US3916085A

US3916085A - Electrical connector

Info

Publication number: US3916085A
Application number: US538795A
Authority: US
Inventors: Wallace A Hansen
Original assignee: Essex International Inc
Current assignee: Lear Corp EEDS and Interiors
Priority date: 1975-01-06
Filing date: 1975-01-06
Publication date: 1975-10-28
Anticipated expiration: 1992-10-28
Also published as: CA1020247A; DE7535584U; FR2296948B3; GB1522326A; DE2550301C3; DK594675A; DE2550301B2; DK137478B; DK137478C; JPS5194574A; DE2550301A1; FR2296948A1; IT1052319B; JPS557668B2

Abstract

An electrical connector for electrically connecting a plurality of insulated wires together. The connector includes two unitary ferrule forming portions, one mounted inside the other with their sidewalls substantially parallel to and spaced from one another, and connected to one another at one side. Insulation piercing serrations run transversely across the inside of the larger ferrule forming portion and the outside of the smaller ferrule forming portion such that the insulation on a plurality of wires mounted there-between may be pierced when the connector is crimped. In addition, the inside of the smaller ferrule forming portion has a plurality of slots running transversely thereacross which act to pierce the insulation of any wires crimped inside.

Description

Hansen Oct. 28, 1975 ELECTRICAL CONNECTOR [75] Inventor: Wallace A. Hansen, Fort Wayne,

Ind.

[73] Assignee: Essex International, Inc Fort Wayne, Ind.

[22] Filed: Jan. 6, 1975 [21] Appl. No.: 538,795

Primary Examiner-Darrell L. Clay Attorney, Agent, or Firm-Robert D. Sommer; Lawrence E. Freiburger [57] ABSTRACT An electrical connector for electrically connecting a plurality of insulated wires together. The connector includes two unitary ferrule forming portions, one mounted inside the other with their sidewalls substantially parallel to and spaced from one another, and connected to one another at one side. Insulation piercing serrations run transversely across the inside of the larger ferrule forming portion and the outside of the smaller ferrule forming portion such that the insulation on a plurality of wires mounted there-between may be pierced when the connector is crimped. In addition, the inside of the smaller ferrule forming portion has a plurality of slots running transversely thereacross which act to pierce the insulation of any wires crimped inside.

2 Claims, 5 Drawing Figures US. Patent Oct.28, 1975 Sheet1of2 3,916,85

U.S. Patent Oct. 28, 1975 Sheet20f2 3,916,085

ELECTRICAL CONNECTOR BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION In the prior art, insulated wires of the magnet wire type have been spliced together using a crimped connector. Such a connector is shown in US. Pat. No. 2,800,638. This connector provides an adequate electrical connection between three magnet wires and a stranded conductor, but is unable to handle as many as five or even eight magnet wires and a stranded conductor.

Also, in the prior art, is the connector shown in US. Pat. No. 3,566,006. In FIGS. and 6 of this patent, there is disclosed a connector for splicing together wires of the magnet wire type which comprises an outer sleeve 31 and an inner sleeve 33, the inner sleeve having barbs 37 extending inwardly such that they pierce the magnet wire insulation when the connector is twisted. Although this connector can splice together more magnet wires than the connector of U.S. Pat. No. 2,800,638, it suffers from the drawback that twisting machinery is required in order to make the proper connection. Thus, standard crimping machinery such as that which would be used for the connector of US. Pat. No. 2,800,638 cannot be used.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention is directed to an electrical connector adapted for use with standard crimping machinery, which can splice together eight or more magnet wires and one stranded conductor. Briefly, the present invention comprises a unitary electrical connector formed of two U-shaped ferrule forming portions, one smaller than, and mounted inside the other and with the sidewalls of the two ferrule forming portions being substantially parallel to one another. The inside of the larger portion and the outside of the smaller portion are provided with insulating piercing serrations or grooves running transversely thereacross such that the burrs on the serrations pierce the magnet wire insulation when a wire or wires are crimped between the two ferrule forming portions. Additionally, the smaller portion has slots formed therein with burrs extending inwardly such that the insulation on any magnet wire or wires crimped in the smaller portion is pierced by the burrs.

