US2730684A

US2730684A - Electrical connectors

Info

Publication number: US2730684A
Application number: US453166A
Authority: US
Inventors: Alfred S Gutman
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1954-08-30
Filing date: 1954-08-30
Publication date: 1956-01-10
Anticipated expiration: 1973-01-10

Description

Jan. 10, 1956 A. s. GUTMAN 2,730,684-

ELECTRICAL CONNECTORS Filed Aug. 50, 1954 2 Sheets-Sheet l /7 5 7 Z0 43 P75 4 grin/m 1 2\ 4a a v $4 23 24 INVENTOR. ALFDED' S. GUTMAN 1 M WW Armewe'rs Jan. 10, 1956 Filed Aug. 30, 1954 A. S. GUTMAN ELECTRICAL CONNECTORS 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR. ALFRED S. GUTMAN Arne/vars I "The invention described herein may be manufactured ,andqused by or for theUnited States Government for "governmental purposeswithoutpayment tome of any royalty thereon. j

This invention relates to electrical connectors, and more particularly tothe multiple type of electrical connectors, wherein the improvementconsists primarily of p a male plug member carrying a plurality of circumferentially arranged stationary tapered contact strips and a complemental female socket member carryinga plurality of similarly circumferentially arranged, resiliently mounted, tapered contact strips adapted to mate w th the "respective contact strips of the male plugmember when the connection is made to establisha plurality of electrical connections.

- A further object is the provision of a coupling member having 'yieldable resilient insulating mounting means for the contact strips to maintain them in predetermined resiliently mounted spaced relation around the axis of "the plug andsocket members including separate spring means cooperatingwith the aforesaid resilient means for yieldably urging the resilient insulating mounting means inwardly toward the axis of the plug member, whereby a wiping, outwardly camming electrical contact of the contact strips in the, male plug mernber with the contact strips in the male socket member is accomplished during the insertionof the plug member into the socket member.

A further object is the provision of compressible an- 'nular sealing gasket means disposed within the socket member for sealing engagement with the inner end of the plug member while the plug and socket contact strips are in contacting engagement with each other.

A further object is the provision of a single electrical 'connector' employing a male plug member having a plurality of individually insulated segmental camming contactwstrips around its central axis, and a complemental female socket member having a similar number of individually insulated, resiliently mounted, segmental contact strips yieldably outwardly and disposed for individual outward-movementand wiping contact by the first mentionedcontact s'egmentsfor establishing a pluralityof independent or separate electrical conductor connections when the plug memberis inserted into the socket member. 1

-A .further object is the provision of spring means common man of the contact segments of the socket member for yieldably maintaining electrical contact thereof with the camming segments of the, plug member.

j .A still further object is the provision of i a slidable coupling memberon the plug member for connecting the sockt'memberfthereto"having a bayonet slot coupling connection with the socket member and spring means for tensioningtlie socket and plugmember toward each other when connected together by the bayonet slot coupling while the conta'ct segments thereof are engaged to yieldably maintaingor increase the cammingsandwipin'g engagementbetween the, plug and socket segments. further .object isfithe provision of a metallic core States Patent 2,730,684 Patented Jan. 10, 1956 member extending through the center of the plug member ice having an'insulated pilot projection on the outer end formed with an orienting key or spline thereon for engagement with a complemental socket in the socket member, for orienting and aligning the contact segments of the plug andsocket'members in a predetermined contacting relation before the segments can be brought into electrical wiping contact witheach other.

A further object is the provision of a simple single electrical connector forestablishing a multitude of predetermined electrical conductor contacts or connections which is easy to manipulate. Simple and comparatively easy to' manufacture and positive in action, including shielding means incorporated therein wtih' a common ground through the core member together with a sealing gasket carried by the plug members operable incident to the coupling to establish a leak-proof sealed connection between the socket and plug multi-segments when the same are brought intofinalelectrical contact with each other. Other objects and advantages of the invention will be come apparent from the following description and accompanying. drawing in which like referenced characters refer to like parts in the several figures. t t

Figure 1 is a longitudinal sectional view taken through the multi-contact plug ormale coupling contact member embodying the invention. h

Figure 2 is a longitudinal sectional view through the complernental socket or female coupling contact member embodying the invention.

