WO2009004313A2

WO2009004313A2 - Electrical connector

Info

Publication number: WO2009004313A2
Application number: PCT/GB2008/002213
Authority: WO
Inventors: Philip Ian Keen
Original assignee: Ultra Electronics Limited
Priority date: 2007-06-29
Filing date: 2008-06-26
Publication date: 2009-01-08
Also published as: GB0712706D0; GB2450549A; WO2009004313A3

Abstract

An electrical connector comprises a plug body (1) adapted to be received in a socket (2), and at least one plug contact (4) which is mounted on the plug body to make electrical contact with a socket contact (16) within the socket. The plug contact (4) comprises a resilient member with a pair of contact arms (8) that extend from opposite sides of the plug body to be received between, and be displaced and resiliently loaded by contact with a pair of contact faces (32) of a socket contact (16) when inserted into the socket. The contact arms (8) are formed integrally from a resilient member which has a central portion (7) received in an aperture in the plug body with an arm extending from it either side. The socket contacts (16) are also formed as an integral component with a U shaped recess to receive an edge of the plug body and the plug contact. Multiple plug contacts (4) may be arranged in one or more longitudinally extending rows along the plug body. The socket contacts (16) have terminal connections (33) visible externally of the socket and arranged in rows on opposite sides of the socket. The plug body may comprise a printed circuit board (PCB) incorporating connections between the plug contacts (4) and a connector interface at the handle end (3) of the plug body.

Description

Electrical Connector

Technical Field

This invention relates to an electrical connector of the plug and socket type.

Disclosure of the Invention

According to the invention an electrical connector comprises a plug body adapted to be received in a socket into which it is insertable, and at least one plug contact which is mounted on the plug body to make electrical contact with a socket contact within the socket, characterised in that the plug contact comprises a resilient member with a pair of contact arms that extend from opposite sides of the plug body to be received between, and be displaced and resiliently loaded by contact with a pair of contact faces of a socket contact when inserted into the socket.

The contact arms are preferably formed integrally from a resilient member which has a central portion received in an aperture in the plug body with an arm extending from it either side of the plug body. The socket contacts are also preferably formed as an integral component with a U shaped recess to receive an edge of the plug body and the plug contact.

In a particular embodiment of the invention, the resilient plug contact comprises a substantially U-shaped member in which a central portion is adapted to be secured to the plug body and a pair of arms extend from opposite sides of the central portion so as to diverge away from one another towards their free ends. The arms extend rearwardly of the plug body away from its tip so that they present a tapered profile with trailing arms as they are inserted into the socket.

The plug body is preferably blade-shaped with opposed broad side faces from which the arm of each plug contact extends. The socket is of a corresponding cross-section to receive the plug body and longitudinally spaced abutments on the plug body engage the socket internally to locate the plug body laterally. Multiple plug contacts may be arranged in one or more longitudinally extending rows along the plug body. The corresponding socket contacts would also be arranged in rows and may have terminal connections visible externally of the socket and arranged in rows on opposite sides of the socket.

The plug body may comprise a printed circuit board (PCB) incorporating connections between the plug contacts and a connector interface at the handle end of the plug body by which it is inserted into the socket. Soldered connections connect the plug contacts to the PCB connections.

Description of the Drawings

The invention will now be described by way of example with reference to the accompanying drawings in which:

Figure 1 shows the plug body and socket body of an electrical connector according to the invention;

Figure 2 shows the socket body of Figure 1 with ghosted internal details;

Figure 3 shows a side elevation of the plug body of Figure 1;

Figure 4 shows multiple plug contacts mounted in a PCB board of the plug body of Figure l;

Figure 5 shows a longitudinal section through the PCB board and plug contacts of Figure

4;

Figure 6 shows the plug body contacting socket contacts when inserted into the socket body; and

Figure 7 shows a section through the plug body and locking mechanism.

Best Mode of Carrying out the Invention

The electrical connector illustrated in the drawings is a heater connector comprising a plug body 1, shown in Figure 1, which is inserted into a socket member shown in Figure 2, so that respective contacts in each engage to form a power supply circuit between a power supply connected to the plug body and a heater connected to the socket member 2. Typically, the socket member is incorporated in a product such as a turbine which has a heater needing a power supply connection. The plug body 1 consists of an elongate body connected to a handle 3 at one end, and carrying a series of electrical contacts 4 at its other end for insertion longitudinally into a central recess 14 of the socket member 2. A printed circuit board (PCB) 5 extends longitudinally within the plug body 1 and is electrically connected to a wiring harness 6 at the handle end, and to the plug contacts 4 at the other end.

As shown in Figures 4 and 5, each plug contact 4 consists of a U-shaped resilient metal component having a central portion 7 and a pair of arms 8 which extend from the central portion either side. The central portion 7 is adapted to be received in a slot 9 in an edge of the PCB 5 with the arms 8 lying either side of the PCB and extending rearwards towards the handle 18. The free end of each contact arm 8 is curved towards the PCB so as to ensure a smooth sliding contact with the internal surface of the socket member and socket contacts 16 when the two engage upon insertion and withdrawal of the plug body.

