Claims:We Claim:

1. A connector claw comprising a hollow circular base and an array of projections along the circumference of the circular base, the circular base and the array of projection together form a single unitary piece, the single unitary piece having a first side and a second side, wherein the first side made of a circular profile for allowing a cable to flow freely, and the array of projections extending outwardly from the first side having a triangular end forming the second side, the triangular end extending inwardly on the second side facilitates the clamping of the cable in order to prevent it from breakage due to an external force.

2. The connector claw of claim 1, wherein the projections are tangential on the circumference on the second side of base portion of connector claw.

3. The connector claw of claim 1 is made of polycarbonate material.

4. The connector claw of claim 1, wherein the number of projections on the second side of base portion of connector claw is 12.

5. The connector claw of claim 1, wherein the array of projections has an equally spaced recessed portion in between them to allow a nut cap to facilitate clamping of the cable.

6. The connector claw of any one of the preceding claims facilitates ingress protection of dust and water, the connector claw includes a silicone seal assist in complete sealing after the Nut is tightened.

7. The connector assembly configured to be coupled to a photovoltaic (PV) module comprising:
a male connector at one end; a female connector at the other end; a connector claw at a male and a female end; and a nut cap,
wherein a connector claw comprising a hollow circular base and an array of projections along the circumference of the circular base, the circular base and the array of projection together form a single unitary piece, the single unitary piece having a first side and a second side, wherein the first side made of a circular profile for allowing a cable to flow freely, and the array of projections extending outwardly from the first side having a triangular end forming the second side, the triangular end extending inwardly on the second side facilitates the clamping of the cable in order to prevent it from breakage due to an external force.
, Description:FORM 2
THE PATENTS ACT, 1970
(39 of 1970)
&
THE PATENTS RULES, 2003
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION
(See section 10, rule 13)

“A CONNECTOR CLAW”

By
Fancy Fittings Ltd.
145/259, Minerva Industrial Estate, Off Sewri Bunder Road, Sewri, East,
Mumbai 400015

The following specification particularly describes the invention and the manner in which it is to be performed.

Field of the invention
The present invention relates to a connector of a photovoltaic junction box and more particularly, the connector claw of a male and a female connector.

Background of the invention
With the depletion of natural resources and the concept on earth environmental protection emerging, the next immediate source of clean, abundant and renewable energy is the sun. Solar power with its longevity, non-contamination and safety properties has become an alternative energy source for every country seeking a green earth, practically leading to energy saving and carbon reduction .Other significant environmental benefits include reduction in air pollution from burning fossil fuels, reduction in water and land use from power generation plants, reduction in the storage of waste by products and moreover solar energy produces no noise. The worldwide growth of energy demand is leading to a durable increase in energy cost. In addition, it is now well established that the fossil energy reserves currently being used to generate electricity are rapidly being depleted. These growing impediments to conventional commercial power generation make solar modules a more attractive option to pursue.
Solar modules or photovoltaic (PV) modules, convert energy from sunlight received into direct current (DC). The PV modules cannot store the electrical energy they produce, so the energy must either be dispersed to an energy storage system, such as a battery or pumped hydroelectricity storage, or dispersed by a load. One option to use the energy produced is to employ inverters to convert the DC current into an alternating current (AC) and couple the AC current to the commercial power grid. The power produced by such a distributed generation (DG) system can then be sold to the commercial power company, or used to offset local consumption of electricity by local loads.
The Junction boxes are typically used to electrically connect PV modules to an electrical power distribution system for distributing the electricity generated by the PV modules. Junction boxes may also be used to connect PV modules together, for example in series and/or parallel, to create a PV panel or an array of PV panels. Each junction box is mounted on the corresponding PV module and is electrically connected to the power distribution system and/or another PV module via one or more electrical cables. The electrical cables are terminated by electrical connectors that mate with the junction box to electrically connect the cables thereto.
One of the largest concerns to PV panel manufacturers is reliability. The junction box with connectors attached to the back of the panel must remain in good working condition for the entire service life of the module. The connectors are however prone to axial pull-out or dislocation from the junction box placing strain on the electrical connection between various conductors carried by the conduits thereby disrupting the flow of energy. When cables are subject to repeated physical manipulations that exert bend and strain forces on the cable, the cable can eventually break or tear. The cables used in connection with connector are generally more susceptible to breakage because they are more frequently handled by being bent, pulled, tangled, or wrapped. Moreover, the connectors used to connect wires at individual terminals result in constant friction and pulling causing damage to the components such as connector claw. So the cable manufacturers have conventionally used strain-relief devices/mechanisms as connector claw to ease the stress burden on cables.
However, many of the conventional strain-relief devices are ineffective as subjected to wear and tear. It is therefore essential that not only the conduit connector or connectors terminate in the junction box, but that measures are taken to prevent axial pull-out /dislocation/damage of the connector claw. The strain relief device was utilized to alleviate cable stresses; the device housing was clamped around the cable and threaded into the panelling. Due to increased stress, the teeth of the claw which are straight in shape often break due to movement and friction of the cables. Thus, the connector claw shape and structure is important to increase the endurance claw life. So, there is a need for a connector claw that are capable of being constructed in a more simple and/or cost-efficient manner with respect to known connector of junction box.

