U.S. patent application number 15/851489 was filed with the patent office on 2019-06-27 for consolidated automotive pigtail connector and replacement parts kit.
This patent application is currently assigned to Omega Acquisition Corp.. The applicant listed for this patent is Omega Acquisition Corp.. Invention is credited to Earl Bloom, Scott Gilman.
Application Number | 20190199044 15/851489 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 66950770 |
Filed Date | 2019-06-27 |
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United States Patent
Application |
20190199044 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Bloom; Earl ; et
al. |
June 27, 2019 |
Consolidated Automotive Pigtail Connector and Replacement Parts
Kit
Abstract
A consolidated automotive parts kit containing the parts
necessary to replace and seal a switch, relay, or transducer in a
vehicle and perform repairs to the corresponding connector using a
pigtail and associated repair supplies such as butt splices, heat
shrink tubing, and seals or gaskets.
Inventors: |
Bloom; Earl; (Irving,
TX) ; Gilman; Scott; (Trabuco Canyon, CA) |
|
Applicant: |
Name |
City |
State |
Country |
Type |
Omega Acquisition Corp. |
Irving |
TX |
US |
|
|
Assignee: |
Omega Acquisition Corp.
|
Family ID: |
66950770 |
Appl. No.: |
15/851489 |
Filed: |
December 21, 2017 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
1/1 |
Current CPC
Class: |
H01R 13/5202 20130101;
H01R 24/20 20130101; H01R 4/72 20130101; H02G 15/1806 20130101;
H01R 4/20 20130101; B60R 16/0207 20130101; H01R 2201/26 20130101;
B60R 16/02 20130101; H01R 2103/00 20130101; B60Y 2410/115
20130101 |
International
Class: |
H01R 24/20 20060101
H01R024/20; H02G 15/18 20060101 H02G015/18; H01R 4/72 20060101
H01R004/72; H01R 4/20 20060101 H01R004/20; H01R 13/52 20060101
H01R013/52; B60R 16/02 20060101 B60R016/02 |
Claims
1. An automotive parts kit comprising; A first electrical
automotive part which may be coupled to a pigtail connector; the
pigtail connector which is compatible with the first electrical
automotive part wherein the pigtail connector has a connector side
and a wire splicing side, wherein the connector side is coupled
during repairs to the first electrical automotive part included in
the automotive parts kit and the wire splicing side is spliced
during repairs with one or more wires of a second automotive part
not included in the kit to replace a damaged electrical connector;
one or more butt splices, each having a large tube and a small
tube; and heat shrink tubing is placed over one or more of the butt
splices to provide a second layer of environmental and physical
protection.
2. The automotive parts kit as described in claim 1, further
comprising; one or more seals or gaskets used to secure the
connection between the first electrical automotive part and a
pressurized system of the vehicle.
3. (canceled)
4. (canceled)
5. (canceled)
6. The automotive parts kit as in claim 1, wherein the first
electrical automotive part which may be coupled to the pigtail
connector is a switch or transducer.
7. An automotive parts kit as in claim 1, wherein the first
electrical automotive part which may be coupled to the pigtail
connector is a relay.
Description
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
Field of the Invention
[0001] The present invention relates to the field of repair kits
for electrical connectors, and more specifically to automotive
vehicle repair kits for relays, switches, and transducers.
Background of the Invention
[0002] When an electrical connector in a vehicle is damaged by
wear, an electrical short, or another issue the damaged part must
be serviced and replaced. However, the damage is frequently
contained to the connector and nearby associated parts. Rather than
replace the entire device attached to the connector, a mechanic
repairing the vehicle can instead sever and replace the damaged
connector using a pigtail connector and associated repair materials
compatible with the vehicle.
[0003] However, this can be a time consuming process as pigtails
are not marketed in kits with associated parts and are instead sold
individually. This means the mechanic must identify a compatible
pigtail. They must select compatible repair supplies to use repair
the connection between the damaged part and the pigtail. Finally,
they must also separately identify and order the replacement part
that originally joined the connector. Often, the required parts and
repair supplies vary when repairing different pigtails, which means
the mechanic must research the parts to identify compatible seals,
butt splices, heat shrink tubing, pigtails, and their corresponding
switch, relay, or transducer. These parts must be ordered
separately and if any part is not compatible or one of the orders
is delayed, the entire repair cannot be completed until the problem
is resolved.
[0004] When replacing parts that join with electrical connectors,
there is a risk of connector breakage. For example, when a mechanic
replaces a pressure transducer there is a possibility that the
electrical connector will become damaged during removal of the old
transducer or insertion of the new transducer. In older models of
car, the plastic in the connector may have become aged and brittle
and snaps easily when disturbed during servicing. Some versions of
connector may seal tightly to the associated part and be difficult
to dislodge without damaging the connector.
[0005] Alternatively, the connector may short, damaging the
connector and the associated part but leaving the remainder of the
device attached to the connector intact. If this occurs, the
mechanic needs to order a pigtail connector compatible with the
part in order to replace the connector, along with compatible
repair materials and any seals used with the connector. This leads
to long wait times for the mechanic's customers due to the need to
identify, order, and ship a compatible pigtail and repair
materials. The customer may have already waited for some time while
the original replacement part was shipped, and now must wait again
while this second repair is carried out. As such, there is a need
for a consolidated kit which provides a part typically joined to an
electrical connector, a compatible pigtail connector and repair
supplies, allowing mechanics to immediately replace connectors
damaged during repairs without waiting to identify and order
replacements.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0006] FIG. 1 shows an example pigtail kit in accordance with a
preferred embodiment of the invention.
