The Bendix Corporation

Allied Corporation

Amphenol Corporation

Alan L Schildkraut

Dee A Werth

Robert W Brush

Vincent A Luca, Jr

David W MacAvoy

Carl L Knapp

David O Gallusser

Lloyd G Ratchford

Alan L Davis

David J Marmillion

An electronic circuit component and a plurality of twinax contacts are connected together in piggy-back fashion and enclosed within a metallic frame with respective signal paths in the component and contacts being interconnected such that an apertured ground plate completes a 360.degree. electrically conductive seal around the contacts and grounds the contacts in common to the metallic frame. The plate also prevents axial leakage of electromagnetic energy from interrupting the electronic component.

Databus coupler electrical connector

A spiral band (400) having a lock arm (420) for resisting rotation of a coupling nut (300) relative to a plug shell (100), coupling nut (300) including a radial flange (322) having a plurality of detents (340) disposed equiangularly therearound and spiral band (400) being tightly spiraled to interference fit an annular groove (110) of plug connector shell (100) and dome shaped to axially bias the plug shell (100) oppositely of the coupling nut (300), radial expansion of the spring band (400) relative to the plug shell by lock arm (420) allowing uncoupling rotation and radial contraction of spring band (400) followed by lateral deflection of the lock arm from engagement with the detent (340) allowing uncoupling rotation.

Anti-decoupling mechanism for an electrical connector assembly

An annular, radially expansible/contractible, spiral spring (50) includes a cantilever arm (51) provided with a distal locking tab (60), the spring being interference fit in an annular groove (26) of a plug shell (20) to both mount a coupling nut (30) thereon and provide means for resisting rotation of the coupling nut in both directions, the tab (60) being adapted to engage a contiguous succession of ratchet teeth (40) disposed annularly around a cylindrical hub (36) extending coaxially from the coupling nut, external coupling torque tending to expand the spring whereby the spring slides about the groove and external uncoupling torque tending to contract the spring and tighten the spring fitment around the plug shell, increased torque driving tab (62) and arm (60) radially outward from the ratchet tooth to allow coupling nut rotation.

A pair of rotatable coupling nuts (46, 76) are nested and mounted for relative rotation to a plug shell (10) and first and second cylinders (28, 62) are arranged coaxially to cooperate with a coil (90) connected to the inner coupling nut (46) for restraining unwanted rotation thereof relative to the shell, the inner and outer coupling nuts having, respectively, an opening (60) and a dog (84) extending radially inward into the opening for driving the inner coupling nut in coupling/uncoupling directions, coil (90) having one end (92) secured to inner coupling nut (48), the other end disposed in the opening (60) and the intermediate portion thereof adapted to be tightly coiled and partially uncoiled.

Anti-decoupling device for an electrical connector

A compound coupling nut (60) mounted to a plug shell (10), first and second sets of detents (34, 84) arranged annularly and extending radially inward from one of the shell and/or the inner coupling sleeve, and a C-shaped detent spring (90) disposed radially-between the first and second detents, the detent spring having inwardly directed spring fingers (100) adapted to engage the ratchet teeth (34) and detent lugs (98) adapted to engage the arcuate detents (84), the detent spring (90) respectively, resisting and not resisting rotation of the coupling nut if rotated in one or the other directions, whereby as external coupling torques act on the coupling nut (60), the spring fingers (100) do not prevent rotation and as external uncoupling torques act on the coupling nut (60), the spring fingers (100) and the detent lugs (98) initially cooperate to resist rotation of the detent spring (90) and the coupling nut (60) until sufficient torque causes the detent lugs (98) to snap free, whereby uncoupling rotation of the coupling nut takes place.

A coupling ring (30) including a coupling nut (40) circumposed around a plurality of serrations (18) and an unlocking sleeve (50) rotatably mounted to the coupling nut. An arcuately shaped lock member (60) carried by the coupling nut, in cooperation with a spring (66), allows rotation of the nut in a coupling direction and prevents rotation in an uncoupling direction, the lock member being pinned at one end (60a) to the coupling nut and free at the other end (60b) to pivot, the other end being provided with teeth (68) to releasably engage with succeeding of the serrations. The uncoupling sleeve (50) carries a lifter (54) having a free end (54b), the free end normally biased by a compression spring (52) into spaced-apart relation to lock member (60) and adapted to drive nut (40) in the coupling direction. Sleeve (50) with lifter (54) is mounted to rotate in the uncoupling direction independently of coupling nut (40), uncoupling rotation of uncoupling sleeve (50) forcing free end (54b) of lifter (54) against lock member (60) to deflect the pivotable end (606) upwardly and thereby disengage teeth (68) thereof from engagement with serrations (18).

