초록 ▼

This disclosure is directed to various embodiments of an electrical connector assembly that includes a connector body having an inlet end portion and an outlet end portion. The outlet end portion has an associated locking member whereby it can be readily attached to a knock out hole of an electric b

This disclosure is directed to various embodiments of an electrical connector assembly that includes a connector body having an inlet end portion and an outlet end portion. The outlet end portion has an associated locking member whereby it can be readily attached to a knock out hole of an electric box and the inlet end portion is provided with a wire conductor retainer in the form of a flat spring configured to be readily connected to an external portion of a connector body for ease of manufacture and assembly, and which is configured to extend through an opening formed in the inlet end portion whereby an electric conductor can be unidirectionally inserted in the inlet end portion and secured thereto so as to prohibit any unintentional separation from the connector body, all without the need of any extraneous tools.

대표청구항 ▼

What is claimed is: 1. An electric connector assembly comprising: a connector body having an inlet end portion and an outlet end portion, and having a bore extending therethrough, said outlet end portion defining an outlet opening, and said inlet end portion defining an inlet opening, a radially ou

What is claimed is: 1. An electric connector assembly comprising: a connector body having an inlet end portion and an outlet end portion, and having a bore extending therethrough, said outlet end portion defining an outlet opening, and said inlet end portion defining an inlet opening, a radially outwardly extending stop circumscribing said connector body between said inlet and outlet end portions, an outer retainer ring circumscribing said outlet end portion, means for retaining said outer retainer ring on said outlet end portion, said means comprising a slot and retainer lug respectfully on said outer retainer ring and said outlet end portion, said outer retainer ring including locking tangs circumferentially spaced about the outer surface of said outer retainer ring, said locking tangs being blanked and cantilverely bent out of the surface of said outer retainer ring whereby the free ends of said locking tangs are directed toward said radially outwardly extending stop, a body opening formed in said inlet end portion disposed in communication with said bore, a resilient elongated conductor retainer having one end externally connected to said inlet end portion adjacent said inlet opening, and said resilient elongated conductor retainer having its other end forming an angularly bent end to extend through said body opening to project into said inlet end portion, and said angularly bent end being directed toward said outlet opening for permitting unidirectional insertion of an electrical conductor into said inlet end portion. 2. An electrical connector assembly as defined in claim 1 wherein said outlet end portion includes an outer surface that slopes downwardly toward said outlet opening, and said outer retainer ring having a leading end, a trailing end and an intermediate sloping surface therebetween forming a frustro-conical configuration complementing said outer surface of said outlet end portion wherein the diameter of said trailing end of said frustro-conical configuration is greater than the diameter of said leading end of said outer retainer ring. 3. An electrical connector assembly as defined in claim 1 wherein said inlet end portion defines a plurality of inlet passageways, each being capable of receiving an electrical conductor, a transition portion interconnecting said plurality of passageways in communication with said outlet opening, and at least one other retainer opening, said at least one other retainer opening being disposed in communication with only one of said plurality of inlet passageways, and at least one other conductor retainer, said at least one other conductor retainer having one end fixedly connected to said inlet end portion and having the other end thereof extending through said at least one other retainer opening of said one of said plurality of inlet passageways for engaging and retaining said electrical conductor adapted to be received within the associated one of said plurality of inlet passageway. 4. A connector assembly as defined in claim 1 wherein said means for retaining said outer retainer ring comprises: a radially outwardly extending outlet end flange circumscribing said outlet opening, and said outer retainer ring circumscribing said outlet end portion between said radially outwardly extending stop and said radially outwardly extending outlet end flange. 5. A connected assembly as defined in claim 4 and including a pair of spaced apart shoulders disposed between said radially outwardly extending stop and said radially outwardly extending outlet end flange, said radially outwardly extending stop and said radially outwardly extending outlet end flange extending radially outwardly a greater distance than that of said pair of spaced apart shoulders disposed therebetween, and said outer retainer ring being supported on said pair of spaced apart shoulders between said radially outwardly extending stop and said said radially outwardly extending outlet end flange. 