, the latch 3 can have its curved edges, instead of those of the clip 12, which would then be flat, but it is a less satisfactory solution. clip 12 has, HERE between teeth 10, three slots 13, of width slightly less than the diameter of the core of the wires to be connected, to increase the contact surface formed from the lower part of the clip that introduced first into the housing r Their height is slightly greater than the diameter of the sheath of the wires For the prior assembly of the plug 9 and its clip 12, the clip 12 is placed in the plug 9 so that the two bends come opposite the recess 1 1 In the present example.He clip 12 is held in place in the plug 9 by forcing, and its positioning is ensured by grooves located on the side walls of the plug

The clip 12 here carries a single latch 33 for locking on the latch 3, obtained by stamping, by cooperation of the end of this lug with the upper edge of the opening 4 of the latch 3 Thus, any possible ascent of the clip is avoided There could also be two pins

It should be noted that, in the closed position of the device, the lug 33 for locking the clip 12 on the latch 3 and the lug 7 for latching the latch 3 in the groove 6 in the bottom of the housing are substantially coplanar, and s' in any case extend in the same interval 14 separating the clip 12 and the latch 3 In addition, this lug 33 and 7 are directed in the opposite direction from its respective foot, all of this contributing to the quality of locking

The width of the gap 14, between the clip 12 and the latch 3 is less than the diameter of the core of the sheathed wires to be connected and in any event maintained above a cutting threshold by two bosses 52, 53 coming from stamping and projecting from the side 54 of the clip 12 facing the latch 3, substantially in line with the curved edges 50, 51 and at the slots 13 The bosses 52, 53, here therefore two in number have a substantially rectangular shape but they could have another

The function of these bosses 52, 53 is therefore that of a spacer, that is to say of maintaining the spacing, between the side 54 of the clip 12 and the latch 3, at least equal to their width, very slightly greater to the theoretical quantity designated "cutting threshold", in order to avoid cutting the wires In this regard, these are "anti-cutting" bosses

Note that we could provide the spacer bosses on the latch 3 or, even, both on the clip 12 and on the latch 3

The bosses 52, 53 were obtained by positive conformation of the clip 12 „„ „, PC17FR96 / 01501

WO 97/13293

With reference to FIG. 10, the clip 12 ′ has been stamped to form a groove 55 hollowed out towards the side 56 opposite the latch 3 and intended to receive the sheathed wires. In this case, it is the lateral edges 56 57 of this branch which act as a spacer or anti-cut bosses HERE is a negative conformation, as opposed to the positive conformation of the clip 12 in Figures 8, 9

The chimney 2, and its extension 2 ′, are hollowed out at 15, to serve as a grease reserve after connection or crimping. Similarly, longitudinal ribs 16 are provided in the box of FIGS. 2 3 to properly separate the sheathed wires in the chimney d 'introduction 2 and its extension 2', so that the grease wraps well each wire, as it is the case in the box of figure 7

The box of FIG. 7, in fact differs from that of FIGS. 2, 3 by the fact that the separation ribs in the insertion chimney 2 extend into a membrane or partition 16 'which truly separates the wires and prevents them to cross and be cut between the teeth 10 of the clip 12

The operation of the device is as follows

Is introduced through the introduction passage, or chimney, 2 the ends, not stripped, sheathed conductive son to connect electrically and mechanically, and only one 17 is visible in Figure 5

The wires are introduced so that their end portion passes through the opening 4 of the receiving latch 3 and comes into abutment against the internal face 18 of the housing, opposite the chimney 2

Then the plug 9 is brought against the housing 1 so that their open faces coincide and are parallel

It should be noted that the latch 3 and the clip 12 are respectively placed in the housing 1 and the plug 9 so that, when the plug enters the housing, the clip 12 comes to fit on the latch 3 with its two bends surrounding the edges of the latch and move along the latch 3 parallel to it The plug 9 provided with the clip 12 has been pushed towards the inside of the housing 1, for example using a universal pliers, until the slots 13 of the clip 12, after having each grasped the sheath a wire to be connected, slightly below its free end, and pulled the wire inward and the bottom of the housing, come to put the end portions of the wires in abutment against the upper bottom 20, the clip 12 coming itself in abutment against this bottom 20 after having forced the wires to completely penetrate the slots 13

The recess 11 allows the plug 9 to be pushed into the housing without the vertical position of the wires between the chimney and the latch being altered.

When the wires, grasped in its slots 13, are pulled by the clip 12, they are bent, portion by portion, to substantially match the two portions of surfaces adjacent to the rounded edge 4 ′ of the latch 3 Simultaneously, by translation and crushing due to the width of the gap 14, kept constant by the bosses 52.53, the wires 17 are stripped over the height between the edge 4 ′ of the latch and the bottom 20 of the housing, by lateral creep of the insulation 18

In the lower part, the clip 12 and the bottom 20 bend the wires a second time, but in the other direction, so that once the connection has been made, the latch 3, the clip 12 and the bottom 20 form a baffle for the wires which are thus firmly blocked

Given the direction of movement of the clip 12, the bending angles of the wires are substantially 90 °. one way and the other

Given the movement of the wires and the diameter of their core 17, the stripping is carried out by creep of the sheaths 18 in the space between the clip and the latch

Under these conditions, the core of each wire is in electrical contact with the clip 12 and the latch 3, by the portion of the vertical inner wall adjacent to the opening 4 The cores of the wires are thus in electrical contact with one another Thanks to the characteristics of the device which has just been described, its resistance to traction on one of the wires, at least, is excellent. All the elements practically contribute to the locking of these wires: the latching lugs of the clip and of the latch between them, the latching lug of the latch. and therefore of the clip between which the wires are well anchored, the locking of the plug on the housing. And this mechanical locking of the wires naturally leads to a high quality electrical connection. The tightness of the device is also very high, thanks to its cylindrical shape.

