GB2165401A - Connector assembly - Google Patents

Abstract

A two part connector assembly includes a pair of connector shells 20, each of which is provided with at least one contact-receiving bore 22. A socket contact 40 is located in the bore 22 of one connector shell 20 and carries a sleeve 50 of electrically-insulating material. The sleeve 50 locates in the bore 22 so as to surround the socket contact 40 an inwardly-extending annular flange 52 which serves to protect the socket contact 40 and guide a plug contact being inserted into the socket into proper alignment. When the socket contact 40 is removed from the bore 22, the closed-entry sleeve 50 is removed with it, thus enabling the same bore to receive a plug, or other contact. <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION Connector assembly The invention relates to connector assemblies, for example, to connector assemblies for use in data transmission circuits, and, in particular, to multicontact connectors ofthe type commonly used in military applications.

With the increased use made of digital systems and the need to connect high speed data transmission circuits, it has become desirablethat connectors should provide not only for conventional electrical signal connectionsbutalsofortheconnection of screened transmission lines, both coaxial and triaxial lines, and fibre optical contacts. In a number of existing connectors for use with conventional signal contacts it has been found necessary to provide "closed entry" sockets to prevent mis-mating due to bent pins on the plug side ofthe connector. That is, each socket is located atthe base of a recess formed in a dielectric insertwithin the connector shell, the open end ofthe recess being constricted to form an opening just large enough to permittheentryofa pin of the other shell of the connector.This constricted opening serves to guide the pin into properengagementwith the socket contact and prevents mis-mating.

Conventional single conductor circuits require a closed entry feature for three main reasons. The first is to provide electrical insulation protection because some contacts operate at high voltages. Secondly to provide alignmentfor guiding the male contact into thefemalecontact: this is important because some signal circuit contacts are fragile due to their small size. Thirdly there is a need to protect male contacts against test probe damage.

Multi-conductor circuits which use co-axial or tri-axial contacts and couplers for optical fibre circuits normallyincorporatetheirownalignmentfeature. In these configurations a conventional insert moulding closed entry feature is not required. When multiconductor circuit and optical fibre circuits are coupled using conventional designs, it is necessary to dedicate cavities in an insert moulding specificallyforthese circuits i.e. the closed entry feature is omitted from these cavities.

The invention is defined in the claims appended hereto, to which reference should now be made.

An embodiment of the invention will now be described, by way of example, with reference to the drawings, in which: Figure lisa broken-away part-section through a connector assembly in accordancewiththe invention; Figure 2 is a section through a pin and socket connector ofthe connector assembly of Figure 1; Figure 3 is a fragmentary sectional view showing an arrangementfor providing environmental sealing around the sleeve of Figures 1 and 2; and Figures 4 and 5 are fragmentary sectional views showing a triaxial cable connection and an optical fibre connection, respectively.

The connector assembly shown in Figures 1 and 2 comprises two hollow connector shells 10 and 12 of any conventional type which can be secured together by means of a coupling ring 14. The coupling ring 14is secured to the connector shell 12so asto be rotatable relative to it but so that it cannot move axially of the shell 12. The forward end of the shell 10 is provided with a number of outwardly-projecting studs 16 which locate in a corresponding number of helical grooves 18 on the inside of the coupling ring 1 4to form a bayonet-type coupling. To couplethe shells 10 and 12 together, the forward end ofthe shell loins pushed into the coupling ring 14 until the studs 16 engage in the ends of the grooves 18.The coupling ring 14 is then rotated so thatthe studs 16 slide in the grooves 18 and cause the shells 10 and 1 2to be drawn together in a well-known mannerto fully engage the connectors within the shells 10 and 1 2together. The shells 10 and 12 are uncoupled by rotating the coupling ring 14 in the other direction until the studs 16 can be withdrawn from the coupling ring grooves 18. Alternatively, any otherconvenientform of coupling arrangement may be used, for example, interengaging screwthreads on the coupling ring and connectorshell.

