Abstract
An in-line wire connector has a connector body with two insert ends on opposing ends for receiving a first and a second wire into apertures. A truncated tapered coil is configured within the connector body to secure the first and second wires to the in-line wire connector. The in-line twist on wire connector connects wires in line and may be low profile to allow the wires and the wire connector to slide through apertures and tight spaces as it often required in construction and remodeling projects. An in-line wire connector may have two truncated tapered coils that taper toward the opposing ends. A first and second wire conductor extend past each other toward opposing insert ends to produce an overlap portion to create electrical contact between wires. When the connector body is rotated, the wires rotate about each other and are retained by the tapered coil.
Claims
1. An in-line twist on wire connector comprising: a) a first connector body comprising: i) a first insert end having a first aperture for receiving a first wire having a first wire conductor; ii) a first connector end having a first attachment feature; iii) a first truncated tapered coil that tapers toward the first insert end; b) a second connector body comprising: i) a second insert end having a second aperture for receiving a second wire having a second wire conductor; ii) a second connector end having a second attachment feature; iii) a second truncated tapered coil that tap toward the second insert end; wherein the first and second connector bodies are attached by said first and said second attachment features to form cavity for retaining said first wire conductor and said second wire conductor of the first and second wires, respectively; and wherein the first and second wire conductors extend past each other in the cavity to produce an overlap portion; and wherein the first conductor end is more proximal the second insert end and the second conductor end is more proximal to the first insert end.
2. The in-line twist on wire connector of claim 1, wherein the first and second wire conductors are twisted about each other to produce twisted conductors within the cavity and in electrical contact with the truncated tapered coil.
3. The in-line twist on wire connector of claim 1, wherein the connector body is made of an elastomer.
4. The in-line twist on wire connector of claim 1, wherein the first connector body comprises a first truncated tapered coil that tapers toward the first insert end; and wherein the second connector body comprises a second truncated tapered coil that tapers toward the second insert end.
5. The in-line twist on wire connector of claim 1, wherein the truncated tapered coils are electrically conductive.
6. The in-line twist on wire connector of claim 1, wherein the first connector body and the second connector body comprise translucent portions to allow viewing of the location of the first and second wire conductors within the cavity.
7. The in-line twist on wire connector of claim 1, wherein the first and second connector bodies are detachably attachable by the attachment feature.
8. The in-line twist on wire connector of claim 7, wherein the attachment feature comprises thread for detachably attaching the first and second connector bodies.
9. The in-line twist on wire connector of claim 1, wherein the first and second connector bodies slidably engaged by the attachment feature, wherein the first and second connector bodies have a displacement offset along a centerline extending down the cavity.
10. The in-line twist on wire connector of claim 9, wherein the attachment feature comprises a flange that prevents the second connector body from being pulled out from the first connector body.
11. The in-line twist on wire connector of claim 9, wherein the first connector body has a flange that extends outward from the centerline and wherein the second connector body has flange that extend inward toward the centerline and wherein a connector end of the second connector body extend, within the connector end of the first connector body.
12. The in-line twist on wire connector of claim 1, wherein the attachment feature comprises a threaded portion and a slidably engaging portion, and wherein the threaded portion is configured on the first and second connector ends.
Description
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
(1) The accompanying drawings are included to provide a further understanding of the invention and are incorporated in and constitute a part of this specification, illustrate embodiments of the invention, and together with the description serve to explain the principles of the invention.
(2) FIG. 1 shows a conventional wire nut twist on connector with two wires retained therein.
(3) FIG. 2 shows an exemplary wire connector having a connector body that physically and electrically connects a first and second wire.
(4) FIG. 3 shows an exemplary wire connector having a first connector and a second connector that are attachable by an attachment feature.
(5) FIG. 4 shows the exemplary wire connector of FIG. 3 with a first and a second wire inserted into the connector ends of the first and second connectors and extending into the cavities.
