Patent ID: 7794255
Filing Date: 2010-09-14
Classification: H01R,Y10T

Abstract:
1. An electrical butt-style connector for connecting multiple electrical wires, the connector comprising; an electrically-conductive spiral unit comprising multiple spiral coils extending around and defining a longitudinal axis, the spiral unit having a central region and opposing first and second spiral unit ends, wherein multiple of said spiral coils near said first spiral unit end form a first spiral portion that surrounds and defines a first axial passageway of a first internal diameter, and wherein multiple of said spiral coils near said second spiral unit end form a second spiral portion that surrounds and defines a second axial passageway of a second internal diameter; a main housing circumferentially surrounding the spiral unit and being fixed to the spiral unit central region so that the main housing is not movable relative to the spiral unit central region; first and second funnel-end housings, wherein said first funnel-housing is fixed to said first spiral unit end and said second funnel-end housing is fixed to said second spiral unit end, each of said first and second funnel-end housings comprising a central bore generally coaxial with said longitudinal axis and having a generally funnel-shaped interior surface with a diameter near said spiral unit, and a diameter farther from said spiral unit that is larger than said diameter near said spiral unit, said central bore of each of said first and second funnel-end housings mechanically communicating with said axial passageway of the spiral unit, wherein said first and second funnel-end housings are moveable relative to said main housing; a first wire comprising an un-insulated first wire end having a first wire end diameter and extending into said first funnel-end housing and into the axial passageway of the first spiral unit end; a second wire comprising an un-insulated second wire end having a second wire end diameter and extending through said second funnel-end housing and into the axial passageway of the second spiral unit end; wherein said first funnel-end housing, and the multiple coils of the first spiral portion with it, are manually rotatable on said longitudinal axis from a relaxed configuration to a tightened configuration, wherein: wherein said second funnel-end housing, and the multiple coils of the second spiral portion with it, are manually rotatable on said longitudinal axis from a relaxed configuration to a tightened configuration, wherein: so that said first wire end and said second wire end are generally coaxial and enter the connector from opposite ends of the connector and are electrically connected to each other by being gripped by electrically-conductive spiral portions at opposite ends of the spiral unit; and wherein the connector further comprises a latch system that retains the first spiral portion and the second spiral portion in the tightened configuration after said manual rotation of the first and second funnel-end housings relative to the main housing.