US3118720A

US3118720A - Electrical connector

Info

Publication number: US3118720A
Application number: US152544A
Authority: US
Inventors: Richard L Shuck; Robert E Lawlor
Original assignee: GAMMA RES LAB CORP
Current assignee: GAMMA RES LAB CORP; GAMMA RESEARCH LABORATORY Corp
Priority date: 1961-11-15
Filing date: 1961-11-15
Publication date: 1964-01-21
Anticipated expiration: 1981-01-21
Also published as: BE663615A

Description

Jan. 21, 1964 R. 1.. sHucK ETAL 3,113,720

ELECTRICAL commcroa Filed Nov. 15, 1961 ATroR/vEY Uited rates This invention relates generally to electrical connectors and more particularly to a novel connector requiring no solder for mechanically and electrically securing an electrical conductor to a chassis or the like.

In the field of electrical connectors, problems have arisen in providing a suitable connector that can easily and rcpidly releasably secure a conductor to a chassis and still provide a positive attachment whereby the conductor shall not release when subjected to vibrational environments. These problems are particularly acute in connectors for aircraft and the like as, in addition to providing the desirable features heretofore mentioned, the connector must be relatively light in weight and small in size. Recent attempts to design a connector capable of performing these functions have resulted in connectors that are complicated in design, relatively expensive to manufacture and require close tolerances for alignment of the components.

In light of the inadequacies of the prior art, herein is disclosed an improved arrangement for positively attaching a conductor to a connector and for securing this assembly to a chassis. Accordingly, it is the principal object of this invention to provide a structure incorporating the above desirable features.

A more specific object of the present invention is to provide a connector that requires no lock washer means for securing the connector to the chassis.

A further specific object or" the present invention is to provide a connector that will in one operation firmly attach a conductor thereto and secure this assembly to a chassis.

Briefly, the invention includes a terminal block and a locking member matingly engaged and having alignable apertures forming a passage for entry of an electrical conductor when the locking member assumes a first position and means for releasably securing these members to a chassis whereby the locking member is moved relative to the terminal block and the conductor into a second position and the conductor is bent and positively anchored within the connector. This invention contemplates a structure whereby one operation is necessary to accomplish the attachment of the conductor to the connector and the securement of the connector to the chassis.

The features of the present invention which are believed to be novel are set forth with particularity in the appended claims. The present invention, both as to its organization and manner of operation, together with further objects and advantages thereof, may best be understood by reference to the followin description, taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIGURE 1 is a perspective view of a preferred embodiment of the present invention secured to a chassis with an electrical conductor attached thereto;

FIGURE 2 is a sectional side view, partly in elevation, of the device in the position shown in FIGURE 1;

FIGURE 3 is an exploded perspective view of the terminal block and locking member; and

FIGURE 4 is a sectional side view, partly in elevation, showing the members in their relative position for entry of the conductor.

With reference to FIGURES l and 2, a connector It is illustrated comprising a terminal block 12 and a locking member 14. As illustrated, an electrical conductor atent 16 is attached to the connector and the assembly is releasably secured to a chassis is by a threaded stud 20 passing through an aperture 22 in the chassis 18 and a nut 24 threadably engaged with the stud 2 8.

With reference to FIGURE 3, the terminal block 12 comprises a base portion 26 through which an oval aperture 28 vertically extends and a cylinder portion 30 through which an aperture 32 diametrically extends at an angle to the base 26. The cylinder 36 is horizontally positioned on the base to provide an edge surface 34 at the end of the base 26, which surface 34 extends substantially radially from the cylinder 39. The locking member 14 comprises a base plate portion 36 and a receptacle for receiving the cylinder 36 comprising a post portion 38 extending vertically upward from the plate 36 and an internally cylindrical portion 46 extending to partially encircle the cylinder 36 when the locking member 14 and the terminal block 12 are engaged so that tie angle between the vertical surface 42 of the post 33 and terminal edge 44 or the portion 46 is substantially equal to the angle between the axis of aperture 32 and the base 26. The inside diameter of the internally cylindrical portion 4%? is slightly larger than the iarneter of the cylinder so that the locking member 14 is engageable with the terminal block 12 by horizontally sliding the cylinder 3% into the cylindrical portion 4% and thereby permits the partial rotation of looting member 14- about terminal block 12. It is desirable to have the angle between the axis of aperture 32 and the base 26 less than 45 degrees so that the portion it? encircles the cylinder 39 substantially beyond the horizontal diameter of the cylinder 3% to insure a firm engagement between the locking member 14 and the terminal block 12 when the connector is secured to the chassis 18. It will be noted that the horizontal displacement of the cylinder 3% on the base 26 is such to permit this partial encirclement of the cylinder 3% by the portion 4i). An oval hole 46 extends vertically through base 36 and is horizontally located to align with the hole 28 in the terminal block 12 when the device is in the position shown in FIGURES 1 and 2. Apertures 48 and 56 extend horizontally through arcuate portion 44} and post 3%, respectively, and are in diametrically opposed alignment with each other. The diameters of the

apertures

32, 48 and 5-3 are substantially equal and sized to receive the conductor 16.

