Inventors:
Jack E. Caveney - Hinsdale IL
Dale P. Brauer - Chicago Heights IL
William G. Cesaro - Country Club Hills IL
John J. Bulanda - New Lenox IL
Assignee:
Panduit Corp. - Tinley Park IL
International Classification:
H01R 1312
Abstract:
An electrical connector adapted to be mechanically joined to the stripped end of a wire for completing an electrical connection between the wire and another circuit component. The connector includes a metallic connector element and an insulative sleeve formed of heat shrinkable material. The connector element has a connector portion for mechanical connection to the circuit component and a wire-receiving portion spaced from the connector portion for accepting the wire and having a part for being mechanically joined to the wire. One end of the sleeve is disposed about and held by the connector portion with the other end of the sleeve disposed between the one end of the sleeve and the part of the wire-receiving portion of the element. The sleeve has a memory characteristic that upon application of heat the sleeve extends axially and shrinks radially whereby the wire-receiving end can be joined to the wire without interference from the sleeve and the subsequent application of heat to the sleeve causes it to extend over and shrink about the wire-receiving end of the element. As a method of applying an insulative sleeve about an electrical connector, the invention includes several steps.
