Patent Publication Number: US-9419361-B2

Title: Electrical connector with pivot block for terminating an electrical wire

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     The subject matter described herein relates generally to an electrical connector having a pivot blocks for terminating electrical wires. 
     Some electrical connectors that terminate electrical wires include pivot blocks that pivot between open and closed positions. In the open position, the pivot blocks are oriented to receive the ends of corresponding electrical wires, which may been stripped to expose the conductors thereof. The pivot blocks are pivoted from the open positions to the closed positions to engage the electrical conductors of the electrical wires in electrical connection with corresponding electrical contacts of the electrical connector. 
     Pivot block style connectors are not without their disadvantages. For example, the electrical contacts of at least some known pivot block style connectors are insulation displacement design (IDC) type contacts. But, IDC contacts may be limited to terminating only a few (e.g., one to two) sizes of electrical wires. IDC contacts may be limited to electrical wires having solid conductors or conductors having no more than seven strands. Moreover, the force required to terminate an electrical wire to an IDC contact may be relatively high, which may require special tooling and/or may increase operator fatigue. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     In an embodiment, an electrical connector includes a housing and an electrical contact held by the housing. The electrical contact includes opposing spring beams configured to receive an electrical wire therebetween. The spring beams have conductor interfaces configured to engage in physical contact with the electrical wire such that the electrical wire is captured between the spring beams with a compliant pinch connection. A pivot block is held by the housing and includes a receptacle. The pivot block is pivotable between an open position and a closed position. The receptacle is configured to receive the electrical wire when the pivot block is in the open position. The pivot block is configured to be pivoted from the open position to the closed position to move the electrical wire into engagement in physical contact between the conductor interfaces of the spring beams such that the electrical wire is captured between the spring beams with the compliant pinch connection and thereby electrically connected to the electrical contact. 
     In an embodiment, an electrical connector includes a housing and an electrical contact held by the housing. The electrical contact includes opposing spring beams configured to receive an electrical wire therebetween. The spring beams have conductor interfaces configured to engage in physical contact with the electrical wire to electrically connect the electrical contact to the electrical wire. The spring beams are resiliently deflectable from natural resting positions thereof such that the spring beams pinch the electrical wire between the conductor interfaces. A pivot block is held by the housing. The pivot block includes a receptacle. The pivot block is pivotable between an open position and a closed position. The receptacle is configured to receive the electrical wire when the pivot block is in the open position. The pivot block is configured to be pivoted from the open position to the closed position to pinch the electrical wire between the conductor interfaces of the spring beams of the electrical contact. 
     In an embodiment, a thermostat assembly includes a thermostat having a printed circuit that includes mating contacts. An electrical connector is mated with the thermostat and includes a housing and electrical contacts held by the housing such that the electrical contacts are configured to be electrically connected to corresponding mating contacts of the printed circuit. The electrical contacts include opposing spring beams configured to receive an electrical wire therebetween. The spring beams have conductor interfaces configured to engage in physical contact with the electrical wire to electrically connect the electrical contact to the electrical wire. The spring beams are resiliently deflectable from natural resting positions thereof such that the spring beams pinch the electrical wire between the conductor interfaces. Pivot blocks are held by the housing. The pivot blocks include receptacles and are pivotable between open positions and closed positions. The receptacles are configured to receive corresponding electrical wires when the pivot blocks are in the open positions. The pivot blocks are configured to be pivoted from the open positions to the closed positions to pinch the electrical wires between the conductor interfaces of the spring beams of the corresponding electrical contacts. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         FIG. 1  is an exploded perspective view of an embodiment of a thermostat assembly. 
         FIG. 2  is a perspective view of an embodiment of an electrical connector of the thermostat assembly shown in  FIG. 1 . 
         FIG. 3  is a perspective view of a portion the electrical connector shown in  FIG. 2  illustrating a cross-section of the electrical connector taken along line  3 - 3  of  FIG. 2 . 
         FIG. 4  is a perspective view of an embodiment of an electrical contact of the electrical connector shown in  FIGS. 2 and 3 . 
         FIG. 5  is another perspective view of the electrical connector shown in  FIGS. 2 and 3  illustrating an exemplary electrical wire terminated by the electrical connector. 
         FIG. 6  is an enlarged view of  FIG. 5 . 
         FIG. 7  is a perspective view of a portion of another embodiment of an electrical contact. 
