EP0033814A2 - Electrical connector including surge protection for a plurality of circuits and method of making same - Google Patents
Electrical connector including surge protection for a plurality of circuits and method of making same Download PDFInfo
- Publication number
- EP0033814A2 EP0033814A2 EP80401536A EP80401536A EP0033814A2 EP 0033814 A2 EP0033814 A2 EP 0033814A2 EP 80401536 A EP80401536 A EP 80401536A EP 80401536 A EP80401536 A EP 80401536A EP 0033814 A2 EP0033814 A2 EP 0033814A2
- Authority
- EP
- European Patent Office
- Prior art keywords
- contact
- ground plane
- shell
- connector
- sealed chamber
- Prior art date
- Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
- Withdrawn
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Images
Classifications
-
- H—ELECTRICITY
- H01—ELECTRIC ELEMENTS
- H01R—ELECTRICALLY-CONDUCTIVE CONNECTIONS; STRUCTURAL ASSOCIATIONS OF A PLURALITY OF MUTUALLY-INSULATED ELECTRICAL CONNECTING ELEMENTS; COUPLING DEVICES; CURRENT COLLECTORS
- H01R13/00—Details of coupling devices of the kinds covered by groups H01R12/70 or H01R24/00 - H01R33/00
- H01R13/66—Structural association with built-in electrical component
- H01R13/665—Structural association with built-in electrical component with built-in electronic circuit
- H01R13/6666—Structural association with built-in electrical component with built-in electronic circuit with built-in overvoltage protection
-
- H—ELECTRICITY
- H01—ELECTRIC ELEMENTS
- H01R—ELECTRICALLY-CONDUCTIVE CONNECTIONS; STRUCTURAL ASSOCIATIONS OF A PLURALITY OF MUTUALLY-INSULATED ELECTRICAL CONNECTING ELEMENTS; COUPLING DEVICES; CURRENT COLLECTORS
- H01R13/00—Details of coupling devices of the kinds covered by groups H01R12/70 or H01R24/00 - H01R33/00
- H01R13/66—Structural association with built-in electrical component
- H01R13/70—Structural association with built-in electrical component with built-in switch
- H01R13/713—Structural association with built-in electrical component with built-in switch the switch being a safety switch
-
- H—ELECTRICITY
- H01—ELECTRIC ELEMENTS
- H01T—SPARK GAPS; OVERVOLTAGE ARRESTERS USING SPARK GAPS; SPARKING PLUGS; CORONA DEVICES; GENERATING IONS TO BE INTRODUCED INTO NON-ENCLOSED GASES
- H01T4/00—Overvoltage arresters using spark gaps
- H01T4/08—Overvoltage arresters using spark gaps structurally associated with protected apparatus
-
- H—ELECTRICITY
- H01—ELECTRIC ELEMENTS
- H01R—ELECTRICALLY-CONDUCTIVE CONNECTIONS; STRUCTURAL ASSOCIATIONS OF A PLURALITY OF MUTUALLY-INSULATED ELECTRICAL CONNECTING ELEMENTS; COUPLING DEVICES; CURRENT COLLECTORS
- H01R31/00—Coupling parts supported only by co-operation with counterpart
Definitions
- the present invention relates to an electrical connector including surge protection for a plurality of circuits, said connector comprising: a shell; a plurality of contacts extending through the shell; means for sealing the contacts within an intermediate portion of the shell to provide a sealed chamber within said shell; a ground plane mounted to the shell within the sealed chamber and including apertures through which the contacts extend, each of said apertures being larger than the contact passing therethrough to provide a spacing between said contact and the surface of the ground plane aperture; a gaseous ionization medium filling the sealed chamber; and a spark gap arrangement located within the sealed chamber.
