Connector assembly for conduit

Claim 2

A connector assembly for providing a substantially fluid-tight connection of a conduit to an electrical box, said assembly comprising: a substantially tubular hollow connector body having a front section and a rear section, said front section comprising means for lockingly mounting said connector body in an aperture of an electrical box, and said rear section comprising means for receiving the end of a conduit to be connected to said electrical box; a substantially hollow sealing member having proximal and distal ends and telescopingly mounted over said connector body in substantially non-rotatable condition, said sealing member comprising an outwardly extending flange adjacent said proximal end, a sealing bore for sealingly receiving the end of a conduit, and a means within said bore and adjacent the distal end of said sealing member for deburring the end of said conduit, said flange having an inner surface facing outwardly from said proximal end and further comprising a deformable peripheral portion having at least one annular sealing rib on said inner surface; means for retaining the end of said conduit within said sealing bore; and a substantially hollow sealing sleeve connected to said sealing member and having a compression surface which can interact with said peripheral portion of said sealing member upon tight connection of said sleeve to said sealing member to insure a substantially fluid-tight seal between said sealing rib and an electrical box.

Claim 3

The connector assembly of claim 1, wherein said sealing member further comprises means for non-rotatably receiving said connector body.

Claim 4

The connector assembly of claim 2, wherein said means for non-rotatably receiving said connector body comprises a plurality of slots corresponding to locking lugs of said connector body.

Claim 5

The connector assembly of claim 1, wherein said bore is tapered inwardly from adjacent the distal end of said sealing member to provide a compression-type seal about the outer periphery of the end of a conduit received.

Claim 6

The connector assembly of claim 1, wherein said deburring means comprises a plurality of teeth-like elements adjacent the distal portions of said sealing bore.

Claim 7

The connector assembly of claim 4, wherein said sealing bore has a relatively smooth inner tapered surface, and wherein said deburring protuberances are located only along the distal edge of said smooth surface, whereby the end of a conduit will be deburred prior to being received in the smooth portion of said sealing bore.

Claim 8

The connector assembly of claim 1, wherein said means for retaining said conduit within said sealing bore comprises a gripping lug on the outer periphery of said rear section of said connector body.

Claim 9

The connector assembly of claim 7, wherein said gripping lug comprises one or more rib-like structures arranged in a spiral orientation on the exterior of said rear section to interact with the inner surfaces of a corrugated conduit in a threaded manner.

Claim 10

The connector assembly of claim 1, wherein said means for deburring the end of said conduit comprises a plurality of inwardly oriented deburring protuberances.

Claim 11

The connector assembly of claim 1, further comprising detent means for preventing inadvertent loosening of a tight connection between said sealing sleeve and sealing member when in assembled condition.

Claim 12

The connector assembly of claim 10, wherein said detent means comprises a plurality of pawl-like teeth on said flange and one or more ratchet lugs on said sealing sleeve which interact to effectively prevent loosening of a tight connection between said sleeve and said sealing member.

Claim 13

A connector assembly for providing a substantially fluid-tight connection of a flexible metallic conduit to an aperture of an electrical box, said assembly comprising: a substantially tubular hollow connector body having a front section and a rear section, said front section comprising means for lockingly connecting said connector body in said aperture, and said rear section comprising a male end for insertion into the end of a flexible conduit to be connected to said electrical box; a substantially hollow sealing member having proximal and distal ends and telescopingly mounted over said connector body and connected thereto in substantially non-rotatable condition, said sealing member comprising an outwardly extending flange adjacent said proximal end, a sealing bore for sealingly receiving the end of a flexible conduit, and a plurality of inwardly oriented deburring protuberances within said bore and adjacent the distal end of said sealing member, said flange having an inner surface facing outwardly from said proximal end and further comprising a deformable peripheral portion having at least one annular sealing rib on said inner surface; means for positively retaining the end of said flexible conduit within said sealing bore; and a substantially hollow sealing sleeve telescopingly connected over at least a portion of said sealing member and having a compression surface which contacts said peripheral portion of said sealing member upon tight connection of said sleeve to said sealing member and forces said sealing rib against said electrical box to provide a substantially fluid-tight seal about said aperture, said sleeve further comprising means for preventing the connection between said sleeve and sealing member from being loosened once it is made tight.

