MXPA98006948A - A release system of efforts for a connector and plug system - Google Patents

Abstract

The present invention relates to an electrical connector for joining the end of an electric cable. The connector includes a split body having contacts supported thereon for attachment to cable conductors. The divided body accommodates cables of different diameters and is provided with a cable fastening member, which can be placed in any of the divided body portions. This cable fastener member cooperates with a clamping jaw in the other body member for clamping the cable between the cable clamping member and the clamping jaw to provide stress relieving when the two body parts are joined. The cable fastening member is provided with several flanges, tabs, etc. to properly position the cable fastener member in the body portions

Description

A RELEASE SYSTEM OF EFFORTS FOR A FOLDING CONNECTOR AND PLUG SYSTEM BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION Field of the Invention The invention relates to electrical connectors for terminating electrical cables and more particularly to a stress relieving device used with electrical connectors to prevent forces applied to the electrical cable from affecting the connector or the connections made. in the same. Description of the Prior Art A common way of providing strain relief to connectors, according to the prior art, makes use of an external cable clamp operated by screw to the connector but coupled thereto. The screws could be adjusted to any level from where the clamp barely adjusted the cable until it was so strong that the clamp cut the insulation of the cable and altered the cable. In U.S. Patent No. 3,856,376 issued December 24, 1974 and now expired, a removable cable fastening member cooperated with flanges inside the connector body to provide stress relieving. The cable clamping member could be placed in one of its two orientations to accommodate two groups of cable ranges. Cables beyond these ranges can not be accepted. Another approach is to provide tabs on each of the two parts of a split-body connector. The stress relief is applied to the cable when the two body parts are clamped together and the tabs take opposite sides of the cable. The separation between the opposite edges of the tabs establishes the range of cable diameters that could be used with the connectors. The tabs molded as a part of the connector could be replaced by separate tabs. Then the length of the tabs could be separated to accept a range of cable diameters. These additional parts could easily be lost if the connector was opened and the cable was removed. A strain relieving cover could be molded at the end of the cable with a series of slots, at least one of which is held by cooperating jaws at the end of the connector. If the cable has to be cut to make repairs, the stress relief is eliminated. Stress relievers can also be molded over the cable and connector end. This stress relief should be removed to replace the connector and leave the connector / cable combination without any stress relief. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION The stress relieving system of the present invention solves the shortcomings of the prior art known by providing a stress relief device that is easy to install and easy to use. A divided housing having two engageable body portions is arranged to receive the end of an electrical cable between them and to hold said cable in the housing when the two engageable portions are clamped therebetween. The connector within the housing has its contacts extended from the front end of the housing while an electrical cable entry extends through a second end. A molded cable fastening tab is formed in each of said two body portions adjacent to the cable entry and each partially blocks said entry. By contouring the free ends of the clamping tabs, a wide range of cable diameters can be accommodated. A removable fastener insert is placed in one of the body portions on the retaining tab of that body portion. The position of the fastener insert is determined by slots in the body portion and by the cable entry. The fastener insert has two projections transverse to the longitudinal axis of the housing and receives the clamping tab of the other body portion between such projections. An electric cable is made to follow a circuit route on a first transverse projection, under the associated fastening tab and on the second transverse projection towards the interior of the housing. A recess between the transverse projections receives part of the electrical cable when the two body portions are held together. An object of this invention is to provide a novel stress relieving system for electrical connectors. An object of this invention is to provide a novel stress relieving system for electrical connectors having two housing portions engageable thereon. Another object of this invention is to provide a novel stress relieving system for electrical connectors having two engagable housing portions around employing a removable fastener insert that can be placed in either of the two engageable housing portions. Another object of this invention is to provide a novel stress relieving system for electrical connectors having two engagable housing portions around employing a stress relief clamping tab formed in each of the two engageable housing portions and a removable fastener insert, which can be placed in either of the two attachable housing portions to cooperate with the fastening tab of the other engageable housing portions so as to provide a circuit path for an electrical cable inserted between said two engageable housing portions. Other objects and aspects of the invention will be pointed out in the following description and claims and illustrated in the accompanying drawings, which disclose, by way of example, the principles of the invention, as well as the best modes currently contemplated to bring them to cape. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS In the drawings in which the similar elements have similar reference numbers: Figure 1 is a perspective view of an electrical connector having a divided body and incorporating a portion of the stress relieving system of the present invention. Figure 1A is a rear elevational view of the connector of Figure 1 in its assembled state. Figure 2 is a fragmentary plan top view of an end of the divided body of Figure 1. Figure 3 is a fragmentary plan top view of the other end of the divided body of Figure 1. Figure 4 is a front perspective view of a removable fastener insert in accordance with the concepts of the invention. Figure 5 is a rear perspective view of the removable fastener insert of Figure 4. Figure 6 is a front elevational view of the removable fastener insert of Figure 4. Figure 7 is a rear elevational view of the insert. removable fastener of Figure 4. Figure 8 is a side elevational view of the removable fastener insert of Figure 4. Figure 9 is a fragmentary plan top view of the removable fastener insert of Figure 4. Figure 10, is a front elevational view of one of the two portions of the body divided with a removable fastener insert of Figure 4 installed.

