CONNECTION DEVICE FOR DATA COLLECTION DEVICE

• US 20120077352A1
• Filed: 09/27/2010
• Published: 03/29/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 09/27/2010
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: General Electric Company
• Original Assignee: General Electric Company
• Inventors: Weyer, Elianna Rose, McBain, Corey Malone
• Application Number:
  US12/891,187
• Publication Number:
  US 20120077352A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 439/39
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 13/6205 Two-part coupling devices held in engagement by a magnet
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 13/631 for engagement only
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 2107/00 Four or more poles
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 24/60 Contacts spaced along planar side wall transverse to longitudinal axis of engagement

Abstract

A connection device for releasably connecting a sensor and a data collector is disclosed. The connection device includes a male component connected to one of the sensor or the data collector and a female component connected to the other of the sensor or the data collector. The connection device further includes a coupler associated with one of the male component or the female component and a mating coupler associated with the other of the male component or the female component for releasably connected the male component and the female component together. Further, the connection device includes a plurality of pins associated with the male component and a plurality of pads associated with the female component. At least a portion of the plurality of pins and a portion of the plurality of pads are configured to flow data therethrough such that the sensor and the data collector are in communication.

Claims

1. A connection device for releasably connecting a sensor and a data collector, the connection device comprising:

a male component connected to one of the sensor or the data collector;

a female component connected to the other of the sensor or the data collector;

a coupler associated with one of the male component or the female component and a mating coupler associated with the other of the male component or the female component for releasably connecting the male component and the female component together;

a plurality of pins and a plurality of pads, the plurality of pins associated with the male component, the plurality of pads associated with the female component, at least a portion of the plurality of pins and a portion of the plurality of pads configured to flow data therethrough such that the sensor and the data collector are in communication.

2. The connection device of claim 1, wherein a portion of the plurality of pins and a portion of the plurality of pads are configured to flow electricity therethrough.

3. The connection device of claim 1, further comprising a plurality of couplers, each of the plurality of couplers associated with one of the male component or the female component, and a plurality of mating couplers, each of the plurality of mating couplers associated with the other of the male component or the female component.

4. The connection device of claim 1, wherein the coupler is a magnet and the mating coupler is a magnetic plate.

5. The connection device of claim 4, wherein the magnetic plate is associated with the one of the male component or the female component that is connected to the sensor.

6. The connection device of claim 1, wherein the plurality of pins and the plurality of pads are positioned such that the male component and the female component may be connected in only one orientation.

7. The connection device of claim 1, further comprising an alignment feature associated with one of the male component or the female component and an alignment groove associated with the other of the male component or the female component, the alignment feature and the alignment groove positioned such that the male component and the female component may be connected in only one orientation.

8. The connection device of claim 1, wherein the male component and the female component are each shaped such that the male component and the female component may be connected in only one orientation.

9. The connection device of claim 1, wherein at least one of the plurality of pins is a spring-pin.

10. The connection device of claim 1, wherein one of the male component or the female component includes a lip configured to accept the other of the male component or the female component.

11. The connection device of claim 1, wherein the male component is connected to the sensor and the female component is connected to the data collector.

12. A data collection device, comprising:

a sensor;

a data collector;

a male component connected to one of the sensor or the data collector;

a female component connected to the other of the sensor or the data collector;

a coupler associated with one of the male component or the female component and a mating coupler associated with the other of the male component or the female component for releasably connecting the male component and the female component together;

a plurality of pins and a plurality of pads, the plurality of pins associated with the male component, the plurality of pads associated with the female component, at least a portion of the plurality of pins and a portion of the plurality of pads configured to flow data therethrough such that the sensor and the data collector are in communication.

13. The data collection device of claim 12, wherein a portion of the plurality of pins and a portion of the plurality of pads are configured to flow electricity therethrough.

14. The data collection device of claim 12, further comprising a plurality of couplers, each of the plurality of couplers associated with one of the male component or the female component, and a plurality of mating couplers, each of the plurality of mating couplers associated with the other of the male component or the female component.

15. The data collection device of claim 12, wherein the coupler is a magnet and the mating coupler is a magnetic plate.

16. The data collection device of claim 15, wherein the magnetic plate is associated with the one of the male component or the female component that is connected to the sensor.

17. The data collection device of claim 12, wherein the plurality of pins and the plurality of pads are positioned such that the male component and the female component may be connected in only one orientation.

18. The data collection device of claim 12, further comprising an alignment feature associated with one of the male component or the female component and an alignment groove associated with the other of the male component or the female component, the alignment feature and the alignment groove positioned such that the male component and the female component may be connected in only one orientation.

19. The data collection device of claim 12, wherein the male component and the female component are each shaped such that the male component and the female component may be connected in only one orientation.

20. The data collection device of claim 12, wherein at least one of the plurality of pins is a spring-pin.