US3296387A - Shock absorbing electrical connector - Google Patents
Shock absorbing electrical connector Download PDFInfo
- Publication number
- US3296387A US3296387A US408041A US40804164A US3296387A US 3296387 A US3296387 A US 3296387A US 408041 A US408041 A US 408041A US 40804164 A US40804164 A US 40804164A US 3296387 A US3296387 A US 3296387A
- Authority
- US
- United States
- Prior art keywords
- cord
- housing
- drum
- collar portion
- opening
- 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.)
- Expired - Lifetime
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Classifications
-
- H—ELECTRICITY
- H02—GENERATION; CONVERSION OR DISTRIBUTION OF ELECTRIC POWER
- H02G—INSTALLATION OF ELECTRIC CABLES OR LINES, OR OF COMBINED OPTICAL AND ELECTRIC CABLES OR LINES
- H02G11/00—Arrangements of electric cables or lines between relatively-movable parts
- H02G11/02—Arrangements of electric cables or lines between relatively-movable parts using take-up reel or drum
-
- 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
- H01R13/72—Means for accommodating flexible lead within the holder
Definitions
- My invention pertains, in general, to electrical connectors for use with cordwinders; and, more particularly, to an electrical connector, such as a male plug, which includes a bumper integrally formed with the body portion of the connector for absorbing the shock produced by the sudden arresting of the rotation of the cordwinders drum when the electric cord to which the connector is attached is fully retracted.
- Cordwinders for flexible electric cords are usually provided with a spring motor which is wound by the rotation of the winding drum during withdrawal of the cord, the spring motor thus being conditioned to rotate the drum for rewinding the cord.
- An ordinary spring motor having a spiral spring produces a maximum torque when fully wound, the torque dropping ofi as the spring becomes unwound. Consequently, the torque approaches a minimum value as the cord becomes fully rewound, with the result that the drum is rotating at a minimum speed at the end of the rewinding.
- the rotation of the drum is usually stopped by the plug on the electric cord striking the cordwinder housing, it being too large to pass through the cord opening in the housing, or by a bumper of relatively hard material slidably mounted on the cord, in the latter case the plug being relied on to limit the displacement of the bumper along the cord.
- a Negator spring is employed to drive the winding drum.
- a spring of this nature is capable of producing a constant torque throughout the entire rewinding operation and consequently the winding drum does not slow down, but rather tends to increase its speed of rotation to a maximum value at the time the cord becomes fully rewound. This greatly increases the impact of the plug against the housing of the cordwinder, with the result that the electrical connection between the cord and the plug may be quickly damaged.
- one object of my invention is to incorporate a shock absorbing member directly in an electrical connector, such as a male plug, for the purpose of preventing damage to the electrical connection between the cord and connector when the connector strikes the cordwinder housing at the time the cord is fully retracted into the housing.
- Another object of my invention is to provide an easily fabricated connector and cord assembly; said connector comprising a body and shock absorbing member which are molded as a unit about a subassembly comprising an electric cord having contact elements connected to the conductors thereof and a strain relief element crimped to the cords jacket and embedded in the connectors body during the molding operation.
- FIG. 1 is a eross-sectional-view of a cordwinder including an electric plug according to one embodiment of my invention and the plug is shown at the instant it strikes the cordwinder housing;
- FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view taken on the line 22 of FIG. 1;
- FIG. 3 is a view of a longitudinal cross-section of the 32%,387 Patented Jan. 3, 1967 electric plug of my invention shown prior to striking the cordwinder housing;
- FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view taken along the section line 4-4 in FIG. 3 and showing the electric plug at the instant it makes impact with the cordwinder housing, in the same manner as shown in FIG. 1.
- reference character 10 designates the housing of a cordwinder. Integral with or secured to the housing 10 is a central hollow shaft 12 which forms the inner race of a ball bearing 14. The outer race 16 of the bearing is secured in the hub 20 of a reel or winding drum 22. A flexible electric cord 24 has one end secured to the drum 22 and is adapted to be wound up thereon, as is shown in FIG. 1. The cord 24 extends through 21 preferably elongated opening 26 defined within the raised wall portion Ilia formed in the housing 10 in radial alignment with the drum 22 and the outer end of the cord is electrically and mechanically connected to the electric plug 28 which is provided by my invention.
- a spool 42 around which is wound a Negator spring 44.
- the opposite end of spring 44 is secured to the hub 20 of the drum 22, as by the rivet 46.
- This spring is so formed that it tends to wrap itself tightly around the spool 42.
- the spring 44 is unwound from the spool 42 and is Wound in a reverse direction around the hub 20, and the length of the spring is so chosen with respect to the length of the cord that when the latter is completely unwound from the drum 22 most of the spring is unwound from the spool 42 and Wound up on the hub 20.
