FR2510823A1 - ELECTRICAL CONNECTOR - Google Patents

Abstract

THIS CONNECTOR HAS TWO MALE AND FEMALE CONNECTOR ELEMENTS 20, 10 WHICH COULD BE CONNECTED BY A RELATIVE AXIAL MOVEMENT, A CONTROL SLEEVE 50 SLIDING MOUNT ON THE MALE ELEMENT, A COUPLING MEMBER 70 SURROUNDING THE FRONT OF THE ELEMENT MALE AND INCLUDING THROUGH HOUSING 80 IN WHICH COUPLING FINGERS ARE CONTAINED 90 WHICH ENGAGE IN THE THREAD 16 FORMED AT THE END BEFORE THE FEMALE ELEMENT BUT WHICH ARE CLEARED WHEN THE SLEEVE IS MOVED BACKWARDS RELATIVE TO THE MALE ELEMENT 20 WHICH PUSHES THE FEMALE ELEMENT AXIALLY OUTSIDE, THE THREAD PUSHING THE FINGERS RADIALLY TOWARDS THE OUTSIDE IN COOPERANT NOTCHES 60 FORMED IN THE SLEEVE.

Description

ELECTRICAL CONNECTOR

  The present invention relates to an electrical connector

  detachable stick which includes at least one coupling finger

  restrained so that it can only move

  radial in a corresponding housing formed in an or-

  coupling sleeve carried by one of the connector elements, the finger being detachably engaged in the thread of the other connector element in order to couple the

  elements or being released from the thread to unhook the elements

  connector elements from each other.

  Currently there are a wide variety of types

  different two-part electrical connectors for

  born to severably join the individual fi Js of a

  first cable to the individual wires of a second cable.

  A detachable electrical connector described in the brief

  vet from USA No. 4,279,458 in the name of Knapp, issued July 21

  let 1981, represents a male connector element 14 assembled

  wheat detachably to a female connector element 26 externally surrounded by a thread 26, the male element

  comprising a coupling arrangement which has six segments

  22 threaded coupling elements

  stage formed on the segments allows the male element to

  couple with the thread of the female element An axial load applied to a control sleeve mounted around this assembly is transmitted via the segments to the thread which causes the radial development of the arched segments as a result of which the teeth segments emerge from the thread of the female element thus detaching the female element from the male element This coupling arrangement has proved satisfactory for the intended purposes but the male element has been difficult to assemble, the assembly requiring the use of a large number of connector parts and the realization on

  six arcuate coupling segments with a threaded part

  able to smoothly engage in the thread formed on the

  threaded portion 26 was both difficult and of a fabrica-

  expensive If a segment was damaged during a manufacturing process, all of the segments had to be discarded.

  male and female connectors are standardized in industry

  sort, users would like to have a layout

  that can be used with such devices

standardized items.

  Another coupling arrangement of electrical connector elements is the subject of British Patent No. 919,353 in the name of Cannon Electric Company published on February 27, 1963 which describes a quick-release coupling,

  of the snap-on and snap-on type

  tage by a sudden pull, between a male element and a female element, the female element comprising a tubular casing sized to fit in the male element and three locking pins 45 mounted in the casing

  and movable radially with respect to the latter, the element

  male insert comprising, for its part, a pair of sleeves

  straighteners, one of the sleeves forming a shoulder which

  covers the pins in one position (i.e. it

  prevents the radial movement of the pins, thereby securing

  if the connector elements between them) and who discovers the

  pins in a second position (i.e. it

  locks the assembly) The connector elements must be pushed towards each other and fully coupled (in

  one against the other) so that the pins are

  rust "Although this arrangement is probably satisfactory

  doing for the purposes for which it is intended, a construction

  tion which requires that a connector element has a

  separate structure which cooperates with a separate structure pre-

  view of the other connector element is necessary -

  In addition, the arrangement does not use

  read by threaded means to pull the connector elements

one towards the other.

  Therefore, it would be advantageous to have for connector elements with conventional coupling a

  detachable coupling arrangement which is fully contained

  rement in one of the connector elements, which can be easily adapted to the connector elements currently

  available and already in service and which includes a coupling

  threaded to securely pull the elements of

  connector towards each other and to unhook them.

  In accordance with the present invention, the drawbacks of connectors of the prior art are eliminated thanks to the production of a detachable electrical connector assembly which comprises first and second contact-carrying connector elements having front end parts capable of being placed in mating engagement by

  relative axial displacement between them, the coupling part

  ment before the second connector element being external-

  threaded and being dimensioned so as to adapt to the

  turn of the front end part of the first connecting element

  nector, the assembly comprising an improved coupling arrangement. The coupling arrangement is mounted on the first connector member and provides means for releasably joining the connector members together

  in the coupled position A transfer control sleeve

  force mission is received on the connector elements ac-

  coupled and is mounted on the first connector element to be able to carry out a decoupling movement between a first position in which it couples the connector elements together and a second releasing position

  the connector elements from their relative coupled position.

