Connecting electrical equipment through wiring harnesses

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9960563-B2
Application number	US-201615189661-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jun 22, 2016
Priority date	Jun 30, 2014
Publication date	May 1, 2018
Grant date	May 1, 2018

Abstract

In exemplary embodiments, wiring harness assemblies for electrical equipment and related methods are disclosed. In an exemplary embodiment, a wiring harness assembly for electrical equipment generally includes a first connector configured for connecting to a wiring harness, a second connector configured for mounting to a panel, and one or more conductors connecting the first connector with the second connector.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A connector for use in electrically connecting a piece of electrical equipment with a female connector through one or more conductors, the connector comprising:
a male header pin connector having a header and a plurality of pins extending through the header, each pin having a first end connectible with a female connector and an exposed portion extending alongside and past a locking wall of the header, and a second end connected with an end of a corresponding one of one or more conductors; and
a protective housing abutting the header and surrounding the one or more connections between the one or more pin second ends and conductor ends;
wherein the exposed portions of the plurality of pins are connectible with a female connector of a furnace wiring harness, the locking wall having a configuration suitable for frictionally locking the male header pin connector to the female connector of the furnace wiring harness.

2. The connector of claim 1 , wherein the housing comprises one or more of the following: a molding material, and hot melt grade of polyamide.

3. The connector of claim 1 , wherein the one or more connections between the one or more pin second ends and conductor ends comprise one or more of the following: a splice connection and a crimp connection.

4. A wiring harness assembly comprising the connector of claim 1 .

5. A control panel kit comprising the connector of claim 1 .

6. The connector of claim 1 , wherein:
the one or more connections between the one or more pin second ends and conductor ends comprise one or more splice connections; and
the protective housing comprises a molding material surrounding the one or more splice connections.

7. The connector of claim 1 , wherein:
the one or more connections between the one or more pin second ends and conductor ends comprise one or more barrel crimp connections; and
the protective housing comprises a molding material surrounding the one or more barrel crimp connections.

8. A method of making a wiring harness assembly for electrical equipment, the method comprising:
using one or more splice connectors, connecting one or more conductor wires with a plurality of corresponding pins of a male header pin connector to make one or more splice connections; and
applying a molding material around the one or more splice connections to cover the one or more splice connections;
whereby a connector of the wiring harness assembly is configured for connecting the conductor wires to an existing wiring harness;
wherein the plurality of pins have an exposed portion extending alongside and past a locking wall of the male header pin connector and connectible with a female connector of a furnace wiring harness, the locking wall having a configuration suitable for frictionally locking the male header pin connector to the female connector of the furnace wiring harness.

9. The method of claim 8 , wherein the molding material includes one or more of the following: a resin, and a hot melt grade of polyamide.

10. The method of claim 8 , wherein using one or more splice connectors comprises:
positioning a conductor wire end in a first side of a barrel crimp connector;
positioning a corresponding pin end in a second side of the barrel crimp connector; and

crimping the barrel crimp connector.

11. The method of claim 8 , wherein a plurality of conductor wires are spliced with a plurality of pins at first ends of the conductor wires, the method further comprising connecting a matrix crimp housing plug to the conductor wires at second ends of the conductor wires.

12. The method of claim 11 , wherein the matrix crimp housing plug is connectible with a furnace control board.

13. A wiring harness assembly for electrical equipment, the assembly comprising:
a male header pin connector configured for connecting to a wiring harness;
a board connector configured for mounting to a panel;
one or more conductors connecting the male header pin connector with the board connector;
the one or more conductors coupled with the male header pin connector by one or more splice connections; and
a molding material surrounding the one or more splice connections;
wherein the male header pin connector comprises a plurality of pins having an exposed portion extending alongside and past a locking wall of the male header pin connector and connectible with a female connector of a furnace wiring harness, the locking wall having a configuration suitable for frictionally locking the male header pin connector to the female connector of the furnace wiring harness.

14. The wiring harness assembly of claim 13 , further comprising one or more crimp connectors in which the one or more splice connections are made.

15. A method of replacing a piece of electrical equipment using an existing wiring harness, the method comprising:
connecting a first end of a wiring harness assembly with the existing wiring harness, the first end including a male header pin connector having a plurality of pins connected with one or more corresponding wires at one or more pin-wire connections and extending alongside and past a locking wall of the male header pin connector, and protective molding material around the one or more pin-wire connections; and
connecting a second end of the wiring harness assembly with a replacement piece of electrical equipments;
wherein the plurality of pins have an exposed portion extending alongside and past a locking wall of the male header pin connector and connectible with a female connector of a furnace wiring harness, the locking wall having a configuration suitable for frictionally locking the male header pin connector to the female connector of the furnace wiring harness.

16. The method of claim 15 , performed to replace a furnace control panel.

17. The method of claim 15 , wherein connecting the second end of the harness assembly comprises connecting a matrix crimp housing plug with a control board of the replacement piece of electrical equipment.

18. The method of claim 15 , wherein connecting the first end of the wiring harness assembly comprises positioning the locking wall of the male header pin connector onto the existing wiring harness.

Assignees

• Emerson Electric Co

Inventors

• Moran Michael J
• Heller John J
• Vie David L

Classifications

• H01R43/28

  for wire processing before connecting to contact members, not provided for in groups H01R43/02 - H01R43/26 · CPC title

• H01R9/03

  Connectors arranged to contact a plurality of the conductors of a multiconductor cable {, e.g. tapping connections} · CPC title

• H01R43/24 Primary

  Assembling by moulding on contact members · CPC title

• F24F11/30

  for purposes related to the operation of the system, e.g. for safety or monitoring · CPC title

• F24F11/88

  Electrical aspects, e.g. circuits · CPC title