Claim 14

A connector assembly for providing a substantially fluid-tight connection of a flexible metallic conduit to an aperture of an electrical box, said assembly comprising: a substantially tubular hollow connector body having a front section and a rear section, said front section comprising means for lockingly connecting said connector body in said aperture, and said rear section comprising a male end for insertion into the end of a flexible conduit to be connected to said electrical box; a substantially hollow sealing member having proximal and distal ends and telescopingly mounted over said connector body and connected thereto in substantially non-rotatable condition, said sealing member comprising an outwardly extending flange adjacent said proximal end, a sealing bore for sealingly receiving the end of a flexible conduit, and a plurality of inwardly oriented deburring protuberances within said bore and adjacent the distal end of said sealing member, said flange having an inner surface facing outwardly from said proximal end and further comprising a deformable peripheral portion having at least one annular sealing rib on said inner surface; means for positively retaining the end of said flexible conduit within said sealing bore; and a substantially hollow sealing sleeve telescopingly connected over at least a portion of said sealing member and having a compression surface which contacts said peripheral portion of said sealing member upon tight connection of said sleeve to said sealing member and forces said sealing rib against said electrical box to provide a substantially fluid-tight seal about said aperture, said sleeve further comprising means for preventing the connection between said sleeve and sealing member from being loosened once it is made tight.

Claim 15

The connector assembly of claim 12, wherein said means for preventing the connection between said sleeve and sealing member from loosening comprises corresponding and interacting pawl/detent elements formed on said sleeve and sealing member, respectively.

Claim 16

The connector assembly of claim 12, wherein said deburring protuberances comprise a plurality of teeth-like elements adjacent the distal portions of said sealing bore.

Claim 17

The connector assembly of claim 14, wherein said teeth-like elements are integrally formed adjacent the outermost portions of said sealing bore.

Claim 18

The connector assembly of claim 12, wherein said connector body is formed from a single integral blank of material.

Claim 19

The connector assembly of claim 12, wherein said sealing member further comprises means for non-rotatably receiving said connector body, said receiving means comprising a plurality of slots corresponding to locking lugs associated with said connector body.

Claim 20

The connector assembly of claim 12, wherein said means for retaining the end of said flexible conduit within said sealing bore comprises a plurality of gripping lugs formed on the outer periphery of said rear section of said connector body.

Claim 21

A connector assembly for providing a substantially fluid-tight connection of a flexible metallic conduit to an aperture in the wall of an electrical box, said assembly comprising: a substantially tubular hollow connector body having a front section and a rear section, said front section comprising means for lockingly connecting said connector body in said aperture, and said rear section comprising a male end for insertion into the end of a flexible metallic conduit to be connected to said electrical box; a substantially hollow sealing member having proximal and distal ends and telescopingly connected over said connector body in non-rotatable condition, said sealing member comprising an outwardly extending flange adjacent said proximal end, a tapered sealing bore for sealingly receiving the end of the sheathed flexible metallic conduit, and a plurality of inwardly oriented teeth-like deburring elements formed within said bore adjacent the distal end of said sealing member, said flange having an inner surface facing outwardly from said proximal end and further comprising a deformable peripheral portion having at least one integral annular sealing rib on said inner surface; said rear section of said connector body including a plurality of gripping lugs for positively retaining the end of said flexible metallic conduit within said sealing bore; and a substantially hollow sealing sleeve telescopingly surmounting at least a portion of said sealing member and having a compression surface which contacts said peripheral portion of said sealing member upon tight connection of said sleeve to said sealing member thereby displacing said sealing rib against said wall to insure a substantially fluid-tight seal between said sealing member and an electrical box, said assembly further comprising interacting pawl/detent elements formed on said sleeve and sealing member, respectively, for preventing the connection between said sleeve and said sealing member from being loosened once it is made tight.

