GB2551760A

GB2551760A - Electrical connector

Info

Publication number: GB2551760A
Application number: GB1611317.7A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Waas Kevin
Original assignee: Siemens PLC
Current assignee: Siemens PLC
Priority date: 2016-06-29
Filing date: 2016-06-29
Publication date: 2018-01-03
Anticipated expiration: 2036-06-29
Also published as: GB201611317D0; GB2551760B

Abstract

An electrical connector (100, figure 3) comprises a plurality of connector parts 10, each connector part comprising a first fastener 16 and a second fastener 17. A first fastener of one connector part (10a, figure 2) is adapted to cooperate with a second fastener of another connector part (10b) to form a hinge permitting location of one connector part relative to the other connector part. The first and second fasteners detachably fasten the connector parts together. Each connector part further comprises one or more electrical terminals 12, 13 adapted to electrically connect a cable (22) from a first electrical device to a cable (24) from a second electrical device. Preferably the connector part also comprises a third fastener 20 for connecting the connector part to a mounting plate (25). The electrical terminals may comprise clamping screws 14 or releasable push fit connections for fixing the termination of the cable in the terminal.

Description

(54) Title of the Invention: Electrical connector

Abstract Title: Connectable electrical terminals (57) An electrical connector (100, figure 3) comprises a plurality of connector parts 10, each connector part comprising a first fastener 16 and a second fastener 17. A first fastener of one connector part (10a, figure 2) is adapted to cooperate with a second fastener of another connector part (10b) to form a hinge permitting location of one connector part relative to the other connector part. The first and second fasteners detachably fasten the connector parts together. Each connector part further comprises one or more electrical terminals 12, 13 adapted to electrically connect a cable (22) from a first electrical device to a cable (24) from a second electrical device. Preferably the connector part also comprises a third fastener 20 for connecting the connector part to a mounting plate (25). The electrical terminals may comprise clamping screws 14 or releasable push fit connections for fixing the termination of the cable in the terminal.

At least one drawing originally filed was informal and the print reproduced here is taken from a later filed formal copy.

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ELECTRICAL CONNECTOR

This invention relates to an electrical connector for a utility pole, in particular for a traffic signal pole, or lighting columns, although it may also be applicable to other utility applications.

In accordance with a first aspect of the present invention an electrical connector comprises a plurality of connector parts, each connector part comprising a first fastener and a second fastener, a first fastener of one connector part being adapted to cooperate with a second fastener of an another connector part to form a hinge permitting location of one connector part relative to the other connector part; wherein the first and second fasteners detachably fasten the connector parts together; each connector part further comprising one or more electrical terminals adapted to electrically connect a cable from a first electrical device to a cable from a second electrical device.

In accordance with a second aspect of the present invention, an electrical connector comprises a plurality of connector parts and a mounting plate, wherein the connector part comprises a first fastener; wherein the mounting plate comprises a second fastener; and wherein the first and second fasteners are adapted to cooperate to form the connector; each connector part further comprising one or more electrical terminals adapted to electrically connect a cable from a first electrical device to a cable from a second electrical device.

The connector may form a continuous ring, but preferably the connector comprises a curve of connector parts connected in series, or a ring of connector parts having a slot in a segment of the ring which is free of connector parts. This makes access to the connector easier when a drip loop is formed and provides a convenient location for the drip loop.

A single terminal block per connector part would be possible, but preferably each connector part comprises at least two electrical terminals, each electrical terminal being mounted in the connector part, offset with respect to an adjacent electrical terminal.

Preferably, the connector part comprises an insulating housing, whereby the electrical terminals are electrically insulated from one another.

Preferably, the electrical terminals comprise a through opening in the insulating housing and a conductor to terminate two or more cable connections.

Preferably, the housing further comprises a fitting for releasably connecting the connector part to a mounting plate.

The first and second fasteners may be made from a conductive material. However, in a less expensive implementation, preferably the first and second fasteners comprise insulating material.

