Apparatus for adjustable cable exit angle from an electrical connector hood to a cable assembly

Abstract

Conductor assemblies (550) may exit a connector hood (410) at any arbitrary angle of exit that encompasses a 3-dimensional solid angle over a region of space. The cable connector (510) is coupled to a flexible and adjustable sheath (450) that can be adjusted both in terms of arbitrary 3-dimensional angle as well as length. A protective layer (504) that surrounds a plurality of conductor assemblies (550), is removed inside the sheath (450), so that each conductor assembly (550) can move independent of one another inside the sheath (450). The cable connector (510) also has a stress or strain relief feature that enables the individual wires and cables within the cable assembly (500) to be stress free as this strain relief become the sole load- bearing element.

Description

METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR ADJUSTABLE CABLE EXIT ANGLE FROM AN ELECTRICAL CONNECTOR HOOD TO A CABLE ASSEMBLYTECHNICAL FIELD

[0001] The present invention relates to a method and apparatus for adjusting a cable exit angle from an electrical connector hood to a cable assembly.BACKGROUND

[0002] Some electrical connectors are fixed to a structure like a housing, cabinet or bulkhead of a device. Application of disconnection forces at an angle to the fixed connector can damage the connector, and orienting cables associated with the connector in a desirable arrangement or angle can be challenging in certain applications. For example, FIG. 1 shows a conventional connector having a rectangular hood 100 with a cable exit hole 101 going straight out of the back of the connector. This hole 101 then sets the cable exit angle in the vicinity of the hood 100. Given that most larger diameter cables are generally inflexible, this also effectively dictates the cable exit angle in the vicinity of the hood. In FIG. 2 a rectangular hood 200 has an exit hole 201 at 90-degrees to the axis of the electrical connection. This enables the cable to exit at a right angle as compared to the axis of the electrical connection, but here too this hole pattern 201 on the hood 200 dictates the cable angle in the vicinity of the hood 200. In FIG. 3, the hood 300 has an angled exit hole 301 and now added is the cable gland 302. This cable gland 302 together with the exit hole 301 , control the local exit angle near the hood 300.

[0003] In connectors, especially those carrying high current, high power, or a combination of high current I high power and various signal or data signal as well, the size and diameter of the resulting cables or cable assemblies can get very large. Generally, the minimum bend radius is 10 times larger than the largest outer diameter of the cable being bent. If all the power cables, data cables, signal cables, or other cables are bound into a larger jacketed compound cable, this outer diameter can get quite large, and the resulting bend radius and get commensurately large. Additionally, if some of the power cables are not comprised of multi-strand copper or other conductors, and are instead comprised of larger, less flexible conductors, then this also make the overall compound cable even harder to bend and further increase the effective minimum bend radius.

[0004] In applications where there could be a need for smaller bend radii due to space constraints, this increase in bend radius with increasing power is problematic. Some examples of such applications follow, but this is a representative and not comprehensive list: data centers; industrial automation, industrial equipment, including for example semiconductor manufacturing equipment, heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC), and other industrial and automation equipment.

[0005] However, in many of these environments, there is a concomitant need for high ingress protection (IP) against dust, water, moisture, chemical substances, etc. from entering or interfering with the connector. This represents a design challenge in getting highly flexible, high power, and yet high level of portion cable systems and assemblies. The present disclosure provides for such a solution.

[0006] Another key consideration encountered in many applications is the phenomenon of derating, or the reduction in the current-carrying capacity of the cable as a function of the ambient temperature. The derating behavior is related to two underlying physical behaviors: heat generation through ohmic heating, and heat dissipation through a combination of conduction and convection.

[0007] Generally, derating drives larger cables sizes at a given ambient temperature to ensure that a minimum current can be safely transferred at that temperature. This can cause a problem especially when there are many applications such as the ones listed above where it would be desirable to get more and more power into a limited volume in space. Cable diameters in particular tend to suffer from a very large increase in size due to cable derating. This is because the heat cannot easily escape from the individual conductors in a cable, and so they grow in diameter, which results in an additive effect on the overall cable diameter as each of its individual conductors grows in size.SUMMARY

[0008] The present disclosure includes a number of features and objectives, some of which are noted here. In an embodiment, the disclosure provides for decoupling of cable exit angle from cable entry hole configuration on hood and the cable gland. It is one objective of this disclosure to provide an apparatus and method by which the cable exit from a connector may assume any arbitrary angle in multiple planes, and not just a fixed angle, or an angle that may have limited adjustment in one plane. Inthis aspect of the disclosure, multiple and adjustable cable exit angles are provided. This is in contrast to the present situation in which the cable exit angle in the vicinity of the hood is purely dictated by the exit hole orientation in the hood as well as the accompanying cable gland. So, this present disclosure provides a locally adjustable segment for cable angle as opposed to purely relying on the physical hole pattern or configuration on the connector hood as well as the cable gland to provide for cable exit angle.

[0009] In embodiment(s), the disclosure also provides for decoupling of the conductor spatial configuration in the cable from the conductor spatial configuration entering the hood. It is a further objective of this disclosure to provide for a highly flexible sheath which enables cable de-jacketing at the exit of a connector while still providing adequate ingress and environmental protection. The de-jacketing enables a smaller cable bend radius, as the power, signal and data individual wires or cables are now not bound by the outer sheath and as such could have smaller individual bend radii as compared to a monolithic cable. In this aspect of the disclosure, a hood extension in provided that enables local de-jacketing of individual conductors, data cables, or signal cables in the region immediately before entering the hood. In this manner, there is provided a method for decoupling the conductor spatial configuration in the cable from the conductor spatial configuration entering the hood.