  Several compression springs oppose the axial movement of the control sleeve between its axial positions, the

  ends of each spring acting against the first element

  connector and against the ground control sleeve constantly forcing the control sleeve to the first position The coupling arrangement further comprises a cylindrical coupling member having a first part

  interposed between the threaded end of the second connection element

  nector and the inner wall of the control sleeve La

  front part of the coupling member comprises, regular-

  angularly spaced around it, several housings radially crossing its cylindrical wall, each housing

  being dimensioned so as to be able to receive a finger

  coupling and each being arranged to hold his finger so that he can only perform a radial movement between

  the second connector element and the inner wall of the man-

  order form Each accommodation has an external recess

  laughter of elliptical shape and a through passage of which the

  groove faces the thread of the other connector

  nector Each coupling finger has an ellip-

  tick from which a tail extends, the head adap-

  both in the external recess and the tail passing through the passage and the opening, the tail comprising a tooth part having a helical edge designed to engage in the

  thread of the second connector element The coupling finger

  is trapped in the housing so that it cannot

  see that a radial movement, from the position

  folded with the thread in the uncoupled position of the thread when the control sleeve is respectively in the first position and in the second position, the axial displacement of the control sleeve transmitting a force to the threaded part thus displacing by a cam action each

  coupling finger radially outwards.

  An advantage of the present invention lies in the fact that

  sation of a coupling arrangement which adapts to elements

  conventional connector elements in which

  mobile couplings mounted on a connector element

  act in the threads of the other connector element to pull the connector elements towards each other in a coupled position and to retain them in this position and

  are released from the thread to unhook the connecting elements

nector.

  Another advantage of the invention lies in the realization

  tion of a coupling arrangement which ensures good de-

  multiplication of forces to pull the connecting elements

  tor one towards the other from a position in which

  they are separated from each other and which is however decreasing

chable.

  Yet another advantage of the invention lies in the realization of a coupling arrangement which uses coupling fingers which can be replaced or repaired

on the spot.

  Yet another advantage of the present invention is the elimination of the use of an expensive complex threaded member for retaining and detaching the connector elements.

  which provides the same retention benefits of a file party-

  tee and the same dropout benefits as fixtures

  who use such a complex threaded member.

  Yet another advantage of the invention lies in the

  realization of a rotary coupling arrangement which

  pledge in a thread to pull bodies capable of mating towards each other but which can be uncoupled

  at any rotating coupling position.

  Other characteristics of the invention will appear

  on reading the description which follows and examining

  appended drawings in which: FIG. 1 is a partial longitudinal section view of a detachable electrical connector element according to the present invention;

  Fig 2 is an exploded perspective view of the element

  electrical connector shown in Fig 1;

  Fig 3 is an isometric view of a finger

  hook designed to be used in the connector

  nector of Fig 1; and FIGS. 4 to 6 represent an electrical connector in which the detachable electrical connector element of FIG. 1 is coupled to a female connector element,

  these figures respectively representing the complete position-

  mating, a position during uncoupling and

  the uncoupled position in which the connector element

  detachable part separates from the female connector element.

  We will first refer to Figs 4 to 6 which

  have a detachable electrical connector assembly

  according to the present invention which comprises a connecting element

  detachable electric connector 100 which includes a first

  connector element (male) 20 which is coupled to a connector

  cond connector element (female) 10 and means for

  detachably couple the first connection element

  nector to the second connector element 10.

  The connector elements 10, 20 are both of a type commonly available in the industry and each of them comprises a tubular casing 12 and, respectively, 22 in which is mounted an inner dielectric piece

  reported (not shown) which includes a series of steps

  axially elongated inserts in which are mounted electrical contacts intended to establish the connections The front end part 14 of the casing 12 of the female connector element comprises a threaded part 16 which surrounds it designed to be received on the part front end 24 of the male connector element An axial displacement of the envelopes couples the two sets of

  connector element contacts.

