Technical Field

The present invention relates to a device for the interconnection of cables and other electrical components required for wiring operations.

Background Art

The devices commonly used for the interconnection of electrical cables and other elements, e.g. connection cable-heads, electrical sockets and the like, have a connection body in which the elements to be connected can be inserted.

Inside the connection body are connection means provided with special conductor bodies adapted to electrically connect the electrical components after a breakage of the insulating enclosure of the components themselves.

The connection body can be inserted in a protective outer enclosure, e.g. provided with cable gland means adapted to prevent the transmission of tensile forces to the extremities of the components connected to one another.

A well-known type of interconnection device has guiding doors in which the cables to be connected can be inserted. The guiding doors are adapted to close respective access compartments inside the connection body and are variable between an opening configuration, in which the compartment is open and a closing configuration, in which the compartment is closed.

In closing configuration, the cable inserted into the guiding door is placed in contact with the conductor bodies.

A drawback of this type of known device is linked to the breakage of the insulating enclosure, required to create the electrical connection between the components.

Known devices, in fact, are provided with fork-shaped, sharp conductor bodies, in which the components to be connected can be pressure-fitted.

The forks cut through the insulating enclosure and come into contact with the conductor wires inside the cables.

This solution does not guarantee a perfect connection inasmuch as breaking by cutting or incising the outer enclosure allows obtaining a shallow contact area, often insufficient to create a stable and effective contact.

Furthermore, cuts or incisions made on the enclosure tend to expand over time, exposing the conductor wires, increasing power losses and the risk of malfunctioning.

This latter possibility can assume greater relevance in the event of the device being accidentally infiltrated with water.

In this case, contact between the wires exposed by the incision and the water would cause damage to the entire electrical system.

Description of the Invention

The main aim of this invention is to provide a device for the interconnection of cables and other electrical components which allows the effective and safe interconnection between the components.

One object of this invention is to provide a device for the interconnection of cables and other electrical components which is able to maintain its functionality over time.

A further object of the present invention is to provide a device for the interconnection of cables and other electrical components that is able to minimize the risk of contact between electrical wires and water or other liquid substances.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a device for the interconnection of cables and other electrical components that allows overcoming the aforementioned drawbacks of the prior art within the scope of a simple, rational, easy, efficient to use and cost effective solution.

The aforementioned objects are achieved by the present device for the interconnection of cables and other electrical components having the characteristics of claim 1.

Brief Description of the Drawings

Other characteristics and advantages of the present invention will become more evident from the description of a preferred, but not exclusive embodiment of a device for the interconnection of cables and other electrical components, illustrated by way of an indicative, but non-limiting example, in the attached drawings in which:

Figure 1 is an axonometric view of the device according to the invention;

Figure 2 is an exploded view of the device according to the invention; Figures 3 and 4 are sectional views of a detail of the device according to the invention in two configurations of use.

Embodiments of the Invention

With particular reference to these illustrations, reference numeral 1 globally indicates a device for the interconnection of cables and other electrical components.

The device 1 comprises a connection body 2 with a substantially cylindrical lateral surface 3.

Usefully, the lateral surface 3 is at least partly threaded.

The connection body 2 is provided with at least one access compartment 4 formed on the lateral surface 3 and in which an electrical cable is insertable, indicated with reference numeral 5, to be connected.

Moreover, the connection body 2 is provided with at least one guiding door 6 hinged to the lateral surface 3 at the compartment 4.

The guiding door 6 is associable with the cable 5 for the guided insertion of the same cable into the compartment 4.

Furthermore, the guiding door 6 is movable between an opening configuration (Figure 3), in which it is partly moved away from the lateral surface 3, and a closing configuration (Figure 4) in which it is moved close to the lateral surface 3 to close the compartment 4.

In the present embodiment, the guiding door 6 has a holding portion 7, preferably concave, adapted to receive and support the cable 5 to be inserted in the compartment 4.

The holding portion extends in the direction of the compartment 4, acting as a guide for the cable 5 to be inserted.

The latter, in fact, running along the holding portion 7 is led to the compartment 4.

Furthermore, the guiding door 6 also has a retaining portion 8 associated with the holding portion 7 to define a retaining ring insertable by the cable 5 and adapted to facilitate the positioning of the cable 5 on the holding portion 7 for insertion in the compartment 4.

The device 1 also comprises at least one connection element 9 inserted in the connection body 2 and adapted to come into contact with the cable 5 to make an electrical interconnection.

According to the invention, the connection element 9 comprises a perforating extremity 10 placed at the compartment 4.

Preferably, the perforating extremity 10 is positioned internally to the connection body, facing the compartment 4.

The perforating extremity 10 is substantially pointed and is adapted to penetrate into the cable 5 when this is brought close to the connection body 2 by the guiding door 6 in the closing configuration.

With reference to the second configuration, the perforating extremity 10 is inserted in the cable 5, allowing an electrical connection between the wires known to be contained in commonly-used electrical cables and any other electrical component connected to the connection element 9.

