Abstract:
A duplex electrical connector constructed of two body portions with internal bores. The body portions easily assemble and disassemble in a sliding manner, the direction of the assembly and disassembly being substantially at right angles to the axes of the internal bores. A front connector body includes a leading end and a trailing end with a lip, a trailing flange, and a bottom periphery. A tab with an aperture therein extends from the top lip. A rear connector body includes a leading end with a front extension, a boss, a trailing end, and two internal bores extending from the trailing end to the leading end. Sliding assembly of the connector bodies enables minimizing the size of the connector bodies for reducing unit production costs while enabling easy disassembly of the two connector body portions for inspection of internal cable connections.

Description:
This application claims the priority of Provisional U.S. Patent Application Ser. No. 62/006,063 filed May 31, 2014. 
    
    
     FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
     This invention relates to electrical fittings or connectors for connecting electrical cables to a panel and specifically to a duplex electrical fitting or connector having a two-piece connector body in which the body pieces can be easily disconnected and slid apart for inspection or reconnection of an electrical cable to the trailing end of the fitting. 
     BACKGROUND 
     Duplex quick-connect electrical fittings are commonly used to rapidly connect two electrical cables to a single knockout aperture in an electrical box or electrical panel. Duplex quick-connect electrical fittings typically include a two-piece connector body having a trailing body portion with two bores therein for insertion of electrical cables and a leading body portion with a single bore therein for insertion into a knockout aperture of the electrical panel. 
     In a typical two-piece duplex quick-connect electrical fitting, the leading body portion includes an opening that accepts the trailing body portion and the two pieces are pressed together and connected by a screw or similar fastener. The two body portions are typically axially aligned and connected end-to-end, with the trailing body portion pressed within the opening of the leading body portion. Constructing a duplex fitting with axially aligned and joined end-to-end body portions typically adds substantial width and length to the resultant fitting as the leading body portion must be made large enough to accept the entire trailing body portion. 
     The amount of metallic alloy material used to construct the connector body portions directly affects the cost of the resultant fitting. It is therefore advantageous for manufacturers to minimize the size of the body portions to reduce unit production costs. Furthermore, there are times when an installer must disassemble the duplex fitting after it has been initially connected to a box or panel, such as for inspection or removal of the inserted electrical cables. In a conventional two-piece duplex fitting, it is difficult to separate the two body portions in order to inspect or remove the connected electrical cables. 
     Accordingly, what is needed is a duplex electrical fitting that lowers unit production costs. Furthermore, the duplex electrical fitting must be capable of being easily disassembled after connection to an electrical box to allow inspection of the inserted electrical cables. 
     BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     The current invention is a duplex electrical connector including a front connector body slidably connected to a rear connector body. The front connector body includes a leading end, a trailing end with a bottom periphery, a top side, a nose portion at the leading end, and a leading bore therein. The rear connector body includes a leading end, a trailing end, and two trailing bores extending from the trailing end to the leading end. A lip extends along the top side of the trailing end of the front connector body. A tab with an aperture therein extends from the top lip. A front extension extends from the leading end of the rear connector body. A trailing flange extends along the bottom periphery of the trailing end of the front connector body. Rear connector body includes a boss having an aperture therein, with the axis of the bore at substantially a right angle with respect to the axes through the trailing bores of the rear connector body. Front connector body is assembled to rear connector body by sliding the trailing flange of front connector body into open channel of front extension of rear connector body and affixing a screw through tab of front connector body into the boss of rear connector body. Such sliding assembly of the connector bodies enables minimizing the size of the connector bodies while enabling easy disassembly of the two connector body portions for inspection of internal cable connections. Nose portion of front connector body includes a seat and a snap ring disposed on the seat to facilitate connection of the duplex electrical connector to an electrical box or panel. A clip member, secured to the rear connector body adjacent each trailing bore, includes legs that extend into the trailing bores of the duplex electrical connector and engage an electrical cable as it is pushed into one or both bores of the connector. 
     OBJECTS AND ADVANTAGES 
     A first object of the current invention is to provide a duplex electrical fitting that enables easy snap-in insertion of an electrical cable into an electrical box, including easy snap-in insertion of an electrical cable at the trailing end of the fitting and easy snap-in insertion of the leading end of the fitting into the knockout of the electrical box. 