A projection 35 pressed from the central portion 7 serves to help locate the plug contact 4 in the slot 9. The slot 9 has tinned surfaces connected electrically to the end of a PCB track 36, and the central portion 7 is soldered in position in the slot 9.

A set of similarly mounted plug contacts 4 is provided along each edge of the PCB, with the two sets being offset longitudinally relative to one another, as shown in Figures 1 and 4. This offset facilitates the provision of the tracks in the PCB. The PCB 5 and plug contacts 4 are housed in an outer protective sleeve 10, as shown in Figure 1, with each of the arms 8 projecting through a correspondingly shaped aperture 11 in the sleeve. The sleeve 10 is composed of an electrically insulating material such as moulded plastics so as to mechanically protect and insulate the PCB 5. The PCB 5, protective sleeve 10, and a locating portion 12 adjacent the handle 18 form a blade-shaped plug body with two broad side faces from which the electrical contacts 4 extend, as shown in Figure 3.

The locating portion 12 of the plug body between the sleeve 10 and the handle 18 has a cross-section profile extending slightly beyond that of the sleeve 10 and is adapted to be received in a correspondingly shaped locating recess 13 of the socket recess 14. The socket member 2 is formed with the longitudinal recess 14 with an opening 15 at one end to receive the plug body 3, and the locating recess 13 located adjacent the opening 15 to receive the locating portion 12 of the plug body 1 when fully inserted. A shoulder 20 at the leading end of the locating portion 12 cooperates with a step 19 at the inner end of the locating recess 13 to define a fully inserted condition of the plug body in the socket member. A peripheral seal 21 is provided behind the shoulder 20 and engages the locating recess 13 to seal the socket against ingress of dirt, water or oil or other unwanted contaminants.

Once inserted, the plug body is locked in place by a locking mechanism comprising a pair of pawls 22 each located in a recess 23 in an edge of the locating portion 12 behind the seal 21. The pawls 22 are composed of resilient material and are mounted so that they extend forwardly and are spring loaded inwards at their free ends so that they lie within their respective recesses 23 in an unlocked state. The locking mechanism also comprises an actuator in the form of two longitudinally extending slide members 24, each of which is located along an edge of the locating body 12 and cooperates with one of the pawls 22. The leading end of each slide member 24 engages the inner face of the corresponding pawl 22 to urge it outwardly of the recess 23 so that it engages against a locking recess 26 in the locating recess 13 of the socket, thereby to prevent the plug body from being withdrawn from the socket member. The slide members 24 are guided longitudinally within the channels 23 in the edges of the locating body 12 and are connected at their rearward ends to a manual operating grip 28 which is mounted to slide longitudinally on the handle 3 so that it is slid forward to engage the locking mechanism and rearwardly to release the locking mechanism. A locking arm 29 extends laterally from the grip 28 and is formed with fastening means 30 in the form of a slot to allow it to be fastened to a product associated with the socket member so as to secure the grip in the forward locked position.

That portion of the socket recess 14 forward of the locating portion 13 is shaped so as to receive the protective sleeve 10 as a spaced fit, but a series of abutment pads 31 are provided at longitudinally spaced locations along the length of the sleeve 10, and these engage the internal surface of the socket recess 14 to locate the plug body laterally within the socket. Typically, an abutment pad 31 is provided one at each end of the sleeve 10 on the same side of the sleeve, and one centrally of the sleeve 10 on the opposite side from the first two abutment pads. This arrangement serves to resist lateral movements of the plug body within the socket member under severe vibration conditions which may be experienced in some product applications, such as turbine engines.

This forward portion of the socket recess 14 is provided internally with electrical socket contacts 16 located longitudinally so as to match the pattern of the plug contacts 4 and ensure that once the plug body is inserted in the socket member each plug contact 4 engages a corresponding socket contact 16 as, shown in Figure 6. Each socket contact 16 comprises a U-shaped body of electrically conductive material with two opposed contact plates 32 arranged so as to embrace an edge of the sleeve 10 of the plug body and receive a pair of plug contact arms 8 on each side of the sleeve and engaging an inner contact face of a respective contact plate 32. In this condition, each contact arm 8 is deflected inwards towards the plug body so that it is loaded resiliently against the contact plate 32. Each pair of contact arms 8 tend to centre the sleeve 10 between the contact plates 32, but vibrations can cause the sleeve to flex and portions to move laterally. In this case, one contact arm 8 of a pair might be more highly spring loaded than the other, but because the pairs of contact arms 8 cooperate with pairs of contact plates 32, good electrical contact is preserved under all conditions.

Each socket contact is also formed with a terminal connection 33 which extends through the side wall of the socket member and presents an external electrical connection surface for equipment to be supplied with power, such as a heater. The socket contacts 16 are arranged so that one set along one edge of the plug body present terminal connections 33 along that edge on one side of the socket member, and the second set of socket contacts along the opposite edge of the plug body present terminal connections 33 along that edge on the opposite side of the socket body. Thus, a line of terminal connections 33 is visible externally of the socket body an opposite sides of the body.