Preferably, the first and second fasteners form part of the housing of a first one of the two or more offset electrical terminals and second and subsequent ones of the two or more electrical terminals are located further from the first and second fasteners than the first one of the electrical terminals.

Preferably, the insulating housing, first and second fasteners and fitting comprise a single piece injection moulded article, or a 3-D printed article.

In one embodiment, the electrical terminal further comprises a clamping screw mounted perpendicular to the through opening, the clamping screw adapted to engage with a conductive part of the cable, the clamping screw mounted within the insulating housing and accessible through an orifice in the housing, perpendicular to the through opening.

Alternatively, the termination of the cable comprises a releasable push fit connection to releasably fix the termination in the electrical terminal.

This avoids the need for clamping screws and simplifies the construction of the housing.

In one embodiment, the connector part further comprises a third fastener, the first and third fasteners of adjacent connector parts adapted to fit to the same second fastener.

Preferably, the first fastener comprises a clip, or hollow fitting.

Preferably, the second fastener comprises a pin, or opening, in the mounting plate.

In accordance with a third aspect of the present invention, a connector assembly comprises a first connector according to the first or second aspect and a second connector, the second connector comprising a plurality of connector parts, each connector part including a conductive pin, whereby the second connector is coupled to the first connector, via the electrical terminals of the first connector.

Preferably, the mounting plate includes a central orifice to allow signal cables from above to form a loop hanging down outside and below the orifice, wherein the cables pass up through the inside of the orifice to enter each connector part from above.

This loop encourages drips from condensation to form below the connector and drip off into the base of the pole without water getting into the electrical terminals of the connector.

Preferably, the connector further comprises a cover over the mounting plate and connector.

This helps to keep condensation and drips away from the electrical terminals.

In accordance with a four aspect of the present invention, a utility pole comprising a connector, or connector assembly according to any preceding claim, mounted to a mounting plate in the pole and accessible through an opening in the utility pole from ground level, the utility pole having a centreline axis; signal cables from an electrical device mounted to the utility pole coupled to the connector from one side and signal cables from a central controller, coupled to the connector from the other side; wherein a longitudinal centreline axis of the through opening of each connector part is substantially parallel to the utility pole centreline axis; wherein the controller is located remote from the electrical device; and wherein an earth stud is provided in the utility pole to earth the signal cables.

An example of an electrical connector according to the present invention will now be described with reference to the accompany drawings in which:

Figure 1 illustrates a single connector part for an electrical connector according to the invention;

Figure 2 a plurality of connector parts connected in series to form a connector according to the invention;

Figure 3 is an exploded view of an electrical connector according to the invention with output wiring connected to a top section and input wiring and a mounting plate exploded from the main assembly for clarity;

Figure 4 shows a side view of an electrical connector according to the invention, with input and output wiring;

Figure 5 shows the electrical connector of Fig.4, with a top cover in place.

Figures 6a, 6b and 6c illustrate a first alternative electrical connector according to the invention;

Figures 7a and 7b illustrate a second alternative electrical connector according to the invention;

Figures 8a and 8b illustrate a third alternative connector according to the invention;

Figures 9a and 9b illustrate the electrical connector of the invention in situ in a utility pole; and,

Figures 10a and 10b illustrate a conventional top cap termination for a utility pole.

Utility poles of different types may require electrical supplies and communication signals to be connected to a device on the pole. For example, signal poles for traffic or other users, such as pedestrians and cyclists, require an electrical supply to the signal lights and control signals from a controller; lighting columns or lit street signs require an electrical supply and may also receive control signals from a sensor or other controller. For the example of traffic signal poles, conventionally, as illustrated in Figs. 10a and 10b, the utility pole 1 has included a top cap 2, at the end of the pole, close to the device, in this case a signal 3, mounted to the pole by brackets 4. Flexible wiring 5 is provided from the signal to the top cap, and is joined to nonflexible solid core armoured cable. Armoured cable 6 is typically used for the wiring from a traffic controller (not shown) to the top cap 2. For any part of the run of cable from the traffic controller which is underground, the armoured cable 6 may further be protected by being located in underground ducts 7. The wiring 6 from the controller and wiring 5 from the signals is terminated in straight terminal blocks 8 in the end cap 2, connecting the traffic signals to the controller and electrical supply. Side connections of this type require a lot of space within the pole. The terminal block is typically made of moulded polyamide with conductive metal inserts.

