Abstract:
An electrical connector system and method for making same, for joining adjacent ends of electrical power conductors, including a female connector assembly and a male connector assembly. Each of the female and male connector assemblies is provided with push-in type, spring mechanism to facilitate the insertion of a bared end of an electrical conductor, into the respective female or male connector housing for secured engagement of the bared end of the electrical conductor, without the assembler having to make physical contact with any electrically conductive structures.

Description:
BACKGROUND 
     In the art, devices for providing connections between conductors (e.g., wires or cables) for electrical current are known. Electrical connector devices intended for use in the environment of electrical power transmission systems for conveying electricity from photovoltaic cells are known. 
     Published US patent application US 2011/0111612 A1 describes and illustrates an electrical connector structure for multi-strand conductors, in which a post-shaped contact is crimped onto the end of one conductor to form the male connector, and a cylindrically-shaped contact is crimped onto the end of another conductor to form the female connector. The post-shaped contact of the male connector is surrounded by a cylindrical shroud which is configured to surround and cover the female connector, when the male and female connectors are engaged. Sealing washers are employed towards creating a moisture-resistant seal where the post- and cylindrically-shaped contacts meet. 
     International application publication no. WO 2010/089023 A1 describes and illustrates electrical plug connectors which employ releasable clip and releasing tab structures, for holding the male and female connectors together. 
     US D626,068 illustrates and claims the ornamental appearance of an electrical connector with a locking and release device. 
     International application publication no. WO 2010/066399 A1 describes and illustrates an electrical connector, in which the end of the conductor is captured within a clamp structure, which forms part of an electrical contact, which is, in turn surrounded by a shell to form a connector structure. 
     While the devices described in these publications, which are incorporated herein by reference in their entirety, generally work for their intended purpose, the following describes an improved electrical connector system, and method for making same. 
     SUMMARY 
     Described hereinafter is an improved mating pair of male and female electrical connectors, which are particularly suited for use in field installations for power current carrying applications, such as the conductors used to convey electrical power from photovoltaic panels. 
     More particularly, and by way of non-limiting example, the subject electrical connector system includes female and male electrical connectors, each configured to receive an end of an electrical conductor, in the field if so required, in such a manner that the installer does not have to handle or make direct contact with any electrically conductive members in order to permanently affix the female and male electrical connectors to their respective electrical conductors. Each of the female and male connectors includes a connector housing, and positioned within the housing, a connector member configured to make complementary electrically conductive contact with the connector member for the other connector component of the system, and a push-in, spring type connector configured to insertably receive and non-releasably grip the bared end of a conductor. 
     Releasable barbed prongs and complementary barb engaging slots are provided on the female and male connector housings, respectively, to enable the female and male connectors to be releasably connected to one another. In an alternative embodiment of the invention, the relative positions may be swapped, so that the barbed prongs emanate from the male connector member and the complementary barb engaging slots may be provided on the female connector housing. 
     While the foregoing provides a general description of the subject device and system, a better understanding of the objects, advantages, features, properties and relationships of the subject device and system will be obtained from the following detailed description and accompanying drawings which set forth illustrative embodiments and which are indicative of the various ways in which the principles of the invention may be employed. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       For a better understanding of the hereinafter described connector system, reference may be had to the following drawings in which: 
         FIG. 1  is a perspective view of the female connector and the male connector for the electrical connector system of the present invention; 
         FIG. 2  is a perspective exploded view of the female connector of the embodiment shown in  FIG. 1 ; 
         FIG. 3  is a perspective view of the electrical contact and spring assembly for the female connector of the embodiment shown in  FIGS. 1 and 2 ; 
         FIG. 4  is a perspective view, in section, of a completed female connector of the embodiment shown in FIGS.  1  and  2 ;. 
         FIG. 5  is a perspective view of a cylindrical spring, which may be used in preferred embodiments of the present invention; 
         FIG. 6  is an exploded perspective view of the male connector of the embodiment shown in  FIG. 1 ; 
         FIG. 7  is a perspective view of the electrical contact and spring assembly for the male connector of the embodiment shown in  FIGS. 1 and 6 ; and 
         FIG. 8  is a perspective view, in section, of a completed male connector of the embodiment shown in  FIGS. 1 and 6 . 
         FIG. 9  is a perspective view, in section, of the male connector coupled to the female connector. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
     With reference to the figures, the following describes an electrical connector system  11 . As particularly shown in  FIG. 1 , the electrical connector system  11  is comprised of a female connector  13  which is adapted to be releasably mated with a male connector  15 . 