6. A connector assembly for connection to a knock out hole of an electric box comprising: a connector body having an outlet end portion and an inlet end portion, a radially outwardly extending stop flange circumscribing said connector body between said outlet end portion and inlet end portion, said outlet end portion defining an outlet opening, said inlet end portion defining a plurality of inlet passageways, a transition portion connecting said plurality of inlet passageways in communication with said outlet opening, an outer retaining ring circumscribing said outlet end portion, means for retaining said outer retaining ring on said outlet end portion, said means comprising a slot and retainer lug respectfully on said outer retainer ring and said outlet end portion, a conductor retainer device effecting unidirectional insertion of an electrical conductor into each of said plurality of inlet passageways, said conductor retainer device comprising a window associated with and in communication with one of said plurality of inlet passageways, further comprising a resilient member having opposed ends, a fastener securing one end of said resilient member externally of said inlet end portion of said connector body, and said resilient member having the other end thereof angularly bent to project through said window and into the associated one of said plurality of inlet passageways for gripping and securing said electrical conductor adapted to be inserted into the associated one of said plurality of inlet passageways of said inlet end portion. 7. An electric connector assembly as defined in claim 6 wherein: said outlet end portion includes a sloping outer surface that converges toward said outlet opening, and said outer retaining ring including a leading edge, a trailing end and an intermediate sloping surface that complements the outer sloping surface of said outlet end portion. 8. An electric connector assembly as defined in claim 6 wherein: said outlet end portion includes a radially outwardly extending outlet flange circumscribing said outlet opening, and said outer retainer ring having a circular configuration which circumscribes said outlet end portion between said radially outwardly extending stop flange and said radially outwardly extending outlet flange. 9. An electric conductor as defined in claim 8 and including a pair of spaced apart shoulders disposed between said radially outwardly extending stop flange and said radially outwardly extending outlet flange whereby said flanges extend radially outwardly beyond the radial extension of said pair of spaced apart shoulders, and said outer retainer ring being supported on said pair of spaced apart shoulders between said flanges. 10. An electrical connector assembly for connection to a knock out hole of an electric box comprising: a connector body having an outlet end portion and an inlet end portion, limiting means, circumscribing said connector body, for limiting the distance said outlet end portion is inserted through a knock out hole of an electric box, a retainer lug on said outlet end portion, an outer retainer ring having a Blot placed on said outlet end portion, whereby said retainer lug fits within said slot holding said outer retainer ring on said outlet end portion, said outlet end portion defining an outlet opening, and said inlet end portion defining an inlet opening, said connector body having a bore extending from said inlet opening to said outlet opening, a conductor retainer device effecting unidirectional insertion of an electrical connector into said inlet end portion so as to prohibit any unidirectional separation of the electrical conductor therefrom, said conductor retainer device comprising a window in said inlet end portion in communication with said bore, further comprising a resilient elongated conductor retainer having opposed ends, means for securing one end of said resilient elongated conductor retainer to said inlet end portion externally thereof, said resilient elongated conductor retainer being angularly bent intermediate thereof whereby the other end of said resilient elongated conductor retainer is projected through said window and into said inlet end portion of said connector body for engaging and prohibiting any unintentional separation of an electrical conductor inserted therein. 11. An electric connector as defined in claim 10 wherein: said outlet end portion has a sloping outer surface that converges toward said outlet end opening, and said outer retainer ring has a leading edge, a trailing edge and an intermediate sloping surface thereinbetween, whereby the diameter of said trailing edge is greater than the diameter of said leading edge to define a frustro-conical configuration for complementing the sloping outer surface of said outlet end portion. 