Although this connection is effective, it causes problems if any changes or repairs are required because an operative must access the terminal blocks at the top of the pole, for example by a ladder, or from a mobile elevating work platform.

Increasing health and safety concerns have led to alternative pole designs, for example ones where the termination of the wiring to the traffic signal and the wiring from the traffic controller is positioned at a low enough level to avoid the need for working at height. However, this requires an opening to be cut in the pole to allow access to the terminal block and this opening must then be protected with a door. The pole itself is widened at the point where the termination is inserted to fit the connectors which were previously in the wider top cap, so making the pole manufacturing process more complex and requiring reinforcement at that point because of the break in the structure of the pole to access the terminals. There are also problems for the operatives when they do wish to remove the termination to make any repair, as the cables from the controller are very stiff and need to be manoeuvred out of the opening. The covers on the termination enclosure may sometimes be incorrectly closed due to amount of cable inside, allowing water ingress, with subsequent corrosion damage to the electrical conductors..

The present invention provides a connector which addresses the problems of the conventional utility pole design. Each termination block is designed to fit into a compact space and to connect to neighbouring termination blocks, such that a row of blocks form a curved structure and so can be oriented with the cables entering and leaving the connector aligned substantially parallel to the longitudinal axis of the utility pole. Thus, the total space required for the termination is reduced, the space is used more efficiently and the modular nature of the blocks allows for fewer blocks to be used if there are fewer cables to connect. The design allows the termination block to be fitted into a conventional pole without increasing the pole diameter and be accessible from ground level for operatives to work.

A more detailed description of a connector according to the present invention will now be provided. Fig. 1 shows a single connector part according to the invention.

A connector body 11, forming a housing, may be injection moulded, using an injection moulding tool with side action, or may be 3-D printed. The body 11 comprises an insulating material, such as polyamide, although other insulating materials with the required properties for injection moulding, or additive manufacturing, may be used.

The body 11 is provided with through openings 12 to receive wiring from the device 3 being controlled (see Fig. 9a) on one side of the opening and from the controller (not shown) on the other side of the opening. The single connector part 1 is shown with a pair of cable openings 12 each with a conductive insert 13, although the connector could be formed with a single cable opening, or a plurality of cable openings and conductive inserts. For example, three or four cable openings still permit a curved connector to be formed. Where two or more cable openings are provided for cable terminals, the second and subsequent cable openings may be offset with respect to the first. This allows more terminals to be fitted into the space available and still form a curved, or ring connector with a slot..

As shown in the example of Fig. 1, removable clamping screws 14 may be provided in order to hold a conductive part of the cable termination in place in contact with the conductor 13 of the terminal. Each clamping screw 14 is fitted through an orifice 15 formed in the housing 11 perpendicular to the through openings 12 and the orifice opens into the through opening to allow the screw into contact with the cable conductor. The conductive insert 13 may be provided with screw threads in the conductive insert to receive the clamping screw 14 and to hold the conductive core of the cable in place. The cable is stripped of its insulating casing for a short section to expose the conductive core and the core is inserted into the cable opening 12.

An alternative (not shown) is for the cable to be fitted to terminals in the cable openings 12 by means of a push-fit connection (not shown) on the cable, which can be easily released in order to remove the cable from the terminal. This may be by means of a modified conductive end piece, or modified insulating casing to form the connection. For this example, the housing would not be required to include the orifice for the clamping screw and the manufacturing steps may be modified accordingly.

