QUICK CONNECT ELECTRICAL COUPLER

• US 3,810,258 A
• Filed: 07/11/1972
• Issued: 05/07/1974
• Est. Priority Date: 07/11/1972
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: William R. Mathauser
• Original Assignee: William R. Mathauser
• Inventors: Mathauser, William R.
• Primary Examiner(s): Novosad, Stephen J.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Hafer, Robert A.
• Application Number:
  US05/270,803
• Time in Patent Office: 665 Days
• Field of Search: 339/12R,12V,12L,12G,64R,64M,65,27,46,47R,47C,48,222 335/205,285 248/26A
• US Class Current: 439/39
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 13/6205 Two-part coupling devices held in engagement by a magnet

Abstract

A unique quick connect electrical coupler, comprising a female coupling half having electrical contact means, magnet means and tapered recess means therein. A male coupling half having electrical contact means and magnet means therein and tapered projecting means adapted to be received in said recess means in said female coupling half to automatically align said male and female coupling halves relative to one another, said electrical contact means and said magnet means in said male and female coupling halves being in contacting alignment with one another when said coupling halves are coupled together, and said tapered projecting means and recess means preventing lateral displacement of the coupling halves relative to one another when they are coupled together.

Claims

1. A quIck connect, self-aligning electrical coupler comprising a male coupler half and a female coupler half, ring shaped magnet means in each coupler half, said magnet means in one coupler half aligned with the magnet means in the other coupler half and operable to releasably hold the coupler halves together, said magnet means comprising the only means to hold the halves together, a first electrical contact means in each coupler half, a conical projection on said first electrical contact means in one coupler half and a complementary, cone shaped recess in the first electrical contact means in the other coupler half to receive the projection and align the coupler halves relative to one another, and second, aligned, ring shaped electrical contact means in the coupler halves spaced radially outwardly from the first electrical contact means, said ring shaped electrical contact means and ring shaped magnet means enabling said coupler halves to be operatively connected together in any relative rotational position therebetween.

2. A quick connect electrical coupler as in claim 1, wherein each coupler half has a front and back face and opposite edge portions, said back face and opposite edge portions covered with an insulating material.

3. A quick connect electrical coupler as in claim 2, wherein said first electrical contact means in each coupler half comprises a cylindrically shaped member extending from the front face to the back face of the coupler half.

4. A quick connect electrical coupler as in claim 3, wherein insulating means is between the cylindrical and ring shaped contact members.

5. A quick connect electrical coupler as in claim 4, wherein said electrical contact means in each coupler half comprises said magnet means.

6. A quick connect electrical coupler as in claim 4, wherein the magnet means comprises an annular ring shaped magnet between the cylindrical and annular electrical contact means in each coupler half.

7. A quick connect electrical coupler comprising a male coupler half and a female coupler half, each coupler half comprising an elongate, rectangularly shaped member, at least three aligned, spaced apart, electrical contact means in each coupler half spaced along the length thereof and aligned with the contact means in the other coupler half, said contact means comprising magnet means to hold the coupler halves together, said magnet means comprising the only means holding the coupler halves together, insulating means between the spaced apart contact means in each half insulating the contact means in each half from one another, and indexing means on each coupler half including conically shaped projection means on the contact means in one half and complementary, conically shaped recess means in the contact means of the other half to receive the projection means and align the coupler halves relative to one another.

8. A quick connect electrical coupler comprising a first, rectangularly shaped coupler half and a second rectangularly shaped coupler half, each coupler half having a front and back face and opposite edge portions, an insulating material on said back face and opposite edge portion of each coupler half, a plurality of aligned, parallel, cylindrically shaped electrical contact means in each coupler half extending from the front face to the back face thereof, a conical projection on the contact means in one coupler half and a conical recess in the contact means on the other coupler half of substantially the same size and shape as the projection to receive the projection and index and align the coupler halves together, insulating means between the contact means of each half insulating the contacts of each half from one another, and aligned magnet means in the coupler halves operable to releasably hold the coupler halves together, said contact means comprising the magnet means.

9. A quick connect electrical coupler comprising a first, rectangularly shaped coupler half and a second rectangularly shaped coupler half, each coupler hAlf having a front and back face and opposite edge portions, an insulating material on said back face and opposite edge portion of each coupler half, a plurality of aligned, parallel, cylindrically shaped electrical contact means in each coupler half extending from the front face to the back face thereof, a conical projection on the contact means in one coupler half and a conical recess in the contact means on the other coupler half of substantially the same size and shape as the projection to receive the projection and index and align the coupler halves together, insulating means between the contact means of each half insulating the contacts of each half from one another, and aligned magnet means in the coupler halves operable to releasably hold the coupler halves together, said insulating means between the contact means comprising the magnet means.