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:
Apr. 30, 2002
Filed:
Nov. 18, 1999
Alfred Sorvino, Tucson, AZ (US);
Raytheon Company, Lexington, MA (US);
Abstract
Self aligning, blind mating connector bodies are provided for connecting to mating connector bodies. One embodiment of the connector body has an annular housing with two slots disposed 180 degrees apart. An inner body has two dowel pins disposed at locations corresponding to the slots in the annular housing. A compliant O-ring is disposed between and is resiliently coupled to the inner body and the annular housing. The inner body is free to rotate relative to the annular housing about an axis defined by the dowel pins to provide single axis gimbal motion. Another embodiment of the connector body has an annular housing with two holes disposed 180 degrees apart. An inner body has two dowel pins disposed at locations corresponding to the holes in the annular housing. An external housing ring is connected to the annular housing using a second pair of dowel pins located 180 degrees apart that are disposed at 90 degrees with respect to the first set of dowel pins. In this embodiment, the inner body is free to rotate relative to the annular housing about an axis defined by the first pair of dowel pins, and the annular housing is free to rotate relative to the external housing ring about an axis defined by the second pair of dowel pins, thus providing two axis, dual gimbal motion that allows nutation. In both instances, a pair of openings is provided in the inner body to engage a mating pair of guide pins on the mating connector body.