US3539708A - Electrical connector and apparatus and method for making same - Google Patents

Electrical connector and apparatus and method for making same Download PDF

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Publication number
US3539708A
US3539708A US710944A US3539708DA US3539708A US 3539708 A US3539708 A US 3539708A US 710944 A US710944 A US 710944A US 3539708D A US3539708D A US 3539708DA US 3539708 A US3539708 A US 3539708A
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US
United States
Prior art keywords
sleeve
conductors
connector
jacket
extension
Prior art date
Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
Expired - Lifetime
Application number
US710944A
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English (en)
Inventor
Ralph G D Ascoli
Leon L Alleva
Current Assignee (The listed assignees may be inaccurate. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation or warranty as to the accuracy of the list.)
Alcatel USA Holding Corp
Original Assignee
Anaconda Wire and Cable Co
Priority date (The priority date is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the date listed.)
Filing date
Publication date
Application filed by Anaconda Wire and Cable Co filed Critical Anaconda Wire and Cable Co
Application granted granted Critical
Publication of US3539708A publication Critical patent/US3539708A/en
Assigned to ANACONDA-ERICSSON INC., A CORP. OF reassignment ANACONDA-ERICSSON INC., A CORP. OF ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNORS INTEREST. Assignors: ANACONDA COMPANY, THE A CORP. OF DE
Anticipated expiration legal-status Critical
Assigned to ALCATEL NA, INC., A CORP OF DE. reassignment ALCATEL NA, INC., A CORP OF DE. ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNORS INTEREST. Assignors: ERICSSON, INC.
Expired - Lifetime legal-status Critical Current

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Classifications

    • H—ELECTRICITY
    • H01—ELECTRIC ELEMENTS
    • H01R—ELECTRICALLY-CONDUCTIVE CONNECTIONS; STRUCTURAL ASSOCIATIONS OF A PLURALITY OF MUTUALLY-INSULATED ELECTRICAL CONNECTING ELEMENTS; COUPLING DEVICES; CURRENT COLLECTORS
    • H01R4/00—Electrically-conductive connections between two or more conductive members in direct contact, i.e. touching one another; Means for effecting or maintaining such contact; Electrically-conductive connections having two or more spaced connecting locations for conductors and using contact members penetrating insulation
    • H01R4/24—Connections using contact members penetrating or cutting insulation or cable strands
    • H01R4/2495—Insulation penetration combined with permanent deformation of the contact member, e.g. crimping
    • H—ELECTRICITY
    • H01—ELECTRIC ELEMENTS
    • H01R—ELECTRICALLY-CONDUCTIVE CONNECTIONS; STRUCTURAL ASSOCIATIONS OF A PLURALITY OF MUTUALLY-INSULATED ELECTRICAL CONNECTING ELEMENTS; COUPLING DEVICES; CURRENT COLLECTORS
    • H01R4/00—Electrically-conductive connections between two or more conductive members in direct contact, i.e. touching one another; Means for effecting or maintaining such contact; Electrically-conductive connections having two or more spaced connecting locations for conductors and using contact members penetrating insulation
    • H01R4/01—Connections using shape memory materials, e.g. shape memory metal
    • H—ELECTRICITY
    • H01—ELECTRIC ELEMENTS
    • H01R—ELECTRICALLY-CONDUCTIVE CONNECTIONS; STRUCTURAL ASSOCIATIONS OF A PLURALITY OF MUTUALLY-INSULATED ELECTRICAL CONNECTING ELEMENTS; COUPLING DEVICES; CURRENT COLLECTORS
    • H01R4/00—Electrically-conductive connections between two or more conductive members in direct contact, i.e. touching one another; Means for effecting or maintaining such contact; Electrically-conductive connections having two or more spaced connecting locations for conductors and using contact members penetrating insulation
    • H01R4/22—End caps, i.e. of insulating or conductive material for covering or maintaining connections between wires entering the cap from the same end
    • H—ELECTRICITY
    • H01—ELECTRIC ELEMENTS
    • H01R—ELECTRICALLY-CONDUCTIVE CONNECTIONS; STRUCTURAL ASSOCIATIONS OF A PLURALITY OF MUTUALLY-INSULATED ELECTRICAL CONNECTING ELEMENTS; COUPLING DEVICES; CURRENT COLLECTORS
    • H01R4/00—Electrically-conductive connections between two or more conductive members in direct contact, i.e. touching one another; Means for effecting or maintaining such contact; Electrically-conductive connections having two or more spaced connecting locations for conductors and using contact members penetrating insulation
    • H01R4/70—Insulation of connections
    • H01R4/72—Insulation of connections using a heat shrinking insulating sleeve
    • H01R4/726—Making a non-soldered electrical connection simultaneously with the heat shrinking

