Loadbreaking electrical connector probe with enhanced threading and related methods

1. A loadbreak electrical connector comprising:

a housing having first and second intersecting passageways therein;

a conductive member to be received in the first passageway, said conductive member having a first end to receive a cable end and having a transverse internally threaded opening adjacent a second end thereof being accessible via the second passageway; and

a loadbreak probe to be received in the second passageway, said loadbreak probe having an externally threaded end to be threaded into the transverse internally threaded opening of said conductive member;

said externally threaded end comprising a proximal portion and a self-aligning, anti-cross threading tip connected thereto;

said proximal portion comprising a proximal shaft having a constant predetermined diameter and a proximal helical rib extending radially outwardly a first distance from said proximal shaft;

said self-aligning, anti-cross threading tip comprising a distal shaft connected to said proximal shaft and a distal helical rib connected to said proximal helical rib and extending radially outwardly from said distal shaft a second distance less than the first distance, said distal helical rib also terminating prior to an end of said distal shaft to define an unthreaded lead-in.

2. The loadbreak electrical connector of claim 1 wherein said proximal portion of said externally threaded end has a length matching a depth of the transverse internally threaded opening of the conductive member.

3. The loadbreak electrical connector of claim 1 wherein said distal helical rib has a rounded over outer shape.

4. The loadbreak electrical connector of claim 1 wherein said distal helical rib has a flat outer shape.

5. The loadbreak electrical connector of claim 1 wherein said distal shaft has an enlarged diameter along the unthreaded lead-in.

6. The loadbreak electrical connector of claim 1 wherein said conductive member comprises a compressible tubular body and a conductive tab connected thereto.

7. The loadbreak electrical connector of claim 1 wherein said housing has an elbow shape.

8. The loadbreak electrical connector of claim 1 wherein said housing comprises an innermost semiconductive layer, an intermediate insulation layer, and an outermost semiconductive layer.

9. A loadbreak probe for a loadbreak electrical connector comprising a housing having first and second intersecting passageways therein, a conductive member to be received in the first passageway, the conductive member having a first end to receive a cable end and having a transverse internally threaded opening adjacent a second end thereof being accessible via the second passageway, the loadbreak probe to be received in the second passageway and comprising:

a loadbreak probe body; and

an externally threaded end connected to said loadbreak probe body to be threaded into the transverse internally threaded opening of the conductive member;

said externally threaded end comprising a proximal portion and a self-aligning, anti-cross threading tip connected thereto;

said proximal portion comprising a proximal shaft having a constant predetermined diameter and a proximal helical rib extending radially outwardly a first distance from said proximal shaft;

said self-aligning, anti-cross threading tip comprising a distal shaft connected to said proximal shaft and a distal helical rib connected to said proximal helical rib and extending radially outwardly from said distal shaft a second distance less than the first distance, said distal helical rib also terminating prior to an end of said distal shaft to define an unthreaded lead-in.

10. The loadbreak probe of claim 9 wherein said proximal portion of said externally threaded end has a length matching a depth of the transverse internally threaded opening of the conductive member.

11. The loadbreak probe of claim 9 wherein said distal helical rib has a rounded over outer shape.

12. The loadbreak probe of claim 9 wherein said distal helical rib has a flat outer shape.

13. The loadbreak probe of claim 9 wherein said distal shaft has an enlarged diameter along the unthreaded lead-in.

14. A method for making loadbreak electrical connector comprising:

forming a housing having first and second intersecting passageways therein;

forming a conductive member to be received in the first passageway, the conductive member having a first end to receive a cable end and having a transverse internally threaded opening adjacent a second end thereof being accessible via the second passageway; and

forming a loadbreak probe to be received in the second passageway, the loadbreak probe having an externally threaded end to be threaded into the transverse internally threaded opening of the conductive member;

the externally threaded end comprising a proximal portion and a self-aligning, anti-cross threading tip connected thereto;

the proximal portion comprising a proximal shaft having a constant predetermined diameter and a proximal helical rib extending radially outwardly a first distance from the proximal shaft;

the self-aligning, anti-cross threading tip comprising a distal shaft connected to the proximal shaft and a distal helical rib connected to the proximal helical rib and extending radially outwardly from the distal shaft a second distance less than the first distance, the distal helical rib also terminating prior to an end of the distal shaft to define an unthreaded lead-in.

15. The method of claim 14 wherein the proximal portion of the externally threaded end has a length matching a depth of the transverse internally threaded opening of the conductive member.

16. The method of claim 14 wherein the distal helical rib has a rounded over outer shape.

17. The method of claim 14 wherein the distal helical rib has a flat outer shape.

18. The method of claim 14 wherein the distal shaft has an enlarged diameter along the unthreaded lead-in.