FR2778029A1 - Universal connector for insulated sheathed electrical wiring - Google Patents

Abstract

The device has a box (1) having a passage (5,6) for introducing a portion of the ends of the wire sheath, with members (9) for receiving these portions in the box. There are connecting conductors (2) introduced in the box transversally to the sheaths, and having a connection slot (16-19) lodged between the two lips (20,21) forming a pair of lips spaced from each other, and formed for cooperating with the wire receiving members (9) for gripping these sheaths. Each lip is pivoted around a hinged zone extending along a pivoting axis (27) of the lip.

Description

1 2778029

  UNIVERSAL WIRE CONNECTION DEVICE

DUCTED CONDUCTORS

  The present invention relates to a device for connecting at least two conductive wires, each surrounded by an insulating sheath, comprising a housing, in which is provided a passage for introducing an end portion of the sheathed wires, means for receiving said end portions in the housing, connection conductive means arranged io to be introduced into the housing transversely to the sheaths, comprising at least one connection slot and arranged to cooperate with the means for receiving the sheathed wires to grip the sheaths wires, strip the wires and

  come into electrical contact with the wires.

  FR-2 725 836 teaches such a device in which each connection slot extends between two lips which can move elastically from one another from a flared mouth. During the introduction of the sheathed wires, each in a connection slot, the lips open and, under the action of a restoring force, by elasticity, compress the sheathed wires. The edges of the lips shear the sheath of the wires, resulting in the contacting of the lips and the cores of the wires and, consequently, the connection of the

conducting wires.

  With such a device, there is a risk of poor contact between the conductive wires, due to too great a spacing between the lips which then do not shear sufficiently the sheath of the conductive wires to produce

good contact with souls.

  The invention aims to improve the device of the prior art, in order

  eliminate any risk of poor contact between the conductor wires.

  To this end, the invention relates to a device for connecting at least two conductive wires, each surrounded by an insulating sheath, comprising a housing, in which is provided a passage for introducing an end portion of the sheathed wires. , means for receiving said end portions in the housing, connection conductive means arranged to be introduced into the housing transversely to the sheaths, comprising at least one connection slot formed between two lips forming a pair of lips which can move apart elastically from each other, and arranged to cooperate with the means for receiving the sheathed wires to grip the sheaths of the wires and come into electrical contact with the wires, device characterized in that each lip is articulated around a zoned

  hinge extending along a single pivot axis of said lip.

  Advantageously, the pivot axis is orthogonal to the direction

introduction of the wires.

  The invention therefore consists in limiting the freedom of movement of the lips to a single degree of freedom, the lips being able only to pivot around a single pivot axis, whereas in the prior art, described in FR-2,725 836, the lips could pivot around two orthogonal pivot axes, one parallel to the direction of introduction of the wires and the other orthogonal to this direction, and consequently had two degrees of freedom. This results in better compression of the wires sheathed by the edges

  lips and therefore better effectiveness of the device.

  Advantageously still, each lip with hinge zone extends between two

holding zones of said lip.

  Maintaining the lips is thus ensured at the two ends of the reception slot. In a particular embodiment, at one of its ends, the slot is extended by an opening for passage of one end of sheathed wire,

  whose inner edge connects the two lip edges of the pair of lips.

  Preferably, at one of its ends, the slit branches into two slit portions, on either side of a line along which extends

said slot.

  More preferably, the connecting conductive means are integral with a cover of the housing, arranged to be mounted on the housing in the position of introduction of the sheathed wires and to be locked on the housing in

connection position.

  The invention will be better understood using the following description two

  embodiments of the connection device of the invention, with reference to the accompanying drawing in which: - Figure 1 shows an exploded perspective view of the connection device according to one of the embodiments; - Figure 2 shows a perspective view of a connection clip of the device of Figure 1, after connection; - Figure 3 shows a side view, partially in section, of the device of Figure 1, after connection; 0o - Figure 4 shows a partial sectional top view of the clip of Figure 2; - Figure 5 shows an exploded perspective view of the connection device according to the other embodiment; - Figure 6 shows a perspective view of a connection clip, after connection, of the device of Figure 5; - Figure 7 shows a side view, partially in section, of the device of Figure 5 and - Figure 8 shows a sectional view from above, partial, of the clip of the

figure 6.

