Abstract: A cable connector wire guide and a connector assembly including the same. The wire guide includes first and second portions defining a cable opening. The first and second portions are configured to allow for expansion of the cable opening to allow cables of different dimensions to be received within the cable opening.

Abstract: A cable connector wire guide and a connector assembly including the same. The wire guide includes first and second portions defining a cable opening. The first and second portions are configured to allow for expansion of the cable opening to allow cables of different dimensions to be received within the cable opening.

Abstract: An insulation displacement connector (IDC) suitable for making an electrical connection to an electrical cable having first and second elongate electrodes separated by a polymer. The IDC is in the form of a fork having first and second tines separated from one another by a slot and connected at a base. Extending from the closed end of the slot, along part of the base, is a beveled groove with a cutting edge. The IDC may be used in an assembly which contains an insulation displacement connector (IDC) module with first and second piercing members, each of which contains an IDC. The IDC module can be mated with a wire guide module, so that when the cable is inserted into the wire guide module and the wire guide module and IDC module are secured, the first piercing member contacts and makes electrical connection to the first elongate electrode and the second piercing member contacts and makes electrical connection to the second elongate electrode.

Abstract: An electrical plug for connecting an electrical cable such as an electrical heating cable to an electrical power outlet. Contained within the housing of the plug are first and second contact members which comprise a first prong and a second prong, respectively, each prong being suitable for insertion into a socket of an electrical power outlet. A cutting module and a cutting element which fits within the cutting module are used to remove polymer, e.g. insulation or a conductive polymer composition, from the first and second electrodes of the cable at the end of the cable in order to make electrical connection from the electrodes to the first and second contact members. Present within the cutting module are first and second electrode-contact sections positioned on the concave arcuate inner surface of the wall of a cavity in the cutting module. The electrode-contact sections can be electrically connected to the first and second contact members.

Abstract: A melt-extrudable conductive polymer composition which contains a polymer, a particulate conductive filler, and a particulate nonconductive filler. When a standard strip heater is made from the composition and tested in a UL VW-1 test, it has comparable performance to a heater made from a second composition which is the same as the composition but which does not contain the nonconductive filler. When tested in a standard arcing fault test, the standard heater will trip a fuse in less time than is required by the second heater, i.e. in less than 30 seconds. In some embodiments, the composition also comprises a flame retardant, preferably a halogenated flame retardant. When strip heaters prepared from these compositions are tested in a standard arc propagation test, an arc will not propagate. A preferred nonconductive filler is Sb.sub.2 O.sub.3.

Abstract: A cutting module and a cutting element which fits within the cutting module are used to remove polymer, e.g. insulation or a conductive polymer composition, from the first and second electrodes of the cable at the end of the cable in order to make electrical connection from the electrodes to the first and second contact members of an electrical plug. Present within the cutting module are first and second electrode-contact sections positioned on the concave arcuate inner surface of the wall of a cavity in the cutting module. The electrode-contact sections can be electrically connected to the first and second contact members. The cutting element comprises a cutting wedge which has (a) a convex arcuate outer surface which complements the inner surface of the wall of the cutting module, and (b) piercing means suitable for penetrating the polymer.

Abstract: An electrical plug for connecting an electrical cable such as an electrical heating cable to an electrical power outlet. Contained within the housing of the plug are first and second contact members which comprise a first prong and a second prong, respectively, each prong being suitable for insertion into a socket of an electrical power outlet. A cutting module and a cutting element which fits within the cutting module are used to remove polymer, e.g. insulation or a conductive polymer composition, from the first and second electrodes of the cable at the end of the cable in order to make electrical connection from the electrodes to the first and second contact members. Present within the cutting module are first and second electrode-contact sections positioned on the concave arcuate inner surface of the wall of a cavity in the cutting module. The electrode-contact sections can be electrically connected to the first and second contact members.