IP Library › Granted Patent US 12695261
Granted Patent B1
US 12695261 · App. 19/429,420 · Granted Jul 28, 2026

Hand-manipulated tool for assembling electrical connectors

Inventor: Kevin King (Meridian, ID)
H01R43/22H01R43/005H01R43/26H02S40/36
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 12695261
App. No.
19/429,420
Granted
Jul 28, 2026
Kind
B1
Abstract

An electrical connector installation tool for PV cable electrical connectors. The electrical connector installation tool includes a separate end cap tool and main body tool. The end cap tool and the main body tool may be structured to be hand gripped and hand turned around their respective tool bodies. The main body tool may include a torque limiter that prevents overtightening of the screw-on end cap. To accommodate different electrical connectors of different sizes, or different types, the end cap tool may include a pair of end cap sockets positioned on opposite ends of a hollow interior within the end cap tool. For example, the end cap tool may be structured to engage an MC4-type PV electrical connector on one end and an H4-type PV electrical connector on the other end.

Claims (6)

1 . An electrical connector installation tool for assembling a photovoltaic (PV) electrical connector, the PV electrical connector including a main body and a screw-on end cap threadedly fastenable to the main body, the main body including a shroud surrounding an electrical contact, comprising:

a main body tool including an outer shell with an outside surface that is sized and shaped for hand-gripping and with a hollow interior, a cylindrical insert rotatable within the hollow interior of the outer shell, and a torque limiter within the hollow interior, structured to engage the cylindrical insert and allow rotation of the cylindrical insert when a predetermined torque limit is exceeded; and

the cylindrical insert is structured to receive and hold the shroud surrounding the electrical contact of a male PV electrical connector or a female PV electrical connector.

2 . The electrical connector installation tool of claim 1 , wherein: the cylindrical insert is structured to receive and hold the shroud surrounding the electrical contact of a male MC4-type PV electrical connector or a female MC4-type PV electrical connector and a pair of locking tabs of the female MC4-type PV electrical connector.

3 . The electrical connector installation tool of claim 1 , further including:

a cylindrical sleeve, the torque limiter is positioned within the cylindrical sleeve, the cylindrical sleeve is secured to the outer shell within the hollow interior.