Self locking connector backshell
First Claim
1. A self-locking connector backshell for a connector assembly, a circular toothed accessory ring axially projecting from the connector assembly, the connector backshell comprising:
- (a) a backshell body for receiving conductor elements;
(b) a circular toothed backshell ring axially projecting on an accessory pitch circle from the backshell body about a backshell axis for engaging the accessory ring at respective first and second accessory ramp angles θ
1 and θ
2, the ramp angles θ
1 and θ
2 reflecting axial movement of the backshell body within a distance ξ
away from the accessory ring in response to rotation of the backshell body about the backshell axis relative to the accessory ring in opposite directions from seated engagement with the accessory ring;
(c) a threaded clamping ring rotatably coaxially supported on the backshell body, the clamping ring being threadingly engageable with the connector assembly in respective clamping and unclamping directions of rotation therewith for holding the backshell body in axial engagement with the accessory ring, the angle θ
1 corresponding to rotation of the backshell body in the clamping direction relative to the accessory ring;
(d) a multiplicity of first detent members supportively coaxially located in a fixed angular relation to the clamping ring;
(e) a multiplicity of second detent members supportively coaxially located in a fixed angular relation to the backshell body, the first and second detent members being simultaneously engagable on a detent pitch circle, wherein the first and second detent members engage at a first contact angle A between a tangent of the pitch circle and a first surface of contact between each first detent member and a contacting second detent member during rotation of the clamping ring in the clamping direction relative to the backshell body, the first and second detent members also engaging at a second contact angle B between a tangent of the pitch circle and a second surface of contact between each first detent member and a contacting second detent member during rotation of the clamping ring in the unclamping direction relative to the backshell body; and
(f) biasing means for axially holding the first and second detent members in facing engagement, the angle A being sufficiently less than the angle θ
1 and the angle B being sufficiently less than the angle θ
2 for permitting rotation of the clamping ring to effect seated engagement and disengagement between the backshell body and the connector assembly without producing jamming from the backshell body being driven axially away from the accessory ring by sliding engagement between the backshell ring and the accessory ring when the clamping ring is rotated.
1 Assignment
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A system for releasably locking and unlocking a connector and backshell combination for supporting conductors that extend from the connector includes a threaded clamping ring in an assembly having facing first and second detent rings that are formed with respective multiplicities of mating detent members. The first detent ring is angularly fixed relative to the clamping ring; the second detent ring is affixed to or integral with a flange ring that is affixed to a body of the backshell. The backshell body can have an enlargement such as for a conductor clamp, in which case the detent ring is affixable subsequent to location of at least the first detent ring between the flange ring and the enlargement when the enlargement would block assembly from that direction. A nested plurality of cone-shaped spring washer axially holds the detent rings in facing engagement, whereby a total surface contacting area of engagement between the detent members is at least 0.1 times the product of an average engagement pitch diameter and the width of engagement. The first and second detent members can engage at shallow contact angles of not more than about 30 degrees for preventing jamming from toothed accessory ring camming action. The assembly preferably includes an adjustment ring threadingly engaging the clamping ring for adjustably preloading the spring washers, and a pair of resilient 0-ring members frictionally connecting the clamping ring and the backshell body for dampening vibrations therebetween, and for sealingly enclosing the detent members and the spring washers.
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Citations
26 Claims
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1. A self-locking connector backshell for a connector assembly, a circular toothed accessory ring axially projecting from the connector assembly, the connector backshell comprising:
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(a) a backshell body for receiving conductor elements; (b) a circular toothed backshell ring axially projecting on an accessory pitch circle from the backshell body about a backshell axis for engaging the accessory ring at respective first and second accessory ramp angles θ
1 and θ
2, the ramp angles θ
1 and θ
2 reflecting axial movement of the backshell body within a distance ξ
away from the accessory ring in response to rotation of the backshell body about the backshell axis relative to the accessory ring in opposite directions from seated engagement with the accessory ring;(c) a threaded clamping ring rotatably coaxially supported on the backshell body, the clamping ring being threadingly engageable with the connector assembly in respective clamping and unclamping directions of rotation therewith for holding the backshell body in axial engagement with the accessory ring, the angle θ
1 corresponding to rotation of the backshell body in the clamping direction relative to the accessory ring;(d) a multiplicity of first detent members supportively coaxially located in a fixed angular relation to the clamping ring; (e) a multiplicity of second detent members supportively coaxially located in a fixed angular relation to the backshell body, the first and second detent members being simultaneously engagable on a detent pitch circle, wherein the first and second detent members engage at a first contact angle A between a tangent of the pitch circle and a first surface of contact between each first detent member and a contacting second detent member during rotation of the clamping ring in the clamping direction relative to the backshell body, the first and second detent members also engaging at a second contact angle B between a tangent of the pitch circle and a second surface of contact between each first detent member and a contacting second detent member during rotation of the clamping ring in the unclamping direction relative to the backshell body; and (f) biasing means for axially holding the first and second detent members in facing engagement, the angle A being sufficiently less than the angle θ
1 and the angle B being sufficiently less than the angle θ
2 for permitting rotation of the clamping ring to effect seated engagement and disengagement between the backshell body and the connector assembly without producing jamming from the backshell body being driven axially away from the accessory ring by sliding engagement between the backshell ring and the accessory ring when the clamping ring is rotated. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 10, 11, 13, 14, 15, 16, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26)
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7. A self-locking connector backshell for a connector assembly a circular toothed accessory ring axially projecting from the connector assembly, the connector backshell comprising:
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(a) a backshell body for receiving conductor elements;
;(b) a circular toothed backshell ring axially projecting on an accessory pitch circle from the backshell body about a backshell axis for engaging the accessory ring at respective first and second accessory ramp angles θ