[0007] FIG. 2 shows an alternate pigtail kit containing a pressure
switch along with a compatible pigtail connector and repair
materials used to replace the connector in accordance with an
exemplary embodiment of the invention.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0008] It is an object of the present invention to provide a
comprehensive kit containing the parts necessary to replace and
seal a switch, relay, transducer, or sensor in a vehicle and
perform repairs to the corresponding connector using a pigtail.
[0009] It is another object of the present invention to provide a
consolidated kit containing all compatible parts and repair
supplies required to repair a part and connector damaged by an
electrical short.
[0010] It is another object of the present invention to provide a
set of kits containing the parts necessary to replace a part and
repair its corresponding connector, with the kits being
consolidated by make, model, and year of the vehicle being
repaired.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
[0011] FIG. 1 shows an example kit in accordance with a preferred
embodiment of the invention. The pigtail kit 100 contains an
assortment of parts required to repair a connector which are
compatible with a specific vehicle or set of vehicles. In FIG. 1,
the kit shown contains a pressure transducer 110, a compatible
pigtail connector 120, three butt splices 130, heat shrink tubing
140, and an O-ring seal 150.
[0012] In order to repair a shorted connector using the pigtail kit
100, a mechanic would first replace the pressure transducer 110 and
O-ring seal 150 with replacements from the kit. Next, the mechanic
cuts the wires of the connector, discards the severed portion
attached to the old connector, and strips away a short portion of
the insulation from the ends of the wires 260. Next, the exposed
ends of the wires 260 are inserted into the three butt splices 130.
The ends of the wires 260 of the pigtail connector 120 are
similarly inserted into the other ends of the three butt splices
130. The butt splices 130 are then crimped on each end so that the
wires remain in place. Heat shrink tubing 140 is then used to cover
the butt splices 130 and exposed wire. A heating tool is used on
the tubing to cause it to shrink into place, protecting the wire
from the environment and acting as a replacement for the wire
insulation that was stripped away. The pigtail connector 120 is
then attached to the pressure transducer 110.
[0013] Depending on the part and pigtail being replaced and the
make, model, and year of the vehicle, the contents of the kit will
vary. FIG. 2 shows an alternate pigtail kit 100 containing a
pressure switch 210 along with a compatible pigtail connector 220
and repair materials used to replace the connector in accordance
with an exemplary embodiment of the invention. The pigtail
connector 120, 220 must be a match with the connector it is
replacing so that it can successfully connect with the pressure
transducer 110, pressure switch 210, or relay being replaced. Some
parts, such as pressure transducers and pressure switches, require
a seal such as an O-ring seal 150 in order to prevent leakages and
avoid environmental contamination through the connection between
the pressure transducer or switch and the pressurized system being
measured. The size and type of seal will vary depending on the
part. For example, pressure transducers 110 are usually sealed with
O-ring seals 150, which may vary in size, material, and
thickness.
[0014] Different parts will have different numbers of wires running
from the connector which are cut during the replacement and must be
repaired. The end and connection points of the pressure transducer
160 and pressure switch 250 is shown in FIGS. 1 and 2. Pressure
transducers 110 typically have three wires, but some versions may
have all the wires bundled within a single piece of insulation.
Pressure switches 210 often have two wires. A relay for a signal
from the compartment of the vehicle may have 5 or more wires. Each
cut wire will need an independent butt splice 130, 230 to connect
its severed end with the corresponding end of the pigtail
connector, and will require a piece of heat shrink tubing 140, 240
to seal the wire against the environment. Depending on the
thickness of the insulation and the gauge of the wire, different
types of heat shrink tubing 140, 240 may be used to seal the wire
from the environment. Some butt splices 130, 230 may include heat
shrink tubing already attached to the butt splice and do not need
additional heat shrink tubing shipped in the kit. In some
embodiments, kits may include duplicate parts.
[0015] In other embodiments, the pigtail kit 100 may include the
items necessary to repair a shorted connector for other parts used
in a vehicle repairable with a pigtail. In one embodiment, the part
is a sensor such as a coolant temperature sensors, engine
management sensors, oil pressure sensors, or other similar sensors
repairable with a pigtail that would be apparent to a person of
ordinary skill in the art. In another embodiment, the part being
repaired may be a resistor, such as a blower motor resistor used to
control the speed of the fan in a vehicle's heating and air
conditioning system. Each embodiment would include the part to be
repaired, in combination with a corresponding pigtail connector
120, butt splices 130, and heat shrink tubing 140.
[0016] The diagrams in accordance with exemplary embodiments of the
present invention are provided as examples and should not be
construed to limit other embodiments within the scope of the
invention. For instance, heights, widths, and thicknesses may not
be to scale and should not be construed to limit the invention to
the particular proportions illustrated. Additionally some elements
illustrated in the singularity may actually be implemented in a
plurality. Further, some element illustrated in the plurality could
actually vary in count. Further, some elements illustrated in one
form could actually vary in detail. Further yet, specific numerical
data values (such as specific quantities, numbers, categories,
etc.) or other specific information should be interpreted as
illustrative for discussing exemplary embodiments. Such specific
information is not provided to limit the invention.
[0017] The above discussion is meant to be illustrative of the
principles and various embodiments of the present invention.
Numerous variations and modifications will become apparent to those
skilled in the art once the above disclosure is fully appreciated.
It is intended that the following claims be interpreted to embrace
all such variations and modifications.
* * * * *