Coaxial underwater electro-optical connector
First Claim
1. An underwater electro-optical connector, comprising:
- a male unit with an open end;
a first electrically-conductive member in the open end, including bore means for receiving an electrical conductor, means for connecting to an optical conductor, and a forward tip;
first optically transmissive means adjacent said male unit bore means for conducting optical signals to and from said bore means and including a collimating leans in said forward tip;
a female unit for detachably fitting to said male unit open end;
a second electrically-conductive member in said female unit for connecting to said first conductive member when said female unit fits into said male unit and including bore means for receiving another optical conductor and means for connecting to another electrical conductor;
second optically transmissive means adjacent said female conductive member bore means for conducting optical signals to and from said bore means; and
alignment means in said male and female units for aligning said first and second optically transmissive means and for forming a watertight chamber when said male and female units are fitted together, said chamber containing said first and second conductive members and said first and second optically transmissive means.
2 Assignments
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Accused Products
Abstract
A coaxial plug-and-socket type electro-optical connector for connection underwater. The male portion of the connector has an elongate alignment probe which includes a forward portion with an axially-tapered opening. A longitudinal electrically conductive probe mounted coaxially in the tapered opening has a forward tip housing an optically transmissive interface. The female portion of the connector has an elongate alignment probe mounted coaxially in it. The female portion alignment probe has a conically-shaped outer surface which fits into the male alignment probe'"'"'s tapered opening to align the male and female portions. An electrically conductive receptacle is contained in an axially bored channel of the female probe; the receptacle has a socket which accepts the forward tip of the conductive probe. An optically transmissive interface is positioned at the rear of the socket entry and faces the male portion optical interface when the connector portions are joined. Upon mating the two portions of the connector, optical connection is provided through the facing optical interfaces and electrical connection through the contacting, electrically conductive probe and receptacle. The tapered surface and opening also seal the optical and electrical connections to water. When the connector is cycled underwater, seawater trapped between the sealed portions of the alignment probes enhances the transmissivity of the optical interface. When cycled above water, a few drops of oil or water introduced into the sealed portion enhances the transmissivity in a similar way.
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Citations
23 Claims
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1. An underwater electro-optical connector, comprising:
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a male unit with an open end; a first electrically-conductive member in the open end, including bore means for receiving an electrical conductor, means for connecting to an optical conductor, and a forward tip; first optically transmissive means adjacent said male unit bore means for conducting optical signals to and from said bore means and including a collimating leans in said forward tip; a female unit for detachably fitting to said male unit open end; a second electrically-conductive member in said female unit for connecting to said first conductive member when said female unit fits into said male unit and including bore means for receiving another optical conductor and means for connecting to another electrical conductor; second optically transmissive means adjacent said female conductive member bore means for conducting optical signals to and from said bore means; and alignment means in said male and female units for aligning said first and second optically transmissive means and for forming a watertight chamber when said male and female units are fitted together, said chamber containing said first and second conductive members and said first and second optically transmissive means.
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3. An underwater electro-optical connector comprising:
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a male unit including an insulating alignment insert, said insert including a forward opening and a recess tapered inwardly from said opening; an electrically conductive probe device seated in said tapered recess and having a forward tip adjacent said opening; a first optically transmissive interface seated in said forward tip and including a collimating means for conducting light signals; a female unit including an insulating alignment probe with a tapered outer surface for fitting into and forming a water-tight enclosure with said tapered recess; an electrically conductive receptacle device held in said alignment probe and including a receiving recess for receiving said forward tip when said alignment probe is fitted into said tapered recess; and a second optically transmissive interface in said receptacle device and including a collimating means for conducting light signals. - View Dependent Claims (2, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14)
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15. An underwater electro-optical connector, comprising:
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a first connector unit; an alignment insert mounted in said first connector unit and having a forward portion with a tapered opening; an electrically conductive probe mounted in said alignment insert and having a probe tip extending into said tapered opening; first optical means housed in said probe tip for conducting an optical signal; a second connector unit adapted to be joined to said first connector unit; an alignment probe mounted in said second connector unit and having a tapered outer surface that engages said tapered opening to align said connector units and that forms a sealed enclosure with said tapered opening when said connector units are joined; an electrically conductive receptacle housed in said alignment probe that receives said probe tip in said sealed enclosure when said tapered outer surface engages said tapered opening; and second optical means housed in said receptacle for exchanging an optical signal with said first optical means when said probe tip is received in said receptacle. - View Dependent Claims (16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22)
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23. An underwater electro-optical connector, comprising:
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a male unit with an open end; a first electrically-conductive member in the open end, including bore means for receiving an optical conductor and means for connecting to an electrical conductor; first optically-transmissive means adjacent said male unit bore means for conducting optical signals to and from said bore means; a female unit for detachably fitting to said male unit open end; a second electrically-conductive member in said female unit for connecting to said first conductive member when said female unit fits into said male unit and including bore means for receiving another optical conductor and means for connecting to another electrical conductor; second optically-transmissive means adjacent said female conductive member bore means for conducting optical signals to and from said bore means; and first and second alignment means in said male and female units, respectively, for aligning said first and second optically-transmissive means and for forming a watertight chamber when said male and female units are fitted together, said chamber containing said first and second conductive members and said first and second optically-transmissive means, said first alignment means including a substantially cylindrical alignment receptacle having a portion with an axially tapered opening and said second alignment means including a substantially cylindrical alignment probe having a conically-shaped outer surface for fitting into said axially tapered opening when said female unit fits into said male unit.
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Specification