Claim 22

A connector assembly for providing a substantially fluid-tight connection of a flexible metallic conduit to an aperture in the wall of an electrical box, said assembly comprising: a substantially tubular hollow connector body having a front section and a rear section, said front section comprising means for lockingly connecting said connector body in said aperture, and said rear section comprising a male end for insertion into the end of a flexible metallic conduit to be connected to said electrical box; a substantially hollow sealing member having proximal and distal ends and telescopingly connected over said connector body in non-rotatable condition, said sealing member comprising an outwardly extending flange adjacent said proximal end, a tapered sealing bore for sealingly receiving the end of the sheathed flexible metallic conduit, and a plurality of inwardly oriented teeth-like deburring elements formed within said bore adjacent the distal end of said sealing member, said flange having an inner surface facing outwardly from said proximal end and further comprising a deformable peripheral portion having at least one integral annular sealing rib on said inner surface; said rear section of said connector body including a plurality of gripping lugs for positively retaining the end of said flexible metallic conduit within said sealing bore; and a substantially hollow sealing sleeve telescopingly surmounting at least a portion of said sealing member and having a compression surface which contacts said peripheral portion of said sealing member upon tight connection of said sleeve to said sealing member thereby displacing said sealing rib against said wall to insure a substantially fluid-tight seal between said sealing member and an electrical box, said assembly further comprising interacting pawl/detent elements formed on said sleeve and sealing member, respectively, for preventing the connection between said sleeve and said sealing member from being loosened once it is made tight.

Claim 23

The connector assembly of claim 19, wherein said connector body comprises a plurality of locking lugs which are received within a plurality of corresponding slots of said sealing member to non-rotatably connect said hollow sealing member relative to said connector body.

Claim 24

A connector assembly for providing a substantially fluid-tight connection of a conduit to a bulkhead, said assembly comprising: a substantially tubular hollow connector body having a front section and a rear section, said front section comprising means for lockingly mounting said connector body at an aperture of a bulkhead, and said rear section comprising means for receiving the end of a conduit to be connected to said bulkhead; a substantially hollow sealing member having proximal and distal ends and attached to said connector body in substantially non-rotatable condition, said sealing member comprising an outwardly extending flange adjacent said proximal end, a sealing bore for sealingly receiving the end of a conduit, said flange having an inner surface facing outwardly from said proximal end and further comprising a deformable peripheral portion having at least one annular sealing rib on said inner surface; means for retaining the end of said conduit within said sealing bore; and a substantially hollow sealing sleeve connected to said sealing member and having a compression surface which can interact with said peripheral portion of said sealing member upon tight connection of said sleeve to said sealing member to insure a substantially fluid-tight seal between said sealing rib and a bulkhead.

Claim 25

A connector assembly for providing a substantially fluid-tight connection of a conduit to a bulkhead, said assembly comprising: a substantially tubular hollow connector body having a front section and a rear section, said front section comprising means for lockingly mounting said connector body at an aperture of a bulkhead, and said rear section comprising means for receiving the end of a conduit to be connected to said bulkhead; a substantially hollow sealing member having proximal and distal ends and attached to said connector body in substantially non-rotatable condition, said sealing member comprising an outwardly extending flange adjacent said proximal end, a sealing bore for sealingly receiving the end of a conduit, said flange having an inner surface facing outwardly from said proximal end and further comprising a deformable peripheral portion having at least one annular sealing rib on said inner surface; means for retaining the end of said conduit within said sealing bore; and a substantially hollow sealing sleeve connected to said sealing member and having a compression surface which can interact with said peripheral portion of said sealing member upon tight connection of said sleeve to said sealing member to insure a substantially fluid-tight seal between said sealing rib and a bulkhead.

Claim 26

The connector assembly of claim 21, wherein said means for lockingly mounting said connector body comprises at least one one-way lug arranged with said front section, whereby said front section with its one-way lug is insertable through said aperture, and said lug prevents withdrawal once inserted.