         FIG. 8  is a perspective view of another embodiment of an electrical contact. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       FIG. 1  is an exploded perspective view of an embodiment of a thermostat assembly  10 . The thermostat assembly  10  includes a thermostat  12  and an electrical connector  14 . The thermostat  12  is mounted to the electrical connector  14 . In the illustrated embodiment, the electrical connector  14  is configured to be mounted to a wall (not shown) and mated with the thermostat  12  such that the electrical connector  14  is electrically connected with the thermostat  12  and the thermostat  12  is mounted to the wall. But, the electrical connector  14  may be mated with the thermostat  12  in any other configuration, arrangement, and/or the like. For example, in some embodiments the thermostat  12  and/or the electrical connector  14  are not mounted to a wall, but rather are mounted to another surface, such as, but not limited to, a floor, a ceiling, a piece of furniture, a fixture, another structure, and/or the like. 
     The thermostat  12  includes a printed circuit  18  having mating contacts  20 . As will be described below, electrical contacts  22  of the electrical connector  14  are configured to be mated with the mating contacts  20  of the thermostat  12  to establish an electrical connection between the electrical connector  14  and the thermostat  12 . 
       FIG. 2  is a perspective view of an embodiment of the electrical connector  14 . Referring now to  FIGS. 1 and 2 , the electrical connector  14  is pivot block style connector that terminates one or more electrical wires  24  (not shown in  FIG. 1 ). Although the electrical connector  14  is shown as defining a portion of the thermostat assembly  10 , the electrical connector  14  is not limited to being used as a portion of a thermostat assembly. Rather, the electrical connector  14  additionally or alternatively may mate with any other device besides a thermostat and may be used to terminate electrical wires for any other electrical device besides a thermostat assembly. The thermostat assembly  10  and the thermostat  12  (not shown in  FIG. 2 ) are meant as only one exemplary application of the electrical connector  14 . 
     As shown in  FIG. 2 , the electrical connector  14  is configured to terminate the electrical wires  24 . Optionally, the electrical wires  24  are grouped together in a cable (not shown). In the illustrated embodiment, the electrical connector  14  provides an electrical path between the electrical wires  24  and the printed circuit  18  (not shown in  FIG. 2 ) of the thermostat  12 . In other embodiments, the electrical connector  14  is configured to mate with another electrical device besides a thermostat for providing an electrical path between the electrical wires  24  and the other electrical device. In still other embodiments, the electrical connector  14  terminates one or more other electrical wires (not shown) for providing an electrical path between the electrical wires  24  and the other electrical wires. The other electrical wires may or may not be grouped together in a cable (not shown). 
     The electrical connector  14  includes a housing  26 , the electrical contacts  22 , and pivot blocks  28 . The electrical contacts  22  and the pivot blocks  28  are held by the housing  26 . In the illustrated embodiment, the housing  26  includes a base plate  30  and a cover plate  32 , with the base plate  30  holding the electrical contacts  22  and the cover plate  32  holding the pivot blocks  28 . The base plate  30  and the cover plate  32  also define a wall plate assembly in the illustrated embodiment for mounting the electrical connector  14  to a wall. As best seen in  FIG. 1 , the plates  30  and/or  32  may include openings  34  and/or other features that facilitate mounting the electrical connector  14  on the wall and/or other surface. As shown in both  FIGS. 1 and 2 , the plates  30  and  32  include respective openings  36  and  38  for receiving the electrical wires  24 . The housing  26  additionally or alternatively may have other configurations, arrangements, structures, geometries, and/or the like, which may depend on the particular application of the electrical connector  14 . 
     The pivot blocks  28  are held by the cover plate  32  of the housing  26  such that the pivot blocks  28  are pivotable between open and closed positions. Specifically, the pivot blocks  28  are pivotable along an arc A between the open and closed positions. The pivot blocks  28  are shown in the closed positions in  FIGS. 1 and 2 , with the exception of a pivot block  28   a  that is shown exploded in  FIG. 1  and in the open position in  FIG. 2 . Each pivot block  28  includes one or more receptacles  40 . When a pivot block  28  is in the open position, each receptacle  40  thereof is configured to receive one or more corresponding electrical wires  24  therein. Specifically, the receptacles  40  include entrances  42  through which the electrical wires  24  are inserted. Two electrical wires  24   a  and  24   b  are shown in  FIG. 2  received within corresponding receptacles  40   a  and  40   b  of the corresponding pivot block  28   a . Although two are shown, each pivot block  28  may include any number of receptacles  40  and each pivot block  28  may receive any number of electrical wires  24 . Moreover, the electrical connector  14  may include any number of pivot blocks  28  and may terminate any number of electrical wires  24 . An equal number of the electrical contacts  22  may be required for each corresponding entrance  42 . 
