# US 2019/0245282 A1 · Grounding Cross Connectors > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 2019/0245282 A1 - Document ID: US20190245282A1 - Status: Published application - Kind: A1 - Application number: 16/266,858 - Filed: 2019-02-04 - Published: 2019-08-08 - Earliest claimed: 2018-02-05 - Assignees: Panduit Corp. - Applicants: Panduit Corp. - Inventors: Julie M. Love - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20190245282A1 ## CPC - H01R 4/5091: {combined with a screw} - H01R 4/40: Pivotable clamping member - H01R 4/46: Clamping area between two screws placed side by side - H01R 4/64: Connections between or with conductive parts having primarily a non-electric function, e.g. frame, casing, rail - H01R 4/646: {for cables or flexible cylindrical bodies} - H01R 11/15: Hook in the form of a screw clamp - H01R: ELECTRICALLY-CONDUCTIVE CONNECTIONS; STRUCTURAL ASSOCIATIONS OF A PLURALITY OF MUTUALLY-INSULATED ELECTRICAL CONNECTING ELEMENTS; COUPLING DEVICES; CURRENT COLLECTORS ## Abstract Various implementations of grounding cross connectors are disclosed. The grounding cross connectors may be used to clamp together two or more, often perpendicular, conductors. In some implementations, a grounding cross connector includes an upper clamping pad and a lower clamping pad held together by a pair of threaded fasteners. A pair of perpendicular conductors may be placed in between the clamping pads and secured together by torquing nuts on the threaded fasteners. The upper clamping pad may include a hook through which one of the threaded fasteners may pass, thereby allowing the upper clamping to rotate relative to the lower clamping pad. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A grounding cross connector, comprising: an upper clamping pad having perpendicular grooves configured to hold a set of grounding conductors; a lower clamping pad having perpendicular grooves configured to hold the set of grounding conductors; and first and second threaded fasteners configured to compress the upper clamping pad and the lower clamping pad against the set of grounding conductors. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The grounding cross connector of claim 1, wherein the upper clamping pad is configured to pivot about the second threaded fastener to engage the first fastener. ### Claim 3 (depends on 2) The grounding cross connector of claim 2, wherein the upper clamping pad includes a hook that is configured to receive a shaft of the first threaded fastener. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The grounding cross connector of claim 1, wherein the upper clamping pad includes a pair of recesses in which heads of the first and second threaded fasteners sit, the recesses configured to prevent the first and second threaded fasteners from rotating. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The grounding cross connector of claim 1, wherein the heads of the first and second threaded fasteners are hex-shaped heads. ### Claim 6 (depends on 4) The grounding cross connector of claim 4, wherein the perpendicular grooves of the upper clamping pad intersect and the perpendicular grooves of the lower clamping pad intersect. ### Claim 7 A grounding cross connector, comprising: a main clamping pad having first and second threaded posts and perpendicular grooves configured to hold a set of grounding conductors; a left clamping pad configured to clamp one of the set of grounding connectors between the left clamping pad and the main clamping pad; and a right clamping pad configured to clamp another of the set of grounding connectors between the right clamping pad and the main clamping pad. ### Claim 8 (depends on 7) The grounding cross connector of claim 7, wherein the first threaded post is placed through a hole in the left clamping pad, and the second threaded post is placed through a hole in the right clamping pad. ### Claim 9 (depends on 8) The grounding cross connector of claim 8, wherein: the main clamping paid includes first and second channels in which notches on the left and right clamping pads are positioned. ### Claim 10 (depends on 7) The grounding cross connector of claim 7, wherein the first and second threaded posts are bolts. ### Claim 11 (depends on 1) The grounding cross connector of claim 1, wherein the perpendicular grooves of the upper clamping pad and the set of grooves of the lower clamping pad have serrations on their surfaces. ### Claim 12 (depends on 7) The grounding cross connector of claim 7, wherein the perpendicular grooves of the main clamping pad and the perpendicular grooves of the left and right clamping pads have serrations on their surfaces. ### Claim 13 A method of installing a grounding cross connector, the method comprising: inserting a first grounding conductor of a set of grounding conductors in one of a pair of perpendicular grooves in a lower clamping pad; inserting a second grounding conductor in one of a pair of perpendicular grooves in an upper clamping pad; and tightening first and second threaded fasteners to compress the upper clamping pad and the lower clamping pad against the set of grounding conductors. ### Claim 14 (depends on 13) The method of claim 13, further comprising pivoting the upper clamping pad about the second threaded fastener from an open position to a closed position; and engaging the first fastener with a hook of the upper clamping pad.