[0010] In embodiment(s), the disclosure also provides for decoupling strain relief function from ingress protection function. It is a still further objective of this present disclosure to decouple the ingress protection function of the sheath from the cable strain relief function. Normally, this is accomplished through the use of a cable gland which grips the outermost jacket of the composite cable. In the present configuration where the composite cable is de-jacketed and the individual cables and / or wires are exposed, it would be difficult to use such cable gland technology to grip each individual cable or wire. Therefore, this present disclosure provides for an independent load-bearing element that is not coupled with the power, signal or data wires, and therefore provides for a decoupling both the IP protection from the strain relief, but even further decouples the strain relief from the cables and wires that carry power, signal and data.

[0011] In embodiment(s), the disclosure also provides for decoupling the circular geometry of the cable from the rectangular geometry of the hood entry. It is still further an objective of this present disclosure to provide for a flexible cable exit anglewhere the flexible element is a wire loom with varying cross-section. One such specific example is a cross-section that goes from a rectangular cross-section on the connector hood side to a circular cross section on the cable side. In this objective the angle of the cable exit is decoupled from the number and configuration of entry ports for conductors to enter the connector hood.

[0012] In embodiment(s), the disclosure also provides for decoupling the circular geometry of the cable from the rectangular geometry of the hood entry. It is yet another objective of this present disclosure to provide for a flexible cable exit angle where the flexible element is a thick-walled flexible polymeric piece that is thin enough to be flexible and yet rigid enough to provide the required mechanical strength and resistance to scuffing or other contact damage. As there is a secondary load bearing element, the polymeric flexible piece need not bear the pullout forces. Also it could have a variable cross-section such as going from rectangular on the connector hood side to circular on the cable side. One specific example of such a flexible polymeric piece is a molded silicone rubber piece.

[0013] In embodiment(s), the disclosure also provides for decoupling the derating behavior of the cable from the derating behavior of individual conductors as they enter the hood. It is yet another objective of this present disclosure to provide for a method by which conductors carrying high current could be separated or de-jacketed not only to provide a smaller bend radius but also to provide for an increased surface area that will facilitate greater heat transfer to the ambient environment, and hence improve the derating behavior immediately adjacent to the hood. This could enable smaller diameter conductors to be used in the region immediately adjacent to the hood. In the manner, an effective decoupling of the derating behavior in the cable from the derating behavior of the individual conductors entering the hood is provided.

[0014] These and other objects of the disclosure, as well as many of the intended advantages thereof, will become more readily apparent when reference is made to the following description, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings. This summary is not intended to identify all essential features of the claimed subject matter, nor is it intended for use in determining the scope of the claimed subject matter. It is to be understood that both the foregoing general description and the following detailed description are exemplary and are intended to provide an overview or framework to understand the nature and character of the disclosure.BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES

[0015] FIGS. 1-3 are perspective views of conventional connector hoods.

[0016] FIG. 4 is a perspective view of a connector assembly in accordance with an example embodiment of the disclosure.

[0017] FIG. 4A is a perspective view of a connector assembly showing the cable exit angle.

[0018] FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional view of a cable assembly having multiple conductor assemblies.

[0019] FIG. 6 is a perspective view of the connector assembly of FIG. 4, with the sheath removed for illustrative purposes.

[0020] FIG. 7 is a perspective view of the connector assembly with a load bearing element.

[0021] FIG. 8 is a cross-sectional view of the connector assembly of FIG. 4.

[0022] FIGS. 9-13 are exemplary views of various sheaths for use in the electrical connector and / or connector assembly of FIG. 4, and the range of motion of the sheath.

[0023] FIG. 14 is a chart of the temperature and current for the connector assembly.

[0024] FIG. 15 is a side view of the conductor layers.DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF EXEMPLARY EMBODIMENTS

[0025] In describing the illustrative, non-limiting embodiments of the disclosure illustrated in the drawings, specific terminology will be resorted to for the sake of clarity. However, the disclosure is not intended to be limited to the specific terms so selected, and it is to be understood that each specific term includes all technical equivalents that operate in similar manner to accomplish a similar purpose. Several embodiments of the disclosure are described for illustrative purposes, it being understood that the disclosure may be embodied in other forms not specifically shown in the drawings.

[0026] The electrical connector and its assembly, as hereinafter presented in all embodiments, can be designed specifically for industrial applications and are referred to as industrial connectors, also known as heavy-duty connectors, which are specifically designed for industrial applications where excellent sealing against dustand water is required and high demands are placed on mechanical vibration.Industrial connectors can therefore be particularly robust.

[0027] Turning to the drawings, FIG. 4 shows a connector assembly 1000. The electrical connector assembly 1000 comprises an electrical connector 400 and a cable assembly 500 connected to the electrical connector 400. The electrical connector 400 having a connector body, here shown as a connector hood 410 and a protective sheath 450. The electrical connector 400 couples with a cable assembly 500, for example at a cable connector or cable terminator, such as a cable gland 510. The cable gland 510 is coupled at a distal end of the cable assembly 500, such as by being crimped or the like. The cable gland 510 can extend around the outer side of the cable assembly 500, and have a front distal end with one or more openings that allow conductor assemblies 550 to pass through into the sheath 450.

[0028] A typical cable assembly 500 is shown in FIG. 5. The cable assembly 500 has a plurality of conductor assemblies 550, filler material 502, and an outer protective insulative casing 504. The conductor assemblies 550 are arranged in a circular array or otherwise with circular symmetry, inside the insulative casing 504. The filler material 502 surrounds the conductors 550 to fill the rest of the volume of the cable assembly 500 inside the casing 504. Each of the conductor assemblies 550 can include one or more layers, including a central conductor or wire 552, and one or more insulative layers or jacket 554 that surround the central conductor 552.