(6) FIG. 5 shows the exemplary wire connector of FIG. 4, after rotating the first connector body with respect to the second connector body and threading the two connector bodies to each other.
(7) FIG. 5 shows an exemplary wire connector having a first and second insert end for receiving electrical wires.
(8) FIG. 7 shows the exemplary wire connector of FIG. 8 with a first and a second wire inserted into the insert ends.
(9) FIG. 8 shows the exemplary wire connector of FIG. 7, after rotating the connector body with respect to the electrical wires.
(10) FIG. 9 shows an exemplary wire connector having a first connector and a second connector that are attached by an attachment feature having a displacement offset.
(11) FIG. 10 shows the exemplary wire connector shown in FIG. 9 with the second connector pushed up against the first connector along the attachment feature.
(12) FIGS. 11 and 12 show an exemplary wire connector having a truncated tapered coil that is made of a triangular and square cross-sectional shaped wire, respectively.
(13) FIG. 13, shows an exemplary wire connector having a composite attachment feature comprising a threaded portion and a slidable engagement portion.
(14) FIG. 14, shows the exemplary wire connector shown in FIG. 13, with the composite attachment feature slidably engaged to connect the first and second connector body.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE ILLUSTRATED EMBODIMENTS
(15) Corresponding reference characters indicate corresponding parts throughout the several views of the figures. The figures represent an illustration of some of the embodiments of the present invention and are not to be construed as limiting the scope of the invention in any manner. Further, the figures are not necessarily to scale, some features may be exaggerated to show details of particular components. Therefore, specific structural and functional details disclosed herein are not to be interpreted as limiting, but merely as a representative basis for teaching one skilled in the art to variously employ the present invention.
(16) As used herein, the terms “comprises,” “comprising,” “includes,” “including,” “has,” “having” or any other variation thereof, are intended to cover a non-exclusive inclusion. For example, a process, method, article, or apparatus that comprises a list of elements is not necessarily limited to only those elements but may include other elements not expressly listed or inherent to such process, method, article, or apparatus. Also, use of “a” or “an” are employed to describe elements and components described herein. This is done merely for convenience and to give a general sense of the scope of the invention. This description should be read to include one or at least one and the singular also includes the plural unless it is obvious that it is meant otherwise.
(17) Certain exemplary embodiments of the present invention are described herein and are illustrated in the accompanying figures. The embodiments described are only for purposes of illustrating the present invention and should not be interpreted as limiting the scope of the invention. Other embodiments of the invention, and certain modifications, combinations and improvements of the described embodiments, will occur to those skilled in the art and all such alternate embodiments, combinations, modifications and improvements are within the scope of the present invention.
(18) FIG. 1 shows a conventional wire nut twist on connector with two wires retained therein.
(19) As shown in FIG. 2, an exemplary wire connector 10 has a connector body 40 that physically and electrically connects a first wire 80 and second wire 90.
(20) Referring now to FIGS. 3 to 5, an exemplary wire connector 10 has a first connector 14 and a second connector 16 that are attachable by an attachment feature 18. The first connector body 40 has a cavity 41 and the second connector body 60 has a cavity 61 for receiving and retaining electric wire conductors. The attachment feature is a threaded connection, wherein the first connector body 40 has a female thread 58 attachment feature 18 on the first connector end 43 and the second connector body 60 has a male thread 68 attachment feature 18 on the second connector end 63. Both the first and second connectors have insert ends 45, 65 respectively for receiving a wire. The first connector end 45 has an aperture 42 with a insulating sheath recess 44 that is larger in dimension at the connector end than the rest of the aperture, thereby allowing a wire that has been stripped to be inserted and prevent the wire conductor from being exposed. Likewise, the second connector end 65 has an aperture 62 with an insulating sheath recess 64 that is larger in dimension at the connector end than the rest of the aperture. The first and second apertures may be offset from each other along a centerline 19 to allow the first wire conductor 84 and the second wire conductor 96 to more easily pass by each other when inserted. The first connector body 40 comprises a truncated tapered coil 46 with the tapered end proximal the first connector end 45 and likewise, the second connector body 60 comprises a truncated tapered coil 66 with the truncated end proximal the second connector end 65. The truncated tapered coil may be a wire coil that bites into the first and/or second wire conductors when the first connector body is rotated with respect to the second connector body. As shown, the truncated tapered coils are conical in shape. As shown, the coils have a circular cross-section wire but may have other cross-sectional shaped wires including, but not limited to, square, triangular, rectangular, or polynomial shaped wires having corners. A truncated tapered coil having a corner may provide better bite and retention of a wire conductor. A truncated tapered coil may be a wound coil, wherein the coil may move from one wrap to another wrap of the coil, or may be joined, wherein the individual coil wraps are attached to each other.
