WO1996037924A1

WO1996037924A1 - Electrical insulating device

Info

Publication number: WO1996037924A1
Application number: PCT/EP1996/002210
Authority: WO
Inventors: Michael Campbell-Young; Anton Huber; William Fitzimmons
Original assignee: Futura Developments Limited
Priority date: 1995-05-25
Filing date: 1996-05-23
Publication date: 1996-11-28
Also published as: AU5901396A

Abstract

An insulating device (10) comprises a hollow open housing (11) suitable for receiving sections of electrical cord (12, 13) connected to each other therein, the housing (11) being at least partly made of an electrically insulating material. A lid (14) is provided for closing the open housing (11) to insulate the sections of electrical cord (12, 13) connected to each other therein. The device further includes nipping means (15.1, 15.2) associated with the lid (14) for nipping the sections of electrical cord (12, 13) to the housing (11) and/or lid (14) when the lid is closed.

Description

ELECTRICAL INSULATING DEVICE

This invention relates to an insulating device suitable for insulating sections of electrical cord connected to each other.

Connecting devices for connecting sections of electrical cord to each other are well-known. Such known devices usually comprise a closed body defining one or more conduits therein whereby a pair of electrical cords may be inserted into the body. A connecting means made of an electrical conductive material is also provided in the body which in use cuts through the insulation provided about the electrical cords to come into contact with the conductive parts of the cords and thereby electrically connecting the cords to each other without the wires having to be stripped. One of the disadvantages of these devices is that they are normally bulky to accommodate the connecting means, and they are also relatively expensive to manufacture. Another disadvantage is that the connecting means does not always make suitable contact between the electrical cords and since the body is closed, visual inspection of the connection is not possible.

According to the present invention an insulating device comprises a hollow open housing suitable for receiving

CONΠRMAΠON COPY sections of electrical cord connected to each other therein, the housing being at least partly made of an electrically insulating material; a lid for closing the open housing to insulate the sections of electrical cord connected to each other therein; and nipping means associated with the lid for nipping the sections of electrical cord to the housing and/or lid when the lid is closed.

In one embodiment of the invention the housing may comprise a hollow body; two cord insert openings in the body through which sections of electrical cord may be inserted to extend into the hollow body; and a connection opening in the body allowing access to the sections of electrical cord received through the insert openings. The lid may be associated with the connection opening to open and close said opening. Preferably, the insert openings are in line with each other.

In an alternative embodiment of the invention the housing may comprise a body defining a groove therein for in use receiving the sections of electrical cord therein. In use the lid may be received in the groove over the sections of the electrical cord. The hollow housing may comprise an elongate body and preferably the whole body is made of an electrically insulating material. The body may be made of a polymeric material.

The hollow body may define a plurality of insulating sections each for receiving a separate connection of sections of electrical cord, and the insulating sections serving to keep the connections apart from each other. The insulating sections may comprise channels provided in the body. Alternatively the sections may be formed by one or more dividing flanges provided in the hollow body.

The lid may be hingedly attached to the housing. Alternatively it may be separable from the housing.

in one embodiment of the invention the device may include a single lid for closing all the insulating sections. Alternatively it may include a number of lids for individually closing the insulating sections.

The whole lid may be made of an electrically insulating material such as a polymeric material.

The device may include clipping means for retaining the lid in a closed position when closing the open housing. The clipping means may be adjustable thereby allowing the lid to be adjusted relative to the housing when the lid is in the closed position and thereby causing the tightness of the nipping by the nipping means to be altered. In one embodiment of the invention the clipping means may comprise one or more serrations on the lid and one or more mating serrations on the housing which in use interengage each other to retain the lid in a closed position.

The nipping means may in use nip the sections of electrical cord to the housing and/or lid at a position where the sections of electrical cord are connected to each other. Alternatively or additionally the nipping means may in use nip the sections of electrical cord to the housing and/or lid on opposite sides of a connection formed between the sections.

In one embodiment of the invention the lid may be shaped to engage and nip one or more sections of electrical cord to the housing when the lid is in the closed position, the or each lid thereby defining the nipping means.

Alternatively the nipping means may comprise one or more protrusions extending from the lid and/or the housing in use to nip at least one section of electrical cord between the housing and the lid. Preferably the nipping means comprises a plurality of protrusions extending from the lid. The one or more protrusions may define edges which in use engage the sections of electrical cord.

