GB2212551A

GB2212551A - Interconnection of components

Info

Publication number: GB2212551A
Application number: GB8826427A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Case Schaafsma; Claude Post
Original assignee: Utilux Pty Ltd
Current assignee: Utilux Pty Ltd
Priority date: 1987-11-13
Filing date: 1988-11-11
Publication date: 1989-07-26
Anticipated expiration: 2008-11-11
Also published as: GB2212551B; GB8826427D0; MY103463A

Abstract

A connector block (15) is secured in a tubular cylindrical body (12) by means of a securing element (10) which extends through an elongate circumferential slot (23) in the tubular body (12) and into a transverse cylindrical bore (19) formed in the connector block (15). The securing element (10) has a base portion (24), a pin extending from the base portion (24) having a tip portion (20) and an enlargement (22) corresponding in shape and size to the slot (23). The cylindrical bore (19) accommodating the pin has a counterbore (21) for accommodating the enlargement (22) and the securing element (10) is prevented from being withdrawn from the cylindrical bore (19) and the slot (23) in the tubular cylindrical body (12) by being rotated into a locked position in which the enlargement (22) extends perpendicular to the slot (23). The securing element (10) is releasably locked in position by the base portion (24) which has a resiliently deformable concave part-cylindrical inner surface (25) for matching abutment with the outer surface of the tubular cylindrical body (12) when the securing element (10) is rotated into the locked position. <IMAGE>

Description

INTERCONNECTION OF COMPONENTS The present invention relates to the interconnection of components and more particularly is concerned with releasable interconnection of component parts of a device.

The invention will be explified herein with reference to securing together the components of an electrical connector assembly such as an electrical socket connector for mounting on the exterior of a vehicle for connection to the lighting circuit of a road trailer.

However, the invention is not limited to such applications and extends to any similar application where the problem is to secure readily together and readily to release component parts which include curved surfaces. The problem is well illustrated by an electrical connector for a trailer lighting circuit. A conventional electrical connector of this type has a tubular metal body into one end of which electrical cable passes to be connected to a socket unit which is inserted into the metal body in an axial direction and secured at the correct position (both axially and rotationally) by a small metal securing screw, which usually is a counter-sunk screw.

The assembly of the connector after wiring up requires dexterity and a considerable degree of precision. The small metal screw is easily dropped and installation is often difficult working in limited space upside down under the rear of a vehicle. It can be an even greater problem to disassemble the connector, for example if a wiring fault develops, since corrosion is liable to make the process of unscrewing the metal screw difficult.

Furthermore, the manufacturing process has the expense of providing a machined and tapped bore on the socket unit and a counter-sunk bore has to be provided in the outer body. Furthermore, plating may be necessary for corrosion prevention reasons.

It has now been appreciated that it would be desirable to provide more cost-effective manufacture and greater user convenience and the present invention is directed towards arrangements which may at least partly deal with such long standing problems.

According to the present invention there is provided an article having an elongate, generally tubular body a secondary element adapted to be inserted in and withdrawn from the tubular body by movement along the axis of the tubular body, and a securing element for releasably securing the secondary element within the tubular body, in which the tubular body has an outer surface including a convexly curved part-cylindrical surface extending around a first generating axis co-incident or parallel with the axis of the tubular body, the securing element comprises a resiliently deformable base portion with a concave part-cylindrical surface for abutment with the convexly curved part-cylindrical surface and which extends around a second generating axis, a pin projects from the base portion and has a tip portion and an enlargement projecting laterally from the pin between the base and tip portions, the secondary element has an opening for receiving the tip portion of the pin and an enlarged outer end for receiving the enlargement, and the tubular body has a non-circular aperture whereby the pin and the enlargment can be inserted into the opening in the secondary element when the securing element is rotationally orientated so that the first and second generating axis are skewed, the base portion can be pressed against the convexly curved part-cylindrical surface of the tubular body and deformed sufficiently to allow the enlargement to pass right through the non-circular aperture in the tubular body, and the securing element can be twisted into a rotational orientation in which the first and second generating axes are co-incident or parallel and the enlargement on the pin is obstructed by the tubular body and cannot be withdrawn through the non-circular aperture of the tubular body (12).