Figure 3 is a longitudinal sectional view through the plug and socket members, illustrating the samein coupled 'or electrical contact established relation, the conduit connecting the socket member and housing the individual electrical wires or conductor for the yieldable contact segments being shown in phantom, the wires to the segments being omitted.

Figure 4 is an end view of the coupling members shown in Figure 3, looking in the direction of the arrows 5-5. Figure 5 is a fragmentary transverse sectional view takenapproximately onthe line .5 -S of Figure 3.

Figure 6 is a detailperspective of one of the contact segments of the plug member. Figure 7 is a sectional view. taken about on line 7-7 of Figure 6. I p I Figure 8 is a detail, perspective view of one of the yieldable contact segments of the socket member.

Specification 'of electrical connections to be employed in the plug and socket membersf The segments 3, as shown in Fig. '7, are insulated by coating three sides, or all sides except the inclined contact faceQand for'shielding purposes may also be paintedonthese three or more sides with silver or a suitable metallic paint or second coating. The segments 3 are assembled around a metal core or arbor 4, together wtih insulating'strips or spacer segments 5 therebetween, the arbor 4 serving as a common ground connection for the silver metal painted shields just mentioned. An'insulated bushing 6, preferably made of Teflon, surrounds and holds-the contact segments 3 and insulated strips 5.-together as shown, and a container or plug mount ing member,7,'preferably made of brass or suitable metal, protects this assembly and provides the means for fastening it to an electrical chassis or support not shown, holes 3 in the flange 9 being provided for fastener members such as bolts.

The plug mounting member 7 has a reduced concentric stem 10, formed with an outer concentric further reduced end 11, on which is mounted a tapered or conical flanged annular collar 12, abutting at a radial flanged end of the insulating bushing 6 at its front end. This collar 12 is preferably metal, such as brass, and is formed with an annular gasket receiving groove immediate its front and rear faces, in which is mounted a rubber-like O ring or gasket seal 13. i

A cup-like connector or coupling member 14, preferably of metal, is provided, havingv a. rear annular inturned flange or wall 15 which is slidably mounted on. the stem portion 10. A bent spring washer member is, or plurality of superimposed bent spring washers 16 are, mounted on the stem between the rear wall of the coupling member 14 and the rear face of the collar 12 for yieldably tensioning the coupling member 14 in a direc- L tion toward the inner end of the plug mounting member 7. This coupling member 14 interconnects with the socket member to tension the same toward the plug mem ber and is formed with bayonet-type coupling and locking slots 17, opening forwardly through the front rim 18 to receive the lugs 19 on the metallic shell or sleeve member 20 of the socket member 2.

The contact segments 3 (which are 12 in number as illustrated in this drawing) and the insulating. segments 5 therebetw een, provide a conical multi-contact plug surably secured to the rebent ends 24. The bars 23 are preferably also insulation coated for. insulating purposes and then painted with silver paint for shielding. purposes from the segments 3 to points adjacent the reheat ends 24.

An insulated pilot bushing 25 is fixed on the front end of the arbor 4 as shown, and is provided with an orienting spline or key member 26 and formed with an annular flange 27 surrounding the front ends of the contact and

spacer segments

3 and 5, being secured to the reduced extension of the core 4. As shown, the space between the bushing 6 and the arbor 4, and a channel or bore-extending through the front portion of the arbor 4 and through the center of the pilot member 25, is filledv with a suitable insulating. plastic 28 which when hardened assists in retaining the parts in their operative relations. It should be noted that the segments 3 are insulated electrically from each other by the intermediate spacer segments 5, and the plastic filler 28, and the thin insulating coating or paint like material, leaving only the exposed inclined contact faces 21 uncoated, the insulating coating just mentioned being preferably coated or painted with a silver paint or metallic coating,.forming an electrostatic shield which is grounded on the arbor 4.at the enlarged head or front end thereof, as indicated at 29..

Pins 30 project forwardly from the front end of seg ments 3 and are seatedin suitable aperturesin the flange 26, anchoring the front ends of the segments 3 and the pilot bushing member 25'together.

