GB2033174A

GB2033174A - Electrical connector

Info

Publication number: GB2033174A
Application number: GB7933264A
Authority: GB
Original assignee: Bendix Corp
Current assignee: Bendix Corp
Priority date: 1978-10-19
Filing date: 1979-09-26
Publication date: 1980-05-14
Also published as: FR2439489A1; IT1123878B; IT7926549A0; CA1108713A; GB2033174B; IN153027B

Abstract

An electrical connector member for mating with a second corresponding connector member, comprises a coupling nut (10) in which is rotatably mounted a shell (11) provided with connecting pins, the shell having on its external periphery at least one detent recess (48) for cooperating with a detent pin means (16, 30) carried by said coupling nut. A tactile indication of full mating of the connector member with the corresponding member is thereby provided, by feeling through aperture 34 in the coupling nut 10 when the pin 30 falls into a recess 48. <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION Electrical connector This invention relates to electrical connectors for providing separable electrical communication and more particularly to means for providing a tactileindication of proper coupling of electrical connector members.

Electrical connectors normally include plug and receptacle members which are mated or coupled together to provide electrical communication between various points.

This electrical communication is accomplished by electrical conductors carried in dielectric material in one member which electrically contact corresponding electrical conductors carried in dielectric material in the other member when the two members are properly coupled together. The dielectric material and electrical conductors are carried in plug and receptacle shells.

Bayonet type coupling means are used on some electrical connectors to provide quick, reliable and secure mating of the plug with the receptacle members. The bayonet type coupling means conventionally comprises a coupling nut on one memberwhich includes circumferential slots or ramps tending axially inward on the inner surface of the coupling nut while the other member carries fixed pins outwardly projecting from the external surface and which enter into the slots on the coupling nut and cam the two members into coupling relationship as the coupling nut is rotated. Spring means which bias the two members apart longitudinally cause the pins to enter a "drop-off" at the ends of their associated slots in a detenting action to lock the members together securely and in a vibration resistant manner.The spring means also cause the members to separate somewhat along their common longitudinal axis when the bayonet pins fall into the bayonet slot "drop-off'. This separation must be compensated in the design of bayonet electrical connectors. In addition, the force required to overcome the spring introduced by the aforementioned spring means in coupling and uncoupling the connector members is greater than would otherwise be required to vibration protect the connection.

The "drop-off" at the end of the bayonet slots can be eliminated by use of a detenting action between the coupling nut and the connector shell on which it is carried. The prior art shows a coupling nut having, in addition to the aforementioned bayonet slots, a detent recess in the inner wall of the coupling nut which detents a detent pin carried in the external surface of the shell of the connector member and radially spring biased outward therefrom. The circumferential spacing of the detent pin with respect to the detent recess is such that when detenting occurs during mating of the connector members the bayonet pins are at the extreme ends of their associated bayonet slots, which of course, is the condition of full mating of the connector members.

Since by this means the coupling nut is detented to the connector member shell, the "drop-off" at the end of the bayonet slots is not required and thus not provided.

The present invention is an improvement over the above-mentioned detent mechanism for electrical connectors. According to the present invention a detent pin, or the equivalent thereof, is carried on the coupling nut spring biased radially inward against the connector member shell. A detent recess in the shell receives the detent pin when the bayonet pins on the mating connector member are at the ends of the bayonet slots on the coupling nut. The detent pin includes a portion which extends radially outward through a hole in the coupling nut. A person mating the two connector members together can feel the detent pin extension and the motion of the detent pin when itfalls into the detent recess so as to obtain a-tactile indication that the connector members are properly mated.

It is an object of this invention to provide a new tactile indicator for proper electrical connector mating.

It is another object to provide a tactile indicator for bayonet type electrical connectors wherein the mating shell separation is eliminated.

Figure 1 is an oblique view of a coupling nut made in accordance with the present invention.

Figure 2 is an oblique view of a plug shell which cooperates with the coupling nut of Figure 1 to produce a plug member.

Figure 3 shows the detent pin means of Figure 1 in greater detail.

Figure 4 shows a plug connector member assembly.

Figure 5shows the plug connector member assembly of Figure 4 with the coupling nut shown in section.

Figure 6 is a plan section view through the detent means of the connector member assembly of Figure 5.

Figure 7 is a cut away view of the receptacle connector member which mates with the member assembly of-Figure 5.

Referring first to Figures 4 and 5, a connector member assembly 8 in the form of a connector plug and built in accordance with the principles of the present invention including coupling nut 1.0 rotatably captivated on-connector shell 11 by asnap ring 12 in annular groove 12a. A dielectric insert (not shown) within the bore 11 a of shell 11 holds a number of electrical conductors 14, here shown as pins, which mate corresponding electrical conductors carried in a receptacle member such as the receptacle member of Figure 7. Coupling nut 10 is captivated between snap ring 12 and shell collar 22, a wavy washer 13 being installed between the annular flange 10b of coupling nut 10 and collar 22 as is standard in this art.Collar 22 includes a number of detent recesses 48, two of which are seen in Figure 5 and about which more will be told below. A detent pin means 16 is disposed in an annular groove 18 cut into coupling nut 10. Detent pin means 16 cooperates with detent recesses 48 as will be more fully explained below. Part of a bayonet slot 20 is seen in Figure 5.

