GB2476935A

GB2476935A - Crimping end caps for electrical cabling

Info

Publication number: GB2476935A
Application number: GB201000492A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Karl Rogers
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 2010-01-13
Filing date: 2010-01-13
Publication date: 2011-07-20
Anticipated expiration: 2030-01-13
Also published as: GB201000492D0; GB2476935B

Abstract

An end cap for electrical cabling can be crimped onto the end of a cable For isolation, or can be used to join two or more cables, see Fig 3. Metal ring H is compressed by a conventional crimper to hold the cap securely in place. If two cables of different ratings are to be connected, a fuse (A, Fig 4.1) is provided. The end cap may be waterproof and contain gel. Test probe access holes (G, Fig 1.5) may be provided. The end cap may be wide enough to hold two cables, see Fig 2.

Description

DEsCRIPTi4

THIS INVENTION PROVIDES A SOLUTION FOR THE SAFE AND EXPEDITIOUS CONNECTION OR ISOLATION OF LIVE

ELECTRICAL PVC/PVC/CPC CABLING.

AS A PROFESSION, ELECTRICIANS AND ELECTRICAL ENGINEERS SPEND INORDINATE AMOUNTS OF TIME CUTflNG, STRIPPING BACK AND ISOLATING TO MAKE SAFE, HUGE NUMBERS OF ELECTRICAL CABLING. SINCE, MORE OFfEN THAN NOT. THE WORK UNDERTAKEN IS CHARGED BY THE HOUR, ANY REDUCTION IN TIME SPENT WILL ENABLE THE PROFESSIONAL TO QUOTE AT A LESSER AMOUNT, WITHOUT LOSING OUT AND PASS ON THOSE SAVINGS TO THE CUSTOMER.

HOWEVER, THE ISSUE THAT WILL ALWAYS ARISE IN SUCH PRACTICES IS WHETHER THE MORE TIME EFFICIENT RESOLUTION OF THE JOB IS IN FACT AS SAFE AS IT NEEDS TO BE. THIS PRODUCT RANGE PROVIDES A METHOD THAT TICKS BOTH BOXES.

THE PRODUCTS IN THIS RANGE ARE ALSO TO BE AVAILABLE FOR DOMESTIC USE BY HOME OWNERS (DIY), IN REPLACEMENT OF THE OLD FASHIONED "CHOCK BLOCK" TYPE FIXING. iT WOULD OF COURSE BE A

RECOMMENDATION WITHIN THE PACKAGING OR INSTRUCTIONS THAT PROFESSIONAL ADVISE SHOULD ALWAYS

BE SOUGHT BEFORE USE, AS PER THE REGULATIONS IN THAT PARTICULAR TERRITORY.

AT ThIS TIME, THE PRODUCTS WHICH ARE SUBJECT OF THIS APPUCATJON CONSIST OF 5 SEPARATE TYPES, SPECIFIC TO 5 DIFFERENT SCENARIOS COMMONLY ENCOUNTERED WHEN USING ELECTRICAL CABLING. ALL OF THESE TYPES RELATE TO THE USE OF STANDARD PVC1PVC/CPC CABLING COMMONLY KNOWN AS "TWIN AND EARTH" AND FOUND IN ALL HOMES AND COMMERCIAL PROPERTIES THROUGHOUT THE UK. IT IS THE

INTENTION TO EXTEND THIS RANGE OF PRODUCTS TO COVER DIFFERENT TYPES OF CABLING COMMONLY

FOUND ACROSS THE WORLD, ESPECIALLY ACROSS EUROPE, THE AMERICAS, ASIA AND AUSTRALIA.

HERE FOLLOWS A LIST OF THE 5 ILLUSTRATIONS TO ACCOMPANY THIS APPLICATION...

* THE FIRST PRODUCT IS DESIGNED TO CAP THE OPEN END OF A PVC/PVC/CPC CABLE. (FIG 1) * THE SECOND IS DESIGNED TO CAP 2PVC/PVC/CPC CABLES TOGETHER, YET SEPARATELY. (FIG2) * THE THIRD PRODUCT CONNECTS 2 PVC/PVC/CPC CABLES END TO END (FIGS) * * *. FOURTH IS A PRODUCT DESIGNED TO CONNECT 2 PVC/PVC/CPC, WHICH CARRY DIFFERENT *..fl.

