FR2877503A1 - CABLE CLAMP FOR ELECTRICAL CONNECTOR - Google Patents

Abstract

The cable clamp comprises at least two clamping elements (21, 22) suitable for being pivotally assembled to clamp at least one strand of cable, each of said elements (21, 22) having at least one notch (23) intended to cooperate with a notch (24) of another of the elements, the relative rotation of the two elements (21, 22) making it possible to approach said notches to form at least one clamp through which a cable strand is clamped by the clamp -cable, and, a key (30) intended to be driven in translation and comprising at least one finger (31) adapted to cooperate by cam effect with at least one element (21, 22) in order to impose it, by translation of the key (30), an approach rotation of the notches (23, 24) to a position corresponding to the formation of the flange (s), then a locking in this position, in which the strand (s) ) of cable (50) are clamped.

Description

The present invention relates to a cable clamp for an electrical connector,

  in particular of the type provided for several strands of cable.

  Electrical connection needs have increased in recent years, and connector design has shifted from simple signal cable connectors to more and more connectors for complex, shielded, coaxial cables. triaxial or even quadriaxial, as well as power cables.

  The increase in the number and size of the cable strands per connector requires the introduction of stress reduction devices at the connectors, stresses induced by the cables. Most often, these stress reduction devices are in the form of cable ties, most often positioned at a distance from the rear end of the electrical connector to prevent the angle of incidence is too large.

  Moreover, the standardization and the design of the connectors is practically fixed, and the only evolutions that are observed relate to additional inserts, but which do not guarantee a sufficient mechanical resistance to the stresses imposed by the cables, in particular because of the large diameters strands of them.

  In most cases, the cleats are in the form of a ring intended to be placed on the strands of the cable at a distance from the rear end of the connector and provided with two complementary clamping elements. cable strands generally having the shape of an "omega" or a "cocked hat" and provided for tightening the cable strands by mechanical devices such as for example a screw or a rivet.

  These perfectly known devices, presented in particular in the US military standard MIL-C-85049, have the disadvantage of being in the form of an additional element to be added to the connector, and for which it is necessary to provide an additional tightening operation making use specific tools (for example, a screwdriver or riveting tool).

  The present invention proposes to overcome these disadvantages.

  The cable clamp for an electrical connector, in particular of the type provided for several electric cable strands, is mainly characterized in that it comprises, on the one hand, at least two clamping elements capable of being pivotally assembled in substantially perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the cable strand (s) to be clamped, in order to clamp it or the latter, each of said clamping elements having at least one notch intended to cooperate with a notch of another clamping elements, the relative rotation of the two clamping members for approaching said notches to form at least one flange through which a strand of cable is clamped by the cable clamp, and, secondly, a key intended to be driven in translation and comprising at least one finger adapted to cooperate by cam effect with at least one clamping element in order to impose, by translation of the key, an approach rotation he notches to a relative angular position corresponding to the formation of the flange or flanges, then a blockage in this position, wherein the cable or strand (s) are clamped by the cable clamp.

  The invention has the advantage of not requiring additional tightening operation, it is done through the key during assembly of the connector. In addition, this solution is very compact because it allows to have the cable clamp in the immediate vicinity of the rear end of the connector, preferably in a clamp body connected to the latter. It also makes it possible not only to tighten the cable strands connected to the contact pins of the connector but also to clamp them, that is to say to hold them individually and firmly in position, in particular to benefit from a reduction constraints.

  Advantageously, the notches are formed in the clamping elements so as to allow positioning of the or each cable strand in the axis of the electrical contact pin of the connector to which the strand is intended to be connected. In other words, the cable clamp is adapted to the connector with which it is intended to cooperate.

