Patent ID: 7901233

Claim:
An electrical connector for connecting uninsulated wire ends, the connector comprising: an electrically-conductive spiral having a distal end, an opposing proximal end, and a longitudinal axis between said distal end and said proximal end, wherein the spiral coils around and defines an axial passageway, and, in a relaxed-configuration, has a relaxed internal diameter; and an electrically-insulating housing surrounding the spiral and comprising a first housing portion fixed to the proximal end of the spiral, and a second housing portion fixed to the distal end of the spiral; wherein said first housing portion comprises a central bore with a proximal opening generally coaxial with and in communication with said axial passageway of the spiral, for receiving uninsulated wire ends through said proximal opening, through said central bore, and into said axial passageway of the spiral when the spiral is in the relaxed configuration; wherein said second housing portion has a closed distal end near said distal end of the spiral, for blocking the uninsulated wire ends from extending out from the second housing portion in a distal direction; wherein said first and second housing portions are rotatable relative to each other, on said longitudinal axis, to rotate said proximal end of the spiral relative to said distal end of the spiral, to tighten said spiral into a tightened-configuration having a tightened internal diameter that is smaller than said relaxed internal diameter, for gripping said uninsulated wire ends to place said spiral in electrical contact with said wire ends; and wherein the electrical connector further comprises a latch that retains the spiral in said tightened-configuration after relative rotation of the first housing portion and the second housing portion, for retaining said wire ends inside, and in electrical contact with, said spiral.