Flexible Cable Connector for Angular Wire Termination
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing connectors for heavy gauge electrical wires are inflexible, requiring difficult bending and limiting angular connection options, leading to installation challenges and potential damage from vibration.
Innovation Solution
A connector assembly comprising a terminal lug connector, a barrel connector, and a flexible cable that allows angular movement, enabling easy connection at various angles with reduced effort and eliminating the need for special ordering.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If bent lug connectors are used to make tight bends with heavy gauge electrical wires, then the wire can be connected at limited angles, but the connector has fixed orientation and can only accommodate wires from limited directions
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies the dynamics principle by making the connector body flexible rather than rigid. The connector body is formed from a flexible material that allows it to be bent to various angles after the wire is inserted, enabling the connector to adapt to different angular requirements while maintaining a simple single-part structure.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the physical parameter of the connector body from rigid to flexible. This parameter change allows the connector to be bent to different angles after wire insertion, providing angular adaptability without requiring multiple fixed-orientation connectors or special ordering.
2Adaptability or versatility
If connectors are specially ordered to accommodate various angles, then angular adaptability is improved, but installation time increases due to down time on the job
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies universality by designing a single connector type that can accommodate multiple angular requirements. The flexible connector body can be bent to various angles after wire insertion, making one connector design universal for different installation scenarios, eliminating the need to special order different angled connectors.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent applies preliminary action by inserting the wire into the connector body first, then bending the connector to the required angle. This sequence allows the connector to be prepared in a standard configuration and then adapted to the specific angular requirement on-site, reducing installation time compared to pre-bending or special ordering.
3Adaptability or versatility
If heavy gauge electrical wires are bent to make connections, then connection at various angles is possible, but the physical characteristics of heavy gauge wires limit the radius of the bend
Solution Approach 1:
The patent transfers the bending action from the rigid wire to the flexible connector body. The wire remains straight and unbent, while the flexible connector material absorbs the bending requirement, making the operation easier and avoiding wire damage.
Solution Approach 2:
The flexible connector body acts as an intermediary between the straight wire and the angled connection point. It provides the flexibility and bend capability that the rigid heavy gauge wire cannot provide, mediating the connection while preserving the wire's physical integrity.
Data Source
AI summary
The present invention relates generally to connectors for terminating and connecting electrical wires and cables. More particularly, the connector of the present invention permits ease of connection at any angle, with regard to the electrical wire or cable equal to that of heavy gauge. Termination of an electrical wire is provided in the present invention using a connector assembly including a barrel connector, a terminal lug connector, and a flexible cable. The terminal lug connector and the barrel connector mechanically and electrically engage the electrical wire. The flexible cable mechanically and electrically connects the barrel connector to the terminal lug connector and permits angular movement between the barrel connector and the terminal lug connector.