       FIG. 3  is a perspective view of a portion of the electrical connector  14  illustrating a cross-section (taken along line  3 - 3  of  FIG. 2 ) of the electrical connector  14 .  FIG. 3  illustrates the electrical wire  24   a  received within the receptacle  40   a  of the pivot block  28   a . In the illustrated embodiment, the electrical wire  24   a  includes an electrical conductor  44  and an insulation layer  46  surrounding the electrical conductor  44 . The insulation layer  46  has been stripped away at an end  48  of the electrical wire  24   a  to expose the electrical conductor  44  along the end  48 . As shown in  FIG. 3 , the electrical wire  24   a  is received within the receptacle  40   a  of the pivot block  28   a  such that a segment  50  of the electrical conductor  44  is exposed for engagement in electrical connection with a corresponding electrical contact  22   a . As will be described below, the pivot block  28   a  can be pivoted from the open position shown in  FIG. 3  to the closed position shown in  FIGS. 5 and 6  to move the segment  50  of the electrical conductor  44  of the electrical wire  24   a  into engagement in physical contact (and thereby electrical connection) with the corresponding electrical contact  22   a.    
     Any structure, mechanism, configuration, arrangement, and/or the like may be used to enable the pivot blocks  28  to be pivotable between the open and closed positions thereof. In the illustrated embodiment, the pivot blocks  28  include bases  52  that are rotatably held by the cover plate  32 , as shown in  FIG. 3 . Specifically, the bases  52  are held within a cradle  54  of the cover plate  32  such that the bases  52  are configured to rotate and thereby pivot the pivot block  28  along the arc A between the open and closed positions. Other structures, mechanisms, configurations, arrangements, and/or the like additionally or alternatively may be used to enable the pivot blocks  28  to be pivot between the open and closed positions. 
     The pivot blocks  58  optionally include latch tabs  58  for holding the pivot blocks  28  in the closed positions. In the illustrated embodiment, the latch tabs  58  cooperate with corresponding latch openings  60  of the base plate  30  with a snap-fit connection to hold the pivot blocks  28  in the closed positions. But, any other structure, mechanism, connection type (e.g., an interference fit connection), and/or the like may be used to hold the pivot blocks  28  in the closed positions. Moreover, in other embodiments one or more of the pivot blocks  28  additionally or alternatively may cooperate with the cover plate  32  to hold the pivot block(s)  28  in the closed position. Each pivot block  28  may include any number of the latch tabs  58 . 
     The housing  26  may hold any number of the electrical contacts  22 . Each electrical contact  22  may engage in physical contact with, and thereby be electrically connect to, any number of electrical wires  24 . In the illustrated embodiment, each electrical contact  22  engages in physical contact with a single corresponding electrical wire  24 . 
       FIG. 4  is a perspective view of an embodiment of one of the electrical contacts  22  of the electrical connector  14  ( FIGS. 1-3, 5, and 6 ). The electrical contact  22  includes a base  62  that extends from a wire end  64  to a pin end  66 . The pin end  66  includes a contact interface  68  at which the electrical contact  22  is configured to mate with the corresponding mating contact  20  ( FIG. 1 ) of the thermostat  12  ( FIG. 1 ). In the illustrated embodiment, the contact interface  68  includes opposing spring beams  70  that pinch the corresponding mating contact therebetween to engage in physical contact with the mating contact  20  and thereby establish an electrical connection between the contacts  20  and  22 . Moreover, the illustrated embodiment of the mating contact  20  is a pin such that the illustrated embodiment of the contact interface  68  is configured to mate with the mating contact  20  by engaging in physical contact with the pin. But, the contact interface  68  additionally or alternatively may include any other structure, type of contact interface, and/or the like for mating with any type of mating contact, such as, but not limited to, a surface-mount structure, a press-fit tail (i.e., compliant pin), a solder tail, a structure that is configured to terminate an electrical wire, and/or the like. 
     Although shown as being located at the pin end  66 , additionally or alternatively the contact interface  68  may be located at any other location along the base  62 . 
     Referring again to  FIG. 2 , the illustrated embodiment of the cover plate  32  of the housing  26  includes one or more openings  71  for receiving the mating contacts  20  therein to enable the mating contacts  20  to mate with the contact interfaces  68  of the corresponding electrical contacts  22 . 
