Abstract:
An electrical connector for crimpable connection about an electrical conductor upon application of a crimping force imparted by the opposing arcuate dies of a crimping tool. The connector includes an elongate connector body formed of a compressible material. The connector body has an elongate first planar face and an elongate second planar face. The first planar face is opposed to the second planar face. One end of the connector body is defined by an arcuate wall extending between the first planar face and the second planar face. The other end of the connector body defines a first open ended conductor receiving nest. The connector body further defines a second open ended conductor receiving nest and a third open ended conductor receiving nest whereby the second and third conductor receiving nests are located adjacent to the arcuate wall and open in substantially opposite directions. The connector body provides no more than three points of contact with the opposing dies of the crimping tool prior to crimping.

Description:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention relates generally to compression type connectors for connecting electrical conductors. More particularly the present invention relates to improvements in compression electrical connectors, which may be more reliably crimped around electrical conductors using a suitable crimping tool. 
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     Compression connectors for connecting together two or more electrical conductors are well-known. Connectors such as these typically accommodate stripped electrical conductors in individual connector nests. A suitable crimping tool is used to crimp the connector around the conductors. Many of these compression-type connectors are of the H-tap variety, that is, the connector body has an H-shaped cross section. H-taps provide upper and lower conductor nests, each nest being defined by a bottom wall and opposed upstanding sidewall. The sidewalls are adapted to be deformed upon application of a crimping force applied by a crimping tool to draw the sidewalls around the conductor to thereby compress the conductor within the nest of the H-tap. 
     In U.S. Pat. No. 2,964,585, an H-tap compression connector is shown. The upper ends of the sidewalls are dimensioned to have relatively equal lengths so that upon crimping, the upper edges may not completely encircle the conductor. An attempt to lengthen the sidewalls could result in the sidewalls contacting each other during crimping prior to encircling the conductor thereby resulting in an ineffective crimp. 
     Attempts to prevent sidewalls from interfering with their proper deformation are seen in U.S. Pat. No. 3,235,654 where a bendable tab is provided at the outer edge of one of the sidewalls. Once the conductor is inserted in the nest the bendable tab may be manually folded over the conductor so that during crimping the conductor is entirely enclosed. Other examples of such connectors are shown in U.S. Pat. No. 3,354,517, 3,330,903, 3,332,888, and 5,162,615. 
     U.S. Pat. No. 5,636,676 shows another attempt to provide a completely enclosed crimp in an H-tap by including a die-engagement extent at the free end of one sidewall. The die engagement extent is attached to the sidewall by a weakened portion which facilitates crimping deformation of the sidewall thereat, upon application of a crimping force. 
     The problem of supporting the conductors in the connector and accurately maintaining the connector between the dies of a crimping tool is particularly significant in connectors which permit side or lateral entry of conductors. U.S. Pat. No. 5,200,576 shows such a side entry connector. Due to the multiple points of die engagement, especially adjacent the side entry locations, centering of the connector in the dies may not be assured. Without proper alignment, the crimping forces may be applied to the connector body so as to deform the body in a manner which does not bend the sidewalls in the desired direction at the desired moment or in the desired order. 
     It is therefore desirable to provide a compressible side entry connector for crimping engagement with a number of conductors that provides more reliable centering and alignment of the connector with the crimping dies prior to crimping. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     It is an object of the present invention to provide an electrical connector for crimping about an electrical cable. 
     It is another object of the present invention to provide compression connection which fully encircles at least one conductor upon crimping. 
     It is yet another object of the present invention to provide a compression connector having non-manually-bendable sidewalls where one side wall is designed to deform more than its opposing sidewall to reliably provide overlapping crimping around a conductor. 
     It is still another object of the present invention to provide a side entry compression connector which reliably maintains alignment within a single die of a pair of opposed crimping dies prior to crimping. 
     It is yet still another object of the present invention to provide a side entry compression connector which may accommodate at least three conductors. 
     In the efficient attainment of these and other objects, the present invention provides an electrical connector for crimpable connection about an electrical conductor upon application of a crimping force imparted by the opposing arcuate dies of a crimping tool. The connector includes an elongate connector body formed of a compressible material. The connector body has an elongate first planar face and an elongate second planar face. The first planar face is opposed to the second planar face. One end of the connector body is defined by an arcuate wall extending between the first planar face and the second planar face. The other end of the connector body defines a first open ended conductor receiving nest. The connector body further defines a second open ended conductor receiving nest and a third open ended conductor receiving nest whereby the second and third conductor receiving nests are located adjacent to the arcuate wall and open in substantially opposite directions. The connector body provides no more than three points of contact with the opposing dies of the crimping tool prior to crimping. 
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     FIG. 1 is a front plan view of a compression connector of the present invention. 
     FIG. 2 shows the compression connector of FIG. 1 positioned between opposing arcuate dies of a crimping tool, just prior to crimping. 