Figure 11 is a front elevational view of the two portions of the split body closed and with a removable fastener insert of Figure 4 installed. Figure 12 is a side elevational view, in section, of the removable fastener insert taken along lines 12-12 in Figure 6. Figure 13 is a side elevational view, in section, of the fastener insert. removable taken along lines 12-12 in Figure 6 with the addition of an electrical cable and a retaining tab. DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED MODALITY Returning now to Figures 1, 1A, 2 and 3, an electrical connector assembly 20 is shown, which incorporates a portion of the stress relieving device 21, described herein. A central portion 22 houses the electrical connector device 24, made of contact assemblies 26, 28 and 30. The shape of the electrical connector device 24 is that of a three-pin contact pin with two legs and a connecting leg. to ground projecting from the underside of a central portion 22 (not shown). Each of the contact assemblies 26, 28, 30 has a screw-operated conductive contact 32, 34, 36, respectively. The bare ends of the phase, neutral and ground conductors of an electric cable (not shown) are connected via the conductive contacts 32, 34 and 36 to the pins of the plug and the grounding pin. A cap 38, isolates the contact assemblies 26, 28 and 30 and the contact assemblies operated by screws 32, 34 and 36. A threaded fastener 40 secures the cap 38 to the central portion 22. Extending from the central portion 22, find a first split body portion 42 and a second split body portion 44. The first and second split body portions 42, 44 are complementary and have opposite surfaces that can be brought into engagement therebetween when the body portion 42 is bent on the hinge 48. The body portions 42 and 44 can be held together by the threaded fasteners 50, which pass through the openings 54 in the body portion 44 and threadably engage the walls defining openings 52 in the extensions 56 of the body portion 42. The extensions 56 fit into the slots 58 in the openings 54 in the body portion 44, and hold the body portions 42 and 44 together as a whole. The fasteners 50 are tightened. The body portions 42 and 44 have end walls 60, 62, respectively, each of which contains a semicircular opening 64, 66, respectively, which form a complete electrical cable entry for the electrical cable whose conductors are connected to the conductive contacts 32, 34 and 36. A cable clamping tab 68, extends through the body portion 42 and is spaced inwardly from the semicircular opening 64. A similar clamping tab 72 extends through the body portion 44 and is separated inward from the semicircular opening 66. The free ends 70 and 74 of the securing tabs 68 and 72, respectively, are curved (See Figure 1 A) to better couple the outer periphery of an electrical cable entering the connector assembly. electric 20 (not shown). The spacing between the free ends 70 and 74, define the range of the diameter of the cable and can not be altered. Some distortion of a round cable is allowed to the oval shape of the space between the free ends 70 and 74 with power cables and some depressions are allowed in the insulation of the cable without damaging such cables. A slot 78 extends from the inner surface of the end wall 60 to an additional slot 80 of a shorter length and provides a passage 82 at its junction. Similar slots 84 extend from the inner surface of the end wall 62 to an additional slot 86 of a shorter length and provide a passage 88 at its junction. Referring now to Figures 4 to 8 and 12, there is shown a removable fastener insert 100, constructed in accordance with the concepts of the invention. A first plate 102, has a surface 103, which will face the inside of the end walls 60 or 62. As the removable fastener insert 100 can be used in the split body portion 42 or the split body portion 44 of In the same way, the description will now be with respect to the divided body portion 42 and it should be understood that this description applies in the same way to the divided body portion 44. The lower part of the first plate 102 is tapered in shape. 104 to facilitate entry into the slot 78. Along the upper edge there is a pair of shoulders 105 having tapered portions 107 to facilitate the joining of the split body portions 42 and 44. A somewhat lowered and curved surface 108 , extends between the shoulders 105 and, as will be described below, couples an electrical cable placed in the contact assembly 20. A semicircular projection 1 10 extends from the front face 103 of the plate 102. The projection 1 10 has a curved surface 1 12 that fits inside and engages the semicircular recess 64. The coupling between the surface 1 12 and the walls of the recess 64, limits the insertion of the removable fastener insert 100. in the divided body portion 42. The rear surface 109 of the plate 100 has a projection 1 1 1 extending through a portion thereof. The projection 1 1 1 has the length of the groove 80 and has at least two vertical flanges 1 1 3. The flanges 1 13 couple the rear surface of the cable holding tongue 68 and with the projection 1 1 1, serve to force the front surface 103 of the plate 102 against the inner face of the end wall 60 for fixing the position of the removable fastener insert 100. The fastener insert 100 has a second plate 1 16, which has a smaller width than the plate 102 and It is also shorter. The upper portion of the plate 1 16 is defined by a pair of shoulders 1 18, one at each end, and a curved surface 120 between them. Along the lower portion, the plate 1 16 is relieved at 117 to fit within the groove 71 with the lower surface 119, resting against the inner surface of the divided body portion 42. As shown in Figures 4 and 12, the surfaces 108 and 120 are curved in two dimensions, a first curve extends between the respective end shoulders 105 and 118, respectively, and a second front curve to the rear, as shown in Figure 12. The projection 110 has a relieved region 114 along its upper surface to receive the cable extending in the split body portions 42 and 44.