- an electrical connector including surge protection for a plurality of circuits
- said connector comprising: a shell; a plurality of contacts extending through the shell; means for sealing the contacts within an intermediate portion of the shell to provide a sealed chamber within said shell; a ground plane mounted to the shell within the sealed chamber and including apertures through which the contacts extend, each of said apertures being larger than the contact passing therethrough to provide a spacing between said contact and the surface of the ground plane aperture; a gaseous ionization medium filling the sealed chamber; and a spark gap arrangement located within the sealed chamber, said spark gap arrangement being provided by the gaseous ionization medium filling the spacing between each contact and the surface of the respective ground plane aperture, said medium providing a path between the contact and the surface of the respective ground plane aperture for an electrical spark in response to an electrical surge occurring on the contact to dissipate the electrical surge potential.
- the electrical connector of the present invention is advantageous in that while it is less expensive to manufacture it presents between the ground plane and the contacts no surface on which may accumulate debris and/or material residue from the arcing process.
- an electrical connector 10 including a shell 100, first and second glass members 210,220, a plurality of electrical contacts 300 (only one of which is shown in this view), a grounding plate 400 (also referred to in the art as a ground plane), and a sealed internal chamber 500.
- the shell 100 is shown in one exemplary form, although many others could be used.
- the shell 100 includes a passage 110 extending through the shell.
- the shell 100 includes a first shell half 102, a second shell half 104, a first ring member 106, a second ring member 108 and a welded joint 109 which joins the ground plane 400 and the two ring members 106,108.
- the first and second glass members 210,220 are mounted within the passage 110 and include a plurality of contact-receiving apertures 216,226. With the contacts 300 mounted in each of the contact-receiving apertures 216,226 of the glass members 210,220, the shell halves 102,104 and the rings 106,108 sealed together and the glass members appropriately seated within the passage 110 of the shell 100, the chamber 500 is effectively sealed from the environment outside the connector shell 100.
- a main joint gasket 212 and an interfacial seal 214 are respectively provided outside the glass members 210 and 220.
- the shell 100 includes a port 120 through which the chamber 500 may be first evacuated, then filled with an appropriate ionization-medium.
- the chamber 500 is filled with a low pressure inert gas(Argon) which is provided with a trace of tritium (H 3 ) which serves as an ionization prompting medium.
- the tritium gas tends to break down and provide an arcing path.
- the inert gas and ionization prompting gas together provide a gaseous mixture used to fill the chamber 500 of the connector.
- the gas fill is maintained at a relatively low pressure of approximately 12 Tor, compared to a normal sea level atmospheric pressure of 760 Tor.
- the ground plane 400 includes a plurality of apertures 410 through which the electrical contacts 300 are mounted.
- the passages 410 are located generally concentric with the contacts 300 passing therethrough with each passage 410 being larger than the diameter of the contact portion mounting therein, providing a gap 415 between the passage wall and the contact 300.
- the increased voltage of the surge is dissipated in an arc between the contact 300 and the ground plane 400.
- the contact 300 includes a first pin member 310, a second pin member 320 and a connection 330 between the first pin member and the second pin member.
- the connection is preferably a solder cup 332 receiving a rear end 334 of the pin 310.
- the connection 330 between the solder cup 332 and the rear pin end 334 is preferably accomplished by solder or tin plating the pin end 334 and/or the solder cup 332 to have a interference fit, then accomplishing "blind soldering" with a hot oil bath flowing over the solder to melt it, forming an electrical coupling when the solder cools and solidifies.
- FIGURE 2 illustrates a portion of the ground plane 400, with the contact 300 passing through the aperture 410 in the ground plane.
- the spark gap region 510 is between the contact 300 and the ground plane 400 and is also filled with the low pressure gas mixture (including the ionization . prompter).
- a method of making the connector of the present invention is also disclosed in which the connector and each contact are made in two halves which are positioned by a fixture. Each contact passes through and is centered within a ground plane aperture larger than the contact. Once the positioning is achieved by the fixture, the connector and contact halves are disassembled and the fixture removed, connector and contact halves reassembled and contact halves connected by soldering, then the connector halves are welded together to form a sealed internal chamber. The chamber is then evacuated and filled with a low pressure gaseous ionization mixture which fills the space between the contact and the ground plane and provides a spark discharge arcing medium.