In practice, the tubular body is normally annular in cross-section so that the convexly curved part-cylindrical surface is part of a cylindrical surface which extends circumferentially around the tubular body and, in a preferred embodiment, the enlargement extends symmetrically on opposite sides of the pin, the aperture in the tubular body constitutes a slot extending circumferentially of the tubular body, and the enlarged outer end of the opening in the secondary element is a counterbore which permits 90" rotation of the securing element in both directions from its rotational orientation in which the enlargement is aligned with the slot.

Preferably the securing element is integrally formed, for example by moulding in a plastics material.

In a preferred embodiment the exterior surface of the base portion of the securing element has a large elongate slot running in the axial direction of the tubular body when in the securing position and the base portion tapers to a thin edge in both directions away from said slot and in a direction which is circumferential relative to the tubular body when in the securing position. The enlargement of the pin of the securing element, in transverse cross-sectional view, is generally rectangular but with curved ends and the slot in the tubular body is of corresponding shape. This arrangement facilitates flexing of the base portion during the installation process and the securing element can be readily rotated by application of a screwdriver or even a coin.

Embodiments of the invention are especially suitable for securing together the components of a lighting connector for a vehicle and for this purpose the base portion advantageously has a dimension of the order of 1 cm and is a coloured plastics material so it can readily be seen and manipulated.

Preferably the tip portion of the securing element pin is of circular cross-section to engage in a circular bore in the secondary element.

The invention extends to an electrical connector unit forming said article and wherein the secondary element of the article is an interior cylindrically shaped connector element having screw connectors for the wiring and electrical push-fit contacts.

Particularly for embodiments of the invention applied to such an electrical connector unit, the advantages which can be achieved include the following: (a) The securing element can be integrally moulded economically in plastics material and can be brightly coloured to facilitate ready location and the base portion can simply be slotted to permit rotation with a coin.

(b) The securing element can snuggly abut the convexly curved part-cylindrical surface of the body thereby resisting ingress of foreign matter and water into the interior of the tubular body.

(c) The securing element can be of an electrically insulating material and be of non-corrosive material.

(d) Precise and expensive engineering steps which occur when a conventional screw is used are obviated.

(e) The shape and configuration of the securing element can provide the necessary means for biasing the securing element in the securing position; flexing of edge portions of the base portion being required during rotation to disengage the securing element.

An embodiment of the invention will now be described with reference to the accompanying drawings by way of illustration only. In the drawings: Figure 1 is a perspective view of a securing element for use in an embodiment of the invention; Figure 2 is a plan of the securing element; Figure 3 is an inverted plan view of the securing element; Figure 4 is a side elevation of the securing element taken in the direction of arrow A shown in Figure 1; Figure 5 is a front elevation of the securing element taken in the direction of arrow B of Figure 1; and Figure 6 is an axial cross-sectional view showing the securing element installed on an electrical connector for mounting on a vehicle.

Referring first to Figure 6, the securing element 10 is shown in the securing position on an electrical connector unit 11 which is adapted to be mounted on a vehicle. The unit 11 has a tubular body 12 of generally circular cross-sectional shape which has an electrical cable inlet 13 at one end and a pivotable cover plate 14 at the opposite end and into which a cylindrical electrical connector block 15 (shown in chain-dotted lines for clarity) is inserted, after the electrical cable is engaged by screw connectors.

Figure 6 also shows in dotted outline the location of a wiring connector plug 16 which engages with the connector block 15, a latching plate 17 formed on the interior of the cover plate 14 projecting in latching engagement into a recess 18 formed in the plug 16.

The connector block 15 has a transverse cylindrical bore 19 for accommodating a correspondingly shaped tip 20 of the locking pin 28 of the securing element 10. The connector block 15 also has a larger counterbore 21 for accommodating an enlargement 22 extending from the locking pin 28 of the securing element 10, irrespective of the rotational orientation of the securing element 10.

The installation of the securing element 10 shown in Figure 6 is achieved by initially presenting the securing element 10 at a position rotated through 90" relative to the securing position shown in Figure 6 so that the rectangular shaped enlargement 22 fits through a correspondingly shaped slot 23 in tubular body 12. The slot 23 is rectangular, and is elongated in the circumferential direction.

Figures 1 to 5 illustrate the securing element 10 in more detail. The securing element is illustrated with its base portion 24 uppermost. The base portion has a concave lower surface, as illustrated in Figures 1 to 5, and provides an abutment surface 25 of cylindrical shape and of the same radius of curvature as the tubular body 12, typically 12 mm. The base portion is of crescent shape in side view with a thicker central region having a broad slot 26 for accommodating a coin or screwdriver and the base tapers towards thin parallel side edges 27 thereby providing a high degree of resilient deformability in the sides of the base portion.