     A second object of the invention is to enable a reduction in size to realize a reduction in the unit production costs of duplex electrical fittings. 
     A further object of the invention is to provide a duplex electrical fitting including a two-piece connector body that may be easily disassembled for inspection of electrical cable connections. 
     A further object of the invention is to provide a two-piece duplex electrical fitting in which the pieces assemble and disassemble in a sliding manner, the direction of the assembly and disassembly being at substantially right angles to the axes of bores extending through the two-piece fitting. 
    
    
     
       DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         FIG. 1  is an exploded perspective view of the preferred embodiment of a duplex electrical connector according to the present invention. 
         FIG. 2  is a top view of a front connector body that forms a portion of the duplex electrical connector shown in  FIG. 1 . 
         FIG. 3  is a side view of the front connector body. 
         FIG. 4  is a bottom view of the front connector body. 
         FIG. 5  is a sectional view of the front connector body taken along line  5 - 5  of  FIG. 3 . 
         FIG. 6  is a sectional view of the front connector body taken along line  6 - 6  of  FIG. 4 . 
         FIG. 7  is a bottom perspective view of the front connector body 
         FIG. 8  is a top view of a rear connector body that forms a portion of the duplex electrical connector shown in  FIG. 1 . 
         FIG. 9  is a bottom view of the rear connector body. 
         FIG. 10  is a side view of the rear connector body. 
         FIG. 11  is a sectional view of the rear connector body taken along line  11 - 11  of  FIG. 9 . 
         FIG. 12  is a sectional view of the rear connector body taken along line  12 - 12  of  FIG. 9 . 
         FIG. 13  is a sectional view of the rear connector body taken along line  13 - 13  of  FIG. 10 . 
         FIG. 14  is a top isometric view of the rear connector body. 
         FIG. 15  is a bottom isometric view of the rear connector body. 
         FIG. 16  is a top view of a duplex electrical connector assembly according to the present invention. 
         FIG. 17  is a side view of the duplex electrical connector assembly of the present invention. 
         FIG. 18  is a detail view of the portion of the duplex electrical connector assembly circled in  FIG. 17 . 
         FIG. 19  is an elevation view of the duplex electrical connector assembly as viewed from the trailing end. 
         FIG. 20  is an elevation view of the duplex electrical connector assembly as viewed from the leading end. 
         FIG. 21  is a sectional view of the duplex electrical connector assembly taken along line  21 - 21  of  FIG. 19 . 
         FIG. 22  is a sectional view of the duplex electrical connector assembly taken along line  22 - 22  of  FIG. 20 . 
         FIG. 23  is a top isometric view of the duplex electrical connector assembly as viewed from the leading end. 
         FIG. 24  is a top isometric view of the duplex electrical connector assembly as viewed from the trailing end. 
         FIG. 25  is an isometric view of a clip member that forms a portion of the duplex electrical connector assembly of the present invention. 
         FIG. 26  is an isometric view of a snap ring that forms a portion of the duplex electrical connector assembly of the present invention. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
     With reference to  FIG. 1  there is shown a preferred embodiment of the present invention, a duplex electrical connector  20  that is an assembly of a two-piece die cast connector body  22  including a front connector body  24  and a rear connector body  26 . The front connector body  24  and rear connector body  26  are slideably connectable to one another along lines  27  as shown in  FIG. 1 . The front connector body  24  includes a nose portion  28  and a leading end  30  and a trailing end  32 . A fastening arrangement  34  is included on the leading end  30  of the front connector body  22  for fastening the duplex electrical connector  20  to an electrical panel or junction box (not shown). The fastening arrangement  34  includes a seat  36  on the nose portion  28  and a snap ring  38  that is shown exploded away from the leading end  30  of the front connector body  24 . The rear connector body  26  includes a leading end  40  and a trailing end  42  with two trailing bores  44  therein. A clip member  46  is secured to the rear connector body  26  adjacent each trailing bore  44 . An optional throat insert  48  may be inserted the nose portion  28  of the front connector body  26  and a fastener  50  secures the front connector body  24  and rear connector body  26  together. 
