(19)
(11)EP 1 246 311 B1

(12)EUROPEAN PATENT SPECIFICATION

(45)Mention of the grant of the patent:
09.06.2004 Bulletin 2004/24

(21)Application number: 02076236.5

(22)Date of filing:  26.03.2002
(51)International Patent Classification (IPC)7H01R 13/59

(54)

Cable clamp

Kabelklemme

Serre-câble


(84)Designated Contracting States:
AT BE CH CY DE DK ES FI FR GB GR IE IT LI LU MC NL PT SE TR

(30)Priority: 29.03.2001 NL 1017734

(43)Date of publication of application:
02.10.2002 Bulletin 2002/40

(73)Proprietor: FCI
75009 Paris (FR)

(72)Inventor:
  • Verelst, Koen
    2930 Brasschaat (BE)

(74)Representative: de Vries, Johannes Hendrik Fokke 
De Vries & Metman Overschiestraat 180
1062 XK Amsterdam
1062 XK Amsterdam (NL)


(56)References cited: : 
GB-A- 950 197
US-A- 3 649 054
US-A- 4 065 201
US-A- 2 250 685
US-A- 3 801 131
  
      
    Note: Within nine months from the publication of the mention of the grant of the European patent, any person may give notice to the European Patent Office of opposition to the European patent granted. Notice of opposition shall be filed in a written reasoned statement. It shall not be deemed to have been filed until the opposition fee has been paid. (Art. 99(1) European Patent Convention).


    Description


    [0001] The invention relates to a device for clamping a cable according to the preamble of claim 1.

    [0002] US 4,065,201 which is considered as the closest prior art, discloses a two-part cable connector comprising a body with an integrated extending neck and a nut. The neck has a bore for passing a cable and an outer thread to engage with the internally threaded nut. The neck further has slots such that ears are formed on the neck. Flexibility of the ears is obtained by reducing the outer diameter of the neck near the rearmost end.

    [0003] EP-A-0 913 900 discloses a device for clamping a cable of this type, wherein the housing part consists of two housing halves together determining a mainly cylindrical passage for receiving the clamping part. The resilient fingers of the clamping part are provided with radial projections pressing the resilient fingers inwardly to reduce the size of the passage of the clamping part so that the fingers grip the outer side of the jacket of the cable. The two housing halves are fixed together by means of clamping bolts.

    [0004] EP-A-0 736 933 discloses a cable connector, wherein a housing of the connector is provided with a conical clamping device for connecting the shielding of the cable to the housing of the connector. The cable is clamped to the housing of the connector by means of a clamping strip.

    [0005] The invention aims to provide an improved device of the above-mentioned type.

    [0006] To this end the device for clamping a cable of the invention is characterized by the characterizing portion of claim 1.

    [0007] In this manner a device for clamping a cable is obtained wherein the conical section of the clamping part and the conical inner wall of the chamber of the housing part are cooperating to force the resilient fingers inwardly to thereby grip the outer side of the cable. The clamping part moves axially into the chamber, wherein the axial movement of the clamping part is translated into a radial movement of the resilient fingers. The performance of the clamping operation of the device is largely independent of variation in cable diameter, so that tolerances of cable diameter are not critical. In applications of the device of the invention in a cable connector, wherein the clamping part is located at the inner side of the cable connector, the clamping operation of the device will increase if a pulling force is exerted on the cable.

    [0008] The invention will be further explained by reference to the drawings in which some embodiments of the device of the invention are shown.

    Fig. 1 is a perspective view of an embodiment of the device of the invention during assembly.

    Fig. 2 is a perspective view of the device of fig. 1 during assembly.

    Fig. 3 is a perspective view of the device of fig. 1 as fully assembled.

    Fig. 4 shows a perspective view of the device of fig. 1 partly disassembled.

    Fig. 5 is a perspective view of a further embodiment of the device of the invention as fully assembled.

    Fig. 6 is a perspective view of a further embodiment of the device of the invention during assembly.

    Fig. 7 shows a perspective view of the device of fig. 6.



    [0009] Figs. 1-4 show an embodiment of a cable clamp or device for clamping a cable, wherein the device is shown in a fully assembled state in fig. 3. The device comprises a clamping part 1 having a passage 2 for receiving a cable 3 and three resilient fingers 4, wherein the fingers 4 are moveable inwardly to reduce the size of the passage 2. It will be understood that a different number of resilient fingers can be used.

    [0010] The device further comprises a housing part 5 having a passage 6 with a chamber 7 at one end for receiving the clamping part 1. As shown in the drawings, the housing part comprises two housings halves 8. In a preferred embodiment of the invention, the housing part 5, i.e. the housing halves 8, are part of a cable connector housing not further shown. The invention is however not restricted to use of the device described in cable connectors.