1 and θ
2, the ramp angles θ
1 and θ
2 reflecting axial movement of the backshell body within a distance ξ
away from the accessory ring in response to rotation of the backshell body about the backshell axis relative to the accessory ring in opposite directions from seated engagement with the accessory ring;(c) a threaded clamping ring rotatably coaxially supported on the backshell body the clamping ring being threadingly engageable with the connector assembly in respective clamping and unclamping directions of rotation therewith for holding the backshell body in axial engagement with the accessory ring, the angle θ
1 corresponding to rotation of the backshell body in the clamping direction relative to the accessory ring;(d) a multiplicity of first detent members supportively coaxially located in a fixed angular relation to the clamping ring; (e) a multiplicity of second detent members supportively coaxially located in a fixed angular relation to the backshell body, the first and second detent members being simultaneously engagable on a detent pitch circle, the detent pitch circle having an average detent pitch diameter P, the first and second detent members have a detent engagement width W, and a total surface contacting area of engagement between the detent members is at least 0.1 times the product of P and W, wherein the first and second detent members engage at a first contact angle A between a tangent of the pitch circle and a first surface of contact between each first detent member and a contacting second detent member during rotation of the clamping ring in the clamping direction relative to the backshell body, the first and second detent members also engaging at a second contact angle B between a tangent of the pitch circle and a second surface of contact between each first detent member and a contacting second detent member during rotation of the clamping ring in the unclamping direction relative to the backshell body, the first and second detent members being engagable in a multiplicity M of equally spaced positions having an angular spacing Φ and
an equivalent tangential spacing S, and wherein the total surface contact area of engagement is maintained at not less than approximately 0.05 times the product of P and W during rotational movement of the second detent members relative to the first detent members through an angle not less than half of the angular spacing Φ
; and(f) biasing means for axially holding the first and second detent members in facing engagement. - View Dependent Claims (8, 9)
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12. A self-locking connector backshell for a connector assembly, a circular toothed accessory ring axially projecting from the connector assembly;
- the connector backshell comprising;
(a) a backshell body for receiving conductor elements; (b) a circular toothed backshell ring axially projecting on an accessory pitch circle from the backshell body about a backshell axis for engaging the accessory ring at respective first and second accessory ramp angles θ
1 and θ
2, the ramp angles θ
1 and θ
2 reflecting axial movement of the backshell body within a distance ξ
away from the accessory ring in response to rotation of the backshell body about the backshell axis relative to the accessory ring in opposite directions from seated engagement with the accessory ring;(c) a threaded clamping ring rotatably coaxially supported on the backshell body, the clamping ring being threadingly engageable with the connector assembly in respective clamping and unclamping directions of rotation therewith for holding the backshell body in axial engagement with the accessory ring, the angle θ
1 corresponding to rotation of the backshell body in the clamping direction relative to the accessory ring;(d) a multiplicity of first detent members fixably connected on a first detent ring, the first detent ring being axially movable relative to the clamping ring; (e) a multiplicity of second detent members fixed relative to the backshell body in a fixed angular relation to the backshell body;
the first and second detent members being simultaneously engagable on a detent pitch circle wherein the first and second detent members engage at a first contact angle A between a tangent of the pitch circle and a first surface of contact between each first detent member and a contacting second detent member during rotation of the clamping ring in the clamping direction relative to the backshell body, the first and second detent members also engaging at a second contact angle B between a tangent of the pitch circle and a second surface of contact between each first detent member and a contacting second detent member during rotation of the clamping ring in the unclamping direction relative to the backshell body; and(f) a nested plurality of cone-shaped spring washers coaxially supported relative to the backshell body and contacting the first detent ring in a continuous annular contact path for uniformly axially biasingly holding the first and second detent members in facing engagement, each of the spring washers having a thickness of approximately 0.003 inch.
- the connector backshell comprising;
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17. A self-locking connector backshell for a connector assembly, a circular toothed accessory ring axially projecting from the connector assembly, the connector backshell comprising:
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(a) a backshell body for receiving conductor elements; (b) a circular toothed backshell ring axially projecting on an accessory pitch circle from the backshell body about a backshell axis for engaging the accessory ring at respective first and second accessory ramp angles θ
1 and θ
2, the ramp angles θ
1 and θ
2 reflecting axial movement of the backshell body within a distance ξ
away from the accessory ring in response to rotation of the backshell body about the backshell axis relative to the accessory ring in opposite directions from seated engagement with the accessory ring;(c) a threaded clamping ring rotatably coaxially supported on the backshell body, the backshell body being formed having an enlargement blocking passage of the clamping ring, the clamping ring being threadingly engageable with the connector assembly in respective clamping and unclamping directions of rotation therewith for holding the backshell body in axial engagement with the accessory ring, the angle θ
1 corresponding to rotation of the backshell body in the clamping direction relative to the accessory ring;(d) a multiplicity of first detent members supportively coaxially located in a fixed angular relation to the clamping ring, the backshell further comprising a rigid flange ring blocking passage of the first detent members, and means for fixedly connecting the flange ring to the backshell body with the first detent members located between the flange ring and the enlargement; (e) a multiplicity of second detent members supportively coaxially located in a fixed angular relation to the backshell body, the first and second detent members being simultaneously engagable on a detent pitch circle, wherein the first and second detent members engage at a first contact angle A between a tangent of the pitch circle and a first surface of contact between each first detent member and a contacting second detent member during rotation of the clamping ring in the clamping direction relative to the backshell body, the first and second detent members also engaging at a second contact angle B between a tangent of the pitch circle and a second surface of contact between each first detent member and a contacting second detent member during rotation of the clamping ring in the unclamping direction relative to the backshell body; and (f) biasing means for axially holding the first and second detent members in facing engagement. - View Dependent Claims (18, 19)
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Specification