Definitions

  • Moisture-tight connectors are made from out lengths of heat-shrinkable plastic tubing by shrinking one end of the tubing around a plastic pellet that softens and bonds to it thus forming a seal. An inward constriction is formed in the other end of the tubing by shrinking it over a block that is spaced away from an internal metal sleeve. The constriction is needed to retain a dielectric paste with which the connector is filled.
  • This invention relates to electrical connectors and particularly to connectors suitable for rapidly joining two or more plastic-insulated telephone wires in a moisture-tight, insulated splice.
  • the whole connector is then compressed by the action of a tool against the outside of the jacket.
  • the compression is severe enough to deform the deformable sleeve which, in turn, presses together the surfaces of the pronged shell, driving the prongs into the conductors.
  • the thick-walled deformed sleeve retains its new shape and prevents the hard-metal prongs from springing back out-of-contact with the conductors.
  • B-connectors have found their greatest use for paper insulated telephone conductors. Their application to plastic-insulated conductors has been handicapped by the fact thatcthere has been no known reliable method of making them moisture-tight.
  • the plastic jackets of the connectors should be made by chopping up continuous lengths of tubing. This means that the individual jackets are open at both ends. One end must remain open for inserting the conductors to be spliced, and any sealing of the other end must be such that large numbers of connectors can be sealed automatically and economically, at the same time retaining a high degree of reliability for the moisture-tightness of the seals.
  • the open end of the connector is sealed by means of a pasty composition, with which the connector is filled as described in DAscoli Pat. 2,906,810.
  • the connector is then compressed, piercing the insulation, and extruding compound back along the conductors.
  • the connectors cannot, practically, be entirely filled with compound, for in that case, the excess compound from many hundreds of splices that might be made at one time would creat an untidy condition and slow up the splicing operation. Only enough compound should be originally included in the connector to fill it after it has been compressed. There is a tendency, however, for the compound to channel when it is extruded backward during the compression of the splice and not to fill all the vacant space at the end of the connector. This has even resulted in having the compound squirt in a narrow stream entirely out of the connector, leaving channels free for the ingress of moisture.
  • tubular insulating jacket is formed of a heat-shrinkable substance such as polyethylene or polyvinyl chloride that is shrunk down over the metal sleeve by heating in an oven or similar means.
  • a heat-shrinkable substance such as polyethylene or polyvinyl chloride that is shrunk down over the metal sleeve by heating in an oven or similar means.
  • the resulting open-ended connector has been quite satisfactory where moisture-tightnes was not required.
  • it is desired to make the connectors moisture-tight by filling them with an appropriate composition it becomes necessary to seal one end of the jacket to prevent loss of the composition when the connector is compressed. No economically acceptable means for sealing one end of B-connectors has been discovered prior to our present invention.
  • the pellet fits easily into the second extension of the jacket in its preshrunk condition and fills the area in the shrunken condition.
  • the pellet softens into the shape of the extension at the heatshrinking temperature and bonds to the jacket at that temperature thereby forming a moisture-tight seal of the extension.
  • an apparatus for forming a connector of the type described above comprising a base, a stretcher block mounted on the base and a pin projecting upwardly centrally from the base.
  • the stretcher block has a horizontal section approximating the section through the deformable sleeve of the connector and the pin fits within the sleeve and supports it spaced vertically from the block so as to provide a gap between the block and the sleeve for the formation of a radial constriction when the jacket shrinks down tightly on the sleeve and on the block.
  • An electrical splice made in accordance with our invention will typically comprise a plurality of insulated conductors, contact means piercing the insulating of the conductors and connecting them electrically, and a deformable sleeve that surrounds the conductors and the contact means.
  • the sleeve is compressed so as to maintain the electrical continuity between the conductors and the contact means, and a tubular jacket is shrunk-fit tightly around the sleeve.
  • the jacket has first and second tubular extensions beyond the sleeve with the conductors entering through the first extension.
  • the second extension is sealed with a plastic plug such as a plug of ethylene ethyl-acrylate copolymer that bonds to the jacket, such as a polyethylene jacket.
  • a pasty dielectric compound fills the connector, preferably one that will wet the conductor insulation, such a polyethylene insulation, and also the jacket material.
  • the first extension of the jacket has a radial construction with an open area greater than the combined sectional areas of the insulated conductors but less than the transverse section of the sleeve.
  • FIG. 1 shows, in section, a splice made to our invention.
  • FIG. 2 shows an apparatus of our invention.