  The connection device, shown in Figure 1, includes a housing

  1, a connection clip 2 and a cover 3.

  The housing 1, here made of plastic, has a generally parallelepiped shape and is open on its upper face. A passage for the introduction of end portions of sheathed conductive wire, here comprising two openings for receiving two end portions of sheathed wire, is formed in a side wall of the housing 1 and extends laterally, towards the outside of the housing 1, by two through openings 5, 6 formed in a projecting mouth 4 for supplying said end portions, and extending in the direction of introduction of the wires, substantially orthogonally to the side walls of the housing 1. Two passage openings the ends of the sheathed wires are also provided, in line with the introduction openings 5, 6, in the side wall opposite to that carrying the supply mouth 4, and are extended laterally by two, non-through, openings for receiving the ends of the sheathed wires, formed in a housing 7 projecting laterally from the housing 1 and each having a bottom against which the end of a wire is intended for

come to a stop.

  The bottom 8 of the housing 1 has two grooves 9 for receiving the wires, extending in the direction of introduction of the wires, in the extension of the introduction openings 5, 6, as well as two grooves 10, 11 for receiving two legs connection clip 2, extending

  transversely to the direction of introduction of the sheathed wires.

  The cover 3, of the same material as the housing 1, of a general shape corresponding to the housing 1, is shaped to be introduced slightly by force into the housing 1, by the opening of the upper face thereof. The upper wall of the cover 3 carries, on its inner face, a lug of

clip fixing 2.

  The connection clip 2 consists of a metal plate, and therefore conductive, bent at 90 along two lines to present two connection legs 12, 13, extending in two parallel planes and joined by a cross member 14. The cross member 14 clean an orifice 15 of

  receiving the cover fixing lug 3.

  Each leg 12 (13) has two connection slots 16, 17 (18, 19) extending substantially along a line L orthogonal to the direction of introduction of the wires, between two lips 20, 21 forming a pair of lips

  can deviate elastically from each other, thanks in particular to a pre-

  folding along a line 27 parallel to the line L. Each slot 16 (17, 18, 19) of one leg 12 (13), is located opposite a slot of the other leg 12 (13) , the slits of one leg thus being opposite two to two of those of the other leg. In other words, clip 2 has two pairs of slots

  16, 18 and 17, 19 paired in the direction of introduction of the sheathed wires.

  In addition, each lip, integral with one leg, is slightly curved towards the other leg and consequently extends partly outside a plane of

said leg.

  Each slot 16 (17, 18, 19) branches, here symmetrically, at its upper end, adjacent to the cross member 14, into two slot portions 22, 23, slightly curvilinear, extending on either side of the line L, generally orthogonal to this line L. In addition, at its lower end, each slot 16 (17, 18, 19) is extended by an opening 24 for the passage of a sheathed wire, having an inner edge connecting the respective edges of the two lips 20, 21. The openings 24 of one leg are two by two opposite those of the other leg. In other words, clip 2 has two pairs of openings matched in the direction

introduction of the wires.

  The area comprising the two branches 22, 23 and the area comprising the opening 24 constitute two areas for holding the lips 20, 21. Thanks to these holding areas, each lip 20 (21) is articulated around a hinge area extending along a single pivot axis of the lip, orthogonal to the direction of introduction of the threads, extending substantially along the pre-folding line 27 of the lip. In other words, each lip can only pivot around a single pivot axis, orthogonal to the

  direction of introduction of the wires, and thus has only one degree of freedom.

