KR100544551B1 - Electrical Connector and Cable Clamp Assembly - Google Patents

Abstract

The present invention relates to cable clamp assemblies made for use across a wide range of cable diameters. The assembly includes a tubular base, a first finger axially extending from the tubular base and having cable engaging means, and a second finger axially extending from the tubular base and having cable engaging means. This assembly accommodates a variety of cable diameters and provides bending relief and strain relief for any adjacent crimp-to-wire or solder-to-wire interconnect.

Description

Electrical Connector and Cable Clamp Assembly

The present invention relates to electrical connectors, in particular clamps for securing electrical cables in electrical connectors.

Various devices have been proposed for holding electrical cables in electrical connectors. One disadvantage of such devices is that they are typically designed to accept only one size or narrow range of electrical cables. Accordingly, there is a need for a cable clamp assembly that accommodates a wide range of sizes, is convenient to use, and inexpensive to manufacture. There is also a need for a device that reduces strain and warpage at crimp to wire or solder to wire connections.

The present invention is a cable clamp assembly adapted for use with a range of cable diameters. The assembly includes a tubular base, a first finger axially extending from the tubular base and having cable engaging means, and a second finger axially extending from the tubular base and having cable engaging means. This assembly accommodates cables of various diameters and relieves warpage and deformation at adjacent wire crimp or wire solder connections.

Hereinafter, the present invention will be described with reference to the accompanying drawings.

1 and 2, the cable clamp bushing 10 has a tubular base 11, an elastic first finger 12, and an elastic second finger disposed opposite the first finger with respect to the tubular base. (14). The first finger 12 has a distal protrusion 16 extending forward and inward. The first finger also has an outward radial projection 18 disposed rearward from its anterior distal end. The second finger has a distal protrusion 20 extending forward and inward. The second finger 20 also has an outward radial projection 22. The elastic third finger 24 and the elastic fourth finger 26 also extend from the tubular base 11. The third finger has distal protrusions 28 extending forward and inward. The fourth finger 26 also has distal protrusions 30 extending forward and inward. There is an axial groove 32 between the first finger 12 and the third finger 24. There is an axial groove 34 between the first finger 12 and the fourth finger 26. There is an axial groove 36 between the second finger 14 and the fourth finger 26. There is an axial groove 38 between the second finger 14 and the third finger 24. The bushing 10 also has an axial bore 40 for receiving the cable. The rear edge 41 of the bushing 10 is rounded to accommodate the bending of the cable as described below.

3 shows a state in which the cable 42 is inserted into the axial bore 40. Referring to Figure 4, as the cable moves axially forward, the fingers, such as fingers 12 and 14, are bent and deployed to accommodate a cable of a predetermined diameter. The end protrusions extending forward and inward of the fingers, such as the end protrusions 16, 20, grip the outer insulation jacket 43 of the cable. Although fingers 24 and 26 are not shown in Fig. 4, these fingers are also bent and deployed to accommodate a cable of a predetermined diameter. End projections 28, 30 extending forward and inward of these fingers grip the outer insulating jacket 43 of the cable 42. Those skilled in the art will appreciate that the fingers bend much when accommodating larger diameter cables and less bend when accommodating smaller diameter cables.

5 and 6, the bushing is received in a machined metal connector shell 44. As shown in FIG. The shell is divided into a first opposing portion 46 and a second opposing portion 48. The connector shell also has a central opening 50 for receiving the bushing. Adjacent to the central opening 50, the shell 44 has a cylindrical inner wall 52 with a peripheral groove 54. In particular, referring to FIG. 6, the peripheral groove receives the outward radial projection 18 of the first finger 12 and the outward radial projection 22 of the second finger 14. End projections extending forward and inward on the finger grip the outer insulating jacket 43 of the cable 42 to counteract the pulling force of the cable from the connector shell 44. The connector shell 44 includes an upper transverse hole 56 and a lower transverse hole 58, which holes first and second opposing portions 46 and 48 of the connector shell 44. Receive the clamping bolts 60 and 62 respectively for fixing.

In the above, a cable clamp assembly has been described that can be used to mount cables of different diameters into electrical connectors in a single assembly. A relatively small diameter difference can be accommodated by having the fingers bend radially outward or inward. If the difference in diameter is relatively large, remove the bushing 10 from the shell and replace the original bushing with another bushing. Those skilled in the art will appreciate that it is easy to manufacture multiple bushings having a central bore of various sizes while having a uniform outer diameter fitted to the inner wall 52 and the peripheral groove 54 of the shell 44. Can be. Compared to the preparation of many similar connector shells of various sizes, it is advantageous from an economic point of view to prepare various bushings.

The assembly of the present invention alleviates warpage and deformation for wire crimp or wire solder connections that may be formed in a cable. The rounded surface on the rear end 41 of the bushing provides this bending relief. Referring to Fig. 6, when there is a wire crimp or wire solder connection on the cable in the direction of the arrow, the cable is stretched in that direction. Thus, this deformation on the connection tensions the projections 16, 20 on the outer insulating jacket 43 of the cable 42, so that the deformation on the connection is reduced.