  • FIGS. 3 and 4 show, in section, successive steps in the method of our invention employing the apparatus of FIG. 2.
  • FIGS. 5, 6, 7 show respectively the steps of filling our connector, inserting the conductors and deforming the sleeve.
  • a splice indicated generally by the numeral 10' shows a pair of conductors 11, 12 comprising wires 13, 14 covered by walls of polyethylene insulation 16, 17 connected electrically and protected from moisture and from outside electrical contact by means of a connector indicated generally, by the numeral 18.
  • the insulation on the conductors 11, 12 is solid polyethylene which is most commonly used for plastic telephone conductor insulation it will be understood that our invention is in no wise limited to this particular plastic.
  • Foam or expanded plastic insulation such as foam polyethylene and polypropylene and other plastics such as vinyls and ethylene copolymers, and, indeed, many others will have applications for our connector and method.
  • the conductors 11, 12 have been inserted into a hard bronze shell 19 with inwardly facing prongs 21 that have pierced the walls of insulation 16, 17 and made electrical contact with the conductors 13, 14 thereby connecting these conductors, electrically, to each other.
  • a deformable brass sleeve 22 surrounds the bronze shell 19. The sleeve 22 is closed at one end 23.
  • the features so far described are all known, as is a jacket 24 shrunk down on the sleeve 22.
  • Shrinkable tubing of polyethylene and of polyvinyl chloride is commercially available, cutinto lengths 26 (FIG. 3) for covering the sleeve 22.
  • This compression not only drives the prongs 21 through the insulation of the conductors but it deforms the relatively heavy wall of the sleeve 22 which retains its deformed shape indefinitely.
  • the compression would tend to extrude or squirt the compound 27 from the connector if the ends were left open.
  • These ends comprise an extension 31 of the tube 26 remote from the conductors and an extension 32 through which the conductors enter.
  • the extension 31 can be permanently sealed at very low cost by means of a plug 33 of a plastic material that will bond to the jacket when the latter is shrunk down around it, and preferably itself deform somewhat at the shrinkage temperature to assure the exact shape of a channel 34 that is left in the extension 31 after it shrinks.
  • the shrinking of the tube 31 may be done as a batch process by placing a large plurality of the tube-covered sleeves in an oven, or it may be continuous with the individual connectors passing through an oven on a conveyor.
  • the plug 33 can be introduced'into the extension 31 as a pellet 36 (FIG. 3) of a suitable plastic and requires no extra operation to seal the jacket 34, since the shrinking process also effects the sealing, as shall be seen.
  • Any material that will bond to the jacket stock can be employed for the pellet 36 provided that it has the required dielectric and moisture resistant properties and is not adversely affected by the temperature of shrinking.
  • the copolymer of ethylene and acrylic acid containing about 8% of the acid and having a melt index is particularly suitable for forming the pellet 36.
  • Suitable commerial products are known as Dow Zetaphin 70, available from The Dow Chemical Company and Union Carbide 6169 available from Union Carbide Corporation.
  • the pellet 36 forming the plug 33 adequately seals the extension 31 of the jacket 24- but it has been found that when the connector is compressed by the jaws 28, 29 the compound 27 will still squirt out of the extension 32in such a manner as to leave channels for the admission of moisture. Unexpectedly, however, we have discovered that, if a radial constriction ordepression 37 is formed in the extension 32, extrusion or squirting of the compound will be deflected or hindered suificiently to prevent channelling, as we have proven by immersion tests, to be described.
  • the opening within the constriction 37 must be large enough to permit the easy insertion of the conductors 11, 12, and we have found that if this constriction is about the size, or just a little smaller, than the inside opening of the sleeve 22, it will provide the required degree of deflection of the compound 27.
  • constriction 37 can be formed in a surprisingly efficient manner by means of a block 38 (FIGS. 24) surmounted by a pin 39 of a proper height.
  • the pin 39 fits into the sleeve 22, actually into the shell 19, and supports the sleeveshell assembly at the end 23 of the sleeve so as to leave a gap 41 between the end of the sleeve 22 and the top of the block 38.
  • This block has about the same horizontal area as a section through the sleeve 22.
  • the tube 26 is placed over the sleeve 22 supported on the pin 39 so as to extend across the gap 41 over the block 38.
  • the pellet 36 is dropped into the top of the sleeve and the tube is heated for about 2 minutes at 300 F. after which it assumes the shape of the jacket 24 (FIG. 4) closely gripping the sleeve 22 and shrunk above the block 38 to form the constriction 37.
  • a consideration of typical dimensions of the connector 18 will aid in understanding, but other dimensions will, of course, still come within the scope of our invention.
  • a connector about 1% inch long will comprise a sleeve 22 about inch with an outside section of .205 x .140 inch.
  • the gap 41 is about inch.
  • the connector of claim 1 comprising a radial constriction in said first extension, said constriction extending inwardly beyond said sleeve and deflecting the free flow of compound from said jacket upon the deformation of said sleeve.
  • An electrical splice comprising (A) a plurality of insulated conductors,