  The two lateral edges of each leg 12, 13 (that is to say the edges connecting the cross-member 14 to the lower edges of the legs 12, 13) are shaped so as to present here two locking fins 25, 26, inclined relative to the lateral edges so as to allow the clip 2 to be inserted into the housing 1 and to prohibit its removal by hooking the fins 25, 26

  in the side walls of the housing 1, inside face side.

  After the structural description of the device, its operation will

now be described.

  The cover 3, to which the clip 2 is fixed, is first pre-mounted on the housing 1 in a position for introducing the sheathed wires. In this position, the cover 3 is only slightly pressed into the housing 1, through the upper opening thereof. The connection legs 12, 13 extend transversely to the direction of introduction of the wires, above the receiving grooves 10, 11. The openings 24 for passage of the sheathed wires are

  located to the right of the openings 5, 6 for introducing and passing the wires.

  The end portions of two sheathed wires 100, 101 are then introduced into the housing 1, by passing through the introduction openings 5, 6 of the supply mouth 4 and through the openings 24 of the clip 2, up to '' so that the ends of the wires come into abutment in the bottom of the openings of the

housing 7.

  Then, using a universal pliers for example, the cover 3 is pushed into the housing 1, until the connection position. In this position, the cover 3 is locked in the housing 1, by hooking the locking fins 25-26 in the side walls of the housing 1, thus preventing the cover 3 from going up. When the cover 3 is pushed in, the legs 12, 13 of the clip 2 are introduced into the receiving grooves 10, 11 and, the wires being held in position in the receiving grooves 9, each pair of lips 20, 21 grips the sheath of a wire and, by compression, the lip edges bite the sheath of the wire, the shears and thus strip the wire, so that the core of the conductive wire comes into mechanical and electrical contact with the clip connection 2. The cores of the two wires, both in mechanical and electrical contact with the clip 2, are then

  connected, in electrical contact with each other.

  In another embodiment of the invention (Figures 5 to 8), do not

  differing from the above description only by what will now be

  described, the device comprises a housing 40, a connection clip 60 and a cover 90. This other embodiment differs essentially from the embodiment described above in that the connection clip 60, intended here to connect two sheathed conductive wires, includes a pair of slots paired in the direction of introduction of the wires, for stripping one of the wires and, for stripping the other wire, a gripping and drawing system, similar to that taught by FR- 2739499, comprising a cutting insert 73, integral with the clip 60, intended to cooperate with a

  latch 45 secured to the housing 40.

  The housing 40 comprises a supply mouth 41 projecting from a side wall of the housing 40 towards the outside and providing two through openings 42, 43 for introducing and passing the end portions of the sheathed wires, one 42 provided for the passage of a large wire, diameter

  important, and the other 43 for the passage of a small wire, of small diameter.

  The side wall of the housing 40, opposite to that supporting the supply mouth 41, here, only in line with the opening 42 for introducing the large wire, an opening for passage of the end of the large wire which extends in a housing 44 projecting laterally from the boot 40 and having a bottom against which the end of the coarse wire is

intended to come into abutment.

  The bottom of the housing 40 provides a groove for receiving the large wire, extending in the extension of the opening 42, in the direction of introduction of the wires, and two grooves 50, 51 to receive two connection legs 61, 62 of the clip 60, extending transversely to the direction of introduction of the wires. Beyond the opening 43 for introducing the small wire, the bottom of the housing 40 is lowered and has a lower surface 49 for receiving and abutting the small wire, which extends to the most transverse groove 51 distant from the inlet mouth 41. The bottoms of the transverse grooves 50, 51 are located at a level even lower than that of the

0 area 49.

  The latch 45, generally rectangular in shape, provides a window 46, here rectangular, for the passage of the small wire. The latch 45 is placed vertically inside the housing 40, bearing against the surface 49 by a lower edge, and against the side wall supporting the inlet mouth 41, the window 46 extending in line with the opening 43 of introduction of the small thread. The two lateral and vertical edges 47, 48 of the latch 45 are curved substantially at 180, both on the same side, opposite the opening 43, in such a way that the latch 45 can cooperate by fitting with the

cutting insert 73.