Coupling nut for an electrical connector

Mating forward ends (14, 24) of a receptacle connector (10) mounted in a panel (18) and plug connector (20) carrying a coupling member (30, 34, 40) are protected by a moisture seal (60) when interconnected. The moisture seal comprises a tubular body portion (64) which squeezes about the coupling member and a cup portion (66) which collapsibly compresses about the panel mounted connector, tubular body (64) including an annular shoulder (62) sized to be received in an annular cavity (50) around a sleeve (40) of the coupling member. The cup (64) comprises a frust-conical skirt (68), an annular collar (67) connecting the skirt to the body (64) and an annular foot (69) for sealing about the panel (18), reduced thicknesses (71, 73, 74) of tubular body portion (64) and annular collar (67) allowing cup portion (64) to collapse rearwardly relative to the coupling member when the annular foot (69) is forced against the panel (18).

Electrical connector having a moisture seal

The invention is an electrical connector assembly of the type having a housing (50); a rubber moisture sealing grommet (70) and a contact retaining insert assembly (10 and 20) characterized by a rear insert (10) having a plurality of passages (15) that contain resiliently and radially deflectable members (11) that include at the forward ends thereof a radially inwardly chamfered surface (13) and, rearwardly adjacent to the chamfered surface (13), a forwardly facing shoulder (12) to engage the rearwardly facing shoulder (31) of a contact (30) located in a passage; and a plurality of passages (22) and a front insert (20) each communicating with a respective forwardly facing shoulder (12) of the deflectable members (11) to enable a tool to be inserted into either the front passages (22) or rear passage (15) to engage and radially deflect the members (11) to release the contact (30) for removal from the rear of the connector.

Electrical connector having front or rear releasable and removable

The invention described is a plastic electrical connector characterized by a metal sleeve 20 mounted around the bayonet pin 12 coupling that projects from a connector housing 10.

Electrical connector bayonet coupling pin

An electrical connector is disclosed with means for producing a tactile signal when the connector members (10,12) are in a fully mated condition. An indicator (60) is movably mounted on the coupling nut (14) and is engageable by the opposed connector member (10) when the members are in a fully mated condition. An indicator element (60) is disposed in a passage (64) in the wall of the coupling nut (14) and a cam shaped surface (66) on the indicator element engages the starting end (72) of the thread (26) of the opposed member which causes it to move abruptly, i.e. 'pop out' to a signal position when the full mate condition is reached.

Full mate indicator for detachable connectors

An anti-rotation feature is disclosed for preventing inadvertent disconnection of electrical connector assemblies of the type including mating plug and receptacle shells positioned in mating relationship with a surrounding coupling nut which threadedly engages one of the members and axially engages the other to draw the same into mating relationship upon rotation of the coupling nut. An elongated rod or axle extends chordally across the interior bore of the coupling nut member, with an axially movable element positioned on the axle by a pair of centering springs. The movable element is in engagement with a series of serrations formed about the periphery of one of the electrical connector components so that the centering springs resist relative rotation between the coupling nut and connector component until the spring resistance is overcome to allow relative rotation between the coupling nut member and the connector components. The serration flank geometry is asymmetrical to enable easier rotation between the coupling nut member and connector components in the direction of rotation corresponding to coupling of the connector components. Different strength centering springs are also used in engagement on either side of the engagement element to also produce the difference in resistance to rotation.

Spring loaded anti-rotation device for electrical connectors

An electrical connector assembly in which the electrical connectors may be quickly and easily coupled and decoupled, with a mechanism for preventing accidental decoupling of the connectors as a result of vibration. The connector assembly includes first and second connectors, which are coupled by the provision of a coupling nut mounted on one connector and having an internal screw thread which is adapted to receive a screw thread on a second connector. The mechanism for preventing accidental decoupling includes a spring mounted to the coupling nut and having a plastic forward face for engaging ratchet teeth carried on the edge of the housing. The ratchet teeth are more steeply on the leading edge engaged during decoupling and more gradually angled on the leading edge during coupling, allowing for easy coupling and a greater resistance to decoupling.

Electrical connector assembly having anti-decoupling mechanism

An anti-vibration arrangement for resisting unthreading rotation between a coupling nut and mated components is disclosed, consisting of a deflectable mandrel extending in a radial plane chordally across an interior bore formed in the coupling nut, which mandrel mounts a slidable ball. The mandrel passes adjacent an outer surface portion of one of the electrical connector components defining a clearance space of a smaller dimension than the ball, while the ball is axially positioned in frictional engagement with the surface portion on either side of the clearance space. Rotation of the nut is resisted only minimally in a direction tending to move the ball away from the clearance space while tending to be wedged by rotation in the opposite direction. On exertion of a turning force in the wedging direction sufficient to cause deflection of the mandrel, the ball passes through the clearance space which results in greatly reduced resistance to continued rotation in that direction enabling ready uncoupling of the connector elements.

Ball loaded anti-decoupling device for electrical connectors

An electrical connector assembly having a plastic disc (30) adjacent a moisture sealing grommet (20) to prevent radial forces applied to a wire (40) entering the grommet from deflecting the passage (21) in the grommet and allowing moisture to enter the passage (21).

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Sidney, NY, United States of America

Alan L Schildkraut