Connector guard

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9853392-B2
Application number	US-201514865059-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Sep 25, 2015
Priority date	Sep 25, 2015
Publication date	Dec 26, 2017
Grant date	Dec 26, 2017

Abstract

A connector guard may include a first member having a planar base element. A planar end element may extend substantially perpendicularly from a first end of the planar base element. An end tab coextensive with the planar base element may protrude from a second end of the planar base element. Two planar side elements may extend substantially perpendicularly from the planar base element of the first member. The connector guard may include a second member having a planar base element. A planar end element may extend substantially perpendicularly from a first end of the planar base element of the second member. An end tab coextensive with the planar base element of the second member may protrude from a second end of the planar base element of the second member.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A connector guard, comprising:
a first member including a planar base element, a planar end element extending substantially perpendicularly from a first end of the planar base element, an end tab coextensive with the planar base element and protruding from a second end of the planar base element, two planar side elements extending substantially perpendicularly from the planar base element of the first member, and a side tab protruding substantially perpendicularly from an edge of one of the two planar side elements, the side tab defining an aperture therethrough; and
a second member including a planar base element, a planar end element extending substantially perpendicularly from a first end of the planar base element of the second member, an end tab coextensive with the planar base element of the second member and protruding from a second end of the planar base element of the second member, and a side tab protruding from and coextensive with the planar base element of the second member, the side tab of the second member defining an aperture therethrough.

2. The connector guard of claim 1 , including a rounded slot on the planar end element of the first member, and a rounded slot on the planar end element of the second member.

3. The connector guard of claim 1 , wherein the end tab of the first member includes a first portion contiguous to the planar base element of the first member and having a first width, a middle portion narrower than the first portion, and an end portion substantially equal in width to the first portion of the end tab of the first member, and the end tab of the second member includes a first portion contiguous to the planar base element of the second member and having a second width, a middle portion narrower than the first portion, and an end portion substantially equal in width to the first portion of the end tab of the second member.

4. The connector guard of claim 1 , wherein the planar base elements of the first and second members each define at least two substantially rectangular apertures therethrough.

5. The connector guard of claim 1 , wherein the planar base elements of the first and second members each are substantially rectangular with a length to width ratio greater than 2.

6. The connector guard of claim 1 , wherein each of the first and second members is formed of metal, and wherein the metal of each of the first and second members is approximately 1.5 mm in thickness.

7. A connector guard assembly, comprising:
a first member, including:
a first end and a second end;
a T-shaped end tab at the first end of the first member;
an end element at the second end of the first member;
a rounded slot on the end element of the first member; and
two side elements substantially perpendicular to the end element; and

a second member, including:
a first end and a second end;
a T-shaped end tab at the first end of the second member;
an end element at the second end of the second member; and
a rounded slot on the end element of the second member;

wherein the first member is engaged with the second member, and the T-shaped end tab of the first member is adjacent the rounded slot of the second member, and the T-shaped end tab of the second member is adjacent the rounded slot of the first member.

8. The assembly of claim 7 , including a side tab protruding laterally from the second member and defining an aperture therethrough, and a side tab protruding laterally from one of the two side elements of the first member and defining an aperture therethrough, and wherein the aperture defined by the tab of the second member is aligned with the aperture defined by the tab of the first member.

9. The assembly of claim 7 , wherein the first member includes a planar base element, and the two side elements and the end element of the first member are each substantially perpendicular to the planar base element of the first member.

10. The assembly of claim 9 , wherein the second member includes a planar base element, and the end element of the second member is substantially perpendicular to the planar base element of the second member.

11. The assembly of claim 10 , wherein the engaged first and second members form a substantially rectangular enclosure for a connection between two electrical cables.

12. The assembly of claim 11 , wherein a first of the two electrical cables is seated in the rounded slot of the first member, and a second of the two electrical cables is seated in the rounded slot of the second member.

13. The assembly of claim 12 , wherein the T-shaped end tab of the first member is adjacent the second cable, and the T-shaped end tab of the second member is adjacent the first cable.

14. The assembly of claim 11 , wherein the first and second members each include a plurality of substantially rectangular apertures defined by the planar base elements, and the plurality of substantially rectangular apertures of the first member are offset along a lengths of the first and second members from the plurality of substantially rectangular apertures of the second member.

15. The assembly of claim 7 , wherein the T-shaped end tabs of each of the first and second members include a first portion contiguous with a planar base element and having a width, an end portion at least as wide as the width of the first portion, and a middle portion having a width less than the first portion and the end portion.

16. The assembly of claim 15 , wherein the end elements of each of the first and second members include a relieved portion on an edge of the end elements adjacent an opening of the rounded slot, and wherein a total width of the relieved portion is substantially equal to the width of the first portion of each of the T-shaped end tabs.

17. The assembly of claim 7 , wherein the assembly is substantially rectangular with a length to width ratio greater than 2.

18. The assembly of claim 7 , wherein each of the first and second members is formed of metal, and wherein the metal of each of the first and second members is approximately 1.5 mm in thickness.

19. A connector guard, comprising:
a first member including a planar base element, a planar end element extending substantially perpendicularly from a first end of the planar base element, an end tab coextensive with the planar base element and protruding from a second end of the planar base element, two planar side elements extending substantially perpendicularly from the planar base element of the first member; and
a second member including a planar base element, a planar end element extending substantially perpendicularly from a first end of the planar base element of the second member, an end tab coextensive with the planar base element of the second member and protruding from a second end of the planar base element of the second member;
wherein the end tab of the first member includes a first portion contiguous to the planar base element of the first member and having a first width, a middle portion narrower than the first portion, and an end portion substantially equal in width to the first portion of the end tab of the first member, and the end tab of the second member includes a first portion contiguous to the planar base element of the second member and having a second width, a middle portion narrower than the first portion of the end tab of the second member, and an end portion substantially equal in width to the first portion of the end tab of the second member.

20. The connector guard of claim 19 , including a rounded slot on the

Assignees

• Caterpillar Inc
• Caterpiller Inc

Inventors

• Rottman Joseph Lee
• Krager Justin Matthew
• McWilliams Michael Lee

Classifications

• H01R13/5213 Primary

  Covers · CPC title

• H02G3/081 Primary

  Bases, casings or covers · CPC title

• H02G15/007

  Devices for relieving mechanical stress · CPC title

• H02G9/025

  Coverings therefor, e.g. tile · CPC title