Enhancing connectability among conductor elements

1. An electrical connector assembly comprising:

(a) an electrical conductor having (i) at least two conducting layers, wherein each conducting layer comprises multiple conductor strands, and (ii) a semi-conducting or insulating material disposed between the conductor strands;

(b) a connector having a housing that comprises (i) a first axis extending between a first end with a first opening and a second end, and (ii) a second axis transverse to the first axis, and (iii) an exterior surface;

(c) a socket cavity at least partially collocated with the first opening, wherein the socket cavity (i) extends along the first axis, (ii) defines an interior surface of the housing, and (iii) is sized to receive the electrical conductor; and

(d) a passage through the housing, wherein (i) the passage extends along the second axis from the housing exterior surface to the housing interior surface, and (ii) the passage is sized to accommodate a conductive fastener, wherein

(A) the conductive fastener comprises a first fastener penetrating end formed with a pointed tip, a second fastener end, and a fastener first length extending between the first fastener penetrating end and the second fastener end, and wherein

(B) the fastener first length is sized so that when the socket cavity receives the electrical conductor and the conductive fastener is secured within the passage, the first fastener penetrating end and at least part of the first conductive fastener length (i) extend into the socket cavity, (ii) extend into the electrical conductor between conductor strands and displace the conductor strands, and (iii) extend through the semi-conducting or insulating material to establish electrical communication with the at least two conducting layers.

2. The electrical connector assembly of claim 1 , wherein the conductive fastener is selected from the group consisting of a shear bolt, a screw, or a rivet.

3. The electrical connector assembly of claim 1 , wherein the conductive fastener is a shear bolt having a plurality of break points.

4. The electrical connector assembly of claim 1 , wherein the connector is a crimp connector.

5. The electrical connector assembly of claim 1 , wherein the passage is formed by driving the conductive fastener into the housing exterior surface.

6. The electrical connector assembly of claim 4 , wherein the passage is formed by driving the conductive fastener into the housing exterior surface.

7. The electrical connector assembly of claim 1 , wherein the assembly further comprises a second electrical conductor having (i) at least two conducting layers, wherein each conducting layer comprises multiple conductor strands, and (ii) a semi-conducting or insulating material disposed between the conductor strands:

(a) the housing second end includes a second opening;

(b) the socket cavity defines a channel extending from the first opening to the second opening, wherein the second opening is sized to receive the second electrical conductor;

(c) the passage defines an aperture on the housing exterior surface, wherein the aperture is located a first distance from the housing first end; and wherein

(d) the connector housing further comprises a second passage, wherein (i) the second passage extends along a third axis transverse to the first axis from the housing exterior surface to the housing interior surface, (ii) the second passage defines a second aperture on the housing exterior surface that is located a second distance from the first opening, wherein the second distance is greater than the first distance, and (iii) the second passage is sized to accommodate a second conductive fastener, wherein

(A) the second conductive fastener comprises a third fastener, penetrating end formed with a pointed tip, a fourth fastener end, and a fastener second length extending between the third fastener end and the fourth fastener end, and wherein

(B) the fastener second length is sized so that when the socket cavity receives the second electrical conductor and the second conductive fastener is secured within the second passage, the third fastener penetrating end and at least part of the second conductive fastener length (i) extends into the socket cavity, (ii) extends into the second electrical conductor between conductor strands and displaces the conductor strands, and (iii) extends through the semi-conducting or insulating material to establish electrical communication with the at least two conducting layers of the second electrical conductor.

8. The electrical connector assembly of claim 7 , wherein the conductive fastener is selected from the group consisting of a shear bolt, a screw, or a rivet.

9. The electrical connector assembly of claim 8 , wherein the second conductive fastener is selected from the group consisting of a shear bolt, a screw, or a rivet.

10. An electrical connector assembly comprising:

(a) an electrical conductor having

(ii) a first conducting layer and a second conducting layer, wherein the first conducting layer and the second conducting layer both comprise multiple conductor strands,

(ii) a semi-conducting or insulating material disposed between the conductor strands, and wherein

(iii) the first conducting layer comprises a cutaway segment defined by the removal of a portion of the multiple conductor strands and the semi-conducting or insulating material;

(b) a connector having a housing that comprises (i) a first axis extending between a first end with a first opening and a second end, and (ii) a second axis transverse to the first axis, and (iii) an exterior surface;

(c) a socket cavity at least partially collocated with the first opening, wherein the socket cavity (i) extends along the first axis, (ii) defines an interior surface of the housing, and (iii) is sized to receive the electrical conductor;

(d) a first passage through the housing, wherein (i) the first passage extends along the second axis from the housing exterior surface to the housing interior surface, and (ii) the first passage is sized to accommodate a first conductive fastener, wherein

(A) the first conductive fastener comprises a first fastener end, a second fastener end, and a fastener first length extending between the first fastener end and the second fastener end, and wherein

(B) the fastener first length is sized so that when the socket cavity receives the electrical conductor and the first conductive fastener is secured within the first passage, the first fastener end extends into the socket cavity and establishes electrical communication with the first conducting layer; and

(e) a second passage through the housing, wherein (i) the second passage extends along the second axis from the housing exterior surface to the housing interior surface, and (ii) the second passage is sized to accommodate a second conductive fastener, wherein

(A) the second conductive fastener comprises a third fastener end, a fourth fastener end, and a fastener second length extending between the third fastener end and the fourth fastener end, and wherein

(B) the fastener second length is sized so that when the socket cavity receives the electrical conductor and the second conductive fastener is secured within the second passage, the third fastener end extends into the socket cavity and establishes electrical communication with a second conducting layer.