While the present invention has been described with reference to the preferred embodiments of the several figures, other similar embodiments may be used, and modifications and additions to the embodiment for carrying out the same functions may be made without departing from the present invention. Accordingly, the invention is not limited to any single embodiment, but rather should be construed within the breadth and scope of the appended claims.

The assembly according to the invention has the effect of accepting cables of various diameters and relieving warpage and deformation at adjacent wire crimp or wire solder connections.

1 is a front view of a preferred embodiment of the cable clamp bushing of the present invention.

Figure 2 is a vertical sectional view taken along line 2-2 of Figure 1;

3 is a vertical cross-sectional view of the bushing shown in FIG. 2 showing an initial engagement with the cable.

4 is a view similar to FIG. 3 showing the cable in a coupled state;

5 is a front view of the cable clamp bushing shown in FIG. 1 mounted to an electrical shell;

FIG. 6 is a cross-sectional view of the assembly taken along line 6-6 of FIG. 5 showing the cable in a coupled state;

<Explanation of symbols for the main parts of the drawings>

10: cable clamp bushing

12: first finger

14: second finger

16, 20, 28, 30: terminal protrusion

18, 22: outward radial projection

24: third finger

26: fourth finger

32, 34, 36, 38: axial groove

Claims (15)

An electrical connector comprising an outer peripheral shell and a cable clamp assembly having a size and shape received within the outer peripheral shell, The cable clamp assembly, (1) a tubular base with a central bore, (2) an elongated first finger axially extending from said tubular base and having inwardly extending and outwardly radially protruding to engage a cable inserted into a cable clamp assembly; (3) an elongated second finger having an axially extending projection from the tubular base and extending inwardly to engage the cable and an outward radial projection; The outward radial protrusions form the outermost diameter of the cable clamp assembly such that the outward radial protrusions of the first and second fingers engage with a recess in the outer peripheral shell such that the cable clamp assembly within the outer peripheral shell Is maintained, And the cable clamp assembly is mountable on a variety of cables having different diameters penetrating the central bore of the tubular base such that the fingers bend radially outward or inward to accommodate the cables of different diameters. The electrical connector of claim 1 wherein the second finger is located in an axially opposite relationship with respect to the first finger. 3. The electrical connector of claim 2 further comprising opposing third and fourth fingers circumferentially interposed between the first and second fingers. 4. The electrical connector of claim 3 wherein there is an axially elongated recess between adjacent fingers. The electrical connector of claim 1 wherein the inwardly extending protrusions extend forwardly from the first and second fingers. 6. The electrical connector of claim 5 wherein there is an axially elongated recess between adjacent fingers. The electrical connector of claim 1 wherein the inner recess of the peripheral shell includes an inner peripheral groove. 8. The connector of claim 7, wherein the peripheral shell has a tubular base and a central base on which axial fingers are mounted. 9. The electrical connector of claim 8 wherein the peripheral shell is divided into opposing first and second portions. 10. An electrical connector as in claim 9 further comprising fastening means for retaining the first and second portions of the perimeter shell in opposing relationship. The electrical connector of claim 6 wherein the assembly has a central bore and is mounted concentrically on a cable. The electrical connector of claim 1 wherein the tubular base has a rounded rear edge. Cable clamp assembly, (1) a replaceable first bushing having a tubular base, a plurality of elongate resilient axial fingers each having an inward end projection and an outward radial projection, and a central axial first bore; (2) a central axial opening, and an inner wall circumferentially surrounding the tubular base, the inner wall having a peripheral groove, wherein the peripheral groove holds the radial protrusion of the first bushing in the axial direction, while An outer shell allowing radial movement, The outer shell has a first element and a second element that can be separated and reassembled to allow replacement of the first bushing, The cable clamp assembly may optionally include a first electrical cable having a first cable diameter located in a central axial bore of the first bushing or a second electrical cable having a second cable diameter different from the first cable diameter. Allow, The second electrical cable is received by bending the fingers of the first bushing outwardly or inwardly, or by replacing the first bushing with a replaceable second bushing, The second bushing has a cable having a tubular base, a plurality of elongated elastic axial fingers each having an inward end projection and an outward radial projection, and a central axial bore having a second bore diameter different from the diameter of the first bore. Clamp assembly. A cable clamp assembly for joining electrical cables, (1) a tubular base having a central axial bore, and a bushing having a plurality of elongated resilient axial fingers, each having an inward distal and outward radial projection; (2) a central axial opening, and an inner wall circumferentially surrounding the tubular base and having a peripheral groove, wherein the peripheral groove maintains the radial protrusion of the base in the axial direction, while radial movement of the radial protrusion Thereby allowing an outer shell to receive electrical cables having various diameters, And the outer shell has a first element and a second element that can be separated and reassembled to allow replacement of the bushing. 15. The cable clamp assembly of claim 14 further comprising fastening means for securing the first element and the second element to each other, the fastening means being disposed transverse to the electrical cable.