# US 5,704,814 A · Electrical connector > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 5,704,814 A - Document ID: US5704814A - Status: Granted - Kind: A - Application number: 08/645,514 - Filed: 1996-05-14 - Granted: 1998-01-06 - Earliest claimed: 1996-05-14 - Assignees: Centerpin Technology, Inc. - Inventors: Dale C. McCarthy - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US5704814A ## CPC - H01R 4/5025: {combined with a threaded ferrule operating in a direction parallel to the conductor} - H01R 4/5033: {using wedge or pin penetrating into the end of a wire in axial direction of the wire} - H01R 4/26: Connections in which at least one of the connecting parts has projections which bite into or engage the other connecting part in order to improve the contact ({H01R4/188, H01R4/203, H01R4/5075 take precedence}; using shape memory materials H01R4/01) - H01R 13/59: Threaded ferrule or bolt operating in a direction parallel to the cable or wire - H01R: ELECTRICALLY-CONDUCTIVE CONNECTIONS; STRUCTURAL ASSOCIATIONS OF A PLURALITY OF MUTUALLY-INSULATED ELECTRICAL CONNECTING ELEMENTS; COUPLING DEVICES; CURRENT COLLECTORS ## Abstract An electrical connector for coupling to an insulated electrical conductor includes an insulated housing having a threaded bore therein, which bore has a tapered portion therein. An electrical conductive prong has two end portions with one end portion attached to the housing and having a second end portion protruding axially into the housing bore for receiving the end of an insulated electrical conductor. A threaded compression collar is threadedly attached in the bore and has a bore extending axially therethrough for insertion of a wire therethrough and into the housing bore and onto the pointed prong extending thereinto. The threaded compression collar has a compressed portion compressible by threading the collar into the tapered portion of the bore whereby threading the collar onto the tapered portion of the bore clamps the collar onto the wire placed therein so that an insulated wire can be rapidly connected to an electrical connector without removing the insulation from the end of the wire. The collar has the bores tapered with an expandable and compressible end so that different size wires can be inserted therethrough and guided onto the connector prong. The collar has split end portions to allow expansion or compression and can be a one piece polymer member. ## Claims ### Claim 1 An electrical connector for coupling to an insulated electrical conductor comprising: an electrically insulated housing having a threaded bore therein, said bore having a tapered portion therein; at least one electrical conductive pointed prong having two end portions, said pointed prong having one end portion attached to said housing and having a second end portion protruding axially into said housing bore for receiving the end of an insulated electrical conductor; a threaded collar threadedly attached in said bore, said collar having an opening extending axially therethrough for insertion of a wire therein, and said collar having a compressible portion compressible upon driving said collar into the tapered portion of said bore; and said threaded collar having an expandable and compressible portion which expands upon insertion of a wire and compresses onto an inserted wire when threaded into said housing whereby threading said collar into the tapered portion of said bore clamps said collar onto a wire placed therein, whereby an insulated wire can be rapidly connected to an electrical connector without removing the insulation from the end of the wire. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) An electrical connector for coupling to an insulated electrical conductor in accordance with claim 1 in which said tapered bore in said threaded collar is sized to accept difference size wires. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) An electrical connector for coupling to an insulated electrical conductor in accordance with claim 1 in which said threaded collar has a handle thereon for manual threading of said collar into and out of said housing. ### Claim 4 (depends on 3) An electrical connector for coupling to an insulated electrical conductor in accordance with claim 3 in which said threaded collar has a plurality of split portions in the end thereof to form a plurality of segments which expand by the insertion of a wire and compress by the threading of said collar into said housing bore. ### Claim 5 (depends on 4) An electrical connector for coupling to an insulated electrical conductor in accordance with claim 4 in which said threaded collar has a tapered point with a plurality of split portions therein. ### Claim 6 (depends on 5) An electrical connector for coupling to an insulated electrical conductor in accordance with claim 5 in which said threaded collar is a one piece polymer collar. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) An electrical connector for coupling to an insulated electrical conductor in accordance with claim 1 in which said housing has multiple bores therein for multiple threaded collar. ### Claim 8 (depends on 7) An electrical connector for coupling to an insulated electrical conductor in accordance with claim 7 in which said housing has two bores therein. ### Claim 9 (depends on 8) An electrical connector for coupling to an insulated electrical conductor in accordance with claim 8 in which said housing has a hollow interior and has a back plate attached thereto and said back plate has at least one center prong attached therethrough. ### Claim 10 (depends on 9) An electrical connector for coupling to an insulated electrical conductor in accordance with claim 9 in which said housing has a flanged edge for mounting in a surface. ### Claim 11 (depends on 10) An electrical connector for coupling to an insulated electrical conductor in accordance with claim 10 in which said housing is a generally cylindrical shape. ### Claim 12 An electrical connector for coupling to an insulated electrical conductor comprising: an housing having a bore therein, said bore having a tapered portion therein; at least one electrical conductive center pin attached to said housing and extending into said housing bore for receiving the end of an insulated electrical conductor; a compression collar sized to fit into said housing bore for attachment therein, said collar having a bore extending therethrough for insertion of a wire therein, and said collar having a compressible portion compressible upon driving said collar into said housing bore thereby driving said collar into said bore clamps said collar onto a wire placed therein; and said collar having an expandable and compressible portion which expands upon insertion of a wire through said collar bore and compresses onto the inserted wire when said collar is driven into said housing, whereby a wire can be rapidly connected to an electrical connector. ### Claim 13 (depends on 12) An electrical connector for coupling to an insulated electrical conductor in accordance with claim 12 in which said collar bore has a tapered bore portion and is sized to accept difference size wires. ### Claim 14 (depends on 12) An electrical connector for coupling to an insulated electrical conductor in accordance with claim 12 in which said collar has a handle thereon. ### Claim 15 (depends on 12) An electrical connector for coupling to an insulated electrical conductor in accordance with claim 12 in which said collar has a plurality of splits in the end thereof to form a plurality of collar segments which expand by the insertion of a wire therethrough and compresses by driving said segments into a housing wedging portion. ### Claim 16 (depends on 12) An electrical connector for coupling to an insulated electrical conductor in accordance with claim 12 in which said collar is tapered with a plurality of splits in the tapered portion. ### Claim 17 (depends on 14) An electrical connector for coupling to an insulated electrical conductor in accordance with claim 14 in which said collar is a one piece polymer collar. ### Claim 18 (depends on 17) An electrical connector for coupling to an insulated electrical conductor in accordance with claim 17 in which said housing has multiple bores therein for multiple collars. ### Claim 19 (depends on 18) An electrical connector for coupling to an insulated electrical conductor in accordance with claim 18 in which said housing has a hollow interior and has a back plate attached thereto and said back plate has at least one center pin attached therethrough. ### Claim 20 (depends on 19) An electrical connector for coupling to an insulated electrical conductor in accordance with claim 19 in which said housing has a flanged edge for mounting in a surface. ### Claim 21 (depends on 20) An electrical connector for coupling to an insulated electrical conductor in accordance with claim 20 in which said housing is generally cylindrical in shape.