GB2518903A

GB2518903A - Improvements in and related to a waterproof connector

Info

Publication number: GB2518903A
Application number: GB1317754.8A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Stephen Levy
Original assignee: CHANGZHOU LLANGDI ELECTRON LIGHT SOURCE CO Ltd; HEAT OUTDOORS Ltd
Current assignee: CHANGZHOU LLANGDI ELECTRON LIGHT SOURCE CO Ltd; HEAT OUTDOORS Ltd
Priority date: 2013-10-07
Filing date: 2013-10-07
Publication date: 2015-04-08
Also published as: GB201317754D0

Abstract

The electrical connection cover comprises first 10 and second 20 cover parts. Each cover part is preferably cylindrical in shape having an open end, a closed end 12,22 and a circular wall 14,24. The closed end of each cover part has a respective opening 16,26 through which a covered electrical connection extends in use (110,120, figure 3). The open ends are adapted to releasably seal with one another, preferably through co-operating threaded portions 18,28. Preferably, the covering of the electrical connections forms a water-tight seal with the respective openings through which they extend in use to prevent moisture ingress into the cover. An outdoor heater having a heating element is also claimed in which opposing ends of the element are connected to a power supply using two electrical connection covers associated with respective end connectors (44, figure 4) of the heater. The heater ideally has a protective guard (200, figure 5) to house the heating element within an annular section. Ideally, the cover is made of polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE), which permits relative rotation between the first and second cover parts without compromising the seal. The cover facilitates ease of replacement of the heater element, eliminating the need to dismantle the heater.

Description

Improvements in and related to a waterproof connector s This invention relates to improvements in and to a heater connection cover allowing for an improved electrical connector having particular but not exclusive use in outdoor heaters.

Such heaters typically comprise an electrically powered radiative heater io element with a reflector mounted adjacent the heater element to direct heat in a desired direction.

CD In order to be used outdoors, the electrical connections of the outdoor heater need to protect against the ingress of water to achieve a suitable is safety rating, the ingress protection rating. The ingress protection rating LCD is defined by international standard EN 60529 (British BS EN 60529:1992, European IEC 60509:1989).

It is known to mount the heater element and the reflector to a main housing, such that the wiring from the heater element extends from the heater element through the main housing to a waterproof housing located to the rear or side of the main housing. If the waterproof housing is mounted to one end of the heater, a wire from a first end of the heater element adjacent the waterproof housing leads from the heater element into the heater housing and then into the waterproof housing, while the other connection leads from the other end of the heater element through the other end of the heater housing, and into the waterproof housing where the connection to the power supply is made. If for any reason the heater element or lamp needs to be changed, the outdoor heater needs to be largely stripped down or dismantled to obtain access to the concealed wires and the waterproof housing. The waterproof housing is usually s located behind or adjacent to the main housing to protect waterproof seals of the waterproof housing from the possibility of heat damage caused by the heater element.

It is an advantage of the present invention that it addresses these to problems.

C') According to a first aspect of the present invention a heater connection o cover comprises a first cover part, a second cover part, each of the first and second cover parts being open at a first end, the free ends of the is open first ends being adapted to seal releasably against one other and each of the first and second cover parts being provided with openings through which in use a covered electrical connection extends.

According to a second aspect of the present invention, an electrical connector for use in an outdoor heater comprises a first cover part into which a first covered electrical connection extends and a second cover part into which a second covered electrical connection extends, the first electrical connector being adapted electrically to connect with the second electrical connector, each of the first and second cover parts being open at a first end, the free ends of the open first ends being adapted to seal releasably against one other.

According to a third aspect of the present invention an outdoor heater comprises a heater element having at each end a first covered electrical connection, a housing including means for mounting the heater element, a S connection for supplying power at each end of the housing, the connection including a second covered electrical connector, a connector at each end of the heater element between the first covered electrical connection and the second covered electrical connection, the connector comprising a first cover part into which the first covered electrical connection extends and a to second cover part into which the second covered electrical connection extends, the first electrical connector being adapted electrically to connect C') with the second electrical connector, each of the first and second cover o parts being open at a first end, the free ends of the open first ends being adapted to seal releasably against one other.

LU c'J'5

Preferably the first and second cover parts are provided with mating screw threads to seal the free ends of the open first ends releasably against one other.

Preferably each of the first and second cover parts are provided with an opening to allow the respective first and second covered electrical connections to extend into the respective first and second cover parts.

More preferably a moisture ingress preventing seal is created between the respective opening in each of the first and second cover parts and the covering of the respective First and second electrical connections.

Preferably the first and second parts of the electrical connector are formed from polytetrafluoroethylene. or similar material.

s As the electrical connector provides protection against moisture ingress the electrical connector does not need to be housed within a separate waterproof compartment. Instead it may be located elsewhere, for example in a compartment at the end of the housing adjacent an end of the heater element. This allows for ready replacement of the heater to element itself should this be required, since all that is required is access to the ends of the housing and for each electrical connector to be separated C') and the first and second covered connections to be separated. The heater o element can then be removed without further dismantling of the outdoor heater.

LU c'J'5

The invention also eliminates the need for the outdoor heater to be dismantled or stripped if access to either set of electrical connections is desired for any reason.

The invention will now be described, by way of example only, in relation to the attached Figures, in which Figure 1 shows a side section of a first part of an electrical connector in accordance with the present invention; Figure 2 shows a side section of a second part of the electrical connector in accordance with the present invention; Figure 3 shows a somewhat schematic side section of the electrical connector in accordance with the present invention; Figure 4 shows a plan view of a heater element in accordance with the present invention; and s Figure 5 shows one end of an outdoor heater incorporating an electrical connector in accordance with the present invention.