The nipping means may further include one or more gripping formations for improving the grip of the insulating device on the sections of electrical cord. A gripping formation may comprise a mating depression opposite to each protrusion, and in use a section of cord is urged into a depression by a protrusion when the lid is closed. Alternatively or additionally a gripping formation may comprise an additional protrusion opposite to but not in line with a first protrusion, and in use a section of cord is bent over said additional protrusion when the first protrusion nips the section of cord to the housing and/or lid.

The device may also include a section of electrical conductive material whereupon a connection between sections of electrical cord is in use nipped thereby to enhance the electrical connection between the sections of the cord. Without thereby limiting the scope of the invention and by means of example only, embodiments of the invention will now be further described with reference to the accompanying drawings wherein:

Figure 1 is a perspective view of an insulating device according to the invention with the lid in an open position;

Figure 2 is a sectioned side view of the insulating device of Figure 1 with the lid in a closed ° position;

Figure 3 is a sectioned end view of an alternative insulating device according to the invention;

Figure 4 is a perspective view of yet an alternative insulating device according to the invention;

Figure 5 is a sectioned side view of the insulating device of Figure 4; and

Figure 6 is a perspective view of yet an alternative insulating device according to the invention.

In the accompanying drawings the same reference numerals are used to denote corresponding parts.

Referring now to Figures 1 and 2 there is provided an insulating device 10 for connecting sections of electrical cord 12 and 13 to each other. The cord 12 defines two insulated wires 12.1 and 12.2 and the cord 13 likewise defines two insulated wires 13.1 and 13.2. The device 10 defines a hollow open housing 11 suitable for receiving the sections of electrical cord 12.1, 12.2, 13.1 and 13.2 connected to each other therein, the housing 11 being made of an electrically insulating material. A lid 14 is provided for closing the open housing 11 to insulate the said sections of electrical cord connected to each other therein. Nipping means 15.1 and 15.2 associated with the lid 14 is provided for nipping the said sections of electrical cord to the housing 11 when the lid 14 is closed as shown in Figure 2.

The housing 11 comprises a hollow body 11.1 and two cord insert openings 11.2 and 11.3 in the body 11.1 through which the sections of electrical cord 12.1, 12.2, 13.1 and 13.2 are in use inserted to extend into the hollow body 11.1.

A connection opening 11.4 is provided in the body 11.1 to allow access to the sections of electrical cord 12 and 13 received through the insert openings 11.2 and 11.3 to connect them to each other. The lid 14 is associated with the connection opening 11.4 to open and close said opening.

The hollow body 11.4 comprises an elongate body with the openings 11.2 and 11.3 provided in opposite ends defined by the body 11.4 and said openings being in line with each other. The whole body 11.4 may be made of an electrically insulating material such as a polymeric material.

The hollow body 11.4 also includes a dividing flange 11.5 therein which divides the body 11.4 into two insulating sections extending along the length of the body 11.4 on opposite sides of the dividing flange 11.5. In use each insulating section receives a separate connection of sections of electrical cord therein and the insulating sections keeping the said connections apart from each other.

in this embodiment of the invention only two insulating sections are shown, but when cords, each defining more than two insulated wires, have to be connected to each other, more than two insulating sections may be - 9 -

provided. Alternatively, when cords each defining a single insulated wire have to be connected to each other a single insulated section may be provided. A plurality of devices including last mentioned feature may of course be used to isolate connections formed between cords defining a plurality of insulated wires.

The lid 14 is hingedly attached to the body 11.1 to hinge between an open position [Figure 1 ] and a closed position [Figure 2]. The lid 14 is channel shaped defining a web 14.1 and two flanges 14.2 extending from the web 14.1. In the closed position the lid 14 extends over the body 11.4 in order that the flanges 14.2 extend over the sides of the body 11.1.

The whole lid 14 is made of an electrically insulating material.

Clipping means is also provided for retaining the lid 14 in a closed position. The clipping means comprises serrations 16.1 provided on the inside of the flanges 14.2 and serrations 16.2 provided on the outside of the body 11.1 adjacent to the connection opening 11.4. In use the serrations 16.1 on the flanges 11.2 engage the mating serrations 16.2 on the body 11.1 thereby to clip the lid 14 to the body 11.1. The serrations 16.1 and 16.2 allow the lid 14 to be clipped tighter or looser to the body 11.1 to adjust the tightness of the nipping of the nipping means 15.1.