  The connection clip 60 consists of a metal plate curved along two lines to present two connection legs 61, 62 parallel, joined by a crosspiece 63, and is divided laterally (i.e. in the direction of lines along which the clip 60 is bent) in two

parts 64, 65.

  The part 64 comprises two connection slots 66, 67, provided for the connection of the large wire. The two slots 66, 67 are formed respectively in the two legs 61, 62, facing one another and thus matched in the direction of introduction of the wires. The two slots 66, 67 are identical to those previously described. It is nevertheless recalled that each slot 66, 67 extends between two lips 68, 69 which can elastically deviate from one another, and is extended, at one of its ends, by branching into two portions of slot 70, 71 and, at its other end, by an opening 72 for passage of the large wire. Each lip 68 is thus articulated around a hinge zone extending along a single pivot axis of the lip 38 corresponding to a pre-folding line 80 of the lip 38, and therefore has only one single degree of freedom, pivoting around the pivot axis 80. The pivot axis 80 is orthogonal to the direction

  for introducing the wires into the device.

  In the other part 65, the part of the leg 61, which is intended to come opposite the pawl 45, is shaped to present a metal cutting insert 73 having two lateral edges 74, 75. One 75 of these lateral edges corresponds to a lateral edge of the leg 61 and the other edge 74 is formed by a slot 76 extending from the lower edge of the leg 61, opposite the cross member 63, substantially as far as the cross member 63. two edges 0o 74, 75 are intended to fit into the curved edges of the latch 45. The plate 73, of thickness less than that of the edges 74, 75, in fact constitutes the bottom of a recess formed in the face of the leg 61 intended to come opposite the latch 45. In addition, the part of the leg 61 comprising the cutting insert 73 and the edges 74 and 75 has a height less than that of the rest of the clip 60, to allow passage of the small wire below the cutting insert 73, when the e device is in position

  introduction of the threads, as explained below.

  The free lower edge of the cutting insert 73 has a slot 77 of width slightly less than the diameter of the core of the wires to be connected,

as described by FR-2739499.

  The leg 61 carries a lug 78, located between the crosspiece 63 and the cutting insert 73, just above the latter, locking on the latch 45 by cooperation with the upper edge of the window 46, in order to avoid all

possible raising of the clip.

  The clip 60 also includes lateral locking fins 79, intended to allow the positioning of the clip 60 in the housing 40 but to

  prohibit its removal, as previously described.

  The clip 60 is fixed to the cover 90 shaped to be introduced slightly

  by force in the housing 40, by its upper opening.

  After the structural description of the other embodiment of the device

  connection, its operation will now be described.

  The cover 90 is pre-positioned on the housing 40, by first pushing it only slightly through the upper opening of the housing 40, in the position for introducing the wires. The end portions of a large sheathed wire 200 and a small sheathed wire 201 are then introduced into the housing 40, respectively by passing through the openings 42 and 43 of the supply mouth 41. The portion of end of the small wire 201 passes through the window 46 of the latch 45 and abuts against the leg 62. The end portion of the large wire 200 passes through the paired receiving openings 72 extending the slots of

  paired connection 61, 62 and abuts in the bottom of the housing 44.

  Then, the cover 90 is pushed into the housing 40 to the connection position. During this insertion, the cutting insert 73 fits, by its edges 74, 75, into the latch 45 which remains stationary, pressing against the surface 49. The slot 77 of the cutting insert grasps the sheath of the small wire 201 and pulls the wire 201 inwards and towards the surface 49 of the housing 40. A portion of the wire 201 is pinched between the side wall of the housing 40 and the cutting insert 73, and the end portion of the wire 201 comes in abutment against the bottom 49, so that the wire 201 bends around the lower edge of the cutting insert 73. The grasping and pulling of the wire by the cutting insert 73 causes, in known manner, as more precisely described in FR-2739499, the stripping of the small wire 201 whose core then comes into mechanical contact and

  electric with connection clip 60.

