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
  • H01R13/00—Details of coupling devices of the kinds covered by groups H01R12/70 or H01R24/00 - H01R33/00
  • H01R13/46—Bases; Cases
  • H01R13/514—Bases; Cases composed as a modular blocks or assembly, i.e. composed of co-operating parts provided with contact members or holding contact members between them
• • 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
  • H01R4/2404—Connections using contact members penetrating or cutting insulation or cable strands the contact members having teeth, prongs, pins or needles penetrating the insulation
  • H01R4/2408—Connections using contact members penetrating or cutting insulation or cable strands the contact members having teeth, prongs, pins or needles penetrating the insulation actuated by clamping screws

Definitions

• the present invention relates to a device for the electrical connection of at least one branch cable to a principal cable.
• U.S. Patent 4,247, 1 59 discloses a connector comprising two jaws siidably mounted relative to each other in the manner of jaws of a vise, a bolt permitting bringing the two jaws together so as to ensure a gripping effect. These jaws preferably have a T shape and the wings on either side of the central axis permit gripping cables.
• This blade comprises two portions connected by a flexible bridge.
• Such a connection does not have any insulating protection for the electrical contacts.
• the arrangement of the jaws is identical to that of the connector described above, but with insulating sleeves in which are disposed the electrical connection blades for perforating the insulation.
• Such connectors do not permit any modularity of the arrangements.
• a type of connector is necessary for each type of cable without being able to use standardized pieces from one connector to the other.
• the object of the invention is to provide an electrical connection device for at least one branch cable to a principal cable, which is modular, which can be multiple with common handling means, which is adapted to conditions of adjustment, to the diameter of cables, and to the number of cables.
• FIG. 1 a schematic perspective view of a connection device according to the present invention
• FIG. 3 a schematic front view of two half jaws in mounted position with an end frame, without either an internal cable or a gripping screw,
• FIG. 8 a perspective view of another embodiment of the frame according to the present invention with different pins.
• connection device which comprises two pairs 1 0, 1 2 of half jaws 1 4-1 and 1 4- 2; 1 6-1 and 1 6-2.
• each pair comprises an upper half jaw and a lower half jaw, disposed facing each other.
• Such a half jaw is shown separately and in detail in Figure 2.
• This connection device also comprises connection plates 1 8-1 and 1 8-2, respectively for the upper and lower half jaws.
• connection devices At the ends of each of the connection devices, there is provided an end frame 20-1 and 20-2. Gripping means 22 ensure the connection of the assembly.
• gripping means 22 comprise a bolt, and preferably, the nut coacting with the screw is connected to controlled rupture manipulating means so as to exert a suitable gripping couple.
• Each half jaw comprises a body 24 with concave recesses 26 and 28, provided each to receive a principal cable 30 or a branch cable 32.
• the upper portion of the body 24 is of concave shape and carries at its two ends retaining means 34.
• these retaining means are composed by resilient fingers 36 for snap-in securement.
• This recess is more particularly disposed on a surface perpendicular to the longitudinal axis X of the connector, corresponding to the longitudinal axis of the cables 30 and 32.
• This recess is of the blind type and opened on the side of the external surface of each half jaw.
• Each recess carries a groove 42 arranged parallel to the Y gripping direction, forming a guide rail 44.
• each recess is indicated at I.
• Each end plate 20-1 ; 20-2 has a substantially X shape, defining two pairs of branches 46-1 , 46-2 and 48-1 , 48-2, grooved on their internal portion and forming two substantially C shaped recesses.
• two pins 50-1 and 50-2 project, each with a transverse oblong head 52-1 and 52-2, respectively in the upper and lower portion.
• These heads have a greatest dimension less than I and greater than the width of the grooves 42-1 and 42-2 and a height h less than the width of these same grooves such that each head can slide in a recess such as 38. Moreover, as will further on be indicated, this particular dimensioning permits insertion of the head in the groove and the rail 44 when the half jaw has its longitudinal axis parallel to the axis Y and a retention when it is brought into its perpendicular position, which is to say ready for gripping.
• each half jaw comprises in known fashion a blade 54-1 ; 54-2 of conductive material, provided with indentations adapted to pierce the insulation of the electrical cables when subjected to mechanical pressure.
• These blades are inserted into the jaws 56-1 ; 56-2 of insulating material, themselves adapted to be disposed in the half jaws.
• These sleeves can preferably be fixed in half jaws by holding means 57.
• Such means in a particular embodiment comprise a male clip 57-1 and a female clip 57-2.
• the female clip is received in the corresponding half jaw.
• the sleeve 56 is then disposed in this half jaw from above the female clip and the male clip 57-1 is in turn mounted from above to maintain the sleeve between the two clips, pressed into its half jaw.
• the branches of the clips are disposed on opposite sides of the sleeve.
• This jaw is moreover shown without a blade for the sake of simplicity, but the latter can be preliminarily positioned because the introduction of the blade takes place from below, with the sleeve out of the half jaw.
• Covers such as the cover 58 of insulating material are provided to be disposed removably in the end plates 20-1 or 20-2, on the principal or branched cable side, so as to insulate the end from it if need be.
• Each cover has a truncated conical form and a peripheral lip adapted to engage in the grooved portion of the parts of the branches constituting the C shaped recesses.
• notches are provided concentrically in each cover to adapt it to various dimensions of the cables.
• a first frame is hooked to a first half jaw, for example the lower half jaw, by introducing the pin 50 through the outer surface side opening of the groove 42 of this half jaw.
• the oblong shape of the frame prevents disassembly of the frame and the half jaw by rotation.
• the same steps are carried out with the other lower half jaw and the other frame.
• the lower half jaws are assembled by the lower holding plate 1 8-2, which closes the grooves 42. This subassembly them permits assembling the upper half jaws according to three possibilities:
• the connector is then unitary and can be applied to the principal and branch cables even if the principal cable is charged, which is generally the case.
• the principal cable is in turn introduced, this time into the recess 26.
• gripping force is exerted by screwing the screw into the bolt of the gripping means 22, until the element calibrated to the sought gripping couple is broken.
• the teeth of the blades penetrate through the insulation and enter into contact with the conductors, thereby ensuring the electrical connection of the principal and branch cables, without any risk for the operator.
• the pins 64 are this time carried by the half jaws and not by the end plates. These pins 64 are substantially identical to the preceding pins 50 described above and are also provided with an oblong head.
• the heads of the pins can be inserted through the openings but only when the larger axis of the head is parallel to the Y axis, which is to say parallel to the longitudinal axis of the opening.
• the mounting of the connector takes place in the same fashion as before, except for the introduction of the pin which requires in a first instance the positioning at 90° of the end plate relative to the half jaw to permit the introduction of the pin, then a rotation to return the two pieces into their working orientation as shown in Figure 5.
• the mounting is maintained but there is interposed a supplemental half jaw to bring to three the number of pairs of jaws, this when it is desired for example to increase the number of contact points.
• the central half jaws are retained only by the upper and lower connection plates during mounting. First the central half jaws are mounted before securing the end half jaws.
• the gripping means should be adapted and two bolts should be provided, each being introduced between the two pairs of juxtaposed half jaws. The use remains identical.
• FIG 8 there is shown a modified embodiment of an end frame with a lower pin 50-2 identical in oblong shape and an upper pin of substantially parallelepipedal shape.
• This particular shape facilitates the emplacement because it permits holding the frame perpendicular to the inserted half jaw, because the side surfaces of the parallelepiped coact with the associated groove 42 and rails 44.
• the end plates permit providing monolithic connectors and easy manipulation whilst permitting a great liberty of adjustment of the mounting, before gripping.