[0029] The hood 410 has a hollow hood body 411 with a distal front or leading hood end 412, a proximal rear or trailing hood end 414 opposite the front end 412, and a center hood interior open space. The hood front end 412 can be closed with one or more openings, such as square, circular or rectangular through-holes that receive connector elements (for example cables, wires or leads). The hood body 411 has a central hood opening that forms a housing or enclosure with a hood interior space. The hood rear end 414 can be fully or at least partly open, to receive cable assemblies 550 or cables or wires 552 from the cable assembly 500 (FIG. 5). As shown in FIGS. 6, 8, one or more conductors 552 or conductor assemblies 550 pass through the hood rear end 414, and extend through the hood interior open space to the front hood end 412. The conductors 552 extend through or are accessible at the through-holes at the hood front end 412 to mate or electrically couple with another connector (e.g., connector 800, FIG. 8) at the front hood end 412. In the embodiment shown, the hood 410 (including the hood front end 412 and the hood rear end 414)has a rectangular cross section, though any suitable shape can be utilized. The hood 410 can be made of a rigid material such as a plastic or metal. In addition, the hood 410 can include one or more electrical components, adapters or fasteners inside the hood interior space that receive and / or couple the conductors 552 or conductor assemblies 550 to the hood body 411 and align the conductors 552 with the through-holes. It is noted that the only time there will be bare metal exposed is to make a splice using ultrasonic welding between say for example a more flexible conductive elements and a less flexible conductive element.

[0030] The sheath 450 has a distal front sheath open output end 452, a distal rear sheath open output end 454 opposite the front sheath end 452, and a central opening 456 (FIG. 8). Conductor assemblies 550 (FIG. 5) extend from the input end 454, through the central opening 456, to the output end 452. The sheath 450 can be elongated, as shown, though in other embodiments need not be elongated.

[0031] The front sheath end 452 couples with the rear hood end 414. In the embodiment shown, the sheath front end 452 has the same shape as the hood rear end 414, here a rectangular cross section. The sheath front end 452 can be larger than the hood rear end 414, to extend completely about the outer surface of the hood rear end 414 and be coupled thereto such as by an adhesive or fastener. Or, the sheath front end 452 can be smaller than the hood rear end 414 to completely fit inside the hood rear end and be coupled to an inner surface thereto or to a component inside the hood interior space, such as by an adhesive or fastener. In certain embodiments, there is no space between the sheath front end 452 and the hood rear end 414, and the coupling can be airtight and / or liquid tight.

[0032] The rear sheath end 454 couples with the cable connector 510. In the embodiment shown, the sheath rear end 454 has the same shape as the cable connector 510, here a circular cross section. The sheath rear end 454 can be larger than the cable connector 510, to extend about the outer surface of the cable connector 510 and be coupled thereto such as by an adhesive or fastener. Or, the sheath rear end 454 can be smaller than the cable connector 510, to fit inside the hood rear end and be coupled to an inner surface thereto, such as by an adhesive or fastener. In certain embodiments, there is no space between the sheath rear end 454 and the cable connector 510, and the coupling can be airtight and / or liquid tight. Thus, the sheath 450 and hood 410 (and the gland 510) fully surround the conductorassemblies 550 to protect the conductors 552 and conductor assemblies 550 from damage and debris.

[0033] The hood extension or sheath 450 is flexible, and can bend in any direction with respect to the cable assembly 500 and the connector hood 410. In the embodiment of FIG. 4, the sheath 450 is elongated to define a longitudinal axis 451 , and bends in all directions, 360 degrees, including a up and down direction Y, and a lateral side-to-side direction Z. In certain embodiments, the sheath 450 is at least as flexible, though can be more flexible or less flexible, as the conductor wires 552 and / or conductor assemblies 550 (FIG. 5). In one embodiment, the sheath 450 can be made of a plastic or cloth, and can be an insulative material.

[0034] The cable exit angle is governed by two aspects of the hood. First, the entry port for the cable to enter the hood in terms of the number of holes and their spatial configuration, as is shown in the examples in FIGS. 1, 2. And second, cable glands, as shown in FIG. 3, that provide the ingress protection at the entry point as well as establish a mechanical link between the cable and the hood so that the load path of any forces pulling on the cable goes through the cable gland, the outer portion of the hood, and through the hood latching mechanism into the bulkhead or in the case of the cable to cable connection into the corresponding hood on the mating cable. In other words, through the use of a cable gland, the load path passes from the cable to the outer mechanical elements of the hood and housing of the connector, therefore taking the load or strain off of the cables and wires carrying the current. This is important so that the conductor pins do not experience forces that could dislodge them from the insulating bodies or damage the mechanical connection or crimp between the wires and the contacts.

[0035] FIG. 4 illustrates the electrical connector assembly 1000 and that the electrical connector 400 decouples the cable exit angle 420 (FIG. 4A) from cable entry hole configuration on the hood 410 and also from the cable gland 510. As shown, the hood 410 has a flexible sheath 450 attached to it. The individual conductor assemblies 550 from the cable assembly 500 extend through the interior hollow space of the sheath 450. Those conductor assemblies 550 are de-jacketed inside the sheath 450. That is, as shown in FIG. 5, the conductors 552 inside the cable assembly 500 have an exterior insulative jacket 554 that protects the conductors from electrically contacting each other, and from dirt and debris, and also have an outer protective insulative casing 504. And the conductor assemblies 550inside the cable assembly 500 are bundled or held together by the protective layer 504 to form a single element. However, the outer protective insulative casing 504 and bundled conductor assemblies 550 make the cable assembly 500 (including the conductor assemblies 550) less flexible, and thus harder to bend. Inside the sheath 450, the outer protective insulative casing 504 is stripped or otherwise removed, so that the conductor assemblies 550 are unbundled to be separate from one another and thus free to move independently of one another, whereby the de-jacketed individual conductor assemblies 550 are more flexible and easier to bend than the cable assembly 500. Note that in this configuration the cable gland 510 is not physically attached to the hood 450 but rather is attached to the sheath 450. In this manner, the cable exit angle 420 has been effectively decoupled from the hood 410 as well as the cable gland 510. In some embodiments, the insulative layer 554 can also be removed from one or more of the cable assemblies 550, to provide further flexibility.

