CA2084504A1 - Electrical connector - Google Patents

Electrical connector

Info

Publication number
CA2084504A1
CA2084504A1 CA 2084504 CA2084504A CA2084504A1 CA 2084504 A1 CA2084504 A1 CA 2084504A1 CA 2084504 CA2084504 CA 2084504 CA 2084504 A CA2084504 A CA 2084504A CA 2084504 A1 CA2084504 A1 CA 2084504A1
Authority
CA
Canada
Prior art keywords
recoverable
solder
insert
sleeve
dimensionally
Prior art date
Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
Abandoned
Application number
CA 2084504
Other languages
French (fr)
Inventor
Jacques Delalle
Alain Lamone
Current Assignee (The listed assignees may be inaccurate. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation or warranty as to the accuracy of the list.)
Raychem SA
Original Assignee
Individual
Priority date (The priority date is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the date listed.)
Filing date
Publication date
Application filed by Individual filed Critical Individual
Publication of CA2084504A1 publication Critical patent/CA2084504A1/en
Abandoned legal-status Critical Current

Links

Classifications

    • HELECTRICITY
    • H01ELECTRIC ELEMENTS
    • H01RELECTRICALLY-CONDUCTIVE CONNECTIONS; STRUCTURAL ASSOCIATIONS OF A PLURALITY OF MUTUALLY-INSULATED ELECTRICAL CONNECTING ELEMENTS; COUPLING DEVICES; CURRENT COLLECTORS
    • H01R4/00Electrically-conductive connections between two or more conductive members in direct contact, i.e. touching one another; Means for effecting or maintaining such contact; Electrically-conductive connections having two or more spaced connecting locations for conductors and using contact members penetrating insulation
    • H01R4/70Insulation of connections
    • H01R4/72Insulation of connections using a heat shrinking insulating sleeve
    • H01R4/723Making a soldered electrical connection simultaneously with the heat shrinking

Abstract

A device for forming a solder joint between two or more elongate electrical conductors comprises a dimensionally heat-recoverable sleeve (1) which contains a quantity of solder (2), and at least one dimensionally recoverable hollow insert (3, 4) that is located in the region of the solder, the dimensionally recoverable insert having a lower recovery temperature than that of the sleeve so that, when the device is heated, the insert will begin to recover before the sleeve begins to recover. The recoverable insert will force back any bent strands of an inserted conductor in order to prevent them piercing the heat-shrinkable sleeve during recovery.

Description

, ... . . .

~ .

This invention relates to dimensionally recoverable articles, and especially to such articleR that are used for forming electrical connections.

Dimensionally recoverable articles, especially heat-shrinkable articles, are now widely used in many areas where insulation, sealing and encapsulation are required. Usually these articles recover, on heating, towards an original shape from which they have previously been deformed, but the term "heat-recoverable", as used herein, also includes an article which, on heating, adopts a new configuration, even if it has not been previously deformed.

~ I~ their most common form, such articles comprise a heat-shrinkable sleeve made from a polymeric material e~chibiting the property of elastic or plastic memory as desc~bed, for e~zample, in US
Patents 2,027,962; 3,086,242 and 3,957,372. As is made clear in, for e~ampls US Patent 2,027,962, the original dimensionally heat^stable form may be a transient form i~ a continuous proc~ss in which, for esample, an est~uded tube is e~ ded, whilst hot, to a dimensionally heat-unstable form but, in other applicatio~s, a performed -- --dimensionally heat stable article is deformed to a dimensionally heat unstable form in a separate stage.

In other ar~icles, as described, for e~ample, in British Patent 1,440,524, and elastomeric member such as an outer tubular member is held in a stretched state by a second member, such as an inner tubular member, which, upon heating, weakens and thus allows the elastomeric member to recover.

Dimensionally heat-recoverable sleeves that contain a quantity of solder have been employed for a number of years for forming permanent, insulated solder joints between electrical conductors. Such devices may, for example be employed to form a splice between a pair of insulated vires by stripping the ends of the wires, positioI~ing them in a heat-recoverable solder connector and heatillg the co~nector to cause the solder to flow and to cause recovery of sleeve about the wires. However, in certain circumstances, for e~ample where the devices are employed to form an electrical connection between stranded conductors, it is possible for one or more stra~ds of a conductor to pierce the wall of the recoverable sleeve as it recovers, thereby affecting the insulation and the moisture seaiing properties of the joint.

According to one aspect the invention provides a device for forming a ~ solder joint between two or more elongate electrical conductors, which comprises a dimensionally heat-recoverable sleeve which contains a quantity of solder, and at least one dimensionally recoverable hollow insert that is located in the region of the solder, the dimensionally recoverable insert having a lower recovery temperature than that of the sleeve so that, when the device i8 heated, the insert will begin to recover before the sleeve begins to recover.
. . . , , -The invention has the advantage that the insert is able to force back a~y bent strands of an inserted conductor in order to prevent them piercing the heat-shrinkable sleeve during recove~r thereof. The insert preferably has a wall thickness that is greater than the wall thickness of the heat-recoverable sleeve, for e~ample from 2 to 4 times that of the heat-reco~erable sleeve, in order to prevent itself being pierced by any of the strands of the conductor. Thus, when the sleeve is recovered about the electrical conductors, the insert can be observed to recover and maintaiIl the conductors in place, including forcing into their correct position any bent strands of the conductor, before and during the recovery of the sleeve.