  According to implementation characteristics that are particularly simple and convenient both for manufacture and use: the cable clamp is housed in a cable tie body intended to be connected to a rear end of the connector; the notches of the clamping elements have a circle portion profile; - The position in which the cable strands are clamped by the cable clamp, each flange totally or partially encloses the associated cable strand; the flange formed by the approach of the notches of the clamping elements has a circular or substantially circular profile, whose diameter is smaller than the diameter of the cable strand to be clamped; - The clamping elements have a star profile having a predetermined number of branches, each of them having at least one notch for cooperating with another notch of a branch of another clamping element; the cable clamp comprises means for driving the key in translation; said translation drive means comprise a threaded stop adapted to cooperate with the key, its rotation in a tapping provided in the cable tie body causing a translation of the key; - The key comprises means for locking the latter in rotation relative to the cable tie body; - The locking means comprise projections designed to cooperate with grooves made in the body; - The key comprises connecting means with the stop for driving the key in translation while leaving a freedom of rotation relative to the stop; the connecting means between the abutment and the key comprise, on the one hand, a groove formed in the abutment, and, on the other hand, latching lugs provided to snap into the groove; the free end of the finger (s) of the key has at least one chamfer forming a cam profile; - The free end of or finger (s) of the key is shaped bevel forming two cam profiles; - The clamping elements each comprise at least one shoulder with a rectangular profile for camming cooperating with a free end of the finger of the key, to generate the relative rotation between the two clamping elements; the threaded stop includes means enabling it to be rotated; the cable clamp body is electrically conductive and, preferably, the clamping elements as well; sealing means are connected to the end of the clamp body opposite to that connected to the connector; the sealing means are in the form of an attached sleeve; means for ensuring continuity of electromagnetic shielding are in contact with the cable clamp body; - The means for ensuring a continuity of shielding comprise a shielding braid surrounding the end of the cable clamp body opposite to that connected to the connector; the shielding braid is housed in the sealing sleeve.

  Finally, the present invention also applies to a connector comprising a cable clamp according to the invention.

  The following description gives a nonlimiting example of the cable clamp object of the invention which is illustrated by the appended drawings, at different scales, in which: FIG. 1 represents a perspective view of all the elements constituting the cable clamp according to the invention; - Figure 2 shows a cable clamping element according to the invention; FIG. 3 is a perspective view of the locking key of the two clamping elements; - Figure 4 is a perspective view of the two clamping elements and the locking key before its introduction; - Figure 5 is a perspective view of the two clamping elements 25 and the locking key in place; FIG. 6 is a view in transparency of the cable clamp according to the invention and a view of the connector as well as cables in the non-clamped position; - Figure 7 is a transparent view of the cable clamp according to the invention and a view of the connector and cables in the intermediate position; - Figure 8 is a sectional view of the cable clamp according to the invention and the connector and cables in the clamped position; and FIG. 9 is a partial sectional view of the cable clamp according to the invention connected, on the one hand, to the connector and, on the other hand, to sealing means and means for ensuring a continuity of electromagnetic shielding.

  The cable clamp for an electrical connector according to the invention generally comprises a cylindrical clamp body 10 intended to be assembled with, here screwed, a connector body, two clamping elements 21 and 22 a key 30 for locking the clamping elements and a stop 40.

  The clamping elements 21 and 22 are each generally in the form of a cross, the two elements being complementary to one another, which allows them to fit together and to leave them a certain degree of freedom in rotation relative to each other.

  In this preferred embodiment, the clamping elements 21 and 22 respectively have on each of their branches notches 23 and 24 noticably visible in FIG. 2, having an arcuate profile whose radius is substantially the same as that of the cable. to clamp, and a shoulder of rectangular section 25, 26 provided for receiving a finger 31 of the key 30.

  In this preferred embodiment, the locking key 30 visible in FIG. 3 has a cruciform base 35 which comprises at the end of each of its branches a finger 31 extending perpendicular to said cruciform base 35.

  Each of the fingers 31 is beveled at the free end and therefore has on each side an inclined profile 32 extending: from this free end to about half of its height, then a straight profile 33 extending to the cruciform base 35 and perpendicular to a branch thereof.

  However, it is conceivable in another embodiment that each finger 31 has only one half-bevel, and therefore only one inclined profile 32 and one straight profile 33.

  On the other hand, the shoulders 25 and 26 of the clamping elements 21 and 22 have chamfers 27 and 28 adapted to cooperate with the inclined profiles 32 of the fingers 31.

  The cruciform base 35 further comprises spaces 36 between its branches, said spaces being profiled for the passage of cables to clamp.

  The clamping key 30 has in the extension of the fingers 31, behind their integral zone (of a branch) of the cruciform base 35, opposite the beveled end, snap-fastening tabs 34 with a chamfer, suitable to cooperate in hooking with a groove 41 of the abutment 40.

  The clamping key further has a protrusion 37 along the fingers 31, on their outer profile.

  Said protuberances 37, generally of parallelepipedal shape, are designed to penetrate grooves 12 made in the body 10, and advantageously have chamfers 38 on their three edges closest to the free ends of the fingers 31.

  The abutment 40, of globally cylindrical shape, has an external thread 42 complementary to the tapping 111 of the body 1C), as well as a set of holes 43 distributed around the circumference of a wafer 44 and intended for the insertion of one or several tools for rotating the abutment 40 to screw it into the tapping 11 of the clamp body 10.

