Electrical connector with means for maintaining a connected condition

• US 4,030,798 A
• Filed: 04/11/1975
• Issued: 06/21/1977
• Est. Priority Date: 04/11/1975
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Pyle Overseas B.V.
• Original Assignee: Akzona Incorporated
• Inventors: Paoli, Alfred
• Primary Examiner(s): Lake, Roy
• Assistant Examiner(s): Bicks, Mark S.
• Application Number:
  US05/567,273
• Time in Patent Office: 802 Days
• Field of Search: 339/89, 339/90, 339/DIG. 2, 151/13, 151/39, 151/41, 285/81, 285/84, 285/85, 285/86, 285/89, 285/92
• US Class Current: 439/321
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 13/621 Bolt, set screw or screw clamp
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 13/622 Screw-ring or screw-casing H01R13/623 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 411/953 Washer-carried pawl
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 411/963 Yielding interlocking washer

Abstract

An electrical connector has a coupling nut provided with ratchet teeth on one end thereof for cooperating with a spring, so that the coupling nut is harder to rotate in one direction than the other. The spring is formed as a leaf spring having an elongate arm which cooperates with the forward and rearward faces of the ratchet teeth extending from the coupling nut. The relation between the leaf spring and the ratchet teeth is such that any compressive force acting on the spring during turning of the coupling nut is relatively light, and so the spring does not buckle as the coupling nut is turned. In one embodiment, the spring is in tension during rotation of the coupling nut in its uncoupling direction, and in compression only during rotation of the coupling nut in its easy direction, when the force is light. In another embodiment, compressive forces during rotation in the uncoupling direction are minimized by a rounded surface on the spring.

Claims

1. An electrical connector comprising a plug shell, a receptacle shell, a coupling nut for interconnecting said shells, said coupling nut being mounted for rotation on one of said shells and having threads adapted to cooperate with corresponding threads on the other of said shells, said coupling nut having a plurality of ratchet teeth extending therefrom, said ratchet teeth each having a forward face and a rearward face formed at different angles relative to a plane normal to the axis of rotation of said coupling nut, and an elongate spring arm mounted on one of said shells and urged into contact with said ratchet teeth, said arm comprising an intermediate portion and a hooked free end terminal portion, said hooked terminal portion bearing against one of the forward and rearward faces of said ratchet teeth for impeding but not preventing rotation of said coupling nut in its uncoupling direction while maintaining rotation of said coupling nut in its coupling direction substantially unimpeded, said forward face being formed at a lower angle than said rearward face, relative to a plane normal to the axis of the coupling nut, and when said coupling nut is turned during coupling, said forward face moves, relative to the free end of said spring arm, in the direction which extends from the free end of said arm toward the other end of said arm, whereby frictional forces acting between said ratchet teeth and said arm places said arm in compression during coupling.

2. Apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said hook is formed by a straight terminal portion of said arm, joined to an end of a main portion of said arm.

3. Apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said hook is formed by an inwardly curved terminal portion of said arm.