Abstract:
A right angle connector for connecting conduit to a junction box having an opening therein. The connector includes a base and a cap. The base may include a tab for establishing a snap fit connection with the cap. According to another aspect of the invention, the base may include a plurality of spring members for resiliently retaining the conduit at approximately a right angle to the opening in the junction box. According to another aspect of the invention, the base may include a plurality of resiliently deformable elements configured to establish a snap fit connection with the opening in the junction box. The deformable elements may extend from an annular bottom portion of the base defining an opening through which wires in the conduit may pass to enter the junction box.

Description:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention relates to connectors for securing helically grooved flexible electrical conduit to housings, such as junction boxes, fixtures, and the like. 
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     Flexible electrical conduit is frequently used in residential and commercial wiring in order to satisfy building codes, and because of the versatility imparted by the flexible nature of the conduit. All of the wiring typically originates at a central fuse box, or junction box, and may terminate at, or pass through, a variety of fixtures or other various housings requiring electrical connections. In order to prevent the wire from being pulled free at any of these locations, the electrical conduit may be secured to the junction box and any fixture along the way. 
     Conventionally, when it is desired to approach a junction box along its side, i.e., with the axis of the flexible conduit perpendicular to the axis of a knockout hole through which the wiring in the conduit must pass, a right angle die cast connector is employed. Right angle die cast connectors typically include several parts, e.g., a body, a locking nut, a cap, and screws. The body is inserted into the knockout hole and secured therein using the locking nut. The flexible conduit is then laid in the open body and the cap is attached using the screws, thereby clamping the conduit between the body and the cap. 
     This style of connector requires time and patience to install. As junction boxes are often located in areas to which access is limited, a great deal of dexterity is required to simultaneously hold the conduit in place, apply the cap, and hold the cap in place while the screws are threaded through often mis-aligned holes in the cap and the body. The difficulty of installation makes such die cast connectors undesirable. In addition, the multiple parts of these connectors require undesirable manufacturing cost and complexity. 
     Accordingly, there is a need in the art for a right angle connector that may be quickly and easily installed. There is a further need in the art for a right angle connector that may be efficiently and cost-effectively manufactured. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     In one embodiment, a connector for connecting conduit to a junction box having an opening therein consistent with the invention may include: a base for receiving the conduit at approximately a right angle to the opening, and a cap configured to cover at least a portion of the base with a portion of the conduit disposed between the cap and the base. The base may include at least one cap retainer tab extending therefrom. The cap may include a slot configured to receive the retainer tab to establish a snap-fit connection between the base and the cap. 
     According to another aspect of the invention, the base may include a plurality of spring members for resiliently retaining the conduit at approximately a right angle to the opening in the junction box. According to another aspect of the invention, the base may include a plurality of resiliently deformable elements configured to establish a snap fit connection with the opening in the junction box. The deformable elements may extend from an annular bottom portion defining an opening through which wires in the conduit may pass to enter the junction box. 
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING 
     For a better understanding of the present invention, together with other objects, features and advantages, reference should be made to the following detailed description which should be read in conjunction with the following figures wherein like numerals represent like parts: 
     FIG. 1 is an end view of an exemplary base of a connector consistent with the present invention; 
     FIG. 2 is a side elevation of an exemplary base of a connector consistent with the present invention; 
     FIG. 3 is a plan view of an exemplary base of a connector consistent with the present invention; 
     FIG. 4 is a plan view of an exemplary cap of a connector consistent with the present invention; 
     FIG. 5 is a side elevation of an exemplary cap of a connector consistent with the present invention; 
     FIG. 6 is an end view of an exemplary connector consistent with the present invention; and 
     FIG. 7 is a side elevation of an exemplary connector consistent with the present invention. 
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
     With reference now to FIGS. 1-7, an exemplary connector consistent with the present invention includes a base, generally indicated at  10 , and a cap, generally indicated at  60 . The base  10  may include a truncated conical portion for securing the connector within the knockout hole of a junction box. The cap  60  is oriented at approximately a right angle to the central axis of the conical portion. The base and cap may each be formed as a single piece and constructed from a resiliently deformable material, e.g. sheet metal. Furthermore, that base material may be electrically conductive. 
     As illustrated in FIGS. 1 through 3, the truncated conical portion  11  of base  10  comprises an annular bottom portion  12  from which the conical portion extends. The conical portion of the connector preferably comprises a plurality of substantially independently flexible segments  16 ,  18 ,  20 ,  22 , thus allowing a high degree of resilient deformation. In the illustrated exemplary embodiment the side segments  16  and  18  further comprise three fingers  24 ,  26 , and  28 , wherein the retainer finger  26  is flared outward at a greater angle than the adjacent fingers  24  and  28 . The retainer finger  26  may be shorter than the adjacent fingers  24  and  28 . 
     In the illustrated exemplary embodiment, the conical portion  11  additionally comprises a rearward segment  22 . At the upper circumference of the conical portion, the rearward segment  22  comprises a generally planar member  30  extending therefrom. Planar member  30  may be oriented approximately perpendicular to the axis A of the conical portion of the connector. 
     The opposed sides of planar member  30  are configured to form generally upstanding side-clips  32  and  34 . The side-clips  32  and  34  may assume a generally inwardly canted orientation, and may be somewhat arcuate to better conform to the tubular form of a flexible conduit. Extending from the inward and forward edge of each side-clip  32  and  34  are stop tabs  36  and  38 . The stop tabs  36  and  38  are oriented generally orthogonal to the side-clips  32  and  34 . 