The plates 102 and 116 are connected by a bridge 122, as shown in Figures 4 and 12. The bridge 122 extends from the rear surface 109 of the plate 102 to the front surface 117 of the plate 116. The tapered shoulders 124 lead to a cavity 126 in the center of the bridge 122. The cavity 126 can receive a portion of the electric cable displaced by the closed stress relief. Referring now to Figures 9 and 10, the removable fastener insert 100, installed in the split body portion 42, is shown. The projection 110 is positioned in a semicircular recess 64 with the surface 112 in contact with the wall defining the recess 64. The plate 102 is positioned in the slot 78, while the projection 111 occupies the slot 80. This position leaves the curved surfaces 108 and 120 and the relieved area 114, exposed for coupling with an electrical cable.

Figure 11 shows a rear view of the closed electrical connector assembly 20, without an electrical cable therein. The fastener insert 100 is positioned in the split body portion 42, as described above with respect to Figures 9 and 10. Although only the curved surface 108 is shown, it should be remembered that the curved surface 120 is aligned with the surface curve 108. When the divided body portion 44 is positioned in conjunction with the divided body portion 42, the clamping tab 72 is positioned between the plates 102 and 116 and the free curved end 74 along the curved surfaces. 108 and 120 define an oval-shaped cable opening. One of the clamping tongues 68 and 72 and the removable fastening insert 100 together form the stress relieving device 21. Figure 13 shows the manner in which the stress relieving device 21 operates. After the individual conductors of the electrical cable have been terminated to the device of the electrical connector 24, the electric cable C extends over the curved surfaces 108 and 120 of the plates 102 and 116, in the divided body portion 42. Then, the portion split body 44 is closed and secured to the split body portion 42. That coupling step places the free curved end 74 of the holding tab 72 in contact with the electrical cable C. The path between the curved surfaces 108 and 120 and the clamping tab 72 will depend on the thickness of the cable C and its construction. The very thin C cables could follow the circuit path on the surface 120, under the tab 72 and on the surface 108 without distortion. A cable C of greater diameter can be deformed from its round shape to a more oval shape, similar to the shapes of the surfaces 72, 108 and 120. The much larger cables C can have portions thereof displaced in the cavity 126 in the bridge 122. The area surveyed 1 14, allows a highly compressed C cable to expand when the stress relieving device 21 comes out. Although the fundamental novel aspects of the invention have been shown and described and indicated as they apply to the preferred embodiment as currently contemplated to carry it out, it will be understood that those skilled in the art can make various omissions and substitutions and changes in the form and details of the illustrated device as well as in its operation, without departing from the spirit of the invention.

