Electrical connector

• US 4,919,627 A
• Filed: 11/17/1988
• Issued: 04/24/1990
• Est. Priority Date: 12/02/1987
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Agence Spatiale Europeenne
• Original Assignee: Agence Spatiale Europeenne
• Inventors: Cable, Neil
• Primary Examiner(s): Bishop, Steven C.
• Application Number:
  US07/272,668
• Time in Patent Office: 523 Days
• Field of Search: 439/261, 439/263, 439/265, 439/180, 439/372, 439/819, 439/821, 439/823, 439/258, 439/259, 439/152, 439/153, 439/157, 403/325, 403/330
• US Class Current: 439/263
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 39/64 Devices for uninterrupted current collection

Abstract

The present invention relates to an electrical connector comprising first and second insulating supports (10, 20) respectively provided with first and second terminals (11, 22). The first terminals (11) are moving terminals and the connector includes actuator means (30) for causing said moving terminals to move between a first position (I) in which the moving terminals (11) are held in intimate engagement with the second terminals (22) which are fixed, and a second position (II) in which the moving terminals (11) are held radially away from and fully disengaged from the fixed terminals, with said actuator means (30) responding to the application of axial force to move said moving terminals. This makes it possible to disassemble and to assemble the two supports without having to overcome any friction between the fixed and moving terminals. The invention is applicable to the electrical industry, and in particular to providing equipment for use in manned spacecraft.

Claims

1. An electrical connector having circular symmetry about a longitudinal axis, comprising first and second insulating supports each equipped with at least two terminals, said first support having first terminals and said second support having second terminals, said terminals being connected to electrical conductors, said first and second insulating supports being intended to be assembled and disassembled by being moved axially towards each other and away from each other in order respectively to make and to break electrical contacts between corresponding first and second terminals by mutual engagement or disengagement thereof, said connector including the improvements whereby said first terminals are mounted for pivoting movement relative to said first support while said second terminals are fixed relative to said second support, and whereby said connector includes actuator means responsive to the application of an axial force to cause said first terminals to pivotally move:

in response to an axial force in a first direction, from a first position in which both insulating supports are axially aligned and are assembled to each other, with the first terminals being held intimately engaged with said second terminals, to a second position in which both supports are still assembled to each other while the first terminals are pivoted away from said second terminals to completely disengage from the fixed terminals; and

vice versa, from said second position to said first position, on application of an axial force in a second direction opposite to said first direction;

thereby enabling the two supports, when axially aligned, to be disassembled by being moved axially away from each other and to be assembled by being moved axially towards each other without any friction forces being generated between said first terminals and said second terminals during the axial disassembly and assembly movements, which movements take place while said first terminals and second terminals are fully disengaged.

2. An electrical connector having circular symmetry about a longitudinal axis, comprising first and second insulating supports each equipped with at least two terminals, said first support having first terminals and said second support having second terminals, said terminals being connected to electrical conductors, said first and second insulating supports being intended to be assembled and disassembled by being moved axially towards each other and away from each other in order respectively to make and to break electrical contacts between corresponding first and second terminals by mutual engagement or disengagement thereof, said connector including the improvements whereby said first terminals are movable relative to said first support while said second terminals are fixed relative to said second support, and whereby said connector includes actuator means responsive to the application of an axial force to cause said moving terminals to move:

in response to an axial force in a first direction, from a first position in which both insulating supports are axially aligned and are assembled to each other, with the moving terminals being held intimately engaged with said second terminals, to a second position in which both supports are still assembled to each other while the moving terminals are moved radially to completely disengage from the fixed terminals; and

vice versa, from said second position to said first position, on application of an axial force in a second direction opposite to said first direction;

wherein the moving terminals project axially outwardly relative to said first support and are mounted thereon to pivot about respective axes perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the support and also perpendicular to the axial planes of symmetry of the moving terminals, and wherein said actuator means for actuating said moving terminals are constituted by a ring which is coaxial with said first support and which presses against the radially outer surfaces of the moving terminals via pressure ribs provided on a radially inner surface of the ring, said ring holding said moving terminals in said first and second positions respectively by applying pressure thereto, and being intended to slide by force over the surfaces of the moving terminals under the effect of said axial forces in such a manner as to pivot said terminals from said first position to said second position, and vice versa, with said pivoting taking place while said first and second supports are axially aligned and engaged, i.e. prior to them being disassembled and after they have been assembled, as the case may be, thereby enabling the two supports, when axially aligned, to be disassembled by being moved axially away from each other and to be assembled by being moved axially towards each other without any friction forces being generated between said moving terminals and said fixed terminals during the axial disassembly and assembly movements, which movements take place while said moving terminals and fixed terminals are fully disengaged.

3. A connector according to claim 2, in which the moving terminals are held by said actuator ring in said first and second positions also by means of a spring which is compressed between said first support and an inwardly directed annular shoulder on the actuator ring, and also by means of first and second radial abutments against which said annular shoulder of the actuator ring comes respectively into abutment when in its positions which correspond to said first and second positions of the moving terminals.

4. A connector according to claim 3, wherein said spring is disposed around a peg which projects axially from said first support, and wherein said first radial abutment is constituted by a projection provided at one end of said peg, whereas the second abutment is constituted by a locking device which is put into action once the moving terminals are engaged in the fixed terminals.