Electrical connector

Claim 2

An electrical connector adapted for mechanically holding two electrical wires, each wire having two electrical conductors, and for electrically connecting insulated ends of each of the electrical conductors of one wire to an electrical conductor of the other wire, including; a pair of electrically conductive penetrator sleeves, a plurality of penetrator locks formed integral in each of the penetrator sleeves, each of said penetrator locks including a plurality of penetrator prongs extending inwardly of its respective sleeve for penetration through an insulating material on a wire and into engagement with an electrical conductor of the wire to provide electrical connection to the electrical conductor, each of said sleeves having an open side, a pair of permanently deformable sheaths mateably and slideably receiving each of said electrically conductive penetrator sleeves, each of said sheaths having an open side alignable with the open side of its respective sleeve, and an insulator tube receiving said sheaths and holding the sheaths with the open sides of the sheaths facing each other, said insulator tube having a separator positionable between the sheaths to insulate electrically the sheaths from one another.

Claim 3

An electrical connector adapted for mechanically holding two electrical wires, each wire having two electrical conductors, and for electrically connecting insulated ends of each of the electrical conductors of one wire to an electrical conductor of the other wire as defined in claim 1 wherein each of the sheaths has a plurality of serrations at one end, each of the sleeves has a flared mouth at one end for engagement with the serrations of the sheath to lock the sleeve into its respective sheath.

Claim 4

An electrical connector adapted for mechanically holding two electrical wires, each wire having two electrical conductors, and for electrically connecting insulated ends of each of the electrical conductors of one wire to an electrical conductor of the other wire as defined in claim 2 wherein each of the plurality of penetrator prongs for each of the locks includes a holding prong having a length greater than the other prongs, and each holding prong being positioned adjacent to the flared mouth relative to the other penetrator prongs in its respective lock.

Claim 5

An electrical connector adapted for mechanically holding two electrical wires, each wire having two electrical conductors, and for electrically connecting insulated ends of each of the electrical conductors of one wire to an electrical conductor of the other wire as defined in claim 1 wherein each sleeve includes a pair of holding ears forming a portion of its open side, and said holding ears being substantially in the same plane to provide a grip for engagement with an electrical wire between the two electrical conductors.

Claim 6

An electrical connector adapted for mechanically holding two electrical wires, each wire having two electrical conductors, and for electrically connecting insulated ends of each of the electrical conductors of one wire to an electrical conductor of the other wire as defined in claim 1 wherein each of the sheaths has a pair of holding ears in substantially the same plane on the side having the oPen side, and said holding ears being adapted for engagement with its electrical wire between its electrical conductor for holding the electrical wire.

Claim 7

An electrical connector adapted for mechanically holding two electrical wires, each wire having two electrical conductors, and for electrically connecting insulated ends of each of the electrical conductors of one wire to an electrical conductor of the other wire as defined in claim 1 wherein the separator for the insulator tube is a pair of opposed ridges formed integral with opposite sides of the tube for spacing apart and electrically insulating adjacent sheaths.

Claim 8

An electrical connector adapted for mechanically holding two electrical wires, each wire having two electrical conductors, and for electrically connecting insulated ends of each of the electrical conductors of one wire to an electrical conductor of the other wire as defined in claim 1 wherein each sleeve includes a pair of spaced holding ears forming a portion of its open side, said holding ears being substantially in the same plane to provide a grip for engagement with an electrical wire, and the separator for the insulator tube is a pair of opposed ridges formed integral with opposite sides of the insulator tube for spacing apart and electrically insulating adjacent sheaths.

Claim 9

An electrical connector adapted for mechanically holding two electrical wires, each wire having two electrical conductors, and for electrically connecting insulated ends of each of the electrical conductors of one wire to an electrical conductor of the other wire as defined in claim 1 wherein each of the sheaths has a pair of spaced holding ears in substantially the same plane on the side having the open side, said holding ears being adapted for engagement with an electrical wire for holding the electrical wire, and the separator for the insulator tube is a pair of opposed ridges formed integral with opposite sides of the tube for spacing apart and electrically insulating adjacent sheaths.