    [0011] A fastening part 9 which in the embodiment shown is made as a nut, is provided to fasten the clamping part 1 and housing part 5 to one another to obtain the fully assembled state of fig. 3.

    [0012] As clearly shown in the drawings, the clamping part 1 comprises a conical section 10 with a conical outer side and this conical section includes the resilient fingers 4. The chamber 7 of the housing part 5 is provided with a conical inner wall adapted to engage the conical outer side of the fingers 4. At its axial end opposite of the conical section 10 the clamping part 1 is provided with a fastening section 11 having a screw thread. This fastening section projects out of the passage 6 of the housing part 5 when the conical section 11 is received in the conical chamber 7 as shown in figs. 1 and 2. When the nut 9 is fastened on the fastening section 11, the clamping part 1 will be pulled in axial direction into the conical chamber 7 so that the resilient fingers 4 are forced inwardly to reduce the size of the passage 2 and the cable 3 will be clamped within the passage 2.

    [0013] Rotation of the clamping part 1 is prevented as the clamping part is provided with a section 12 having a plurality of flat outer surfaces 13. The passage 6 of the housing part 5 is provided with a section 14 having a plurality of flat inner walls 15 engaging the flat outer surfaces 13 of the clamping part 1.

    [0014] To prevent opening of the housing halves 8 by the mutual co-operation of the conical clamping part 1 and the conical chamber 6, the housing halves 8 each are provided with a projecting collar 16 enclosing a part of the passage 6 of the housing. The collar 16 is received in an annular space of the nut 9. It will be understood that if the housing part 5 is a single part, it is not necessary to provide the housing part with a collar.

    [0015] Fig. 5 shows an embodiment of the device described, wherein the housing part 5 is provided with a resilient locking element 17 having a projection 18 at its free end engaging in a groove of the serrated outer side 19 of the nut 9. In this manner the nut 9 will be automatically locked so that it can not be unscrewed unintentionally.

    [0016] Figs. 6 and 7 show a further embodiment of the invention, wherein a clamping part 20 is used having two passages 21 for cables 3. For each passage 21 three resilient fingers 22 are provided, wherein the fingers 22 together determine the conical section 10 of the clamping part 20. In fig. 6 one housing half 8 is shown and the nut 9 is not yet screwed on the fastening section 11 of the clamping part 20. It can be clearly seen that the fastening section 11 in this case includes the section 12 with flat surfaces 13. Further it can be seen that the housing half 8 determines half of the passage 6 of the housing part with a chamber 7 with conical inner wall.

    [0017] In fig. 7, the nut 9 has been fastened on the fastening section 11 of the clamping part 20 so that the resilient fingers 22 are forced inwardly by the co-operation between the conical parts of clamping part 20 and housing part 5.

    [0018] The device for clamping a cable described shows the advantage that the clamping performance is independent of variations in diameter of the cables 3, so that tolerances of cable diameters are not critical. An efficient squeezing of the cable(s) is obtained, so that after assembly of the device displacement of the cable can not occur and no stress can be exerted on terminated wires of the cable. Moreover, if a pulling force is exerted on the cable, the clamping part 1, 20 will be tensioned such that the clamping part 1, 20 will be locked even more tightly. No special tools are required to assemble the clamping device. If the device is used in a cable connector for example, the wires of the cable can be terminated and the clamping device can be assembled at the end of the termination procedure. Moreover the clamping device can be dismantled easily and is fully repairable. In case of a one piece housing part 5, the clamping part 1, 20 and fastening part 9 can be pre-assembled.

    [0019] The invention is not restricted to the above described embodiments which can be varied in a number of ways within the scope of the attached claims.


    Claims

    1. Device for clamping a cable, comprising a clamping part (1,20) having at least one passage (2,21) for receiving a cable (3), said clamping part (1,20) having a conical section (10) with a conical outer side, the conical section (10) including at least one resilient finger (4,22) movable to reduce the size of the passage, and a housing part (5) having a passage (6) with a chamber (7) at one end for receiving the clamping part (1,20), the device further comprising a fastening part (9) to force the resilient fingers (4,22) inwardly to reduce the size of the passage of the clamping part
    characterized in that
    said fastening part (9) is used to fasten the clamping part and the housing part to one another, and in that the chamber (7) of the housing part (5) is provided with a conical inner wall adapted to engage the conical outer side of at least the resilient finger(s) (4,22), wherein the fastening part (9) forces the clamping part (1,20) axially into the chamber (7) during fastening to thereby force the resilient finger(s) (4,22) inwardly.
     
