Wire junction encapsulating wire connector and method of making same

Abstract

A solderless twist on wire connector and a method of making a solderless twist on wire junction encapsulating twist on wire connector by securing a prior art twist on wire connector in a shell to produce a wire junction encapsulating twist on wire connector that can in one operation permit the user to twist the connector to simultaneously compress the junction ends of electrical wires into low resistance electrical contact while encapsulating the junction ends of the electrical wires in a solderless substance. The process includes the method making a twist on wire connector by encapsulating a prior art twist on wire connector in a shell to produce a wire junction encapsulating twist on wire connector having a chamber for an encapsulating material. In one embodiment the twist on wire junction encapsulating twist on wire connector includes a puncturable seal and in another embodiment a second compartment for holding a mixable encapsulating materials.

I claim:  
     
       1. A method of making a sealant containing shell around a ready to use twist on wire connector comprising the steps of: 
       placing a ready to use twist on wire connector having an interior region and an exterior region in a mold to thereby form a mold cavity around the exterior region of the twist on wire connector, the interior region of the twist on wire connector having a wire engaging surface for gripping and holding an electrical lead;  
       injecting a moldable electrical insulating material into the mold cavity and allowing the moldable material to solidify and to thereby form an electrical insulating shell around the exterior region of the twist on wire connector and a chamber for a sealant; and  
       injecting a sealant into the interior region of the twist on wire connector to thereby form a shell having both a twist on wire connector and a chamber for and a sealant located therein end  and subsequently forming a sealant covering low resistance electrical connection around an electrical lend in the presence of the sealant by inserting electrical leads into the shell and the twist on wire connector, and including the step of grasping and holding the electrical leads in one hand while rotating the shell with the other hand to thereby lock and seal the electrical lead in the twist on wire connector.  
     
     
       2. The method of claim  1  including the step of placing a cap on the shell to form an interior region in the shell for receiving a sealant. 
     
     
       3. The method of claim  1  where the moldable material injected into the cavity is an electrical insulating plastic material. 
     
     
       4. The method of claim  2  where the cap is molded to the shell with a living hinge. 
     
     
       5. The method of claim  4  where the sealant is inserted through an opening in the cap. 
     
     
       6. The method of claim  1  including the step of extending the mold cavity around the exterior region of the twist on wire connector so that the moldable material when solidified forms a retaining ring to lock the twist on wire connector to the shell. 
     
     
       7. The method of claim  1  wherein one places the twist on wire connector having a spiral wire coil in the mold cavity. 
     
     
       8. The method of claim  1  including the step of forming a first sealant cavity proximate the interior region of the twist on wire connector with the first sealant cavity formed to be in fluid communication with the interior region of the shell. 
     
     
       9. The method of claim  1  including the step of forming a first sealant cavity and a second sealant cavity in the interior region of said shell by placing a wire puncturable member in the chamber of the shell. 
     
     
       10. The method of claim  1  including the step of forming a puncturable seal on, the shell to thereby form a leakproof enclosure for a sealant. 
     
     
       11. The method of claim  9  including the step of placing a first material in said first sealant cavity and a second material in said second sealant cavity with the first sealant material operable to harden when mixed with the second sealant material so that when an electrical lead is inserted into said shell and rotated in said shell the rotation of the electrical leads  lead causes the first and second materials to be mixed together thereby permitting the materials to harden and encapsulate the electrical lead in the shell. 
     
     
       12. The method of claim  11  wherein a two part epoxy resin that reacts to harden when the two parts are mixed together with one part of the epoxy resin inserted in the first sealant cavity and the second part inserted in the second sealant cavity so that when an electrical lead extending into said twist on wire connector is rotated it mixes said first part of the epoxy resin and the second part of the epoxy resin to thereby cause said epoxy resin to harden around the electrical leads in said shell. 
     
     
       13. A method of making a sealant containing twist on wire connector comprising the steps of: 
       placing a twist on wire engaging coil having an exterior region in a mold to thereby form a mold cavity around the exterior region of the twist on wire engaging coil, said wire engaging coil having an interior region with a first chamber having a wire engaging surface for gripping and holding the end of an electrical lead therein;  
       placing a moldable material into the mold cavity and allowing the moldable material to solidify to form a housing around the twist on wire engaging coil with said housing having an interior region with a second chamber and an opening, said second chamber of said housing proximate the first chamber of the twist on wire connecting coil; and  
       placing a sealant into the first chamber in the interior region of the twist on wire engaging coil and thereafter inserting the end of an electrical lead into the sealant and into contact with the wire engaging surface on the interior region of the twist on wire engaging coil and simultaneously forming gripping and electrical engagement between the electrical lead and the wire engaging surface by grasping and holding the electrical lead while rotating said housing with the twist on wire engaging coil thereby causing the wire engaging surface to bite into and grip the electrical lead to produce a sealant covering over the electrical lead in contact with the wire engaging surface.  
     