- the present invention is capable of many modifications and substitutions which may vary the structure on appearance of the present invention without departing from the spirit of the invention.
- the contact could be made of three pieces, including two solder cups, for example, or with filters.
- the gas filling the chamber could be a single type of gas, provided it had appropriate breakdown (ionization) characteristics, for which a radioactive-type gas is believed desirable.
- other inert gases or mixtures thereof could be used, with a suitable ionization- prompter.
Landscapes
- Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
- Microelectronics & Electronic Packaging (AREA)
- Details Of Connecting Devices For Male And Female Coupling (AREA)
- Connector Housings Or Holding Contact Members (AREA)
Abstract
Electrical connector including surge protection for a plurality of circuits, this connector (10) having a plurality of electrical contacts (300) extending through a connector shell (100) and mounted by insulating members (210, 220) to the shell (100), the insulating members (210, 220) defining a sealed chamber (500) within an intermediate portion of the shell (100); a ground plane (400) is mounted to the shell (100) within the sealed chamber (500) and includes a plurality of apertures (410), each aperture (410) receiving a contact (300) Therethrough with the contact (300) being smaller than the aperture (410) to provide a spacing (415) between the contact (300) and the ground plane aperture (410), the spacing (415) and the sealed chamber (500) being filled with a low pressure inert gas having a small amount of ionizable gas; in response to an electrical potential surge on the contact (300) (e.g., from lightning), the ionizable gas breaks down and allows a arc to pass between the contact (300) and the ground plane (400) to thereby dissipate electrical energy of said electrical potential surge.
Description
- The present invention relates to an electrical connector including surge protection for a plurality of circuits, said connector comprising: a shell; a plurality of contacts extending through the shell; means for sealing the contacts within an intermediate portion of the shell to provide a sealed chamber within said shell; a ground plane mounted to the shell within the sealed chamber and including apertures through which the contacts extend, each of said apertures being larger than the contact passing therethrough to provide a spacing between said contact and the surface of the ground plane aperture; a gaseous ionization medium filling the sealed chamber; and a spark gap arrangement located within the sealed chamber.
- Such connectors have been proposed in the prior art, for instance, in U.S. Patent 3,992,652 and have a very similar purpose, with common constructional features. However, this U.S. patent mounts each electrical contact within a ground plane by an individual glass bead. Such a glass bead is very difficult to position and maintain intact during manufacturing of the connector. Furthermore, a surface of the glass bead may accumulate debris during the manufacturing process, with said debris adversely affecting the electrical characteristics. Further, the operation of the surge arrestor according to this U.S. patent contemplates arcing of electrical current in energy-dissipating arcs across the surface of the glass bead. Such arcs tend to deposit a material residue which alters the electrical arc characteristics and adversely affects the electrical characteristics of the surge protection and reduces insulation resistance.
- Similar connector arrangements are shown in U.S. Patents 3,790,858; 3,626,237; 3,778,752; 3,702,420 and 3,867,670. These appear similar in construction and operation to the U.S. Patent 3,992,652 and therefor have similar limitations.
- The present invention overcomes the disadvantages and limitations of the prior art arrangements by providing an electrical connector including surge protection for a plurality of circuits, said connector comprising: a shell; a plurality of contacts extending through the shell; means for sealing the contacts within an intermediate portion of the shell to provide a sealed chamber within said shell; a ground plane mounted to the shell within the sealed chamber and including apertures through which the contacts extend, each of said apertures being larger than the contact passing therethrough to provide a spacing between said contact and the surface of the ground plane aperture; a gaseous ionization medium filling the sealed chamber; and a spark gap arrangement located within the sealed chamber, said spark gap arrangement being provided by the gaseous ionization medium filling the spacing between each contact and the surface of the respective ground plane aperture, said medium providing a path between the contact and the surface of the respective ground plane aperture for an electrical spark in response to an electrical surge occurring on the contact to dissipate the electrical surge potential.