Preferably the or each recoverable insert is located ad~acent to the solder. It is possible for a single insert to be employed, in which case it may be located entirely on one side of the solder or it may be located about the solder insert so that it e~tends on both sides of the solder. Preferably, however, the or each insert is located entirely on one side of the solder so that the insert or inserts can recover before the solder has melted. In the preferred ca~e, a recoverable insert is located on each side of the solder.

The insert preferably has a recovery ~emperature that is at least 10C and more preferably at least 20C below the recovery temperature of the sleeve, but usually not more than 60C and preferably not more than 40C below that of the sleeve.

Any material to which the property of dimensional recoverability may be imported can, at least in the broadest aspect of the invention, be used to form the heat-recoverable sleeve. For e~ample, the sleeve may be formed from a polyolefin, eg. a low, medium or high density polyethylene, an ethylene copolymer, eg. ethylene vinyl acetate, a polyamide, eg. nylon 6 or nylon 11 or 12, or a halogen-containing polymer, especially a Fluoropolymer, eg. polyvinylidene fluolide, ethylene-tetrafluoroethylene copolymer or polytetrafluoroethylene. For most application8 the preferred polymer for fonning the recoverable sleeve will be polgvinylidene fluoride.

., ~ ' ' _ Many of these materials may be used for the recoverable insert in the device. The particular choice of material for forming the insert will depend on the material employed for the heat-recoverable sleeve. Thus, for example where the recoverable sleeve is formed from high density polyethylene, the insert may be formed from low density polyethylene.
Polyamides are pre~erred for the recoverable insert, especially where the recoverable sleeve is formed from polyvinylidene 1uoride. Thus, according to another aspect, the invention provides a device for forming a solder joint between two or more elongate electncal conductors, which comprises a dimensionally heat-recoverable sleeve that contains a quantity of solder, and at least one dimensionally recoverable hollow insert that is located in the region of the solder, the dimensionally recoverable insert being formed from a polyamide. In this case the insert preferably also has a recovery temperature that is below that of the sleeve as is the case with the other aspect of the invention although it could be pos6ible in certain ins~ ces for the recove~y temperature of the insert to be the same as, or even higher than, that of the sleeve.

A solder connection between a plurality of electrical wires may be formed in a simple manner according to the invention by (i) stripping a length of in~ulation from each of the wires to e~pose a length of the conductor;

(ii) positioning a device according to the invention on the wires;
and (iii) heating the device to recover the sleeve and to melt the solder.
.
.. . . .
Preferably the wires are stripped to have a length of conduc~or that is substantislly the same a~ the combined a~ial e~ctent of the in~ert(s) and solder 50 that the in~ert or the inserts together, and solder are substantially co-extens*e with the bare conduc~ors. In addition, it is , . -- . . ~ . .

preferred for the recoverable insert as well as the recoverable sleeve to include no fillers that would render them opaque. If the recoverable insert and the sleeve are transparent it is possible to inspect the wires both before and after formation of the solder joint, and to inspect the quality of the joint.

If desired the recoverable sleeve may be coated with a fusible sealant over part or the whole of its length, or one or more sealant inserts, eg. rings m~y be provided in the sleeve in order to seal the sleeve against water ingress. The fusible sealant may, for example be formed from polyolefins, eg. low or medium density polyethylene, or from ethylene copolymers such as ethylene vinyl acetate copolymer.

As mentioned above, the device includes a quantity of solder, ie. a quantity of soft solder as distinct from brazing material, for forming a permanent solder cormection. The ~older may, for e~ample, simply be in the form of an Sn63Pb37 eutectic composition which will melt as the device is heated and the sleeve recovers, or more than one solder composition having differing melting points may be employed, as described in International Application No. W088/09068. In this forrn of device, meltiIlg of the higher melting point component, eg. Sng6.sAg3.s eutectic will pro~ride a visual i~dication that the device ha3 been heated suf~iciently to melt the lower mel'dng point composition and to form a satisfactory solder joi~. If desired the lower melting point solder may be a non-eutectic coTnposition a~d, for example as described in International Application No. PCT/GB90/00234, the higher and lower melting point s~lder compositions may together form a eutectic composition. For example, a non-eutectic Sn60Pb40 lower melting point component may be employed with a higher melting point component formed from pure tin in relati~re amounts that an Sn63Pb37 eutectic is formed. The disclosure3 of these two patent applications are incorporated herein by reference. An advantage of employing a two component ~older, and eapecially a tin, Sn60Pb40 combination is that it reduce~ the possibility of "wicl~ing" that is to say, travel of the ~older Y ~_ 3 .. , _ ~
V~ ~ " ~ 3~
.
, _ along the conductors and away from the joint area due to capillary action by the stranded conductors, which can be caused by prolonged heating of the device.