     
       14. A waterproof electrical wire connector, comprising: 
       
         a. an outer cup made of waterproof material and having a sidewall and a bottom, the sidewall having a top edge, an interior surface and an exterior surface, and the bottom having an upper surface which together with the interior surface of the sidewall define an inner chamber of the outer cup;  
       
         b. an inner cup completely enclosed in said inner chamber of said outer cup, the inner cup having a generally frusto - conical shaped body made of electrical insulating material and a hollow collar made of electrical conducting material, the generally frusto - conical shaped body having an exterior surface engaged with said interior surface of said sidewall of said outer cup, a bottom engaged with said upper surface of said bottom of said outer cup, and a top having an opening extending into an inner chamber for housing the hollow collar, and the hollow collar having an interior surface;    
       
         c. means for preventing said inner cup from rotating inside said inner chamber of said outer cup;  
       
       
         d. means for preventing said inner cup from sliding longitudinally inside said inner chamber of said outer cup;  
       
       
         e. a top cap made of resilient waterproof material and closed on said outer cup, the top cap having a transverse circular flange resting on said top edge of said sidewall of said outer cup, a longitudinal circular lip engaged with said interior surface of said sidewall of said outer cup immediately below said top edge of said sidewall of said outer cup, and a transverse flat cover having at least one central perforation;  
       
       
         f. means for interlocking said top cap with said outer cup; and  
       
       
         g. a body of viscous waterproof sealant contained inside said inner chamber of said outer cup between said flat cover of said top cap and said inner cup;  
       
       
         h. whereby a twisted joint of two respective conducting cores of two electrical wires can be inserted into said inner chamber at said outer cup through said at least one central perforation of said flat cover at said top cap and engaged with said interior surface of said hollow collar of said inner cup which further improves the electrical connection between said two wires, while being protected against corrosion by said body of viscous waterproof sealant which prevents moisture and water from entering into said inner chamber of said outer cup through said at least one central perforation at said flat cover of said top cap.  
       
     
     
       15. The invention as defined in claim  14  wherein said means for preventing said inner up from rotating inside said inner chamber of said outer cup comprises a multiplicity of longitudinal grooves on said exterior surface of said generally frusto- conical shaped body of said inner cup, and a multiplicity of matching longitudinal ribs on said interior surface of said sidewall of said outer cup, where each one of the multiplicity of matching longitudinal ribs on said interior surface of said sidewall of said outer cup is engaged with a respective one of the multiplicity of longitudinal grooves on said exterior surface of said generally frusto - conical shaped body of said inner cup.    
     
     
       16. The invention as defined in claim  15  wherein said multiplicity of longitudinal grooves on said exterior surface of said generally frusto- conical shaped body of said inner cup are equally distributed on a  360  degree circle, and said multiplicity of matching longitudinal ribs on said interior surface of said sidewall of said outer cup are also equally distributed on a  360  degree circle.    
     
     
       17. The invention as defined in claim  16  wherein there are five said longitudinal grooves on said exterior surface of said generally frusto- conical shaped body of said inner cup and five matching longitudinal ribs on said interior surface of said sidewall of said outer cup.    
     
     
       18. The invention as defined in claim  14  wherein said means for preventing said inner cup from sliding longitudinally inside said inner chamber of said outer cup comprises a transverse circular flange protruding from said interior surface of said sidewall of said outer cup and located right above said top of said generally frusto- conical shaped body of said inner cup.    
     
     
       19. The invention as defined in claim  14  wherein said means for interlocking said top cap with said outer cup comprises at least one transverse circular groove on said interior surface of said sidewall of said outer cup adjacent to said top edge of said sidewall of said outer cup, and at least one transverse outer circular protrusion at said longitudinal circular lip of said top cap, where said least one transverse outer circular protrusion at said longitudinal circular lip of said top cap is snugly engaged with said at least one transverse circular groove on said interior surface of said sidewall of said outer cup adjacent to said top edge of said sidewall of said outer cap.  
     
     
       20. The invention as defined in claim  14  further comprising means for preventing said outer cup from rotating while being held in a user's hand.  
     
     
       21. The invention as defined in claim  20  wherein said means for preventing said outer cup from rotating while being held in a user's hand comprises a multiplicity of longitudinal ribs on said exterior surface of said sidewall of said outer cup.  
     
