Field repairable electrical connector

• US 5,542,856 A
• Filed: 02/16/1995
• Issued: 08/06/1996
• Est. Priority Date: 04/11/1994
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: INOVA Limited
• Original Assignee: Tescorp Seismic Products, Inc.
• Inventors: Wood, Richard G.
• Primary Examiner(s): Paumen, Gary F.
• Assistant Examiner(s): WITTELS, DANIEL NMN
• Application Number:
  US08/389,253
• Time in Patent Office: 537 Days
• Field of Search: 439/281, 439/271, 439/587, 439/651, 439/655
• US Class Current: 439/281
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 13/502 composed of different pieces H01R13/514 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 13/52 Dustproof, splashproof, drip-proof, waterproof, or flameproof cases
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 13/523 for use under water

Abstract

An electrical connector having pin members that are partially encapsulated within, and sockets members that are completely encapsulated within, rigid, electrically nonconductive sheaths that are respectively integrally formed in male and female body members. The male and female body members are joined together by a resiliently compressible coupling member having a relatively soft body portion surrounded by a flexible external casing formed of a harder material, and has a plurality of internally disposed passageways that seal around each of the sheaths. The male and female body members and the coupling member are separately disassemblable and individually repairable or replaceable without the use of special tools or equipment.

Claims

1. An electrical connector, comprising:

a male member having a body formed of a rigid, electrically nonconductive, thermoplastic material and a plurality of electrically conductive pins arranged in a predetermined pattern in said body, said body having a first face surface, a second face surface, and a plurality of sheaths extending outwardly from said first face surface, and each of said electrically conductive pins having a first portion completely encapsulated within the body and a respective one of said sheaths of said male member, a second portion extending outwardly from an outer end of the sheath respectively imbedding the first portion of said pins, and a third portion extending outwardly from the second face surface of the body of said male member, each of said third portions being connectable to an electrical wire conductor;

a female member having a body formed of a rigid, electrically nonconductive, thermoplastic material and a plurality of electrically conductive sockets arranged in said predetermined pattern in the body of said female member and adapted to receive the second portion of a respective one of the pins of said male member and maintain said respective pin in electrically conductive contact with the socket, said body of the female member having a first face surface, a second face surface, and a plurality of sheaths extending outwardly from said first face surface, and each of said electrically conductive sockets having a first portion completely encapsulated within the body and a respective one of the sheaths of said female member and a second portion extending outwardly from the second face surface of the body of said female member, said second portion of each of the sockets being connectable to an electrical wire conductor; and

,

an elastomeric coupling member comprising a body portion formed of a resiliently compressible, nonconductive material having a predetermined hardness and an external casing formed of a flexible nonconductive material having a hardness greater than that of the body portion, said casing being disposed about the periphery of the body portion and forming a unitary structure therewith, a first face surface abutable with the first face surface of said male member, a second face surface abutable with the first face surface of said female member, and a plurality of internally disposed passageways extending between said first and second face surfaces of the coupling member, said passageways being arranged in said predetermined pattern and having an internal wall shape adapted to receive and completely surround each of the sheaths of said male and said female members.

2. An electrical connector, as set forth in claim 1, wherein the body portion of said coupling member is formed of a thermoplastic rubber material comprising a mixture of polyethylene and neoprene and, after curing, has a room temperature hardness, with reference to the Shore A scale, of from about 40 to about 70 durometer.

3. An electrical connector, as set forth in claim 2, wherein the external casing of said coupling member if formed of a high density polyethylene material having a hardness greater than that of said body portion.

4. An electrical connector, as set forth in claim 1, wherein the body portion of said coupling member is formed of a polyurethane material having a hardness, with reference to the Shore A scale, of from about 40 to about 70 durometer.

5. An electrical connector, as set forth in claim 4, wherein the external casing of said coupling member if formed of a glass filled polyurethane material having a hardness greater than that of said body portion.

6. An electrical connector, as set forth in claim 1, wherein the body portion and the external casing of said coupling member are formed of mutually self-bonding materials.

7. An electrical connector, as set forth in claim 1, wherein said connector includes a male adaptor member having an internal bore and a female adaptor member having an internal bore, at least one of said male and female adaptor members having a keyway formed in their respective bore, and said coupling member having a key externally disposed on the casing of the coupling member, said key and said keyway cooperating with each other to align the respective adaptor member in which the keyway is formed with the coupling member.

8. An electrical connector, as set forth in claim 7, wherein the internal diameter of said internally disposed passageways in the coupling member is reduced in response to imposing an isostatic pressure on the external casing of said coupling member when said coupling member is in abutting contact with said respective first surfaces of the male and female members.

9. An electrical connector, comprising:

a male member formed of a rigid thermoplastic material and having a face surface and a plurality of sheaths extending outwardly from said face surface, and a plurality of electrically conductive pins each having a portion encapsulated by a respective one of said sheaths;

a female member formed of a rigid thermoplastic material and having a face surface and a plurality of sheaths extending outwardly from said face surface, and a plurality of electrically conductive sockets each of which are encapsulated by a respective one of said sheaths;

a coupling member having a body portion formed of a resiliently compressible, nonconductive material having a predetermined hardness and an external casing formed of a flexible nonconductive material having a hardness greater than that of the body portion, said casing being disposed about the periphery of the body portion and forming a unitary structure therewith, a pair of spaced apart end faces, and a plurality of internal passageways adapted to sealably receive the sheaths of said male and female members therein, said coupling member being interposed said male and female members with each one of the end faces of said coupling member in abutting contact with a respective end face surface of the male and female member, said internal passageways of the coupling member being radially reduced in response to applying an essentially isostatic pressure on said external casing of the coupling member.