Referring first to Figures 1 and 2, there can be seen side sections of first and second cover parts of an electrical connector. It will be understood to that the cover parts of the connector may adopt any suitable shape and that the shape shown is by way of illustration only. C')

o In Figure 1 a first cover part 10 of the electrical connector is shown. The first cover 10 has a first end portion 12 and a circular wall 14 extending is away therefrom. It will be understood that as a result the first cover 10 is generally circular in cross section. The first end portion 12 is provided with an opening 16. The opening 14 is conveniently centrally located. The first cover 10 is provided with a free end remote from the first end portion 12. An inner region of the free end is provided with a threaded portion 18. It can be seen that the first cover 10 is generally symmetric about a longitudinal axis.

In Figure 2 a second cover 20 of the electrical connector is shown. The second cover 20 is conveniently of similar construction and has a first end portion or base 22 and a circular wall 24 extending away therefrom. It will be understood that as a result the second cover 20 is also generally circular in cross section. The first end portion 22 is provided with an opening 26. The opening 26 is conveniently centrally located. The second cover 20 is also provided with a free end remote from the first end portion22. An outer part of the free end is provided with a threaded portion 28.

The threaded portion 18 of the first cover 10 is adapted to be engaged by the threaded portion 28 of the second cover 20. It will be understood that the first cover 10 is of greater diameter section than the second cover 20.

to The first cover 10 can be considered a female part to the male counterpart of second cover 20. C')

o In use a first covered electrical connection having a covered lead 110 and a connection piece 112 at a free end of the covered lead is provided, the is covered lead extending through the opening 16 into the first cover of the connector. A covering of the lead 110 is conveniently the normal plastics covering of such a lead. In use, the opening 16 of the first cover 10 is sized to provide a close fit about the first lead such that a moisture ingress preventing seal is formed between the first cover 10 and the covering of the lead 110. Conveniently the first cover 10 may be manufactured from polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE) or a similar material.

In use a second covered electrical connection having a covered lead 120 and a connection piece 122 at a free end of the covered lead is provided, the covered lead extending through the through the opening 26 into the second cover 20 of the connector. A covering of the lead 120 is conveniently the normal plastics covering of such a connection. In use, the opening 26 of the second part 20 is sized to provide a close fit about the second lead such that again a moisture ingress preventing seal is formed between the second cover 20 and the covering of the lead 120.

S Conveniently the second cover 20 may also be manufactured from polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE) or a similar material.

The first and second connection pieces 112,122, for example spade connectors are connected together. The first and second covers 10,20 of to the connector are then drawn towards one another and screwed together using the threaded portions 18,28. Where the first and second covers C') 10,20 are manufactured From PTFE it will be understood that the low o friction properties of PTFE will allow for such relative rotation of the first and second covers 10,20 with respect to one another (and about the is respective first and second connection pieces) while still keeping the moisture seal between the respective first and second covers 10,20 and the respective covered leads once the first and second covers 10,20 are secured together.

It can be seen that the first and second covers together form a heat resistant heater connection cover that is waterproof/water resistant to IPxS (as defined by international standard EN 60529).

while the connector has been illustrated as having a screw thread fixing between the first and second covers 10,20, it will be understood that other moisture ingress preventing but releasable connections may be used to connect the first and second covers 10,20 of the connector together.

S As illustrated in Figure 4, a heater element 40 comprises a main heater section 42 terminating at each end with end connectors 44. A covered lead 120 extends from each end connector 44. Each covered lead 120 terminates in a connection piece 122 in the form of a spade connector. A cover 20 is provided on each covered lead 120.

In Figure 5 one end of an outdoor heater assembly 100 is shown. It will C') be understood that the outdoor heater assembly comprises two such end o sections, with each end being substantially a reflection of the other. The assembly comprises a main housing, generally arcuate in section.

is Towards each end a mounting plate 106 separates an end section 102 from a main section 104. The mounting plate 106 extends across the housing and is provided with a keyway or cut-away portion 108. The main heater section 42 of the heater element 40 is mounted within the main section 104 with the end connectors 44 on the other side of the mounting plate 106.

In use the end sections 102 will be protected by cover plates (not shown) and the main section housing the main heater section 42 of the heater element 40 is provided with a cover plate or protective guard 200. The main section is conveniently further provided with a reflector mounted behind the main heater section 42 of the heater element 40.

Each end section 102 also includes an opening 150 thorough which a covered lead 110 extends. It will be understood that this covered lead 110 is adapted provide power from a power supply such as a mains s power supply. The lead 110 terminates in a connection piece (not shown). The lead 110 is provided with a cover part 10.

It can be seen that by removing a cover plate from an end section access to the connector is provided such that the first and second covers 10,20 to can be separated from one another allowing disconnection of the connection pieces 112,122. Removal of the protective guard 200 then C') allows the heater element 40 easily to be removed from the heater o assembly. It will be appreciated that since only the front covering needs to be removed from the outdoor heater assembly, such an exchange of is the heater element 40 or inspection of the electrical connections can be conducted without removing the outdoor heater assembly from its mounted location.

It is an advantage of constructing the cover parts form PTFE that this material is able to withstand both the heat of the end compartment 102 when the heater element 44 is operating, but is also adapted to withstand the cycling of temperature between active and inactive conditions of the outdoor heater.