     Referring again to  FIG. 4 , at the wire end  64  of the base  62 , the illustrated embodiment of the electrical contact  22  includes a wire interface  72  at which the electrical contact  22  is configured to terminate the corresponding electrical wire  24  ( FIGS. 1-3, 5, and 6 ). The wire interface  72  includes opposing spring beams  74  that are configured to pinch the electrical conductor  44  ( FIGS. 3 and 6 ) of the corresponding electrical wire  24  therebetween. In other words, and as will be described below, the spring beams  74  are configured to capture the electrical conductor  44  of the corresponding electrical wire  24  therebetween with a compliant pinch connection. In the illustrated embodiment, the wire interface  72 , and specifically the spring beams  74 , extend along the wire end  64  of the base  62  for receiving the corresponding electrical wire  24  therebetween. But, the wire interface  72  additionally or alternatively may be located at any other location along the base  62 . 
     The spring beams  74  extend from the base  62  to ends  76  thereof. Each spring beam  74  includes a conductor interface  78  at which the spring beam  74  is configured to engage in physical contact with the electrical conductor  44  of the corresponding electrical wire  24  to electrically connect the electrical contact  22  to the corresponding electrical wire  24 . As shown in  FIG. 4 , the conductor interfaces  78  oppose (i.e., face) each other. The spring beams  74  are resiliently deflectable (i.e., compliant) springs that are shown in the natural resting positions thereof in  FIG. 4 . Specifically, the end  76  of each spring beam  74  is resiliently deflectable from the natural resting position along an arc B in a direction C. 
     When the electrical conductor  44  of the corresponding electrical wire  24  is received between the conductor interfaces  78  of the spring beams  74 , the bias of the spring beams  74  to the natural resting positions shown in  FIG. 4  pinches the electrical conductor  44  between the opposing conductor interfaces  78  of the spring beams  74 . In other words, the spring beams  74  pinch the electrical conductor  44  of the corresponding electrical wire  24  between the conductor interfaces  78 . The engagement in physical contact of the conductor interfaces  78  with the electrical conductor  44  electrically connects the electrical conductor  44  to the spring beams  74 , and thus to the electrical contact  22 . 
     The electrical conductor  44  of the corresponding electrical wire  24  is captured between the opposing conductor interfaces  78  of the spring beams  74  with a compliant pinch connection. The electrical conductor  44  may or may not be compressed by the spring beams  74  when the electrical conductor  44  is pinched between the conductor interfaces  78  of the spring beams  74 . Moreover, the electrical conductor  44  may or may not be punctured by one or both of the conductor interfaces  78  when the electrical conductor  44  is pinched between the conductor interfaces  78  of the spring beams  74 . 
     The compliant pinch connection between the spring beams  78  and the electrical conductor  44  of the corresponding electrical wire  24  is optionally a separable connection. A “separable connection” is a connection wherein the corresponding electrical wire  24  can be terminated by the electrical contact  22  without damaging the electrical contact  22  and/or without damaging the electrical wire  24 . For example, a “separable connection” may be a connection wherein: (1) the corresponding electrical wire  24  can be installed to the electrical contact  22  (i.e., captured between the spring beams  74  with the compliant pinch connection) and later uninstalled from the electrical contact  22  (i.e., removed from between the spring beams  74 ) without damaging the electrical contact  22  such that another electrical wire  24  can be installed to the electrical contact  22 ; and/or (2) the corresponding electrical wire  24  can be installed to the electrical contact  22  and later uninstalled from the electrical contact  22  without damaging the electrical contact  22  and without damaging the electrical wire  24  such that the same electrical wire  24  can be re-installed to the electrical contact  22 . 
     Optionally, one or both of the conductor interfaces  78  of the spring beams  74  is an approximately flat (i.e., planar) surface. In the illustrated embodiment, each of the conductor interfaces  78  is an approximately flat surface. The compliant pinch connection and/or providing the conductor interface(s)  78  as an approximately flat surface may enable the electrical contact  22  to accommodate a larger range of sizes of electrical wires. For example, the electrical contact  22  may be capable of accommodating at least four different sizes of electrical wires, such as, but not limited to, between 18-24 AWG. The compliant pinch connection and/or providing the conductor interface(s)  78  as an approximately flat surface may enable the electrical contact  22  to accommodate electrical wires having electrical conductors that include more than seven strands (in addition to accommodating electrical wires having solid electrical conductors and electrical wires having electrical conductors with seven or less strands). 
