Male electrical connector
AssigneeRig Power, LLC
InventorCharles David Gilliam
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
An improved single-pole, male, electrical connector for use in industrial applications involving very high currents (e.g., in excess of 1,000 amps) and a method for making and adjusting the connector are disclosed. The connector has a male pin with a slot along most of its length and an adjustment mechanism that is used to vary the width of the slot. By varying the width of the slot, the effective diameter of the pin is changed. The male connector must fit tightly in a female connector, and the adjustment is used to obtain the required fit. In the disclosed invention, the adjustment mechanism is positioned near a tip of the pin and under an insulating safety cap. The adjustment mechanism is configured for adjustment prior to installation of the safety cap.
Claims14
A single-pole, male, electrical connector, comprising:
- a. an electrically conductive pin having a contact region, a tip, and a slot extending along most of the contact region and to the tip, wherein the slot extends entirely through the pin whereby the pin is divided into two semi-cylindrical members;
- b. an insulating safety cap positioned over the tip of the conductive pin;
- and,
- c. an adjustment mechanism positioned under the insulating safety cap and configured to vary the width of the slot and thus the effective diameter of the conductive pin.
A method of making and adjusting a single-pole, male, electrical connector, comprising;
- a. making a cylindrical, electrically conductive pin having a contact region and a tip, wherein the outside diameter of the tip is less than the outside diameter of the contact region;
- b. cutting a slot in the conductive pin extending from the tip and through most of the contact region of the pin such that the pin is divided into two semi-cylindrical members;
- c. installing an adjustment mechanism within the slot of the conductive pin and in the tip of the conductive pin;
- d. determining whether the contact region of the conductive pin has a desired outside diameter;
- e. if the contact region of the conductive pin does not have the desired outside diameter, varying the effective diameter of the conductive pin by adjusting the adjustment mechanism;
- f. repeating steps d. and e. until the contact region of the conductive pin has the desired outside diameter;
- and,
- g. installing an insulating safety cap over the tip of the conductive pin such that the adjustment mechanism is rendered inaccessible during normal use.
A method of assembling a single-pole, male, electrical connector, comprising;
- a. installing an adjustment mechanism near a tip of a conductive pin of the connector;
- b. determining whether the conductive pin has a desired outside diameter;
- c. if the conductive pin does not have the desired outside diameter, altering the effective diameter of the conductive pin using the adjustment mechanism;
- d. repeating steps b. and c., if needed, until the conductive pin has the desired outside diameter;
- and,
- e. installing an insulating safety cap over the tip of the conductive pin such that the adjustment mechanism is rendered inaccessible during normal use.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.