1. An access port comprising:
a tubular member having a through-hole passing therethrough in an axial direction;
a needle-like member having a tip pointing toward a rear end of the tubular member and mounted to an outer surface of the tubular member; and
a manipulating means for switching between a state in which the tip is projected and a state in which the tip is not projected.
2. The access port according to claim 1, wherein the manipulating means switches between a state in which the tip is projected radially outwards from the outer surface of the tubular member and a state in which the tip is not projected therefrom.
3. The access port according to claim 1, wherein a plurality of the needle-like members are provided at intervals in a circumferential direction of the tubular member.
4. The access port according to claim 1, further comprising a recess provided in the outer surface of the tubular member and accommodating the tip in a state in which the tip is not projected radially outwards from the outer surface of the tubular member.
5. The access port according to claim 1, wherein
the needle-like member includes a rotary shaft extending in the axial direction and a needle portion provided by bending a distal end of the rotary shaft and having the tip at the distal end; and
the manipulating means includes a handle provided at a rear end of the rotary shaft and causing the rotary shaft to rotate about the axis thereof.
6. The access port according to claim 1, wherein
a level-difference recessed radially inwards is provided in the outer surface of the tubular member;
the needle-like member is disposed at a shoulder portion of the level-difference; and
the manipulating means is a cap that can move between a position at which the cap approaches the tip from the rear of the tip to cover the tip and a position at which the tip is exposed.
7. The access port according to claim 1, wherein
a recess recessed radially inwards is provided in the outer surface of the tubular member;
the needle-like member is disposed on an inner surface of the recess; and
the manipulating means includes an object that is inserted in a gap between the needle-like member and a bottom surface of the recess, the inserted object moving along the longitudinal direction of the needle-like member and being thicker than the gap.
8. The access port according to claim 1, wherein
the needle-like member is provided such that the tip is exposed outside the tubular member and so as to be swiveled about a hinge shaft extending in a tangential direction of the tubular member; and
the manipulating means switches the tip to a state in which the tip is not projected by pushing a base end of the needle-like member radially outwards from the through-hole side.
9. The access port according to claim 2, further comprising a recess provided in the outer surface of the tubular member and accommodating the tip in a state in which the tip is not projected radially outwards from the outer surface of the tubular member.
10. The access port according to claim 3, further comprising a recess provided in the outer surface of the tubular member and accommodating the tip in a state in which the tip is not projected radially outwards from the outer surface of the tubular member.
11. The access port according to claim 2, wherein
the needle-like member includes a rotary shaft extending in the axial direction and a needle portion provided by bending a distal end of the rotary shaft and having the tip at the distal end; and
the manipulating means includes a handle provided at a rear end of the rotary shaft and causing the rotary shaft to rotate about the axis thereof.
12. The access port according to claim 3, wherein
the needle-like member includes a rotary shaft extending in the axial direction and a needle portion provided by bending a distal end of the rotary shaft and having the tip at the distal end; and
the manipulating means includes a handle provided at a rear end of the rotary shaft and causing the rotary shaft to rotate about the axis thereof.
13. The access port according to claim 4, wherein
the needle-like member includes a rotary shaft extending in the axial direction and a needle portion provided by bending a distal end of the rotary shaft and having the tip at the distal end; and
the manipulating means includes a handle provided at a rear end of the rotary shaft and causing the rotary shaft to rotate about the axis thereof.
14. The access port according to claim 2, wherein
a level-difference recessed radially inwards is provided in the outer surface of the tubular member;
the needle-like member is disposed at a shoulder portion of the level-difference; and
the manipulating means is a cap that can move between a position at which the cap approaches the tip from the rear of the tip to cover the tip and a position at which the tip is exposed.
15. The access port according to claim 3, wherein
a level-difference recessed radially inwards is provided in the outer surface of the tubular member;
the needle-like member is disposed at a shoulder portion of the level-difference; and
the manipulating means is a cap that can move between a position at which the cap approaches the tip from the rear of the tip to cover the tip and a position at which the tip is exposed.
16. The access port according to claim 2, wherein
a recess recessed radially inwards is provided in the outer surface of the tubular member;
the needle-like member is disposed on an inner surface of the recess; and
the manipulating means includes an object that is inserted in a gap between the needle-like member and a bottom surface of the recess, the inserted object moving along the longitudinal direction of the needle-like member and being thicker than the gap.
