WO2010044057A1

WO2010044057A1 - Wet seal connector provided with unthreading device

Info

Publication number: WO2010044057A1
Application number: PCT/IB2009/054500
Authority: WO
Inventors: Marco Laboccetta
Original assignee: Comestero Sistemi Spa
Priority date: 2008-10-16
Filing date: 2009-10-13
Publication date: 2010-04-22
Also published as: ITMI20080342U1

Abstract

The present invention relates to a watertight connector for uses, particularly for powering electrical equipment, such as domestic appliances and computers, provided with means to prevent it from being pulled out. The connector (1 ), comprises a plug (2) and a socket (3), said plug (2) in turn comprising a part (4) open on one side, which acts as a housing for said socket (3), said socket (3) comprising, in turn, a part (5), with a cross-section the same shape as said housing (4), so as to produce a coupling such as to achieve a thin, regular gap (6) between said part (4) of the plug (2) and said part (5) of the socket (3), there being positioned on the bottom of the plug (2) electrical contacts (2a) which, when said socket (3) is inserted into the part (4) of the plug (2), are in metallic contact with the electrical contacts (3a) present in said socket (3) and characterized in that it has first means (10), adapted to prevent said socket (3) from being accidentally pulled out of said plug (2), and second means (20), adapted to prevent the infiltration of liquids in said gap (6) existing between the part (5) of the socket (3) and the housing (4) of the plug (2).

Description

WET SEAL CONNECTOR PROVIDED WITH UNTHREADING DEVICE

DESCRIPTION

The present invention relates to a watertight connector for uses, particularly for powering electrical equipment, such as domestic appliances and computers, provided with means to prevent it from being pulled out.

Said connector comprises a first part mounted stably on the equipment to be powered and a second part applied to the end of an electrical cable, having metal contacts for the passage of electrical current, mutual blocking means, to prevent it from being accidentally pulled out, and means adapted to exert a seal against liquids, to prevent any water present in the environment from coming into contact with the conductors.

The power cables of electrical equipment are, in the majority of cases, used without paying particular attention to their positioning. In other words, the electrical equipment to be powered is positioned where required and the power cable joins it to a power socket available in the vicinity. Whether in domestic environments or in the workplace, attention is rarely paid to positioning of the cables, and therefore they are often subjected to pulling, for example during cleaning of the floor, or because they are accidentally tripped over, or even because the equipment to which they are connected is moved, either accidentally or on purpose. As a consequence of the above, the connectors are pulled out, leaving the equipment without power. In the case in which the equipment being powered is a computer, there is the risk of losing work in progress and of damaging data files. In the case in which it is a refrigerator, and no-one realizes immediately what has happened, the contents may be spoiled.

Another problem occurs during washing floors, when water can splash onto the connectors and enter the contacts, causing oxidation thereof, or even short circuits.

Said problems become particularly critical in the case of said electrical equipment being used outdoors, for example in the case of amplifiers used for open air concerts, or for use in campsites or field hospitals. In these cases watertight seal is particularly important as there is often the risk of small floods, following storms. With regard to the risk of the connector being pulled out, this may not be total, but the connector can remain partially inserted, maintaining the electrical contact. In this case, which is less obvious as no-one realizes what has happened, the equipment continues to function in an apparently regular manner, but the electrical contacts are in a critical situation, as the contact surface is reduced and therefore, the electrical resistance of the contact increases. This leads to overheating of the contacts with possible fusion of the material with which the cover of the connector is made.

Another thing a false contact can cause, even a long time before actual overheating, is the generation of sparks, i.e. discharges between two parts, with different potential, that are very close together but not perfectly in contact. Also in this case, the connector can be seriously damaged, ceasing to operate, or even causing damage to the equipment.

The present invention intends to overcome the drawbacks mentioned above through a connector, in conformity with claim 1 , provided with blocking means, suitable to prevent it from being accidentally pulled out.

