GB2250388A - Electrical connection for tapping an insulated cable. - Google Patents
Electrical connection for tapping an insulated cable. Download PDFInfo
- Publication number
- GB2250388A GB2250388A GB9121058A GB9121058A GB2250388A GB 2250388 A GB2250388 A GB 2250388A GB 9121058 A GB9121058 A GB 9121058A GB 9121058 A GB9121058 A GB 9121058A GB 2250388 A GB2250388 A GB 2250388A
- Authority
- GB
- United Kingdom
- Prior art keywords
- stuffer
- cable
- section
- core
- stuffer member
- 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.)
- Granted
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
- H01R4/10—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 effected solely by twisting, wrapping, bending, crimping, or other permanent deformation
- H01R4/18—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 effected solely by twisting, wrapping, bending, crimping, or other permanent deformation by crimping
- H01R4/20—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 effected solely by twisting, wrapping, bending, crimping, or other permanent deformation by crimping using a crimping sleeve
-
- H—ELECTRICITY
- H01—ELECTRIC ELEMENTS
- H01R—ELECTRICALLY-CONDUCTIVE CONNECTIONS; STRUCTURAL ASSOCIATIONS OF A PLURALITY OF MUTUALLY-INSULATED ELECTRICAL CONNECTING ELEMENTS; COUPLING DEVICES; CURRENT COLLECTORS
- H01R11/00—Individual connecting elements providing two or more spaced connecting locations for conductive members which are, or may be, thereby interconnected, e.g. end pieces for wires or cables supported by the wire or cable and having means for facilitating electrical connection to some other wire, terminal, or conductive member, blocks of binding posts
- H01R11/03—Individual connecting elements providing two or more spaced connecting locations for conductive members which are, or may be, thereby interconnected, e.g. end pieces for wires or cables supported by the wire or cable and having means for facilitating electrical connection to some other wire, terminal, or conductive member, blocks of binding posts characterised by the relationship between the connecting locations
- H01R11/09—Individual connecting elements providing two or more spaced connecting locations for conductive members which are, or may be, thereby interconnected, e.g. end pieces for wires or cables supported by the wire or cable and having means for facilitating electrical connection to some other wire, terminal, or conductive member, blocks of binding posts characterised by the relationship between the connecting locations the connecting locations being identical
Landscapes
- Connections Effected By Soldering, Adhesion, Or Permanent Deformation (AREA)
Description
1 22 5 03353 TAPPING AN INSULATED CABLE This invention relates to a
one-piece stamped and formed metal stuffer member for reducing the internal diameter of a circular cross-section crimping sleeve; to a kit of parts for making an electrical tap connection to an insulated cable; and to an electrical tap connection to the core of an insulated cable.
The invention particularly concerns the tapping of a power cable, for example a 40 amp, 60 mm 2 cable, a section of the electrically conductive core of which has been stripped of insulation intermediate the ends of the cable. In order to make an electrical connection to the stripped section of the core by means of a crimping sleeve, the sleeve must be threaded on to the cable and slid therealong into coincidence with said stripped section. Since the diameter of the cable core is necessarily substantially less than the external diameter of the cable insulation, stuffer means must be provided in the crimping sleeve to compensate for the difference between the internal diameter of the crimping sleeve and the diameter of the cable core. The stuffer means cannot be formed integrally with the crimping sleeve as this would prevent the sleeve from being slid along the cable insulation, and the stuffer means should be such that it does not impair the integrity of the crimped connection between the sleeve and the cable core.
According to one aspect of the invention a one-piece stainped and formed metal stuffer member for reducing the internal diameter of a circular crosssection crimping sleeve, comprises a first portion of arcuate crosssection and a second portion of arcuate cross-section of substantially the same radius as the first portion, the crest of the arc of the first portion being connected at one end thereof to one end of the crest of the arc of the second portion by means of a neck which is capable of flexure to enable the second portion to be nested within the first portion in substantially parallel continguous relationship therewith.
2 When the second stuffer portion has been nested in the first stuffer portion, the stuffer member is mounted to the stripped section of the cable core in the manner of a saddle with the concave face of the second stuffer portion resting on the cable core. The crimping sleeve is then slid along the cable insulation over the stuffer member and is crimped to the cable. Since the said difference in diameter is compensated for by the stuffer member, the cable core, which will usually be multistranded, is cold forged into a substantially voidless mass with the stuffer member and the crimping sleeve.