Inside each ofthe connector shells 10 and 12 is a cylindrical block 20 of dielectric material which may be bonded to the inside ofthe shell 10 or 12 to strengthen the assembly and which has formed in it a plurality of parallel cylindrical bores 22. The rear of each shell 10 or 12 is closed by means of an elastomeric sea ling element 24 of a suitablefluid-resistant material.

Each bore 22 accommodates one half of a pin and socket connector used to coupletogetherthe ends of an individual electrical cable 26. The terminal portions ofthe cable 26 enterthe connector shell 10 dr 12 though an opening formed in the sealing element 24 aligned with the bore 22. The opening in the sealing element 24 is surrounded by a moulded double sealing lip 28 which grips the cable 26 and prevents dirtorfuidentering the connector shell.

The pin and socket contacts 30 and 40 are of a conventional type and may be secured to the cable 26 by crimping. The pin 30 has a blunt-nosed tapered portion 32 which locates in the socket 40 and which extends from a base portion 34 of larger diameter which serves to locate the pin 30 centrally ofthe bore 22. The socket 40 is composed of several spring tines 42 which are forced apart by the entry of the tapered portion 32 of the pin 30 so that the tines 42 grip the pin when the pin 30 and socket 40 are engaged.

Both the pin 30 and the socket 40 are held in the bores 22 in a well-known manner. Each bore 22 has a forward portion of relatively small diameter and a rear portion of largerdiameter so that an annular shoulder 44 isformed on the wall of the bore 22. The annular shoulder 44 engages a retaining flange 36 or46 formed on the pin or socket contact 30 or40to prevent forward movement ofthe contact. The retaining flange 36 or46 is held against the shoulder 44 by means of a resilient retaining lip 48 moulded onto the wall ofthe bore 22 and extending radially-inwardly and forwardly. The contact 30 or 40 can be inserted from the rear of the shell 10 or 12 by simply pushing The drawings originally filed were informal and the print here reproduced is taken from a later filed formal copy.

until the retaining lip 40 is deformed sufficientlyto allowthe flange 36 or46to pass. The retaining lip 48 however opposes rearward movement of the contacts 30 and 40 which can only be removed with the aid of a special tool.

Theforward ends ofthe spring tines 42 forming the socketcontact40 project beyond the end of the dielectic 20 and are protected by means of a sleeve 50 of relatively rigid insulating plastics material for example, polyamideimide or polyethersulphone. The sleeve 50 is shaped so that it has a narrow inwardlyprojecting rim 52 at its forward end and is snap fit on the socket so that a ridge formed on the inside ofthe rear part ofthe sleeve 50 engages in a groove 49 formed on the socket contact 40 to prevent the sleeve 50 being accidentally dislodged.

The sleeve 50 performs a number of functions. Most importantly, the sleeve 50 guidesthe pin 30 into proper engagement with the socket40 and thus avoids the need for closed entry bores in the dielectric surrounding the socketcontacts. The rim 52 ofthe sleeve 50 may be tapered to aid in guiding the pin 30 into the socket 40. Because the bores in which the socketcontacts are mounted do not needto be provided with a closed entry they can be made identical to those which receivethe pin contacts.

Consequently, itis possible to interchange pin and socket contacts on a given shell. Furthermore, because ofthe simple configuration ofthe bores 22, it is possible to replacethe electrical pin and socket contacts with, for example,triaxial cable 60 oroptical fibre 62 connectors as shown in Figures 4 and 5. All that is required to render these various types of connectorto be interchangeable isthatthey should be small enough to be accommodated within the bore 22 and provided with a suitably-dimensioned retaining flange 64. As there is no need to provide a closed entry, the bores 22 can bemadebiggerandthespace between adjacent contacts better utilised.

In addition to providing each socket with its own individual guide for proper alignmentofthe corresponding pin as described above, the sleeve 50 protects the spring-tines 42 against mechanical damage and insulates the outside of the socket contact 40.

Consequently, it is possible forthe socket contacts to project beyond the dielectric and this enables the connector length to be reduced and the connector assemblyto be made more compact. Furthermore, because the pin contacts 30 are mounted in cavities formed by the ends ofthe bores 22 they are protected and need not be scoop-proofed.