[0036] In some embodiments the protective sheath 450 can be permanently mechanically attached to the hood 410, thereby forming a one-piece electrical connector. In other embodiments, the protective sheath 450 can be configured as an attachment for removable attachment to the hood 410, thereby forming an electrical connector subassembly in combination with the hood 410. When the one-piece electrical connector or electrical connector subassembly is combined with the cable assembly 500, a connector assembly 1000 can be formed.

[0037] Thus, the electrical connector 400 provides for decoupling of the cable exit angle from cable entry hole configuration on the hood 410 and the cable gland 510. The cable exit from a connector may assume any arbitrary angle in multiple planes, and not just a fixed angle, or an angle that may have limited adjustment in one plane. Thus, multiple and adjustable cable exit angles are provided. The electrical connector 400 provides a locally adjustable segment for cable angle as opposed to purely relying on the physical hole pattern or configuration on the connector hood as well as the cable gland to provide for cable exit angle.

[0038] In addition, the electrical connector 400 provides for decoupling of the conductor assembly 550 spatial configuration in the cable assembly 500 from the conductor assembly 550 spatial configuration entering the sheath 450, and then entering the hood 410. More specifically, the spatial configuration of the conductor assemblies 550 is decoupled in the cable assembly 500 from the configurationentering the sheath 450 and the hood 410. For example, FIG. 6 shows an embodiment of FIG. 4 in which the flexible hood extension or sheath 450 has been removed so that the individual conductor assemblies 550 can been seen to better illustrate the electrical connector 400. It is therefore seen that for example the conductors 550 go from a first spatial configuration, here shown as a fixed circular configuration, as shown in FIG. 5, to a second spatial configuration, here shown as a fixed rectilinear configuration as shown in FIG. 6, thereby effectively decoupling the geometric configuration of conductors in the cable assembly 500 from that in the sheath 450 and that entering the hood 410. That is, the conductor assemblies 550 inside the cable assembly 500 are in a fixed orientation (e.g., circular, as shown in FIG. 5). And, the conductor assemblies 550 inside the sheath 450 are in a free configuration, whereby the conductor assemblies 550 are unfixed and independent of one another.

[0039] Accordingly, the conductor assemblies 550 can be in any orientation with respect to each other inside the sheath 450 and at or connected to the hood 410. For example, the conductor assemblies 550 can be arranged linearly inside the sheath and / or at or connected to the hood 410. In addition, the distal end of the sheath 450 can be spatially larger than the proximal end of the sheath 450, so that the conductor assemblies 550 can be spread out at the distal end with respect to the proximal end.

[0040] In this manner, the electrical connector (electrical connector apparatus) 400 provides for decoupling of the conductor assembly 550 spatial configuration in the cable assembly 500 from the conductor spatial configuration entering the hood 410. The highly flexible sheath 450 enables cable de-jacketing at the exit of a cable assembly 500 while still providing adequate ingress and environmental protection. The de-jacketing enables a smaller cable bend radius, as the power, signal and data individual wires or cables are now not bound by the outer sheath 504 and as such could have smaller individual bend radii as compared to a monolithic cable (which constrains all of the conductors together). In this aspect, the hood extension, sheath 450, enables local de-jacketing of larger monolithic cable into individual conductors, data cables, or signal cables in the region immediately before entering the hood 410. In this manner, there is also provided a method for decoupling the conductor spatial configuration in the cable from the conductor spatial configuration entering the hood.

[0041] FIG. 7 shows another embodiment of the connector assembly 1000 in which the electrical connector 400 of FIG. 4 has a tensile, load bearing element 710. Theload bearing element 710 has a first distal end and a second proximal end opposite the distal end. The distal end is fixedly or removably coupled with the hood 410, such as by adhesive or a fastener. The proximal end is fixedly or removably coupled with the cable or cable gland 510, such as by adhesive or a fastener.

[0042] In this manner, the electrical connector 400 provides for decoupling of strain relief from ingress protection function. The hood 410 is connected to the hood extension or protective sheath 450 which in turn connects to the cable gland 510 and then the cable assembly 500. The tensile, load bearing element 710 can be inside the sheath central opening 456, or outside of the protective sheath 450. The load bearing element 450 takes the load between the cable gland 510 and the hood 410. Therefore, it is in the load path which starts at the cable assembly 500, goes through the cable gland 510, and now goes through the tensile load bearing element 710 as opposed to going through any of the conductor assemblies 550 or through the hood extension or protective sheath 450. In this manner, the load and strain relief function is effectively decoupled from the ingress protection, because the load goes through the tensile element 710; whereas the ingress protection (i.e., protection from dust, moisture, contamination entering the cable, hood or housing) is provided by the combination of the hood 410, the hood extension or protective sheath 450, and the cable gland 510.

[0043] The load bearing element 710 is shorter than the conductor assemblies 550 inside the sheath 450. Thus, if the cable assembly 500 is pulled apart from the hood 410, the load bearing element 710 will eventually engage and prevent further outward movement of the cable assembly 500 with respect to the hood 410, without the conductor assemblies 550 pulling out of the hood 410. At the maximum extension of the load bearing element 710, the conductor assemblies 550 still have more room to extend. In addition, the lead bearing element 710 can be the same length or shorter than the sheath 450 when fully extended. And, the conductor assemblies 550 (i.e., the conductor wire 552 with insulative jacket 554) can be longer than the length of the fully extended sheath 450, with or without a load bearing element 710. In one embodiment, the load bearing element is thin and elongated, such as a cord (wire, line, cable, or string, whether made of metal, plastic or other material). In addition, the load bearing element 710 can be insulative material such as plastic to avoid electrical interference with the exposed conductor assemblies 550 if the load bearing element 710 is positioned inside the sheath 450. In someembodiments, the load bearing element can be spring biased, such as by being wrapped around a spring biased spool.

