Lockable cover for electrical connector

• US 5,328,387 A
• Filed: 11/01/1993
• Issued: 07/12/1994
• Est. Priority Date: 02/01/1993
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Hubbell, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Hubbell, Inc.
• Inventors: Hoffman, Ernest G.
• Primary Examiner(s): Paumen, Gary F.
• Application Number:
  US08/144,586
• Time in Patent Office: 253 Days
• Field of Search: 439/318, 439/321, 439/333, 439/462, 439/469, 439/690, 439/695, 439/697
• US Class Current: 439/469
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 13/4538 Covers sliding or withdrawing in the direction of engagement
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 13/502 composed of different pieces H01R13/514 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 13/512 assembled by screw or screws
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 2103/00 Two poles
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 24/28 Coupling parts carrying pins, blades or analogous contacts and secured only to wire or cable

Abstract

An electrical connector with a cover lockably coupled to a retainer body to prevent inadvertent uncoupling of the cover from the retainer body. The cover and retainer body are locked together by a locking arrangement which includes a locking screw or member, a passageway formed in either the cover or the retainer body for threadedly receiving the locking screw therein, and a recess formed either the cover or the retainer body for receiving the tip of the locking screw therein. In a preferred embodiment, the recess is an arcuate slot with an inclined locking surface which slopes towards the locking screw in the direction of rotation for uncoupling the cover from the retainer body. In another embodiment, the recess is a tubular or cylindrical bore with a pair of locking surfaces.

Claims

1. An electrical connector, the combination comprising:

a retainer body having first and second oppositely facing ends with a longitudinal coupling axis extending therebetween, at least two curved blade contacts extending axially from said first end, and an external thread thereon;

a cover having first and second ends with a longitudinal coupling axis extending therebetween, an aperture adapted to receive an electrical cable therethrough for electrical connection to said curved blade contacts, and a longitudinally extending bore with an internal thread thereon threadedly engaged with said external thread on said retainer body via rotation of said cover relative to said retainer body in a first direction;

a passageway located in one of said cover and retainer body and having internal threads thereon; and

locking means, coupled to one of said retainer body and said cover and extending longitudinally between said second end of said retainer and said cover, for resisting rotation of said cover relative to said retainer body in a second direction opposite said first direction,

said locking means comprising a locking member coupled to one of said cover and retainer body and having external threads threadedly engaged with said internal threads on said passageway, and a locking surface coupled to the other of said cover and retainer body and engaged with said locking member.

2. An electrical connector according to claim 1, wherein

said passageway has an enlarged area and an exit aperture smaller than and adjacent said enlarged area, and

said locking member has a shoulder slidably receivable in said enlarged area and a head slidably receivable in said enlarged area and said exit aperture, said shoulder being wider than said head and wider than said exit aperture.

3. An electrical connector according to claim 1, wherein

said locking surface is substantially flat.

4. An electrical connector according to claim 1, wherein

said locking surface is substantially cylindrical.

5. An electrical connector according to claim 4, wherein

said cylindrical locking surface has internal threads threadedly engageable with said external threads of said locking member.

6. An electrical connector according to claim 1, wherein

said locking surface is inclined to said longitudinal coupling axes.

7. An electrical connector according to claim 1, wherein

said inclined surface tapers towards said locking member from a first end to a second end in said second direction.

8. An electrical connector according to claim 1, wherein

said longitudinal coupling axes of said retainer body and said cover have a common longitudinal axis, and

said locking member extends substantially parallel to and spaced from said common longitudinal axis.

9. An electrical connector according to claim 8, wherein

said locking surface extends substantially perpendicular to said common longitudinal axis.

10. An electrical connector according to claim 8, wherein

said locking surface extends substantially parallel to said longitudinal axis.

11. An electrical connector coupling assembly, the combination comprising:

a male member having a substantially cylindrical side surface with a longitudinal coupling axis, an external coupling member coupled to said side surface, and a free end with an end surface extending transverse to said longitudinal coupling axis;

a female member having a substantially cylindrical internal surface forming a bore with a longitudinal coupling axis for receiving said free end of said male member therein, and an internal coupling member coupled to said internal surface and fixedly engaged with said external coupling member on said male member via rotation of said female member relative to said male member in a first direction;

a passageway located in one of said male and female members and having internal threads thereon; and

locking means, coupled to one of said male and female members and extending longitudinally between said male and female members, for resisting rotation of said female member relative to said male member in a second direction opposite said first direction and for preventing inadvertent uncoupling of said female member from said male member by rotation in said second direction.

said locking means comprising a locking member coupled to one of said male and female members and having external threads threadedly engaged with said internal threads on said passageway, and a locking surface coupled to the other of said male and female members and engaged with said locking member.