Other known ways of electrically connecting the cables into each side of the through opening may be used without departing from the invention. On an outer edge of the body 11, preferably closest to the first through opening, first and second fasteners 16, are formed. The first fastener 16 on one connector part 10 is adapted to engage with the second fastener 17 on another connector part to hold them together. Preferably, the connector parts comprise a substantially cylindrical opening 17 to receive a pin 16. When two connector parts are connected together by the fasteners, they are able to move about a hinge point so formed. In addition, a clip may be formed along an axis of the pin 16, the axis lying substantially parallel to a centreline axis of the cable opening 12, the clip comprising sprung arms 18 with a lip 19 at the ends of the arms, such that the pin is held in place when inserted into the cylindrical opening 17, but is easily releasable. The connector opening 17 allows the body 11 to be connected to an adjacent connector block 10 via the pin 16. A similar arrangement of a pin with a clip formed therein enables the connector part 10 to be connected to a fitting on a mounting plate (not shown). The overall configuration of a series of connector parts 10 connected together to form a connector is defined by the position on the mounting plate of fittings for the clip 20 to fix to.

Fig.2 illustrates an example of a connector 100 formed from a plurality of connector parts 10a, 10b, each connector part comprising two electrical terminal blocks. The modular configuration allows a number of different ways of building up the connector. In the example shown, the connector parts 10a, 10b, 10c, lOd, lOe, lOf do not contact one another, other than in the region of the fasteners forming a hinge.

The arms 18 of the fastener 16 in opening 17 can be seen in this view. However, if a greater number of electrical terminals were required, the configuration would be rotated outwards until, for one connector part 10a, the housing 11a forming the through opening 12a remote from the hinge comes into contact with the housing 15b forming the orifice for the clamping screws for the through opening 12b closest to the hinge on an adjacent connector part 10b. Housing 15b is offset and does not come into contact with the adjacent connector part. The offset configuration of the terminations 12a, 12b in each connector part 10a, 10b increases the density of terminations and allows more terminations in a smaller diameter connector terminal. Depending on the number of connector parts used, the connector parts form a curve, or a ring shape with a sector cut out, leaving a slot 21 between the connector parts 10a, lOf at each end of the series. Although a connector could be made up as a ring with no slot by choosing the appropriate number of connector parts and forming the housings of each accordingly. The slot provides a convenient path where a drip loop may be formed.

Fig.3 shows how this slot 21 provides a break in the ring allowing cables 22 from the device being controlled, e.g. the traffic signals, to be easily looped downwards to form a drip loop 23 to prevent any water running down the cables and into the terminations. The slot also allows easier insertion and removal from a cut-out in the pole in use. The cables 22, 24 from each side are connected via the terminals 10 in the connector. The exploded view shows the arrangement of the mounting plate 25 which may be used to secure the terminals in the relevant position via the fittings 20, as well as being shaped around its edges so as to clip a cover (not shown) in position. When installed in a utility pole, input cables 24 from armoured cable 26 pass through into the bottom of each terminal block and armour is terminated at this section and tethered to an earth stud inside the pole (not shown).

The same components in their normal locations can be seen in Fig.4 with a drip loop 23 formed in the cables 22 to the device and the wiring 24 from the armoured cable 26 passing through the mounting plate 25 into the through opening where the electrical terminal for that cable is located. Clamping screws are shown in openings 15a and 15b to hold the cables in place. In Fig.5, a top cover 27 can be seen, which is used to prevent water and/or contaminants affecting the terminations. The substantially vertical orientation of each connector part, aligned with the centreline axis of the utility pole, is such that the through openings provide natural ventilation and discourage water or condensation from pooling in or on the electrical conductors in the terminals, so reducing corrosion and improving longevity of the connection. The examples shown with connector parts having clips to connector one to another and clips to connect to the mounting plate could equally well be used in installations which are not oriented in a substantially vertical manner, yet still need ease of access to the connections. However these would not benefit from being able to fit the drip loop and cover in such a way that the terminals are protected from water.

The construction of the connector is not limited to the examples shown in Figs. 1 to 5. A number of alternatives are illustrated in Figs 6a, 7a and 8a. All of the alternatives are able to form a compact connector for insertion in the utility pole 28 and allow the cable 22 to form a drip loop 23 and be provided with a cover 27, as described with respect to Fig.5.