One advantage of a connector in accordance with the present invention is its ability to be used with conventional crimping machinery. Another distinct advantage of the present invention over the prior art is the ability of the present invention to make an adequate electrical and mechanical connection between eight or more magnet wires and a stranded conductor.

Thus, it is an object of the present invention to provide a splice clip construction which can splice together as many as eight magnet wires with one stranded conductor and which is adaptable for use with standard crimping machinery. Further, objects and advantages of the present invention will be evident from the following description of the invention taken in conjunction with the drawings in which:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a splice clip constructed in accordance with the present invention FIG. 2 is a top elevational view of a splice clip in accordance with the present invention, shown in an intermediate stage of manufacture FIG. 3 is a partial enlarged cross sectional view taken along line 33 in FIG. 2.

FIG. 4 is a cross sectional view of a connection between a plurality of insulated wires using a splice clip in accordance with the present invention FIG. 5 is a cross sectional view of the crimped connection shown in FIG. 4 taken along line 5-5 of FIG. 4

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT Referring now to the preferred embodiment of the invention there is shown in the drawing figures a splice clip construction, adapted for use with conventional crimping machinery for splicing together eight or more magnet wires and one stranded conductor. This splice clip includes two splice clip or ferrule forming portions, 10 and 12 which are unitary with one another, portion 12 being smaller than portion 10. The larger ferrule forming portion 10 preferably is provided with magnet wire insulation piercing grooves or serrations 14 which run transversely thereacross.

The second ferrule forming portion 12 is integrally connected with the first ferrule forming portion 10 by a connecting portion 16, and is arranged inside the first ferrule forming portion 10 with the sidewalls 17 of the second ferrule forming portion 12 being substantially parallel to the sidewalls 15 of the first ferrule forming portion 10. The second ferrule forming portion 12 may be of the same general cross-sectional shape as the first splice clip portion 10 and preferably has a plurality of magnet wire insulation piercing grooves or serrations 18 running transversely around the outside thereof. Thus it can be seen that the insulation on any magnet wires located between the inside of the large ferrule forming portion 10 and the outside of the small ferrule forming portion 12 will be pierced by either the

serrations

14 or 18, or both, when the connector is crimped.

According to the preferred embodiment of the inven tion, the small ferrule forming portion 12 is also provided with magnet wire insulation piercing means on the inside surface thereof in the form of staggered perforations 20 which are arranged in rows and which extend across the small splice clip portion 12. The perforations 20 are punched from the outside of the small clip 12 so that burrs are formed on the inside which act to pierce through the insulation on any magnet wires located inside the small ferrule forming portion 12.

It should be noted than an essential feature of the present invention is that both the inside and outside surfaces of the small ferrule forming portion 12 as well as the inside of the large ferrule forming portion 10 to be provided with some sort of magnet wire insulation piercing means. Although, in the preferred embodiment of the invention the inside surface of the small ferrule forming portion 12 is provided with insulation piercing means in the form of burrs which are formed when the perforations 20 are punched from the outside, it should be noted that the inside surface may be provided with insulation piercing means in the form of serrations running transversely thereacross. Also, the

-

serrations

14 and 18 may be replaced by other magnet wire insulation piercing means, if desired.

Referring now to FIG. 2, a splice clip constructed in accordance with the preferred embodiment of the present invention is shown in an intermediate stage of manufacture. The splice clip, in accordance with the present invention, may be stamped from any suitably conductive metal such that the small ferrule forming por- "tion 12 extends from the large ferrule forming portion and is integrally connected thereto by connecting portion 16. The perforations and the

serrations

14 and 18 may be made from the same side of the blank prior to bending the blank in its final shape.