  Fig 1 shows, with partial section, the detachable electrical connector element 100 which comprises the element

  male connector element 20 The male connector element 20

  carries the cylindrical body or envelope 22 in the-

  what is the dielectric insert 28 mounted, the

  tact 30 (shown here as being of the plug or pin type) being adapted in a passage of the insert 28 and having one end connected to a conductive wire The front end part 24 of the envelope has ribs

  of external alignment 23, each rib being dimension-

  born so as to fit in a keyway formed in the front end part of the connector element

  female 10 during mating An axially in-

  envelope 22 has a radial flange

  26 and an annular recess 36 which is adjacent thereto, the adhesive

  radial rette 26 having its circumferential face provided with a series of latching teeth 38 In the example shown, the male connector element 20 also comprises a strip

34 of grounding.

  Two halves 40 of the spring retaining boot are mounted on the casing 22 of the male connector element,

  each half being semi-cylindrical and each comprising

  as long as an inwardly directed radial flange 46 disposed at its front end, the flanges 46 forming a flange intended to be received in the annular recess 36 Around the external surface of the retaining housing are formed several grooves 44 of semicircular cross section

  that extend inward from the rear end

  41 of said shoemaker and each constitute a part

  a housing for receiving a compression spring 42.

  An annular groove 43 extends around the outside of the

  retaining boot near the end 41 to receive

  see a first ring 45 which serves to retain the compression springs 42 received in the axial grooves, and a second ring 47 (elastic retaining ring) which serves to secure the first ring of the retaining boot 40, 40 Several key grooves d orientation 48 extend axially

  between the ends of the retainer.

  A coupling member 70 which is mounted on the housing

  socket 22 of the male connector element comprises a rigid body 72 having an approximately cylindrical shape which

  has a front part 73 and a rear end part

  rière 75 fitted with a radial flange 76 directed towards the inside

  inner dimensioned so as to fit in the groove an-

  ring 36, the mounting of the coupling member 70 on the

  male connector element resulting in that the glue

  rette 76 of the coupling member 70 is supported at the same time

  against the radial flange 26 of the casing 22 of the element

  Male connector 20 and against the radial flange 46 of the retaining boot The inner wall 71 of the coupling member 70 faces the front end portion 24 of the casing 22 and has an adjacent partially annular cutout to the radial flange 76, this cutout being dimensioned to receive an anti-rotation spring 74 (see FIG. 2), this spring being designed to engage in the engagement teeth 38 and brake the relative rotation between the member coupling and the casing 22 The rear end portion 75 of the coupling member 70 has on its outer wall one or more grooves 78

  orientation aligned with the keyway grooves of orient-

  tation 48 of the housing 40, 40 for retaining the springs.

  A force transmission control sleeve, designated

  by reference 50, is mounted so as to surround the exterior

  The connector element 20 when the coupling member 70 and the spring retaining box 40, 40 are in place The sleeve is axially movable rearwardly,

  first coupling position to a second position

  crooked. The outer wall of the control sleeve 50 has an annular groove 67 dimensioned to receive an elastic stop ring 65 which serves to retain a collar 66 mounted

  rotating around the sleeve, a cord 68 being fixed to the collar

  bind using pliers 69 The inner wall 51 of the sleeve

  control comprises several grooves 54 with cross section-

  dirty semicircular that extend axially inward

  laughing from the rear end 57 of the sleeve, the spokes

  semi-circular grooves 54 being aligned with the semi-circular grooves 44 of the housing 40, 40 for retaining springs to form cavities of circular section each of which houses a compression spring 42 To orient the semi-circular grooves, ribs 58 extend radially inward from the inner wall of the control sleeve, each of the orientation ribs 58 being received in a groove 78 of the coupling member 70 and in the

  corresponding groove 48 of the housing 40, 40 for retaining

  spells, thus serving to secure in rotation the ac-

  coupling, the control sleeve and the housing but allows

  both the sleeve to move axially backwards in

  the measurement permitted by the spring biasing force.

  The front part of the coupling member 70 comprises several housings 80 arranged around its circumference, each housing 80 being dimensioned to receive a coupling finger 90 In a preferred embodiment, the

  front end part of the casing of the connection element

  nector has a thread with three feeders, the feeders of the three threads being angularly spaced by 120 each

  In addition, the housings 80 are spaced apart from each other.

  angular tances equal to each other and are all es-

  paced the same distance from the front end of the organ

  coupling 70 In such conditions, the contact fingers

  coupling 90 line up immediately with a start of fi-

  respective let so as to commit to it (while also aligning

  the male connector element with the connector element

  female) According to a variant, it is possible to use a single helical thread but, in this case, the housings 80 are not disposed at the same axial distance from the end

  front of the coupling member 70.

  Notches 60 extend axially inwards from the front end 55 of the sleeve, each notch having a first part delimited by a radial wall 62

  and a second part delimited by an inclined wall 64.