     In operation, the pivot blocks  28  are pivoted from the open positions shown in  FIGS. 2 and 3  to the closed position shown in  FIGS. 5 and 6  to connect the electrical conductors  44  (not visible in  FIGS. 2 and 5 ) of the electrical wires  24  to the corresponding electrical contacts  22  with the compliant pinch connection and thereby terminate the electrical wires  24  to the corresponding electrical contacts  22 . Specifically, the pivot blocks  28  are pivoted along the arc A from the open positions toward the closed positions. Movement of a pivot block  28  along the arc A to the closed position moves the segment  50  (not visible in  FIGS. 2 and 5 ) of the electrical conductor  44  of the corresponding electrical wire  24  into a position between the conductor interfaces  78  (not visible in  FIGS. 2 and 5 ) of the spring beams  74  (not visible in  FIGS. 2 and 5 ) of the corresponding electrical contact  22 . Movement of the pivot block  28  to the closed position thereby moves the segment  50  of the electrical conductor  44  of the electrical wire  24  into engagement in physical contact with the corresponding electrical contact  22 . 
     Referring now solely to  FIG. 6 , as the segment  50  moves into the position between the conductor interfaces  78 , the spring beams  74  are deflected away from each other such that the resilience (i.e., bias toward the natural resting position) of the spring beams  74  pinch the segment  50  of the electrical conductor  44  between the opposing conductor interfaces  78 . The electrical conductor  44  of the electrical wire  24  is thus captured between the opposing conductor interfaces  78  of the spring beams  74  with a compliant pinch connection, wherein the engagement in physical contact of the conductor interfaces  78  with the electrical conductor  44  electrically connecting the electrical wire  24  to the electrical contact  22 . 
     As discussed above, the electrical conductor  44  is optionally compressed by the spring beams  74  when the electrical conductor  44  is pinched between the conductor interfaces  78  of the spring beams  74 . The compliant pinch connection between the spring beams  78  and the electrical conductor  44  of the electrical wire  24  may or may not be a separable connection. 
     Terminating an electrical wire with the compliant pinch connection of the electrical contacts  22  may require less force to achieve as compared to at least some other known connection types, for example as compared to terminating an electrical wire using an insulation displacement design (IDC) contact. In other words, it may require less force to pivot the pivot blocks  28  to the closed position and thereby terminate electrical wires as compared to the pivot blocks of at least some known pivot block style connectors, for example as compared to pivot block style connectors that use IDC contacts. 
     Optionally, one or more of the pivot blocks  28  exert a normal force on the electrical conductor  44  of the corresponding electrical wire(s)  24  when the pivot block  28  is in the closed position. The normal force acts in a direction D that is approximately perpendicular to the length of the corresponding electrical wire(s)  24 , as is shown in  FIG. 6 . The normal force may be provided by any structure, mechanism, arrangement, configuration, and/or the like, such as, but not limited to, configuring the latch tab  58  ( FIG. 3 ) with respect to the latch opening  60  ( FIG. 3 ) such that the pivot block  28  provides the normal force. The normal force provided by a pivot block  28  may facilitate holding an electrical wire  24  to the corresponding electrical contact  22  (i.e., may facilitate maintaining the mechanical and electrical connection between an electrical wire  24  and the corresponding electrical contact  22 ). For example, the normal force provided by a pivot block  28  may increase the force required to pull an electrical wire  24  out of the electrical connector  14 . 
     To uninstall an electrical wire  24  from the corresponding electrical contact  22 , the corresponding pivot block  28  can be moved from the closed position to the open position thereof. Movement of the pivot block  28  from the closed position to the open position may require overcoming the latch force between the associated latch tab  58  and latch opening  60 . Movement of the pivot block  28  from the closed position to the open position moves the segment  50  of the electrical conductor  44  of the electrical wire  24  out from between the spring beams  74  of the corresponding electrical contact  22 . The electrical wire  24  can then be removed from the receptacle  40  of the pivot block  28  to uninstall the electrical wire  24  from the electrical connector  14 . 
       FIG. 7  is a perspective view of a portion of another embodiment of an electrical contact  122 . The electrical contact  122  includes a base  162  and a wire interface  172  at which the electrical contact  122  is configured to terminate a corresponding electrical wire  24  ( FIGS. 1-3, 5, and 6 ). The wire interface  172  includes opposing spring beams  174  that are configured to pinch the electrical conductor  44  ( FIGS. 3 and 6 ) of the corresponding electrical wire  24  between conductor interfaces  178  of the spring beams  174 . In other words, the spring beams  174  are configured to capture the electrical conductor  44  of the corresponding electrical wire  24  between the conductor interfaces  178  with a compliant pinch connection. 
