EP0852824B1 - Device for connecting at least two sheathed conductive wires - Google Patents

Description

The present invention relates to a device for connecting at least two wires conductors each surrounded by an insulating sheath, comprising a housing, in which is provided a passage for introducing an end portion 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 gripping the sheaths of the wires and pull them towards the inside and the bottom of the case 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, multi-strand or, preferably, single strand.

We already know such connection devices. especially by patent French 86 15553 published under number 2 606 558.

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

The latter device already perfected other devices of an even more art earlier, 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, pushing in the plug in the housing being carried out by the operator using pliers.

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

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

To this end, the connection device is characterized in that it comprises spacer means between the means for receiving the wires sheathed and the gripping and pulling means to maintain their spacing above a cutting threshold.

Preferably, the spacer means are arranged so that the means input and draw 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 added to the means of gripping and drawing, for example by welding, or having been produced by conformation of the gripping and drawing means, for example by stamping. It may be a positive conformation, on the turned side towards the receiving means (boss, rib or any other projection), or negative, on the opposite (groove) side.

Note that document GB-A-1 034 996 teaches a clip having a groove hollowed out on the side opposite a latch, but this groove does not, however, have the function of avoiding a wedge effect between the two pieces. It is used only to receive the strands of a single wire. The concept spacer is excluded from this document.

Likewise, document US-A-3,963,318 involves boundary markings on a clip, but which only serve to stiffen and especially to determine a length of conductor cutting, unrelated to spacers intended for avoid cutting wires.

Always in order to avoid cutting the wires, the passage introduction of the sheathed wires of the housing advantageously comprises means for separating the wires, whereby the wires cannot be cross and be cut when receiving means cooperation and means of seizure and drawing.

• la figure 1 représente une vue, en perspective, du tiroir, ou du bouchon, du dispositif de l'invention;
• la figure 2 représente une vue. dans une perspective légèrement différente, du boítier du dispositif de l'invention:
• la figure 3 représente une vue latérale en coupe du boítier de la figure 2;
• la figure 4 représente une vue partielle en coupe et simplifiée du linguet et du clip du dispositif de l'invention;
• la figure 5 représente une partie de la vue de la figure 4, avec un fil après qu'il ait été dénudé;
• la figure 6 représente une vue en coupe du fil dénudé, entre le clip et le linguet;
• la figure 7 représente une variante de réalisation du boítier du dispositif, avec membrane de séparation des fils;
• la figure 8 représente à plus grande échelle le clip du bouchon du dispositif, vue de face;
• la figure 9 représente une vue de dessus du clip de la figure 8 et
• la figure 10 représente une variante de réalisation du clip, vue de dessus.

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 appended drawing in which:

• Figure 1 shows a perspective view of the drawer, or the cap, of the device of the invention;
• Figure 2 shows a view. from a slightly different perspective, from 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 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 housing of the device, with son separation membrane;
• Figure 8 shows on a larger scale the clip of the cap of the device, front view;
• FIG. 9 represents a top view of the clip of FIG. 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 wires, substantially oblong section. The chimney 2 extends into 2 'inside of the case.

The housing is open on its upper face. The housing can be for example in molded plastic, giving it near its opening a certain elasticity.

Inside the case, 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, substantially shaped rectangular, and comprising in the extension of the chimney 2, 2 ', a opening 4 intended to be crossed by wires, the cross section of which is substantially equal to that of the chimney 2, or preferably slightly superior. The lower edge 4 'of the latch, closest to the bottom of the housing, is rounded to avoid possible cutting of the wires. Latch 3 is resistant and good conductor of electricity. The latch 3 comprises, in part lower, a base 5, of smaller width and low height, introduced in a groove 6 formed in the bottom of the housing. for, when the latch is placed in the case, give it a correct position.

On its face opposite to that facing the chimney, the base 5 of the latch 3 carries a locking pin 7 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 housing 1 in step is raised in 20, to provide a stop surface for the portions end 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 extends towards the rear by a downward sloping surface.