The connector according to the invention comprises a first part mounted stably on the equipment to be powered, and a second part mounted stably at the end of an electrical power cable. Hinged on said first part is an element adapted to engage with a projecting part present on said second part, so as to perform blocking. Moreover, said first part is shaped so as to have a cavity into which said second part must be inserted to make the electrical contact.

According to a preferred embodiment, the connector according to the invention is also provided with seal means, adapted to prevent water from infiltrating between the electrical contacts, said second part being shaped so as to make the connector watertight through the interposition of a seal.

The use of a connector in conformity with the invention makes it possible to virtually eliminate both the risk of it being accidentally pulled out and the risk of short circuits caused by infiltration of water, with a marked increase in safety of use and personal safety.

The invention will now be described, by way of non-limiting example, according to a preferred embodiment which refers to a particular type of connector, called IEC

320 according to the following standards of reference:

• International: CLASS: 60320 1/ 2001 - IEC 60320-1 : 2001

• European: CLASS: 60320 1/ 2001 - EN 60320-1 : 2001

The description below refers to the accompanying figures, wherein:

• Figs. 1 and 2 respectively show in four orthogonal views and in two perspective views, the assembly of the connector according to the invention;

• Figs. 3 (a, b) show the plug, according to three orthogonal views and two perspective views;

• Figs. 4 (a, b) show the socket, according to four orthogonal views and one perspective view;

• Fig. 5 shows a partially sectional view of the assembly of the connector according to the invention;

With reference to the accompanying figures, the number (1 ) indicates a connector substantially comprising a plug (2) and a socket (3). The plug (2) is composed of a part (4) open on one side, which acts as a housing for the socket (3), said socket (3) comprising, in turn, a part (5), with a cross-section the same shape as said housing (4), such as to achieve a coupling with a thin, regular gap (6) between said part (4) of the plug (2) and said part (5) of the socket (3).

Positioned on the bottom of the plug (2) are electrical contacts (2a) which, when the socket (3) is inserted into the part (4) of the plug (2), come into metallic contact with the electrical contacts (3a) present in the socket (3).

A flange (7) is produced on the edge of the open side of the part (4) of the plug (2), to allow the plug (2) to be mounted on the equipment to be powered.

Said connector (1 ) is characterized in that it has first means (10), adapted to prevent said socket (3) from being accidentally pulled out of said plug (2) and, according to a preferred embodiment, with second means (20), adapted to prevent the infiltration of liquids in the gap (6) existing between the part (5) of the socket

(3) and the housing (4) of the plug (2).

Said first means (10), adapted to prevent said socket (3) from being accidentally pulled out of said plug (2), include a cover (11 ) fitted with a tooth (12), which has the function of engaging with a projection (13) present on the body of the socket

(3), said cover (11 ) being hinged by a pin (14) to the body of the plug (2). Mounted on the pin (14), and coaxial therewith, is a torsion spring (15) which tends to close the cover (11 ).

When the socket (3) is not inserted into the plug (2), the cover (11 ) is closed over the plug and protects it from dust and other polluting agents. The cover (11 ) is held closed by said torsion spring (15).

To insert the socket (3) into the plug (2), the cover (11 ) must therefore be lifted.

Said cover therefore engages, with said tooth (12), with the projection (13) of the socket (3); the elastic reaction of the spring (15) keeping the cover (11 ) pressed against the socket (3), preventing it from being accidentally pulled out. Naturally, there is only one correct insertion position, so that if this is incorrect, the cover does not close and blocking, as described above, is not obtained. The enlarged view on the right of Fig. 5 shows in detail the tooth (12), produced on the cover (11 ), which engages with the projection (13) produced on the socket (3). As is apparent from the figure, to pull the socket (3) out of the plug (2) the cover (11 ) must be lifted so that the tooth (12) releases the projection (13) of the socket (3). As lifting of the cover (11) is opposed by the spring (15), it requires a voluntary operation, and therefore it is not possible for the socket (3) to be pulled out accidentally.

Said second means (20), adapted to prevent the infiltration of liquids in the gap (6) existing between the part (5) of the socket (3) and the housing (4) of the plug (2), according to said preferred embodiment, include a seal (21 ), housed on the part (5) of the socket (3), which is inserted into the housing (4), produced in the plug

(2).