Claim 10

An electrical connector adapted for mechanically holding two electrical wires, each wire having two electrical conductors, and for electrically connecting insulated ends of each of the electrical conductors of one wire to an electrical conductor of the other wire as defined in claim 1 wherein each sleeve includes a pair of spaced holding ears forming a portion of its open side, said holding ears being substantially in the same plane to provide a grip for engagement with an electrical wire, each of said sheaths having a pair of spaced sheath holding ears in substantially the same plane on the same side having the open side, said sheath holding ears being adapted for engagement with the electrical wire for holding the electrical wire, and the separator for the insulator tube being a pair of opposed ridges formed integral with opposite sides of the tube for spacing apart and electrically insulating adjacent sheaths.

Claim 11

A supply unit for providing a plurality of oriented and selectively spaced electrical connectors, each connector adapted for mechanically holding two electrical wires, each wire having two electrical conductors, and each connector adapted for electrically connecting conductors of one wire to an electrical conductor of another wire including; an elongated strip; a plurality of electrical connectors removably mounted on said strip; each of said electrical connectors being aligned with adjacent electrical connectors; and each of said electrical connectors having a pair of electrically conductive penetrator sleeves for holding and engaging electrical connectors of an electrical conductor, each of said sleeves having an open side, each of the penetrator sleeves including a plurality of penetrator locks formed integral with its respective sleeve, each of said penetrator locks including a plurality of penetrator prongs extending inwardly of its respective sleeve for penetration through an insulating material on a wire and into engagement with an electrical conductor of the Wire to provide electrical connection to the electrical conductor, a pair of sheaths, each having an open side receiving one of said sleeves, each of the sheaths having its open side aligned with the open side of its respective sleeve, each of the sheaths has a pair of spaced holding ears in substantially the same plane on the side having the open side, said holding ears being adapted for engagement with an electrical wire for holding the electrical wire, each of the sheaths has a plurality of serrations at one end, each of the sleeves has a flared mouth at one end for engagement with the serrations of its respective sheath to lock the sleeve into its respective sheath, each of the plurality of penetrator prongs for each of the locks including a holding prong having a length greater than the other prongs, each holding prong being positioned adjacent to the flared mouth relative to the other penetrator prongs in its respective lock, each sleeve includes a pair of sleeve holding ears forming a portion of its open side, said sleeve holding ears being substantially in the same plane to provide a grip for engagement with an electrical wire; and an insulator tube receiving and holding the sheaths and insulating the sheaths from each other, the insulator tube having a pair of opposed ridges formed integral with opposite sides of the tube positioned between and spacing apart and electrically insulating adjacent sheaths.

Claim 12

A supply unit for providing a plurality of oriented and selectively spaced electrical connectors, each connector adapted for mechanically holding two electrical wires, each wire having two electrical conductors, and each connector adapted for electrically connecting conductors of one wire to an electrical conductor of another wire including; an elongated strip; a plurality of electrical connectors removably mounted on said strip; each of said electrical connectors being aligned with adjacent electrical connectors; and each of said electrical connectors having a pair of electrically conductive penetrator sleeves for holding and engaging electrical connectors of an electrical conductor, each of said sleeves having an open side, each of the penetrator sleeves including a plurality of penetrator locks formed integral with its respective sleeve, each of said penetrator locks including a plurality of penetrator prongs extending inwardly of its respective sleeve for penetration through an insulating material on a wire and into engagement with an electrical conductor of the Wire to provide electrical connection to the electrical conductor, a pair of sheaths, each having an open side receiving one of said sleeves, each of the sheaths having its open side aligned with the open side of its respective sleeve, each of the sheaths has a pair of spaced holding ears in substantially the same plane on the side having the open side, said holding ears being adapted for engagement with an electrical wire for holding the electrical wire, each of the sheaths has a plurality of serrations at one end, each of the sleeves has a flared mouth at one end for engagement with the serrations of its respective sheath to lock the sleeve into its respective sheath, each of the plurality of penetrator prongs for each of the locks including a holding prong having a length greater than the other prongs, each holding prong being positioned adjacent to the flared mouth relative to the other penetrator prongs in its respective lock, each sleeve includes a pair of sleeve holding ears forming a portion of its open side, said sleeve holding ears being substantially in the same plane to provide a grip for engagement with an electrical wire; and an insulator tube receiving and holding the sheaths and insulating the sheaths from each other, the insulator tube having a pair of opposed ridges formed integral with opposite sides of the tube positioned between and spacing apart and electrically insulating adjacent sheaths.