     FIG. 3 shows the compression connector of FIG. 1 positioned between opposing arcuate dies of a crimping tool, just after crimping begins. 
     FIG. 4 shows the compression connector of FIG. 1, substantially crimped, between opposing arcuate dies of a crimping tool. 
     FIG. 5 shows an alternate embodiment of the compression connector of the present invention. 
     FIG. 6 shows another alternate embodiment of the compression connector of the present invention. 
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
     Referring to FIG. 1, a compression connector  10  of the present invention is shown. Connector  10  is formed of a suitably conductive metal such as copper and is cut from an extruded length. Copper is selected as the preferable material for its high electrical conductivity as well as its ability to be suitable crimped by a crimping tool (not shown). It is, however, understood that other conductive metals such as aluminum may be employed and other forming techniques such as casting may also be used to form the connector of the present invention. 
     Connector  10  provides a pair of opposed side-facing conductor receiving nests  12  and  14  as well as an elongate upward-facing conductor receiving nest  16 . Nests  12  and  14  are separated by neck  18  of the connector. Conductor receiving nest  16  is defined by the base wall  20  and a pair of opposed upstanding sidewalls  22  and  24 . Neck  18  joins base wall  20  at about its midpoint. Nests  12  and  14  open onto opposing sidewalls  22  and  24 , respectively, adjacent opposite ends of arcuate endwall  26 . 
     As may be appreciated, the size and shape of connector  10  may be varied to accommodate various lengths and thicknesses (diameters) of cable. However, the sidewalls,  22  and  24 , are selected such that when a conductor is placed in nest  16  and suitably crimped, sidewalls  22  and  24  will overlap each other to encircle the conductor supported within nest  16 . Additionally, endwall  26  may be selected to engage a lower die of a crimping tool having an equal or greater radius of curvature than endwall  26 , so that connector  10  will self-center between the dies of a crimping tool and provide a more reliable crimping. 
     As shown in FIGS. 2-4, an upper die  28  engages the free end of sidewalls  22  and  24  while a lower die  30  engages endwall  26 . Preferably, endwall  26  will have a slightly smaller radius of curvature than the die of the crimping tool so as to provide no more than three points of contact between connector  10  and the dies of a crimping tool prior to crimping. Although, even when endwall  26  has the same radius of curvature as the die of the crimping tool, connector  10  provides three points of contact: a first and second distinct point of contact on each side wall  22  and  24 , and a third continuous point of contact along endwall  26 . By providing three points of contact with the dies of a crimping tool, connector  10  will self-center between the dies. Centering connector  10  within the dies helps assure the connector will crimp in a desirable manner, as is described below. 
     With respect to nest  16 , upstanding sidewalls  22  and  24  are deformed inwardly by the crimping tool. Suitable crimping dies, such as those shown in FIGS. 2-4, force the sidewalls around the conductor supported within nest  16 . The upstanding sidewalls  22  and  24  are directly engagable by a die  28  of a crimping tool. As shown in FIGS. 2-4, die  28  is movable directly into engagement with sidewalls  22  and  24  to progressively deform the sidewalls about a supported cable  32 . 
     In order to assure that sidewall  24  is able to tuck under sidewall  22  upon crimping, the present invention provides that sidewall  24  be formed to be longer than sidewall  22 . Also, sidewall  24  is formed to cant towards sidewall  22  so that even before crimping begins the free end  34  of sidewall  24  will already extend over a portion of supported cable  32 . Furthermore, the outer surface  36  of sidewall  24  includes a v-shaped groove  38  to weaken sidewall  24  so that during the crimping operation it will deform faster than the other sidewall  22 . Groove  38  provides an areas of reduced thickness for sidewall  24  thereby weakening the strength of the sidewall thereabout. The shape of groove  38  is conducive to collapsing upon compression, thereby driving free end  34  inwardly of sidewall  24 . Sidewall  22 , on the other hand, has a shape that tapers to a point at free end  40 . As sidewall  22  gets progressively stronger from free end  40 , sidewall  22  will therefore begin to deform at free end  40  under the compression of dies  28  and  30 . 
     With further reference to FIG. 1, a raised bump  42  is provided on free end  34  to make an initial engagement with die  28  prior to crimping. As sidewall  24  tapers towards free end  40  it is necessary to increase the thickness of free end  34  outwards to ensure simultaneous engagement of free ends  24  and  40  with upper die  28 . Furthermore, free end  34  of sidewall  24  includes a projecting tab  44  extending generally across and away from nest  16 . Tab  44  is contiguous with bump  42  by planar surface  46 . 