. The socket or female member 2 comprises preferably the metallic cylindrical sleeve, member20' having a diameter suitable to telescope into the cylindrical bore of the coupling member 14, and" as before mentioned, has projecting lug members 19 on the exterior 'designed'to'enter the bayonet slots 17 and interlock the members 1 and 2 together when the coupling member 14 is rotated for establishing the multi-circuit electrical connections between the contact segments. The front end of the sleeve member 20 is formed with an annular inwardly flanged portion 31 formed with a concentric outwardly flared opening or entrance 32 to receive the conical contact stem of the plug member 1. The flared entrance surface 32 is disposed to engage and compress the 0 ring 13, providing a leak-proof seal between the flange 12 of the plug member 1 and the shell 20 of the socket member 2.

An annular ring or washer 33 of insulating material is seated within the sleeve 20 against the rear face of the flanged end 31, forming an insulating abutment for the front end of the annular yieldable multi-contact segment assembly, best seen in Fig. 2. The opposite end of this assembly is arranged to abut against a cup-shaped insulating retainer plate 34,v best seen in Figs. 2 and 4, the plate 34 being retained. in position within the shell 20 by a snap or locking ring 35 which is seated in a groove 36 formed in the inner wall of the shell member 20.

The rear end of the shell 20 is notched or castellated as at 37, while the outer surface is formed with. an annular groove 38 to receive an internal flange on a conventional split conduit 39 through which the electrical wires or conductors extend for individual connection to the yieldable contact segments of the socket member contact assembly.

The socket member contact assembly comprises a plurality of tapered contact segments 40, and intermediate spacer elements or segments 41 of insulating material as shown in Figs. 2 and 3, the segments 40 being twelve in number as illustrated to match the segments 3, each segment 40 having its contact face 22 disposed for wiping contact with one of the contact faces 21 of the plug assembly. The segments 40 and spacers 41 are formed with dovetail like slots in their outer or back faces, together forming an annular substantially dovetail channel 42 surrounding socket member contact assembly. An annular ring 43 of resilient rubber or the like is seated in the dovetail channel 42 as shown to assist in retaining the socket assembly together, the annular rubber ring or band member 43 being formed with two annular channels 44 in its. outer surface and in each channel 44 an endless coil spring clamping band 45' is mounted.

An orienting notch 46 is formed in the front end of at least one of thesegments 40' to engage an indexing pin 47 formed of insulating. material to index the rotative position of the contact segment assembly at its front end relative to the sleeve or casing 20; Metallic contact or terminal bars or rods 48 project rearwardly from the rear ends of the segments 40 and are adapted to have electrical wires'or conductors (not shown) connected selectively thereto.

The cup-shaped retainer plate 34 is preferably formed of tough insulatingmaterial such as Teflon, and is provided with a ring of radial slots 49 to accommodate the contact or terminal rods 48, the slots 39 being consider ably' longer than the diameter of the bars 48 to provide for radial. expansion or adjustment of the segments 40 when the plug 1 is inserted. The center'of the Teflon" cup-like member 34 is formed with an orienting guide opening 50 to receive the pilot bushing 25, an indexing notch 51 in the wall thereof being provided to receive the indexing spline 48'when the coupling members 1 and 2 are brought together.

It should be noted that the socket contact segment assembly is somewhat loosely mounted between the ring 33 and the retainer plate 34 and is therefore expandable and contractable within the shell .20 when the plug member 2 is inserted into or removed from within the socket member 1.

The segments, like the segments 3 are likewise preferably coated to provide an insulation layer surrounding each segment on alllsides'except the contact surfaces'2'l. This insulation coating is preferably painted with a layer of silver paint or metallic coating to form an electrostatic gether the pilot extension 25 is first inserted into the guide opening 50 and the spline and notch elements 26 and 51 are aligned. This fixes the relative predetermined contacting relation of the contact segments, placing the desired or proper

predetermined contact segments

3 and 40 in longitudinal alignment. The members 1 and 2 can now be brought together, the coupling member 14 being, of course, turned to dispose the entrance ends of the bayonet slots 17 in position for the reception of the cooperating lugs 19. As the plug contact segments 3 enter the socket contact segments 40 a positive wipingcontact is established between each complementary pair of contact segments, the segments 40 being cammed outwardly are self-adjusting to dispose the facing electrical contact surfaces 21 and 22 in contact with each other to provide maximum electrical contact throughout their lengths and widths, the outer or female contact segments being substantially individually tensioned radially inward toward the complemental male contact segments by the common contracting sleeve 43 and the two spring bands 45.