12. An electrical connector assembly for connecting to a knock out hole of an electric box comprising: a connector body having an inlet end portion and an outlet end portion, a stop extending radially outwardly of said connector body between said inlet end portion and said outlet end portion, a retainer lug on said outlet end portion, an outer retainer ring having a slot placed on said outlet end portion, whereby said retainer lug fits within said slot holding said outer retainer ring on said outlet end portion, said inlet end portion defining an inlet opening for receiving an electric conductor, said inlet end portion having a window opening therein, a conductor retainer, said conductor retainer comprising an elongated member formed of spring metal and having opposed ends, means for securing one end of said elongated member to an external portion of said inlet end portion adjacent said inlet opening, and said elongated member being angularly bent intermediate the length thereof so that the other end of said elongated member projects through said window opening and into said inlet end portion, said other end of said elongated member being disposed at an obtuse angle relative to said one end secured to said inlet end portion. 13. An electric connector assembly as defined in claim 12 wherein said means for securing one end comprises a raised fastener mount having a tapped hole on said inlet end portion spaced from said window opening, and a screw for securing said one end of said elongated member to said raised fastener mount. 14. An electric connector assembly as defined in claim 12 wherein said inlet end portion defining said inlet opening has an outer peripheral diameter that is greater than the outer peripheral diameter of said outlet end portion, whereby the leading edge of said inlet end portion defines said stop. 15. An electric connector assembly as defined in claim 14 further comprising a plurality of voids formed within the thickness of said inlet end portion. 16. An electrical connector assembly comprising: a connector body having an inlet end portion having an inlet opening, and an outlet end portion defining an outlet end opening, a radially outwardly extending stop circumscribing said connector body between said inlet opening and said outlet opening, a bore communicating said inlet opening to said outlet opening, an external snap fit retaining ring circumscribing said outlet end portion, means for retaining said external snap fit retaining ring onto said outlet end portion, said means comprising a slot and retainer lug respectfully on said outer retainer ring and said outlet end portion, said external snap fit retaining ring including locking tangs and grounding tangs blanked out of the surface of said retaining ring, and a wire conductor retainer externally connected to said inlet end portion, said wire conductor retainer comprising an elongated blank formed of a resilient spring material having opposed ends, means for securing said elongated blank onto said inlet end portion externally thereof, and said elongated blank having one end thereof angularly disposed so as to extend into said inlet end portion through said inlet opening for effecting a unidirectional snap fit connection of a wire conductor adapted to be inserted into said inlet opening. 17. An electrical connector assembly as defined in claim 16 wherein said one end is angularly disposed diagonally within said inlet and portion in a direction toward said outlet opening to grip said wire conductor so as to prohibit unintentional separation of said wire conductor therefrom. 18. An electrical connector assembly as defined in claim 16 wherein said means for securing said elongated blank onto said inlet end portion externally thereof comprises: a fastener mount on said inlet end portion extending outwardly thereof, and a fastener securing said elongated conductor retainer blank to said fastener mount. 19. An electrical connector assembly comprising: a connector body having an inlet end portion and an outlet end portion, said inlet end portion having an inlet opening and said outlet end portion having an outlet opening, a bore communicating said inlet opening to said outlet opening, limiting means, circumscribing said connector body intermediately thereof between said inlet opening and said outlet opening, for limiting the portion of the electrical connector assembly that may be inserted through a knockout hole of an electrical box, a retainer lug on said outlet end portion, an outer retainer ring having a slot placed on said outlet end portion, whereby said retainer lug fits within said slot holding said outer retainer ring on said outlet end portion, and a wire conductor retainer, said wire conductor retainer comprising an elongated blank formed of a resilient spring material, means for securing said blank to said inlet end portion adjacent to said inlet opening externally thereof, and said elongated blank having one end thereof angularly disposed so as to extend into said bore, said one end extending diagonally relative to the longitudinal axis of said bore for effecting a unidirectional snap fit connector of a wire conductor adapted to be inserted into said inlet opening.