11. The electrical connector assembly of claim 10 , wherein:

(a) when the socket cavity receives the electrical conductor, the second passage is aligned with the cutaway segment; and wherein

(b) the conductive fastener establishes electrical communication with the second conducting layer by extending through the second passage and through the cutaway segment to engage the second conducting layer.

12. The electrical connector assembly of claim 11 , wherein:

(a) the first conducting layer and the second conducting layer are concentric; and wherein

(b) the cutaway segment is a notch.

13. The electrical connector assembly of claim 11 , wherein:

(a) the first conducting layer and the second conducting layer are concentric; and wherein

(b) the cutaway segment has a segment length extending along the first axis, and the cutaway segment is formed by removing the entire cross section of the first conducting layer across the segment length.

14. The electrical connector assembly of claim 10 , wherein:

(a) the first conducting layer and the second conducting layer are concentric;

(b) the cutaway segment has a segment length extending along the first axis, and the cutaway segment is formed by removing the entire cross section of the first conducting layer across the segment length;

(c) a conductive shim is disposed about the second conducting layer at least partially within the cutaway segment, wherein the conductive shim is in electrical communication with the second conducting layer; and wherein

(d) the second conductive fastener is in electrical communication with the second conducting layer by extending through the second passage to engage the conductive shim.

15. The electrical connector assembly of claim 10 , wherein:

(a) a conductive shim disposed at least partially within the cutaway segment, wherein the conductive shim is in electrical communication with the second conducting layer;

(b) the second conductive fastener establishes electrical communication with the second conducting layer by extending through the second passage to engage the conductive shim.

16. The electrical connector assembly of claim 10 , wherein:

(a) a conductive shim is disposed about the first conducting layer at least partially within the cutaway segment and disposed about the second conducting layer, wherein the conductive shim is in electrical communication with both the first conducting layer and the second conducting layer; and wherein

(b) the second conductive fastener establishes electrical communication with both the first conducting layer and the second conducting layer by extending through the second passage to engage the conductive shim.

17. The electrical connector assembly of claim 15 , wherein the conductive shim is formed from a malleable material.

18. The electrical connector assembly of claim 15 , wherein the conductive shim comprises (i) an elongated hollow body having a longitudinal axis and a shim length, and (ii) a slit in the hollow body, wherein the slit extends in the direction of the longitudinal axis and has a slit length that is less than the shim length.

19. A method for establishing an electrical connection comprising the steps of:

(a) providing an electrical conductor having at least two conducting layers, wherein each conducing layer comprises multiple conductor strands;

(b) providing a connector having a housing comprising:

(i) a first axis extending between a first end with a first opening and a second end,

(ii) a second axis transverse to the first axis,

(iii) an exterior surface;

(iv) a socket cavity at least partially collocated with the first opening, wherein the socket cavity (A) extends along the first axis, (B) defines an interior surface of the housing, and (C) is sized to receive the electrical conductor; and

(v) a first passage through the housing, wherein (A) the first passage extends along the second axis from the housing exterior surface to the housing interior surface, and (B) the first passage is sized to accommodate a first conductive fastener;

(c) providing the first conductive fastener comprising first fastener penetrating end formed with a pointed tip, a second fastener end, and a fastener first length extending between the first fastener end and the second fastener end;

(d) inserting the electrical conductor into the first opening and into the socket cavity; and

(e) inserting the first conductive fastener into the first passage to a depth such that the first conductive fastener penetrating end and at least a portion of the fastener first length (i) extend into the socket cavity, and (ii) extend into the electrical conductor between conductor strands and displace the conductor strands to establish electrical communication with the at least two conducting layers.

20. The method for establishing an electrical connection of claim 19 , wherein:

(a) the connector housing further comprises a second passage through the housing, wherein (A) the second passage extends along the second axis from the housing exterior surface to the housing interior surface, and (B) the second passage is sized to accommodate a second conductive fastener,

(b) the electrical conductor comprises a first conducting layer having a cutaway segment defined by the removal of a portion of the conductor strands and the semi-conducting or insulating material and a second conducting layer;

(c) the first conductive fastener establishes electrical communication with the first conducting layer by extending through the first passage to engage the first conducting layer; and

(d) the second conductive fastener establishes electrical communication with the second conducting layer by extending through the second passage and into the cutaway segment to engage the second conducting layer.

21. The method for establishing an electrical connection of claim 20 , wherein the method further comprises the steps of:

(a) providing a conductive shim; and

(b) installing the conductive shim at least partially within the cutaway segment, wherein (A) the conductive shim is in electrical communication with a second conducting layer, and wherein (B) the second conductive fastener establishes electrical communication with the second conducting layer by extending through the second passage to engage the conductive shim within the cutaway segment.