- The electrical connector of the present invention is advantageous in that while it is less expensive to manufacture it presents between the ground plane and the contacts no surface on which may accumulate debris and/or material residue from the arcing process.
- One way of carrying out the invention is described in detail below with reference to the drawings which illustrate one specific embodiment, in which:
- FIGURE 1 is a cross-sectional view of the electrical connector of the present invention; and
- FIGURE 2 is a partial cross-sectional view of a portion of the electrical connector of FIGURE 1, taken along the line II-II thereof looking in the direction of the arrows.
- Referring now to FIGURE 1 there is shown an electrical connector 10 including a shell 100, first and second glass members 210,220, a plurality of electrical contacts 300 (only one of which is shown in this view), a grounding plate 400 (also referred to in the art as a ground plane), and a sealed
internal chamber 500. - The shell 100 is shown in one exemplary form, although many others could be used. In this form, the shell 100 includes a
passage 110 extending through the shell. The shell 100 includes a first shell half 102, asecond shell half 104, a first ring member 106, asecond ring member 108 and a welded joint 109 which joins theground plane 400 and the two ring members 106,108. - The first and second glass members 210,220 are mounted within the
passage 110 and include a plurality of contact-receiving apertures 216,226. With thecontacts 300 mounted in each of the contact-receiving apertures 216,226 of the glass members 210,220, the shell halves 102,104 and the rings 106,108 sealed together and the glass members appropriately seated within thepassage 110 of the shell 100, thechamber 500 is effectively sealed from the environment outside the connector shell 100. Advantageously, outside theglass members joint gasket 212 and aninterfacial seal 214. - The shell 100 includes a
port 120 through which thechamber 500 may be first evacuated, then filled with an appropriate ionization-medium. In its preferred embodiment, thechamber 500 is filled with a low pressure inert gas(Argon) which is provided with a trace of tritium (H3) which serves as an ionization prompting medium. In the presence of a sufficiently-high electrical potential across the ionization medium, the tritium gas tends to break down and provide an arcing path. The inert gas and ionization prompting gas together provide a gaseous mixture used to fill thechamber 500 of the connector. Advantageously, the gas fill is maintained at a relatively low pressure of approximately 12 Tor, compared to a normal sea level atmospheric pressure of 760 Tor. - The
ground plane 400 includes a plurality ofapertures 410 through which theelectrical contacts 300 are mounted. Thepassages 410 are located generally concentric with thecontacts 300 passing therethrough with eachpassage 410 being larger than the diameter of the contact portion mounting therein, providing a gap 415 between the passage wall and thecontact 300. In the presence of an electrical surge on thecontact 300, the increased voltage of the surge is dissipated in an arc between thecontact 300 and theground plane 400. - In the present design, there is no provision of a r spacing material between the
contacts 300 and theground plane 400. This unfilled gap provides a spacing, which combines with the presence of the gas fill in thechamber 500 and allows the gas fill to surround thecontact 300 and fill the space between thecontact 300 and the passage wall of theground plane 400. This gas fill provides a current path around the perimeter of the contact and also along the length of the ground plane. This is a substantially greater area for a potential arc than is shown in the above mentioned U.S. Patent 3,992,652 where the space between each contact and the ground plane is filled with a glass bead serving as an insulator. In such a case, the arc path between the contact and the ground plane is limited to front and rear faces of the glass bead mounting the contact to the ground plane. - The
contact 300 includes afirst pin member 310, asecond pin member 320 and aconnection 330 between the first pin member and the second pin member. The connection is preferably a solder cup 332 receiving arear end 334 of thepin 310. Therein, theconnection 330 between the solder cup 332 and therear pin end 334 is preferably accomplished by solder or tin plating thepin end 334 and/or the solder cup 332 to have a interference fit, then accomplishing "blind soldering" with a hot oil bath flowing over the solder to melt it, forming an electrical coupling when the solder cools and solidifies. - FIGURE 2 illustrates a portion of the
ground plane 400, with thecontact 300 passing through theaperture 410 in the ground plane. Thespark gap region 510 is between thecontact 300 and theground plane 400 and is also filled with the low pressure gas mixture (including the ionization . prompter). - A method of making the connector of the present invention is also disclosed in which the connector and each contact are made in two halves which are positioned by a fixture. Each contact passes through and is centered within a ground plane aperture larger than the contact. Once the positioning is achieved by the fixture, the connector and contact halves are disassembled and the fixture removed, connector and contact halves reassembled and contact halves connected by soldering, then the connector halves are welded together to form a sealed internal chamber. The chamber is then evacuated and filled with a low pressure gaseous ionization mixture which fills the space between the contact and the ground plane and provides a spark discharge arcing medium.
