Electrical connector assembly

• US 20070141903A1
• Filed: 12/19/2005
• Published: 06/21/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 12/19/2005
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Caterpillar Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Caterpillar Incorporated
• Inventors: Freeman, David, Casperson, Paul
• Application Number:
  US11/311,596
• Publication Number:
  US 20070141903A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 439/582
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 12/53 connecting to cables except for flat or ribbon cables
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 13/6658 on printed circuit board H01R13/6666 - H01R13/6691 take precedence

Abstract

An electrical connector assembly. The connector may include a top housing and base housing for a conductor. The base housing may include a base conductor channel extending along a longitudinal axis, a conductor partition, and at least one conductor contact having corresponding prong transverse the longitudinal axis. The top housing may include a top conductor channel corresponding to the base conductor channel and a connector interface operably connected to the at least one prong.

Claims

1. A connector, comprising:

a base housing having a longitudinal axis, the base housing including;

a base conductor channel extending along the longitudinal axis and providing a through path for a conductor

a conductor partition extending along the longitudinal axis; and

at least one conductor contact having at least one corresponding prong extending transverse the longitudinal axis; and

a top housing having a top conductor channel corresponding to the base conductor channel and a connector interface operably connected to the at least one prong.

2. The connector of claim 1, wherein:

the top housing includes a circuit board positioned to receive the at least one prong, the circuit board having at least one connector pin; and

the connector interface is positioned to receive the at least one connector pin.

3. The connector of claim 1, wherein the conductor contact is configured about a portion of the conductor.

4. The connector of claim 1, wherein the base housing and the top housing provide a seal about the conductor when the base housing is connected to the top housing.

5. The connector of claim 1, wherein the top and base conductor channels each have a first and a second end, at least one of the first and second ends being flared outwardly.

6. The connector of claim 5, wherein at least one of the top and base conductor channels include a clamping portion.

7. The connector of claim 1, wherein at least one of the top and base conductor channels have a clamping portion.

8. The connector of claim 7, wherein the clamping portion engages the conductor when the base housing is connected to the top housing.

9. The connector of claim 2, wherein the top housing further includes a potting layer separating the top housing from the base housing, the potting layer having at least one prong guide.

10. The connector of claim 9, wherein the circuit board is positioned between the top housing and the potting layer to receive the at least one prong through the at least one prong guide.

11. The connector of claim 10, wherein the space between the potting layer and the top housing contains a potting material.

12. The connector of claim 2, wherein the circuit board includes a processor.

13. The connector of claim 12, wherein the circuit board further includes at least one of a transmitter, a receiver, and a contact device.

14. The connector of claim 2, wherein the top housing further includes a heat sink, the heat sink being operably connected to the circuit board through the top housing.

15. The connector of claim 4, wherein an electrical connection is made at the connector interface.

16. The connector of claim 1, wherein the connector interface is configured to be connected to the device at a device interface.

17. A method for attaching a connector to a conductor, comprising:

attaching a conductor contact to each of at least one conductor wire, the conductor contact having a prong extending transverse a longitudinal axis of the conductor;

positioning the conductor in a base conductor channel of a base housing located along the longitudinal axis;

separating each conductor wire from each other conductor wire with a conductor partition; and

attaching a top housing to the base housing such that each prong extends through the top housing to a connector interface.

18. The method as set forth in claim 17, further comprising:

removing a portion of an insulation from each conductor wire.

19. The method as set forth in claim 17, further comprising:

providing a seal about the conductor as the top housing is attached to the base housing.

20. The method as set forth in claim 17, further including:

separating the top housing from the base housing with a potting layer.

21. The method as set forth in claim 20, further comprising:

positioning a circuit board between the top housing and the potting layer.

22. The method as set forth in claim 21, wherein positioning the circuit board further includes:

positioning the circuit board to receive each prong; and

arranging at least one connector pin on the circuit board to be received by the connector interface.

23. The method as set forth in claim 20, further including:

inserting a potting material in a portion of the space between the top housing and the potting layer.