    2. Device according to claim 1, wherein the clamping part (1,20) is provided with a section (12) having one or more flat outer surfaces (13), wherein the passage (6) of the housing part (5) is provided with a section (14) having one or more flat inner walls (15) adapted to engage the flat outer surfaces of the clamping part.
     
    3. Device according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the clamping part (1,20) is provided with a fastening section (11) opposite of the conical section (7), said fastening section (11) projecting out of the passage (6) of the housing part (5) when the conical section (10) is received in the conical chamber (7), wherein the fastening section (11) is adapted to cooperate with the fastening part (9) to fasten the clamping part (1,20) in the chamber (7) of the housing part (5).
     
    4. Device according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the housing part (5) comprises two housing halves (8), wherein the housing halves each are provided with a projecting collar (16) enclosing a part of the passage (6) of the housing part (5) opposite of the chamber (7), wherein the fastening part (9) is provided with annular space for receiving the collar (16).
     
    5. Device according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the fastening part (9) is made as a nut, wherein the housing part (5) is provided with a locking element (17) for locking the nut.
     
    6. Device according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the clamping part (20) is provided with two passages (21), wherein at least one resilient finger (22) is located at the circumference of each passage, and wherein the resilient fingers of all passages are part of the conical section (10) of the clamping part (20) and are forced inwardly to reduce the size of the corresponding passage during fastening of the clamping and housing parts.
     
    7. Clamping part (1,20) for a device according to any one of the preceding claims.
     


    Ansprüche

    1. Vorrichtung zum Festklemmen eines Kabels, die ein Klemmteil (1, 20), das mindestens einen Durchlass (2, 21) zur Aufnahme eines Kabels (3) besitzt, wobei das Klemmteil (1, 20) einen konischen Abschnitt (10) mit einer konischen Außenseite aufweist, wobei der konische Abschnitt (10) mindestens einen elastischen Finger (4, 22) besitzt, der beweglich ist, um die Größe des Durchlasses zu verringern, und ein Gehäuseteil (5) aufweist, das einen Durchlass (6) mit einer Kammer (7) an einem Ende für die Aufnahme des Klemmteils (1, 20) aufweist, wobei die Vorrichtung weiter ein Befestigungsteil (9) aufweist, um die elastischen Finger (4, 22) nach innen zu zwingen, um die Größe des Durchlasses des Klemmteils zu verringern, dadurch gekennzeichnet, dass
    das Befestigungsteil (9) verwendet wird, um das Klemmteil und das Gehäuseteil aneinander zu befestigen, und dass die Kammer (7) des Gehäuseteils (5) mit einer konischen Innenwand versehen ist, die angepasst ist, um mit der konischen Außenseite mindestens des (der) elastischen Finger(s) (4, 22) in Eingriff zu gelangen, wobei das Befestigungsteil (9) das Klemmteil (1, 20) während der Befestigung axial in die Kammer (7) zwingt, um dadurch den (die) elastischen Finger (4, 22) nach innen zu zwingen.
     
    2. Vorrichtung nach Anspruch 1, bei der das Klemmteil (1, 20) mit einem Abschnitt (12) versehen ist, der eine oder mehrere flache Außenoberflächen (13) aufweist, wobei der Durchlass (6) des Gehäuseteils (5) mit einem Abschnitt (14) versehen ist, der eine oder mehrere flache Innenwände (15) aufweist, die angepasst sind, um mit den flachen Außenoberflächen des Klemmteils in Eingriff zu gelangen.
     
    3. Vorrichtung nach Anspruch 1 oder 2, bei der das Klemmteil (1, 20) mit einem Befestigungsabschnitt (11) gegenüber dem konischen Abschnitt (7) versehen ist, wobei der Befestigungsabschnitt (11) aus dem Durchlass (6) des Gehäuseteils (5) vorsteht, wenn der konische Abschnitt (10) in der konischen Kammer (7) aufgenommen wird, wobei der Befestigungsabschnitt (11) angepasst ist, um mit dem Befestigungsteil (9) zusammenzuwirken, damit das Klemmteil (1, 20) in der Kammer (7) des Gehäuseteils (5) befestigt wird.
     
    4. Vorrichtung nach einem der vorhergehenden Ansprüche, bei der das Gehäuseteil (5) zwei Gehäusehälften (8) aufweist, wobei die Gehäusehälften je mit einem vorstehenden Kragen (16) versehen sind, der einen Teil des Durchlasses (6) des Gehäuseteils (5) gegenüber der Kammer (7) umschließt, wobei das Befestigungsteil (9) mit einem ringförmigen Raum für die Aufnahme des Kragens (16) versehen ist.
     