     Referring to  FIGS. 2-4 , the front connector body  24  includes a top side  52 , a bottom side  54 , and a lip  56  extending from the top side  52  of the body  24  at the trailing end  32 . A tab  58  extends from the lip  56  at the top side  52  of the front connector body  24  as shown in  FIG. 3  and includes an aperture  60  therein. The front connector body  24  further includes a leading flange  62  and an intermediate flange  64  surrounding the seat  36 . A trailing flange  65  extends along the bottom periphery  67  of the trailing end  32 . The front connector body further includes rounded shoulders  66 . Two viewports  68  are included on both the top side  52  and bottom side  54  of the front connector body  24 . 
     With reference to  FIGS. 5-7 , the front connector body  24  includes a wide bore  70  at the trailing end  32  narrowing to a narrower leading bore  72 . The interior walls  74  that form the transition from the wide bore  70  to the leading bore  72  are smooth, gradually arcuate, and devoid of sharp edges to enable easy passage of wire conductors from the wide bore  70  to the leading bore  72 . Each viewport  68  on the top side  52  is axially aligned with a viewport on the bottom side  54  of the front connector body  24  as shown by axis  76  in  FIG. 7 . 
     Referring to  FIGS. 8-10 , the rear connector body  26  includes a top side  78 , a bottom side  80 , and a front extension  82  extending from the lower half  83  of the leading end  40 . The front extension  82  extends from the lower half of the rear connector body and includes an open channel  84  therein. A boss  86  is included on the top side  78  of the rear connector body  26  and includes an aperture  88  therein. The rear connector body includes two sides  90  and an open channel  92  in each side, with each of the channels in communication with one of the trailing bores  44 . A wing  93  extends from each side  90  of the rear connector body at the trailing end  42 . 
     With reference to  FIGS. 14-15 , rear connector body  26  at the leading end  40  includes a cable stop  94  with two conductor openings  96  therein. Each wing  93  includes a flat mounting surface  98  with an aperture  101  therein. Two rails  103  are provided on each side of the flat mounting surface. As shown in  FIG. 13 , a longitudinal wall  105  separates the two trailing bores  44  in the second connector body  26 . Each trailing bore  44  includes an axial center  107  that substantially extends through the conductor openings  96  at the leading end  40  of the second conductor body  26 . Each flat mounting surface  98  is preferably at an angle θ 1  with respect to the axial center  107 . Most preferably, angle θ 1  is between 20 and 40 degrees. 
     With reference to  FIG. 1  the duplex electrical connector  20  is assembled by joining trailing end  32  of front connector body  24  to leading end  40  of rear connector body  26  and sliding the front connector body along lines  27  until trailing flange  65  of front connector body  24  seats in open channel  84  of rear connector body  26 . The front connector body  24  is then secured to the rear connector body  26  together with fastener  50  driven through tab  58  into aperture  88  of second connector body to form a two-piece die cast connector body  22 . 
     Referring to  FIGS. 16-18 , snap ring  38 , which is preferably a split ring formed of a resilient metal and in its unbiased state includes a diameter smaller than the diameter of the seat  36 , includes locking tangs is slightly expanded to slip over the leading flange  62  and is then secured onto the seat  36  on the nose portion  28  of front connector body  24 . The snap ring  38  includes locking tangs  109  thereon. The locking tangs  109  will function to secure the leading end  30  of the duplex electrical connector  20  to an electrical box or panel (not shown). Leading flange  62  and intermediate flange  64  surround the seat  36  and hold snap ring  38  in place on the connector. 
     With reference to  FIG. 25 , the clip member  46  includes a base  111  having an aperture  112  therein, a leading tang  113 , a trailing tang  115 , and a notch  117  at the end of each tang defining a first leg  119  and second leg  121  extending at different angles from each tang  113  and  115 . As shown in  FIGS. 19 and 20 , a clip member  46  is attached to each of the flat mounting surfaces  98  at the trailing end  42  adjacent each trailing bore  44 . A fastener  123  secures each clip member  46  to the second rear connector body  26  portion of the duplex electrical connector  20 . As shown in  FIG. 20 , a longitudinal wall  105  includes opposing arcuate surfaces  125  defining a portion of the cylindrical trailing bores  44  (see  FIG. 19 ). 