Where the connector assembly is used in damp or dirty environments, itis desirablethattheforward end of each bore 22 should be sealed against the entry of dirtorfluid. This can be achieved by providing a separate face seal element 70, as shown in Figure 3, which is bonded to the shell and has a moulded lip 72 which sealingly engages the outside of each sleeve 50.

Alternatively, ifthe sleeve 50 is made of slightly resilient material and of suitable dimensions, the sleeve 50 may engagethe walls ofthe bore 22 so as to form a seal, thus avoiding the need fora separate face seal.

The ability ofthe connector assembly to accommodate connectors used to couple a range of different types of data transmission line makes it particularly versatile and its simple construction renders it both robust and, as a common dielectric insert can be used for both the pin and socket, less expensive to make.

Claims (15)

1. One part of a two-part connector assembly, the said one part including a connector shell having at least one contact-receiving bore formed therein and a tubular sleeve ofelectrically insulating material removably locatable in the contact-receiving bore ofthe connector shell and having an inwardly-extending annularflange at its end facing the other part ofthe two-part connector; whereby the sleeve can be located in the boresoastosurrounda socketcontact mounted therein butcan be removed to permit a plug orothercontactto be mounted in the bore.

2. A socket contactfor a plug and socket contact pair, the socket contact having a sleeve of electricallyinsulating material mounted thereon so asto surroundthe electrically-conducting part ofthe contact which, in use, receives the plug ofthe other contact of the pair; the sleeve having at its end facing the plug contact an inwardly-extending annutarflange and having external dimensions such that it can be located in a contact-receiving bore of a two-part connector

3. One partofatwo-partconnectorassembly,the said one part including a connector shell having at least one contact-receiving bore formed therein, a socket contact removably located within the bore and an inwardly-extending flange of electrically-insulating material at the end ofthe bore facing the other part of thetwo-partconnector; the inwardly-extending flange being provided on means carried by the socket contactwhereby, when the socket contact is removed, the bore may be used to mount a plug or other contact.

4. One partof a two-partconnectorassembly,the said one part comprising a connectorshell, adapted to be coupled to the other said part of the connector assembly such that socket means carried by the said one partengage with a plug carried by the other part, the socket means being removably mounted in a bore oftheshell and having atubularsleeve or substantial- ly rigid, electrically insulating material mounted thereon so as to surround the socket means, whereby the socket means may be removed from the bore and replaced buy a plug or other contact adapted for mounting in the bore.

5. One part of a two-part connector assembly, the said one part comprising a connector shell adapted to be coupled to the other said part the connector assembly such that socket means carried by the said one part engage with a plug carried by the other part, the socket means being removably mounted in a bore ofthe shell and having a tubular sleeve of electrically insulating material mounted thereon so as to surround the socket means, at least part ofthe sleeve being disposed within the bore.

6. Apparatus according to any of claims 1 to 3 in which the sleeve extends in use beyond the end ofthe bore towards the other said part of the connector assembly.

7. Atwo part connector assembly comprising a connector part according to any of claims 1 and 3 to 5.

8. Atwo part connector assembly comprising a socket contact according to claim 2.

9. Apparatus according to any preceding claim in which the inwardly-extending annularflange of the sleeve extends in use overthe edge ofthe socket contact around the opening therein for receiving the plug.

10. Apparatus according to claim 9 in which the rim is tapered so that it forms a surface which converges towards the socket means for guiding the movement of a plug being inserted into the socket means.

11. Apparatus according to any preceding claim in which the sleeve engages the walls ofthe bore when located therein so as to form a seal to oppose the entry of dirt and fluid into the bore.

12. Apparatus according to any preceding claim in which the sleeve includes means for engaging the socket contact to secure the sleeve thereto.

13. Apparatus according to claim 12 in which the said means include a projecting locking member formed on eitherthe sleeve orthe socket means and a groove formed on the other one of the socket means or sleeve, the sleeve being deformable to engage the locking memberinthegroove.

14. One of a two-part connector assembly, the said one part being substantially as hereinbefore de scribed with reference to Figure 1,2 or 3 ofthe drawings.

15. A connector assembly substantially as hereinbefore described with referenceto Figure 1,2 or3 ofthe drawings.