* STRENGTHS OF CURRENT. (FIG4) ... THE FIFTH ITEM ILLUSTRATES THE SAME PURPOSE AS FIG 1, EXCEPT iT IS FOR USE OUTDOORS, OR IN A DAMP I WET ENVIRONMENT. THE SAME PRINCIPLE CAN BE APPLIED TO ALL ITEMS IN THE RANGE. (FIGS) .]JRE 1

I I..

T-4IS IS A SERIES OF ILLUSTRATIONS SHOWING THE TYPE OF CABLE THAT WE ARE DEALING WITH (PVC/PVC/CPC), TECHNICAL iLLUSTRATIONS OF THE BASIC END CAP & A SKETCH OF END CAP IN

OPERATION

IN FiG 1.1, A VIEW OF PVC/PVC/CPC CABLE. IT CAN BE SEEN THAT THERE ARE 3 WIRES WITHIN THE CABLE.

THESE ARE THE LIVE (A), THE NEUTRAL (s) AND THE EARTH(C) WIRES. BOTH THE LIVE AND NEUTRAL WIRES ARE DOUBLE INSULATED, IN ThAT THEY HAVE A SHEATH OF INSULATING PLASTIC EACH. AS WELL AS THE OUTER INSULATING CASING. THE EARTH HAS NO SUCH INDIVIDUAL INSULATION, INSTEAD IS REUANT ON THE OUTER CASING AND THE SHEATHES OF THE TWO ADJACENT WIRES TO PREVENT UNWANTED CONTACTS BEING MADE.

THIS FEATURE OF THE CABLE IS WHAT MAKES THE CONNECTION AND OR ISOLATION TIME-CONSUMING. EACH OF THESE WIRES NEEDS TO BE KEPT CLEAR OF THE OTHER TWO iN THE CABLE AND ANY OTHER CONDUCTIVE MATERIAL TO ALLOW IT TO WORK AT ALL AND TO DO SO SAFELY.

THE PVC/PVC!CPC CABLE WOULD HAVE TO BE STRIPPED BACK TO THIS STATE TO ALLOW ANY PRODUCTS IN THIS RANGE TO BE CAPPED OR CONNECTED.

FIGS 1.2, 1.3, 1.4 & I.5 SHOW 4 VIEWS OF THE EXTERIOR OF THE END CAP, THE PLAN, THE FRONT, AND BOTH ENDS.

IT CAN BE SEEN HERE THAT THE CAP ITSELF IS ONLY THE THICKNESS OF THE INSULATING PLASTIC LARGER

THAN THE ACTUAL CABLE ITSELF (D). THIS MEANS THAT IT WILL FIT AS FLUSH TO ANY SURFACE AS THE CABLE ITSELF DOES. IT iS ALSO DESIGNED AESTHETICALLY SO AS TO NOT BE ANY MORE OF AN EYE-SORE THAN

EXPOSED CABLES EVER ARE

(E) SHOWS THE CRIMPING ZONE. AT THIS POINT. THE CAP CONTAINS A METAL RING WHICH CLAMPS AROUND THE CABLE, HOLDING THE CAP SECURELY IN PLACE AND ALLOWS NO RISK OF THE WIRES WITHIN THE CABLE BEING EXPOSED.

THE OPEN ENDED VIEW (1.4) SHOWS 3 RECEPTACLES (F) INSIDE THE CAP, ONE FOR EACH OF THE WIRES. THE CENTRAL RECEPTACLE BEING SLIGHTLY SMALLER IN SIZE AS IT IS ONLY REQUIRED TO CONTAIN A WIRE, NOT THE ENCASING INSULATION AS PER THE TWO OUTER WIRES.

THE CLOSED END DIAGRAM SHOWS THREE SMALL HOLES (G), SUFFICIENT ONLY TO ALLOW A TESTER PROBE ACCESS TO THE WIRE ENDS WITHIN. THIS MEANS THAT THERE IS A SAFE AND EASY METHOD OF TESTING THE EXISTENCE OF CURRENT IN THE CABLE WITHOUT HAVING TO REMOVE THE CAP OR CHECKING AT SOURCE.