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

The cap includes a skirt 91, extending here substantially over the two third of its height, with an outside diameter slightly greater than the diameter inside 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 stopper, having a diameter outside smaller than the inside diameter of the opening of the case. When a operator fits or pushes the plug into the housing, a click occurs when this part 92 crosses the opening of the housing. In this position of pre-closing of the device, the upper part, or cover, 93 covers the edge internal 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’s with, this time, a clamp, that it is necessary to push the cover 93 into the housing, for totally lock the assembly. Note that the upper edge of the opening of the case is slightly bent at 40 inwards (Figure 3), and that a second click, louder than the first, is heard at the time of forced entry and complete the plug in the housing. The lower end of the skirt wears lugs 94 for temporarily securing the plug and the housing, before crimping or for the storage of the whole.

The legs 94, elastic, are curved outwards. After force to cross the opening of the case by the legs 94, the plug 9 is connected to the housing.

The stopper is also here in molded plastic.

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

The interior of the plug 9 is shaped so as to receive and maintain in places a clip 12. The clip 12 consists of a plate substantially rectangular, the narrowest edges 50, 51 of which have been previously curved at an angle of about 180 °, each on the same side. It should be noted that any rigor an angle greater than 90 ° would ensure the function. The diameter of bends and the thickness of the plate forming the clip 12 are such that it can, as we will see later, 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 clip 12, which would then be flat, but it's a solution less satisfactory. The 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 in the case. Their height is slightly greater than the diameter of the wire sheath. 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 11. In the present example, the 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 locking lug 33 on the latch 3, obtained by stamping, by cooperation of the end of this lug with the edge upper 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 of locking of the clip 12 on the latch 3 and the latch 7 of the latch 3 in the groove 6 of the bottom of the housing are substantially coplanar, and 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 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 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 level of the slots 13. The bosses 52, 53, here therefore two in number, have a shape substantially rectangular but they could have another.

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

Referring to Figure 10, the clip 12 'has been stamped to form a groove 55 hollowed out on the side 56 opposite the latch 3 and intended to receive the wires sheathed. In this case, it is the lateral edges 56. 57 of this groove which form function of spacer or anti-cut bosses. This is a conformation negative, as opposed to the positive conformation of the clip 12 of Figures 8, 9.

The chimney 2, and its extension 2 ', are hollowed out at 15, to serve as grease reserve after connection, or crimping. Likewise, ribs longitudinal 16 are provided in the housing of Figures 2, 3 for good separate the sheathed wires in the introduction chimney 2 and its extension 2 ', so that the grease envelops each wire well, as is the case in the box of Figure 7.

The housing of Figure 7, in fact, differs from that of Figures 2, 3 by the causes the dividing ribs in the feed stack 2 to extend into a membrane or partition 16 'which genuinely separates the wires and prevents them from crossing and being cut between the teeth 10 of the clip 12.

The operation of the device is as follows.

One introduces by the passage of introduction, or chimney, 2 the ends, not stripped, sheathed conductive wires to be electrically connected and mechanically, and only one 17 of which is visible in FIG. 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 faces open 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 fits on the latch 3, its two bends surrounding the edges of the latch and move along the latch 3 parallel to him.

The plug 9 provided with the clip 12 has been pushed towards the inside of the housing 1, by example using universal pliers, until the slots 13 of the clip 12, after having grasped, each, the sheath of a wire to be connected, slightly in below its free end, and pulled the wire towards the inside and the bottom of the case, put the end portions of the wires in abutment against the bottom upper 20, the clip 12 itself coming into abutment against this bottom 20 after having forced the wires to fully 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 is altered.

When the wires, grasped in its slots 13, are pulled by the clip 12, they are angled, 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 interval 14, maintained constant thanks to the bosses 52, 53, the wires 17 are stripped on 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 is 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 wires are worth approximately 90 °, in one direction and in 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 locking pins the clip and the latch between them, the latch latch, and therefore 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 high quality electrical connection. The tightness of the device is also very large, thanks to its cylindrical shape.

When pulling always on a wire, due to the rounded edge of the opening of the passage of the latch, its core cannot be cut. She can't either more to be thanks to the anti-cut bosses.

Thanks to the extension of the introduction tunnel, the wires are introduced into the housing linearly, without risk of abutting against the latch.