[0044] Thus, the electrical connector 400 provides for decoupling strain relief function from ingress protection function. The composite cable 500 is de-jacketed from the outer protective layer 504 and the individual cable assemblies 550 are exposed. The electrical connector 400 provides for an independent load-bearing element 710 that is not coupled with the power, signal or data wires 550, and therefore provides for a decoupling both of the ingress protection from the strain relief, but even further decouples the strain relief from the cables and wires that carry power, signal and data.

[0045] Turning to FIG. 8, the bulkhead part of the connector 800 is mated with the distal front hood end 412 of the hood 410 of the electrical connector 400. In the present embodiment, the sheath 450 is a corrugated tube or wire loom that provides ingress protection (IP) in the region where the individual cables carrying power, signal or data are separated out from the monolithic cable. The sheath 450 is an outer flexible protective sheath that is strong and thick enough to hold its shape, but not so thick as to become too hard to bend. Note that it is rectangular at the distal end and smaller and circular on the proximal end, so it would need to be made in that form factor. It also needs to be thick enough so it can maintain a given angle, i.e. has to have sufficient stiffness to maintain an angle once chosen.

[0046] This flexible IP protective sheath, tube, or protective element 450 enables the composite cable 500 to be de-jacketed inside the sheath 450. This enables the power, signal and data wires or cable assemblies 550 to individually bend according to their own minimum bend radii. These radii will in general be less than the bend radius of the original composite cable, thereby enabling the cable exit angle to be adjustable in multiple planes, and the cable exit bend radius to be much less than would have otherwise been possible with a composite cable.

[0047] As illustrated, the hood 410 can have a larger front end 412 and a smaller rear end 414, with a step-down therebetween, such as forming a lip 417. A sheath cable-side anchor or coupling feature 512 can be provided at the gland 510, and a sheath hood-side anchor or coupling feature 418 can be provided at the hood 410, such as at the hood lip 417 or at a smaller portion of the hood 410 and not the wider front end 412. The hood-side anchor 418 can extend about the entire outer perimeter of the gland 510, though the hood-side anchor 418 can provided at any suitablelocation on the hood 410, about the conductor assemblies 550. The sheath hoodside anchor 418 can extend about the entire outer perimeter of the hood 410, though the gland-side anchor 512 can provided at any suitable location on the gland 510, about the conductor assemblies 550. The hood-side anchor 418 can couple to the distal sheath end of the sheath 450, and the gland-side anchor 512 can couple to the proximal sheath end of the sheath 450.

[0048] For example, FIG. 8 shows de-jacketed cables or wires, including a negative power lead conductor assembly 550a, and the corresponding positive power lead conductor assembly 550b. There could of course be additional cables such as grounding cables, and additional wires or cables for signal and data.

[0049] As further shown in FIG. 8, the hood 410 includes a hood anchor 416 positioned at the rear proximal end 414 of the hood 410. The hood anchor 416 can be a tab or projection that is coupled to the hood 410, such as being integrally formed with or attached to the hood body 411 , or can be an opening in the hood body 411. The hood anchor 416 can include an opening that receives the distal end of the strain relief element 710. A gland anchor can also be provided at the distal end of the gland 510. The strain relief element 710 can have a distal end connected to the hood anchor 416, and an opposite proximal end connected to the cable assembly 500, such as at a gland or gland anchor 510. For example, the gland anchor 510 can be a tab or projection that is coupled to the gland 410, such as being integrally formed with or attached to the gland body, or can be an opening in the gland body.

[0050] The strain relief tensile element 710 bears all the load of cable strain and is connected on the connector hood side to a load I stress bearing hood anchor 416 and a cable side load anchor that is connected to the outside of the composite cable and is rated for the maximum expected cable pullout force that must be withstood. Note that the tensile element 710 completely decouples the current-carrying cable assemblies 550b and 550a, or form any additional cables or wires that may carry data signal, ground, etc. The pullout forces are now completely a function of the tensile strength of the tensile element 710, the strength of the connection to the hood side anchor 416, the strength of the connection to the cable side anchor 510, and the strength of the connection between the cable side anchor 510 and the composite cable 500.

[0051] Also note that the strain relief tensile element 710 is shorter in length than any de-jacketed wires or cables, such as the conductor assemblies 550a, 550b. This is an important aspect as it must be the shortest element connection from the hood 410 and hood anchor to the cable anchor 510 and the composite jacketed cable 500, so that the load path is exclusively through the load bearing element 710. It is noted that although anchors 416, 510 are shown and described, other suitable fasteners or fastening mechanisms can be utilized. Though the hood strain anchor 416 is shown at the rear hood end 414, it can be provided at any suitable location on the hood 410, and either at the inside of the sheath 450 or the outside of the sheath 450.

[0052] Referring to FIGS. 9-13, the IP protective sheath 450 can have various configurations. In the embodiment of FIG. 9, the sheath 450 is a wire loom or tube that has a corrugated section, such as an accordion shape, so that at least a part of the sheath 450 can expand, contract and / or bend. Note that this wire loom is closed along the longitudinal length (i.e. , only open at the front end and rear end), and there is no slot or slit for cable entry as there could be in wire looms that are used exclusively for cable management. Also, the wire loom is rated to the needed IP rating for the given application. Here the wire loom is shown in its fully compressed state. In FIG. 10, a part of the corrugated section of the wire loom is shown to be expanded, to have a longer length. Thus, the sheath 450 can expand and contract, as needed, and as limited by the relief element 710. In FIG. 11 , the aspect of arbitrary adjustability, flexibility, and bending of the wire loom in multiple angles is shown. The wire loom 450 can be adjusted in multiple angles and multiple planes. Thus, the sheath 450, including the corrugated section, can be made of rigid or inflexible materials, such as plastic, that is expandable or bendable at the corrugated section.