- Of course, the present invention is capable of many modifications and substitutions which may vary the structure on appearance of the present invention without departing from the spirit of the invention. For instance, other configurations of contacts and shells are possible and known in the trade. The contact could be made of three pieces, including two solder cups, for example, or with filters. The gas filling the chamber could be a single type of gas, provided it had appropriate breakdown (ionization) characteristics, for which a radioactive-type gas is believed desirable. Alternatively to the disclosed Argon, other inert gases (or mixtures thereof) could be used, with a suitable ionization- prompter.
Claims (2)
1. Electrical connector including surge protection for a plurality of circuits, said connector (10) comprising:
a shell (100); a plurality of contacts (300) extending through the shell (100); means (210,220) for sealing the contacts (300) within an intermediate portion of the shell (100) to provide a sealed chamber (500) within said shell (100); a ground plane (400) mounted to the shell (100) within the sealed chamber (500) and including apertures (410) through which the contacts (300) extend, each of said apertures (410) being larger than the contact (300) passing therethrough to provide a spacing between said contact (300) and the surface of the ground plane aperture(410); a gaseous ionization medium filling the sealed chamber (500); and a spark gap arrangement located within the sealed chamber (500); characterized in that said spark gap arrangement is provided by the gaseous ionization medium filling the spacing (415) between each contact (300) and the surface of the respective ground plane aperture (410), said medium providing a path between the contact (300) and the surface of the respective ground plane aperture (410) for an electrical spark in response to an electrical surge occurring on the contact (300) to dissipate the electrical surge potential.
2. Method of making an electrical connector including surge protection for a plurality of circuits, characterized in that it comprises the steps of: mounting a plurality of contact portions (310,320) in a spaced relationship within two connector halves (102,104) in respective sealing members (210,220), the contact portions (310) in one connector half (102) being mateable with the respective contact portions (320) in the other connector half (104) to form contacts (300); assembling the connector halves (102,104) with the contacts (300) extending through contact-receiving apertures (410) in a ground plane (400); positioning the contacts(300) within the ground plane apertures (410); coupling the cooperative contact portions (310,320) together; sealing the connector halves (102, 104) together to form a sealed chamber (500); and filling the sealed chamber (500) with an ionizable gas, with said gas in addition surrounding each contact (300) between it and the surface of the respective ground plane aperture (410) to provide a spark arc path.
