GB2177264A - Electrical connector - Google Patents

Abstract

A heat-shrink cover member 18 has one end recovered in the factory about a coupling element 14, whilst its free end is left in expanded condition. The user then only has to insert the cable 20 through the cover member 18 and coupling element 14 and recover the free end of the cover member about the cable. In the example shown, the coupling element 14 carries a locking ring 15 for spin-coupling the element 14 to the connector body 10, to which the cable conductors will be terminated. <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION Electrical connector This invention relates to an electrical connector.

It is known to apply a heat-shrink cover member to certain electrical connectors to seal the electrical cables to the connector body and thus prevent the ingress of dirt or moisture. In a particular type of electrical connector, the heat-shrink cover member is recovered about the cable on the one hand and about the coupling element on the other hand, and the coupling element can be spin-coupled to the connector body (e.g. a plug body).

Hitherto, the user has had the task of threading the cable through the heat-shrink cover member and the coupling element, then positioning the cover member appropriately relative to the coupling element, and finally applying heat to the cover member to cause it to shrink and embrace the cable on the one hand and the coupling element on the other hand.

In accordance with this invention, there is provided a coupling element for an electrical connector together with a heat-shrink cover member which has been recovered at one of its ends about the coupling element, the cover member and coupling element being arranged to receive a cable or cables therethrough and the cover member being in expanded condition at its other end so as to be recoverable about the cable(s) when inserted through the coupling element and cover member.

With this arrangement, the assembly operation for the user is much simplified and considerable time saved, because the user need simply pass the cable(s) through the cover member and coupling element, then apply heat to the expanded end of the cover member so as to cause it to shrink down around the cables) .

An embodiment of this invention will now be described, by way of example only, with reference to the accompanying drawing, the single figure of which is a longitudinal section through an electrical connector which includes a coupling element and heat-shrink cover member in accordance with the invention.

The electrical connector illustrated comprises a connector body 10 which is circular in plan and in this example forms the plug part for a plug-and socket connection, the pins of the plug being shown at 12. A tubular coupling element 14 carries a locking ring 15 which is arranged for spin-coupling to a threaded portion 11 the connector body 10, and the coupling element 14 has a periphery 16 about which one end of a heat-shrink cover member 18 is recovered. As supplied from the factory, the other and narrower end of the cover member is still expanded, so that a cable 20 can be threaded through the cover member 18 and through the coupling element (for eventual termination of its conductors to the pins 12, within the connector body 10).Once the cable has been thus inserted through the cover member and coupling element, heat can be applied to its narrower end to cause it to shrink down around the cable. After the cable conductors have been terminated to the plug pins 12, the coupling element 14 can be spincoupled to the connector body 10 by way of the locking ring 15.

In this way, the assembly of the heat-shrink cover member and the coupling element to the cable is much simplified and this saves valuable time for the user.

1. A coupling element for an electrical connector together with a heat-shrink cover member which has been recovered at one of its ends about the coupling element, the cover member and coupling element being arranged to receive a cable or cables therethrough and the cover member being in expanded condition at its other end so as to be recoverable about the cable(s) when inserted through the coupling element and cover member.

2. A coupling element as claimed in claim 1, further carrying a locking ring arranged for spin-coupling to a body part of the connector.

3. A coupling element for an electrical connector, substantially as herein described with reference to the accompanying drawings.

4. A method of terminating an electrical cable to an electrical connector, comprising inserting the cable through a heat-shrink cover member and a coupling element for the electrical connector, the cover member having one end recovered in the factory about the coupling element and its other end in expanded condition, terminating conductors of the cable to the electrical connector and coupling the coupling element to a body part of the electrical connector, and the method including the step of recovering said other end of the cover member about the cable after the cable has been inserted through the cover member and coupling element.

5. A method of terminating an electrical cable to an electrical connector, the method being as claimed in claim 4 and substantially as herein described with reference to the drawings.

**WARNING** end of DESC field may overlap start of CLMS **.

Claims (5)

**WARNING** start of CLMS field may overlap end of DESC **. SPECIFICATION Electrical connector This invention relates to an electrical connector. It is known to apply a heat-shrink cover member to certain electrical connectors to seal the electrical cables to the connector body and thus prevent the ingress of dirt or moisture. In a particular type of electrical connector, the heat-shrink cover member is recovered about the cable on the one hand and about the coupling element on the other hand, and the coupling element can be spin-coupled to the connector body (e.g. a plug body). Hitherto, the user has had the task of threading the cable through the heat-shrink cover member and the coupling element, then positioning the cover member appropriately relative to the coupling element, and finally applying heat to the cover member to cause it to shrink and embrace the cable on the one hand and the coupling element on the other hand. In accordance with this invention, there is provided a coupling element for an electrical connector together with a heat-shrink cover member which has been recovered at one of its ends about the coupling element, the cover member and coupling element being arranged to receive a cable or cables therethrough and the cover member being in expanded condition at its other end so as to be recoverable about the cable(s) when inserted through the coupling element and cover member. With this arrangement, the assembly operation for the user is much simplified and considerable time saved, because the user need simply pass the cable(s) through the cover member and coupling element, then apply heat to the expanded end of the cover member so as to cause it to shrink down around the cables) . An embodiment of this invention will now be described, by way of example only, with reference to the accompanying drawing, the single figure of which is a longitudinal section through an electrical connector which includes a coupling element and heat-shrink cover member in accordance with the invention. The electrical connector illustrated comprises a connector body 10 which is circular in plan and in this example forms the plug part for a plug-and socket connection, the pins of the plug being shown at 12. A tubular coupling element 14 carries a locking ring 15 which is arranged for spin-coupling to a threaded portion 11 the connector body 10, and the coupling element 14 has a periphery 16 about which one end of a heat-shrink cover member 18 is recovered. As supplied from the factory, the other and narrower end of the cover member is still expanded, so that a cable 20 can be threaded through the cover member 18 and through the coupling element (for eventual termination of its conductors to the pins 12, within the connector body 10).Once the cable has been thus inserted through the cover member and coupling element, heat can be applied to its narrower end to cause it to shrink down around the cable. After the cable conductors have been terminated to the plug pins 12, the coupling element 14 can be spincoupled to the connector body 10 by way of the locking ring 15. In this way, the assembly of the heat-shrink cover member and the coupling element to the cable is much simplified and this saves valuable time for the user. CLAIMS

1. A coupling element for an electrical connector together with a heat-shrink cover member which has been recovered at one of its ends about the coupling element, the cover member and coupling element being arranged to receive a cable or cables therethrough and the cover member being in expanded condition at its other end so as to be recoverable about the cable(s) when inserted through the coupling element and cover member.

2. A coupling element as claimed in claim 1, further carrying a locking ring arranged for spin-coupling to a body part of the connector.

3. A coupling element for an electrical connector, substantially as herein described with reference to the accompanying drawings.

4. A method of terminating an electrical cable to an electrical connector, comprising inserting the cable through a heat-shrink cover member and a coupling element for the electrical connector, the cover member having one end recovered in the factory about the coupling element and its other end in expanded condition, terminating conductors of the cable to the electrical connector and coupling the coupling element to a body part of the electrical connector, and the method including the step of recovering said other end of the cover member about the cable after the cable has been inserted through the cover member and coupling element.

5. A method of terminating an electrical cable to an electrical connector, the method being as claimed in claim 4 and substantially as herein described with reference to the drawings.