(21) As shown in FIG. 4, a first electrical wire 80 and a second electrical wire 90 are inserted into the first and second connectors, respectively. The first wire insulating sheath 82 is retained in the first insulating sheath recess 44 and the second wire insulating sheath 92 is retained in the second insulating sheath recess 64 to prevent the exposure of bare wire. The first and second wire conductors 84, 94 extend through the aperture 42, 62, respectively, and into the first and second cavities 41, 61, respectively. The first conductor end 86 is extended into the second connector cavity 61 and the second conductor end 96 is extended into the first connector cavity 41. The first and second conductors overlap with in the connector body cavities.
(22) As shown in FIG. 5, the second connector body 60 is twisted with respect to the first connector body 40 about the centerline 19, as indicated by the bold curved arrow. The first wire conductor 84 and the second wire conductor 94 are twisted about each other as the threads engage to draw the first and second connectors together. Twisted conductors 99 physically secure the first and second conductors together and enlarge the diameter, or cross centerline dimension, thereby preventing the first or second wires 80, 90, from being pulled from the wire connector 10. In addition, the first and second conductors are retained by the two truncated tapered coils 46 and 66, which also engages the conductors to prevent pull-out and also may provide additional electrical connectivity between the two conductors. The wire connector 10 provides improved electrical connection between the first and second conductors by having a large overlap area 98, and when the truncated tapered coil is an electrically conductive material, two other electrical connections in the truncated tapered coils. Both the first conductor 84 and the second conductor 94 may be in electrical contact with both the first truncated tapered coil 46 and with the second truncated tapered coil 66, thereby improving electrical connectivity between the two conductors and reducing resistance of electrical current flow from the first conductor to the second conductor.
(23) Referring now to FIGS. 6 to 8, an exemplary wire connector 10 has a first aperture 42 on a first insert end 45 and a second aperture 50 on a second insert end 55 for receiving electrical wires, 80, 90. The first insert end 45 has an insulating sheath recess 44 that is larger in dimension than the rest of aperture 42 for retaining the first wire insulating sheath 82, and the second insert end 55 has an insulating sheath recess 51 that is larger in dimension that the rest of the second aperture 50 for retaining the second wire insulating sheath 92. In addition, the first aperture 42 is offset to one side of a centerline 19 and the second aperture 50 is offset in an opposing direction or to an opposing side of the centerline 19. This offset configuration of the insert aperture centerlines allows the end of the first conductor 86 to pass by the end of the second conductor 96. The wire connector body 40 has a cavity 41 for receiving and retaining the first and second wire conductors 84, 94, respectively. The connector body 40 has a truncated tapered coil 46 for physical retaining the first and second conductors. The truncated tapered coil is configured proximal to the first insert end 45 and tapers toward this end.
(24) As shown in FIG. 7, a first wire 80 is inserted into the first insert end 45, and a second wire 90 is inserted into the second insert end 55. The first wire conductor 84 extends past the second wire conductor 94 within the cavity 41 to produce an overlap portion 98. The first conductor end 86 is configured proximal the second insert end 55 and the second conductor end 96 is configured proximal the first insert end 45 and within the truncated tapered coil 46.