  Each notch 60 is arranged in alignment with a housing

  corresponding when the control sleeve 50 is available

  placed around the coupling member 70 and is moved rearward towards the second off-hook position The radial wall defines the maximum radial stroke of the coupling finger 90 which is simultaneously reached at the second

off-hook position.

  Fig 2 shows an exploded view of the connection element

  electrical connector 100 which comprises the connector element

  male 20, the coupling member 70 which comprises the body cy-

  rigid lindrique 72, around the front end 73 from which the housings 80 and the coupling fingers 90 positioned to fit in the respective housings are formed, the two halves 40, 40 of the spring retaining housing which have the grooves semicircular 44 which form the

  half of the spring retaining housings, the other

  semi-circular grooves formed on the control sleeve

  not being visible in this view, the compression springs

  sion 42, the control sleeve 50, the notches 60 and the

  retaining rings 45 and 47 In particular, the ribs of

  orientation 58 have been shown in alignment with the

  orientation grooves 48, 78 When the connecting element

  tor is assembled (as shown in Fig 1), the

  notches 60 are arranged so as to be placed in line with

  with the housings 80 following the movement of the man-

  each housing 80 comprises an elliptical cavity 82 and a through passage 84 which passes through the coupling member to open out through an opening 85 in its inner wall.

  Fig 3 shows a detailed view of a finger

  coupling 90 The coupling finger 90 comprises an elliptical head 92 from which extends a tail 94, the

  tail forming part of the tooth type having a helical edge

  dal 96 designed to engage the thread of the threaded part 16 of the female connector element The housing

  , apart from holding finger 90 against any

  other than a radial movement, also positions the

  inner extension of the tail 94 so that it

  pledge in the thread of the threaded front part 16.

  In Fig 4 to which we will refer again, the

  connector elements 10, 20 are shown in the first

  first position coupled with the front end 73 of the

  coupling sleeve 70 interposed between the threaded part of the female connector element 10 and the inner wall 51 of the control sleeve 50, the front part 24 of the male connector element 20 being fitted in the front part 14 of the female connector element 10 and the helical edge

  96 of the tail 94 of each coupling finger being

  engaged in the threading of the threaded part to couple the two connector elements between them The front end of the casing 12 of the female connector element is adjacent to the radial flange 26, of the casing 22 of

  the male connector element The inner wall 51 of the man-

  control rod 50 abuts against the heads of the coupling fingers 90 to repel the tails 94 of the fingers

engaged in threading.

  Fig 5 shows the result of applying a

  force to rope 68 and transmitted through the man-

  order 50 for assembly between first and second

  cond connector elements 20, 10 The male connector element 20 carrying the coupling member 70 and the halves

  , 40 of the spring retainer moves axially-

  forwardly relative to the control sleeve 50, the force applied to the control sleeve being transmitted to the coupling fingers 90, resulting in partial compression of the compression springs 42, the notches 60 being brought into alignment with the housings 80, the heads 96 of the coupling fingers being moved by a cam action radially upwards against the inclined wall 64 and disengaging the helical edge 96 from the threaded part of

  the female connector element As shown, the end

  front connector 12 of female connector member 10 has been

  jet of a small axial displacement relative to the flange

  radial 26 of the casing 22 of the male connector element.

  Fig 6 shows the result of the increase in

  force and displacement of the control sleeve 50 to the se-

  in the stall position in which the fingers

  plement 90 were moved by a cam action towards the

* high and outwards and clear of the threaded part, ii-

  thus bering the connecting elements of the bonding relationship

  bent At this point, the springs stress the compression sleeve

  requests 50 forward and back in the first position.

  It should be noted that the electrical connector element

  hookable 100, when the fingers are engaged in the line-

  tage, can pull the connector elements forwards in coupling condition to realize the assembled connector

  but, at any advancement position, it can be deactivated

  coupled by axially applied forces.

  Although a preferred embodiment of the invention has been described, it will be apparent to those skilled in the art

  technical that changes can be made to the information

  ventior as defined in the appended claims and

  that, in certain cases, certain characteristics of the invention

  tion can be advantageously used without use

  other features therefore it is well understood

  that the description and the drawings have only been given in

  the purpose of illustrating the principles of the invention and not for

limit the scope.