As shown in the enlargement on the left of Fig. 5, by inserting the socket (3) into the plug (2), the seal (21 ) is compressed evenly in the gap (6), in this manner creating the seal between socket (3) and plug (2).

According to another preferred embodiment of the invention, said seal (21 ), for example made of polyurethane, is of a contrasting colour to the colour of the plug

(2) and of the socket (3) and is positioned so that, when the socket (3) is blocked inside the housing (4) of the plug (2), a part of said seal (21 ) remains outside the housing (4), so as to be visible, being aided in this by the fact that it is of a contrasting colour to that of the plug (2) and of the socket (3).

Advantageously, the edge of the seal remains visible as in this manner visual inspection is sufficient to check easily that the socket (3) is completely inserted into the plug (2). The invention has been described by way of non-limiting example, according to a preferred embodiment. Those skilled in the art may find numerous other embodiments, all falling within the scope of protection of the claims below.

Claims

1. Connector (1 ) for powering electrical equipment, particularly domestic appliances and computers, comprising a plug (2) and a socket (3), said plug (2) having in turn a part (4) open on one side, which acts as a housing for said socket (3), said socket (3) having, in turn, a part (5), with a cross-section the same shape as said housing (4), such as to achieve a coupling with a thin, regular gap (6) between said part (4) of the plug (2) and said part (5) of the socket (3), there being positioned on the bottom of the plug (2) electrical contacts (2a) which, when said socket (3) is inserted into the part (4) of the plug (2), come into metallic contact with the electrical contacts (3a) on said socket (3), characterized in that it has first means (10) adapted to prevent said socket (3) from being accidentally pulled out of said plug (2).

2. Connector (1 ) for powering electrical equipment, according to claim 1 , characterised in that there are further second means (20) adapted to prevent the infiltration of liquids into said gap (6) between the part (5) of the socket (3) and the housing (4) of the plug (2).

3. Connector (1 ) for powering electrical equipment, according to claim 1 or 2, characterised in that said first means (10) adapted to prevent said socket (3) from being accidentally pulled out of said plug (2), include a cover (11 ), fitted with a tooth (12), which engages with a projection (13) on the body of the socket (3), said cover (11 ) being hinged by a pin (14) to the body of said plug (2).

4. Connector (1) for powering electrical equipment, according to claim 3, characterised in that it has elastic means adapted to keep said cover (11 ) pressed against said socket (3), so that said tooth (12) of said cover (11 ) engages with said projection (13) on the socket (3), when said socket (3) is inserted into said plug (2), or in a closed position on said plug (2), to protect it from dust and other polluting agents when said socket (3) is not inserted in said plug (2).

5. Connector (1) for powering electrical equipment, according to claim 4, characterised in that said elastic means adapted to keep said cover (11 ) pressed against said socket (3) or in a closed position on said plug (2), are comprised of a torsion spring (15) mounted coaxially on said pin (14) on which said cover (11 ) is hinged.

6. Connector (1) for powering electrical equipment, according to claim 2, characterised in that said second means (20) adapted to prevent the infiltration of liquids into said gap (6) between the part (5) of the socket (3) and the housing (4) of the plug (2), include a seal (21 ), housed on the part (5) of the socket (3), said part (5) being inserted into the housing (4) in the plug (2), said seal (21 ) creating a seal effect due to the fact that the insertion of said socket (3) into said housing (4) of the plug (2) causes a compression of said seal (21 ) between said socket (3) and said plug (2).

7. Connector (1) for powering electrical equipment, according to claim 6, characterised in that said seal (21 ) is of a contrasting colour to the colour of the plug (2) and the colour of the socket (3).

8. Connector (1) for powering electrical equipment, according to claim 7, characterised in that said seal (21 ), housed in part (5) of the socket (3), said part (5) being inserted into the housing (4) in the plug (2), is positioned such that, when the socket (3) is blocked inside the housing (4) of the plug (2), a part of said seal (21 ) remains outside the housing (4), so as to be visible.