Patent Publication Number: US-11033000-B2

Title: Electric fence connection system

Description:
PRIORITY CLAIM 
     This application claims priority to provisional application Ser. No. 62/503,139, filed May 8, 2017, which is entirely incorporated by reference. 
    
    
     TECHNICAL FIELD 
     This disclosure relates to electric fences and more particularly to connection systems for electric fences. 
     BACKGROUND 
     Barriers in the form of fences are used to keep animals or humans in or out of an area typically defined by the fence. One form of fence is an electric fence, which can operate as a deterrent by providing an electric shock to the human or animal that comes into contact with conducting part of the electric fence. An electric fence may be powered by a power source. The power source may energize the electric fence on a predetermined schedule, such as about every 5-10 seconds. 
     A human or animal coming into contact with an electric fence may be shocked if an electric pulse is emitted by the power source during the contact. Current in the electric fence runs through the body of the human or animal via the contacting part, runs through the ground, and returns to the neutral of the power source. 
     Installation of electric fencing can be challenging and time consuming due to the need to maintain electrical continuity, insulate the electric fence and supply power to the fence. Thus, more efficient and easier ways to install an electrical fence are needed. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       The embodiments may be better understood with reference to the following drawings and description. The components in the figures are not necessarily to scale. Moreover, in the figures, like-referenced numerals designate corresponding parts throughout the different views. 
         FIG. 1  is a perspective side view of an example of an electric fence connection system mounted on an electric fence. 
         FIG. 2  illustrates a perspective bottom view of an example of an electric fence connection system. 
         FIG. 3  is a perspective side view of an example of the electric fence connection system  100 . 
     
    
    