Since the neck, which, prior to the crimping operation is the only workhardened element of the parts to be crimped, is located at one end of the stuffer member and is thereby not included in the crimped connection proper, there is no workhardened element that would suffer fracture under the crimping operation so as to impair the integrity of the crimped connection.
For drawing off current from the cable, an electrical terminal may be formed integrally with the other end of the first stuffer portion so as to project from the crimped connection.
The crimped connection may be encapsulated in an insulating material, and thus sealed, by moulding thereabout, and about the margins of the cable insulation, a slug of the insulating material.
A two-part hinged housing may be provided for enclosing the crimped connection and for housing the terminal.
According to another aspect of the invention, a kit of parts for making an electrical tap connection to the core of an insulated cable having a section of insulation stripped from said core intermediate the ends of the cable, comprises a circular crosssection crimping sleeve having an internal diameter slightly exceeding the external diameter of the cable insulation; and a wire stuffer member comprising first and second elongate, arcuate crosssection stuffer portions hingedly connected together so as to enable said second stuffer portion to be nested within said first stuffer portion, for insertion 3 between the cable core and the crimping sleeve in order to compensate for the difference between the diameter of the cable core and the internal diameter of the said sleeve, and an electrical terminal projecting radially outwardly from one end of said first stuffer portion.
According to yet a further aspect of the invention, an electrical tap connection to the core of an insulated cable aving a section of insulation stripped from the core of said cable intermediate the ends thereof, comprises a circular cross-section crimping sleeve which has been crimped to the stripped section of the cable core through the intermediary of a metal stuffer member comprising a first arcuate crosssection stuffer portion having nested therewithin a second circular cross-section stuffer portion, the stuffer portions being connected at one end thereof by a doubledover neck, an electrical terminal connected to the other end of the first stuffer portion projecting from the crimping sleeve radially outwardly thereof.
For a better understanding of the invention reference will now be made by way of example to the accompanying drawings in which; Figure 1 is an exploded isometric view of a tap connector for taking current from an insulated power cable; Figure 2 is an enlarged isometric view showing parts of the connector in preparation for crimping to the core of the cable; Figure 3 is an enlarged isometric view of a one-piece wire stuffer member of the connector; Figures 4 to 6 are a side view, a plan view and an end view, respectively, of the stuffer member; Figure 7 is an isometric view drawn to a smaller scale than Figures 4 to 6, of the stuffer member when prepared for a assembly to the cable; Figure 8 is a side view, shown partly in longitudinal section illustrating the wire stuffer member assembled on a stripped section of the cable core and being surrounded by a crimping sleeve; 4 Figure 9 is a view taken on the lines 9 9 of Figure 8; Figure 10 is a similar view to that of Figure 8 but showing the parts shown in Figure 8, in a crimped condition and being incapsulated in insulating material; and Figure 11 is an enlarged view taken on the lines 1111 of Figure 10.
As shown in Figures 1 and 2, an electrical tap connector for taking off current from insulated power cable C, for example a 60mm 2, cable comprises an insulating housing 2, a circular cross-section metal crimping sleeve 4, and a wire stuffer member 6, having an electrical tab terminal 8 formed integrally therewith.
The housing 2 (Figure 2) comprises a cable support 10 having two semi circular cross-section shells 12 and 14 connected by a hinge 15 extending axially thereof. Formed integrally with the outer edge 16 of each part 12 and 14 is a terminal housing half, that of the shell 12 being referenced 18 and that of the shell 14 being referenced 20. The housing half 20 has a latch arm 22 for engagement under a latch bar 24 on the housing half 18 to latch the housing halves and thus the shells 12 and 14, together in closed relationship. Each housing half 18 and 20 has a latching opening 26 for the snap engagement therein of a latching projection 27 on the exterior of a side wall of a mating housing 29 having through cavities 31 for containing electrical receptacle terminals (not shown) each connected to an electrical lead. Each housing half 18 and 20 defines a terminal back plate receiving recess 28 extending at right angles to the hinge 15, the first terminal tab receiving recess 30 extending at right angles to the recess 28 at the outer end thereof and a second terminal tab receiving recess 32 communicating with the recess 28. A protective flap 34 projects from the forward end of each housing half 18 and 20.
