The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Sep. 06, 1994
Filed:
Jan. 15, 1993
Ernest G Hoffman, Middlefield, CT (US);
Hubbell Incorporated, Orange, CT (US);
Abstract
An electrical connector assembly for transmitting electrical energy, and especially designed for use with electric vehicles. The electrical connector assembly includes a male electrical connector or plug with electrical contacts and a female electrical connector or receptacle with matting electrical contacts. Both the receptacle and the plug has a cover for selectively covering and uncovering its electrical contacts to prevent inadvertent contact with the electrical contacts and to protect the electrical contacts from the environment. In the preferred embodiment, the covers of the plug and receptacle are automatically uncovered and the receptacle contacts are moved transversely to the plug insertion direction and into contact with the plug female contacts only after full insertion of the plug into the receptacle. The plug can be inserted into the receptacle with little or no force by the user since the contacts of the plug and receptacle are not electrically coupled together until after full insertion of the plug into the receptacle. In an alternate embodiment, the electrical connector assembly is provided with a break-away feature which disconnects the contacts of the receptacle from the contacts of the plug to prevent damage of the electrical connector assembly, upon application of a highly excessive force pulling the plug away from the receptacle prior to disengagement of the contacts.