Shown in FIG. 3 is an enlarged, cross sectional view of a portion of the small ferrule forming portion 12. Preferably, the serrations 18 are formed by broaching or milling the blank when it is in a flat state, such as in FIG. 2. Each of the serrations 18 have a flat bottom 22 which forms an obtuse angle with sides 24. As a result of the broaching or milling operation, a burr is formed at each intersection 26 of side 24 with the upper surface 28 of the blank. Reference numerals are applied to only one serration 18 in FIG. 3 for ease of description, but it will be appreciated that each serration 18 on the small ferrule forming portion 12 and each serration 14 on the large ferrule forming portion 10 will be formed in the same manner such that burrs are formed at the intersection of the sides of the serrations with the upper surface 28 of the blank on which the serration is formed.

Preferably, the perforations 20 are punched in the small ferrule forming portion from the same side as the side on which the serrations 18 are formed. By punching the perforations in the small ferrule forming portion 12 from side 28, a burr will be formed at the intersection of the underside 30 with the perforation 20. It is not essential that the perforations 20 be arranged in the exact pattern shown in the drawings. It is essential that when the splice clip construction of the present invention is crimped closed at lease one, and preferably more than one, perforation intersect a wire located in the small ferrule forming portion. Additionally, the perforations 20 need not necessarily be the same shape as is shown in the drawing FIGURES. These perforations 20 could be round, triangular or any other convenient shape.

In using the splice clip in accordance with the present invention it has been found that the wires need not be arranged in the splice clip in any preferrential manner. For example, in splicing together eight magnet wires and one stranded conductor, the magnet wires can all be located in between the large and small

ferrule forming portions

10 and 12 with the stranded conductor being located inside the small ferrule forming portion 12. Alternatively, the stranded conductor can be located between the large and small

ferrule forming portions

10 and 12 along with one or two magnet wires and the remainder of the magent wires located inside the small ferrule forming portion 12. These are only two of the possible wire configurations that with which a splice clip in accordance with the present invention could be used.

A plurality of splice clips in accordance with the present invention may be connected together by frangible tabs in strip form and used with conventional crimping machinery. Since a splice clip in accordance with the present invention has an open side and because the wires do not have to be preferentially oriented in the splice clip, the present invention saves time, and therefore costly labor, in relation to the type prior art devices which require that the wires be inserted axially into a connector. It can be seen that, in splicing together a plurality of magnet wires and stranded conductors with a splice clip of the present invention, the machine operator need only insert a number of the wires laterally into the splice clip between the large ferrule forming portion and the small ferrule forming portion 12, insert the remainder of the wires inside the smaller ferrule forming portion 12, and crimp the splice clip in conventional machinery.

The distance between the outside of the small ferrule forming portion 12 and the inside of the large ferrule forming portion 10 at any point should, at the most, only slightly exceed the sum of the diameter of two of the magnet wires to be spliced together. Thus, referring to FIG. 1, dimensions A, B and C should, at the most, only slightly exceed the sum of the diameter of two of the magnet wires to be spliced together. If any of these dimensions substantially exceeds the sum of the diameter of two of the wires to be spliced together, it would be possible for one of the wires to be located in the splice clip in such a position that it did not contact either the inside surface of the large ferrule forming portion 10 or the outside of the small ferrule forming portion 12, and therefore no electrical contact would be made to this wire. In practice, dimensions A, B and C do not have to be the same. For instance, dimension A may be made slightly larger so as to allow the wires to be easily inserted into the opening between the two ferrule forming portions, and dimension C may be made smaller so as to allow only one wire between the outside of the small ferrule forming portion 12 and the inside of the large ferrule forming portion 10.