  The particularity of the cable clamp according to the invention, as can be seen in FIGS. 1, 6, 7, 8 and 9, lies in the fact that the rotation of the threaded stop 40 in the tapping 11 of the cable clamp body 10 causes the translation of said stop 40, which in turn causes the groove 41 and the latching lugs 34 to translate the locking key 30. The protuberances 37 cooperating with the grooves 12 of the body 10, the key 30 can be driven in translation by the stop 40, a rotation of the key 30 becoming impossible when the protrusions 37 are engaged in the grooves 12 of the body 10.

  The translation of said locking key 30, as visible in particular in Figures 4 and 5, causes the fingers 31 thereof to enter the interstices formed by the shoulders 25 and 26 between the clamping elements 21 and 22. The fingers 31 having a bevel forming inclined profiles 32 at their end, by their translation, penetrating into the interstices formed by the shoulders 25 and 26, and by cooperation of shapes with chamfers 27 and 28 of the shoulders 25 and 26, cause the spacing of the branches of the clamping elements and therefore their relative rotation.

  This relative rotation of the clamping elements causes the notches 24 and 23 to approach, thus forming a flange for an electric cable strand. Continuing the translation of the key 30, the straight portions 33 of the fingers 31 are brought into contact with the shoulders 25 and 26 of the clamping elements 21 and 22, thus blocking them in the clamping position of the cable strands 50 corresponding to a blocking them by which they are firmly held in the axis of the contact pins of the connector.

  It should also be noted that it is conceivable in another embodiment to invert the means allowing the relative rotation of the clamping elements 21 and 22 by increasing the size of the chamfers 27 and 28 sufficiently and reducing or even eliminating the bevel fingers 31 and the size of the inclined profile 32, which will not change the desired effect, namely the relative rotation of the clamping elements 21 and 22.

  By reversing the direction of rotation of the flange 40, the direction of translation is also reversed in the tapping 11 of the cable tie body 10, which translation is transmitted via the groove 41 and the latching lugs 34 to the key 30, thus removing the fingers 31 interstices constituted by the shoulders 25 and 26 in the clamping elements 21 and 22, thereby allowing their relative rotation and releasing the cable strands of their clamping.

  The assembly consisting of the connector of the cable clamp and the cables is visible in FIGS. 6, 7 and 8, respectively in the non-clamping position of the cables, in the intermediate position and in the clamping position of the cables.

  It should be noted in this regard that after having put the body 10 of the cable clamp and the threaded stop 40 on the cable strands 50, the latter are each fixed to a pin 15 of electrical contact of the connector.

  The clamping members 21 and 22 and the key 30 are then positioned between the cable strands 50 prior to the actuation of the threaded stop 50 and thus the key 30 as described above.

  The connector / cable clamp assembly in the clamping position of the cable strands is visible in more detail in FIG. 9.

  It includes the connector with its electrical contact pins 15, to which the cable strands 50 are fixed, and the cable clamp body 10 screwed onto the rear end of the connector by means of a threaded connection 12 integral with the clamp body. cable through a connecting ring 13, housed in a groove 14a peripheral body of the connector 12 and in a groove 14b of the body 10 of connector.

  Clamping elements 21 and 22 are in the clamping position of the cable strands 50, in which position they are immobilized in translation by abutment against an annular shoulder 11 of the cable tie body 10.

  The cable clamp according to the invention is further equipped with means for sealing between the cables and the connector and means for ensuring the continuity of the electromagnetic shielding of the cables at the cable clamp.

  More specifically, the sealing means comprise a sleeve 70 engaged, at one of its ends, on the outer sheath of the cable and, at its other end, on the end of the cable clamp body opposite to that connected to the connector. In both cases, the bonding is, here, provided by glue.

  The continuity of electromagnetic shielding is obtained by a shielding resumption on the cable clamp body 10, here metallic by means of a shielding braid 60 housed in the sealing sleeve 70 and enclosing the cable strands 50 by the one of its ends and the cable tie body by its opposite end. A ferrule clamped by the sealing sleeve 70 holds the electromagnetic shielding braid 60 firmly pressed against the cable tie body.

  Similarly, when each strand of cable 50 is provided with an individual shielding braid, the clamping elements 21 and 22 are preferably electrically conductive (metallic or metallized part), whereby each individual braid is grounding through the clamping members 21 and 22, the clamp body 10 with which they are in contact and the outer braid 60.

  In addition, in other embodiments, the profile of the notches 23, 24 may be in the form of a half-ellipse, a half-hexagon, ...

  Furthermore, the key 30 and the flange 40 can of course be linked by means other than those described above, and the shoulders 25, 26 may have a profile other than rectangular.

  This description is given by way of example and can not in any way limit the possible embodiments of the invention.