THE FINAL SKETCH VIEW (1.6) SHOWS HOW THE CABLE FITS INTO THE CAP AND HOW THE COMPRESSION OF THE METAL RING (H) BY A CONVENTIONAL CRIMPER WORKS TO HOLD THE CAP SECURELY IN PLACE.

FIGURE 2 THIS IS A FURTHER SERIES OF ILLUSTRATIONS SHOWING A DOUBLE CAP IN OPERATION. THE TWO CABLES HERE ARE HELD TOGETHER, BUT KEPT ISOLATED FROM ONE ANOTHER. SUCH AS SCENARIO AS THIS, WOULD * .cOME ABOUT IN A LIGHTING RADIAL, FOR EXAMPLE A DOMESTIC CEIUNG LIGHT. THE DOUBLE CAP.

S S...

THE PLAN, FRONT AND BOTH END VIEWS CAN BE SEEN (FIGS 2.1, 2.2, 2.3 & 2.4) THIS IS EXACTLY THE SAME PRINCIPLE AS IN FIG 1, WITH THE OBVIOUS EXCEPTION THAT THE CAP IS DESIGNED .104IOLD TWO SEPARATE CABLES. THE OPEN END VIEW (FIG2.3) IS ILLUSTRATIVE OF HOW THE TWO CABLES AftE SEPARATED BY AN INSULATING PLASTIC PARTITION (A). OF THE SAME MATERIAL AND QUAUTIES AS THE c2OTER CASING OF THE CAP.

: j'I2.5 IS A FURTHER SKETCH OF THE DOUBLE CAP IN OPERATION, FIGURE 3

THIS EXAMPLE DIFFERS FROM THE PREVIOUS TWO IN THAT IT IS DESIGNED TO CONNECT TWO LENGTHS OF

pvC/PVC/CPC CABLE, TO CARRY THROUGH THE ELECTRICAL CURRENT. SUCH A USE FOR THIS WOULD BE TO EXTEND THE LENGTH OF A CABLE TO REACH APPUANCES WHICH ARE NEW TO AN ENVIRONMENT.

ONCE MORE, THERE ARE ILLUSTRATIONS OF THE FRONT (FIG 3.1), THE PLAN (3.2) AND THE END VIEWS (3.3) BOTH ENDS BEING IDENTICAL... IN THESE ILLUSTRATIONS, THE CRIMPING ZONE WHERE THE METAL RING IS HOUSED CAN BE SEEN AT (A), THE TESTER HOLES ARE AT (s).

FIG 3.415 A SKETCH OF THE CONNECTING PRODUCT IN USE. IT CAN BE NOTED THAT THERE IS COLOUR CODING IN USE ON THIS PRODUCT (c). TI-US IS TO ENSURE THAT WHEN USED, THE UVE WIRE IN THE FIRST PVC/PVC/CPC CABLE IS ALWAYS CONNECTED TO THE LJVE WIRE IN THE SECOND PVC/PVC/CPC CABLE.

FIGURE 4 THIS PRODUCT DIFFERS FROM THE PREVIOUS IN THAT IT IS DESIGNED TO JOIN 2 PVC/PVCJCPC CABLES TOGETHER, WHICH ARE OF DIFFERENT SIZES. IT FOLLOWS THEREFORE THAT THE CAPACITY OF THE LARGE PVCIPVC/CPC CABLE IS GREATER. IN ORDER TO PROTECT ANY APPUANCE CONNECTED BEYOND THIS POINT, A FUSE MUST BE FITrED TO ENSURE NO DAMAGE CAN BE CAUSED.