     SUMMARY 
     An electric fence connection system includes a body formed with a slot or having a predetermined depth. The slot may be formed to receive a polymer coated cable such that at least a portion of the polymer coated cable is surrounded by the body. The body may be formed to also include a first threaded aperture that extends through the body to the slot. A first threaded fastener may be sized to threadably engage the first threaded aperture. The first threaded fastener may include a head at a proximate end, a conical tip at a distal end and threads along a shaft of the fastener between the distal and the proximate end. The conical tip of the first threaded fastener may be formed to pierce the polymer coated cable positioned in the slot. The body may be formed with a second aperture formed to receive a power supply cable to supply electrical power to the polymer coated cable via the first threaded fastener. 
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
     The discussion below makes reference to electrified fencing and more particular to polymer based electrified fencing formed to include a polymer coated cable. The polymer surrounding the cable may be capable of conducting electric current. Thus, objects that come into contact with the polymer surrounding the cable may receive an electric shock. Power for the polymer coated cable may be provided from a power supply. Interconnection between the power supply and the polymer coated cable may be provided by a power cable, or “stinger.” The power cable may be terminated at the power supply. Termination of the power cable at the polymer coated cable may be performed with an electric fence connection system. 
       FIG. 1  is a perspective side view of an example of an electric fence connection system  100  mounted on an electric fence  102 . The electric fence  102  is a polymer based fencing material that may include a polymer coated cable  104  or polymer coated flexible rail forming at least a part of the electric fence. The polymer coated cable  104  includes a surrounding polymer material  106 , and a conductor  108 . The conductor  108  and the surrounding polymer material  106  may conduct electrical current and voltage. The polymer coated cable  104  may represent an independent strand of the electric fence  102 , or the polymer coated cable  102  may be formed as part of a multi-strand fence webbing  110  containing one or more cables. 
     One or more of the cables may be power cables formed with conductive material, such as steel. The polymer material  106  surrounding the power cable may be formed by, for example extrusion molding of a plastic around the power cable. In the case of multi-strand fence webbing, plastic may be extrusion molded around the cables to form a web between any number of the cables. The plastic may be polyvinyl chloride, thermo plastic polyolefin, polypropylene/rubber compositions, or other vinyl-based or other types of modified thermoplastic polymer. The polymer coating  106  surrounding the power cable  108  may be infused with an electrically conductive filler material, such as carbon, metal particles, or any other materials that will provide sufficient conductivity such that an electrical connection between the polymer coating  106  and ground will create a flow of current. Cables included in the multi-strand webbing which are non-power cables may be formed of a high tensile strength material such as 12.5 gauge galvanized or non-galvanized wire. Alternatively, or in addition, the non-power cables may be formed of other materials with desirable tensile strength characteristics such as glass fiber or synthetics such as polyester or nylon formed in mono-filament or poly-filament cords, as well as ropes or cables. 
     The electric fence connection system  100  may include a body  116 . The body  116  may be formed of an electrically conductive material such as steel or aluminum, and include a channel or slot  118  formed therein. The channel or slot  118  may be formed with a predetermined width and depth to receive at least part of the polymer coated cable  104  such that the polymer coated cable is at least partially surrounded by the body  116  and extends into the body  116  a predetermined distance. In an example configuration, the body  116  is about 19.05 mm tall, 19.05 mm deep, and 25.4 mm wide, and the slot or channel  116  is about 9.65 mm deep, and 5.59 mm wide with a rounded or radius bottom to align with a rounded outer surface of the polymer coated cable  104 . The body  116  may also include one or more threaded apertures  120  extending through the body to the channel  118 . Each of the threaded apertures  120  may be sized to receive a threaded fastener  122 . Although two threaded apertures  120  and threaded fasteners  122  are depicted in  FIG. 1 , in other examples one or more than two threaded apertures  120  and corresponding threaded fasteners  122  may be present. 
       FIG. 2  is a perspective bottom view of an example of the electric fence connection system  100 . In the example of  FIG. 2 , at least a portion of an electric fence  102  is illustrated with dotted lines so as to better illustrate the features of the electric fence connection system  100 . The electric fence  102  includes at least one polymer coated cable  104  having a power cable  108  and a surrounding conductive polymer 106. The electric fence connection system  100  includes a body  116  formed to include a channel or slot  118  to receive at least a portion of the electric fence  102 . 
     In  FIG. 2 , the threaded fasteners  122  are illustrated as withdrawn from the threaded apertures  120 . Each of the threaded fasteners  122  may include a head  202  at a proximate end, a conical tip  204  at a distal end and threads  206  along a shaft of the fastener  122  between the distal and the proximate end. The conical tip  204  may be formed to pierce the polymer coated cable  104  positioned in the slot  118 . 
     The threaded apertures  120  may include an entry way orifice formed as a countersink bore  210  formed in the body  116  to receive the head  202 , a threaded passageway  212  of smaller diameter than the countersink bore  210  to receive the threads  206 , and an exit orifice  214  providing an ingress to the slot  118  through which the threaded fasteners  122  may extend such the conical tip  204  engages and pierces the polymer coated cable  104 . Thus, the threaded aperture  120  includes a countersunk portion, which is the countersink bore  210  and a threaded portion, which is the passageway  212 , such that the head  202  of the threaded fastener  122  is received in the countersunk portion, the threaded portion (threads  206 ) of the threaded fastener  122  is received in the threaded portion of the threaded aperture  120 , and the conical tip  204  extends into the slot  118  to engage the polymer coated cable  104 . Using the threaded relationship between the threaded aperture  120  and the threads  206 , the conical tip  204  may be rotatable advanced into the channel  118  so as to extend into the polymer coated cable  104  and contact the power cable  108 . The threaded apertures  120  may be positioned on the body  116  such that the threaded fasteners  122  intersect orthogonally with the polymer coated cable  104 . 
     The slot or channel  118  may be formed in the body  116  to be offset from a central axis  218  of the body  116 . The offset may provide a relatively wide first shoulder portion  220  of the body  116  on one side of the channel  118  and a relatively narrow second shoulder portion  222  of the body  116  on the other side of the channel  118 . The first shoulder portion  220  of the body  116  may be sized to accommodate the threaded apertures  120  and threaded fasteners  122 . In addition, the shoulder portion  220  may provide an offset to allow termination of a power cable at the body  116  while maintaining the power cable protruding from the body  116  spaced away from the electric fence  102 . In other examples, the first and second shoulders  220  and  222  may be of equal width. In still other examples, the threaded apertures  120  and threaded fasteners  122  may be formed in the second shoulder  222 . 
