Patent Document

FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
     This invention relates generally to an electrical cord connector for holding together a male electrical plug and a female electrical plug and, more specifically, to such a connector which protects the plugs against exposure to elements such as water and dirt. 
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     The male and female ends of mating electrical cords are held together by a friction fit. Such a connection is relatively loose and can be pulled apart if one pulls on the cords. The present invention provides apparatus for tightly securing the ends of mating electrical cords to each other and its particularly well suited for installation during manufacturing of the electrical cords but can also be installed on an after market basis by knowledgeable consumer. Furthermore, the connection is open to corrosion by water and dirt. The present invention is directed to an improved cord connector which not only provides for a relatively secure connection between two electrical cords, but also protects the male and female plugs and their respective prongs against exposure to elements such as water and dirt. 
     DESCRIPTION OF THE PRIOR ART 
     The Griffin U.S. Pat. No. 5,259,782 shows an electrical connector jacket that includes first and second housings for surrounding and holding the plug and receptacle. Each of the housings further includes two like halves that interlock with each other to surround the respective plug or receptacle. 
     The Odbert U.S. Pat. No. 4,949,424 shows an electrical plug accessory that includes two cylindrical members which engage one another with protuberances on one member sliding and latching in grooves in the other. 
     The Ryan U.S. Pat. No. 4,784,612 shows an electrical plug holder that includes a pair of hollow members each capable of accommodating a plug. The members each have an open end through which a plug can be accessed, and a substantially closed end, with a slot extending from the closed end to the open end, through which slot the electrical cord can be passed. 
     The Darrey U.S. Pat. No. 3,609,638 shows an extension cord coupling clamp that has a pair of spring-loaded, butterfly-type clamps which clamp on the core ends, the clamps being mounted on a threaded, roughened or serrated rod to thereby hold them against relative displacement. 
     The Wyse U.S. Pat. No. 3,484,736 shows a quick disconnector which has an automatic disconnect capability when a present tension is supplied to the connectors, such as when a small guided missile is to be fired from an aircraft or a booster rocket is to be detached and jettisoned during the launch of a space craft. 
     The Anderson U.S. Pat. No. 3,029,408 shows an extension cord clamp formed of two members of bent wire construction which cooperate with a channel-shaped clamp. 
     BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     Briefly, the present invention comprises a cord connector for holding together a male electrical plug and a female electrical plug. The cord connector includes first and second substantially hollow receptacle-like members, with each of the members having a side wall and a first end with an opening for circumferentially encompassing an electrical cord, and with each of the walls being shaped in the form of a thread so that an outside surface of each of the walls has a male thread and so that an inside surface of each of the walls has a female thread. One member is slightly smaller than the other to permit the members to be threadably engaged to each other. 
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     FIG. 1 shows a perspective view of the cord connector with electrical cord end portions extending from either end of the invention. 
     FIG. 2 shows a partially cut-away view of the cord connector. 
     FIG. 3 shows a section view of the cord connector of FIG. 1. 
     FIG. 4 shows a partially cut-away, section view of the cord connector. 
    