As best seen in Figures 3 to 6, the wire stuffer member 6, which has been stamped and formed from a single piece of sheet metal stock, comprises an arcuate first stuffer portion 36 frorn the rear edge 37 of which projects, at the crest of the arc, a narrow, stiffly flexible, neck 40 connecting the portion 36 to an arcuate second stuffer portion 38 bowed in the opposite direction to the portion 36. The crest of the are of the portion 38 is in axial allignment with that of the portion 36. The neck 40 projects from the base of a recess 42 formed in the rear edge 37 of the portion 36. The longitudinal edges of the portions 36 and 38 are chamfered at 39 and 41, respectively.
Although the portions 36 and 38 are curved about substantially the same radius, the arc of the portion 38 is substantially shorter than than of the portion 36. The terminal 8 is connected to the forward edge 43 of the stuffer portion 36 at the crest of the arc thereof, by way of a neck 44 extending obliquely upwardly away from the edge 43. The terminal 8 comprises a back plate 46 projecting vertically from the neck 44, normally of the stuffer portion 36, a top tab 48 projecting forwardly from the top edge of the plate 46, and two parallel, side tabs 50 projecting forwardly from respective opposite lateral edges of the plate 46 below the tab 48.
The cable C is prepared for tapping, by stripping the insulation 1 thereof intermediate the ends of the cable C, as will best be apparent from Figures 2 and 8, to bare a section of the multi-stranded metal core MC of the cable C. The stuffer member 6 is prepared for the tapping operation, by bending the stuffer portion 38 beneath the stuffer portion 36 as shown in Figures 2 and 7 to 9 so as to be nested within the portion 36 with the convex outer surface of the portion 38 lying against the convex inner surface of the portion 36, the neck 40 thereby being doubled over within the recess 42. By virtue of the length and the flexibility of the neck 40, and by virtue of the recess 42, the stuffer portion 38 lies wholly within the stuffer portion 36.
The stuffer member 6 having been prepared as described above, is assembled to the stripped section of the core MC of the cable C with the inner arcuate surface of the stuffer portion 38 resting on the core NIC as 6 best seen in Figures 2 and 9 in the manner of a saddle. The crimping sleeve 4 which has been threaded onto the cable C is slid along the insulation I thereof in the direction of the arrow A in Figures 2 and 8, until, as shown in Figure 8, the leading end of the sleeve 4 abuts the neck 44 at its junction with the plate 46, whereby the sleeve 4 encircles the stuffer portion 36 and the core MC as shown in Figures 8 and 9, the stuffer portions 36 and 38 cooperating substantially to take up the difference between the diameter of the core MC and the inner diameter of the sleeve 4. Crimping tooling (not shown) provided with so called "Wcrimp" crimping dyes, is then applied to the sleeve 4 to crimp it and the stuffer portions 36 and 38 to the core MC. In order to make the crimped connection CC (Figures 10 and 11) compatible with the configuration of the shells 12 and 14, and in order to seal the crimped connection CC, a substantially cylindrical insulating slug 52, for example of nylon, is moulded about the connection CC and the margins of the insulation 1, on either side thereof, as shown in Figures 1 and 10. The sleeve 4, the stuffer members 36 and 38, and the strands of the core MC, are forged under the crimping force, into a substantially voidless mass by virtue of the compensatory effect of the stuffer portions 36 and 38 which take up the difference between the internal diameter of the sleeve 4 and the diameter of the core MC. Since the internal diameter of the sleeve 4 must be great enough to enable it to be slid along the insulation 1 of the cable C, such compensation is essential in order to ensure the integrity of the crimped connection. Also, since the stuffer portions 36 and 38 are connected only by the neck 40, which, when the stuffer member has been prepared for use as described above, is the only work hardened part of the stuffer member 6, and since the neck 40 lies only at the extreme end of the member 6 and so is not included in the crimped connection proper, as will be apparent from Figure 10, no part of the stuffer member 6 is susceptible to fracture under the crimping force so as to produce a void. By virtue of the shape of the 7 neck 44, the terminal 8 projects vertically from the slug 52 as shown in Figures 1 and 10.