As PER THE PREVIOUS. FIGS 4.1,4.2,4.3 AND 4.4 SHOW THE DIFFERENT VIEWS OF THE PRODUCT. AGAIN THE ADDITIONAL SKETCH ILLUSTRATES THE PRODUCT IN OPERATION (FIG 4.6) IN FIG 4.1, IT IS SHOWN THAT THERE IS A RECEPTACLE FOR A FUSE TO BE FI11ED (A). ACCORDING TO THE DEGREE OF RESTRICTION REQUIRED, GIVEN THE CAPACITY OF THE TWO PVCIPVC/CPC CABLES AND THE AMOUNT OF POWER BEING USED BY ANYTHING CONNECTED TO THIS CABLE. ACCESS TO THE FUSE IS MADE THROUGH A HINGED DOOR (B) ON THE UPPER ASPECT OF THE PRODUCT. THE DOOR IS SECURED WITH A SIMPLE CLASP MECHANISM (C) ON THE NON-HINGED SIDE.

FIGS 4.2,4.3 & 4.4 SHOW THE DIFFERENCE IN SIZE OF THE TWO SIDES OF THE PRODUCT TO ACCOMMODATE THE TWO DIFFERENT SIZES OF PVC/PVC/CPC CABLE BE1NG ADJOINED. IN THIS CASE, A 20 AMP SUPPLY IN (D), BEING THE LARGER PVC/PVC/CPC CABLE AND THEN A 10 AMP PVC/PVC/CPC CABLE ON THE OTHER SIDE (E). OBVIOUSLY, FUSED ACCORDINGLY TO THE POWER SUPPLY REQUiRED THE SAME TESTER HOLES AS IN PREVIOUS EXAMPLES CAN BE SEEN ON THE SKETCH VIEW (FIG 4.5) AND ARE LABELLED AS (F).

INSJDE THIS PRODUCT, METAL CONNECTERS (INSULATED) ARE USED TO CARRY CURRENT FROM THE GREATER PVC/PVC/CPC CABLE TO THE FUSE CONNECTORS INSIDE THE FUSE HOUSING OR RECEPTACLE, AND THEN FROM THE FUSE CONNECTORS THE PVC/PVC/CPC CABLE ON THE OTHER SIDE. THESE CONNECTIONS ARE

TO BE FOUND BEYOND THE CRIMPING SECTION AND JUST PAST THE TESTER HOLES ON EITHER SIDE OF THE

FUSE. DUE TO THE NATURE OF THIS PRODUCT, IT IS LARGER THAN THE OTHERS TO ACCOMMODATE THE ADDITiONAL COMPONENT PARTS. S. * I 0***

I

* .* *.* * FIURE 5 : TiE FINAL EXAMPLE OF THE RANGE OF PRODUCTS ILLUSTRATES EXACTLY THE SAME USE AS THE PRODUCT END GAP SHOWN IN FIGURE 1. THE DIFFERENCE THOUGH IS THAT THIS EXAMPLE IS SPECIFICALLY DESIGNED TO THE *�S RESISTANT TO MOISTURE INGRESS, SO IS SUITABLE FOR OUTDOOR USE OR IN AREAS OF A DAMP NATURE.

: 1'1L MOISTURE-TIGHT SEAL IS MADE BY WAY OF A GEL SAC, FOUND WITHIN THE RECESS INTO WHICH THE 1C/PVC/CPC CABLE IS INSERTED. UPON CRIMPING, THE GEL SAC IS BROKEN, EXPELLING THE NON- 3NDUCTIVE GEL INTO THE VOID AND STOPPING ANY MOISTURE GEITING TO THE METAL WIRES WITHIN THE PVC/PVC/CPC CABLE.

FIG 5.1 IS A CROSS SECTION, WHICH SHOWS HOW THE GEL SAC (A) OVERLAPS THE CRIMPING RING (s) WITHIN THE END CAP STRUCTURE. IT IS MODESTLY PERFORATED (c) TO ENSURE A FULL EXPULSION OF THE GEL INTO THE VOID AND SO A COMPLETE WATER TIGHT SEAL. THIS IS FURTHER SHOWN IN FIGS.2.

IT IS ANTICIPATED THAT THIS ENHANCEMENT WILL BE EXTENDED THROUGH RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT, SO THAT ALL THE PRODUCTS IN THE RANGE HAVE A WATER RESISTANT COUNTERPART, WHERE THERE WOULD BE A COMMERCIAL NEED.

NO FIGURES IN THIS SERIES ARE SPECIFICALLY TO SCALE...