[0053] FIG. 12 also illustrates that the sheath 450 can also have rigid, unbendable sections, such as straight section and a curved section. Here, the unbendable curved section forms a 45 degree angle elbow (though other angles can be provided, such as a right-angle), and the bendable section completes a right-angle bend. FIG. 12 also illustrates that the sheath 450 can have a first sheath end (or end portion) with a first shape, here shown as circular, that mates with a circular cable assembly 500, and a second sheath end (or end portion) with a second shape, here shown as rectangular, that mates with a rectangular connector such as hood having a rectangular rear end 414. Here, the flexible wire loom 450 takes the place of asolid hood, so that at least a portion of the first and second ends are solid, i.e. unbendable and not flexible. In this instance, the flexibility and range of motion is predominantly limited to the plane which extends to the left and right of the connector, but could also extend in the plane perpendicular to it as well, albeit with a more limited range of motion. The sheath 450 can also have a first rounded section 460 and a second flattened section 462. As shown, the second flattened section 462 tapers outward from the first rounded section 460 to form a flattened widened head that has a larger length than the diameter of the first section 460. Both the first section 460 and the second section 462 can have an expandable section (as shown for the second section 462) and / or a solid section (as shown for the first section 460). The second section 462 can form an expanded head and can be expandable, as shown. FIG. 13 shows the wire loom with the widened head 462 extended to one side at the distal sheath end to provide for an arbitrary cable exit angle.

[0054] It is noted that the figures show and the description describes that the sheath 450 has a single open input proximal end, a single open output distal end, and a closed body. However, in other embodiments, the sheath 450 can have other configurations. For example, the sheath 450 can have a Y-shaped input with two input ends that join together, with each input end coupled with a different cable assembly 500 or other component. And / or the sheath 450 can have a Y-shaped output with two output ends that join together, with each output end coupled with a different hood 410 or other component. The electrical connector 400 is further shown and described that the proximal input end couples with a single component, here a single cable, and each distal output end couples with a single component, here a hood. In other embodiments, the input end and the output end can each be coupled with multiple components. And, the input end need not be coupled with a cable assembly 500, but can be coupled with an electronic component, such as a connector or adapter. And, the output end need not be coupled with a hood 410, but can be coupled with another electronic component, such as a connector or adapter. In addition, the sheath 450 need not end at the gland 510, but can continue over a portion or all of the cable assembly 500. And, the gland 510 need not be located at a cable assembly distal end (where the outer casing 504 ends) of the cable assembly 500, but can be set inward from the cable assembly distal end.

[0055] In addition, the electrical connector 400 provides for decoupling the derating behavior of the cable from the derating behavior of individual conductors as theyenter the hood, but contained within the hood extension or protective sheath 450. Derating is the phenomenon in which the current carrying capacity of a conductor changes with the ambient temperature. This is influenced by a variety of factors including heat generation by ohmic heating, the size of the conductor, and the ability of heat to escape from the conductor and transfer to the ambient environment.Generically, this is represented by a derating curve, as shown in FIG. 14. For a conductor of a given specification in terms of size and thermal insulation, etc. the current carrying capacity 1400 changes with temperature, and generally decreases until at the maximum allowable operating temperature 1401 the current carrying capacity must by definition go to zero. Although the conductor may be able to carry current without melting at much high temperatures than Tmax 1401 , this is a limit set by safe operating standards or by the engineering requirements of the overall system of which the cable is a part.

[0056] Derating depends on several factors including, but not limited to: (a) cable geometry and material, such as shape, diameter, cross-sectional area, resistivity, resistivity changes with temperature, thermal properties such as thermal conductivity, specific heat, etc.; (b) properties of the electrical insulation protecting the conductor from the environment and from accidental short circuit, such as thickness, material composition, thermal conductivity, other thermal properties, etc.; (c) the ambient environment in terms of temperature, and the overall convection heat transfer coefficient through natural convection, assuming the cable is in air; or, (d) other thermal factors if the cable is part of a larger cable assembly.

[0057] The underlying physics could be thought of as a series of thermal resistances in series, and therefore the total thermal resistance is the summation of the individual thermal resistances. The heat flow out of the cable is therefore related to the total summation of thermal resistances as follows:where Q is the heat flux as measured in watts, AT is the temperature different between the metal conductor and the outermost ambient environmental temperature in degrees C, and £ RTis the sum of all the thermal resistances encountered along the heat transfer path between the individual conductor in question and the outermost ambient environment.

[0058] When individual conductors are bundled together in a cable, as shown in FIG.5, there are many thermal interfaces which are created. For example, consider all the thermal resistances from a single conductor as the heat is generated and eventually escapes to the ambient environment:

[0059] (1) Heat is volumetrically generated within an individual conductor assembly 550.

[0060] (2) There is the contact conductance resistance between the conductor metal 552 and the electrical insulation 554 of the individual conductor.

[0061] (3) There is a thermal conductivity resistance due to the poor thermal conductivity of the insulation 554 around an individual conductor 552.

[0062] (4) There is a contact conductance resistance between the insulation 554 of the electrical conductor 552 and the filling 502 which is usually part of a multiconductor cable assembly. Examples of such filling include other polymeric strands which fill in all the spaces between the conductors in a multi-conductor cable.

