Tamper resistant connector assembly

• US 5,560,707 A
• Filed: 10/07/1994
• Issued: 10/01/1996
• Est. Priority Date: 10/07/1994
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Alliedsignal Inc. (Honeywell International Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Grimes Aerospace Co. (Honeywell International Inc.)
• Inventors: Neer, Donald A.
• Primary Examiner(s): Gromada, Denise L.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Cariaso, Alan B.
• Application Number:
  US08/319,880
• Time in Patent Office: 725 Days
• Field of Search: 215/217, 215/223, 362/374, 362/375, 362/376, 362/434, 362/440, 362/445, 362/455
• US Class Current: 362/376
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 3/44 Spotlighting, e.g. reading lamps
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 15/005 Measures against vandalism, stealing or tampering F21V15/02, F21V15/04 take precedence

Abstract

The present invention provides a connector that is tamper resistant, yet does not require the use of tools. In one embodiment, a bezel retainer is designed to snap and lock into a lamp housing assembly by using tabs on the bezel retainer that lock into slots molded into the housing. The bezel retainer is maintained in position by a wave spring washer mounted in the housing. Tabs on the wave spring sit in detents on the end of the bezel retainer. The bezel is attached to the end of the bezel retainer and is allowed to rotate freely.

Claims

1. A tamper resistant connector assembly, comprising:

a housing having at least one internal slot and an internal annular groove;

a washer within said housing having at least one spring tab extending therefrom;

a first cylinder having at least one detent on a first axial extent of said first cylinder, at least

one cylinder tab extending radially from an outer surface of said first cylinder adapted to be received by said internal slot and at least one latch extending radially from said outer surface, said at least one detent configured to receive said spring tab and said cylinder tab configured to be received by said internal slot; and

a second cylinder having an internal annular groove for receiving said latch.

2. The tamper resistant assembly of claim 1, wherein said internal slot has an axial opening to a housing brim and an integral circumferential slot.

3. The tamper resistant assembly of claim 2, wherein said slot has a first and second circumferential extent, wherein said first circumferential extent is adjacent to said axial opening.

4. The tamper resistant assembly of claim 1, wherein said cylinder tab is adjacent said first axial extent of said first cylinder.

5. The tamper resistant assembly of claim 1, wherein said internal annular groove of said housing is adjacent to said internal slot.

6. The tamper resistant assembly of claim 1, wherein said washer is retained within said housing internal annular groove.

7. The tamper resistant assembly of claim 1, wherein said at least one detent comprises a first detent and a second detent, wherein said first detent is axially aligned with said cylinder tab, wherein said second detent receives said spring tab when said cylinder tab is axially aligned with said internal slot and abuts a first circumferential extent of said internal slot, and wherein said first detent receives said spring tab when said cylinder tab abuts a second circumferential extent of said internal slot.

8. The tamper resistant assembly of claim 1, wherein said latch is adjacent to a second axial extent of said first cylinder.

9. A tamper resistant assembly, comprising:

a hemispherical hollow housing having at least one internal housing slot adjacent to a housing brim and an internal annular groove adjacent to said housing slot, wherein said housing slot has an axial opening adjacent to said housing brim and an integral circumferential slot, wherein said slot has a first and second circumferential extent, wherein said first circumferential extent is adjacent to said axial opening;

a wave spring washer retained within said housing annular groove having at least one spring tab extending perpendicularly therefrom;

a first cylinder having at least one pair of detents on a first axial extent, at least one cylinder tab extending radially from an outer surface adjacent said first axial extent and at least one latch extending radially from said outer surface adjacent to a second axial extent, wherein said cylinder tab is adapted to be received by said housing slot, wherein said pair of detents comprise a first detent and a second detent, wherein said first detent is axially aligned with said cylinder tab, wherein said second detent receives said spring tab when said cylinder tab is axially aligned with said axial opening and abuts said first circumferential extent of said housing slot, wherein said first detent receives said spring tab when said cylinder tab abuts said second circumferential extent of said housing slot; and

a second cylinder having an internal annular groove for receiving said first cylinder latch.

10. A tamper resistant reading lamp assembly, comprising:

a hemispherical hollow lamp housing having four internal housing slots adjacent to a housing brim and an internal annular groove adjacent to said housing slots, wherein each of said housing slots has an axial opening adjacent to said housing brim and an integral circumferential slot, wherein said slot has a first and second circumferential extent, wherein said first circumferential extent is adjacent to said axial opening;

a wave spring washer retained within said housing annular groove having four spring tabs extending perpendicularly therefrom;

a cylindrical bezel retainer having four pairs of detents on a first axial extent, four retainer tabs extending radially from an outer surface adjacent said first axial extent and six retainer latches extending radially from said outer surface adjacent to a second axial extent, wherein each of said retainer tabs are adapted to be received by said housing slots, wherein each of said pair of detents comprise a first detent and a second detent, wherein each of said first detent is axially aligned with one of said retainer tabs, wherein each of said second detents receive said spring tabs when said retainer tabs are axially aligned with said axial opening and abut said first circumferential extent of said housing slot, wherein each of said first detents receive said spring tabs when said retainer tabs abut said second circumferential extent of said housing slot; and

a cylindrical bezel having an internal annular groove for receiving said bezel retainer latches.