     
       22. The invention as defined in claim  21  wherein said multiplicity of longitudinal ribs on said exterior surface of said sidewall of said outer cup are equally distributed on a  360  degree circle.  
     
     
       23. The invention as defined in claim  22  wherein there are six said longitudinal ribs on said exterior surface of said sidewall of said outer cup.  
     
     
       24. The invention as defined in claim  14  wherein said transverse flat cover of said top cap further comprises a multiplicity of radially disposed narrow perforations.  
     
     
       25. The invention as defined in claim  24  wherein said multiplicity of radially disposed narrow perforations on said transverse flat cover of said top cap are equally distributed on a  360  degree circle.  
     
     
       26. The invention as defined in claim  25  wherein there are eight said multiplicity of radially disposed narrow perforations on said transverse flat cover of said top cap.  
     
     
       27. The invention as defined in claim  14  wherein said waterproof material is plastic.  
     
     
       28. The invention as defined in claim  14  wherein said electrical insulating material is plastic.  
     
     
       29. The invention as defined in claim  14  wherein said electrical conducting material is metal.  
     
     
       30. The invention as defined in claim  14  wherein said body of viscous waterproof sealant is a silicone based thick grease.  
     
     
       31. A method of making a sealant containing twist on wire connector comprising the steps of: 
       
         placing a moldable material into a mold cavity and allowing the moldable material to solidify to form a housing having a first chamber for receiving a twist on wire engaging coil with said housing having an interior region with a second chamber and an opening, said second chamber of said housing proximate the first chamber for receiving a twist on wire engaging coil;  
       
       
         placing a twist on wire engaging coil having an exterior region to engage the first chamber for receiving a twist on wire engaging coil, said wire engaging coil having an interior region with a chamber having a wire engaging surface for gripping and holding the end of an electrical lead therein; and  
       
       
         placing a sealant into the chamber in the interior region of the twist on wire engaging coil and thereafter inserting the end of an electrical lead into the sealant and into contact with the wire engaging surface on the interior region of the twist on wire engaging coil and simultaneously forming gripping and electrical engagement between the electrical lead and wire engaging surface by grasping and holding the electrical lead while rotating said housing with the twist on wire engaging coil thereby causing the wire engaging surface to bite into and grip the electrical lead to produce a sealant covering over the electrical lead in contact with the wire engaging surface.  
       
     
     
       32. The method of claim  1  including the step of molding a lip on the interior region of said shell to hold said twist on wire connector in said shell.  
     
     
       33. The method of claim  1  including the step of molding ridges on the interior region of said shell to hold said twist on wire connector in said shell.  
     
     
       34. A method of making a sealant containing twist on wire connector comprising the steps of: 
       
         placing a moldable material into a mold cavity and allowing the moldable material to solidify to form a housing having a chamber having a wire engaging surface for gripping and holding the end of an electrical lead therein with said housing having an interior region with a second chamber having an opening, said second chamber of said housing proximate the first chamber;  
       
       
         placing a sealant into the chamber in the interior region of the twist on wire connector and thereafter inserting the end of an electrical lead into the sealant and into contact with the wire engaging surface on the interior region of the twist on wire connector and simultaneously forming gripping and electrical engagement between the electrical lead and wire engaging surface by grasping and holding the electrical lead while rotating said housing thereby causing the wire engaging surface to bite into and grip the electrical lead to produce a sealant covering over the electrical lead in contact with the wire engaging surface.  
       
     
     
       35. A water resistant electrical connector, comprising: 
       
         a. an outer housing made of water resistant material and having a sidewall and a bottom, the sidewall having a top edge, an interior surface and an exterior surface, and the bottom having an upper surface which together with the interior surface of the sidewall define an inner chamber of the outer housing;  
       
       
         b. an inner wire connector completely enclosed in said inner chamber of said outer housing, means in said outer housing to hold said wire connector inside said inner chamber of said outer housing, the inner wire connector having an inner chamber with an interior surface for engaging a wire, the inner wire connector having a top having an opening extending into the inner chamber of the outer housing; and  
       
       
         g. a body of viscous sealant contained inside said inner chamber of said wire connector;  
       
       
         h. whereby an electrical wire can be inserted into said body of said viscous sealant in said inner chamber of said wire connector and engaged with said interior surface of said wire connector, while being protected against corrosion by said body of viscous sealant which retards moisture and water from entering into said inner chamber of said wire connector.  
       
     
     
       36. The electrical connector of claim  35  wherein said means to hold said wire connector includes further means to prevent said wire connector from sliding longitudinally inside said inner chamber of said outer housing.  
     
     
       37. The electrical connector of claim  35  wherein said means to hold said wire connector includes further means to prevent said wire connector from rotating inside said outer housing.