US3731250A - Method of making electrical connectors and connectors therefor - Google Patents

Method of making electrical connectors and connectors therefor Download PDF

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Publication number
US3731250A
US3731250A US00203173A US3731250DA US3731250A US 3731250 A US3731250 A US 3731250A US 00203173 A US00203173 A US 00203173A US 3731250D A US3731250D A US 3731250DA US 3731250 A US3731250 A US 3731250A
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US
United States
Prior art keywords
fixed
container
mobile
electrical connector
envelope
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Expired - Lifetime
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US00203173A
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English (en)
Inventor
P Bonnamy
Current Assignee (The listed assignees may be inaccurate. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation or warranty as to the accuracy of the list.)
Total Compagnie Francaise des Petroles SA
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Compagnie Francaise des Petroles SA
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    • 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
    • H01R13/46—Bases; Cases
    • H01R13/52—Dustproof, splashproof, drip-proof, waterproof, or flameproof cases
    • H01R13/523—Dustproof, splashproof, drip-proof, waterproof, or flameproof cases for use under water

Definitions

  • ABSTRACT A method of obtaining an electrical connection underwater and connectors for carrying out the method, without requiring precise alignment of the connectors by employing a breakable rigid container filled with gas at a reduced pressure within a sealable waterproof housing surrounding the metal contact of a movable connector.
  • the contact of the movable connector is engaged with a metal contact of a stationary connector and the breakable envelope is broken, causing a reduction in the pressure within the waterproof housing to remove any water from between the metal contacts and retain the metal contacts in contact with each other and seal them from the surrounding environment.
  • Reconnectable underwater electrical connectors that is, connectors which can be connected or reconnected underwater, require a very precise adjustment between the male and female connectors, so as to reduce to a minimum the existing clearance in order to eliminate the presence of water.
  • the connection, as well as the disconnection, of these connectors thus require a great effort on the part of the installer. It therefore follows that, after several handling operations, the adjustment is loosened, the tap-points become moist, and the negative poles corrode very rapidly.
  • the object of the present invention is to provide a method of making an electrical connection between at least two surfaces, one being a fixed surface and the other one being a mobile surface, according to which is arranged, around the mobile contact surface, a deformable envelope having waterproof walls and having an opening therein, as well as a closed and undeformable container containing a gas or vapor at a pressure lower than the pressure of the ambient environment surrounding the container.
  • the lips or edge of the opening of the envelope is applied to the fixed surface and the container therein is broken.
  • the dimensions of said envelope and said mobile surface are such that the envelope will press the mobile surface against the fixed surface due to the reduction in pressure within the envelope by the rupture of the container.
  • the contact surfaces can furthermore be made up of simple flat surfaces.
  • To disconnect the tappoint it suffices to place the outside environment into communication with the interior of the envelope by, for example, raising a part of the lips of the envelope by introducing a thin plate thereunder, or by providing a small opening in the wall of the envelope, which is closed off with a screw or valve. It suffices to unscrew the screw or open the valve in order to disconnect the surfaces which are in contact.
  • Another object of the present invention is to present an electrical connector which operates according to the above-described method and which utilizes two parts, one referred to as a fixed part, the other one referred to as a mobile or movable part, the fixed part being made up of an insulating part, in the form ofa cupola, the edge of which is bordered by a lip, a rigid enclosure or container and a conductor inside the cupola, the height of the enclosure being at least equal to that of the cupola.
  • the lip of the cupola is placed upon the insulating part surrounding the fixed conducting surface, and a force is applied to the cupola in the direction of the fixed part so as to bring about the rupture of the rigid enclosure or container, with the abrupt application of the movable contact surface to the first surface being assisted by the cupola due to the pressure differential prevailing within the enclosure delimited by the lip of the mobile part and the outside environment.
  • FIG. 1 is an axial cross-section view of a reconnectable underwater electrical connector before connection
  • FIG. 2 is an elevation view of the electrical connector of FIG. 1;
  • FIG. 3 is an axial cross-section view of the connector of FIG. 1 after connection;
  • FIG. 4 is an axial cross-section view of a variation of the connector according to the present invention'prior to connection
  • FIG. 5 is an elevation view of the connector of FIG.
  • FIG. 6 is a plan view of the fixed contact part of the connector shown in FIG. 4;
  • FIG. 7 is an axial cross-section view of a variation of the connectors of FIG. 4;
  • FIG. 8 is an elevation view of the connector in FIG.
  • FIG. 9 is a plan view of the fixed part of the connector shown in FIG. 7;
  • FIG. is a perspective view of the removable levers cooperating with the connector in FIG. 7;