12. A coupling assembly according to claim 11, wherein

said passageway has an enlarged area and an exit aperture smaller than and adjacent said enlarged area, and

said locking member has a shoulder slidably receivable in said enlarged area and a head slidably receivable in said enlarged area and said exit aperture, said shoulder being wider than said head and wider than said exit aperture.

13. A coupling assembly according to claim 11, wherein

said locking surface is substantially flat.

14. A coupling assembly according to claim 11, wherein

said locking surface is substantially cylindrical.

15. A coupling assembly according to claim 14, wherein

said cylindrical locking surface has internal threads threadedly engageable with said external threads of said locking member.

16. A coupling assembly according to claim 11, wherein

said locking surface is inclined to said longitudinal coupling axes.

17. A coupling assembly according to claim 16, wherein

said inclined surface tapers towards said locking member from a first end to a second end in said second direction.

18. A coupling assembly according to claim 11, wherein

said longitudinal coupling axes of said male and female members have a common longitudinal axis, and

said locking member extends substantially parallel to and spaced from said common longitudinal axis.

19. A coupling assembly according to claim 18, wherein

said locking surface extends substantially perpendicular to said common longitudinal axis.

20. A coupling assembly according to claim 18, wherein

said locking surface extends substantially parallel to said longitudinal axis.

21. A coupling assembly according to claim 18, wherein

said locking surface extends at a substantially acute angle relative to said common longitudinal axis.

22. A coupling assembly according to claim 11, wherein

said coupling members are threads for releasably coupling said male and female members together.

23. A coupling assembly according to claim 22, wherein

said male member is an electrical retainer body having electrical contacts and said female member is a nonconductive cover.

24. An electrical connector coupling assembly, the combination comprising:

a male member having a substantially cylindrical side surface with a longitudinal coupling axis, an external coupling member coupled to said side surface, and a free end with an end surface extending transverse to said longitudinal coupling axis;

a female member having a substantially cylindrical internal surface forming a bore for receiving said free end of said male member therein, and an internal coupling member coupled to said internal surface and fixedly engaged with said external coupling member on said male member via rotation of said female member relative to said male member in a first direction; and

locking means, coupled to one of said male and female members and extending longitudinally between said male and female members, for resisting rotation of said female member relative to said male member in a second direction opposite said first direction and for preventing inadvertent uncoupling of said female member from said male member by rotation of said female member in said second direction,

said locking means including a locking screw coupled to one of said male and female members for engaging said male and female members to apply a sufficiently strong axially extending force on said internal and external coupling members to axially compress said internal and external coupling members into engagement, and for increasing the frictional forces therebetween to resist rotation of said female member relative to said male member.

25. A coupling assembly according to claim 24, wherein

said locking means further includes a locking surface coupled to the other of said male and female members and engaged with said locking screw.

26. An electrical connector according to claim 25, wherein

said locking surface extends substantially perpendicular to said longitudinal axis.

27. An electrical connector according to claim 25, wherein

said locking surface extends substantially parallel to said longitudinal axis.

28. An electrical connector according to claim 25, wherein

said locking surface extends at a substantially acute angle relative to said longitudinal axis.

29. An electrical connector, the combination comprising:

a retainer body having first and second oppositely facing ends with a longitudinal coupling axis extending therebetween, at least two curved blade contacts extending axially from said first end, and an external thread thereon;

a cover having first and second ends with said longitudinal coupling axis extending therebetween, an aperture adapted to receive an electrical cable therethrough for electrical connection to said curved blade contacts, and a longitudinally extending bore with an internal thread thereon threadedly engaged with said external thread on said retainer body via rotation of said cover relative to said retainer body in a first direction which couples said cover to said retainer body; and

locking means, coupled to said retainer body and said cover and extending longitudinally between said second end of said retainer and said cover, said locking means comprising a locking member coupled to one of said cover and retainer body, and a locking surface coupled to the other of said cover and retainer body and engaged with said locking member upon rotation of said cover relative to said retainer body in a second direction opposite said first direction for resisting rotation in said second direction and preventing inadvertent uncoupling of said cover and said retainer body, said locking surface extending at a substantially acute angle relative to said longitudinal axis and inclined towards said locking member in said second direction.

said locking member being a screw for preventing axial movement thereof by relative rotation between said retainer body and said cover to prevent uncoupling from occurring.

30. An electrical connector according to claim 29, wherein

said locking surface has a first slope and said external threads on said retainer body and said internal threads in said cover have a second slope, said first slope being greater than said second slope.