The wire harness 6 is connected to the PCB 5 via a crimped wire connection enclosed by a protective boot 18.

Claims

1. An electrical connector comprising a plug body (1) adapted to be received in a socket (2) into which it is insertable, and at least one plug contact (4) which is mounted on the plug body to make electrical contact with a socket contact (16) within the socket, characterised in that the plug contact (4) comprises a resilient member with a pair of contact arms (8) that extend from opposite sides of the plug body (1) to be received between, and be displaced and resiliently loaded by contact with, a pair of contact faces of a socket contact (16) when inserted into the socket.

2. An electrical connector as claimed in claim 1 in which the pair of arms (8) are formed integrally from a resilient member which has a central portion (7) received in an aperture (9) in the plug body (1) with an arm (8) extending from it either side of the plug body.

3. An electrical connector as claimed in claim 2 in which the resilient plug contact (4) comprises a substantially U-shaped member in which a central portion (7) is adapted to be secured to the plug body (1) and a pair of arms (8) extend from opposite sides of the central portion (7) so as to diverge away from one another towards their free ends.

4. An electrical body as claimed in claim 3 in which the arms (8) extend longitudinally of the plug body (1) rearwards from the tip of the body so that they present a tapered profile with trailing arms as they are inserted into the socket.

5. An electrical body as claimed in claim 4 in which the free ends of the arms (8) are rounded to slide across the internal surface of the socket (2) upon withdrawal or insertion of the plug relative to the socket.

6. An electrical connector as claimed in any one of the preceding claims in which the plug body (1) is provided with multiple plug contacts (4) arranged in one or more longitudinally extending rows.

7. An electrical connector as claimed in claim 6 in which the plug contacts (4) in one row are offset longitudinally relative to the plug contacts of an adjacent row.

8. An electrical connector as claimed in any one of the preceding claims in which the plug body (1) is blade-shaped with opposed broad side faces from which the arm (8) of each plug contact (4) extends.

9. An electrical connector as claimed in any one of the preceding claims in which the plug body (1) comprises a printed circuit board (5) on which each plug contact (4) is mounted.

10. An electrical connector as claimed in claim 9 in which the printed circuit board (5) is connected to a power supply connection at that end of the plug body remote from the plug contact.

11. An electrical connector as claimed in claim 9 in which the printed circuit board (5) is enclosed in a protective sleeve (10) with an aperture (11) for each contact arm through which it extends.

12. An electrical connector as claimed in any one of the preceding claims in which abutment pads (31) are provided at longitudinally spaced points along the plug body on opposite sides thereof to engage opposite internal surfaces of the socket (2) so as to locate the plug body laterally within the socket between said pair of socket contacts (16).

13. An electrical connector as claimed in any one of the preceding claims in which the plug body is provided with a non-circular locating portion (12) which is a close fit in a correspondingly non-circular shaped portion (13) of the socket.

14. An electrical connector as claimed in claim 13 which incorporates a handle (18) in the plug body at that end remote from the plug contact (4).

15. An electrical connector as claimed in claim 14 in which a stop (20) is provided on the locating portion (12) to engage with a corresponding stop (19) in the socket (12) to determine a fully inserted position of the plug body in the socket.

16. An electrical connector as claimed in any one of claims 13 to 15 in which the locating portion (12) incorporates a lock mechanism comprising an actuator (24) which can be slid longitudinally of the plug body to operate a pawl (22) by moving it laterally of the plug body (1) to engage and disengage an internal surface of the socket.

17. An electrical connector as claimed in claim 16 in which the actuator (24) comprises a manual grip (28) mounted to slide along the handle.

18. An electrical connector as claimed in claim 17 in which the manual grip (28) includes a fastening member (30) which can be fastened to the socket (2) to hold the lock mechanism in the locked state.

19. An electrical connector as claimed in any one of the preceding claims in which the plug body (1) is provided with a seal (21) which serves to form a circumferential seal with the socket (2) when inserted.

20. An electrical connector as claimed in any one of the preceding claims in combination with a socket member (2) having a socket recess (14) to receive the plug body and a socket contact (16) to be engaged by the plug contact (4) when fully inserted into the socket.

21. An electrical connector as claimed in claim 20 in which a pair of socket contacts (16) are formed as an integral component with the socket contacts electrically connected together and a U-shaped recess to receive one edge of the plug body and the plug contact (4).

22. An electrical connector as claimed in claim 21 in which the component incorporates a connection terminal (33) which extends through a side wall of the socket member to present a terminal connection externally of the socket member (2).

23. An electrical connector as claimed in claim 22 in which multiple components (6) are mounted in the socket member (2) with a set of components aligned along opposite edges of the plug body (1) and with the terminal connections (33) of each set exposed an opposite sides of the socket member.