The circular cross-section pin 28 extends centrally from the base portion and terminates in the tip portion 20, which extends beyond the enlargement 22. The enlargement has curved end faces and flat longer sides with a chamfered leading edge 29 and a sharply shouldered trailing edge 30.

The distance between the trailing edge 30 and the underside of the base portion 24 is equal to the wall thickness of tubular body 12.

In use, the connector block 15 is secured in tubular body 10 by insertion with correct rotational orientation to ensure that the bore 19 is aligned with the slot 23; the securing element is arranged such that the slot 26 and the enlargement 22 extend at right angles to the axis of the tubular body. As the enlargement 22 is inserted into the corresponding bore 21 in the connector block 15, axial pressure is applied to the securing element to cause the sides of the base portion to flex and torque is applied to turn the securing element through 90", thereby securing the securing element with the trailing edges 30 of the enlargement 22 engaging the inside wall of the tubular body 12. In this position the curved abutment surface 25 of the base portion fit snuggly over the curved exterior surface of the tubular body 12 and the tip portion 20 restrains the connector block 15 from axial movement.

Claims

CLAIMS:

1. An article (11) having an elongate, generally tubular body (12), a secondary element (15) adapted to be inserted in and withdrawn from the tubular body (12) by movement along the axis of the tubular body (12), and a securing element (10) for releasably securing the secondary element (15) within the tubular body (12), in which the tubular body (12) has an outer surface including a convexly curved part-cylindrical surface extending around a first generating axis co-incident or parallel with the axis of the tubular body (12), the securing element (10) comprises a resiliently deformable base portion (24) with a concave part-cylindrical surface (25) for abutment with the convexly curved part-cylindrical surface and which extends around a second generating axis, a pin (28) projects from the base portion (24) and has a tip portion (20) and an enlargement (22) projecting laterally from the pin (28) between the base and tip portions (24 and 20), the secondary element (15) has an opening (19) for receiving the tip portion (20) of the pin (28) and an enlarged outer end (21) for receiving the enlargement (22), and the tubular body (12) has a non-circular aperture (23) whereby the pin (28) and the enlargment (22) can be inserted into the opening (19) in the secondary element (16) when the securing element (10) is rotationally orientated so that the first and second generating axes are skewed, the base portion (24) can be pressed against the convexly curved part-cylindrical surface of the tubular body (12) and deformed sufficiently to allow the enlargement (22) to pass right through the non-circular aperture (23) in the tubular body (12), and the securing element (10) can be twisted into a rotational orientation in which the first and second generating axes are co-incident or parallel and the enlargement (22) on the pin (28) is obstructed by the tubular body (12) and cannot be withdrawn through the non-circular aperture (23) of the tubular body (12).

2. An article (11) according to Claim 1, in which the enlargement (22) extends symmetrically on opposite sides of the pin (28), the aperture (23) in the tubular body (12) constitutes a slot extending circumferentially of the tubular body (12), and the enlarged outer end (21) of the opening (19) in the secondary element (16) is a counterbore which permits 90" rotation of the securing element (10) in both directions from a rotational orientation in which the enlargement (22) is aligned with the slot (23).

3. An article (11), according to Claim 1 or Claim 2, in which the securing element (10) is integrally formed of plastics material.

4. An article (11), according to any preceding claim in which the exterior surface of the base portion (2z,) has an elongate slot (26) running in the axial direction of the tubular body (12) when the securing element (10) is in the securing position.

5. An article (11), according to any preceding claim, in which the base portion (24) tapers circumferentially, in opposite directions, to two edges.

6. A device for securing a first member to a second complementary member insertable into the first member, the device comprising an elongate pin member defining a radial locking portion extending outwardly therefrom and a resilient cap member at one end thereof, the device being arranged such that in use the pin member can be inserted through a receiving aperture in the first member into a pin receiving opening in the second member so that the cap member abuts the portion of the first member defining the receiving aperture and subsequent rotation of the device engages the locking portion behind the pin receiving opening to secure said members together with the cap sprung against the surface of the first member.

7. The combination of a device according to claim 6 with first and second members as aforesaid.

8. An article substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the accompanying drawings.