       FIG. 3  is a perspective side view of an example of the electric fence connection system  100 . Referring to  FIGS. 1 and 3 , the body  116  also includes one or more power apertures  126  formed in the body  116  to receive a power supply cable  302  ( FIG. 3 ), and one or more keeper apertures  128  formed in the body  116  to intersect with the power apertures  126 . As best illustrated in  FIG. 3 , one or more power supply cables  302  may be received in the power apertures  126 . The power cable  302  may include a conductor  304  and an insulating jacket or cover  306 . The insulating jacket or cover  306  may be removed along a portion of the power supply cable  302  such that the conductor  304  may extend into or through the power aperture  126  such that a portion of the conductor  304  is positioned at the intersection of the power aperture  126  and the keeper apertures  128  as best illustrated in  FIG. 3 , where the power aperture  126  and the keeper aperture  128  intersect orthogonally. 
     The keeper apertures  128  may be formed anywhere in the body  116  so as to intersect the power apertures  126 . The keeper apertures  128  may be threaded apertures formed and sized to receive keeper fasteners  310 , which are threaded. Each of the keeper fasteners  310  may include a head  312  at a proximate end, a tip  314  at a distal end and threads  316  along a shaft of the fastener  310  between the distal and the proximate end. The tip  314  may be formed as a flat surface to engage the surface of the conductor  304  and frictionally maintain the conductor  304  against an inner wall of body  116  forming the power aperture  126 . 
     Each of the keeper apertures  128  may include an entry way orifice formed as a countersink bore  320  formed in the body  116  to receive the head  312 , a threaded passageway  322  of smaller diameter than the countersink bore  320  to receive the threads  316 , and an exit orifice  324  providing an ingress to the tunnel formed by the power aperture  126  through which the keeper fasteners  310  extend such that the tip  314  engages the surface of the conductor  304 . Thus, the keeper aperture  128  includes a countersunk portion, which is the countersink bore  320  and a threaded portion, which is the passageway  322 , such that the head  312  of the keeper fastener  310  is received in the countersunk portion and the threaded portion (threads  316 ) of the keeper fastener  310  is received in the threaded portion of the keeper aperture  128 , and the tip  314  extends into the passageway of the power aperture  128  to engage the power supply cable  302 . 
     Using the threaded relationship between the fastener aperture  128  and the threads  322 , the tip  314  may be rotatable advanced into the power aperture  126  so as to create frictional contact between the wall of the power aperture  126 , the conductor  304 , and the tip  314 . The keeper apertures  128  may be positioned on the body  116  such that the keeper fasteners  310  intersect orthogonally with the conductor  304 . Alternatively, the keeper apertures  128  may be positioned on the body  116  such that the keeper fasteners  310  intersect transverse to the conductor  304 . Contact between the keeper fasteners and the conductor  304  is maintained to create a frictional rigid coupling between the body  116  and the conductor  304 . 
     The body  116  may be formed of a conductive material, such as aluminum, which allows the flow of current from the conductor  304  through the body  116  to the polymer coated cable  104 . In addition or alternatively, current may flow from the conductor  304  through the body  116 , through the threaded fasteners  122 , to polymer coated cable  104 . In alternative examples, the body  116  may be formed of plastic or other non-conducting material, and conductors formed within the body, such as metal channels or busses included in or on the plastic may provide current flow between the keeper fasteners  310  and the threaded fasteners  122 . In still other alternative examples flow of current through the keeper fasteners  310  may be omitted by providing conductive material or busses within the wall of the keeper apertures  128  such at the keeper fasteners  310  urge the conductor  304  into contact with the conductive material, and the conductive material provides a current flow path to the threaded fasteners  122 . 
     In alternative examples, the keeper apertures  128  and keeper fasteners  310  may be omitted. Instead, internal keeper fasteners which include a latching mechanism may be positioned within the power apertures  126  such that the conductor  304  may be inserted into the power aperture  126  in an entry direction, and pulled in the opposite direction to engage the latching mechanism of the internal keeper fastener. Conceptually the latching mechanism may operate as a constricting latch mechanism similar to a “Chinese finger trap” to provide a frictional grip on the conductor  304  within the power aperture  126  by constricting around the conductor  304  upon the conductor  304  being moved in the extraction direction. The internal keeper fastener may then move the conductor  304  into contact with body  116 , an electrical bus, or other form of conductor to provide a current path to the threaded fastener  122 . In other examples, other forms of electrical termination are possible. 
     A method of forming an electric fence connection using the electric fence connection system includes mounting a body on a polymer coated flexible rail by positioning a part of the polymer coated flexible rail in a channel included in the body. After positioning the body, threading a fastener into a threaded aperture formed in the body such that the fastener extends through the body into the channel. Penetrating the polymer coated flexible rail with a tip of the fastener, and forming an electrical connection between an electric conductor included within the polymer coated flexible rail and the fastener. In addition, coupling a power supply cable with the body; and supplying power from the power supply cable to the electric conductor via the fastener. Following the coupling of the power supply cable, conducting electrical current supplied by the power supply cable through the body and the fastener to the electric conductor. When mounting the body on the polymer coated flexible rail, the body may be secured to the flexible rail with the fastener by rotatably threading the fastener into the threaded aperture formed in the body. In this way, the polymer coated flexible rail becomes engaged with the fastener to secure the body to the flexible rail. Also, coupling a power supply cable with the body includes inserting the power supply cable into a power aperture formed in the body, and securing the power supply cable in the power aperture. 
     All of the discussion, regardless of the particular implementation described, is illustrative in nature, rather than limiting. For example, although selected aspects, features, or components of the implementations are depicted in the figures as being a particular type of component, other components have similar functionality are possible. Thus, although specific components are described above, methods, systems, and articles of manufacture described herein may include additional, fewer, or different components. Further, to clarify the use of and to hereby provide notice to the public, the phrases “at least one of &lt;A&gt;, &lt;B&gt;, . . . and &lt;N&gt;” or “at least one of &lt;A&gt;, &lt;B&gt;, . . . &lt;N&gt;, or combinations thereof” or “&lt;A&gt;, &lt;B&gt;, . . . and/or &lt;N&gt;” are defined in the broadest sense, superseding any other implied definitions hereinbefore or hereinafter unless expressly asserted by the Applicant to the contrary, to mean one or more elements selected from the group comprising A, B, and N. In other words, the phrases mean any combination of one or more of the elements A, B, . . . or N including any one element alone or the one element in combination with one or more of the other elements which may also include, in combination, additional elements not listed. 
     While various embodiments have been described, it will be apparent to those of ordinary skill in the art that many more embodiments and implementations are possible. Accordingly, the embodiments described herein are examples, not the only possible embodiments and implementations. Furthermore, the advantages described above are not necessarily the only advantages, and it is not necessarily expected that all of the described advantages will be achieved with every embodiment.