Summary of the Invention
An aspect of the present invention is to address at least the above-mentioned problems and/or disadvantages and to provide at least the advantages described below.
Accordingly, in one aspect of the present invention relates to a unitary connector claw of a connector claw of a male and a female connector, according to one embodiment of the present invention. The connector claw moulded from polycarbonate material having a first side and a second side. On the first side includes a hollow circular base and an array of 12 projections along the circumference of the circular base. The projections have a triangular end forming the second side of the connector claw. The first side and the second side together form a single unitary piece connector claw. The first side includes a circular profile and the array of projections extending outwardly from the first side to allow a cable to flow freely through it. The projections having the triangular end extend inwardly on the second side to in order to facilitate the clamping of the cable through it. The projections along the circumference are tangential to prevent the claw projections from breakage due to an external force. The connector claw to grip the cable it holds, and to prevent it from any stress by way of friction against the inner walls of the connection. The projections are equally spaced recession portion in between them to allow a nut cap to expedite clamping of the cable. In an alternate embodiment, the projections of the connector claw may be of any number of array and unequally spaced which depends on the usability in the industry. A skilled person in the art will appreciate that any number of array whether equally or unequally spaced may be modified without limiting the functionality. In this present embodiment invention, the number of array has 12 projection and are equally spaced.
In another embodiment, the connector assembly is configured to be coupled to a photovoltaic (PV) module comprising of a male connector at one end and a female connector at the other end. The connector claw be quickly and easily mounts to a connector to accommodate wires, cords and cables of varying types, materials, and construction. The connector claw having a good retention of the wires to both normal and torsional forces applied at the PV panel. The connector claw of polycarbonate material is attached to both ends of the male and the female connector ends to facilitate clamping of the cable with a nut cap. The connector claw includes two sides, a first side and a second side. The connector claw has a hollow circular base to allow the cable an easy entry point on the first side, and an array of projections along the circumference to form an individual unitary piece. The projections are tangential along the circumference having a triangular ends extending inwardly in a tangential manner making a second side to firmly clamp the cable due to stretching or pulling.
Other aspects, advantages, and salient features of the invention will become apparent to those skilled in the art from the following detailed description, which, taken in conjunction with the annexed drawings, discloses exemplary embodiments of the invention.

Brief description of the drawings
The above and other aspects, features, and advantages of certain exemplary embodiments of the present invention will be more apparent from the following description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings in which:
Figure 1 illustrates a block diagram of an exemplary a series of photovoltaic device with a junction box and a connector, according to one embodiment of the present invention.
Figure 2A and 2B illustrates a two dimensional view of a connector assembly for a photovoltaic junction box, according to one embodiment of the present invention.
Figure 2B illustrates an exploded view of a connector assembly for a photovoltaic junction box, according to one embodiment of the present invention.
Figure 3 illustrates a perspective view of a connector claw of a male and a female connector, according to one embodiment of the present invention.
Persons skilled in the art will appreciate that elements in the figures are illustrated for simplicity and clarity and may have not been drawn to scale. For example, the dimensions of some of the elements in the figure may be exaggerated relative to other elements to help to improve understanding of various exemplary embodiments of the present disclosure.
Throughout the drawings, it should be noted that like reference numbers are used to depict the same or similar elements, features, and structures.