  • FIG. 11 is a schematic view of a further variation of the connector of FIG. I; and FIG. 12 is a schematic view of a variation of the connector of FIG. 4.
  • the mobile part of the reconnectable electrical connector of FIG. 1 is made up of an electrical conducting piece 1 which terminates in a cupola 1a provided with an opening lb therethrough, a threaded part 1c and a contact surface 1d.
  • This conducting piece is insulated on its outer surface from the surrounding environment by an insulating member 2 which terminates in a threaded corolla 2a having the exact shape of conductor l, the threaded portion 2b engaging the threaded portion 1c of conductor 1.
  • the corolla 2a of insulating member 2 has a lip formed therearound and a plurality of lugs 2d passing through openings (not shown) of conductor 1.
  • a hollow sphere 4 containing a gas or vapor at a reduced pressure is held within the housing formed by the cupola la by lugs 2d of the flexible corolla 2a.
  • the fixed part of the electrical connector includes a conducting piece 5 which terminates in a flat surface 5a provided with a point 5b.
  • This conductor is surrounded by an insulating member 6 having a surface 6a on the same level as that of surface 5a and is embedded in a support 7.
  • a screw 3 preferably made of nonconducting material, provides for the sealing of the corolla 2a which has an opening corresponding to and on the same axis as opening lb of the conducting cupola 1a.
  • the extension of insulating member 2, with lip 2c and screw 3, are shown in FIG. 2.
  • the mobile conductor 1 is placed adjacent the fixed or stationary conductor 5 by means of the application of lip 2c upon the surface 6a.
  • the operator exerts a certain pressure on the mobile conductor 1 and insulating member 2 in the direction of the fixed conductor 5, causing the sphere 4 to yield and break, due to the pressure of the point 5b, as shown in FIG. 3.
  • the reduced pressure prevailing in the sphere 4 is transferred into the chamber formed by the flexible wall of the lip 20, surfaces 5a, 6a, and the inside wall of the cupola la.
  • the lip 2c is pressed against the surface 6a and the surface 1d of the cupola 2a is flattened forcefully against the surface 50, resulting in a secure, water-tight electrical connection.
  • Thin radial channels can be made on the surface 1d of cupola la so as to transfer the reduced pressure to the volume included between surface 1d, the lip 2c, and the surface 5a.
  • the sphere 4 can contain a small quantity of mercury which would improve the contact between the surfaces by spreading across surface 5a. Furthermore, it is to be noted that the lugs 2d can partly retain the debris of the sphere 4, and can reduce the number of sphere fragments by starting rupture lines. In addition, screw 3 and point 5b on contact surface 5a can be used to facilitate the rupture.
  • a horizontal axle or pivot pin 8 serving as a support for a lever 9, constructed in the form of a fork, for example, whose two legs rest upon the corolla 2a on each side of the conductor 1, so as to facilitate the rupture of the sphere 4.
  • This lever also assures the maintenance of a good electrical connection in case the connector assembly is submerged in rather shallow water where the pressure reduction created inside the cupola 1a is still small.
  • the lever 9 can be installed permanently or it can be installed in a removable manner. A simple blocking device for the lense 9, likewise removable, is shown in FIGS. 7 and 10.
  • the fixed support part 10 is constructed of insulating material.
  • the support 10 contains four conductors 11-14, terminating in small flat conductive surfaces Ila-14a, with each surface having a central point 15.
  • the mobile part is made up of four conductors, of which only three conductors 16, 17, and 18 appear in the cross-section. These conductors terminate in flat-surface studs 19-21, which are places within an insulating envelope 22.
  • This envelope 22 has an outside lip 22a and an inside flange 22b. The latter serves to retain sphere 23.
  • Screw 24 plays the same role as screw 3, described above.
  • the insulation between the studs 19-21, following their contact with surfaces Ila-l4 after rupture of the sphere 23, is accomplished by pressing the insulating material 22 into the depressions 25-28 surrounding studs 19-21 and corresponding surfaces Ila-14a. Small ridges 25a-28a around the edges of the depression 25-28 improve the tightness of the seal between the studs 19-21.
  • the mobile connector can be oriented in the same way as the cup whose surface is 10a for alignment therewith.
  • a metallic fitting 29 can be provided which rests within the insulating envelope 22 upon the upper part 220 of the flange 22b.
  • the insulating piece 30 of the mobile connector part contains the conductors 31 which lead to studs 31a.
  • a rigid cover 32 covers the insulating piece 30 and rests, at the edge 32a of its contour, upon lip 30a.
  • a lever 33 has one of its ends supported on axle 34 while the other end is retained in a notch of a blocking piece 35 articulated around an axle 36, as before, thus making it possible to facilitate the rupture of the hollow spheres, located in the cavities 30b of the insulating piece 30.
  • the lever 33 also makes it possible to maintain the application of the mobile part of the electrical connector upon the fixed part in rather shallow water. It is clear that legs 33a and 33b of the lever 33 shown in FIG. 10, can be made of two separate pieces, with each of these separate pieces cooperating with a blocking piece 35, the two levers 33a and 33b being arranged on either side of the central part carrying the conductors 31.
  • screws 39 and 40 play the same role and operate in the same manner as screws 3 and 24, in FIGS. 1 and 4, in the embodiments described hereinabove.
  • the fixed part of the connector is designed to facilitate the rupture of six spheres housed in cavities 30b.
  • six small cones or points 41 were shown in FIG. 9.
  • a small circular ridge 44 surrounds each of the studs 42a as in the example of FIG. 6.