     Female connector  13  is shown in greater detail in  FIGS. 2-4 . The components of female connector  13  are shown in exploded view, in  FIG. 2 , wherein female connector  13  includes: female connector and spring assembly  17 ; female connector cap  19 ; connection seal O-ring  21 , housing seal O-ring  23 ; cylinder spring  25  (optional); female connector housing  27 ; conductor end  29  (which is to be inserted into female connector  13 ), including bared end  31  and insulation  33 ; gasket seal  35 ; and locking nut  37  (which has internal screw threads—not shown). Bared end  31  may be composed of a collection of individual wire strands, or, given that conductor end  29  is configured for transmission of power, not data, bared end may be a single wide strand (so as to reduce electrical resistance). 
     Female connector and spring assembly  17  is shown in greater detail in  FIG. 3 . Female spring member  39  includes tang  41  (which itself defines an aperture within female spring member  39 ), which serves to grip bared end  31  of conductor end  29 , in a manner described in further detail hereinafter. Female connector member  43  includes cylindrical portion  45  and tab  47 , which, in an embodiment of the invention, grips and is affixed to female spring member  39  by bent prong(s)  49  extending from tab  47  of female connector member  42 , which prong(s)  49  may engage notch(es)  51  formed in tab  53 . The components of female connector and spring assembly  17  may be fabricated from any suitable electrically conductive material, which also has the necessary strength, toughness and ductility characteristics to be able to hold together, and (in the case of spring member  39 ) firmly and lockingly engage conductor end  29 , as described herein. 
       FIG. 4  shows a completed female connector  13 , wherein female connector and spring assembly  17  is positioned within female connector housing  27 . Female connector housing  27  includes off-center bore  55  (through which bared end  31  of conductor end  29  is intended to pass), screw threads  57 , and barbed prongs  59 . Female connector and spring assembly  17  is inserted into the proximal opening  63  of female connector housing  27  until female spring member  39  abuts wall  65 . Female connector cap  19  (bearing housing seal O-ring  23 ) is pressed into proximal opening  63  of the female connector housing  27  and is oriented so that tabs  69  (one of which is shown in  FIG. 4 ) will extend to either side of spring member  39 . A groove  28  is provided on the outer surface of female connector cap  19  to provide a seat to facilitate stabilization of connection seal O-ring  21 . Grooves (not shown) may be provided on the inner surface of female connector housing  27 , to receive tabs  69 , so that female connector cap  19  can be rotationally fixed, relative to female connector housing  27 . In this regard, female connector cap  19  and female connector housing  27  are preferably arranged to allow female connector cap  19  to be snap fit into engagement with female connector housing  27 . Female connector housing  27  and end cap  19  may be fabricated from any suitable electrically non-conductive material. 
     To assemble female connector  13  with the conductor  29 , and referring to  FIG. 4 , first, locking nut  37  and gasket seal  35  ( FIG. 2 ) are slid onto conductor end  29 . Insulation  33  is then (or will have been) stripped away from conductor end  29  for a short distance from the extreme tip thereof, to create bared end  31 . Conductor end  29  is then pushed into distal opening  61  of completed female connector housing  27 , and bared end  31  passes through bore  55 . Bared end  31  passes through female spring member  39 , and deflects tang  41  upwardly and toward proximal opening  63 . Once the pushing effort on conductor end  29  has stopped, the extreme end  67  of tang  41  (fabricated from a suitably stiff material and which may have a slight edge imparted thereto) will tend to “dig” into the outer surface of bared end  31 . This will help to prevent separation of conductor end  29  from female connector  13 . Gasket seal  35  may then be slid up conductor end  29  and into distal opening  61 . Locking nut  37  is then pushed up and onto the end of female connector housing  27 , and screwed onto screw threads  57  Annular gasket seal  35  and locking nut  37  help prevent the intrusion of water and contaminants like dirt into female connector housing  27 . 
     Female connector  13  may include cylinder spring  25  ( FIG. 5 ), which may be inserted into the bore  73  ( FIG. 6 ) of cylindrical portion  45  of female connector member  43 . Cylinder spring  25  may be provided with outwardly projecting tang  71 , which can engage with the inner surface of cylindrical portion  45 , to retain cylinder spring  25  within cylindrical portion  45 . Cylinder spring  25  may also be provided with inwardly bowing splines  75 , distributed around the circumference of cylinder spring  25 . The function of splines  75  will be described in further detail hereinafter. 
