Electrical connector assembly

• US 4,647,127 A
• Filed: 11/22/1985
• Issued: 03/03/1987
• Est. Priority Date: 06/08/1982
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Neutrik AG (Neutrik USA Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Neutrik AG (Neutrik USA Inc.)
• Inventors: Weingartner, Bernhard
• Primary Examiner(s): Weidenfeld, Gil
• Assistant Examiner(s): BRADLEY, PAULA A
• Application Number:
  US06/801,381
• Time in Patent Office: 466 Days
• Field of Search: 339/49 R, 339/49 B, 339/61 R, 339/61 M, 339/48, 339/59 R, 339/59 M, 339/76, 339/103 B
• US Class Current: 439/289
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 13/28 Contacts for sliding cooperation with identically-shaped contact, e.g. for hermaphroditic coupling devices H01R24/84 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 13/562 Bending-relieving
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 13/59 Threaded ferrule or bolt operating in a direction parallel to the cable or wire

Abstract

A pair of complementary electrical connector members adapted to be electrically engaged with each other are formed with a housing having a contact element carrier located therein with a clamping sleeve within the housing having one end in abutting engagement with an end of the contact element carrier. The opposite end of the clamping sleeve extends axially beyond the housing and is formed with a tapered configuration about which there is engaged a clamping ring which is threadedly tightened about the housing to bring the clamping sleeve into engagement with the contact element carrier. The contact element carrier in each connector member is formed with elongated contact elements thereon which extend axially of the assembly and which have connector ends adapted to have electrical wires extending through the clamping sleeve connected thereto.

Claims

1. An electrical connector assembly formed of a first and a second connector member adapted to be engaged with each other, each of said connector members comprising:

housing means defining a forward end and a rearward end of said assembly and having inwardly projecting flange means with at least the housing means of said first connector member being formed to include first and second housing members;

an electrically insulating contact element carrier member mounted within said housing means with a first end facing toward said rearward end and a second end facing toward said forward end;

said housing means being constructed to enable insertion and removal of said contact element carrier member from said rearward end;

shoulder means on said contact element carrier member in abutting engagement with said flange means for determining the position of said contact element carrier member in said housing means;

elongated contact elements mounted on said carrier member having a connection end arranged toward said rearward end and a contact end arranged toward said forward end, said connection end being adapted to have electrical wire means connected thereto, said contact end of each of said contact elements in one of said connector members being adapted to be placed in electrically conductive engagement with the contact end of a complementary contact element in the other of said connector members;

a clamping sleeve within said housing means having a forward end in abutting engagement with said first end of said carrier member and a rearward end having a tapered configuration extending axially outwardly beyond said rearward end of said housing means;

male thread means at said rearward end of said housing means; and

a threaded clamping ring arranged to engage around said tapered rearward end of said clamping sleeve in threaded engagement with said male thread means to urge said forward end of said clamping sleeve in abutting engagement against said first end of said carrier member to hold said carrier member in clamped engagement between said flange means and said forward end of said clamping sleeve;

detent means mounted in said first housing member of said first connector member;

groove means formed in said second connector member adapted to be engaged by said detent means to lock said first and second connector members together;

said first and said second housing members being axially slidable relative to each other, with said second housing member engaging said detent means to disconnect said locking engagement between said first and second connector members;

said first and second connector members being readily assembled and disassembled without the use of tools merely by threadedly engageing or disengaging said clamping ring onto or from said clamping sleeve to allow said carrier elements together with said contact elements mounted thereon to be slidably inserted into or removed from said housing means.

2. An assembly according to claim 1 wherein said clamping ring is equipped with a cable bush.

3. An assembly according to claim 1 further comprising a threaded sleeve screwed into said housing means, said threaded sleeve being adapted to receive said clamping ring and having a section projecting forwardly relative to said housing means.

4. An assembly according to claim 3 wherein said clamping ring is equipped with a cable bush and wherein said clamping ring and said cable bush are manufactured from different materials.