  • the six small spheres contained in recesses 3b could be replaced with a single sphere, and a single screw 39 for reducing the pressure within the connector assembly.
  • the construction of the envelope of the spheres may be of any desired shape and from any desired material.
  • the sphere can be made of glass, heat-hardenable materials, or others.
  • the thickness of the spheres is obviously greater when the connector is used at great depth. When these electrical connectors are used at shallow depths or on the surface, the use of the lever is not necessary, since a slight manual effort will make it possible to crush the sphere.
  • the sphere can be replaced by an enclosure having any other shape and that a sufficient number of cavities may be provided in order to ensure sufficient force of application in applying the mobile connector upon the fixed connector, when the ambient atmospheric or hydrostatic pressure is very small.
  • the spherical container 23 of FIG. 4 could be eliminated completely and replaced with one or more outside having a reduced pressure, these containers being connected by one or more conduits traversing the corolla 22, and employing one or more outside valves, thus making it possible, after application of the lip 22a upon surface 10, to communicate the enclosure formed by the corolla 22 and surface 10a with the outside containers.
  • the conductors of the mobile connector extend from conduit 450 into insulating piece 45, which has a lip 45b at the lower edge thereof.
  • the insulating piece 45 may include an arrangement of studs of conductors similar to the one shown in FIG. 4, if desired.
  • the insulating piece 45 is surmounted by a rigid envelop 46 which forms or contains a hollow enclosure separated from the interior of insulating piece 45 by a breakable or movable partition or valve 47.
  • the partition 47 can also be replaced by a simple valve and the neck 48 may be screwed upon a rigid conduit connecting with piece 45.
  • the screw connection can be used to crush the partition 47 when the threading of the neck 48 upon the rigid part of insulating piece 45 is already tight.
  • the operation of the connector is identical to the one described earlier.
  • the water contained in the enclosure delimited by lip 45a and its support surface passes into the rigid cavity 46 when the partition 47 is broken, due to the pressure reduction in cavity 46, thus causing the collapse of lip 45);.
  • FIG. 12 schematically shows a version similar to the one shown in FIG. 11 but where the neck 48 of the rigid envelope 46 is connected with a channel 49 leading into the cup 50 of the fixed connector upon which will be applied the lip of the mobile connector 22. It is clear that identical channels could lead to the surface of the fixed connector of FIGS. 7-9, at the positions and at the location of points 41.
  • the number of rigid en velopes 46 here can be any number.
  • this shape may be adapted to that of the cup so that the contact of the studs of the removable plug against the fixed studs will be accomplished with very slight horizontal sliding, so that a ridge of stud 19, for example, will scrape the surface of stud 11a before being immobilized face to face.
  • An electrical connector comprising, in combination, a fixed contact and a mobile contact, said fixed contact formed of at least one conductor terminating in a contact surface surrounded by an insulating surface, said mobile contact being made up of an insulating part in the shape of a housing bordered by a lip, a rigid and breakable container contained in said housing, said container containing a gas or vapor at a pressure below that of the surrounding environment, and at least one conductor inside said housing, the height of the con tainer being at least eQual to that of said housing.
  • the fixed part further comprises a small cup around each contact surface, the edges of which present a circular ridge surrounding the extremities of the studs of the mobile part when the latter is applied upon the fixed part and, provide sealing between the studs by their penetration into the external lip and the internal flange of the cupola.
  • said fixed parts include two axles fixed thereon, a lever movably connected to one of said axles and adapted to extend across the mobile part of the connector, the other end of said lever being maintained by a bolt articulated upon the other axle of the fixed part.
  • An electrical connector comprising in combination, a fixed part and a mobile part, said fixed part including at least one conductor terminating in a contact surface surrounded by an insulating surface, said mobile part including an insulating part in the form of a housing bordered by a lip and having at least one conductor cooperating with said conductor or conductors of said fixed part, said housing being connected by an external channel to a rigid container whose internal volume is at a lower pressure, said container being breakable at least at the location separating said container from said housing.
  • said fixed parts include two axles fixed thereon, a lever movably connected to one of said axles and adapted to extend across the mobile part of the connector, the other end of said lever being maintained by a bolt articulated upon the other axle of the fixed part.
  • An electrical connector comprising in combination, a fixed part and a mobile part, said fixed part including at least one conductor terminating in a contact surface surrounded by an insulating surface, said mobile part including an insulating part in the form of a housing bordered by a lip and at least one conductor cooperating with said conductor or conductors of said fixed part, a channel located in the fixed part leading to said housing and connected to a rigid external envelope whose interior volume is at a lower pressure than that of the surrounding environment and is at least breakable at the place separating said container from said channel.