When pulling always on a wire, due to the rounded edge of the opening of the latch passage. his soul cannot be severed. Nor can it be thanks to the anti-cut bosses.

Thanks to the extension of the introduction tunnel, the wires are introduced into the housing in a linear fashion, without the risk of coming into abutment against the latch.

Thanks to the separation membrane. this prevents the sheathed wires from crossing in the chimney and being cut in a slot in the clip.

With the device which has just been described, it is possible to make the simultaneous connection of three wires, since the clip 12 here has three slots 13.

It is possible to connect wires with multiple strands or wires with a single strand, the device being particularly well suited to these.

Provided that the clip 12 is provided with a certain elasticity and that the slots 13 can grip them between their walls, wires of different diameters can be connected together.

Of course, all modifications to the shape of the device, which do not affect its essential functions, can be carried out without departing from the scope of the invention. In particular, the clip may or may not be metallic insofar as it does not play a conducting role. It can for example be moπobloc with the cap. Likewise, the latch may possibly be partially non-conductive. The wires being introduced into the housing, through the chimney, its extension and the opening of the latch, until they come into abutment against the opposite internal wall of the housing, the housing can advantageously be hollowed out slightly to increase the length of wire thus introduced

Obviously, the invention finds its application in all kinds of industries where conductors are to be connected, such as for example the electronics and telephone industries.

Claims

1 device for connecting at least two conductive wires (17) each surrounded by an insulating sheath (18) comprising a housing (1), in which is formed a passage (2) for introducing an end portion sheathed wires, means (3) for receiving said end portions in the housing, means (12) arranged to be introduced into the housing transversely to the sheaths, comprising at least two slots (13) for gripping the sheaths of the wires and pull them towards the inside and the bottom of the box and arranged to cooperate with the means (3) for receiving the sheaths to strip the wires longitudinally, characterized in that it comprises spacer means (52, 53, 56 57) between the means (3) for receiving the sheathed wires and the gripping and drawing means (12) to maintain their spacing greater than a cutting threshold

2 Device according to claim 1 wherein the spacer means (52, 53, 56, 57) are arranged so that the gripping and pulling means (12) are introduced into the housing (1) parallel to the means (3) for receiving sheathed wires

3 Device according to one of claims 1 and 2, wherein the spacer means (52, 53, 56, 57) are arranged on the gripping and pulling means (12)

4 Device according to claim 3 wherein the spacer means have been attached to the gripping and pulling means

5 Device according to claim 3 wherein the spacer means (52, 53; 56, 57) were made by conformation of the gripping and pulling means (12)

6 Device according to claim 5 wherein the spacer means (52, 53) were made by positive conformation of the side (54) facing the receiving means (3)

7. Device according to claim 5, wherein the spacer means (56.57) have been produced by negative conformation on the side (56) opposite the receiving means.

8. Device according to one of claims 1 to 7, wherein the introduction passage (2) comprises means (16 ') for separating the sheathed wires.

9. Device according to one of claims 1 to 8. wherein the means (12) for entering and drawing the sheaths comprise means (33) for locking on the reception means (3), the reception means (3 ) include means (7) for locking on the housing (1), the bottom of the housing is stepped and has an abutment surface (20) for the gripping and pulling means (12). and the latter are carried by a plug (9) comprising an end portion (91) extending below the gripping and drawing slots (13), of section larger than the opening for passage of the housing (1)

10. Device according to one of claims 1 to 9, in which the means for receiving the end portions of the sheathed wires comprise a latch (3) provided with an opening (4) with rounded lower edge (4 ')

11. Device according to one of claims 1 to 10, in which the plug (9) comprises a skirt (91) of section larger than the diameter of the opening of the housing (1) in which the plug must be pressed, the skirt being connected to a cover (93) by a portion (92) of section smaller than said opening diameter.

12. Device according to one of claims 1 to 11, wherein said receiving means comprise a latch (3) provided with an opening (4) and said gripping and drawing means comprise a clip (12; 12 ') provided with anti-cut bosses (52, 53; 56, 57).

13. Device according to claim 12, wherein the latch (3) is provided with a lug (7) locking in a groove (6) of the housing (1) and the clip (12) is provided with a lug ( 33) of locking arranged to cooperate with the upper edge of the opening (4) of the latch (3).

14. Device according to one of claims 12 and 13. wherein the anti-cut bosses (52, 53) were obtained by stamping the side (54) of the clip (12) facing the latch (3).

15. Device according to one of claims 12 and 13. wherein the anti-cut bosses (56, 57) are formed by the edges of a groove (55) obtained by stamping the side (56) of the clip (12 ' ) opposite the latch (3).