Fig.6a shows a two part connector 40, 41 for mounting to the mounting plate 25. The detail of the connector parts 46, 42 for each part of the two part connector is shown in Figs. 6b and 6c. The first part 40 of the connector may be substantially the same as the connector 100 of Figs 2 and 3. However, in order to permit pre-wiring and testing of each end of the termination before a quick mate was made, this part 40 of the connector only takes wiring 24 from the armoured cable 26 and the controller and a second part 41 of the connector is separately wired to the cables 22 from the equipment being controlled. Having done the wiring and testing on both, they may be quickly connected on site by simply placing the second part 41 of the connector onto the first part 40. This reduces the time spent out working on site and improves safety.

The connector parts 42 of the second part 41 are modified, so that conductive pins 43 are provided from the through openings 12, which fit into the top of the corresponding through opening 12 on the first part 40 of the connector. A fastener 44 may connect adjacent connector parts 42 in the same way as fasteners 16 and openings 17 in the earlier example. However, the fastener 44 may also be hollow and of a suitable diameter to allow it to fit onto the top of a corresponding fastener 16 in the other part 40 of connector. As can be seen in this example, the fastener 16 is primarily designed to couple each connector part 46 to its neighbour, but a short section protrudes beyond the opening 17 onto which the hollow fastener 44 may fit. The fitting of the two part connector to the mounting plate is the same as for the Fig.3 example, using the clip 20, but the first part 40 of the two part connector may be adapted to mount to the mounting plate 25 using other techniques, such as those described hereinafter with respect to Figs.7a and 8a.

Fig.7a shows an alternative mounting arrangement for a connector 100. Mounting pins 50 are fitted to the base and as can be seen more clearly in the connector part 47 of Fig. 7b, hollow fittings 48, 49? are provided which are of have a slightly larger inner diameter than the outer diameter of the pins 50. In order to couple the connector parts 47 in place alongside one another, first fitting 48 of one connector part 47 is mounted on a pin 50 and second fitting 49 of the adjacent connector part fits above fitting 48 on the same pin 50. As the construction of the connector 100 forms a ring, with a sector cut out of the circumference to provide the slot 21 for the drip loop, the connector part 47 at one side of the slot has a first fitting 48 which is not on a pin 50 and the connector part 47 at the other side of the opening 21 has a second fitting 49 which is not on a pin. Alternatively, each of these first and second fitting may be retained on a pin to improve stability

Figs.8a and 8b show a further alternative, in which each connector part 50 is simplified to comprise through openings 12 with clips 20 at their base, whereby the connector parts are fitted to the mounting plate 25 and form the ring connector 100 with a slot 21. Instead of each connector part 50 being connected to its nearest neighbour, other than across the slot 21, the connector parts are held in their relative position by virtue of being mounted to the mounting plate by the clips 20 instead. This further simplifies the manufacturing of the connector parts 50.

As mentioned above, any combination of the variants described may be used for mounting a connector and the connector parts manufactured accordingly. Similarly, the specific electrical connections within a connector part may be adapted as required, whether using clamping screws, push-fit connectors, or otherwise.

Figs.9a and 9b illustrate the connector 100 located in a utility pole 28. The connector 100 is located in the pole relatively close to the ground, so that installation and maintenance can be carried out from ground level, without an operative needing to use a ladder, or other such equipment to gain access. Although an access opening 30 and door, or cover, are provided for installation and maintenance of the connector, the compact connector design means that the pole does not have to be made wider at this point. Wiring 24 from the controller comes in armoured cable 26, typically via underground protective ducts and is electrically coupled to the traffic signal cables 22 by the connector 100. There may be more than one set of cables coming from the controller to control different devices on the utility pole, as can be seen in Fig.9b and these may run up through the utility pole separately, with their respective connectors 100 sufficiently spaced apart along the length of the pole to keep down the total pole diameter required. In another example (not shown) one connector may receive wiring from more than one of the cables coming up the pole.