    5. Vorrichtung nach einem der vorhergehenden Ansprüche, bei der das Befestigungsteil (9) als Mutter ausgebildet ist, wobei das Gehäuseteil (5) mit einem Verriegelungselement (17) zum Verriegeln der Mutter versehen ist.
     
    6. Vorrichtung nach einem der vorhergehenden Ansprüche, bei der das Klemmteil (20) mit zwei Durchlässen (21) versehen ist, wobei mindestens ein elastischer Finger (22) sich am Umriss jedes Durchlasses befindet, und wobei die elastischen Finger aller Durchlässe Teil des konischen Abschnitts (10) des Klemmteils (20) sind und nach innen gezwungen werden, um die Größe des entsprechenden Durchlasses während der Befestigung der Klemm- und Gehäuseteile zu verringern.
     
    7. Klemmteil (1, 20) für eine Vorrichtung nach einem der vorhergehenden Ansprüche.
     


    Revendications

    1. Dispositif de serrage d'un câble, comprenant un élément de serrage (1, 20) ayant au moins un passage (2, 21) de réception d'un câble (3), ledit élément de serrage (1, 20) ayant une section conique (10) avec un côté extérieur conique, la section conique (10) comprenant au moins un doigt ressort (4, 22) pouvant se déplacer pour réduire la taille du passage, et un élément de boîtier (5) ayant un passage (6) avec une chambre (7) à une extrémité pour recevoir l'élément de serrage (1, 20), le dispositif comprenant en outre un élément de fixation (9) permettant de forcer les doigts ressorts (4, 22) vers l'intérieur pour réduire la taille du passage de l'élément de serrage,
       caractérisé en ce que ledit élément de fixation (9) est utilisé pour fixer l'élément de serrage et l'élément de boîtier l'un à l'autre, et en ce que la chambre (7) de l'élément de boîtier (5) est dotée d'une paroi intérieure conique conçue pour venir en prise avec le côté extérieur conique d'au moins le ou les doigts ressorts (4, 22), dans lequel l'élément de fixation (9) force l'élément de serrage (1, 20) axialement vers la chambre (7) pendant la fixation, pour ainsi forcer le ou les doigts ressorts (4, 22) vers l'intérieur.
     
    2. Dispositif selon la revendication 1, dans lequel l'élément de serrage (1, 20) est doté d'une section (12) ayant une ou plusieurs surfaces extérieures plates (13), dans lequel le passage (6) de l'élément de boîtier (5) est doté d'une section (14) ayant une ou plusieurs parois intérieures plates (15) conçues pour venir en prise avec les surfaces extérieures plates de l'élément de serrage.
     
    3. Dispositif selon l'une quelconque des revendications 1 ou 2, dans lequel l'élément de serrage (1, 20) est doté d'une section de fixation (11) opposée à la section conique (7), ladite section de fixation (11) faisant saillie par rapport au passage (6) de l'élément de boîtier (5) quand la section conique (10) est reçue dans la chambre conique (7), dans lequel la section de fixation (11) est conçue pour coopérer avec l'élément de fixation (9) afin de fixer l'élément de serrage (1, 20) dans la chambre (7) de l'élément de boîtier (5).
     
    4. Dispositif selon l'une quelconque des revendications précédentes, dans lequel l'élément de boîtier (5) comprend deux moitiés de boîtier (8), dans lequel les moitiés de boîtier sont chacune dotées d'un collet en saillie (16) renfermant une partie du passage (6) de l'élément de boîtier (5) opposée à la chambre (7), dans lequel l'élément de fixation (9) est doté d'un espace annulaire pour recevoir le collet (16).
     
    5. Dispositif selon l'une quelconque des revendications précédentes, dans lequel l'élément de fixation (9) est réalisé sous la forme d'un écrou, dans lequel l'élément de boîtier (5) est doté d'un élément de blocage (17) permettant de bloquer l'écrou.
     
    6. Dispositif selon l'une quelconque des revendications précédentes, dans lequel l'élément de serrage (20) est doté de deux passages (21), dans lequel au moins un doigt ressort (22) est situé au niveau de la circonférence de chaque passage, et dans lequel les doigts ressorts de tous les passages font partie de la section conique (10) de l'élément de serrage (20) et sont forcés vers l'intérieur pour réduire la taille du passage correspondant pendant la fixation des éléments de serrage et de boîtier.
     
    7. Elément de serrage (1, 20) destiné à un dispositif selon l'une quelconque des revendications précédentes.
     




    Drawing