The coupling sleeve 14 is now rotated to bring and lock the coupling members 1 and 2 together, causing the socket segments 40 to be cammed outwardly by the surfaces 21 of the plug segments, increasing the contact pressures and clamping the O ring 13 tightly between the outwardly flared surface of the entrance 32 and the conical surface of the flange members 12, this action also moving the coupling member 14 toward the'flange 12 to further tension the spring disks or washers 16 as the lugs 19 drop into slight dwells at the inner or rear ends of the bayonet'slots 17, thus locking the members 1 and 2 together and establishing a leak-proof seal, and multiple, positive,'yieldable, electrical connections between the terminal ends of each pair of complemental contact segments, with" the shielding layers being grounded through the arbor 4, as, described thus electrostatically shielding the plug and socket members.

' While .the invention is shown and described in connection with a preferred embodiment for exemplary purposes, it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that various minor changes and modifications may be made therein without departing from the spirit or scope of the invention as defined in the accompanying claims.

I claim:

1. Ina multiple contact electrical connector, a plug contactmember having a central axis comprising a plurality of contact segments fixed in insulated relation to each other around the central axis, each segment having an inclined contact surface inclined forwardly of the plug contact member toward the central axis, and facing radially outward to form an annular outwardly tapered multicontact plug having the tapered contact surfaces spaced around its periphery, a complemental multi-contact socket member for the plug member having an inner inwardly tapered multi-contact surface substantially complemental to the outwardly tapered multi-contact surface of the plug forming a socket, comprising an annular body having a central axis, a plurality of relatively insulated contact segments, yieldably mounted within the body for ally inward toward the central axis of the body, and cooperating bayonet slot and lug means between the body and the plug member for advancing the multi-contact plug into the multi-contact socket member to establish electrical contact between the contact surfaces of the segments and locking the plug and socket members together when said contact is established.

2. Apparatus as claimed in claim 1 including a connector sleeve member slidably mounted on the plug member in spaced concentric relation to the multi-contact plug for receiving the body therein when the plug is inserted in the socket, said sleeve member having one of the complementary bayonet slot and lug coupling means formed thereon, spring means between the plug member and the sleeve member urging the sleeve member axially away from the outer end of the plug member, whereby the plug and socket members are tensioned and resiliently urged together into tighter electrical contacting relation when the bayonet slot and lug members are locked in inter-engagement.

3. Apparatus as claimed in claim 2 including an annular sealing gasket carried by one of the plug and socket members and located between the last named members for sealing contact therebetween when the plug and socket members are connected together.

4. Apparatus as claimed in claim 3 in which the plug is formed with a rearwardly and outwardly inclined annular flange at the rear ends of the contact segments therein, and the forward end of the body of the socket member is formed with an outwardly flared annular coritact surface and the sealing gasket comprises an annular rubber-like gasket mounted concentrically on one of said plug and socket members for compression and sealing relation between the last mentioned contact surfaces to form a seal between the plug member and the socket body when the plug and socket members are connected together. i

5. In a multi-contact electrical connector, a plug tapered member comprising a core member, a plurality of tapered radial contact segments surrounding the core member in insulated relation to each other and the core member, each segment having a contact surface inclined forwardly of the plug member toward the axis of the core member, to form an annular outwardly tapered plug, with the contact surfaces spaced around its periphery, an electrostatic shield'coating surrounding the sides of the contact segments with the exception of the inclined contact surfaces thereof, grounded to the core member, a complemental multi-contact socket member for said plug member comprising a sleeve-like body having a central axis, relatively insulated tapered radial contact segments mounted therein each formed with an inclined contact surface facing radially inward toward the central axis of the body and inclining inwardly away from the mouth of the body of the socket member, the inclined contact surface of each of the segments in the body being positioned in the body for contacting engagement with the inclined contact surface of a predetermined one of the contact segments in the plug, to form an annular inwardly tapered complemental socket for the plug member, electrostatic shielding means surrounding the sides of the contact segments of the socket member with the exception of the inclined contact surfaces thereof and means for grounding the last named shielding means on the core member when the plug member is inserted into the socket member to establish electrical contact between the inclined contact surfaces of the complemental segment members.