With reference to FIGURE 4, the terminal block 12 and the locking member 14 are illustrated engaged in a first relative position to permit the entry of the conductor 16. The locking member 14 is rotated upwardly until the edge 44 engages the edge 34 whereby the

apertures

48, 32 and 5t) are automatically aligned to form a continuous passage 52 for the entry of conductor 16. The conductor 16 is inserted into the passage 52 entering though the aperture 48 and positioned so the end of conductor 16 does not protrude beyond the post 38 in order to prevent any interference with the entry of the stud 2d, which as illustrated may be a bolt. The threaded bolt 20 extends upwardly through the holes 22, 2S and .6 thereby positioning the connector on the chassis 13.

With reference to FIGURE 2, the members are illustrated in a second relative position. The nut 24- is threadably engaged on the bolt 28 and, upon tightening tie nut 24, the connector H3 is secured to the chassis it; and the locking member lidis rotated downwardly relative to the terminal block 12 causing apertures 48 and 59 to be misaligned with aperture 32 whereby the conduetor 16 is bent in two places and becomes firmly anchored within the locking member 14 and the terminal block 12. The double crimping of the conductor 16 prevents its unintentional removal while the connector it is secured to the chassis is. To remove the conduc- 3,1 3 tor L3 from the connector in, the nut 24 is loosened and the resilient nature of the conductor 16 causes it to return to a straight position thereby rotating the locking member 14 to its first position and permitting the removal of the conductor 16. The resilient nature of the conductor 16 causes a return force upon being crimped when securing the connector 16 to the chassis 18, thereby eliminating the need of any lock Washer means to prevent disengagement of the nut 24 from the bolt 2% when the chassis 118 is subjected to a vibrational environment.

it is noted that the force necessary to bend tl e conductor i is minimized by the configuration of the connector as the downward force exerted on the locking member 14 by tightening the nut 24 acts through a lever arm distance equal to the distance between portion 413 and the vertical axis of aperture 46. it is also noted that the oval configuration of aperture 46 permits the entry of the bolt 2!) therethrough when the locking member is in a first position and permits the rotation of the locking member 14 when the nut 24 is tightened without forceful engagement between the bolt 2% and the locking member 14.

a It should be noted that the chassis 13 may be any electrically conductive element, such as a bus bar or terminal strip. Further, the mass of the connector it acts as an excellent sink for heat dissipation by radiation to the atmosphere or by conduction to the chassis or other element 13.

While particular embodiments of the present invention have been shown and described, it will be obvious to those ski led in the art that changes and modifications may be made without departing from this invention in its broader aspects, and, the therefore, the aim in the appended claims is to cover all such changes and modifications as fall Within the true spirit and scope of this invention.

What is claimed is:

1. An electrical connector comprising: a terminal block including a substantially flat base portion adapted to seat against a body to which a conductor is to be electrically connected, said terminal block including a cylindrical head and a neck projecting at right angles from one end of said base portion and integrally joining said head thereto, the head being disposed in tangent relation to the neck and positioned above the plane of said base portion with the base portion extending transversely of the axis of said head, said head and base portions projectin in opposite directions from said neck and said head having a bore extending diametrically therethrough;

a locking member including a base plate adapted to seat upon said base portion of the terminal block, said base plate and base portions having registrable apertures to receive a fastener for securing said terminal block and locking member to said body, said locking member further including an intermediate oliset portion projecting at right angles to said base plate and engageable against a side of said head when said apertures are aligned, and a semicylindrical arcuate portion projecting from said intermediate ofi'set portion in the opposite direction from said base plate and extending around said cylindrical head of the terminal block, said arcuate portion and said intermediate oifset portion collectively having an internal cylindrical wall of more than extent, said internal cylindrical wall defining a cavity in which said head is snugly fitted, said arcuate portion having a free end portion in opposed spaced relation to said necl-z when said base plate and base portion are seated o.e upon the other and being engageable with said neck in an opened position of said connector in which said base plate and base portion are spread apart in flaring relation, said locking member having diametrically aligned bores in said intermediate oilset portion and in said arcuate portion respectively, which bores are aligned wtih the bore of said head when said connector is in said opened position, whereby said conductor can be inserted into the aligned bores and whereby, upon attaching said connector to said body by a fastener inserted through the apertures of said base plate and said base portion, said conductor will be deformed between the bores of said head and said locking member respe tively and thereby securely clamped to the connector.