The connection element 9 is in fact made of an electrically conductive material. In this embodiment, the connection element 9 comprises a main section 11 which substantially extends in the direction parallel to the connection body 2.

Usefully, the perforating extremity 10 is substantially orthogonal to the main section 11.

This makes it easier to connect the connection element 9 to the cable 5.

With reference to the embodiment shown in the illustrations, the connection body 2 comprises a first portion and a second portion, respectively indicated with reference numeral 2a and 2b.

The connection body 2 illustrated, then comprises two compartments 4 of which a first compartment 4a, formed on the first portion 2a, and a second compartment 4b formed on the second portion 2b, for the insertion of respective cables 5 to be electrically connected, of which a first cable 5a insertable in the first portion 2a and a second cable 5b insertable in the second portion 2b.

The connection body 2 illustrated also comprises two guiding doors 6 of which a first door 6a hinged to the first portion 2a and a second door 6b hinged to the second portion 2b.

The connection element 9 illustrated comprises instead at least two perforating extremities 10 of which: a first extremity 10a placed at the first compartment 4a and adapted to perforate the first cable 5a when the first door 6a is in the closing configuration;

a second extremity 10b placed at the second compartment 4b and adapted to perforate the second cable 5b when the second door 6b is in the closing configuration.

This way, the first cable 5a and the second cable 5b are electrically interconnected.

With reference to the only first portion 2a, the device 1 illustrated comprises a plurality of compartments 4 arranged in a radial pattern on the lateral surface 3, a plurality of respective guiding doors 6 and a plurality of respective connection elements 9.

In particular, the device 1 illustrated comprises four compartments 4 and respective guiding doors 6 and connection elements 9, but solutions cannot be ruled out which provide for a different number of compartments 4 and of respective guiding doors, or a different number of connection elements 9.

Advantageously, the device 1 comprises a gasket element 12 co-molded with at least one portion of the lateral surface 3 and surrounding the same surface.

In particular, the gasket element 12 and the corresponding portion of lateral surface 3 with which it is associated are made using co-molding techniques.

Advantageously, the gasket element 12 is placed between the first portion 2a and the second portion 2b.

The function of the gasket element 12 is to ensure the water tightness of the device 1, and prevent water or other liquid substances from entering.

Usefully, the device 1 comprises a substantially cylindrical containment enclosure 13 and associated with the connection body 2 for the containment of at least one portion of the same connection body 2.

The containment enclosure 13 illustrated in the figures comprises a first shell 13a and a second shell 13b respectively screwed onto the first portion 2a and onto the second portion 2b to entirely cover the connection body 2.

The two shells 13a, 13b screwed up abut on the gasket element 12, with the latter ensuring water tightness of the containment enclosure 13. Advantageously, the device 1 comprises at least one cable gland assembly 14, 15 associated with the containment enclosure 13 and interacting with the cables 5 for the reduction of tensile forces exerted on the same cables.

The cable gland assembly 14, 15, in fact, counteracts the tensile forces adapted to move the cables away from the connection body.

In the present embodiment, the device comprises two cable gland assemblies 14, 15 screwed onto the extremities of the connection body 2.

Each cable gland assembly 14, 15 comprises a supple portion 14, made of a supple polymeric material, wrapped around the cables 5, and a compression extremity 15, containing said supple portion 14 and which can be screwed onto the containment enclosure 13 to compress the supple portion 14.

Such compression on the supple portion 14 makes it possible to counteract the tensile forces, thus preventing the cables 5 from coming off the connection body.

The operation of the present invention is as follows.

In the opening configuration, each cable 5 rests and is made to run along the holding portion 7, through the retaining portion 8, until the cable 5 is located close to the compartment 4.

By moving the guiding doors 6 to the closing configuration, the cable 5 is inserted in the compartment 4 and compressed against the perforating extremity 10 of the connection element 9.

This way, the perforating extremity 10 penetrates the cable 5, electrically connecting it to other cables or any other electrical components.

By screwing up the shells 13a, 13b and the compression extremities 15, the containment enclosure 13 is made waterproof and the cable gland assembly 14, 15 is operated.

It has in practice been ascertained that the described invention achieves the intended objects and, in particular, the fact is underlined that the device provided for the interconnection of cables and other electrical components allows an effective and safe interconnection between the components.

Penetration through the pointed extremity does in fact allow an effective connection, inasmuch as the extremity penetrates deeply, ensuring an optimal and safe connection, inasmuch as there are no potentially dilatable cutting zones such as to become exposed areas.

The particular assembly of the device by means of the ring nut and the co- molded gaskets allows maintaining the functionality of the device over time. Furthermore, the device thus provided allows minimizing the risk of contact between electrical wires and water or other liquid substances, both thanks to perforation by means of the pointed extremity, and thanks to the use of co- molded gaskets aimed at ensuring the water tightness of the device.

The device, therefore, ensures a high degree of water tightness and protection of the electrical connections from malfunctions due, e.g., to infiltrations of water inside the device itself once this has been assembled.