In order to insulate the terminal 8, the slug 52 is laid on the hinge 15 so as to extend axially therealong and the shells 12 and 14 are closed about the slug 52, whereby the housing halves 18 and 20 are closed about the terminal 8 to enclose it both laterally, and rearwardly. The back plate 46 of the terminal 8 is received in the recesses 28 of the housing halves 18 and 20, the tab 48 is received in the recesses 30 and the tabs 40 project forwardly through the recesses 32. The connector can now be mated with the mating connector 29 to allow current to be drawn from the cable C. In order to insulate the tabs 48 and 50 prior to the mating operation, the protective flaps 34 can be bent up to close the forward ends of the housing halves 18 and 20.
8
Claims (15)
1. A one piece stamped and formed metal stuffer member for reducing the internal diameter of a circular cross-section crimping sleeve, the stuffer member comprising a first portion of arcuate cross-section and a second portion of arcuate cross-section of substantially the same radius as the first portion, the crest of the arc of the first portion being connected at one end thereof to one end of the crest of the arc of the second portion by means of a neck which is capable of flexure to enable the second portion to be nested within the first portion in substantially parallel, contiguous relationship therewith.
2. A stuffer member as claimed in claim 1, wherein the first portion is of substantially semi-circular cross-section.
3. A stuffer member as claimed in claim 1, wherein the first portion is of substantially sernicircular cross-section, the arc described by the crosssection of the second portion being substantially less than semicircular.
4. A stuffer member as claimed in claim 1, 2 or 3, wherein said neck is rectilinear, the cross-sections of the first and second portions being oppositely bowed.
5. A stuffer member as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, wherein the first and second portions are of substantially the same length.
6. A stuffer member as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, wherein the first and second portions are elongate and have chamfered longitudinal edges.
7. A stuffer member as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, wherein the stuffer member is of constant stock thickness throughout.
8. A stuffer member as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, wherein an electrical terminal formed integrally with the first portion is connected 71 9 to the other end of the crest of the arc of the first portion by means of a neck extending radially outwardly thereof.
9. A kit of parts for making an electrical tap connection to the core of an insulated cable having a section of insulation stripped from said core intermediate the ends of the cable, the kit of parts comprising, a circular cross-section crimping sleeve having an internal diameter slightly exceeding the external diameter of the cable insulation and a wire stuffer member comprising first and second elongate, arcuate crosssection stuffer portions, hingedly connected together so as to enable said second portion to be nested within said first portion, for insertion between the cable core and the crimping sleeve, in order to compensate for the difference between the diameter of the cable core and the internal diameter of said sleeve, and an electrical terminal projecting radially outwardly from one end of said first portion.
10. A kit of parts as claimed in claim 9, further comprising a two part insulating housing, each part having an elongate semi-circular crosssection shell and a terminal enclosing portion, adjacent first longitudinal edges of said semi-circular cross-section shells being connected by an axial hinge and each terminal enclosing portion being connected to a second longitudinal edge of a respective one of said shells, opposite to said first longitudinal edge thereof, said parts being relatively pivotable about said hinge to enable said shells to enclose said cable and said terminal enclosing portions to house said terminal.
11. An electrical tap connection to the core of an insulated cable having a section of insulation stripped from the core of said cable intermediate the ends thereof, said connection comprising a circular cross-section crimping sleeve which has been crimped to the stripped section of the cable core, through the intermediary of a metal stuffer member comprising a first arcuate cross-section stuffer portion having nested there within a second circular cross-section stuffer portion, the stuffer portion being connected at one end thereof by a doubled over neck, a electrical terminal connected to the other end of the first stuffer portion projecting from the crimping sleeve radially outwardly thereof.
12. A tap connection as claimed in claim 11, comprising a substantially cylindrical slug of insulating material moulded about the crimping sleeve and about marginal portions of the cable insulation adjacent to the stripped part of the cable core, the terminal projecting from the insulating slug radially outwardly thereof.
13. A one piece stamped and formed metal stuffer member substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the accompanying drawings.