Claims (24)

  1. Cable clamp for electrical connector, in particular of the type provided for several electric cable strands, characterized in that it comprises, on the one hand, at least two clamping elements (21, 22) capable of being pivotally assembled. in planes substantially perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the at least one strand (s) of cable (50) to be clamped, in order to grip it or these, each of said clamping elements (21, 22) having less a notch (23) intended to cooperate with a notch (24) of another of the clamping elements, the relative rotation of the two clamping elements (21, 22) for approaching said notches to form at least one clamp to the favor of which a strand of cable (50) is clamped by the cable clamp, and, secondly, a key (30) intended to be driven in translation and having at least one finger (31) adapted to cooperate by cam effect with at least one clamping element (21, 22) for the purpose of imposing, r translation of the key (30), an approaching rotation of the notches (23, 24) to an angular relative position corresponding to the formation of the flange or flanges, then a blockage in this position, in which the or the cable strands (50) are clamped by the cable clamp.   2. Cable clamp for electrical connector according to claim 1, characterized in that the cable clamp is housed in a cable lock body intended to be connected to a rear end of the connector.   3. Cable clamp for electrical connector according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the notches are formed in the clamping elements so as to allow positioning of the or each cable strand in the axis of the spindle electrical contact of the connector to which the strand is intended to be connected.   4. Cable clamp for electrical connector according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the notches (23, 24) of the clamping elements have a circle portion profile.   5. Cable clamp according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that in the position in which the cable strands (50) are clamped by the cable clamp, each clamp totally or partially encloses the cable strand (50). ) associated.   6. Clamper according to claim 5, characterized in that the flange formed by the approach of the notches (23, 24) of the clamping elements (21, 22) has a circular or substantially circular profile, whose diameter is less than the diameter of the cable strand (50) to be clamped.   7. Cable clamp according to any one of claims 1 to 5, characterized in that the clamping elements (21, 22) have a star profile having a predetermined number of branches, each of them having at least one notch (23) intended to cooperate with another notch (24) of a branch of another clamping element (21, 22).   8. Clamper according to any one of claims 1 to 7, characterized in that it further comprises drive means in translation of the key (30).   9. Cable clamp according to claim 8, characterized in that said drive means in translation comprise a stop (40) threaded provided to cooperate with the key (30), its rotation in a tapping (11) provided in the body (10) cable clamp causing a translation of the key.   10. Clamper according to any one of claims 1 to 9, characterized in that the key comprises means for locking the latter in rotation relative to the body (10) cable clamp.   11. Cable clamp for electrical connector according to claim 10, characterized in that the locking means (30) comprise protrusions (37) provided to cooperate with grooves (12) formed in the body (10).   12. Cable clamp for electrical connector according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the key (30) comprises connecting means with the stop (40) for driving the key (30) in translation while leaving a freedom of rotation relative to the stop (40).   13. Clamper according to claim 12, characterized in that the connecting means between the stop (40) and the key (30) comprise, firstly, a groove (41) formed in the abutment (40), and, on the other hand, snap lugs (34) provided to snap into the groove (41).   14. Cable clamp for electrical connector according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the free end of the finger (s) (s) (31) of the key (30) has at least one chamfer forming a cam profile. (32).   15. Cable clamp for electrical connector according to the preceding claim, characterized in that the free end of or finger (s) (31) of the key (30) is bevel-shaped forming two cam profiles (32). .   16. Cable clamp for electrical connector according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the clamping elements (21, 22) each comprise at least one rectangular profile shoulder intended to cooperate by camming with a free end of the finger (31) of the key (30), to generate the relative rotation between the two clamping elements (21, 22).   17. Clamp for electronic connector according to one of claims 9 to 16, characterized in that the threaded stop comprises means for driving it in rotation.   18. Cable clamp for electrical connector according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the clamp body is electrically conductive and, preferably, the clamping elements too.   19. Cable clamp for electrical connector according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that sealing means are connected to the end of the cable clamp body opposite to that connected to the connector.   20. Cable clamp for electrical connector according to claim 19, characterized in that the sealing means are in the form of an attached sleeve.   21. Cable clamp for electrical connector according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that means for ensuring a continuity of electromagnetic shielding are in contact with the cable clamp body.   22. Cable clamp for electrical connector according to claim 21, characterized in that the means for ensuring a continuity of shielding comprise a shielding braid surrounding the end of the cable clamp body opposite to that connected to the connector.   23. Cable clamp for electrical connector according to claims 20 and 22, characterized in that the shielding braid is housed in the sealing sleeve.   24. A connector comprising a cable clamp according to any one of the preceding claims.