The present invention can be seen in better detail in Figures 1 and 2, reference to which figures should now be made. Figure 1 shows the coupling nut 10 of Figure 5, while Figure 2 shows connector shell 11 of Figure 5. As can be seen, the coupling nut 10 of Figure 1 is a simple, cylindrical cup-shaped piece having a bore 10a and a bottom comprised of annular shoulder 23. The inner surface of the coupling nut has cut therein a plurality of bayonet slots 20. In this embodiment there are three bayonet slots, and an annular groove 18 close to shoulder 22.

In Figure lone slot 20 is shown in full because of the drawing perspective, while other slots 20 are shown in part. The slots include a flared end 20a for receiving the bayonet pins on the mating connector member as is known to those skilled in the art. Slots 20 are circumferential and tend in the direction of the longitudinal axis so as to permit coupling nut 10 and plug shell 11 to be cammed into coupled relationship with the receptacle member as the coupling nut is turned and the bayonet pins enter slots 20 in the way known to those skilled in the art. When the plug member is fully mated with the receptacle member the bayonet pins are located at end 20b of slots 20.

Through holes 20c at ends 20b provide a visual indication that the connector members are mated by showing the bayonet pins at ends 20b.

A detent pin means 16, also seen at Figures 3,5 and 6, is disposed in slot 18. As can be seen with respect to Figures 3 and 6, detent pin means 16 is comprised of a detent pin 30 centrally located on a gullshaped lead-spring member 32. Pin 30 is comprised of a domed end 30a directed radially inward and a cylindrical tail section 30b directed radially outward through a hole 34 in coupling nut 10. Hole 34 serves to locate the detent mechanism within the coupling nut and in addition, permits detent pin end 30b to extend to the outside surface of coupling nut 10 or beyond when detent end 30a is not in its associated detent recess, as will be explained shortly.

Refer now to Figure 2 where it can be seen that the shell 11 is a hollow, cylindrical structure having a collar 22. End 38, which is adapted to be received in its mating connector receptacle, includes keys 40 on its outer surface of the type known to those skilled in the art. End 42 includes an external thread 44 which is adapted to receive accesories such as a wire strain relief clamp. Collar 22 includes three equally spaced detent recesses 48, which are seen here and also in Figures 5 and 6. As can be seen with respect to Figure 6, recess 48 is adapted to receive domed end 30a of detent pin 30.The positioning of detent pin 30, detent recesses 48 and bayonet slots 20 are arranged such that when the pins on the receptacle member of Figure 7, to be described below, are at ends 20b of the bayonet slots, detent pin end 30a drops into one of the detent recesses 48, thus detenting-coupling nut 10 against inadvertant rotation or vibration.

Refer now to Figure 7 where receptacle member 50 is seen to be comprised of a cylindrical body 51 set on a rectangular mounting flange 56. A bore 51a holds dielectric member 54 which in turn holds the mating electrical conductors, here shown as sockets, which mate with pins 14 of Figure 5 when the plug and receptacle members are fully mated. Three bayonet pins 52 are equally spaced about the outside circumference of receptacle body 51 and radiate outward therefrom. The inside surface of the receptable bore has machined therein key ways 60 which mate with the keys 40 shown in Figure 2 so as to assure proper orientation of the various electrical conductors when the two members are mated. It should be understood that member 50, in this embodiment, is a standard prior art member and may include moisture seal.

It has been noted with respect to Figure 6 that there are three equally spaced detent recesses 48.

These correspond to the three rotational positions in which the coupling nut 10 of Figure 1 can mate with the receptacle member 50 of Figure 7, the number of rotational coupling positions of nut 10 being equal to the number of bayonet pints or slots as known to one skilled in the art.

The foregoing description should be considered as an illustrative only of the present invention and should not be interpreted to limit the scope of the present invention, which is defined by the following

Claims

claims. CLAIMS

1. An electrical connector member adapted to be mated to a second connector member comprising : a shell having an external periphery, a coupling nut fitted on said shell so as to rotate on said external periphery, at least one through hole being in the wall of said coupling nut, characterized by at least one detent recess disposed in said external periphery and by a detent member carried by said coupling nut and having a detent means adapted to detent into and out of said detent recess when said coupling nut is rotated on said external periphery and including biasing means for urging said detent means inward toward said periphery, said detent means having an outward extension loosely projecting into the through hole in the wall of said coupling nut whereby said detent means is positioned in said coupling nut, said extension being of such length as to be felt by an operator manually rotating said coupling nut on said external periphery as said detent means detents into said detent recess.

2. The electrical connector member of claim 1 and including said second connector member, said members being mated by bayonet means, one of said members having a plurality of equally spaced bayonet pins adapted to cam into a like plurality of bayonet slots in the other member, characterized in that the number of detent recesses in said shell periphery is equal to the number of said bayonet pins, said detent recesses being equally spaced along the circumference of said periphery.

3. The electrical connector member of claims 1 or 2, characterized in that said periphery includes an outwardly projecting circular collar, said detent recesses being disposed in said collar.

4. The electrical connector member of claim 3, characterized in that it comprises means for loosely captivating said coupling nut on said shell.

5. The electrical connector member of claims 1 or 2, characterized in that said shell and coupling nut are each open cylinders having longitudinal axes, said coupling nut being fitted on said shell member so that its longitudinal axis about which it rotates is approximately concentric to the longitudinal axis of said member shell.

6. The electrical connector member of claim 5, characterized in that said detent means comprises a detent pin having a longitudinal axis arranged radially with respect to the longitudinal axes of said coupling nut and having a spherical head adapted to detent into and out of said detent recess, said outward extension being a shank on said detent pin projecting outwardly into the through hole in the wall of said coupling nut.

7. An electrical connector substantially as de scribed and as shown in the accompanying draw ings.