2. An electrical connector as defined in claim 1, wherein said base plate, said base portion, said neck, said head, said intermediate offset portion and said arcuate portion are all coextensive in width transversely of said longitudinal axis.

3. An electrical connector as defined in claim 1, wherein the bores of said head and looking member are of a diameter just slightly larger than the conductor to v be secured therein.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS

Claims

1. AN ELECTRICAL CONNECTOR COMPRISING: A TERMINAL BLOCK INCLUDING A SUBSTANTIALLY FLAT BASE PORTION ADAPTED TO SEAT AGAINST A BODY TO WHICH A CONDUCTOR IS TO BE ELECTRICALLY CONNECTED, SAID TERMINAL BLOCK INCLUDING A CYLINDRICAL HEAD AND A NECK PROJECTING AT RIGHT ANGLES FROM ONE END OF SAID BASE PORTION AND INTEGRALLY JOINING SAID HEAD THERETO, THE HEAD BEING DISPOSED IN TANGENT RELATION TO THE NECK AND POSITIONED ABOVE THE PLANE OF SAID BASE PORTION WITH THE BASE PORTION EXTENDING TRANSVERSELY OF THE AXIS OF SAID HEAD, SAID HEAD AND BASE PORTIONS PROJECTING IN OPPOSITE DIRECTIONS FROM SAID NECK AND SAID HEAD HAVING A BORE EXTENDING DIAMETRICALLY THERETHROUGH; A LOCKING MEMBER INCLUDING A BASE PLATE ADAPTED TO SEAT UPON SAID BASE PORTION OF THE TERMINAL BLOCK, SAID BASE PLATE AND BASE PORTIONS HAVING REGISTRABLE APERTURES TO RECEIVE A FASTENER FOR SECURING SAID TERMINAL BLOCK AND LOCKING MEMBER TO SAID BODY, SAID LOCKING MEMBER FURTHER INCLUDING AN INTERMEDIATE OFFSET PORTION PROJECTING AT RIGHT ANGLES TO SAID BASE PLATE AND ENGAGEABLE AGAINST A SIDE OF SAID HEAD WHEN SAID APERTURES ARE ALIGNED, AND A SEMICYLINDRICAL ARCUATE PORTION PROJECTING FROM SAID INTERMEDIATE OFFSET PORTION IN THE OPPOSITE DIRECTION FROM SAID BASE PLATE AND EXTENDING AROUND SAID CYLINDRICAL HEAD OF THE TERMINAL BLOCK, SAID ARCUATE PORTION AND SAID INTERMEDIATE OFFSET PORTION COLLECTIVELY HAVING AN INTERNAL CYLINDRICAL WALL OF MORE THAN 180* EXTENT, SAID INTERNAL CYLINDRICAL WALL DEFINING A CAVITY IN WHICH SAID HEAD IS SNUGLY FITTED, SAID ARCUATE PORTION HAVING A FREE END PORTION IN OPPOSED SPACED RELATION TO SAID NECK WHEN SAID BASE PLATE AND BASE PORTION ARE SEATED ONE UPON THE OTHER AND BEING ENGAGEABLE WITH SAID NECK IN AN OPENED POSITION OF SAID CONNECTOR IN WHICH SAID BASE PLATE AND BASE PORTION ARE SPREAD APART IN FLARING RELATION, SAID LOCKING MEMBER HAVING DIAMETRICALLY ALIGNED BORES IN SAID INTERMEDIATE OFFSET PORTION AND IN SAID ARCUATE PORTION RESPECTIVELY, WHICH BORES ARE ALIGNED WITH THE BORE OF SAID HEAD WHEN SAID CONNECTOR IS IN SAID OPENED POSITION, WHEREBY SAID CONDUCTOR CAN BE INSERTED INTO THE ALIGNED BORES AND WHEREBY, UPON ATTACHING SAID CONNECTOR TO SAID BODY BY A FASTENER INSERTED THROUGH THE APERTURES OF SAID BASE PLATE AND SAID BASE PORTION, SAID CONDUCTOR WILL BE DEFORMED BETWEEN THE BORES OF SAID HEAD AND SAID LOCKING MEMBER RESPECTIVELY AND THEREBY SECURELY CLAMPED TO THE CONNECTOR.