Claim 27

A connector assembly for providing a substantially fluid tight connection of conduit to a bulkhead, said assembly comprising: a substantially tubular hollow connector body having a longitudinal axis and front and rear sections therealong, said front section comprising means for lockingly mounting said connector body in an aperture of a bulkhead, and said rear section comprising means for receiving the end of a conduit to be connected; a substantially hollow sealing member having proximal and distal ends and telescopingly connected over said connector body in substantially non-rotatable condition, said sealing member comprising a sealing bore for sealingly receiving the end of a conduit; means for retaining the end of said conduit within said sealing bore; a substantially hollow sealing sleeve connected to said sealing member and being selectively axially reciprocable therealong, said sleeve comprising a sealing surface and means for interacting with said sealing member to retain said sleeve in a selected axial position; and a deformable sealing member mounted adjacent said sealing surface to provide a substantially fluid tight seal between said bulkhead and said assembly.

Claim 28

A connector assembly for providing a substantially fluid tight connection of conduit to a bulkhead, said assembly comprising: a substantially tubular hollow connector body having a longitudinal axis and front and rear sections therealong, said front section comprising means for lockingly mounting said connector body in an aperture of a bulkhead, and said rear section comprising means for receiving the end of a conduit to be connected; a substantially hollow sealing member having proximal and distal ends and telescopingly connected over said connector body in substantially non-rotatable condition, said sealing member comprising a sealing bore for sealingly receiving the end of a conduit; means for retaining the end of said conduit within said sealing bore; a substantially hollow sealing sleeve connected to said sealing member and being selectively axially reciprocable therealong, said sleeve comprising a sealing surface and means for interacting with said sealing member to retain said sleeve in a selected axial position; and a deformable sealing member mounted adjacent said sealing surface to provide a substantially fluid tight seal between said bulkhead and said assembly.

Claim 29

The connector assembly of claim 23, wherein said sealing sleeve is threadedly attached about said hollow sealing member, whereby rotation of said sleeve relative to said hollow sealing member provides said axial reciprocation.

Claim 30

The connector assembly of claim 23, wherein said deformable member comprises a ring-like gasket mounted on said hollow sealing member adjacent said sealing surface.

Claim 31

The connector assembly of claim 23, wherein said means for lockingly mounting said connector body comprises at least one one-way lug arranged with said front section, whereby said front section with its one-way lug is insertable through said aperture, and said lug prevents withdrawal once inserted.

Claim 32

The connector assembly of claim 26, comprising a pair of one-way locking lugs attached to said front section, said locking lugs being displaceable inwardly to permit insertion of portions of said front section and the lugs through an aperture, and expandable outwardly to prevent withdrawal of said assembly from said aperture thereafter.

Claim 33

A connector assembly for providing a substantially fluid tight connection of a conduit to a bulkhead, said assembly comprising: a substantially tubular hollow connector body having a longitudinal axis and front and rear sections therealong, said front section comprising means for lockingly mounting said connector body at an aperture of a bulkhead; a substantially hollow sealing member having proximal and distal ends and telescopingly connected over said connector body in substantially non-rotatable condition, said sealing member comprising a sealing bore for sealingly receiving the end of a conduit; means for retaining the end of said conduit within said sealing bore; a substantially hollow sealing sleeve having a forward end and threadably telescoped over said sealing member for selective axial reciprocation therealong by relative rotation therewith, said sleeve comprising a sealing surface adjacent its forward end; and a ring-like sealing member mounted on said sealing sleeve adjacent said sealing surface.

Claim 34

A connector assembly for providing a substantially fluid tight connection of a conduit to a bulkhead, said assembly comprising: a substantially tubular hollow connector body having a longitudinal axis and front and rear sections therealong, said front section comprising means for lockingly mounting said connector body at an aperture of a bulkhead; a substantially hollow sealing member having proximal and distal ends and telescopingly connected over said connector body in substantially non-rotatable condition, said sealing member comprising a sealing bore for sealingly receiving the end of a conduit; means for retaining the end of said conduit within said sealing bore; a substantially hollow sealing sleeve having a forward end and threadably telescoped over said sealing member for selective axial reciprocation therealong by relative rotation therewith, said sleeve comprising a sealing surface adjacent its forward end; and a ring-like sealing member mounted on said sealing sleeve adjacent said sealing surface.