Amphenol Corporation

Clifford Joseph Westrick

David L Frear

Heath Allen Johnson

An anti-decoupling arrangement for an electrical connector (as well as an electrical connector incorporating such an anti-decoupling arrangement) is made up of just three operative components: a spiral lock clutch, at least one spring ring, and ratchet teeth or serrations formed on an inside surface of the coupling nut. The ratchet teeth are in the form of serrations formed into the inside diameter of a recessed area of the coupling nut in which all of the components reside, and each spring ring is a self-supporting ring that has spring cantilevers with engaging tines of a given number located around its outer circumference, the engaging tines engaging the serrations in a radial direction. The engaging tines thus provide a torque/ratchet mechanism when they glide over the radial cuts of the tooth ring in the uncoupling direction, and stay engaged which forces the spiral lock clutch to expand and slide smoothly over the plug shell with minimal torque in the coupling direction.

Anti-decoupling arrangement for an electrical connector

An anti-decoupling arrangement for an electrical connector includes a spiral lock clutch, a spring ring, and a separate ratchet wheel or tooth ring having a plurality of radial cuts, all surrounding the connector shell and sandwiched between a flange or shoulder on the connector shell by a conventional snap ring. The tooth ring is situated in a space between the thread of the coupling nut and the flange or shoulder that forms the inner surface of a recessed area with the coupling nut. The shell includes two grooves, one for the spiral lock clutch and the other for the snap ring, that are behind the flange or shoulder towards the rear of the connector, the shell providing axial alignment of all components except the spring ring. The tooth ring also includes extensions that cooperate with a notch or slot in the coupling nut so that the tooth ring rotates with the coupling nut, while the spring ring includes an extension in engagement with a notch in the spiral lock clutch so that the spring ring is locked against angular rotation relative to a spring ring. Preferably, the spring ring member is a self supporting ring that has spring tines or beams of a given number located angularly around its radial wall. These tines provide the ratchet mechanism when the tines glide over the radial cuts of the tooth ring in the uncoupling direction. This provides a free running clutch in the coupling direction and a torque/ratchet mechanism in the uncoupling direction. Alternatively, the decoupling assembly may be flipped by 180 degrees, the tooth ring being replaced by teeth extending axially from an inwardly extending flange in the coup ling nut.

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Oneonta, NY, United States of America

Clifford Joseph Westrick