Landscapes

  • Insulating Bodies (AREA)
  • Manufacturing Of Electrical Connectors (AREA)
  • Cable Accessories (AREA)
  • Connections Effected By Soldering, Adhesion, Or Permanent Deformation (AREA)
US710944A 1968-03-06 1968-03-06 Electrical connector and apparatus and method for making same Expired - Lifetime US3539708A (en)

Applications Claiming Priority (1)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
US71094468A 1968-03-06 1968-03-06

Publications (1)

Publication Number Publication Date
US3539708A true US3539708A (en) 1970-11-10

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Family Applications (1)

Application Number Title Priority Date Filing Date
US710944A Expired - Lifetime US3539708A (en) 1968-03-06 1968-03-06 Electrical connector and apparatus and method for making same

Country Status (4)

Country Link
US (1) US3539708A (GUID-C5D7CC26-194C-43D0-91A1-9AE8C70A9BFF.html)
DE (1) DE1911140A1 (GUID-C5D7CC26-194C-43D0-91A1-9AE8C70A9BFF.html)
FR (1) FR2003365A1 (GUID-C5D7CC26-194C-43D0-91A1-9AE8C70A9BFF.html)
GB (1) GB1239784A (GUID-C5D7CC26-194C-43D0-91A1-9AE8C70A9BFF.html)

Cited By (12)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US3728665A (en) * 1970-10-26 1973-04-17 Thomas & Betts Corp Electrical connector
US3784731A (en) * 1972-12-04 1974-01-08 Trw Inc Connector for insulated conductors
US3831132A (en) * 1971-04-29 1974-08-20 Molex Inc Crimp terminal for aluminum wire
US3861033A (en) * 1972-12-04 1975-01-21 Trw Inc Method of manufacturing a connector for insulated conductors
US4547240A (en) * 1983-06-09 1985-10-15 Zilligen James A Method of prefabricating an electrical connector
US4600804A (en) * 1985-02-06 1986-07-15 Raychem Corporation Crimp connector having gel between envelope and crimp body
USRE33591E (en) * 1983-06-09 1991-05-21 Ftz Industries, Inc. Method of prefabricating an electrical connector
US5354210A (en) * 1991-08-23 1994-10-11 The Whitaker Corporation Sealant compositions and sealed electrical connectors
US5360350A (en) * 1991-08-23 1994-11-01 The Whitaker Corporation Sealant compositions and sealed electrical connectors
US5844021A (en) * 1991-08-23 1998-12-01 The Whitaker Corporation Sealant compositions and sealed electrical connectors
US9349504B2 (en) * 2014-06-24 2016-05-24 Sumitomo Wiring Systems, Ltd. Water stopping structure for insulation-coated wire and wire harness
US9401233B2 (en) * 2014-06-20 2016-07-26 Sumitomo Wiring Systems, Ltd. Water blocking structure for insulation-coated wire and wire harness

Families Citing this family (3)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
FR2440090A1 (fr) * 1978-10-27 1980-05-23 Souriau & Cie Connecteur pour raccordement sans denudage de cables conducteurs electriques et outil de sertissage pour un tel connecteur
US4238640A (en) * 1979-01-24 1980-12-09 Raychem Corporation Electrical connector for heaters
JP3919193B2 (ja) * 2003-06-12 2007-05-23 矢崎総業株式会社 接続キャップを用いた電線接続方法