(25) As shown in FIG. 8, the wire connector 14 has been rotated with respect to the wire or wires and has twisted the wires to produce twisted conductors 99 within the cavity 41 and retained by the truncated tapered coil 46. The twisted conductors are larger in dimension and therefor will not be able to be pulled out of the apertures 42, 50, thereby physically retaining the conductors in the wire connector 14.
(26) Referring now to FIGS. 9 and 10, an exemplary wire connector 10 has a first connector 14 and a second connector 16 that are attachable by an attachment feature 18. The attachment feature slidably engages the first connector body 40 with the second connector body 60. The first connector body has a flange 59 that extend inward, such as radially inward, toward the centerline 19, and the second connector body has a flange 57 or enlarged portion that extends outward, such as radially outward, from the centerline 19. The two flanges create and interference fit to retain the first and second connector bodies together. The two connector bodies may be separated by pulling very hard however, to detach the first and second connector bodies from each other. This may allow for mixing and matching connector bodies for a desired wire type. In FIG. 8, the first and second connector bodies are attached by the flange type attachment feature 18, and are pulled away from each other to the displacement offset 21 distance. This displacement offset distance allows the first and second connector bodies to be drawn toward each other as the two wires are twisted about each other. As shown in FIG. 10, the first and second connector bodies are pushed against each other.
(27) As shown in FIGS. 3 to 5, the first connector body 40 has a cavity 41 and the second connector body 60 has a cavity 61 for receiving and retaining electric wire conductors. The attachment feature is a threaded connection, wherein the first connector body 40 has a female thread 58 attachment feature 18 on the first connector end 43 and the second connector body 60 has a male thread 68 attachment feature 18 on the second connector end 63. Both the first and second connectors have insert ends 45, 65 respectively for receiving a wire. The first connector end 45 has an aperture 42 with a insulating sheath recess 44 that is larger in dimension at the connector end than the rest of the aperture, thereby allowing a wire that has been stripped to be inserted and prevent the wire conductor from being exposed. Likewise, the second connector end 65 has an aperture 62 with a insulating sheath recess 64 that is larger in dimension at the connector end than the rest of the aperture. The first and second apertures may be offset from each other along a centerline 19 to allow the first wire conductor 84 and the second wire conductor 96 to more easily pass by each other when inserted. The first connector body 40 comprises a truncated tapered coil 46 with the tapered end proximal the first connector end 45 and likewise, the second connector body 60 comprises a truncated tapered coil 66 with the tapered end proximal the second connector end 65. The truncated coil may be a wire coil that bites into the first and/or second.
(28) As shown in FIG. 11, an exemplary wire connector 10 has a truncated tapered coil 46 that has a triangular cross-sectional shape. As shown in FIG. 12, an exemplary wire connector 10 has a truncated tapered coil 46 that has a square cross-sectional shape. As described herein, a truncated tapered coil with corners or edges may provide for improved bite and retention of the wire conductors.
(29) Referring to FIGS. 13 and 14, an exemplary wire connector 10 has a composite attachment feature 70 comprising a threaded portion 71 and a slidable engagement portion 72. The threaded portion is on the connector ends 43, 63 of the first and second connector bodies 40, 60, respectively, and initially engages and attaches the two connector bodies. As shown in FIG. 14, the two connector bodies are slidably engaged, wherein the threaded portions 71, 71′ of the two connector bodies have been threaded past each other and now the composite attachment feature is slidably engaged, wherein the first and second connector bodies can slide with respect to each other along the slidable portion. This slidable engagement enables the first and second connector bodies to slide and twist with respect to each other to enable twisting of the wire conductors within the cavity 41.
(30) It will be apparent to those skilled in the art that various modifications, combinations and variations can be made in the present invention without departing from the spirit or scope of the invention. Specific embodiments, features and elements described herein may be modified, and/or combined in any suitable manner. Thus, it is intended that the present invention cover the modifications, combinations and variations of this invention provided they come within the scope of the appended claims and their equivalents.