     Referring now to FIGS. 2-4, the successive step in the crimping cycle may be seen. Stripped electrical conductors  32 ,  48  and  50  are supported within nests  16 ,  12 , and  14 , respectively. A conventional crimping tool (not shown) having dies  28  and  30 , specifically designed for crimping connectors, exerts a uniform crimping force A on sidewalls  22  and  24 , as well as end wall  26  so that a compression connection is achieved between conductors  32 ,  48 , and  50 . Die  30  includes interior surface  52  which engages end wall  26  of connector  10 . Interior surface  52  has a radius of curvature equal to or greater than end wall  26  so that connector  10  will center itself within die  30  prior to crimping. The closer the dimensions of surface  52  and end wall  26 , the better the alignment of connector  10  between dies  28  and  30 , and thereby, the higher the assurance that die  28  will simultaneously engage bump  42  and free end  40 . 
     Upon application of the uniform crimping force, by which die  28  moves along arrow A with respect to die  30 , sidewall  22  initially engages die  28  at bump  42 . Planar surface  46  deflects away from the inside surface of die  28  so that tab  44  always extends away from the die. As free end  40  of sidewall  22  is continuously in contact with die  28  during crimping, free end  24  will pass clear to the inside of free end  40  throughout the crimping. Meanwhile, nests  12  and  14  are seen to deform about conductors  48  and  50  so as to hold each in their respective nests. 
     An additional embodiment of the present invention is shown in FIG.  5 . Compression connector  110  provides a pair of opposed side-facing conductor receiving nests  112  and  114  which incline upwards, and an upward-facing conductor receiving nest  116 . Nests  112  and  114  are separated by a central neck  118  of connector  110  and open on opposite ends of arcuate endwall  126 . Preferably, nests  112  and  114  are symmetrically situated about a longitudinal axis L of connector  110  and will deform similarly upon crimping. Endwall  126  is preferably selected to have a radius of curvature that is equal to or less than the radius of curvature of the surface of the die of the crimping tool that it engages. Connector  110  therefore provides no more than three points of contact with the crimping tool prior to crimping so that, as was described for connector  10 , connector  110  will self-center in the tool die and further assure proper alignment with the tool dies when crimping. 
     Conductor receiving nest  116  is defined by similarly situated and numbered components as provided by and described for connector  10 . Nest  116  is defined between connector base  20 ′ and sidewalls  22 ′ and  24 ′. Sidewall  22 ′ extends from connector base  20 ′ and tapers to a pointed edge at free end  40 ′. Sidewall  24 ′ extends from connector base  20 ′ and angles towards sidewall  22 ′. Sidewall  24 ′ terminates at a free end  34 ′ which extends longitudinally past free end  40 ′. 
     Free end  34 ′ includes a v-shaped groove  38 ′ and a die-engaging bump  42 ′. Projecting tab  44 ′ extends generally across and away from nest  116 . Tab  44 ′ is contiguous with bump  42 ′ by planar surface  46 ′. During crimping, bump  42 ′ will engage a die of the crimping tool similarly as described in FIGS. 2-4 for connector  10  and tab  44 ′ will tuck underneath free end  40 ′ of sidewall  22 ′. 
     Yet another embodiment of the present invention is shown in FIG.  6 . Compression connector  210  provides three side-facing conductor receiving nests  212 ,  214 , and  215 , and an upward-facing conductor receiving nest  216 . Nests  212  and  214  are separated by a neck  218  of connector  210  and open on opposite ends of arcuate endwall  226 . Nest  215  is separated from nest  214  by a side projecting tang  217 . Preferably,  214  extends past the longitudinal axis L of connector  210  and will substantially close upon crimping. 
     The crimping operation will tend to force neck  218  into nest  212  so as to compress a conductor (not shown) therein. The crimping operation will therefore force opposed endwall portions  216   a  and  216   b  towards sidewall end  222   a  and tang  217 . Engagement between endwall portion  216   b  and tang  217  will ensure crimping of a conductor (not shown) placed in nest  215 . Endwall  226  is preferably selected to have a radius of curvature that is equal to or less than the radius of curvature of the surface of the die of the crimping tool that it engages. Connector  210  therefore provides no more than three points of contact with the crimping tool prior to crimping so that, as described for connector  10 , connector  210  will self-center in the tool die and further assure proper alignment with the tool dies when crimping. 
     Free end  34 ″ includes a v-shaped groove  38 ″ and a die-engaging bump  42 ″. Projecting tab  44 ″ extends generally across and away from nest  216 . Tab  44 ″ is contiguous with bump  42 ″ by planar surface  46 ″. During crimping, bump  42 ″ will engage a die of the crimping tool similarly as described in FIGS. 2-4 for connector  10  and tab  44 ″ will tuck underneath free end  40 ″ of sidewall  22 ″. 
     While the preferred embodiment of the present invention has been shown and described, it will be obvious in the art that changes and modifications may be made without departing from the teachings of the invention. The matter set forth in the foregoing description and accompanying drawings is offered by way of illustration only and not as a limitation. The actual scope of the invention is intended to be defined in the following claims when viewed in their proper perspective based on the prior art.