17. The access port according to claim 3, wherein
a recess recessed radially inwards is provided in the outer surface of the tubular member;
the needle-like member is disposed on an inner surface of the recess; and
the manipulating means includes an object that is inserted in a gap between the needle-like member and a bottom surface of the recess, the inserted object moving along the longitudinal direction of the needle-like member and being thicker than the gap.
18. The access port according to claim 2, wherein
the needle-like member is provided such that the tip is exposed outside the tubular member and so as to be swiveled about a hinge shaft extending in a tangential direction of the tubular member; and
the manipulating means switches the tip to a state in which the tip is not projected by pushing a base end of the needle-like member radially outwards from the through-hole side.
19. The access port according to claim 3, wherein
the needle-like member is provided such that the tip is exposed outside the tubular member and so as to be swiveled about a hinge shaft extending in a tangential direction of the tubular member; and
the manipulating means switches the tip to a state in which the tip is not projected by pushing a base end of the needle-like member radially outwards from the through-hole side.
The claims below are in addition to those above.
All refrences to claim(s) which appear below refer to the numbering after this setence.
1. A universal electrical cable and work box connector in combination within electrical box comprising:
said electrical box having opening in a wall thereof:
said work box connector having a front nose section, a rear section having external threads with said rear section tapering inwardly toward a rear end of said work box connector, and a central ridge section between said front and rear sections with grooves separating said central ridge section from said front and rear sections;
an outer surface of said central ridge section having wrench engageable flat surfaces;
said work box connector having a central orifice defining an open space for insertion of wires therein, said open orifice containing an angled wire clamp member;
said work box connector having a slot extending the length thereof to allow said connector to be squeezed together for insertion of said front or rear section through said opening in said electrical work box, the tapering of said rear section preventing interference from said external threads during an outside-in snap-in installation; and
said work box connector being mounted in said wall through said opening with said wall surrounding said opening being fitted into either of said grooves when said wall is thin, said work box connector being adapted to having said threaded rear section threaded into said opening when said wall is threaded, said slot allowing said work box connector to be squeezed slightly to start engagement of said external and internal threads, and said flat surfaces on the outer surface of said central ridge section allowing a wrench to be used to thread said threaded rear section into said opening.
2. The universal electrical cable and work box connector of claim 1 in which said front nose section tapers inwardly toward a front end of said work box connector to allow inside-out installation of said connector.
3. The universal electrical cable and work box connector of claim 2 in which said connector is made of a resilient material.
4. The universal electrical cable and work box connector of claim 3 in which said resilient material is selected from a group consisting of plastic, plastic composite, rubber, rubber composite, metal and metal alloy.
5. A universal electrical cable and work box connector in combination with an electrical box comprising:
said electrical box having a threaded opening in a wall thereof;
said work box connector having a front nose section tapering inwardly toward a front end of said work box connector; said work box connector having a rear section tapering inwardly toward a rear end of said work box connector,
at least one of said sections being threaded;
said threaded section of said work box connector being threaded into said threaded opening in said electrical box thereby mounting said work box connector through said wall of said electrical box;
said work box connector having a central ridge section between said front and rear sections with at least one groove separating said central ridge section from said front and rear sections;
said work box connector having a central orifice defining an open space for insertion of wires therein, said open orifice containing an angled wire clamp member;
said work box connector having a slot extending the length thereof to allow said connector to be squeezed together for insertion of said front or rear section through said opening in said electrical work box, the tapering of said front and rear sections preventing interference from said external threads during installation of said connector, and said slot allowing said work box connector to be squeezed slightly to start engagement of said threads; and said work box connector being adapted for a snap-in installation through said opening with said wall surrounding said opening being fitted into said groove when said wall is too thin for threads.
6. The universal electrical cable and work box connector of claim 5 which both said front and rear sections are threaded and said connector joins two external electrical boxes together.
7. The universal electrical cable and work box connector of claim 5 in which said front section tapers inwardly toward a front end of said work box connector to allow inside-out installation of said connector.
8. The universal electrical cable and work box connector of claim 7 in which said connector is made of a resilient material.
9. The universal electrical cable and work box connector of claim 8 in which said resilient material is selected from a group consisting of plastic, plastic composite, rubber, rubber composite, metal and metal alloy.