Claims

1. An electrical connector comprising a plurality of connector parts, each connector part comprising a first fastener and a second fastener, a first fastener of one connector part being adapted to cooperate with a second fastener of an another connector part to form a hinge permitting location of one connector part relative to the other connector part; wherein the first and second fasteners detachably fasten the connector parts together; each connector part further comprising one or more electrical terminals adapted to electrically connect a cable from a first electrical device to a cable from a second electrical device.

2. An electrical connector comprising a plurality of connector parts and a mounting plate, wherein the connector part comprises a first fastener; wherein the mounting plate comprises a second fastener; and wherein the first and second fasteners are adapted to cooperate to form the connector; each connector part further comprising one or more electrical terminals adapted to electrically connect a cable from a first electrical device to a cable from a second electrical device.

3. An electrical connector according to claim 1 or claim 2, wherein the connector comprises a curve of connector parts connected in series, or a ring of connector parts having a slot in a segment of the ring which is free of connector parts.

4. An electrical connector according to any preceding claim, wherein each connector part comprises at least two electrical terminals, each electrical terminal being mounted in the connector part, offset with respect to an adjacent electrical terminal.

5. An electrical connector according to any preceding claim, wherein the connector part comprises an insulating housing, whereby the electrical terminals are electrically insulated from one another.

6. An electrical connector according to any preceding claim, wherein the electrical terminals comprise a through opening in an insulating housing and a conductor to terminate two or more cable connections.

7. An electrical connector according to claim 5 or claim 6, wherein the housing further comprises a fitting for releasably connecting the connector part to a mounting plate.

8. An electrical connector according to any preceding claim, wherein the first and second fasteners comprise insulating material.

9. An electrical connector according to any preceding claim, wherein the first and second fasteners form part of the housing of a first one of the two or more offset electrical terminals and second and subsequent ones of the two or more electrical terminals are located further from the first and second fasteners than the first one of the electrical terminals.

10. An electrical connector according to any preceding claim, wherein the insulating housing, first and second fasteners and fitting comprise a single piece injection moulded article, or a 3-D printed article.

11. An electrical connector according to any preceding claim, wherein the electrical terminal further comprises a clamping screw mounted perpendicular to the through opening, the clamping screw adapted to engage with a conductive part of the cable, the clamping screw mounted within the insulating housing and accessible through an orifice in the housing, perpendicular to the through opening.

12. An electrical connector according to any of claims 1 to 10, wherein the termination of the cable comprises a releasable push fit connection to releasably fix the termination in the electrical terminal.

13. An electrical connector according to claim 2, wherein the connector part further comprises a third fastener, the first and third fasteners of adjacent connector parts adapted to fit to the same second fastener.

14. An electrical connector according to claim 2 or claim 13, wherein the first fastener comprises a clip, or hollow fitting.

15. An electrical connector according to any of claims 2, 13, or 14, wherein the 5 second fastener comprises a pin, or opening, in the mounting plate.

16. An electrical connector according to any preceding claim, wherein a mounting plate includes a central orifice to allow signal cables from above to form a loop hanging down outside and below the orifice, wherein the cables pass up through the inside of

10 the orifice to enter each connector part from above.

17. An electrical connector according to any preceding claim, wherein the connector further comprises a cover over the mounting plate and connector.

15

18. A connector assembly comprising a first connector according to any preceding claim and a second connector, the second connector comprising a plurality of connector parts, each connector part including a conductive pin, whereby the second connector is coupled to the first connector, via the electrical terminals of the first connector.

20

19. A utility pole comprising a connector, or connector assembly according to any preceding claim, mounted to a mounting plate in the pole and accessible through an opening in the utility pole from ground level, the utility pole having a centreline axis; signal cables from an electrical device mounted to the utility pole coupled to the connector from one side and signal cables from a central controller, coupled to the

25 connector from the other side; wherein a longitudinal centreline axis of the through opening of each connector part is substantially parallel to the utility pole centreline axis; wherein the controller is located remote from the electrical device; and wherein an earth stud is provided in the utility pole to earth the signal cables.

Intellectual

Property

Office

Application No: GB1611317.7 Examiner: Mr Tobias Tribe