Locking Pin

• US 20100015834A1
• Filed: 06/11/2009
• Published: 01/21/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 07/17/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Thomas & Betts International LLC (ABB Limited)
• Original Assignee: Thomas & Betts International Incorporated (ABB Limited)
• Inventors: Siebens, Larry Norman
• Granted Patent: US 7,726,998 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 439/299
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 11/28 End pieces consisting of a ferrule or sleeve
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 13/111 co-operating with pins having a circular transverse section
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 13/187 with spring member in the socket
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 13/53 Bases or cases for heavy duty; Bases or cases for high voltage with means for preventing corona or arcing
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 13/622 Screw-ring or screw-casing H01R13/623 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 13/6278 comprising a pin snapping into a recess
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 13/639 Additional means for holding or locking coupling parts together, after engagement, e.g. separate keylock, retainer strap

Abstract

A high voltage electrical connector that includes a male interconnect, a female interconnect and a locking pin assembly. The male interconnect includes a contact pin with a locking groove and the female interconnect includes a socket with an axial bore, a transverse passage and an opening connecting the bore to the passage. The locking pin assembly is installed in the passage and has a recessed section and a cylindrical section. The locking pin assembly is movable between a first position, wherein the bore is unobstructed and the contact pin can be freely inserted and removed, and a second position, wherein the cylindrical section of the locking pin extends into the bore. After the contact pin is inserted in the bore and the locking groove aligned with the opening, the locking pin assembly is moved from the first position to the second position and secures the contact pin in the socket.

Claims

1. A high voltage electrical connector having separable male and female interconnects, the high voltage electrical connector comprising:

a male interconnect comprising a contact pin having a locking groove;

a female interconnect comprising a socket having a closed end, an open end and a bore that extends between the two ends, a passage extending through the socket and transversely to the bore and an opening connecting the bore to the passage, wherein the socket is adapted to receive the contact pin; and

a locking pin having a recessed section, wherein the locking pin is installed in the passage and is movable between a first position, wherein the recessed section is aligned with the opening and does not extend into the bore, and a second position, wherein the locking pin extends through the opening and into the bore,

wherein, when the locking pin is in the first position, the contact pin can be inserted into and removed from the socket and wherein, when the contact pin is inserted in the socket and the locking groove is aligned with the opening, the locking pin is moved into the second position to lock the contact pin in the socket.

2. The high voltage electrical connector according to claim 1, further comprising a locking pin assembly comprising a shoulder bolt, a compression spring and the locking pin, wherein the shoulder bolt is coupled to the locking pin, and wherein the compression spring is intermediate the shoulder bolt and the locking pin.

3. The high voltage electrical connector according to claim 1, wherein the passage has a first cross-sectional dimension and an orifice, and wherein the orifice has a second cross-sectional dimension that is less than the first cross-sectional dimension.

4. The high voltage electrical connector according to claim 3, further comprising a locking pin assembly comprising a shoulder bolt, a compression spring and the locking pin, wherein the shoulder bolt is inserted through the orifice and coupled to the locking pin, and wherein the compression spring is intermediate the shoulder bolt and the locking pin.

5. The high voltage electrical connector according to claim 4, wherein the locking pin extends into the bore when the compression spring is not compressed, and wherein the recessed section aligns with the opening and the locking pin does not extend into the bore when the compression spring is compressed.

6. The high voltage electrical connector according to claim 4, wherein the shoulder bolt has a bolt head end and a threaded end, wherein the locking pin has a cavity on one end, and wherein the shoulder bolt is threadably coupled to the locking pin.

7. The high voltage electrical connector according to claim 4, wherein the shoulder bolt comprises a bolt head having a first diameter and the locking pin has a second diameter, and wherein the first and second diameters are greater than the second cross-sectional dimension.

8. The high voltage electrical connector according to claim 1, wherein the locking pin is substantially cylindrical in shape and the recessed section is concave and extends around the circumference of the locking pin.

9. The high voltage electrical connector according to claim 1, wherein the bore and the passage have substantially round shapes and the opening has a substantially elliptical shape.

10. The high voltage electrical connector according to claim 1, wherein, when the contact pin is locked in the socket, the locking pin snugly fits in the groove.

11. A high voltage electrical connector having separable male and female interconnects, the high voltage electrical connector comprising:

a male interconnect comprising a substantially cylindrical contact pin having a first end, a mid-section, a second end and a locking groove;

a female interconnect comprising a socket having a first end, a second end and a bore that extends inwardly from the second end and has a longitudinal axis, a passage extending transversely to the longitudinal axis and an opening connecting the bore to the passage, wherein the passage has an orifice; and

a locking pin assembly having a cylindrical section and a concave section and comprising a shoulder bolt, a compression spring and a locking pin, wherein the shoulder bolt is coupled to the locking pin, and wherein the compression spring and the orifice are intermediate the shoulder bolt and the locking pin,

wherein, when the concave section of the locking pin assembly is aligned with the opening, the contact pin can be inserted into and removed from the socket and wherein, when the contact pin is inserted in the socket and the locking groove is aligned with the opening, the cylindrical section of the locking pin assembly is aligned with the opening to lock the contact pin in the socket.

12. The high voltage electrical connector according to claim 11, wherein the locking pin includes the concave section and the cylindrical section of the locking pin assembly.

13. The high voltage electrical connector according to claim 11, wherein the passage has a first diameter and the orifice has a second diameter that is less than the first diameter.

14. The high voltage electrical connector according to claim 11, wherein the shoulder bolt has a bolt head end and a threaded end, wherein the locking pin has a cavity on one end, and wherein the shoulder bolt is inserted in the cavity and threadably coupled to the locking pin.

15. The high voltage electrical connector according to claim 11, wherein, when the locking pin locks the contact pin in the socket, the cylindrical section of the locking pin snugly fits in the groove of the contact pin.

16. The high voltage electrical connector according to claim 11, wherein the connector is assembled by applying a force to the locking pin assembly to move the concave section of the locking pin assembly into alignment with the opening between the bore and the passage, inserting the contact pin in the bore in the socket until the locking groove aligns with the opening and releasing the pressure from the locking pin assembly so that the compression spring moves the cylindrical section into alignment with the opening.

17. A high voltage electrical connector for connecting a cable to a bus bar, the connector comprising:

a crimp barrel having a first end and a second end, wherein the first end is electrically coupled to one of the cable or bus bar and the second end has a tubular neck, wherein the tubular neck has an exterior surface, a first end and a second end connected to the first end of the crimp barrel;

a collar having a threaded interior wall, wherein the collar is slidably and rotatably attached to the tubular neck;

a contact pin having a first end and a second end, wherein the second end is in electrical engagement with the first end of the tubular neck; and

a socket having a first end, a second end and a bore extending between the first end and the second end, wherein the first end is electrically coupled to the other of said cable or bus bar, and wherein the socket has an interior surface defined by the bore and the second end has a threaded exterior surface,

wherein the connector is assembled by inserting the first end of the contact pin into the bore of the socket, sliding the threaded collar over the threaded exterior surface of the socket and rotating the collar to threadably couple the collar onto the second end of the socket.

18. The high voltage electrical connector according to claim 17, wherein the tubular neck has a retaining ring extending circumferentially around the exterior surface, and wherein the collar rotates freely on the tubular neck and slidably moves between the crimp barrel and the retaining ring.

19. The high voltage electrical connector according to claim 17, wherein the interior surface of the socket has a plurality of flexible louvers.

20. The high voltage electrical connector according to claim 17, wherein the first end of the contact pin is tapered.