[0063] (5) There is a thermal conductivity conductance through the filling medium 502.

[0064] (6) There is a contact conductance between the filling medium 502 and the outer sheathing 504 material of the cable.

[0065] (7) There is a thermal conductivity resistance through the outer sheathing material 504 of the overall cable.

[0066] (8) There is a convective cooling resistance between the outer sheath 504 of the cable assembly 500 and the ambient atmosphere characterized by the appropriate Newtonian cooling coefficient.

[0067] It is therefore seen that jacketed cables have more thermal resistances and therefore will suffer more from the effects of size increase due to derating at higher ambient temperatures. However, for de-jacketed cables within a hood extension or protective sheath, the overall thermal resistance has the potential to go down and therefore the effects of derating near the hood entrance could be less severe than for the overall cable.

[0068] Additionally, as shown in FIG. 15, there can be the potential of splicing a smaller wire size for this portion as the derating limits are not as severe as those imposed on the cable. Here the fully jacketed multi-conductor cable 1500 is dejacketed to a certain length. Then an individual conductor 1501 could be spliced by first stripping its insulation to expose the bare larger sized individual conductor 1502.Similarly, a smaller sized jacketed conductor 1505 is stripped to expose a smaller sized bare metal conductor 1504. Then 1504 and 1502 are spliced together, for example using methods such as ultrasonic welding, to form a solid splice 1503 that has very good mechanical properties and does not result in an appreciable increase in resistivity in the overall current conduction path from 1501 to 1505. Then the smaller conductor 1505 located in the hood extension or protective sheath can carry the same current as the larger jacketed conductor 1501 in the cable 1500, because the derating behavior within the hood extension or sheath will be different than that in the cable 1500, thereby allowing a smaller conductor diameter to be used at the same current due to a greater ability for heat to escape from the hood extension or protective sheath. The splices couple (e.g., by welding) a more flexible conductor with a less flexible conductor.

[0069] In describing the illustrative, non-limiting embodiments illustrated in the drawings, specific terminology will be resorted to for the sake of clarity. However, the disclosure is not intended to be limited to the specific terms so selected, and it is to be understood that each specific term includes all technical equivalents that operate in similar manner to accomplish a similar purpose. Several embodiments are described for illustrative purposes, it being understood that the description and claims are not limited to the illustrated embodiments and other embodiments not specifically shown in the drawings may also be within the scope of this disclosure.

[0070] It is further noted that the drawings may illustrate and the description and claims may use several geometric or relational terms and directional or positioning terms, such as between, linear, elongated, circular, stepped, transverse, rectangular, interior, outer, side, distal, and proximal. Those terms are merely for convenience to facilitate the description based on the embodiments shown in the figures, and are not intended to limit the disclosure. Thus, it should be recognized that the disclosure can be described in other ways without those geometric, relational, directional or positioning terms. In addition, the geometric or relational terms may not be exact. For instance, walls or surfaces may not be exactly flat, perpendicular or parallel to one another but still be considered to be substantially perpendicular or parallel because of, for example, roughness of surfaces, tolerances allowed in manufacturing, etc. And, other suitable geometries and relationships can be provided without departing from the spirit and scope of the disclosure.

[0071] In one non-limiting example, when considering a cable that is carrying AC power in the range of 70A-130A and in the voltage range from 200-600 volts, and ambient temperature ranging from 30-60 degrees C, the individual conductor 550 diameters could be as large as #1 gage wire or even larger. By comparison, when the individual conductors are separated from the monolithic cable, and at the same rated power and ambient temperature conditions, it may be possible reduce their diameter down to a #2 gage or potentially smaller, while making the smaller diameter sections more flexible than the individual conductors 550 in the monolithic cable as well as being much more flexible than the monolithic cable itself.

[0072] Within this specification, the various sizes, shapes and dimensions are approximate and exemplary to illustrate the scope of the disclosure and are not limiting. The sizes and the terms “substantially” and “about” mean plus or minus 15-20%, or in other embodiments plus or minus 10%, and in other embodiments plus or minus 5%, and plus or minus 1-2%. In addition, while specific dimensions, sizes and shapes may be provided in certain embodiments of the disclosure, those are simply to illustrate the scope of the disclosure and are not limiting. Thus, other dimensions, sizes and / or shapes can be utilized without departing from the spirit and scope of the disclosure.

[0073] The foregoing description and drawings should be considered as illustrative only of the principles of the disclosure. The disclosure may be configured in a variety of shapes and sizes and is not intended to be limited by the embodiment. Numerous applications of the disclosure will readily occur to those skilled in the art. Therefore, it is not desired to limit the disclosure to the specific examples disclosed or the exact construction and operation shown and described. Rather, all suitable modifications and equivalents may be resorted to, falling within the scope of the disclosure.

[0074] The foregoing description and drawings should be considered as illustrative only of the principles of the disclosure, which may be configured in a variety of shapes and sizes and is not intended to be limited by the embodiment herein described. Numerous applications of the disclosure will readily occur to those skilled in the art. Therefore, it is not desired to limit the disclosure to the specific examples disclosed or the exact construction and operation shown and described. Rather, all suitable modifications and equivalents may be resorted to, falling within the scope of the disclosure.REFERENCE NUMBERS USED IN FIGURES100, 200 Rectangular hood101, 201 Cable exit hole300 Hood301 Angled exit hole302 Cable gland400 Electrical connector or electrical connector apparatus 410 Connector hood or hood411 Hood body or connector body412 Distal front, leading hood end, or front end414 Proximal rear, trailing hood end, or rear end416 Hood anchor417 Lip418 Sheath hood-side anchor or coupling feature420 Cable exit angle or exit angle450 Protective sheath, sheath451 Longitudinal axis452 Input end or second open sheath end454 Output end or first open sheath end456 Sheath central opening460 First rounded section462 Flattened section or second section500 Cable assembly502 Filler material504 Insulative casing, insulative layer, or outer sheathing material 510 Cable gland, cable connector, gland, or gland anchor 512 Cable-side anchor, cable anchor, or coupling feature550 Conductor assemblies550a Negative power lead or current-carrying cable assemblies 550b Positive power lead or current-carrying cable assemblies 552 Central conductor, wire, or conductor metal554 Respective insulative layers, jacket, or electrical insulation 710 Load bearing element or strain relief element800 Connector1000 Connector assembly1400 Current carrying capacity1401 Maximum allowable operating temperature1500 Multi-conductor cable1501, 1502 Individual conductor1503 Solid splice1504 Bare metal conductor1505 Jacketed conductor