Claims (8)

  1 A set of detachable electrical connectors (200)   of the type comprising: first and second connection elements   electrical connector (20, 10), carrying electrical contacts, having respective first and second front portions (24,   14) capable of coupling by axial displacement re-   latif, said second front part (14) adapting to the first   first front part (24) and comprising a helical thread (16) on its external surface, a control sleeve (50) received on the connector elements when the latter are coupled and being axially movable rearward between first and second positions respectively representing the coupled position and the off-hook position and means for   releasably couple the second connector element   tor (10) with the first connector element (20), the   detachable coupling means being carried by the first   mier connector element, this connector assembly (200)   being characterized in that it comprises: a coupling member   ment (70) having at least one housing (80) interposed between the control sleeve and the helical thread; and a coupling finger (90) retained in the housing or in each   housing (80) so that it can only move radial-   ment, the coupling finger (s) (90) having a tail (94) which engages in the helical thread (16) and having a head (92) in abutment against the control sleeve (50)   so that when the control sleeve is removed   placed rearwards with respect to the coupled connector elements (20, 10), the tail (94) is moved upwards by a cam action and released from the helical thread and the whole is off the hook.   2 connector assembly according to claim 1, character-   laughed in that the tail (94) has a helical front edge (96)   designed to engage in helical threading.   3 connector assembly according to claim 2, zcaracté   laughed in that it further comprises at least one spring (42) mounted so as to urge the control sleeve (50) towards the first coupled position, the control sleeve (50) having a wall (51) which has the same number of notches (60) as there are housings (80), the notches being designed to align with the housings (80) when the sleeve   control is moved backwards, each notch (60) comprises   carrying an inclined wall (64) which inclines radially outwards from the internal wall (51) to a radial wall (62), the inclined wall (64) allowing the head (94) initially to stop against the inner wall (51) to move radially outwards and the radial wall (62) limiting the radial stroke towards the outside of the coupling finger (90).   4 connector assembly according to claim 1, character-   laughed at in that it has three coupling fingers (90)   arranged at equal angles to each other.   5 A detachable electrical connector element (100)   designed to be able to mate with a second connector element   tor (10) of the type which has a front end part   (16) externally threaded, this connector element elect   removable cover being characterized in that it comprises: a second connector element (20) having a second front end part (24) designed to couple with the other   front end portion; and means for mating my-   the detachable connector elements (10, 20) therebetween, the detachable coupling means being mounted on   the second connector element (20) and comprising: a man-   force transmission control plug (50) having a   inner king (51) which surrounds the front end portions of the coupled connector elements, the control sleeve being arranged in a non-rotatable manner around the coupled connector elements and so as to be able to perform a   axial movement backwards from a first position   folded to a second off-hook position; means of solicitation   tation (42) for biasing the sleeve in the first position   tion coupled and transmitting the forces of the sleeve to the elements   coupled connector elements; and at least one delivery finger   plement (90) designed to engage in the threaded front end part (16) of the second connector element (10), this coupling finger being unlocked so that it can only perform a radial movement between an inner wall (51) and the threaded part so that when a force is applied to the control sleeve and the connector elements are coupled in the first position, the control sleeve moves backwards out of the first position and transmits the force via the finger (90) to the thread (16) so that the coupling finger (90) moves radially outward   and disengages from the threaded part and the connecting element   electric tor (100) unlocks from its coupling   with the second connector element (10).   6 Removable electrical connector element according to the re-   vend'ication 5, characterized in that each coupling finger   ment (90) has a tail (94) having a helical edge   (96) dimensioned so as to engage in the end portion   threaded half (16) of the second connector element (10); in this   that the control sleeve (50) has the same number of   notches (60) that there are fingers in its inner wall (51); and in that it comprises means for mounting the coupling finger (s) on the electrical connector element   detachable (100), these means comprising a delivery member   plate (70) having a housing (80) formed in a front end portion (73) for each coupling finger; this housing being arranged to align with a notch   corresponding (60) when the sleeve moves backwards   and having a passage (84) passing through the body (72)   of the coupling member (70), this passage limiting the   tail clothes (94) in a radial movement.   7 Removable electrical connector element according to the re-   vendication 6, characterized in that each coupling finger   ment (90) has an elliptical head (92) and the housing   corresponding (80) comprises an elliptical cavity (82) dimen-   fitted to receive the head of the coupling finger, this cavity (82) cooperating with the passage (84) to trap and position the extension towards the inside of the tail   (94) and the outward extension of the head (92).   8 Detachable electrical connector element according to re-   vendication 7, characterized in that each notch (60)   extends axially rearward and includes a flat wall   dial (62) and an inclined wall (64), the head (92) abutting against the internal wall (51) of the control sleeve (50) in the first coupled position but, when the sleeve (50) is moved backwards, a force being transmitted via the sleeve to the thread to move each finger (90) upwards by a cam action, first against the inclined wall (64) then against   the radial wall (62), the radial wall allowing the movement-   maximum radial dimension of the coupling finger (s) (90) and   defining the second off-hook position.