Landscapes

• Multi-Conductor Connections (AREA)
• Connections By Means Of Piercing Elements, Nuts, Or Screws (AREA)
• Coupling Device And Connection With Printed Circuit (AREA)
• Insulated Conductors (AREA)
• Connections Effected By Soldering, Adhesion, Or Permanent Deformation (AREA)
• Cable Accessories (AREA)
• Communication Cables (AREA)

Priority Applications (4)

Applications Claiming Priority (2)

Publications (1)

Family

ID=9553246

Family Applications (1)

Country Status (6)

Cited By (4)

Families Citing this family (2)

Citations (4)

• 1999
  • 1999-12-16 FR FR9915765A patent/FR2802712B1/fr not_active Expired - Fee Related
• 2000
  • 2000-12-15 DE DE60023029T patent/DE60023029D1/de not_active Expired - Lifetime
  • 2000-12-15 EP EP00987408A patent/EP1238442B1/en not_active Expired - Lifetime
  • 2000-12-15 AT AT00987408T patent/ATE306129T1/de not_active IP Right Cessation
  • 2000-12-15 WO PCT/EP2000/012832 patent/WO2001045210A1/en active IP Right Grant
  • 2000-12-15 PL PL00356104A patent/PL356104A1/xx not_active Application Discontinuation

Patent Citations (4)

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