Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
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CONNF,CTOR
The present invention relates to a wire connector in the form of a heat
shrinkable sleeve containing a solder insert.
It is known to join wires end to end by inserting them into opposed ends of ;~
sleeve of heat shrinkable material containing a solder insert. The insulation is stripped
from the ends of the wires so that the conductors can make contact. The heat
shrinlcable sleeve is heated to cause the sleeve to shrink and grip the wires and to melt
the solder insert so that the solder establishes electrical contact with the exposed
cnnr~ tnrs Connectors for this purpose are available from Raychem under its
trademark SOLDERSLEEVE.
Connectors in which the wires enter from opposed ends are sometimes known
as in-line connectors. W093/16505 discloses such a connector comprising a heat
shrinkable sleeve and a solder insert for joining wires end to end. The heat shrinkable
sleeve also contains a metal insert in the form of a tube, which in turn contains the
solder insert. The tube has two openings formed by depressing portions of the tube
wall on the same side of the wall to form tabs which project into the tube. These tabs
grip the exposed conductors of wires inserted into the sleeve but because they are
formed on the same side of the tube the conductors are cc."~ l to meet end to end.
GB 1572038 discloses a crimp cOMeCtOr, not a solder connector. There is a
central stop which prevents overlap between wires inserted from opposite ends. WO
93117467 discloses a connector in which there is a heat shrinkable sleeve, and solder to
give a permanent ('nnn~rtinn An insert in the form of a double cone of coiled copper
wire is provided. If wires with a diameter ~u~G~ Lly great to be gripped by the
narrowest part of each core are used thien the wires will meet end to end.
WO 93/11584 discloses another connector with an insert in the form of a wire
coil decreasmg in diameter towards the centre.
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There is. however, still a need for improved in-line comnectors, ~ILiuul~lly forconnecting bundles of cables as is sometimes necessary in connecting wiring harnessing
in the production of 4u~ulllol);'cs.
It is also sometimes necessary, or at least desirable, to test the electrical
continuity of wires to be connected before they are finally soldered into place. A
coMector which will provide sufficient electrical contact for testing before soldering is
thus desirable.
It is also be desirable to provide better and more reliable electrical contact than
is obtained by simply aligning individual conductor ends.
According to one aspect of the present mvention there is provided a comnector
for making in-line ~ between wires, said wire connector comprising: a heat
shrinkable sleeve, a metal insert within said sleeve for receiving the conductors of
wires to be comnected, a solder blank within said sleeve disposed so as to flow, when
melted, into contact with the metal insert and with the conductors when said conductors
are received within the metal insert, wherein the metal insert comprises first and second
conductor receiving means for receiving at least one first and at least one second
conductor of at least one first and at least one second wire inserted from first and
second ends of the sleeve ~ Li~.ly, said first and second receiving means defining
openings decreasing in the direction of insertion of the fLrst and second conductors
respectively, said first and second receiving means being so disposed that parts of the
first and second conductors overlap within the sleeve.
References to first conductor receiving means are to be understood as referring
to means which receive only the conductors from a first wire, and references to second
conductor receiving means are to be understood as referring to means which receive
only the conductors of the second wire.
Arranging for a wire to be received by only one receiving means has the effect
that the receiving mearis can be sized to the core and retain a given size of wire. A
receiving means into which wires could be inserted from either end of the sleeve would
be either too large at its narrowest part to grip each wire satisfactorily or alternatively
could not allow the wires to overlap.
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Preferably the first and second conductor receiving means are so shaped that
when the solder is melted a direct conductor-to-conductor contact is obtained by means
of the solder.
In a preferred e",l,o~l;", 1l of the invention the first and second receiving means
are of substantially the same shape and are aligned one above the other so as to present
cable receiving openings facing in opposed directions. The metal insert may comprise
two hollow half cones with their bases facing in opposite directions and their flat faces
in contact. The metal insert may comprise two half quasi-cones. By "quasi-cones" we
mean in this ~p~ ;r~ .. a shape with a base which is non-circular but which is
symmetric about a centre and whose outer walls converge to an apex on an axis
p~ di~ lal tO the centre of symmetry of the base. Thus for the purpose of this
~~1 ;ri, 1;,... a pyramid, which may have 3 or 4 sides, is an example of a quasi-cone.