Citations (4)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US2823250A (en) * 1955-02-17 1958-02-11 Amp Inc Insulated closed end connector
US3265807A (en) * 1964-07-24 1966-08-09 Bell Telephone Labor Inc Connector for insulated conductors
US3288914A (en) * 1965-04-05 1966-11-29 Amp Inc Electrical connector having a resilient conductor-engaging area
US3320355A (en) * 1965-09-07 1967-05-16 Aylwin R Booker Heat shrinkable connector for electrical wire

Patent Citations (4)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US2823250A (en) * 1955-02-17 1958-02-11 Amp Inc Insulated closed end connector
US3265807A (en) * 1964-07-24 1966-08-09 Bell Telephone Labor Inc Connector for insulated conductors
US3288914A (en) * 1965-04-05 1966-11-29 Amp Inc Electrical connector having a resilient conductor-engaging area
US3320355A (en) * 1965-09-07 1967-05-16 Aylwin R Booker Heat shrinkable connector for electrical wire

Cited By (15)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US3728665A (en) * 1970-10-26 1973-04-17 Thomas & Betts Corp Electrical connector
US3831132A (en) * 1971-04-29 1974-08-20 Molex Inc Crimp terminal for aluminum wire
US3784731A (en) * 1972-12-04 1974-01-08 Trw Inc Connector for insulated conductors
US3861033A (en) * 1972-12-04 1975-01-21 Trw Inc Method of manufacturing a connector for insulated conductors
USRE33591E (en) * 1983-06-09 1991-05-21 Ftz Industries, Inc. Method of prefabricating an electrical connector
US4547240A (en) * 1983-06-09 1985-10-15 Zilligen James A Method of prefabricating an electrical connector
US4600804A (en) * 1985-02-06 1986-07-15 Raychem Corporation Crimp connector having gel between envelope and crimp body
US5354210A (en) * 1991-08-23 1994-10-11 The Whitaker Corporation Sealant compositions and sealed electrical connectors
US5360350A (en) * 1991-08-23 1994-11-01 The Whitaker Corporation Sealant compositions and sealed electrical connectors
US5580265A (en) * 1991-08-23 1996-12-03 The Whitaker Corporation Sealant compositions and sealed electrical connectors
US5691399A (en) * 1991-08-23 1997-11-25 The Whitaker Corporation Sealant composition and sealed electrical connectors
US5741843A (en) * 1991-08-23 1998-04-21 The Whitaker Corporation Sealant compositions and sealed electrical connectors
US5844021A (en) * 1991-08-23 1998-12-01 The Whitaker Corporation Sealant compositions and sealed electrical connectors
US9401233B2 (en) * 2014-06-20 2016-07-26 Sumitomo Wiring Systems, Ltd. Water blocking structure for insulation-coated wire and wire harness
US9349504B2 (en) * 2014-06-24 2016-05-24 Sumitomo Wiring Systems, Ltd. Water stopping structure for insulation-coated wire and wire harness

Also Published As

Publication number Publication date
DE1911140A1 (de) 1969-10-02
GB1239784A (en) 1971-07-21
FR2003365A1 (GUID-C5D7CC26-194C-43D0-91A1-9AE8C70A9BFF.html) 1969-11-07

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AS Assignment

Owner name: ANACONDA-ERICSSON INC., A CORP. OF DE

Free format text: ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNORS INTEREST.;ASSIGNOR:ANACONDA COMPANY, THE A CORP. OF DE;REEL/FRAME:003846/0822

Effective date: 19800728

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Free format text: ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNORS INTEREST;ASSIGNOR:ANACONDA COMPANY, THE A CORP. OF DE;REEL/FRAME:003846/0822

Effective date: 19800728

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Owner name: ALCATEL NA, INC., A CORP OF DE., NORTH CAROLINA

Free format text: ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNORS INTEREST;ASSIGNOR:ERICSSON, INC.;REEL/FRAME:004923/0892

Effective date: 19880412

Owner name: ALCATEL NA, INC., 100 PENNY ROAD, CLAREMONT, NC.,

Free format text: ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNORS INTEREST.;ASSIGNOR:ERICSSON, INC.;REEL/FRAME:004923/0892

Effective date: 19880412