Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
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ELECTRICAL CONNECTOR HOLD-DOWN ADAPTOR
Background of the Invention:
This invention relates to reliably and easily
preventing undesired separation of the mating
portions of communications systems cable connectors.
Specifically, this invention relates to securing
mating electrical cable connectors to one another
with ease through the use of a universal adaptor
characterized by minimal cost.
A problem instant to the use of presently
available cable connec~ors ~or establishing
electrical connections between the conductors of a
pair of multi-conductor communications cables resides
in the fact that the connectors may disengage while
in service. The prior art discloses numerous methods
to alleviate this problem. Thus, for example, some
cable connectors are manufactured and designed so
that they snap together. Other previously employed
methods of fastening cable connectors together
involve the use of bail hooks, springs or similar
devices. Also, many cable connectors are provided
with threaded fittings whereby the male and female
connectors may be joined together by means of bolts.
While the prior art demonstrates various methods
of securing mating cable connectors toge-ther, these
prior methods all have one or more deficiencies.
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Thus, by way of example, those prior art connectors
which are manuactured so as to be self-fastening
cannot be employed with non-compatible connectors and
thus their usefulness is limited. Further, the
joining and disconnecting of prior art cable
connectors, particularly those that are bol~ed
together, is a time consuming and thus expensive
procedure. Adclitionally, the prior art securing
techniques do not aid in identifying specific cables,
this being a particular problem when the cables are
located in a cro~ded environment.
Summary of the Invention:
The present invention overcomes the
above-discussed disadvantages of the prior art by
providing a novel and improved method of
simultaneously releaseably securing mating cable
connectors to one another and iclentifying the
associa~ed cables. Apparatus in accordance with the
present invention employs a bracket having an
apertured portion which is sized and shaped to
circumscribe the mating portions of the connectors.
The bracket is provided with at least one slotted
extension to which a self-locking strap ls secured.
In use, after the bracket has been placed on the
first connector and the mating connector joined
thereto, the self-locking strap will be wound tightly
around the pair of connectors and locked to itself to
thereby retain the connectors in the engaged
condition. The connectors may be disengaged merely
be applying sufficient force to the strap so as to
unlock it from itself. Through the use of
color-co~ed straps, the cables extending from the
connectors may be labelled according to function.
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Brief Description of the Drawing:
The present invention may be better understood
and its numerous objects and advantages will become
apparent to those skilled in the art by reference to
the accompanying drawing wherein like reference
numerals refer to.like elements in the several
FIGURES and wherein:
FIGURE 1 is a top view of an adaptor in
accordance with the present invention;
FIGURE 2 is an exploded view representing the
manner of use of the adapator of FIGURE 1 to join a
pair of cable connectors; and
FIGURE 3 is a perspective view which depicts the
present invention as employed to join a pair of cable
connectors
Descxiption of the Preferred Embodiment:
Referring to the drawing, an adaptor in
accordance ~ith the present invention comprises a
bracket, indicated generally at 10, which is
preEerably formed as a metal stamping. Thus, bracket
10 is generally U-shaped with a flat bottom portion
12 and a pair of fla-t arms 14, 14' which extend
outwardly therefrom. The arms 14, 14' are preferably
transversely oriented with respect to base 12 and
have the irregular shape which may best be seen from
FIGURE 2~ The arms 14, 14' are provided with slots
16 (FIGURE 2). The flat base 14 is provided with a
rectangularly shaped central cut-out 18.
Additionally, in the preferred embodiment, base 12 is
provided with a palr of oppositely disposed and
aligned circular mounting holes 20.
The adaptor o~ the present invention further
comprises a strap 22 which is of the self-locking
type. Thus, strap 22 may be comprised of Velcro ~ .
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A first portion of strap 22 will be provided, on one
side, wi~h hooks while a secor,d portlon of the strap
will be provided, on the opposite side, with loops
which are engaged by the hooks wher, the two portions
oE the st~ap are placed in contact with one another.
In the preferred embodiment the strap 22 is also
provided, at a first end thereof, with a tab 24. Tab
24 may be defirled simply by heat sealing the strap to
itself ln a region 26 of one of the aforesaid
portions thereof. The end of strap 22 d1sposed
oppositely to tab 24 will be passed through one of
the slots 16 in an outwardly extending arm 14 of
bracket 10 and permanently secured to -the bracket.
rhe permanent attachment of the end of strap 22 to
bracket 10 may be accomplished by doubling the strap
back on itself to clefine a loop, a portion of the arm
14 of the bracket 10 passing through this loop, and
then heat sealing or otherwise permanently sealing
closing the loop.
Electrical cable connectors of the type which
will be secured together through the use of the
adaptor of the present invention are depicted in
FIGVRES 2 and 3 at 30 and 32. The cable connectvrs
30 and 32 will typically include two rows of contacts
with the contacts in the rows being individually
electrically connected to single conductors of
respective of multi-conductvr cables 34 and 36. The
conrlectors 30 and 32 each have a main body portion 38
comprised of a suitable non-conductive plastic
material~ Terminal protectors 40 extend outwardly
~rom the body porticns 38 of the connectors and
define recesses in which tne individual conductor
terminations, i.e., the connector contacts, are
disposed. The contacts will typically be in the form
of elongated copper members which have a certain
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degree of resiliency. In a typical case the contacts
in connector 30 will be àisposed ln parallel rows
along the opposite sides of a support which is
centrally loca~ed wlthin the protector 40 while the
contacts of connector 32 will actually be supported
in recesses in the side wall of the protector 40.
When the connectors are mated, the protector 40 of
connector 32 will fit inside of the protector 40 of
connector 30 with the size and shape of the
protectors 40 being such as to guide the contacts
into engagement to establish electrical connections
between the individual conductors of cables 34 and
36. The connectors 30 and 32 are also provided with
apertured extensions 42, the ~pertures typically
being provided with internal threads, as well as
internally threaded holes 44 whereby a pair of
engaged connectors may be secured together through
-the use of a pair of bolts.
In the use of the present invention the protector
40 of connector 30 is passed through the cut~out 18
in bracket 10 and connector 32 is subsequently mated
with connector 30. With the connectors thus joined
the strap 22 is wrapped tightly around the connectors
and secured to itself, as shown in FIGURE 3, to
fasten connector 30 to connector 32. The straps 22
may be color coded to facilitate identificàtion of
the extended cable 34, 36.
The holes 20 in bracket 10 are positioned so as
to be aligned with the apertures in the extensions 42
and the threaded holes 44 of the connectors whereby,
should i~ be desired to use the present invention
solely for cable identification purposes, the
connectors 30 and 32 may still be bolted together.
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While a preferred embodiment has been shown and
described, various modifications and substitutions
may be made thereto without departing from the spirit
and scope of the invention. Accordingly, it lS to be
understood that the present invention has been
described by way of illus~ration and not limitation.