  In parallel, when the cover 90 is pushed into the housing 40, the large wire 200 penetrates into the paired connection slots 66, 67 and its sheath is grasped and sheared by the edges of the lips, under the biasing force, compression of the lips, so that the core of the large wire comes into contact

electric with clip 60.

  The core of the small wire 201 and the core of the large wire 200, both in contact

  electric with the connection clip 60, are thus connected to each other.

  In the description which has just been made, the connection device is

  arranged to connect two wires. Of course, the invention applies

  also to devices for connection of more than two wires.

Claims (9)

  1- Device for connecting at least two conductive wires (100, 101; 200, 201) each surrounded by an insulating sheath, comprising a housing (1;), in which a passage (5, 6; 42, 43) for introducing an end portion of the sheathed wires, means (9; 49) for receiving said end portions in the housing (1; 40), connecting conductive means (2; 60) arranged to be introduced into the housing (1; 40) transversely to the sheaths, comprising at least one connection slot (16-19; 66-67) formed between two lips (20, 21; 68, 69) forming a pair of lips capable of deviate elastically from each other, and arranged to cooperate with the means (9; 49) for receiving the sheathed wires to grip the sheaths of the wires (100, 101; 200, 201) and come into electrical contact with the wires (100, 101; 200, 201), device characterized in that each lip (20, 21; 68, 69) is articulated around a hinge zone   extending along a single axis (27; 80) of pivoting of said lip.   2- Device according to claim 1, wherein the pivot axis (27,   80) is orthogonal to the direction of introduction of the wires.   3- Device according to one of claims 1 and 2, wherein each lip   (20, 21; 68, 69) with hinged zone extends between two zones (24, 22, 23; 72, , 71) for maintaining said lip.   4- Device according to one of claims 1 to 3, wherein, at one of its   ends, the slot (16; 66) is extended by an opening (24; 72) for the passage of one end of sheathed wire, the inner edge of which connects the two   lip edges of the pair of lips (20, 21; 68, 69).   - Device according to one of claims 1 to 4, wherein in one of its   ends, the slit (16; 66) branches into two slit portions (22, 23;, 71), on either side of a line along which extends said slit (16; 66).   6- Device according to one of claims 1 to 5, wherein the means   connection conductors (2; 60) are integral with a cover (3; 90) of the housing (1; 40), arranged to be mounted on the housing (1; 40) in the insertion position of the sheathed wires (100, 101; 200, 201) and to be locked on   the housing (1; 40) in the connection position.   ll 7- Device according to claim 6, wherein the connecting conductive means (2; 60) comprise lateral locking fins (25, 26; 79) arranged to cooperate with the housing (1; 40) so as to allow the introduction of the conductive connection means (2; 60) into the housing   (1; 40) and to prohibit its removal.   8- Device according to one of claims 1 to 7, comprising at least   two connection slots (16, 17) for receiving two sheathed wires (100, 101).   9- Device according to one of claims 1 to 8, wherein the means   connection conductors (2; 60) comprise at least one pair of slots (16, 18; 66, 67) matched in the direction of insertion into the   housing (1; 40)) of the wires to be connected (100, 101; 200, 201).   - Device according to one of claims 1 to 9, wherein the means   connection conductors (60) comprise gripping and pulling means (73) arranged to be introduced transversely to the sheaths in the housing (40).   11- Device according to claim 10, wherein the connection means (2; 60) comprise a clip comprising two parallel legs   (12, 13; 61, 62) joined by a crosspiece (14; 63).   12- Device according to claim 11, wherein each leg (12, 13; 61, 62) extending in a plane, each lip (20, 21; 68, 69) is integral with a leg (12, 13; 61, 62) and extends partly outside a plane of said leg.