The nipping means 15.1 and 15.2 in use nip the sections of electrical cord 12.1, 12.2, 13.1 and 13.2 between the lid 14 and the housing 11 on opposite sides of a connection formed between the sections. The nipping means comprises a number of protrusions 15.1 extending from the lid 14 and gripping formations in the form of a number of mating depressions 15.2 opposite to the protrusions 15.1. In use, when the connections between the sections 12.1, 12.2, 13.1 and 13.2 are formed and the lid is closed, the protrusions 15.1 engage the said sections of electrical cord and force them into the depressions 15.2 thereby nipping them to the housing

11.

In use the sections of electrical cord 12 and 13 are inserted into the body 11.1 through the opposing cord insert openings 11.2 and 11.3. The insulated wires 12.1 and 12.2 of the cord 12 are separated from each other at the end received through opening 11.2 and the same is done with the cord 13 received through the opening 11.3. The ends of the sections of electrical cord 12.1, 12.2, 13.1 and 13.2 are stripped of their insulating material and the ends 12.1 and 13.1 are then connected to each other and the ends 12.2 and 13.2 are likewise connected to each other. These connections are made by hand through the connection opening 11.4. The connections are then placed in the body 11.1 on opposite sides of the dividing flange 11.5 and the lid 14 is then closed and clipped to the body 11.1. In this way the connections are insulated in the device 10 with the nipping means 15.1 and 15.2 making it difficult to break the connection by pulling sections of cord 12 and 13 out of the openings 11.2 and 11.3.

Referring now to Figure 3 there is provided an alternative insulating device 30 according to the invention. The device 30 is in principle the same as the device 10 but in this case the body 31 defines three grooves 32 therethrough each for receiving a pair of electrical cord sections 34 connected to each other therein. Each groove 32 is provided with a lid 33 which is hingedly attached to the body 31 and each lid 33 clips into a groove 32 by means of serrations 35 provided on the lid 33 and in a mating groove 32. In this case no protrusions 15.1 and depressions 15.2 are provided and the lids 33 nip the sections of electrical cord 34 directly to the body 31. Referring now to Figures 4 and 5 there is provided yet an alternative insulating device 40 according to the invention. In this case the open housing 41 comprises a body 42 defining a groove 43 therethrough for in use receiving sections of electrical cord 44 connected to each other therein. The housing 41 is made of an electrically insulating material, preferably a moldable polymeric material.

A lid 45 is separable from the housing 41 and is in use received in the groove 43 over the sections of electrical cord 44 thereby to close the open housing 44.

Clipping means in the form of serrations 46 on opposite sides in the groove 43 and mating serrations 47 on opposite sides of the lid 45 is provided for clipping the lid 45 into the groove 43. The serrations 46 face downwardly into the groove 43.

Nipping means in the form of three protrusions 48 are provided on the lid 45. Each protrusion 48 defines an edge 48.1 which in use engages a section of electrical cord 44. Gripping formations in the form of ramp shaped protrusions 49 each defining a sharp edge 49.1 are also provided in the groove 43. In use the protrusions 48 nip the sections of electrical cord 44 to the body 42 on opposite sides of the connection 50 as well as on the connection 50. The protrusions 49 are not in line with the protrusions 48 and serve to bend the sections of electrical cord 44 over them to improve the grip of the insulating device 40 on the sections of electrical cord 44. It will be appreciated that in an alternative embodiment the protrusions 48 may be provided on the body 42 and the protrusions 49 may be absent or may be provided on the lid 45. The nipping means will then still be associated with the lid 45 since the lid 45 will still nip the sections of electrical cord 44 to the body 42.

The whole lid 45 including the protrusions 48 are preferably made of an electrically insulating material. In an alternative embodiment the centrally located protrusions 48 which in use engages the connection 50 may be made of an electrically conductive material [such as metal] to improve the connection 50 formed between the cords 44. A section of conductive material [not shown] may also be provided in the body 42 in order that the connection 50 is nipped against said section to improve the connection.

The insulating device 40 also includes locating means to locate the lid 45 in the correct position in the body 42. In this embodiment of the invention the locating means comprises a tongue and groove arrangement whereby two grooves 52 are provided in the body 42 and two mating tongue formations 51 are provided on the lid 45. In use the tongue formations 51 are aligned with the grooves 52 and they then slide into said grooves 52 when the lid 45 is pressed into the body 42 thereby locating the lid 45 relative to the body 42.

In use the ends of the sections of two single insulated wires, each defining an electrical cord 44, are stripped of their insulating material and the ends are then connected to each other by hand. The connected sections of electrical cord 44 are then inserted into the groove 43 and the lid 45 is pressed into the groove 43 to nip the sections of electrical cord 44 to the body 42.