Thanks to the separation membrane, we prevent the sheathed wires from crossing in the chimney and are not cut in a slot of the clip.

With the device which has just been described, the connection can be made three wires simultaneously, since the clip 12 here has three slots 13.

You can connect multiple stranded wires or single stranded wires, 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 the modifications of form of the device, not affecting its essential functions can be carried out without departing from the the invention. In particular, the clip may or may not be metallic insofar as it does not act as a driver. It can for example be monobloc with the plug. Likewise, the latch may possibly be partially not driver.

The wires being introduced into the housing, through the chimney, its extension and opening of the latch, until they stop against the opposite inner wall of the housing, one can advantageously hollow out slightly the case at this point to increase the length of wire as well introduced.

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

Claims (15)

1. Device for connecting at least two conductor wires (17), each surrounded by an insulating sheath (18), comprising a casing (1), in which a passage (2) for inserting an end portion of the sheathed wires is provided, means (3) for receiving the said end portions in the casing, means (12) which are designed to be inserted into the casing transversely to the sheaths, having at least two slots (13) for gripping the sheaths of the wires and for pulling them towards the inside and towards the bottom of the casing, and which are designed to engage with the means (3) for receiving the sheaths, in order to strip the wires longitudinally, characterized in that it includes spacer means (52, 53; 55, 57) between the means (3) for receiving the sheathed wires and the gripping and pulling means (12) in order to keep them apart by a distance greater than a cutting threshold.
2. Device according to Claim 1, in which the spacer means (52, 53; 55, 57) are designed so that the gripping and pulling means (12) are inserted into the casing (1) parallel to the means (3) for receiving the sheathed wires.
3. Device according to either of Claims 1 and 2, in which the spacer means (52, 53; 55, 57) are provided on the gripping and pulling means (12).
4. Device according to Claim 3, in which the spacer means have been added to the gripping and pulling means.
5. Device according to Claim 3, in which the spacer means (52, 53; 55, 57) have been provided by the shaping of the gripping and pulling means (12).
6. Device according to Claim 5, in which the spacer means (52, 53) have been provided by the positive shaping of the side (54) facing the receiving means (3).
7. Device according to Claim 5, in which the spacer means (55, 57) have been provided by the negative shaping of the side (56) facing away from the receiving means.
8. Device according to one of Claims 1 to 7, in which the insertion passage (2) includes means (16') for separating the sheathed wires.
9. Device according to one of Claims 1 to 8, in which the means (12) for gripping and pulling the sheaths include means (33) for locking on to the receiving means (3), the receiving means (3) include means (7) for locking onto the casing (1), the bottom of the casing is stepped and has an abutment surface (20) for the gripping and pulling means (12), the latter means being carried by a plug (9) which has a terminal portion (91) extending on this side of the gripping and pulling slots (13), of larger cross section than the passage opening in the casing (1).
10. Device according to one of Claims 1 to 9, in which the means for receiving the end portions of the sheathed wires include a catch (3) provided with an opening (4) having a rounded lower edge (4').
11. Device according to one of Claims 1 to 10, in which the plug (9) has a skirt (91) of larger cross section than the diameter of the opening in the casing (1), into which the plug has to be pushed, the skirt being joined to a cover (93) by a portion (92) of smaller cross section than the said opening diameter.
12. Device according to one of Claims 1 to 11, in which the said receiving means include a catch (3) provided with an opening (4) and the said gripping and pulling means include a clip (12, 12') provided with anti-cutting protuberances (52, 53; 55, 57).
13. Device according to Claim 12, in which the catch (3) is provided with a tab (7) for locking in a groove (6) in the casing (1) and the clip (12) is provided with a locking tab (33) designed to engage with the upper edge of the opening (4) in the catch (3).
14. Device according to either of Claims 12 and 13, in which the anti-cutting protuberances (52, 53) have been obtained by drawing that side (54) of the clip (12) which faces the catch (3).
15. Device according to either of Claims 12 and 13, in which the anti-cutting protuberances (55, 57) are formed by the edges of a groove (55) obtained by drawing that side (56) of the clip (12') which faces away from the catch (3).

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