     The side-clips  32  and  34 , as well as planar member  30 , comprise a plurality of features for resisting pull-out of the conduit, and maintaining reliable electrical contact with the conduit. Each side-clip  32  and  34  may include two inwardly projecting features  40  and  42 . Inwardly projecting features  40  and  42  are spaced apart by a predetermined distance such that they will extend into the helical groove of a flexible conduit on each side thereof. Similarly, the planar member  30  may include a forwardly directed barb  44  and a transverse tab  45  configured to extend into the helical groove at the bottom of the flexible conduit. 
     The planar member  30  of the base  10  further comprises cap retainers  46 ,  48  for securing the cap  60  to the base  10 . The cap retainers  46  and  48  may be employed as generally vertical, up-standing tabs having downwardly opening barbs  50  and  52 , best seen in FIG.  1 . The cap retainers enable a snap-fit of the cap to the base. 
     The conical portion of base  10  also comprises a forward conical segment  20  extending from annular bottom portion  12 . In the illustrated embodiment, the upper edge of forward segment  20  contains a flange feature that is generally perpendicular to the axis A of the conical portion. The flange feature comprises two flange tabs  54  and  56  and a cap retaining flange  58 . The two flange tabs  54  and  56  may be generally coplanar with the planar member  30  extending from the rear conical segment  22 . The cap retaining flange  58 , however, is displaced vertically upwards to accommodate the thickness of cap  60 , as best seen from FIG.  2 . 
     Turning now to FIGS. 4 and 5, the cap  60  includes a generally rectangular shell having opposed upright sidewalls  62  and  64  and top portion  66 . As shown in FIG. 5, the front  65  of cap  60  may be a downwardly arcuate extension of top portion  66 . Also, the transition between side walls  62  and  64  and the top portion  66  may be relieved to provide rounded corners. 
     The bottom of cap  60  comprises a perimeter flange  68 . The flange  68  includes slots  70  and  72  adjacent sidewalls  62  and  64 . Slots  70  and  72  are configured in size and position to receive cap retainers  46  and  48  of base  10 . Further, the front of the flange  68  includes a slot  74  configured in size and location to receive the cap retaining flange  58  of base  10 . 
     Securement of the flexible conduit to the connector may be enhanced by providing a barb  76  in top portion  66  of cap  60 . The barb  76  comprises a forward facing protuberance into the cap  60  from the top  66 , and extends into the helical groove in the top of the conduit. 
     An assembled exemplary connector consistent with the present invention is illustrated in FIGS. 6 and 7. FIG. 6 shows the connector secured within a knockout hole of junction box  80 , which is shown in partial sectional view. FIG. 7 shows flexible conduit  70  installed in a connector consistent with the invention. As shown, cap  60  fits over and covers side-clips  32  and  34 , as well as covering the conical portion of base  10 . Cap  60  is secured to base  10  by barbs  50  and  52  of cap retainers  46  and  48  passing through slots  70  and  72  in flange  68 . Additionally, cap  60  is secured to base  10  at the front by cap retaining flange  58  of base  10  received through slot  74  in flange  68  of cap  60 . 
     To install conduit  70  using a connector consistent with the present invention, the flexible conduit  70  is pressed downward between the side-clips  32  and  34  of base  10  such that the end  72  of the conduit abuts stop tabs  36  and  38  and the projecting features  40 ,  42 , barb  44 , and transverse tab  45  extend into the helical groove  74  in the conduit. The side clips  32  and  34  employed in this manner securely retain the conduit to the base  10  therein leaving fewer separate pieces that must be juggled during the remainder of the assembly process. Additionally, by firmly clipping the conduit to an electrically conductive base  10  an improved electrical contact is established between the conduit and the connector, thus providing a better ground path. After the conduit has been secured by the side clips  32  and  34 , the wiring  76  carried by the flexible conduit is fed downward through the opening  15  in annular bottom portion  12 , wherein the wires are protected against chafing by the rolled inner edge  14  of the bottom portion  12 . 
     With the conduit secured to the base  10 , the cap  60  is next installed onto the base  10  by first inserting cap retaining flange  58  of base  10  through the front slot  74  in the flange  68  of cap  60 . The back edge of the cap is then pressed down over the side-clips  32  and  34  of base  10  such that the cap retainer tabs  46  and  48  are received in slots  70  and  72  in the flange  68  of cap  60 . The cap  60  is pressed downward deflecting retaining barbs  50  and  52  of cap retainer tabs  48  and  46  in line with respective retaining tabs  48  and  46 . As the flange  68  of cap  60  clears the retaining barbs  50  and  52 , the retaining barbs  50  and  52  recover to their initial configuration, thus securing cap  60  to the base in a snap-fit manner. 
     The assembled connector, having the flexible conduit securely retained thereby, is installed in the junction box  80  by inserting the connector through a knockout hole. As the connector is pressed into the knockout hole, the conical segments  16 ,  18 ,  20 , and  22  deflect toward the axial center of the conical portion. When retaining members  26  pass completely through the knockout hole they spring back to their original shape, as shown in FIG. 6, thereby preventing the withdrawal of the connector from the knockout hole. 
     Over insertion of the connector is prevented by front flanges  54  and  56 , as well as by planar member  30  and the flange  68  of cap  60 . The radial force resulting from the spring preload of the conical segments  16 ,  18 ,  20 , and  22 , acting through the inclined surfaces of the conical segments  16 ,  18 ,  20 , and  22 , provides an extracting force which is resisted by retaining barbs  26 . This provides secure retention of the connector in the knockout hole, as well as a positive electrical connection between the connector and the junction box. 
     It will be appreciated that the exemplary embodiment described and depicted in the accompanying drawings herein is for illustrative purposes only, and should not be interpreted as a limitation. It is obvious that many other embodiments, which will be readily apparent to those skilled in the art, may be made without departing materially from the spirit and scope of the invention as defined in the appended claims.