- the spring tends to rewind itself around the spool 42 and in doing so exerts a torque tending to rotate the drum 22 in a counterclockwise direction, and when the drum is released the spring causes it to rotate in this direction so as to retract and wind up the cord 24.
- the torque exerted thereby is the same, regardless of the amount of spring remaining on the spool 42, throughout the entire rewinding operation. The more the cord is rewound, the less friction there is between the remaining unwound portion of the cord and the surface, usually the floor, across which it is dragged during the rewinding and hence there is a tendency for the winding drum to increase its speed of rotation.
- FIG. 3 A cross-sectional view, somewhat enlarged, of the electric plug 28 in accordance with my invention is shown in FIG. 3.
- the cord 24, having the plug 23 at one end, is illustrated as being retracted toward, but not having reached, the cordwinder housing 10.
- the plug 28 is comprised of: a body 30 molded from a suitable elastomeric material such as vinyl plastic, rubber, or the like; a shock-absorbing disc-like collar 32 integrally formed with the body 30 and being of the same elastomeric material; the pair of contact elements 34, or blades, embedded in the body 36 and connected with the conductors 36 which are within the jacket 33 of the cord 24; and the strain relief member 46 which is firmly crimped about a short length of electrical insulating tape 48 which has been wrapped around and bonded to the cords jacket 38.
- a suitable elastomeric material such as vinyl plastic, rubber, or the like
- a shock-absorbing disc-like collar 32 integrally formed with the body 30 and being of the same elastomeric material
- the pair of contact elements 34, or blades embedded in the body 36 and connected with the conductors 36 which are within the jacket 33 of the cord 24
- the strain relief member 46 which is firmly crimped about a short length of electrical insulating tape 48 which has been
- the bared copper strands of the two conductors 36 are electrically connected to the respective blades 34.
- the adhesive insulating tape 48 is wrapped around the end portion of the jacket 38.
- the metallic strain relief element 46 is crimped around the tape 48 and exerts a relatively high pressure on the cords jacket 38.
- the relief element 46 has a projecting element 46a integrally formed therein.
- This element 46a may have a generally semicircular crosssection and serves the purpose of transmitting a pulling force applied to the cord jacket 38 directly to the body portion 3i) of the plug.
- each of the blades 34 is formed by bending part of a long blade element back on itself and further bending a portion of the blade element to form a projection 34a which is directed at a right angle to the blade 34.
- These projections 34a also serve as strain relief elements; i.e., they transmit pulling forces applied to the blades 34 when the plug is pulled out of a female receptacle directly to the body portion 30 of the plug.
- the entire assembly is placed in a mold which conforms to the shape of the plugs body 30 and shock absorbing collar 32. Thereafter the mold is filled with a substance which when cured has suitable elastic properties; e.g., vinyl plastic, rubber, or the like.
- FIGS. 1, 2 and 4 show how the collar 32 deforms to absorb shock when the plug 28 strikes the wall a of the housing 10.
- FIGS. 1, 2 and 4 show how the collar 32 deforms to absorb shock when the plug 28 strikes the wall a of the housing 10.
- FIGS. 3 and 4 there is provided a sufficient space between the face 30a of the body 30 and face 32a of collar 32 so that at high impact forces the face 32a of the collar can bend toward face 30a through a substantial are without touching face 30a. in fact in the particular embodiment shown at FIGS. 3 and 4 a portion of the face 32a could bend until it about lies fiat on the surface 30b of body 30 without touching the face 30a at all.
