Wire connector

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9425596-B2
Application number	US-201414502819-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Sep 30, 2014
Priority date	Sep 30, 2013
Publication date	Aug 23, 2016
Grant date	Aug 23, 2016

Abstract

An improved wire connector is provided that allows for securing one, two, or more cables in an electrical box knockout hole. The wire connector body interior includes a central tab with a hinge for exerting pressure against at least a first/tab cable. The central tab also has a gripping portion for gripping the tab cable without cutting its sheathing. In preferred embodiments, the central tab further includes a multifunction tab member, such as a multifunction knob or multifunction bumpers, which provides inter alia a secondary spring function for applying added pressure on an inserted tab cable, especially when a second/wall cable is inserted. The wire connector body contains ribs on the inner wall facing the central tab gripping portion for gripping a wall cable without cutting its insulation. The wire connector body also contains a longitudinal slot for easy installation or removal from an electrical box.

First claim

We claim:

1. A wire connector comprising:
a body having an exterior wall, an interior wall, a proximal edge, a distal edge, and a longitudinal slot;
said exterior wall having exterior sloped wall members extending outward from said exterior wall simulating an oval shape, and said exterior wall also having an annular exterior stop member extending outward from said exterior wall;
said interior wall having a central tab connected to said interior wall by a hinge portion; and
said central tab having a gripping portion, and said central tab also having a multifunction tab member.

2. The wire connector of claim 1 , wherein said multifunction tab member is a multifunction knob.

3. The wire connector of claim 2 , wherein said exterior sloped wall members are positioned on said proximal edge side and said distal edge side of said annular exterior stop member.

4. The wire connector of claim 3 , wherein said multifunction knob creates a secondary spring function in said central tab when said multifunction knob is in a stop position.

5. The wire connector of claim 4 , wherein said interior wall further having a plurality of inner ribs positioned on said interior wall approximately opposite of said central tab hinge position.

6. The wire connector of claim 5 , wherein said multifunction knob allows for pulling said central tab away from said plurality of inner ribs for inserting or extracting one or more cables.

7. The wire connector of claim 6 further comprising an optimized space between said central tab and said plurality of inner ribs for securely holding two cables simultaneously.

8. The wire connector of claim 1 , wherein said multifunction tab member is at least two multifunction bumpers.

9. The wire connector of claim 8 , wherein said exterior sloped wall members are positioned on said proximal edge side and said distal edge side of said annular exterior stop member providing a first stop position between said annular exterior stop member and said exterior sloped wall members positioned on said proximal edge side and a second stop position between said annular exterior stop member and said exterior sloped wall members positioned on said distal edge side.

10. The wire connector of claim 9 , wherein said at least two multifunction bumpers create a secondary spring function in said central tab when said at least two multifunction bumpers are in a stop position.

11. The wire connector of claim 10 , wherein said interior wall further having a plurality of inner ribs positioned on said interior wall approximately opposite of said central tab hinge position.

12. The wire connector of claim 11 , wherein said plurality of inner ribs have a dimensional barb depth of less than 30 thousandths of an inch.

13. The wire connector of claim 11 further comprising an optimized space between said central tab and said plurality of inner ribs for securely holding two cables simultaneously.

14. The wire connector of claim 8 , wherein said gripping portion comprises a plurality of integrated tab ribs, said integrated tab ribs having an undulating profile facing said inner ribs.

15. The wire connector of claim 1 , wherein a first cable inserted and secured in said wire connector withstands at least 37 lbs. of hanging weight in a five minute pull test at room temperature and −25° C. without slipping more than 0.125 inch.

16. The wire connector of claim 1 , wherein a first and a second cable inserted and secured in said wire connector withstands at least 30 lbs. of hanging weight in a five minute pull test for both said first and said second cables at room temperature and −25° C. without slipping more than 0.125 inch.

17. A wire connector comprising:
a body having an exterior wall, an interior wall, a proximal edge, a distal edge, and a longitudinal slot;
said exterior wall having exterior sloped wall members extending outward from said exterior wall simulating an oval shape, and said exterior wall also having an annular exterior stop member extending outward from said exterior wall;
said interior wall having a central tab connected to said interior wall by a hinge portion, and said interior wall also having a plurality of inner ribs positioned on said interior wall approximately opposite of said central tab hinge portion; wherein said plurality of inner ribs are sloped inward away from said interior wall such that an inner rib distance from said interior wall increases from said distal edge side toward said proximal edge side; and
said central tab having a gripping portion with a plurality of integrated tab ribs.

18. The wire connector of claim 17 , wherein said exterior sloped wall members are positioned on said proximal edge side and said distal edge side of said annular exterior stop member.

19. The wire connector of claim 17 , wherein said plurality of inner ribs have a dimensional barb depth of less than 30 thousandths of an inch.

20. The wire connector of claim 19 , wherein said longitudinal slot and said simulated oval shape of said exterior sloped wall members accommodate tolerances for ½ inch or ¾ inch electrical box knockout holes.

21. The wire connector of claim 20 , wherein said central tab further comprises a multifunction knob, wherein said multifunction knob creates a secondary spring function in said central tab when said multifunction knob is in a stop position.

22. The wire connector of claim 20 , wherein said central tab further comprises at least two multifunction bumpers, wherein said at least two multifunction bumpers create a secondary spring function in said central tab when said at least two multifunction bumpers are in a stop position.

23. A wire connector comprising:
a) an interior space for receiving one or more cables;
b) a means for applying pinching force on said one or more cables, said pinching force means is associated with a central tab; and
c) a first means for applying friction force on said one or more cables, said first friction force means is associated with an interior wall of said wire connector wherein said first friction force means is sloped inward away from said interior wall such that said first friction force means distance from said interior wall increases from a distal edge side toward a proximal edge side of said wire connector.

24. The wire connector of claim 23 , wherein said pinching force means is a multifunction knob.

25. The wire connector of claim 23 , wherein said first friction means is a plurality of inner ribs.

26. The wire connector of claim 23 , wherein said pinching force means is at least two multifunction bumpers.

27. The wire connector of claim 26 , further comprising:
d) a second means for applying friction force on said one or more cables, said second friction force means is associated with a gripping portion of said central tab.

28. The wire connector of claim 27 , wherein said second friction means is a plurality of integrated tab ribs.

Assignees

• Thomas & Betts Int Llc
• Thomas & Betts Int

Inventors

• Laverdiere Alain
• Boucher Yves

Classifications

• H02G3/083 Primary

  Inlets · CPC title