     Referring to  FIG. 21 , the interior walls  74  that form the transition from the wide bore  70  to the leading bore  72  are preferably are smooth, gradually arcuate, and devoid of sharp edges to enable easy passage of wire conductors from the wide bore  70  to the leading bore  72 . Optional throat insert  48  is preferably constructed of plastic and, when used, prevents abrasion to wire connectors as they are inserted through the leading bore  72  portion of the duplex connector. 
     As shown in  FIG. 26 , the snap ring  38  is a split ring that includes a leading edge  127 , a trailing edge  129 , and a plurality of locking tangs  109  around the ring body  131 . The snap ring  38  is formed from a flat metal blank (not shown) and is bent into the substantially cylindrical shape. The two ends of the snap ring substantially meet each other at the split  133 . 
     With reference to  FIGS. 23 and 24 , the clip members  46  are preferably formed of a resilient metal and are secured to the rear connector body  26  with the leading tang  113  extending into the open channel  84  in the sides  90  of the rear connector body. The trailing tangs  115  of each clip member  46  extend into the trailing bores  44  of the duplex connector. 
     Throat insert  48 , preferably constructed of plastic, is pressed into the leading bore  72  (see  FIG. 6 ) of front connector body  24  and held therein by a friction fit. Throat insert  48 , optional for use on the duplex electrical connector  20 , acts to shield wire conductors from the interior of the leading bore in order to minimize fraying or abrasion of the outer sheath of the conductors (not shown). 
     With reference to  FIG. 21 , in their unbiased state the clip members  46  and their legs  119  and  121  extend into the trailing bores  44  as shown. When an electrical cable (not shown) is pushed into one or both bores  44 , the legs  119  and  121  of both clip members engage the electrical cable in that bore  44 . The electrical cables are advanced until stopped by cable stop  94  at the juncture between the front connector body  24  and rear connector body  26 . The wire conductors (not shown) at the front of the electrical cables continue forward through the conductor openings  96  and through the leading bore  72  of the duplex connector. 
     Referring to  FIGS. 17-18 , to secure the two connector body portions  24  and  26  together, front connector body  24  is slid sideways with respect to rear connector body  26  in the direction of arrow  135  until trailing flange  65  of front connector body  24  latches into open channel  84  on front extension  82  of rear connector body  26 . Fastener  50  is then secured through aperture  60  in tab  58  of front connector body  24  into aperture  88  in rear connector body  26 . 
     With reference to  FIGS. 23 and 24 , the duplex electrical connector  20  includes a leading end  137  and a trailing end  139 . The connector is used to secure one or two electrical cables (not shown) to a panel or an electrical box. To operate the invention, leading end  137  is simply pressed into the knockout hole of an electrical box. Locking tangs  94  on snap ring  38 , being constructed of resilient metal such as spring steel, deflect inward when in contact with the walls of the knockout and then spring outward to their unbiased position after clearing the wall. The leading end is then securely locked into the knockout in the electrical box. One or two electrical cables (not shown) are then inserted into the bores  44  on the trailing end  139  of the duplex connector  20 . The leading tangs  113  and trailing tangs  115  of clip member  46  then direct each electrical cable into contact with the longitudinal wall  105  at the center of the connector. When fully inserted and in contact with end stop  94  (see  FIG. 21 ), the electrical cables are locked securely to the duplex connector  20  by the clip members  46 . The types of electrical cables and conduits that can be connector to an electrical box with the duplex electrical connector  20  include MC/HCF steel or aluminum cable, AC/HCF steel or aluminum cable, flexible metal conduit steel and aluminum, including both regular and reduced wall thickness, and MC cable continuous corrugated aluminum. 
     Preferably, the front connector body  24  and rear connector body  26  are each die-cast in one-piece of moldable metals, such as zinc alloy. The snap ring  38  and clip members  46  are preferably constructed of spring steel. The throat insert  48  is preferably constructed of plastic. 
     Although the description above contains many specific descriptions, materials, and dimensions, these should not be construed as limiting the scope of the invention but as merely providing illustrations of some of the presently preferred embodiments of this invention. Thus the scope of the invention should be determined by the appended claims and their legal equivalents, rather than by the examples given.