14. A kit of parts for making an electrical tap connection to the core of an insulated cable, substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the accompanying drawings.
15. An electrical tap connection to the core of an insulated cable, substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the accompanying drawings.
Applications Claiming Priority (1)
| Application Number | Priority Date | Filing Date | Title |
|---|---|---|---|
| GB909023066A GB9023066D0 (en) | 1990-10-23 | 1990-10-23 | Tapping an insulated cable |
Publications (3)
| Publication Number | Publication Date |
|---|---|
| GB9121058D0 GB9121058D0 (en) | 1991-11-13 |
| GB2250388A true GB2250388A (en) | 1992-06-03 |
| GB2250388B GB2250388B (en) | 1994-06-08 |
Family
ID=10684231
Family Applications (2)
| Application Number | Title | Priority Date | Filing Date |
|---|---|---|---|
| GB909023066A Pending GB9023066D0 (en) | 1990-10-23 | 1990-10-23 | Tapping an insulated cable |
| GB9121058A Expired - Fee Related GB2250388B (en) | 1990-10-23 | 1991-10-03 | Tapping an insulated cable |
Family Applications Before (1)
| Application Number | Title | Priority Date | Filing Date |
|---|---|---|---|
| GB909023066A Pending GB9023066D0 (en) | 1990-10-23 | 1990-10-23 | Tapping an insulated cable |
Country Status (2)
| Country | Link |
|---|---|
| DE (1) | DE4134729A1 (en) |
| GB (2) | GB9023066D0 (en) |
Cited By (2)
| Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| CN105337243A (en) * | 2014-08-15 | 2016-02-17 | 上海市高桥电缆厂有限公司 | Bifurcation connector for multi-core branch cable and cable system containing bifurcation connector |
| EP3560766A1 (en) * | 2018-04-27 | 2019-10-30 | Lisa Dräxlmaier GmbH | Cable assembly for an electrical network of a motor vehicle |
Families Citing this family (1)
| Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| DE19937510A1 (en) * | 1999-08-09 | 2001-08-30 | Vw Bordnetze Gmbh Heinenkamp | Tapping for electric cable, has electrically conducting fitting applied to cable section with insulation removed and shape essentially similar to removed section, and deformable cable shoe |
Citations (2)
| Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| GB1073899A (en) * | 1964-09-22 | 1967-06-28 | Amp Inc | Hollow contact pin, particularly for coaxial connectors |
| GB1171940A (en) * | 1965-12-29 | 1969-11-26 | Materiel Electr Soc Ind De | Improvements in or relating to Electrical Connector Means and Connections. |
-
1990
- 1990-10-23 GB GB909023066A patent/GB9023066D0/en active Pending
-
1991
- 1991-10-03 GB GB9121058A patent/GB2250388B/en not_active Expired - Fee Related
- 1991-10-21 DE DE19914134729 patent/DE4134729A1/en not_active Withdrawn
Patent Citations (2)
| Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| GB1073899A (en) * | 1964-09-22 | 1967-06-28 | Amp Inc | Hollow contact pin, particularly for coaxial connectors |
| GB1171940A (en) * | 1965-12-29 | 1969-11-26 | Materiel Electr Soc Ind De | Improvements in or relating to Electrical Connector Means and Connections. |
Cited By (2)
| Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| CN105337243A (en) * | 2014-08-15 | 2016-02-17 | 上海市高桥电缆厂有限公司 | Bifurcation connector for multi-core branch cable and cable system containing bifurcation connector |
| EP3560766A1 (en) * | 2018-04-27 | 2019-10-30 | Lisa Dräxlmaier GmbH | Cable assembly for an electrical network of a motor vehicle |
Also Published As
| Publication number | Publication date |
|---|---|
| GB2250388B (en) | 1994-06-08 |
| GB9121058D0 (en) | 1991-11-13 |
| GB9023066D0 (en) | 1990-12-05 |
| DE4134729A1 (en) | 1992-04-30 |
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Legal Events
| Date | Code | Title | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
| 732E | Amendments to the register in respect of changes of name or changes affecting rights (sect. 32/1977) | ||
| PCNP | Patent ceased through non-payment of renewal fee |
Effective date: 20011003 |