Applications Claiming Priority (2)
Application Number | Priority Date | Filing Date | Title |
---|---|---|---|
US10448479A | 1979-12-17 | 1979-12-17 | |
US104484 | 1979-12-17 |
Publications (2)
Publication Number | Publication Date |
---|---|
EP0033814A2 true EP0033814A2 (en) | 1981-08-19 |
EP0033814A3 EP0033814A3 (en) | 1981-09-09 |
Family
ID=22300751
Family Applications (1)
Application Number | Title | Priority Date | Filing Date |
---|---|---|---|
EP80401536A Withdrawn EP0033814A3 (en) | 1979-12-17 | 1980-10-29 | Electrical connector including surge protection for a plurality of circuits and method of making same |
Country Status (2)
Country | Link |
---|---|
EP (1) | EP0033814A3 (en) |
JP (1) | JPS5697981A (en) |
Cited By (3)
Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
---|---|---|---|---|
FR2754637A1 (en) * | 1991-03-19 | 1998-04-17 | Thomson Csf | Optical detector with protection against electromagnetic pulse |
EP0854552A1 (en) * | 1997-01-15 | 1998-07-22 | Tekna Seal, Inc. | Voltage arrestor for use with delicate electronic components |
EP0881457A3 (en) * | 1997-05-30 | 1999-07-28 | Emerson Electric Co. | Igniter assembly and method for actuating it |
Families Citing this family (1)
Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
---|---|---|---|---|
CN104183994B (en) * | 2013-05-27 | 2017-08-04 | 中航光电科技股份有限公司 | A kind of lightning protection connector |
Citations (4)
Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
---|---|---|---|---|
US3626237A (en) * | 1968-12-12 | 1971-12-07 | Gen Signal Corp | Line electrical surge arrestor |
US3702420A (en) * | 1971-12-21 | 1972-11-07 | Atomic Energy Commission | Electrical surge diverting connector |
US3790858A (en) * | 1973-01-29 | 1974-02-05 | Itt | Electrical connector with component grounding plate |
US3992652A (en) * | 1974-09-09 | 1976-11-16 | Gte Sylvania Incorporated | Bulk electrical surge arrester |
-
1980
- 1980-10-29 EP EP80401536A patent/EP0033814A3/en not_active Withdrawn
- 1980-12-17 JP JP17868180A patent/JPS5697981A/en active Pending
Patent Citations (4)
Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
---|---|---|---|---|
US3626237A (en) * | 1968-12-12 | 1971-12-07 | Gen Signal Corp | Line electrical surge arrestor |
US3702420A (en) * | 1971-12-21 | 1972-11-07 | Atomic Energy Commission | Electrical surge diverting connector |
US3790858A (en) * | 1973-01-29 | 1974-02-05 | Itt | Electrical connector with component grounding plate |
US3992652A (en) * | 1974-09-09 | 1976-11-16 | Gte Sylvania Incorporated | Bulk electrical surge arrester |
Cited By (3)
Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
---|---|---|---|---|
FR2754637A1 (en) * | 1991-03-19 | 1998-04-17 | Thomson Csf | Optical detector with protection against electromagnetic pulse |
EP0854552A1 (en) * | 1997-01-15 | 1998-07-22 | Tekna Seal, Inc. | Voltage arrestor for use with delicate electronic components |
EP0881457A3 (en) * | 1997-05-30 | 1999-07-28 | Emerson Electric Co. | Igniter assembly and method for actuating it |
Also Published As
Publication number | Publication date |
---|---|
EP0033814A3 (en) | 1981-09-09 |
JPS5697981A (en) | 1981-08-07 |
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Legal Events
Date | Code | Title | Description |
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PUAI | Public reference made under article 153(3) epc to a published international application that has entered the european phase |
Free format text: ORIGINAL CODE: 0009012 |
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PUAL | Search report despatched |
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17P | Request for examination filed |
Effective date: 19801118 |
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AK | Designated contracting states |
Designated state(s): DE FR GB IT |
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AK | Designated contracting states |
Designated state(s): DE FR GB IT |
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STAA | Information on the status of an ep patent application or granted ep patent |
Free format text: STATUS: THE APPLICATION IS DEEMED TO BE WITHDRAWN |
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18D | Application deemed to be withdrawn |
Effective date: 19830824 |
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RIN1 | Information on inventor provided before grant (corrected) |
Inventor name: WILSON, LINNEA E. Inventor name: KEARNEY, HUGH ANDREW |