    
     DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
     Referring to FIG. 1, reference numeral 10 generally identifies my cord connector. The connector 10 includes a one-piece female member 11 having a side wall 11a shaped in the form of a thread and being threadably engaged to a one-piece male member 12 having a side wall 12a which is also formed in the shape of a male thread. The outside surface of each of the side walls 11a and 12a is formed in the shape of a male thread, and the inside surface of each of the side walls 11a and 12a is formed in the shape of a female thread. Each of the members has a respective open end 11c, 12c. Each of the members 11, 12 is substantially hollow and forms receptacle-like member. Further, each of the members is, to the eye, substantially cylindrical. However, the side walls 11a, 12a, are actually slightly conical in shape. 
     Referring to FIGS. 1,3, and 4, an end portion 13 of a first electrical cord extends into the male member 12 and an end portion 14 of a second electrical cord extends into the female member 11. The electrical cord end portion 14 is affixed to a female electrical plug 15 and the electrical cord end portion 13 is affixed to a male electrical plug 16. The male electrical plug 16 includes electrical prongs 16a for mating with the female electrical plug 15. 
     More particularly with reference to FIG. 1, each of the members 11, 12 includes a nipple seal or water resistant end extension 17 integrally connected, such as by molding, to a first end of each of the members, 11, 12 for circumferentially encompassing the respective electrical cord portions 13, 14. Each of the nipple seals 17 includes an opening 18 to permit its respective cord portion to pass therethrough. Each of the openings 18 is of a sufficiently great diameter to permit its respective cord portion to slide relatively easily therethrough, but are of a sufficiently small diameter to seal the interior of the connector 10 against the entry of water and fine particles such as dirt and sand. There is some friction between the nipple seals 17 and their respective cord portions 13, 14 as the cord portions 13, 14 engage the nipple seals 17. 
     Further, the openings 18 are of sufficiently small diameters to prevent the plugs 15, 16, from slipping therethrough. If one of both of the cord portions 13, 14, are pulled in opposite directions, one or both of the plugs 15, 16 may engage the inner surface of an end or end wall 19 of the members 11, 12. It should be noted that my cord connector 10 is a pre-market device intended for OEM manufacturers so that the consumer is less likely to engage in the dangerous practice of splicing existing electrical cords to adapt such cords to fit my connector 10, a practice which may defeat the purpose of my invention as a splice may weaken the electrical cord. However, my invention is also suited for those industrial users who wish to remove the male and female plug and then reattach them to the cord after the cord connectors are mounted on the cord. 
     Male member 12 is smaller than female member 11. This is shown by reference to FIGS. 3 and 4. The open end 12c of the male member 12 may be defined as having an outer diameter, D 1 , as shown in FIG. 2. As shown in FIG. 3, the open end 11c of the female member 11 may be defined as having an inner diameter, D 2 . In their unengaged positions, D 1  of the male member is less than D 2  of the female member to permit the members to be threadably engagable. 
     Referring to FIG. 4, the side wall 12a of male member 12 gradually decreases in thickness from its end wall 19 to its open end 12c. This tapering is shown by the reference symbols t 1 , t 2 , t 3 , which identify the thickness of the side wall 12a at three different circumferential portions t 3  is greater than t 2  which in turn is greater than t 1 . t 3  may be about 0.090 inches. t 1  may be about 0.075 inches. t 2  is typically somewhere between these two values. This tapering aids in permitting a tight, water resistant connection between the male and female members. It should be noted that female member 11, including the tapering side wall, is substantially identical to the male member 12 except that the female member is slightly larger in diameter than the male member 12. 
     Referring to FIG. 4, the thread 24 of the side wall 12 of male member 12 may be identified by reference to a flat crest 25 and a flat root 26. The sides 27 of the crest 25 are beveled. 
     The thread 24 of the side walls 11a, 12a is conical. The conical thread 24 aids in providing for a tight water resistant fit between the members 11, 12 because the farther the members 11 and 12 are threaded together the tighter the connection between the two members. It should be noted here that, as mentioned above, the side walls 11a, 12a are cylindrical to the human eye. However, the side walls 11a, 12a are slightly conical to provide for the necessary engagement to produce the water resistant fit. 
     The width of the crest 25 is about the width of an adult&#39;s finger to permit the fingers of the hand to ergonomically engage the beveled crest sides 27 and the root 26. The threaded side walls thus may be firmly gripped and readily tightened relative to each other. 
     In operation, the female and male members 11, 12 are slid onto an electrical cord to which female and male plugs 15, 16 have yet to be connected as the electrical cord may be in the process of being fabricated such as by an OEM. Fabrication of the electrical cord may then be completed by attaching the female and male plugs 15, 16 such that the female member 11 may be positioned over the female plug 15 and such that the male member 12 may be positioned over the male plug 16. 
     Two like electrical cords are thus mateable to each other. First, the female and male plugs 15 and 16 are connected. Then the female and male members 11, 12 are slid along their respective electrical cords until they touch one another whereupon they may be screwed together relatively tightly. Since the members 11, 12 are conical, tapering slightly from their end walls 19 to their respective open end 11c or 12c, an increasingly greater seal is formed as the members 11, 12 are screwed together. Such provides a water resistant seal. To disconnect the respective electrical cords, the operation is reversed. 
     It should be noted that the female and male members 11, 12 may be described as being formed in the shape of a receptacle or as being receptacle-like as each of the members 11, 12 have an end wall, a side wall, and an open end.

Technology Category: 5