     One or both of the spring beams  174  includes a burr  180  that is configured to engage in physical contact with the electrical conductor  44  of the corresponding electrical wire  24 . The burr  180  may or may not puncture the electrical conductor  44  of the corresponding electrical wire  24 . The burr  180  may facilitate holding the corresponding electrical wire  24  to the electrical contact  122  (i.e., may facilitate maintaining the mechanical and electrical connection between the electrical conductor  44  of the corresponding electrical wire  24  and the electrical contact  122 ), for example via stiction between the burr  180  and the electrical conductor  44 , via compression of the electrical conductor  44 , and/or via puncturing of the electrical conductor  44 . For example, the burr  180  may increase the force required to pull the corresponding electrical wire  24  out of the electrical connector  14 . 
       FIG. 8  is a perspective view of another embodiment of an electrical contact  222 . The electrical contact  222  includes a base  262  and a wire interface  272  at which the electrical contact  222  is configured to terminate a corresponding electrical wire  24  ( FIGS. 1-3, 5, and 6 ). The wire interface  272  includes opposing spring beams  274  that are configured to pinch the electrical conductor  44  ( FIGS. 3 and 6 ) of the corresponding electrical wire  24  between conductor interfaces  278  of the spring beams  274 . In other words, the spring beams  274  are configured to capture the electrical conductor  44  of the corresponding electrical wire  24  between the conductor interfaces  278  with a compliant pinch connection. 
     The conductor interfaces  278  of the spring beams  274  overlap each other. Specifically, and as can be seen in  FIG. 8 , the conductor interfaces  278  overlap each along an axis  282  that extends approximately perpendicular to the length of the corresponding electrical wire  24 . The overlapping arrangement of the conductor interfaces  278  may provide higher normal forces in the directions E and F than provided by non-overlapping conductor interfaces (e.g., the conductor interfaces  78  shown in  FIGS. 3, 4 and 6 ). The increased normal forces provided by the overlapping conductor interfaces  278  may facilitate holding an electrical wire  24  to the electrical contact  222  (i.e., may facilitate maintaining the mechanical and electrical connection between an electrical wire  24  and the electrical contact  222 ). For example, the increased normal force provided by the overlapping conductor interfaces  278  may increase the force required to pull the corresponding electrical wire  24  out of the electrical connector  14 . 
     The embodiments described and/or illustrated herein may provide a pivot block style connector that can accommodate (i.e., terminate with a reliable electrical connection) a larger range of different sizes of electrical wires as compared to at least some known pivot block style connectors. 
     The embodiments described and/or illustrated herein may provide a pivot block style connector that can accommodate (i.e., terminate with a reliable electrical connection) electrical wires having electrical conductors that include more than seven strands (in addition to accommodating electrical wires having solid electrical conductors and electrical wires having electrical conductors with seven or less strands). 
     The embodiments described and/or illustrated herein may provide a pivot block style connector that may require less force to terminate electrical wires as compared to at least some known pivot block style connectors. 
     The embodiments described and/or illustrated herein may provide a pivot block style connector that does not require special tooling to terminate electrical wires. 
     The embodiments described and/or illustrated herein may provide a pivot block style connector that introduces less operator fatigue as compared to at least some known pivot block style connectors. 
     It is to be understood that the above description is intended to be illustrative, and not restrictive. For example, the above-described embodiments (and/or aspects thereof) may be used in combination with each other. In addition, many modifications may be made to adapt a particular situation or material to the teachings of the invention without departing from its scope. Dimensions, types of materials, orientations of the various components, and the number and positions of the various components described herein are intended to define parameters of certain embodiments, and are by no means limiting and are merely exemplary embodiments. Many other embodiments and modifications within the spirit and scope of the claims will be apparent to those of skill in the art upon reviewing the above description. The scope of the invention should, therefore, be determined with reference to the appended claims, along with the full scope of equivalents to which such claims are entitled. In the appended claims, the terms “including” and “in which” are used as the plain-English equivalents of the respective terms “comprising” and “wherein.” Moreover, in the following claims, the terms “first,” “second,” and “third,” etc. are used merely as labels, and are not intended to impose numerical requirements on their objects. Further, the limitations of the following claims are not written in means—plus-function format and are not intended to be interpreted based on 35 U.S.C. §112, sixth paragraph, unless and until such claim limitations expressly use the phrase “means for” followed by a statement of function void of further structure.