Electrical cable coupler with rotatable protective covers
First Claim
1. An electrical cable coupler, comprising:
- a first coupler section including one or more electrical contact elements;
a second coupler section including one or more electrical contact elements adapted for engagement with said contact elements of said first coupler section;
a protective cover rotatably mounted on each coupler section for movement between a protective position wherein the respective contact elements are covered to an operative position wherein said contact elements are exposed; and
means for nonrotatably coupling said covers together upon movement of said covers into face-to-face engagement whereby upon relative rotation of said coupler sections each cover rotates to its operative position to expose said contact elements of each coupler section for electrical engagement.
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Accused Products
Abstract
An improved electrical cable coupler incorporates rotatable protective covers on its plug and socket members to automatically protect the plug and socket contacts against contamination when the plug and socket members are disconnected and to allow the contacts to be electrically engaged when the plug and socket members are connected together. Each protective cover includes one or more openings which correspond in number and location to the electrical contacts on the plug and socket members. Each cover is rotatable between a protective position in which its openings are out of alignment with the respective contacts to provide protection against contamination and an operative position in which the openings are aligned with the respective contacts to expose the contacts for electrical engagement. The protective covers are adapted to interlock when moved into face-to-face engagement so that, by twisting the plug and socket members in opposite directions, the cover openings are moved into registration with the contact elements to allow electrical engagement therebetween. At least one of the protective covers is slidably mounted to permit relative axial movement of the plug and socket members to bring the contacts into electrical engagement.
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Citations
16 Claims
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1. An electrical cable coupler, comprising:
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a first coupler section including one or more electrical contact elements; a second coupler section including one or more electrical contact elements adapted for engagement with said contact elements of said first coupler section; a protective cover rotatably mounted on each coupler section for movement between a protective position wherein the respective contact elements are covered to an operative position wherein said contact elements are exposed; and means for nonrotatably coupling said covers together upon movement of said covers into face-to-face engagement whereby upon relative rotation of said coupler sections each cover rotates to its operative position to expose said contact elements of each coupler section for electrical engagement. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7)
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8. An electrical cable coupler, comprising:
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a plug member including one or more male electrical contact elements; a socket member including one or more female electrical receptacles for receiving said male contact elements; a first protective cover rotatably mounted on said plug member and provided with one or more openings therein for registration with said male contact elements, said first cover being normally biased to a protective position with its openings out of registration with said male contact elements and rotatable to an operative position with said openings in registration with said male contact elements; a second protective cover rotatably mounted on said socket member and provided with one or more openings therein for registration with said female receptacles, said second cover being normally biased to a protective position with its openings out of registration with said female receptacles and rotatable to an operative position with said openings in registration with said female contact elements; and coupling means for nonrotatably coupling said covers together upon movement of said covers into face-to-face engagement whereby upon relative rotation of said plug and socket members said covers rotate into the operative positions to move the respective openings into registration with said male contact elements and said female receptacles to permit electrical engagement therebetween. - View Dependent Claims (9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16)
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Specification