6. Apparatus as claimed in claim 5 including resilient coupling means for coupling the plug and socket members together and resiliently urging the contact segments thereof into tighter contacting relation.

7. Apparatus as claimed in claim 5 including complemental orienting operable means between the plug and socket members for rotatably orienting the socket member relative to the plug member to position .the contact surfaces of the segments in the socket member pre-. determined position for contact .with predetermined contact surfaces of the contact segments of the plug member prior to the establishing of electrical contact between the segments.

8. Apparatus as claimed inclaim 5 including an annular O ring sealing gasket mounted on saidcore member rearwardly of the inner ends of the contact segments of the plug member, an annular flange carried by the core connecting rods extending rearwardly of the plug member and arranged in radical relation around the core member substantially parallel thereto, and a shielding coating thereon throughout substantially the lengths thereof connected to the electrostatic shield for the segments of the plug.

10. Apparatus as claimed in claim 5 in which the contact segments in the socket member are formed with terminal connecting rods extending rearwardly of the socket in radial relation to and substantially parallel to the central axis of the socket member and a radially slotted insulation plate fixed to the rear end of-the body with the terminal connecting rods extending through the radial slotted openings to provide for radial adjustment of the rods incident to radial movement of the socket segments.

11. Apparatus as claimed in claim 5 in which the contact segments are all separated fromeach other by a narrow segment of insulating material, the radial segments of the socket member being formed with an elongated transverse groove or channel in their radially outward sides or backs. to provide an annular channel surrounding the contact segments when assembled to form the socket member, a resilient annular rubber-like band of insulating material disposed in the annular channel just mentioned to resiliently urge the segments inwardly toward the central axis of the socket member.

12. Apparatus as claimed in claim l1 in which the outer periphery of theannular resilient band is formed with an annular coil spring receiving channeland includes an endless coil spring band seated in the spring receiving channel under tension.

13. An electrical connector comprising a plurality of separate relatively insulated tapered elect'r ical contact seg ments, arranged radially around a central axis with the tapered portion facing radially outward to form a tapered multi-contact plug member, and a complemental multicontact socket member for said plug member comprising a substantially cylindrical sleeve member to receive the plu glt' tlelilbf therein Having a central axis, a similar number ,ofsep'arate relatively insulated tapered contact segments to those of the plug member arranged around the central axisfof the.sleeve'm'emberwithin the sleeve member in radial displacement relative to .the central axis thereof with their tapered portions facing radially inward and radiallyand circumferentially so spaced to each provide a separate inclined linesurface contact with a predetermined one of the taperedportions of the first mentioned segments, yieldable resilient constricting means surrounding the radially inwardly facing portions of the radially displaceable segments for yieldably tensioning thereon inwardly toward the central axis of thesleevc member to form the complementarytapered socketlmember for the plug membet.

' 1 4. A plugand socket electrical connector device as claimed in claim 13.in cluding a central core member extending through the plug member having a socket member orienting pilot head in advance of the plug segments, and a complemental pilot head receiving socket member fixed in the sleeve member located rearwardly of yieldable socket members therein for receiving' the pilot head to align the contactscgments of the plug and socket members prior to establishing electrical contacting relation therebetween.

15. Apparatus as set forth in claim 14 including resilient coupling means connectable between the plug and socket member for releasably coupling said plug and socket members together when the pilothead is inserted into the pilot receiving sockeb for yieidably tensioning the plug and socket members toward each other to urge the tapered portions or the contact segments of the plug member into tighter camming contact with the tapered portions of the contact segments of the socket member to establish a wipingcontact therebetweeen tending to displace the socket member contact segments radially outward against the constrictive actionof the associated yieldable constricting means.

16 Apparatus as claimed in claim 15 wherein the radially movable contact segments in the socket member are eachresiliently mounted for self adjusting action, whereby upon contact of thetapered surfaces, when the plug and socket member are coupled together, the socket segments are yieldable to establish contact through substantially the entire length of their tapered portions with substantially the entire length of the tapered portions of the segments of the plug member.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,014,843 Hirmann Sept. 17, 1935 2,195,343 Sayre Mar. 26, 1940 2,236,167 David Mar. 25, 1941 2,306,206 Dalgleish Dec. 22, 1942 2,594,004 Parish -Q. Apr. 22, 1952 2,642,474 Bowar June 16, 1953