GB2210516A - Electrical connector - Google Patents

Abstract

An electrical connector comprises a casing having first and second openings, a first, usually solid core, wire is accessible from the first opening and forms a first terminal. A second, flexible, wire is connected to the first wire at an electrical connection and is accessible from the second opening to form a second terminal. A sealant material, such as a resin is formed into a barrier preventing gas leakage between the first and second openings. The electrical connection is preferably set in the barrier. One method of manufacturing such a connector is to incorporate a divider between the electrical connection and the second opening whilst allowing passage of the second wire, the sealant material being poured into the casing through the first opening and allowed to set on the divider. <IMAGE>

Description

ELECTRICAL CONNECTOR The present invention relates to an electrical connector and is particularly concerned with sealing such a connector against gas leakage.

One of the applications for an electrical connector is in the monitoring of temperature in a pressurised tank.

There is a problem of sealing the holes that are made in the tank to allow access for monitoring equipment. Once this is done it has been found that there is often a small leakage through the wiring apertures around the wires.

In the same application a secondary problem exists in that the wiring is solid core and the length has to be correctly cut before the temperature sensor is fitted.- It is necessary that the wire outside the tank be solid core but not necessary for the wire inside the tank to be so. However if a finer, stranded wire is used in the tank the wires have to be electrically connected. This can only be done by soldering and in the situation of pressurised gas, on site soldering is dangerous.

It is the object of the invention to mitigate the present situation.

According to the present invention there is provided an electrical connector comprising a first wire providing a first terminal, an electrical connection between the first wire and a second, flexible wire the second wire providing-a second terminal spaced from the first terminal, and a sealant material surrounding the said first wire to ensure that no gas can pass through the connector.

Where the first wire is a solid core wire it is advantageous that the said electrical connection is disposed in the sealant material. Advantageously the connector incudes a chamber through which the second wire passes and in which it can be housed after connection to a further electrical wire. The sealant material may be a resin.

Preferably the connector is in the form of a chamber divided by a divider apertured to allow passage of the wiring, the part of the chamber through which the first wire passes being filled with a hardened sealant material to provide a gas seal against leakage through the chamber. The divider may additionally include means for supporting the other end of the said first terminal.

Usually the connector wiFl provide a plurality of the said first and second wires each first wire being connected to a respective one of the second wires.

The electrical connection between each pair of wires may be insulated from the other pairs of wires before the connection is set in sealant.

The present invention will now be described by way of example with reference to the accompanying drawing which is a longitudinal cross-section of an electrical connector according to the present invention.

The illustrated connector is designed to connect three lengths of solid core wire 11 (one shown) such as enamelled copper wire, to respective lengths of stranded wire 12. It is not possibletosolder these wires together on site and it is difficult to crimp them. Moreover the joined wires should not extend beyond the connector when the connector is in use. Therefore an intermediate miniature stranded wire 13 is used to interconnect each stranded wire 12 to its respective solid core wire 11. A 300mm length of 10/0.1 wire is suitable.

For each length of wire 11,13 a soldered joint 14 is made which joint is covered with a respective rubber sleeve 15. The free ends of the wire 11 are glued into respective blind holes 16 in a bung 17 preferably using an instant adhesive such as "LOCTITE" (RTM)415. The three lengths of stranded wire 13 are threaded through respective channels 18 through the bung 17. A small tie 19 is used to tie the three sleeves 15 together to contain the wires.

The assembly of wires and bung are placed in a 200 mm length of 15mm stainless steel pipe 21, which has been cleaned i solvent, positioned so that the rubber sleeves are 10mm below the upper end of the pipe.

The space above the bung 17 is then filled with an epoxy resin 2 which is allowed to harden. The epoxy resin fills the pipe above the bung 17 so that no gas can leak from the part ef the chamber formed by the pipe 21 below the bung 17 through the channels 18,. or through the wire cabling.

The intermediate wire 13 is of sufficient length so that it can be crimped to the wire 12 by a crimp connector 22 outside the pipe 21 and then the connector 22 is pushed back into the chamber part formed inside the pipe under the bung 17. In additionto simplifying the procedure of joining the wires 12,13, this system provides some flexibility ì n the length of wire 12 required for the job.

The pipe 12 forms a chamber therein divided by the bung.

The upper half of the chamber contains the connection between the wires 11 and 13 and is filled with sealant.

The bottom part of the chamber is unfilled and is able to house the wire 13 and the crimp connector 22.

The pipe is fitted into a bore in the tank and sealed in the usual way with the wire 11 outside the tank and the wire 13 connected to the wire 12 which is itself connected to the temperature sensor.

Claims (12)

CLAIMS:

1 An electrical connector comprising a casing having first and second openings, a first wire accessible from the first opening and forming a first terminal, the first wire being connected at an electrical connection inside the casing to a second, flexible wire, the free end of which second wire is accessible from the second opening and forms a second terminal; and a sealant material forming a barrier in the casing so that no gas can pass between the first and second openings.

2. A connector according to claim 1 wherein the electrical connection is disposed in the sealant.

3. A connector according to claim 1 or 2 wherein the portion of the casing through which the second wire passes and incorporating the second opening is adequate to house a terminal connection between the second wire and a further wire.

4. A connector according to any of the preceding claims wherein the sealant material is a resin.

5. A connector according to any of the preceding claims wherein the casing includes a divider allowing passage of the second wire, the divider being disposed between the barrier and the second opening.

6. A connector according to claim 5 wherein the divider includes means for supporting the first wire.

7. An electrical connector according to any of the preceding claims including a plurality of the said first wires each connected to a respective second sire at a respective electrical connection, all the electrical connections being set in the barrier sealart material, insulated from one another.

8 An electrical connector substantially as herein described with reference to the accompanying drawings.

9. A method of manufacturing an electrical connector comprising the steps of providing a casing defining a space above a barrier in the casing leading to a ' .

first opening and a space below the barrier leading to a second opening; in the space above the barrier making an electrical connection between a first wire and a second wire, the free end of the second wire passing through or past the barrier to the space below the barrier; and pouring into the space above the barrier a sealant material in liquid form to cover the electrical connection and allowing the sealant material to set with the first wire protruding thereform towards the first opening.

10.A method according to claim 9 wherein a plurality of first wires are connected to respective second wires in the casing, the method including the step of isolating the electrical connections from one another before pouring in the sealant.

l1.A method according to claim 9 or 10 including the step of making the electrical connection along the length of the first wire and fitting the lower free end into a respective pocket in the barrier.

12. A method of manufacturing an electrical connector substantially as herein described with reference to the accompanying drawings.