- An electrical connector adapted for use with an electric cord which includes a plurality of conductors situated within a tubular dielectric jacket and is arranged for retraction into a cordwinder housing through an opening in the housing by being wound on a drum in the housing by a substantially constant torque spring motor which rotates said drum, said connector comprising an elastic body of dielectric material, a plurality of electrical contact elements, each contact element having a terminal portion thereof embedded in said body and connected to a different one of said conductors, a strain relief element secured to an end section of the cords jacket and embedded together with said end section in said body, said body including an integral elastic collar portion near that end of the body which receives said cord, said collar portion extending radially outward from the surface of said body and being normally disposed in a plane which is perpendicular to the longitudinal center- .line of the cord, said collar portion being larger than said opening in the housing so that at the instant said cord is fully retracted into the housing said collar portion contacts that portion of the housing adjacent said opening, arresting re
- a male electric plug for an electric cord which has a plurality of conductors situated within a tubular dielectric jacket and is arranged for retraction into a cordwinder housing through an opening in the housing by being wound on a drum in the housing by a substantially constant torque spring motor which rotates said drum, said male plug comprising an elastic body of dielectric material, a plurality of blades protruding from said body, each blade having a terminal portion thereof embedded in said body and connected to a different one of said conductors, a strain relief element secured to an end section of the cords jacket and embedded together with said end section in said body, said body including a relatively thin elastic annular collar portion near that end of the body which receives said cord, said collar portion extending radially outward from the surface of said body and being normally disposed in a plane which is perpendicular to the longitudinal centerline of the cord, said collar portion being larger than said opening in the housing so that at the instant said cord is fully retracted into the housing said collar portion contacts that portion of the housing adjacent said opening,
- An electrical connector adapted for use with an electric cord including a plurality of conductors situated within a tubular dielectric jacket, said cord being adapted for retraction into a cordwinder housing through an opening in the housing by being wound on a drum in the housing'by a substantially constant torque spring motor Which rotates said drum
- said connector comprising: an elastic body of dielectric material havinge two axially-aligned contiguous body portions of different cross-sectional areas and a thin elastic annular disc integral with and extending radially outward from the body portion having the smaller crosssectional area, said contiguous body portions defining at their juncture an annular wall surface which faces said disc, said disc being spaced from said wall surface by a distance which is suflicient to permit the disc to flex toward said wall surface and make contact with the surface of the body portion with Which said disc is integral without touching said wall surface, a plurality of electrical contact elements, each contact element having a terminal portion embedded in the body portion having the larger crosssectional area and connected to a different one
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- Details Of Connecting Devices For Male And Female Coupling (AREA)
Description
Claims (1)
Priority Applications (1)
Application Number | Priority Date | Filing Date | Title |
---|---|---|---|
US408041A US3296387A (en) | 1964-11-02 | 1964-11-02 | Shock absorbing electrical connector |
Applications Claiming Priority (1)
Application Number | Priority Date | Filing Date | Title |
---|---|---|---|
US408041A US3296387A (en) | 1964-11-02 | 1964-11-02 | Shock absorbing electrical connector |
Publications (1)
Publication Number | Publication Date |
---|---|
US3296387A true US3296387A (en) | 1967-01-03 |
Family
ID=23614606
Family Applications (1)
Application Number | Title | Priority Date | Filing Date |
---|---|---|---|
US408041A Expired - Lifetime US3296387A (en) | 1964-11-02 | 1964-11-02 | Shock absorbing electrical connector |
Country Status (1)
Country | Link |
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US (1) | US3296387A (en) |
Cited By (6)
Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
---|---|---|---|---|
US4181394A (en) * | 1976-06-17 | 1980-01-01 | Pacific Electricord Company | Cord attachment plug |
US5662193A (en) * | 1995-12-18 | 1997-09-02 | Reel-Thing Innovations, Inc., The | Housing for a retractacle cord mechanism |