Alternatively the lid 45 may be provided lightly inserted into the groove 43 to not completely block the passageway through the groove 43. One of the sections of electrical cord 44 may then be threaded through the groove 43 and may then be electrically connected to the other section of electrical cord 44. The insulating device may then be slid over the sections of electrical cord 44 in order that the connection 50 is provided between the protrusions 49. The lid 45 may then be pressed firmly into the groove 43 to nip the sections of electrical cord 44 to the body 42.

Referring now to Figure 6 there is provided yet an alternative insulating device 60 which is very similar to the device 40. In this case the open housing 61 again comprises a body 62 defining a groove 63 therethrough. However, in this case the groove 63 is bridged by means of bridges 64 at opposite ends of the body 62.

The lid 65 has generally the same construction as the lid 45 but in this case serrations 66 are provided at opposite ends thereof in use to grip one or more serrations [not shown] on the bridges 64. Serrations 67 are also provided on the lid 65 to enhance finger grip on the lid 65.

in use a sealant may also be provided in the hollow bodies of any one of the insulating devices to seal an electrical connection in the said device thereby reducing contact of surrounding fluids with the electrical connection.

The sealant may comprise a setting composition, but preferably it comprises a non-setting composition such as silicon gel.

The inventors believe that the above described insulating device would be relatively cheap to manufacture and would not be bulky which allows for neat insulated electrical connections to be made. Although the lids in most cases fit tightly to the body, one would be able to remove them to inspect the connection between cords in the device.

It will be appreciated that many variations in detail are possible without thereby departing from the scope and spirit of the invention.

Claims

1. An insulating device comprising a hollow open housing suitable for receiving sections of electrical cord connected to each other therein, the housing being at least partly made of an electrically insulating material; a lid for closing the open housing to insulate the sections of electrical cord connected to each other therein; and nipping means associated with the lid for nipping the sections of electrical cord to the housing and/or lid when the lid is closed.

2. The insulating device of claim 1 wherein the housing comprises a hollow body; two cord insert openings in the body through which sections of electrical cord may be inserted to extend into the hollow body; a connection opening in the body allowing access to the sections of electrical cord received through the insert openings; and the lid being associated with the connection opening to open and close said opening.

3. The insulating device of claim 1 wherein the housing comprises a body defining a groove therein for in use receiving the sections of electrical cord therein; and the lid in use being received in the groove over the sections of the electrical cord.

4. The insulating device of claim 1 wherein the hollow housing comprises an elongate body wholly made of an electrically insulating material.

5. The insulating device of claim 1 wherein the lid is hingedly attached to the housing.

6. The insulating device of claim 1 wherein the lid is separable from the housing.

7. The insulating device of claim 1 wherein the whole lid is made of an electrically insulating material.

8. The insulating device of claim 1 which includes clipping means for retaining the lid in a closed position when closing the open housing.

9. The insulating device of claim 8 wherein the clipping means is adjustable thereby allowing the lid to be adjusted relative to the housing when the lid is in the closed position and thereby causing the tightness of the nipping by the nipping means to be altered.

10. The insulating device of claim 8 wherein the the clipping means comprises one or more serrations on the lid and one or more mating serrations on the housing which in use interengage each other to retain the lid in a closed position.

11. The insulating device of claim 1 wherein the nipping means in use nips the sections of electrical cord to the housing and/or lid at a position where the sections of electrical cord are connected to each other.

12. The insulating device of claim 11 wherein the nipping means in use also nips the sections of electrical cord to the housing and/or lid on opposite sides of a connection formed between the sections.

13. The insulating device of claim 1 wherein the nipping means comprises one or more protru¬ sions extending from the lid and/or the housing in use to nip at least one section of electrical cord between the housing and the lid.

14. The insulating device of claim 13 wherein the nipping means comprises a plurality of protrusions extending from the lid.

15. The insulating device of claim 13 wherein each protrusion defines an edge which in use engages a section of electrical cord.

16. The insulating device of claim 13 wherein the nipping means further includes one or more gripping formations for improving the grip of the insulating device on the sections of electrical cord.

17. The insulating device of claim 16 wherein each gripping formation comprises an additional protrusion opposite to but not in line with a first protrusion, and in use a section of cord is bent over said additional protrusion when the first protrusion nips the section of cord to the housing and/or lid.

18. The insulating device of claim 1 wherein a sealant is in use provided in the hollow housing to seal a connection between sections of electrical cord in the housing.