Although reference has been made to cones and quasi-cones it should be
understood that frusto-conical elements are also included when reference is made to
cones or quasi-cones.
While g~ m~tri~ ~lly the cone or quasi-cone has a base, the geometric base in
conical elements used in the metal insert in is fact open to allow insertion of
c~n~l-rt~-rC The physical base of the half-cone in the sense of the side on which it will
be most stable is the flat surface obtained by bisecting the cone. It may be convenient
to refer to this as the half-side rather than the physical base.
As indicated above a half quasi-cone will have a flat surface collc~lJulldillg tO a
cut through the apex to the base of the quasi-cone. In the metal insert the two receiving
means will be in contact along this flat surface which is preferably provided with at
least one ~.. .;. ~ i.. g aperture.
At least one solder blank is preferably provided in contact with the aperture
linking the two receiving means. Separate solder blanks however may be provided for
each receiving means, and may be shaped so as to fit within the receiving means.
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wo s6l0378s 2 1 9 6 0 9 2 PCT/GB95101774 ~
It is p~llLiuul~-ly preferred to form the metal inserr from two separate identical
CUIII~JUII.Il ~ having means for holding each other in head-to-tail ~.L--iu--~ . With
such UUIII~/UII..IL~ a single solder blank may be provided held between the two metal
CulllLIull.ll~s ~ lg the first and second wire receiving means. The solder blank
may be shaped so as to extend outwardly from a waisted portion of the metal insert
resulting from the head-to-tail u~."..~,o~i~iu~ of the frst and second receiving means.
The receiving means may be provided with projections exoending into the space
provided for receiving conductors. These projections help to retain the conductors in
the sleeve before and while the sleeve is being shrunk to grip the wire inserted into it.
The projections may be tongues of metal obtained by cuning part of the wall defining
the receivmg means and pressmg the cut out portion inwards. Alternatively the
projections, which act in a manner ~u~c~u~li Ig to the barbs of an arrow, may beprovided in a separate insert which may be of different maoerial to the metal insert used
to establish electrical connection between the ~nn~lllrtnrc Tbe barbed insert may be
provided within the metal insert or may be provided within the heat shrinkable sleeve
separately from the metal insert.
In a particularly preferred ~.."B.-(I;.,.. -.1 of the present invention the metal
insert comprises a cylindrical ouoer wall divided into the frst and second conductor
receiving means by an elliptical partition positioned at an angle within the cylindrical
wall. The partition is at an angle to the axis of the cylinder defined by the outer wall
so that the cross sectional area of each receiving means defined by the outer wall and
the partition decreases in the direction of insertion of the conductûr.
The partition is preferably provided with at least one aperture to provide
i....,..,.,.";. ~ between the first and second receiving means so that solder can flow so
as to provide a direct connection between conductors in the first and second receiving
means. The aperture is preferably provided by means of at least one slot in the
partition which allows a portion of the partition to be bent at an angle to the partition,
so as to extend towards the rear of the receiving means into which it projects, where
the front of the receiving means is defined as the end into which the conductors are
inserted. The projections on the partition act as barbs allowing conductors to be
inserted into the receiving means but resisting withdrawal of the conductors have been
itlserted inwardly. Rearwardly extendimg projections may be provided on the
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~ WO 96/03785 2 1 ~ 6 0 9 2 PCI'/GB95/01774
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cylindrical outer wall instead of or as well as projections on the partition. Where the
partition is provided with portions extending into the two receiving means it may not be
practicable to insert a solder blank along one or other faces of the partition. It is
therefore preferred to provide the solder blank on the exterior of the metal insert, i.e.
on the outer side of the cylindrical wall. It is then necessary to provide apertures in the
cylindrical wall to allow the solder, when molten, to pass into the insert and to make
contact with conductors inserted into the receiving means. The apertures may be in the
form of slots in the outer wall of the insert. Such slots are preferably at an angle to the
direction of insertion of conductors. Slots which are parallel to the axis of the cylinder
defined by the outer wall may trap cnn~ rfnrc, especially stranded cnn~nrtnrc~ inserted
into the receiving means. Thus the slots may for example be at an angle of about 35~
to the direction of insertion of conductors into the receiving means into which the slots
open.