US5671833A (en) * | 1996-04-23 | 1997-09-30 | W.L. Gore & Associates, Inc. | Retractable coaxial cable device |
US5701981A (en) * | 1996-03-13 | 1997-12-30 | Marshall; Trevor | Retractable power cord |
US5803764A (en) * | 1996-12-26 | 1998-09-08 | The Reel-Thing Innovations Inc. | Method of weather proofing an opening through which an electrical cord passes, and associated apparatus |
US10777948B2 (en) * | 2018-06-28 | 2020-09-15 | Nishant Thaker | Modular extendable outlet assembly |
Citations (5)
Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
---|---|---|---|---|
US2273487A (en) * | 1940-11-16 | 1942-02-17 | Horace W Heyman | Strain-relief means for electrical cords |
US2911616A (en) * | 1957-06-13 | 1959-11-03 | Raymond L Townsend | Strain relief for stranded cable connection |
US2945921A (en) * | 1959-05-18 | 1960-07-19 | Electrolux Corp | Cordwinder bumpers |
US2954541A (en) * | 1960-01-08 | 1960-09-27 | Honeywell Regulator Co | Right angle electrical connector |
US3149898A (en) * | 1958-02-13 | 1964-09-22 | Heyman Mfg Co | Polarized electric plugs |
-
1964
- 1964-11-02 US US408041A patent/US3296387A/en not_active Expired - Lifetime
Patent Citations (5)
Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
---|---|---|---|---|
US2273487A (en) * | 1940-11-16 | 1942-02-17 | Horace W Heyman | Strain-relief means for electrical cords |
US2911616A (en) * | 1957-06-13 | 1959-11-03 | Raymond L Townsend | Strain relief for stranded cable connection |
US3149898A (en) * | 1958-02-13 | 1964-09-22 | Heyman Mfg Co | Polarized electric plugs |
US2945921A (en) * | 1959-05-18 | 1960-07-19 | Electrolux Corp | Cordwinder bumpers |
US2954541A (en) * | 1960-01-08 | 1960-09-27 | Honeywell Regulator Co | Right angle electrical connector |
Cited By (6)
Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
---|---|---|---|---|
US4181394A (en) * | 1976-06-17 | 1980-01-01 | Pacific Electricord Company | Cord attachment plug |
US5662193A (en) * | 1995-12-18 | 1997-09-02 | Reel-Thing Innovations, Inc., The | Housing for a retractacle cord mechanism |
US5701981A (en) * | 1996-03-13 | 1997-12-30 | Marshall; Trevor | Retractable power cord |
US5671833A (en) * | 1996-04-23 | 1997-09-30 | W.L. Gore & Associates, Inc. | Retractable coaxial cable device |
US5803764A (en) * | 1996-12-26 | 1998-09-08 | The Reel-Thing Innovations Inc. | Method of weather proofing an opening through which an electrical cord passes, and associated apparatus |
US10777948B2 (en) * | 2018-06-28 | 2020-09-15 | Nishant Thaker | Modular extendable outlet assembly |
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Legal Events
Date | Code | Title | Description |
---|---|---|---|
AS | Assignment |
Owner name: FIRST NATIONAL BANK OF BOSTON, THE Free format text: SECURITY INTEREST;ASSIGNOR:EL ACQUISITION CORPORATION;REEL/FRAME:004923/0862 Effective date: 19871030 |
|
AS | Assignment |
Owner name: WELLS FARGO & CO. Free format text: SECURITY INTEREST;ASSIGNOR:ELECTROLUX CORPORATION A CORP. OF DE.;REEL/FRAME:005195/0287 Effective date: 19891024 Owner name: FIRST BOSTON MEZZANINE INVESTMENT PARTNERSHIP - 9 Free format text: SECURITY INTEREST;ASSIGNOR:ELECTROLUX CORPORATION A CORP. OF DE.;REEL/FRAME:005195/0287 Effective date: 19891024 Owner name: WESRAY CAPITAL CORPORATION Free format text: SECURITY INTEREST;ASSIGNOR:ELECTROLUX CORPORATION A CORP. OF DE.;REEL/FRAME:005195/0287 Effective date: 19891024 Owner name: BANCBOSTON INVESTMENTS INC., Free format text: SECURITY INTEREST;ASSIGNOR:ELECTROLUX CORPORATION A CORP. OF DE.;REEL/FRAME:005195/0287 Effective date: 19891024 Owner name: FIRST BOSTON SECURITIES CORP. Free format text: SECURITY INTEREST;ASSIGNOR:ELECTROLUX CORPORATION A CORP. OF DE.;REEL/FRAME:005195/0287 Effective date: 19891024 |
|
AS | Assignment |
Owner name: WESRAY CAPITAL CORPORATION Free format text: SECURITY INTEREST;ASSIGNOR:ELECTROLUX CORPORATION;REEL/FRAME:005206/0691 Effective date: 19891024 Owner name: FIRST BOSTON SECURITIES CORP. Free format text: SECURITY INTEREST;ASSIGNOR:ELECTROLUX CORPORATION;REEL/FRAME:005206/0691 Effective date: 19891024 Owner name: BANCBOSTON INVESTMENTS INC. Free format text: SECURITY INTEREST;ASSIGNOR:ELECTROLUX CORPORATION;REEL/FRAME:005206/0691 Effective date: 19891024 Owner name: WELLS FARGO & CO. Free format text: SECURITY INTEREST;ASSIGNOR:ELECTROLUX CORPORATION;REEL/FRAME:005206/0691 Effective date: 19891024 Owner name: FIRST BOSTON MEZZANINE INVESTMENT PARTNERSHIP - 9 Free format text: SECURITY INTEREST;ASSIGNOR:ELECTROLUX CORPORATION;REEL/FRAME:005206/0691 Effective date: 19891024 |
|
AS | Assignment |
Owner name: EL ACQUISITION CORPORATION, N/K/A ELECTROLUX CORP. Free format text: RELEASE OF SECURITY INTEREST;ASSIGNOR:BANKBOSTON NA;REEL/FRAME:009580/0655 Effective date: 19980831 |
|
AS | Assignment |
Owner name: ELECTROLUX CORPORATION, CONNECTICUT Free format text: RELEASE OF SECURITY INTEREST;ASSIGNORS:BANCBOSTON INVESTMENTS, INC.;WELLS FARGO & CO.;FIRST BOSTON MEZZANINE INVESTMENT PARTNERSHIP - 9;AND OTHERS;REEL/FRAME:009773/0310 Effective date: 19980831 |