Claims

CLAIMS:

1. An electrical connector (400) for coupling to a cable assembly (500) having a plurality of conductor assemblies (550) each having a conductor (552) surrounded by an insulative layer (554), said electrical connector (400) comprising:a connector body (411) having a front connector body end (412) and a rear connector body end (414); anda flexible or bendable sheath (450) having a first open sheath end (454) configured to be coupled with the cable assembly (500), a second open sheath end (452) coupled with said rear connector body end (414), and a sheath central opening (456) configured to receive the conductor assemblies (550) to extend through said sheath central opening (456) and couples with said connector body (411).

2. The electrical connector (400) of claim 1 , further comprising a cable connector (510) attached to the cable assembly (500).

3. The electrical connector (400) of claim 2, further comprising:a cable anchor (512) coupled with said cable connector (510);a hood anchor (416) coupled with said connector body (411); anda load bearing element (710) having a first load bearing end coupled with said cable anchor (512) and a second load bearing end coupled with said hood anchor (416), said load bearing element (710) configured to bear an entire load between said connector body (411) and the cable assembly (500) wherein said load bearing element (710) has a load bearing element length that is shorter than a length of the conductor assemblies (550) inside said sheath central opening (456) to prevent decoupling of the conductor assemblies (550) from said connector body (411 ).

4. The electrical connector (400) of claim 3, wherein said cable anchor (512) comprises a cable anchor tab with a cable anchor tab opening, said hood anchor (416) comprises a hood anchor tab with a hood anchor tab opening, and said load bearing element (710) comprises a thin elongated cord.

5. The electrical connector (400) of claim 3, wherein said cable anchor (512) comprises an opening in said connector body (411), and said hood anchor (416) comprises an opening in said cable connector (510), and said load bearing element (710) comprises a thin elongated cord.

6. The electrical connector (400) of any one of claims 1-5, wherein said sheath (450) is fully closed except for the first open sheath end (454) and the second open sheath end (452).

7. The electrical connector (400) of any one of claims 1-6, wherein the insulative cable layer (504) is removed inside the sheath central opening (456), whereby the conductor assemblies (550) have increased flexibility.

8. The electrical connector (400) of any one of claims 1-7, wherein the plurality of conductor assemblies (550) are in a fixed spatial relationship with one another inside the insulative cable layer (504), and wherein the plurality of conductor assemblies (550) are independent of one another inside the sheath central opening (456).

9. The electrical connector (400) of any one of claims 1-8, wherein the conductor assemblies (550) inside said sheath central opening (456) each have a separately adjustable exit angle (420) with respect to the cable assembly (500).

10. The electrical connector (400) of any one of claims 1-9, wherein the conductor assemblies (550) inside said sheath central opening (456) each have a separately adjustable exit angle (420) with respect to the connector body (411 ).

11. The electrical connector (400) of any one of claims 1-10, wherein said connector body (411) comprises a hood (410).

12. The electrical connector (400) of any one of claims 1-11, said sheath (450) having a corrugated section.

13. The electrical connector (400) of any one of claims 1 -12, said sheath (450) made of a plastic.

14. The electrical connector (400) of any one of claims 3-13, wherein said cable anchor (512) is attached to or integral with said cable connector (510) and said hood anchor (416) is attached to or integral with said connector body (411 ).

15. The electrical connector (400) of any one of claims 1 -14, further comprising a sheath cable-side coupling feature coupled with the cable assembly (500) at said first open sheath end (454), and a sheath connector-side coupling feature coupled with said connector body (411 ) at said second open sheath end (452).

16. The electrical connector (400) of claim 15, wherein said sheath cable-side coupling feature is attached to or integral with the cable connector (510), and said sheath connector-side coupling feature is attached to or integral with said connector body (411).

17. The electrical connector (400) of any one of claims 1-16, said connector body (411 ) further having a central opening configured to receive and couple withsaid conductor assemblies (550) extending through said sheath central opening (456).

18. An electrical connector assembly (1000) comprising:a cable assembly (500) having a cable assembly outer insulative casing (504) and a plurality of conductor assemblies (550) enclosed in said outer insulative casing (504), wherein each of said plurality of conductor assemblies (550) include a conductor (552) surrounded by an insulative cable layer (554);a cable assembly connector attached to said cable assembly (500);a connector body (411) having a front connector body end (412), and a rear connector body end (414); anda flexible or bendable sheath (450) having a first open sheath end (454) coupled with said cable assembly connector, a second open sheath end (452) coupled with said rear connector body end (414), and a sheath central opening (456);wherein said plurality of conductor assemblies (550) extend from said cable assembly connector de-jacketed from said outer insulative casing (504), through said sheath central opening (456), and couple with said connector body (411) to be accessible at said front connector body end (412).

19. The connector assembly (1000) of claim 18, said connector body (411) having a central connector body opening, said plurality of conductor assemblies (550) extending from the rear connector body end (414), through said central body opening, to said front connector body end (412).

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