Patent Publication Number: US-9425545-B2

Title: Electrical wire connector

Description:
RELATED APPLICATION 
     This application claims priority to provisional patent application U.S. Ser. No. 61/903,725 filed on Nov. 13, 2013, the entire contents of which is herein incorporated by reference. 
    
    
     BACKGROUND 
     The embodiments herein relate generally to systems for connecting two electrical wires. 
     Prior to embodiments of the disclosed invention, when making electrical connections most connectors used a wire nut style connector designed to tighten onto the bare copper wires to hold the connection. This put unnecessary stress on the copper and frays the wire. If not connected correctly, this could cause an electrical resistance point, or could come free from the copper making a loose connection point. Other endeavors in this field include: U.S. Pat. No. 7,033,231 issued to Lu; U.S. Pat. No. 5,137,476 issued to Noble; and U.S. Pat. No. 4,303,295 issued to Schreder. 
     Schreder teaches a cavity configured to receive wires in an opening and then clamp down the wires with a screw. Noble teaches a tube configured to receive male wires and female wires and then tighten those down with a pair of screws. Lu teaches a cavity having an opening configured to receive wires, but does not teach an opening for male and female wires. However, none of these teach a deep cavity with silicone to ensure a watertight connection. 
     SUMMARY 
     An electrical wire connector is configured to secure at least two electrical wires partially covered in sheaths. The electrical wire connector includes a body further comprising a cavity with a port configured to receive the at least two electrical wires twisted to form an electrical wire connection. Teeth are on a bottom surface of the electrical wire connection; wherein the teeth obstruct movement of the sheaths. A bolt, is detachably coupled to the body. Silicone fills the cavity with the at least two electrical wires. Tightening the bolt onto the sheaths into the teeth displaces some of the silicone from the cavity and creates a watertight compartment for the at least two electrical wires. 
     In some embodiments, there can be female threads on the body and bolt threads on the bolt. Coupling the bolt threads to the female threads joins the bolt to the body. The female threads and the bolt threads can have a thread size from a set consisting of: 6-32 2A, 6-32 3A, 6-40 2A, 6-40 3A, 8-32 2A, 8-32 3A, 10-24 2A, 20-24 3A, 10-32 2A, and 10-32 3A. In some embodiments, the female threads and the bolt threads have a thread size from a set consisting of: 8-32 2A and 8-32 3A. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES 
       The detailed description of some embodiments of the invention is made below with reference to the accompanying figures, wherein like numerals represent corresponding parts of the figures. 
         FIG. 1  is a perspective view of an embodiment of the invention shown in use. 
         FIG. 2  is a perspective view of an embodiment of the invention shown in use. 
         FIG. 3  is an exploded view of an embodiment of the invention. 
         FIG. 4  is a section view of an embodiment of the invention along line  4 - 4  in  FIG. 2 . 
         FIG. 5  is an exploded view of an embodiment of the invention. 
         FIG. 6  is a perspective view of an embodiment of the invention. 
         FIG. 7  is a section detail view of an embodiment of the invention. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF CERTAIN EMBODIMENTS 
     By way of example, and referring to  FIG. 1  and  FIG. 2 , one embodiment of electrical wire connector  10  comprises body  12  having cavity  34  which can be accessed by port  14 . A bottom surface of body  12  is mechanically coupled to teeth  16 . Body  12  is mechanically coupled to side female protrusion  18  and side male protrusion  20 . Body  12  is further mechanically coupled to female threads  22 . 
     As shown in  FIG. 3  and  FIG. 4 , bolt  24  is mechanically coupled to bolt threads  26  and bolt heat slot  28 . Bolt threads  26  is configured to mate with female threads to join bolt  24  to body  12 . Having too small threads creates a firm seal between bolt  24  and body  12  but it takes a long time to mate bolt  24  to body  12 . Having to large of threads results in a short mating time, but does not create a firm seal. A balance between these extremes can be found by using a thread size from a set consisting of: 6-32 2A, 6-32 3A, 6-40 2A, 6-40 3A, 8-32 2A, 8-32 3A, 10-24 2A, 20-24 3A, 10-32 2A, and 10-32 3A. ANSI/ASME B1.3M-1992 (R2001) provides ample details on these standard sizes. Of those, 8-32 2A, 8-32 3A were found to be the best in testing. This offers a compromise that works for many users. 
     A process for joining wires in a waterproof setting involves the following steps, which are not necessarily in order. First, providing electrical wire connector  10  with bolt  24  connected to body  12  where body  12  further comprises cavity  34  behind bolt  24 . Next, obtaining at least two electrical wires  32  covered partially in sheaths  30 . After that, twisting the at least two electrical wires  32  together. Following that, inserting the at least two electrical wires  32  into the cavity which are twisted to form an electrical wire connection. Then, filling the cavity with silicone  40 . In some embodiments, cavity  34  is sold pre-filled with silicone  40 . Next, clamping bolt  24  onto sheaths  30  such that the exposed ends of the at least two electrical wires  32  are entirely in cavity  34  and covered in silicone  40 . Following that, displacing at least some of silicone  40  with bolt  24 . This creates a watertight compartment for the electrical wire connection. 
     Turning to  FIG. 5 ,  FIG. 6 ,  FIG. 7 , one advantage of the present construction is that a series of electrical wire connectors  10  can be joined in sequence. First wire connector  10 A is mechanically coupled to first female protrusion  18 A. Second wire connector  10 B is mechanically coupled to second male protrusion  20 B. A user can slide second male protrusion  20 B into first female protrusion  18 A to detachably couple First wire connector  10 A to second wire connector  10 B. 
     Persons of ordinary skill in the art may appreciate that numerous design configurations may be possible to enjoy the functional benefits of the inventive systems. Thus, given the wide variety of configurations and arrangements of embodiments of the present invention the scope of the invention is reflected by the breadth of the claims below rather than narrowed by the embodiments described above.