IP Library Granted Patent US 10,826,253
Granted Patent B2
US 10,826,253 · App. 16/815,102 · Granted Nov 3, 2020

One-piece electrical fitting for snap connection

Inventor: Thomas J. Gretz (Delray Beach, FL)
Assignee: ARLINGTON INDUSTRIES, INC.
H01R13/745H01R4/64H01R13/111H01R13/655H01R13/743H02G3/0625
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 10,826,253
App. No.
16/815,102
Granted
Nov 3, 2020
Kind
B2
Abstract

A one-piece electrical fitting for connecting an electrical cable to a junction box, the electrical fitting formed from a single, flat blank of metal into a cylindrical connector body. The connector body includes a leading end having an exit bore, a trailing end, a cap, an inner bore, and one or more combination tangs including grounding tangs, locking tangs, and flanges extending radially outward from the connector body. According to one embodiment, the trailing end of the fitting includes a rolled edge, and the leading end includes a recessed lip for accommodating an insulating liner within the exit bore. The exit bore in the cap is offset to one side with cable retaining tangs on the fitting configured to push toward the exit bore in order to ease insertion of cables and conductors through the fitting. In a further embodiment, the fitting includes two combination tangs that are positioned 180 degrees apart radially on the fitting body to facilitate easier snap-in insertion into the knockout hole of an electrical box.

Claims (51)

1. A one-piece electrical fitting, comprising:

a tubular connector body having a leading end, a trailing end, an outer circumference, and a bore;

one or more combination tangs extending outwardly from the tubular connector body;

said combination tangs including at least one locking tang and at least one grounding tang;

one or more cable retaining tangs extending inwardly from the tubular connector body;

a cap forming the leading end;

said cap including a recessed portion and an exit bore;

a central axis on the fitting;

a central axis on the exit bore;

the central axis of the exit bore is offset from the central axis of the fitting; and

the one or more cable retaining tangs of the fitting push or direct a cable toward the exit bore.

2. The one-piece electrical fitting of claim 1 , comprising a lip extending inward from said recessed portion of the cap to the exit bore.

3. The one-piece electrical fitting of claim 2 , comprising:

a tubular insert seated on the lip and within the exit bore of the fitting; and

said lip recessing said tubular insert within said leading end of said fitting.

4. The one-piece electrical fitting of claim 1 , wherein the cap includes a narrow aspect and a wide aspect.

5. The one-piece electrical fitting of claim 1 , comprising:

said one or more combination tangs including two combination tangs; and

said combination tangs are arranged 180° apart on the outer circumference of the connector body.

6. A one-piece electrical fitting, comprising:

a tubular connector body having a leading end, a trailing end, an outer circumference, and a bore;

one or more combination tangs extending outwardly from the tubular connector body;

said combination tangs including at least one locking tang and one grounding tang;

one or more cable retaining tangs extending inwardly from the tubular connector body;

a cap forming the leading end;

a rolled edge on said trailing end of said connector body;

a notch on the trailing end of the connector body;

a tab on the leading end of the connector body;

said tab is bent over the leading end of the connector body at the notch;

a longitudinal seam including two joined edges;

a first of said edges including edge tabs and paired edge tabs;

a second of said edges including slots for accepting said edge tabs; and

the joined edges are locked flush together in a gap-free locking arrangement of edge tabs extending into corresponding slots.

7. A one-piece electrical fitting, comprising:

a tubular connector body having a leading end, a trailing end, an outer circumference, and a cap including an exit bore at said leading end;

a recessed lip at said leading end of said connector body;

a tubular insert in said exit bore;

a central axis on the fitting and a central axis on the exit bore, and said central axis of said exit bore is offset from said central axis of said fitting.

8. The one-piece electrical fitting of claim 7 , comprising:

one or more cable retaining tangs extending inwardly from the tubular connector body; and

said one or more cable retaining tangs of the fitting push or direct a cable toward the exit bore.

9. The one-piece electrical fitting of claim 7 , comprising:

two combination tangs extending outwardly from the tubular connector body; and

said combination tangs are arranged 180° apart on the outer circumference of the connector body.

10. The one-piece electrical fitting of claim 7 , comprising a rolled edge on said trailing end of said connector body.

11. The one-piece electrical fitting of claim 10 , wherein said rolled edge is rolled from the inner circumference of the connector body to the outer circumference of the connector body.

12. The one-piece electrical fitting of claim 7 , wherein the cap includes a narrow aspect and a wide aspect.

13. The one-piece electrical fitting of claim 9 further comprising at least one locking tang and one grounding tang on said combination tang.

14. The one-piece electrical fitting of claim 13 further comprising:

a flange on said combination tang; and

a seat between said flange and said locking tang.

Assignments (2)
SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Apr 1, 2026
From: ARLINGTON INDUSTRIES, LLC
To: ANTARES CAPITAL LP
Reel/Frame 075416/0848 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Mar 11, 2020
From: GRETZ, THOMAS J
To: ARLINGTON INDUSTRIES, INC.
Reel/Frame 052078/0653 →
Continuity (4)
Continuation 16451069 · Jun 25, 2019
Continuation 15991726 · May 29, 2018
Continuation 15648567 · Jul 13, 2017
Related Publication 20200212638A1 · Jul 2, 2020