Thus, according to a further aspect of the present invention there is provided ametal insert suitable for use in a wire connector comprising a heat shrinkable sleeve
and a solder insert, which metal insert is in the form of a cylindrical outer wall divided
into first and second conductor receiving portions by an angled elliptical wall.
According to a yet further aspect of the present invention there is provided a
metal blank suitable for making a metal insert for use as defined above, which blank
comprises a .~ L..L~ portion joined to an elliptical portion both provided with slits
defining portions bendable into projections.
As indicated above the first and second receiving means required for the end to
end joining of wires may consist of a single element in the form of a half-cone or a
half-quasi cone which is linked head-to-tail to produce the required insert. However
where butt i . ., ." d ."~ between wires are required it is possible to use a single element
with an ~ )IUU ~ ~y shaped shrinkable sleeve and a solder blank in contact with the
element to provide c-~ between wires inserted from the same side into the
receiving means.
According to a still further aspect of the present invention there is provided awire connector for making butt ~ between wires, said wire connector
comprising a heat shrinkable sleeve, a metal insert within said sleeve for receiving the
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conductors of wires to be connected, a solder blank within said sleeve disposed so as to
flow, when melted. mto contacl with the metal insert and with the conducto}s when
said conductors are received within the metal insert, wherein the metal insert has a wall
defining a hollow half cone o} quasi-cone having a base and a flat half side resulting
from the bisection of the cone or half quasi cone, said half cone or half quasi cone
being open at its base and having a bendable tag at the end opposed to the base, and
having at least one opening in its half-side.
According to another aspect of the present invention there is provided an
electrical connector element having a wall defning a hollow half cone or half quasi-
cone for comnection to the base of a ~ a~Jon~lh~ element and having at least oneopening in its half side.
Instead of consisting of two half-cones or half quasi-cones the metal insert maycomprise two cones with bases facing in opposed directions Iying one above the other.
The present invention is ~ ILiLulall~ suitable for joining together bundles of
wires, either as an m-line or as a butt splice.
The metal insert is preferably copper or a copper alloy, ferritic stainless steel,
or ferro-nickel (Invar), to provide good electrical rrm~llr-ir~n Heat shrinkable sleeves
of polymeric material for use in making solder c~ are well-known and are
commercially available, for example from Raychem under trademark
SOLDERSLEEVE. There is therefore no need to describe them in detail. Induction
heating is a preferred method of directly heating the metal insert amd the solder, thus
these r..,..~ ".."~ are preferably formed from a material suitable for induction heating.
The heat-shrinkable sleeve may be shrunk by conduction or radiation from the metal,
or by other ~u~ uiiu~ldl heating means, such as hot air.
The solder blank required for make connection between the wires may be
provided as a separate item which is only combined with the metal insert and the heat-
shrirkable tube at the time an electrical connection is made. Preferably however the
metal insert is provided with the solder already carried on the insert so as to reduce the
number of separate items which need to be handled when forming the rrmnPcti~7n
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It is possible to provide the heat shrinkable sleeves with an inner layer of hotmelt a&esive. When the sleeve is heated to shrink it the adhesive melts and helps to
seal the sleeve to the wires inserted in it. Such adhesives are known and there is
therefore no need to describe them here.
In a preferred form of the present invention the meltable sealing material is
provided as one or more rings carried on the metal insert, for example one mounted at
each end of a 5 ~hct~nti~11y cylindrical insert. In this way a sleeve can be provided with
only two cu-l-r . namely a heat shrinkable sleeve~ and a metal insert carrying both
solder and sealing material. This facilitates installation of the sleeve.