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  • Connector Housings Or Holding Contact Members (AREA)
US00203173A 1970-11-30 1971-11-30 Method of making electrical connectors and connectors therefor Expired - Lifetime US3731250A (en)

Applications Claiming Priority (1)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
FR7042940A FR2115684A5 (ko) 1970-11-30 1970-11-30

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US3731250A true US3731250A (en) 1973-05-01

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US00203173A Expired - Lifetime US3731250A (en) 1970-11-30 1971-11-30 Method of making electrical connectors and connectors therefor

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US (1) US3731250A (ko)
FR (1) FR2115684A5 (ko)
GB (1) GB1340756A (ko)

Families Citing this family (3)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
FR2350710A1 (fr) * 1976-05-03 1977-12-02 Int Standard Electric Corp Connecteur electrique destine a etre utilise dans un milieu hostile
FR2544559B1 (fr) * 1982-11-09 1985-10-25 Labinal Connecteur electrique etanche
GB9008764D0 (en) * 1990-04-19 1990-06-13 Egnell Ameda Ltd A resilient suction cup

Citations (4)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US3478298A (en) * 1967-11-13 1969-11-11 Electro Oceanics Inc Fluidproof end connector
US3588781A (en) * 1969-10-10 1971-06-28 North American Rockwell Bulkhead connector means
US3657681A (en) * 1969-05-29 1972-04-18 Deep Oil Technology Inc Self-purging multi-contact electrical connector
US3665509A (en) * 1971-03-22 1972-05-23 Us Navy Underwater electrical connector

Patent Citations (4)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US3478298A (en) * 1967-11-13 1969-11-11 Electro Oceanics Inc Fluidproof end connector
US3657681A (en) * 1969-05-29 1972-04-18 Deep Oil Technology Inc Self-purging multi-contact electrical connector
US3588781A (en) * 1969-10-10 1971-06-28 North American Rockwell Bulkhead connector means
US3665509A (en) * 1971-03-22 1972-05-23 Us Navy Underwater electrical connector

Non-Patent Citations (1)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Title
IBM Tech. Disclosure J. F. Smith Interconnection Devices 7 1966. *

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GB1340756A (en) 1974-01-30
FR2115684A5 (ko) 1972-07-07

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