Claims (9)

1. CLAIMS 1. An electrical connector for attachment to the end of an electric cable comprising: a) A divided body formed of insulating material; b) said body is separated along a longitudinal axis in two complementary parts and has an opening at a rear end thereof for receiving an electric cable; c) such two complementary parts of said body have opposite surfaces adapted to mate with each other; d) fastener means positioned along opposite sides of said body to secure together said two parts of said body; e) stress relieving means carried and placed within said body adjacent to the opening at the rear end thereof for coupling with a cable received therein; f) such stress relieving means exert a clamping force on a cable when said two body parts engage; where g); such stress relieving means comprise two first cable clamping tabs, one formed in each of the two parts of such body adjacent said opening at said rear end thereof, such clamping tabs partially blocking such an opening at said end later; and h) a removable fastener insert capable of being placed in either of the two parts of said body adjacent to one of said two first clamping jaws in the other of said two parts of said body; wherein i) said removable fastener insert has surfaces for receiving and securing a cable between said surfaces of said removable fastener insert and said first cable fastening tab in one of the two parts of such body that does not contain such a removable fastener insert.
2. 2. An electrical connector, as defined in claim 1, wherein said removable fastener insert disables said first cable fastening tab in said one of said two parts of said body in which said removable fastener insert is positioned.
3. 3. An electrical connector, as defined in claim 1, wherein said removable fastener insert has a first projection and a second projection, spaced apart from and for leas with said first projection and a bridge member therebetween: said first cable fastening tab in one of the two parts of such body that does not contain such removable fastener insert arranged to be placed on said bridge when two parts of such body are coupled.
4. 4. An electrical connector, as defined in claim 3, wherein said first projection has a first fastening surface and such stress relief has a second fastening surface and such a first fastening tab of cable in one of said two parts. of said body that does not contain such a removable fastening insert when said two parts of said body are coupled forces an electric cable against said first fastening surface and said second fastening surface for securely holding said cable.
5. An electrical connector, as defined in claim 4, wherein said protruding member has a recess therein for receiving a portion of an electrical cable when said electrical cable is clamped between said first protrusion and said relief of stresses and said first cable fastening tab in said one of said two parts of said body does not contain such a removable fastening insert.
6. An electrical connector, as defined in claim 1, wherein said removable fastener insert has: a) a first wall having a front surface and a back surface; b) a second wall parallel to and spaced from said first wall, said second wall having a front surface and a rear surface; c) a bridge coupled between said back surface of said second wall and said front surface of said first wall; d) whereby such removable fastener insert can be placed on one of said first cable fastening tabs.
7. An electrical connector, as defined in claim 6, wherein said two parts of said body each comprise a slot adjacent said opening at the rear end for receiving therein said first wall of said removable fastener insert.
8. 8. An electrical connector, as defined in claim 6, further comprising: a) stop means on said back surface of said first wall for coupling the walls of said body defining said opening at the rear end to limit the insertion of said first wall in such a slot. An electrical connector, as defined in claim 6, further comprising: a) at least two flanges on such a front surface of said first wall beneath said projection for coupling a rear wall of a first cable fastening flange for fastening such removable fastener insert in position within one of the two parts of said body.