The invention will now be illustrated by reference to the aLcu~ lyhlg
drawings in which
Figure 1 is a ,u~ ive view of a metal insert in accordance with one
cl..b;)dilll.,llL of the invention;
Figure 2 is a ~ , exploded view of another form of metal insert
according to the invention showing solder pellets;
Figure 3 is a ,u~ .Liv~ view of a wire connector accordmg to the invention
using the metal insert of Figures 1 and 2; with the heat shrinkable sleeve partially cut
away;
Figure 4 is a side elevation in cross section of another e.llbodill.~.lL of a
connector according to the invention;
Figure 5 is a side elevation in cross section of a single receiving means as used
in the connector of Figure 4;
Figure 6 is an end elevation lookimg from the wider end of the receiving means
of Figure 5;
Figure 7 is a side elevation in cross-section showing a butt comlector having a
single receiving means (as shown in Figures 5 and 6);
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Figure 8 is a side elevation, wllc~yullllillg to Flgure 4 but with two sealing
rings carried by the metal insert;
Figure 9 is a side elevation in cross-section ~,ullc~yulldillg to Figure 7 bul with
a sealing ring carried on the metal insert;
Figure 10 is a perspective view of another wire connector in accordance with
the present invention, with the heat shrinkable sleeve shown as being transparent to
show details of the metal insert;
Figure ll is a dia~ adc cross-sectional elevation (not to scale) of the metal
insert (and associated solder and adhesive) of Figure lO; and
Figure 12 is a plan view of a metal blank suitable for making a metal insert
according to Figure 11.
Referring to Figure l, a metal insert 1 comprises two conductor receiving
means 2, 3. The cross-sectional area, of generally rectangular ~ for
receiving conductors of receiving means 2 decreases from front to back, while the cross
sectional area of receivmg means 3 decreases from back to front. An opening 4 ispresent in the junction between the two conductor receiving means.
An alternative form of insert is shown in figure 2. In this the two receiving
means are in the form of half cones. The opening between the two receiving meanscan be closed by the insertion of solder blanks 5, 6, shaped so as to fit within the
receiving means 2, 3.
Figure 3 shows an insert as shown in figure 2 in place within a heat shrinkable
sleeve 7. The sleeve has an insert 8 of hot melt adhesive towards each end thereof~
beyond the metal insert.
Two bundles 9 lO of insulated wires are inserted into the opposed ends of the
sleeve 7. The insulation is cut away from the ends of the wires to expose bundles of
conductors 11 12.
SUBSTITUTE SHEET (RULE 26)
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To install the wires in the connector the wires are pushed in so that the
conductors enter the wide end of the receiving means facing the respective bundle of
wires. As the conductors are pushed into the receiving means they are culll,ulc~cd
against the iMer half of the receiver means, where it abuts on to the other receiving
means, and against the solder blank, which blocks the opening between the receiving
means. The Culll,ulc~iwl of the conductors within the receiving means helps to retain
the bundle of wires in the sleeve prior to the heating of the sleeve to shrink it and also
allows pre-contact for checking electrical continuity between the conductors before
shrinkage of the outer sleeve.
Heating of the coMector is now carried out to shrink the sleeve and to melt the
solder to bond the conductors to the metal insert and to each other through the opening
between the receiving means. There is a ~ ;.8 ~ degree of overlap between the
conductors which facilitates a good electrical coMection by means of the solder.
The adhesive inserts 8 melt and flow when the sleeve is heated and help to seal
the sleeve to the cables and to eliminate water ingress to the electrical rn ~ rtinn It
is, of course, possible to omit the adhesive inserts if this sealimg of the sleeve is not
required.
A wire coMector according to the invention with an alternative form of metal
insert is shown in figure 4. This metal insert I comprises two parts 2, 3 which can be
joined together, with a solder blank 5 being s~...dwi~ ,d between them. The two parts
2, 3 constitute receiving means for electrical fnn~hlrtnr.~
The two receiving means 2, 3 each consist of an identical metal part which is
shown in cross-sectional side elevation in figure S and in end elevation, looking from
the wider end, in figure 6.