One device in accordance with the present invention will now be described with reference to the accompanying drawing which is a sectional elevation along the axis of the device.

Referring to the accompanying drawing, a device for forming a solder connection between a pair of insulated stranded electr~cal w~res 6, comprises a dimensionally heat-recoverable sleeve 1 that has been formed from radiation crosslinked polyvinylidene fluoride and may be provided with a thin hot-melt adhesive coating (not shown) for sealing the device sgainst moisture ingress. The sleeve 1 contains a ring 2 formed from a fluxed Su63Pb37 eutectic solder composition and two rings 3 and 4 adjacent to the solder ring which are formed from transparent nylon 12 which has been cro~slinked and expanded to render it recoverable.

The device is closed by means of a spherical plug 5 of sealing material, eg. irradiated or non-irradiated polyethylene, for e~ample as described in British Patent Application No. 9002093.4.

In order to form a stub splice, the insulation is stripped from the ends of the wires 6 in order to expose a length of stranded copper conductor 7, and the wires are inserted in the sleeve until they abut the spherical insert 5 or an internal shoulder 8 in the sleeve. The sleeve i9 then heated, for esample by means of a hot-air gun or infrared lamp, whereupon the nylon 12 inserts begin to recover when they reach their recovery temperature, this recovery maintaining the conductors in place and pushing back any strands of the conductors 7 that may have been bent. Then the sleeve 1 recovers about the wires~ and the solder ring 2 melts to form an encapsulated solder connection bètween the wires.

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Claims (8)

Claims:
1. A device for forming a solder joint between two or more elongate electrical conductors, which comprises a dimensionally heat-recoverable sleeve which contains a quantity of solder, and at least one dimensionally recoverable hollow insert that is located in the region of the solder, the dimensionally recoverable insert having a lower recovery temperature than that of the sleeve so that, when the device is heated, the insert will begin to recover before the sleeve begins to recover.
2. A device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the or each recoverable insert is located adjacent to the solder.
3. A device as claimed in claim 1 or claim 2, wherein the recoverable insert extends on both sides of the solder, a recoverable insert is located on each side of the solder.
4. A device as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the recoverable insert has a recovery temperature that is in the range of 10 to 60°C below the recovery temperature of the heat-recoverable sleeve.
5. A device as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein the recoverable insert comprises a polyamide.
6. A method of forming a solder connection between a plurality of insulated electrical wires, which comprises:

(i) stripping a length of insulation from each of the wires to expose a length of the conductor;

(ii) positioning a device as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 5 on the wires; and (iii) heating the device to recover the sleeve and to melt the solder.
7. A method as claimed in claim 6, wherein the recoverable insert(s) extend(s) along the sleeve for a length that is substantially equal to the length of the exposed conductors
8. A device for forming a solder joint between two or more elongate electrical conductors, which comprises a dimensionally heat-recoverable sleeve that contains a quantity of solder, and at least one dimensionally recoverable hollow insert that is located in the region of the solder, the dimensionally recoverable insert being formed from a polyamide.
CA 2084504 1990-06-25 1991-06-24 Electrical connector Abandoned CA2084504A1 (en)

Applications Claiming Priority (2)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
GB909014117A GB9014117D0 (en) 1990-06-25 1990-06-25 Electrical connector
GB9014117.7 1990-06-25

Publications (1)

Publication Number Publication Date
CA2084504A1 true CA2084504A1 (en) 1991-12-26

Family

ID=10678165

Family Applications (1)

Application Number Title Priority Date Filing Date
CA 2084504 Abandoned CA2084504A1 (en) 1990-06-25 1991-06-24 Electrical connector

Country Status (4)

Country Link
EP (1) EP0536220A1 (en)
CA (1) CA2084504A1 (en)
GB (1) GB9014117D0 (en)
WO (1) WO1992000617A1 (en)

Cited By (1)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US9190741B2 (en) 2013-03-12 2015-11-17 Thomas & Betts International Llc Hybrid grounding connector

Families Citing this family (1)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US5797077A (en) * 1996-04-04 1998-08-18 Fuji Xerox Co., Ltd. Double-sided images forming apparatus and method using the same

Family Cites Families (3)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
DE3580997D1 (en) * 1984-04-13 1991-02-07 Raychem Pontoise Sa DEVICE FOR MAKING SOLDERED CONNECTIONS.
US4696841A (en) * 1985-05-28 1987-09-29 Raychem Corp. Heat recoverable termination device
US4832248A (en) * 1986-11-20 1989-05-23 Raychem Corporation Adhesive and solder connection device

Cited By (1)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US9190741B2 (en) 2013-03-12 2015-11-17 Thomas & Betts International Llc Hybrid grounding connector

Also Published As

Publication number Publication date
WO1992000617A1 (en) 1992-01-09
EP0536220A1 (en) 1993-04-14
GB9014117D0 (en) 1990-08-15

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Legal Events

Date Code Title Description
FZDE Dead