Description of the invention
The following description with reference to the accompanying drawings is provided to assist in a comprehensive understanding of exemplary embodiments of the invention as defined by the claims and their equivalents. It includes various specific details to assist in that understanding but these are to be regarded as merely exemplary. Accordingly, those of ordinary skill in the art will recognize that various changes and modifications of the embodiments described herein can be made without departing from the scope and spirit of the invention. In addition, descriptions of well-known functions and constructions are omitted for clarity and conciseness.
The terms and words used in the following description and claims are not limited to the bibliographical meanings, but, are merely used by the inventor to enable a clear and consistent understanding of the invention. Accordingly, it should be apparent to those skilled in the art that the following description of exemplary embodiments of the present invention are provided for illustration purpose only and not for the purpose of limiting the invention as defined by the appended claims and their equivalents. It is to be understood that the singular forms “a,” “an,” and “the” include plural referents unless the context clearly dictates otherwise. Thus, for example, reference to “a component surface” includes reference to one or more of such surfaces.
In a Photovoltaic (PV) solar application, signals (e.g., current, voltage) from a number of solar panels are fed individually into a single collector. Often, the collector includes a junction box or similar components. The collector integrates all of the individual signals from each of the solar panels into a single signal. Further, one or more protection schemes (e.g., ground fault, overcurrent) can be integrated into such a circuit. The electrical connectors are used in a number of different electrical applications. For example, electrical connectors are used in photovoltaic (PV) solar applications to electrically couple a PV solar panel to a solar collector. In such a case, an electrical connector can be used for one or more of a variety of purposes, including but are not limited to protective schemes, signal control, signal delivery, power supply, and power regulation. Because of the number of connections required for such a circuit, installation can require a number of additional components (e.g., conduit, junction boxes) and/or steps (e.g., crimping conductors to conductor terminals) that add to the cost of installation, the time to install, the difficulty of installing, and the difficulty in maintaining and troubleshooting.
Figure 1 illustrates a block diagram of an exemplary a series of photovoltaic modules connection, according to one embodiment of the invention. The present invention relates to a connector of a solar power junction box, and more particularly a connector claw of a male and a female connector configured to interconnect photovoltaic (PV) modules to an energy delivery system. Photovoltaic (PV) 102 modules include PV cells that convert light energy (e.g., solar energy) into electrical energy. Several PV modules 102 may be interconnected to each other in an array. For example, a building roof or another type of support structure may hold numerous PV modules 102 arranged side-by-side and interconnected to each other. The PV modules 102 are generally electrically connected to an energy system through corresponding junction boxes. The junction box 104 is an enclosure on the module where the PV strings are electrically connected and is attached to the back of the solar panel with silicon adhesive. The junction boxes 104 are typically used to electrically connect a number of PV modules 102 to each other and to an electrical power distribution system. The junction boxes 104 are connected to the PV modules 102 by way of connectors 106, 108 which establish electrical contact between the terminals of various cables running through one or more conduits in the junction box 104. With the use of a junction box 104, it becomes easy to connect the solar panel to an array.
The connection cable consists of a first end 112 and a second end 114; a first socket 116 is connected at the first end 112 and electrically connected with the female pin of male connector 106 of a first photovoltaic device 118; and a second socket 120 connected to the electrical wire at the second end 114 and electrically connected with the male pin of the second electrical connector 108 of a second photovoltaic device 122. The first photovoltaic device 118 is electrically connected in a series to the second photovoltaic device 122. The connectors allow strings of panels to be easily constructed by pushing the connectors 106, s108 from adjacent panels 110 together by hand, but require a tool to disconnect them to ensure they do not accidentally disconnect when the cables are pulled.
Figure 2A and 2B illustrates a two dimensional and exploded view of a connector assembly for a photovoltaic junction box, according to one embodiment of the present invention. The assembly includes a female plug/connector 202, a male plug/connector 204 and a nut 206. The female plug/connector 202 and male plug/connector 204 includes of an insulation shell body 208, a choke plug 210 and a connector claw 212 ready to be plugged together. The insulation shell body 208 is provided with a sealed opening, the choke plug 210 is made of rubbers and the connector claw 212 is made of polycarbonate material. Usually cables with a female 202 and male plug/connector 204 at the end are used.
Each connector 200 contains a female 202 and male plug/connector 204. A female 202 and a male plug/connector 204 are single-contact electrical connectors commonly used for connecting solar panels. The two thin tabs on the male connector 204, on the right, lock into holes cut into the shell of the female connector 202. The male connector 204 has two plastic fingers that have to be pressed toward the central probe slightly to insert into holes in the front of the female connector 202. When, the two are pushed together, the fingers slide down the holes until they reach a notch which cuts into the side of the female connector 202, where they pop outward to lock the two together. Because the tabs are on the inside the male connector's shell when connected, they cannot be accidentally released.
Figure 3 illustrates a perspective view of a connector claw of a male and a female connector, according to one embodiment of the present invention. In an embodiment, a connector claw 300 moulded from polycarbonate material having a first side 302 and a second side 304, includes a hollow circular base and an array of 12 projections 306 along the circumference of the circular base on the first side 302. The projections 306 having a triangular end 308 forming a second side 304. The first side 302 and the second side 304 both together form a single unitary piece. The first side 302 includes a circular profile and the array of projections 306 extending outwardly from the first side 302 to allow a cable to flow freely through it. The projections having the triangular end 308 extend inwardly on the second side 304 to in order to facilitate the clamping of the cable through it. The projections along the circumference are tangential to prevent the claw projections from breakage due to an external force. The connector claw to grip the cable it holds, and to prevent it from any stress by way of friction against the inner walls of the connection. The projections are equally spaced recession portion 310 in between them to allow a nut cap to expedite clamping of the cable.
In another embodiment, the connector assembly is configured to be coupled to a photovoltaic (PV) module comprising of a male connector at one end and a female connector at the other end. The connector claw be quickly and easily mounts to a connector to accommodate wires, cords and cables along with a silicon seal of varying types, materials, and construction. The connector claw having a good retention of the wires to both normal and torsional forces applied at the PV panel. The connector claw of polycarbonate material is attached to both ends of the male and the female connector ends to facilitate clamping of the cable and ingress protection against dust and water with the help of a nut cap. The connector claw 300 includes two sides, a first side and a second side. Connector claw having a hollow circular base to allow the cable an easy entry point on the first side 302, and an array of projections 304 along the circumference to form an individual unitary piece. The projections are tangential along the circumference having a triangular ends 308 extending inwardly in a tangential manner making a second side 304 to firmly clamp the cable due to stretching or pulling.