The receiving means comprises a flat metal base 13 with an opening 14 ruMing
along a major part of the length of the base 13. The base terminates at its narrow end
with a tag 15. This is shown as extending downwardly from the base but can be bent
round as shown in figure 4 to grip another receiving means to form a two part metal
insert for an end-to-end wire conmector.
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A solder blank is inserted between the two receiving means before they are
joined together. It is apreferred feature of the insert that the solder blank is shaped to
extend laterally beyond at least part of each receiving means when the receiving means
are joined together. Thus if the solder blank is made in the form of a rectangular sheet
with width U~llC:~IJVlllillg to the widest part of each receiving means it will extend
beyond the insert in its central portion. If sufficient heat is applied to shrink the sleeve
and melt the solder the sleeve will shrink to fit the metal insert. If insufficient heat is
supplied to melt the solder then the projecting edge of the solder blank will be visible
through the sleeve. Such a blank can thus act as an indicator of when to terminate the
heating process.
The individual receiving means are provided with fingers or tabs 16 formed by
bending portions of the wall of the receiving means inwardly so as to leave openings
17. The tab 16 have sufficient resilience to allow conductors to be forced past them
into the receiving means, then act so as to help to hold the conductors in place before
heat is applied to shrink the sleeve.
The individual receiving means as shown in figures 5 and 6 have the advantage
thzt they can be used singly to make butt .. l;.. ~ between wires, i.e.. ~i.. ,.
in which the wires are inserted into the connector from the same direction.
When used in a butt connection the solder blank will usually be inserted inside
the receiving means so as to lie along the base. The tag 15 is bent parallel to the base
of the receiving means and a heat shrinkable sleeve is inserted around the receiving
means. The sleeve may be preshaped so as to ft the receiving means before the final
shrinking and solder melting steps.
Figure 7 shows a butt end wire cormector using a receiving means in accordance
with the invention prior to insertion of the wires to be joined.
An alternative sleeve according to the invention for use in in-line connection is
shown in Figure 8. The metal insert is the same as that shown in Figures 4, 5 and 6.
The insert carries rings of sealing material 8. These are an i..t lf~ ft on the ends
of the insert so that the insert and sealing material can be handled as a unit e.g. for
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WO 96/03785 2 1 ~ 6 0 2 PCT/GB95/01774
insertion in the heat shrinkable sleeve 7. When the COMectOr is heated the sealing
material melts and seals the wires in the coMector.
Figure 9 shows the ~,VllC~JUl-dillg i~ ly~fi~ for a butt end (side-by-side)
cOMectOr.
Referring to Figure 10 and 11 a metal insert 21 comprises a cylindrical outer
wall 22 which is divided into first and second conductor receiving means 23, 24 by an
angled partition 25. The central portion of outer wall 22 is provided with angled slots
25. A ring of solder 27 surrounds the slots on the outside of wall 22. Rings of
adhesive 28 are mounted on the ends of inserts 21 and extend outwardly beyond the
insert 21. A sleeve 29 of heat-shrinkable material surrounds the insert. Inwardly
extending projections 30 are formed in the wall 22 which extend inwardly (towards the
axis of the insert) and rearwardly (away from the direction of insertion of conductors)
adjacent each end of the wall. The partition 24 is elliptical in shape and is also
provided with projections 31 extending inwardly and rearwardly into respective
conductor receiving means.
Figure 12 shows a metal blank suitable for forming the metal insert of Figures Iand 2. The blank comprises a generally l~,L~.L.IL~l portion 32 which when rolled up
will form the outer wall 22 of insert 21. A plurality of cuts 33 adjacent opposed edges
of the blank define tongues 34 from which the projections 30 can be formed. A
plurality of slots 35, only one of which is shown, are provided at an angle of 35~ to the
axis of the cylindrical portion of the blank. These slots correspond to slots 26 in the
insert 21. Attached to the IC~ lllglll~l portion of the metal blank is an elliptical portion
36 which uu--c~,v..vs to the partition 25. The portion 36 has a plurality of slots 37, 38
therein. The metal left between each pair of slots 37, 38 can be bent to form the
projections 31 of the partition 25.
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