Wire-to-wire connector with shunt
AssigneeAVX Corporation
InventorBrent Lybrand
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
This disclosure provides a method and apparatus for connecting and disconnecting a first wire to a second wire. More specifically, an apparatus that includes a first electrical contact, a second electrical contact, an insulated housing, and a male contact prong (i.e., a shunt) is disclosed. In an embodiment, the first and second electrical contacts conductively connect with a first and second wire, respectively, via an insulation displacement connector. Furthermore, the male contact prong conductively connects (i.e., shunts) the first and second electrical contacts together. A wire-to-wire contact with shunt allows for two wires to be quickly and efficiently connected and disconnected.
Claims20
An apparatus comprising:
- a first electrical contact comprising a first insulation displacement connector portion and a first shunt connector portion;
- a second electrical contact comprising a second insulation displacement connector portion and a second shunt connector portion;
- and
- an insulated housing comprising a first electrical contact inlet, a second electrical contact inlet, a shunt opening, a first wire opening, and a second wire opening;
- wherein the first electrical contact inlet is configured to receive the first electrical contact and the second electrical contact inlet is configured to receive the second electrical contact.
A method of connecting a first and a second wire comprising:
- inserting a first wire into a first wire opening of an insulated housing;
- compressing a first electrical contact into a first electrical contact inlet such that the first electrical contact displaces insulation on the first wire to create an electrical connection between the first electrical contact and the first wire, and wherein the first electrical contact includes a first shunt connector portion;
- inserting a second wire into a second wire opening of the insulated housing;
- compressing a second electrical contact into a second electrical contact inlet such that the second electrical contact displaces insulation on the second wire to create an electrical connection between the second electrical contact and the second wire, and wherein the second electrical contact includes a second shunt connector portion;
- and
- inserting a male contact prong into a shunt opening of the insulated housing such that the male contact prong engages the first shunt connector portion of the first electrical connector and the second shunt connector portion of the second electrical connector to conductively couple the first electrical contact to the second electrical contact.
A method comprising:
- inserting a first wire into a first wire opening of an insulated housing;
- compressing a first electrical contact into a first electrical contact inlet such that the first electrical contact displaces insulation on the first wire to create an electrical connection between the first electrical contact and the first wire, and wherein the first electrical contact includes a first shunt connector portion;
- inserting a second wire into a second wire opening of the insulated housing;
- compressing a second electrical contact into a second electrical contact inlet such that the second electrical contact displaces insulation on the second wire to create an electrical connection between the second electrical contact and the second wire, and wherein the second electrical contact includes a second shunt connector portion;
- and
- removing a male contact prong from a shunt opening of the insulated housing such that the male contact prong disengages the first shunt connector portion of the first electrical connector and the second shunt connector portion of the second electrical connector to conductively decouple the first electrical contact from the second electrical contact.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.