Referring now to FIGS. 4 and 5, there is shown a cross sectional view of a spliced connection between a plurality of magnet wires and a stranded conductor using a splice clip in accordance with the present invention. It can be seen that, in this instance, a plurality of larger gauge magnet wires, i.e. 8 gauge, indicated by reference numeral 33, are located between the two ferrule forming portions. Reference numeral 36 designates a stranded conductor which is located inside, the small ferrule forming portion 12. Additionally, two small gauge magnet wires 34, i.e. 12 gauge, are located one inside and one outside the small ferrule forming portion 12. It can be seen that the magnet wires 33 and or both, and since the two ferrule forming portions are unitary, an adequate electrical connection between them is assured. Moreover, the wires will tend to extrude into the serrations l8 and 14 and into perforations 20, whereby the burrs 26 and 32 on the serrations and perforations will pierce the tough insulation on the magnet wires to make an adequate electrical connection between the magnet wires.

Minor modifications will occur to those skilled in the art and it is intended that such modifications come within the scope of the invention as defined in the following claims.

What is claimed is:

l. A crimpable electrical connector for electrically connecting a plurality of electrical conductors together, which comprises:

a first U-shaped ferrule forming portion, said first U- shaped ferrule forming portion including first and second spaced apart sidewalls, and inside and outside surfaces on said first ferrule forming portion;

a second U-shaped ferrule forming portion, said second U-shaped ferrule forming portion including first and second spaced apart sidewalls, inside and outside surfaces on said second U-shaped ferrule forming portion, said second U-shaped ferrule forming portion being located inside said first ferrule forming portion with said first sidewalls on said first and second ferrule forming portions extending substantially parallel to and spaced from one another and said second sidewalls on said first and second ferrule forming portions being unitary with, and extending substantially parallel to and spaced from one another; and

said first U-shaped ferrule forming portion and on the inside and outside surfaces of said second ferrule forming portion whereby said insulation piercing means on said surfaces pierces through the insulation on a wire adjacent thereto when said connector is crimped closed.

2. A crimpable electrical connector for electrically connecting a plurality of electrical conductors, which comprises:

insulation piercing means on the inside surface of insulation piercing serrations on the inside surface of said first ferrule forming portion and on the outside surface of said second ferrule forming portion; and insulation piercing perforations in said second ferrule forming portion, said perforations having burrs at the intersection of said perforations with said inside surface of said second ferrule forming portion. =I l

Claims

1. A crimpable electrical connector for electrically connecting a plurality of electrical conductors together, which comprises: a first U-shaped ferrule forming portion, said first U-shaped ferrule forming portion including first and second spaced apart sidewalls, and inside and outside surfaces on said first ferrule forming portion; a second U-shaped ferrule forming portion, said second U-shaped ferrule forming portion including first and second spaced apart sidewalls, inside and outside surfaces on said second U-shaped ferrule forming portion, said second U-shaped ferrule forming portion being located inside said first ferrule forming portion with said first sidewalls on said first and second ferrule forming portions extending substantially parallel to and spaced from one another and said second sidewalls on said first and second ferrule forming portions being unitary with, and extending substantially parallel to and spaced from one another; and insulation piercing means on the inside surface of said first Ushaped ferrule forming portion and on the inside and outside surfaces of said second ferrule forming portion whereby said insulation piercing means on said surfaces pierces through the insulation on a wire adjacent thereto when said connector is crimped closed.

2. A crimpable electrical connector for electrically connecting a plurality of electrical conductors, which comprises: a first ferrule forming portion having inside and outsidE surfaces; a second ferrule forming portion unitary with said first ferrule forming portion, said second ferrule forming portion having inside and outside surfaces and being located inside said first ferrule forming portion with said outside surface of said second ferrule forming portion facing said inside surface on said first ferrule forming portion and spaced there-from; insulation piercing serrations on the inside surface of said first ferrule forming portion and on the outside surface of said second ferrule forming portion; and insulation piercing perforations in said second ferrule forming portion, said perforations having burrs at the intersection of said perforations with said inside surface of said second ferrule forming portion.