GB2236440A - Electrical connector formed from conductive polymer coated on heat-shrink sleeve. - Google Patents

Electrical connector formed from conductive polymer coated on heat-shrink sleeve. Download PDF

Info

Publication number
GB2236440A
GB2236440A GB9014793A GB9014793A GB2236440A GB 2236440 A GB2236440 A GB 2236440A GB 9014793 A GB9014793 A GB 9014793A GB 9014793 A GB9014793 A GB 9014793A GB 2236440 A GB2236440 A GB 2236440A
Authority
GB
United Kingdom
Prior art keywords
heat
conductive polymer
sleeve
conductors
electrical
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Withdrawn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
GB9014793A
Other versions
GB9014793D0 (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.)
VACTITE Ltd
Associated Electrical Industries Ltd
Original Assignee
VACTITE Ltd
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 VACTITE Ltd, Associated Electrical Industries Ltd filed Critical VACTITE Ltd
Publication of GB9014793D0 publication Critical patent/GB9014793D0/en
Publication of GB2236440A publication Critical patent/GB2236440A/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Withdrawn legal-status Critical Current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

Landscapes

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

Description

-4 Electrical Connector 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 heatshrinkable 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, WC and Kuhn, H.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. 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. 3. A connector according to Claim 1, in which the sleeve is of electrically-insulating heat-shrinkable polymer.
  4. 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. 5. A connector according to Claim 2 and substantially as described herein.
  6. 6. A method of connecting electrical conductors, substantially as described herein.
    Published 1991 atThe Patent Office. State House. 66171 High Holborn. London WC1R4TP. Further copies may be obtained from Sales Branch. Unit 6. Nine Mile Point Cwmrclirifhch, Cross Keys. Newport NPI 7HZ. Printed by MultipIrx techniques lid. St Mary Cray. Kcnt.
GB9014793A 1989-07-13 1990-07-04 Electrical connector formed from conductive polymer coated on heat-shrink sleeve. Withdrawn GB2236440A (en)

Applications Claiming Priority (1)

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

Publications (2)

Publication Number Publication Date
GB9014793D0 GB9014793D0 (en) 1990-08-22
GB2236440A true GB2236440A (en) 1991-04-03

Family

ID=10659976

Family Applications (2)

Application Number Title Priority Date Filing Date
GB898916027A Pending GB8916027D0 (en) 1989-07-13 1989-07-13 Electrical conductor
GB9014793A Withdrawn GB2236440A (en) 1989-07-13 1990-07-04 Electrical connector formed from conductive polymer coated on heat-shrink sleeve.

Family Applications Before (1)

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

Country Status (2)

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

Families Citing this family (2)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
EP1883547A1 (en) * 2005-05-23 2008-02-06 Pirelli Tyre S.p.A. Method for installing a detecting unit in a pneumatic tyre and a pneumatic tyre provided with said unit
FR3087992B1 (en) * 2018-10-29 2022-11-18 Commissariat Energie Atomique HEAT-SHRINK SYSTEM

Citations (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

Family Cites Families (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
US4374881A (en) * 1981-03-24 1983-02-22 Eaton Corporation Heat recoverable connector

Patent Citations (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

Non-Patent Citations (1)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Title
European Plastics News, Sept.83, page 49, "EMI shielding with conductive plastics." *

Also Published As

Publication number Publication date
GB8916027D0 (en) 1989-08-31
GB9014793D0 (en) 1990-08-22
EP0408247A3 (en) 1991-07-17
EP0408247A2 (en) 1991-01-16

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Legal Events

Date Code Title Description
730A Proceeding under section 30 patents act 1977
WAP Application withdrawn, taken to be withdrawn or refused ** after publication under section 16(1)