       FIGS. 6-8  illustrate the components and assembly of male connector  15 . As shown in the exploded view of  FIG. 6 , male connector  15  includes male connector and spring assembly  77 ; male connector cap  79  with housing seal O-ring  81  and tabs  83 ; male connector housing  85  having slots  87 , proximal opening  89  and screw threads  91 ; conductor end  93  (which is to be inserted into male connector  15 ), including bared end  95  and insulation  97 ; gasket seal  99  and locking nut  101 . 
     Male connector and spring assembly  77  is shown in greater detail in  FIG. 7 . Male spring member  103  includes tang  105  (which itself defines an aperture within male spring member  103 ), which serves to grip bared end  95  of conductor end  93 , in a manner described in further detail hereinafter. Male connector member  107  includes cylindrical portion  109  and tab  111 , which, in an embodiment of the invention, grips and is affixed to male spring member  103  by bent prong(s)  113  extending from tab  111 , which may engage notch(es)  117  formed in tab  119 . The components of male connector and spring assembly  77  may be fabricated from any suitable electrically conductive material, which also has the necessary strength, toughness and ductility characteristics to be able to hold together, and (in the case of male spring member  103 ) firmly and lockingly engage conductor end  93 , as described herein. 
       FIG. 8  shows a completed male connector  15  wherein male connector and spring assembly  77  is inserted into proximal opening  89  of male connector housing  85 , until male spring member  103  abuts wall  124 . Male connector cap  79  (bearing housing seal O-ring  81 ) is pressed into proximal opening  85 , oriented so that tabs  83  (one of which is shown in  FIG. 8 ) extend to either side of male spring member  103 . Grooves (not shown) may be provided on the inner surface of male connector housing  85 , to receive tabs  83 , so that male connector cap  79  can be rotationally fixed, relative to male connector housing  85 . In this regard, male connector cap  79  and male connector housing  85  are preferably arranged to allow male connector cap  79  to be placed into snap fit engagement male connector housing  85 . Male connector housing  85  and end cap  79  may be fabricated from any suitable electrically non-conductive material. 
     To assemble male connector  15  with the conductor  93 , first locking nut  101  and gasket seal  99  are slid onto conductor end  93 . A portion of insulation  97  is then stripped away (or has been stripped away) to create bared end  95 . Conductor end  93  is inserted into distal opening  115 , until bared end  95  passes through bore  121 , through male spring member  103 , where the bared end  95  deflects and is engaged by tang  105 , in the same manner or substantially the same manner that bared end  31  of conductor end  29  is engaged by tang  41  of female spring member  39  in female connector  13 . Gasket seal  99  is then slid up conductor end  93  and pushed into distal opening  115 . Once conductor end  93  has been engaged by male connector and spring assembly  77 , locking nut  101  ( FIG. 6 ) can then be screwed onto screw threads  91  to complete assembly of male connector  15  onto conductor end  93 . Annular gasket seal  99  and locking nut  101  help prevent the intrusion of water and contaminants like dirt into male connector housing  85 . 
     As illustrated in  FIG. 9 , to releasably connect female connector  13  to male connector  15 , the two components are brought together. Barbed prongs  59  will be inserted into slots  87 , while simultaneously, female connector cap  19  is inserted into proximal opening  89  of male connector housing  85 . The outer diameter of cylindrical portion  109  of male connector  107  will have a diameter which is configured to have a sliding frictional fit into cylindrical portion  45  of female connector member  43 , wherein the actual electrically conductive contact is made. However, because a good electrical contact requires a good solid connection, cylinder spring  25  may be inserted into cylindrical portion  45 . Splines  75 , which bow inwardly, can have a minimum inner diameter which is actually less than the outer diameter of cylindrical portion  109 , but, because splines  75  will have a spring-like resiliency, they will be able to be pushed radially outwardly, to accommodate cylindrical portion  109  of male connector  107 , and yet make solid electrically conductive contact with cylindrical portion  109 . Once female connector  13  and male connector  15  are fully engaged, the barbs on barbed prongs  59  will releasably engage with complementary barb engaging structures  123  provided in slots  87 . 
     The foregoing description and drawings merely explain and illustrate the invention, and the invention is not limited thereto, except as those skilled in the art who have the present disclosure before them will be able to make modifications and variations therein without departing from the scope of the invention.