Snap-together x-ray cable coupling nut assembly

• US 5,707,252 A
• Filed: 10/10/1995
• Issued: 01/13/1998
• Est. Priority Date: 10/10/1995
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Alden Products Co.
• Original Assignee: Alden Products Co.
• Inventors: Meszaros, James R.
• Primary Examiner(s): Vu, Hien
• Application Number:
  US08/541,821
• Time in Patent Office: 826 Days
• Field of Search: 439/610, 439/320, 439/349, 439/345, 439/108, 439/98, 439/674, 439/876, 439/859
• US Class Current: 439/320
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 13/508 assembled by a separate clip or spring
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 13/53 Bases or cases for heavy duty; Bases or cases for high voltage with means for preventing corona or arcing
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 13/562 Bending-relieving
• CPC Class Codes: H05G 1/08 Electrical details

Abstract

A two-piece retainer ring is snap-fit together by protruding roll pins in mating holes forming a self-connected ring around a high-voltage cable engaging a cable plug flange. Parallel spring wires intruding into a central opening of a coupling nut engage an exterior groove in the retainer ring with a snap fit forming an interconnected mutually rotatable coupling nut assembly. A bend relief sleeve between the retainer ring and the cable extends away from the retainer ring along the cable. A ridge around the bend relief sleeve engages an interior groove in the assembled retainer ring. A D-shaped cable plug flange engages a D-shaped plug receptacle opening to align plug contact pins with receptacle sockets. Mating threads on the nut and receptacle secure the plug in the receptacle with an extending sleeve on the retainer ring bearing against the flange. Protruding sloping annular surfaces inside the nut and outside the assembled retainer ring mutually engage to force the retainer ring against the plug flange insuring a tight plug fit and ground continuity between the retainer ring and the flange and between the retainer ring and the nut. Relative motion between the sloping annular surfaces and between the retainer ring and the flange breaks surface oxide enhancing ground continuity.

Claims

1. A snap-together high-voltage plug coupling nut assembly device for retaining a high voltage cable end plug in a threaded high-voltage plug receptacle with receiving sockets, wherein the device comprises:

a high-voltage cable having an end plug including conducting end pins insertable in the receiving sockets and a protruding flange between the cable and the end plug;

a two-piece retainer ring contacting the flange when assembled and having a snap-fit built-in self-retaining means built into the two-piece retainer ring for securing the two-piece ring together around the cable adjacent to the flange so that the retainer ring is self-retaining on the cable and free to rotate around the cable after snapping together around the cable, said retainer ring having a circular groove around an exterior thereof;

an annular nut having internal threads for engaging the plug receptacle, an interior circular opening sufficiently large so that the nut fits over the flange, and a spring means for snap-fitting in said groove and securing the retainer ring in said annular nut, the retainer ring rotatably within the nut so that the nut and the retainer ring form a snap-together coupling nut assembly and the nut is free to rotate relative to the retainer ring.

2. The device of claim 1 wherein the snap-fit built-in self-retaining means of securing the two-piece retainer ring together comprises a roll pin protruding from at least one piece of the two-piece retainer ring inserted in a tight friction snap fit within a mating hole in the other piece of the two-piece retainer ring.

3. The device of claim 2 wherein said spring means comprises a pair of spring wires inserted through opposing sides of the nut and protruding into the interior circular opening of the nut so that the spring wires form parallel chords within the circular opening and the spring wires engage the exterior circular groove of the retainer ring with a snap-fit allowing relative rotation of the nut and retainer ring.

4. The device of claim 3 further comprising a bend relief sleeve positioned between the retainer ring and the cable with the bend relief sleeve extending along a portion of the cable away from the retainer ring.

5. The device of claim 4 wherein the assembled retainer ring further comprises an interior circular groove and the bend relief sleeve further comprises an exterior circular ridge engaging the interior circular groove of the retainer ring so that the bend relief sleeve is secured to the retainer ring.

6. The device of claim 3 wherein the retainer ring further comprises, in an assembled configuration, a first protruding sloping annular surface around the exterior of the retainer ring and the nut further comprises a second protruding sloping annular surface around the interior of the nut so that the first and second annular surfaces mutually engage to exert pressure from the nut through the retainer ring to the flange, to exert a clamping pressure between the two pieces of the retainer ring maintaining ground continuity between the two pieces and between the retainer ring and the nut, and, with relative motion between the first and second annular surfaces as the nut is tightened, to cause a wiping action therebetween breaking surface oxides to enhance ground continuity therebetween.

7. The device of claim 6 wherein the retainer ring further comprises a proximally extending sleeve engaging the flange to insert the plug fully in the socket and insure ground continuity between the proximally extending sleeve and the flange and, upon tightening of the nut, relative motion of the proximally extending sleeve and the flange breaks surface oxides to enhance ground continuity therebetween.

8. The device of claim 3 wherein the nut further comprises a series of openings around the exterior of the nut for engagement with a spanner wrench for turning the nut.

9. The device of claim 3 wherein the flange is configured in a D-shaped ridge and the plug receptacle has a D-shaped flange receiving opening so that the plug contact pins align with and engage the plug receptacle sockets.

10. A snap-together high-voltage plug coupling nut assembly device for retaining a high voltage cable end plug in a threaded high-voltage plug receptacle with receiving sockets, wherein the device comprises:

a high-voltage cable having an end plug with conducting end pins insertable in the receiving sockets and a protruding flange between the cable and the end plug;

a two-piece retainer ring adapted for contacting the flange when assembled and having a means built into the two-piece retainer ring for securing the two-piece ring together with a mutually engaging snap together fit around the cable adjacent to the flange so that the retainer ring is self-retaining on the cable after snapping together around the cable;

an annular nut having threads for engaging the plug receptacle, an interior circular opening sufficiently large so that the nut fits over the flange, and a means for receiving and retaining, with a snap together fit allowing mutual rotation, the retainer ring rotatably within the nut so that the nut and the retainer ring form a snap-together coupling nut assembly and the nut is free to rotate relative to the retainer ring;

wherein the snap-fit built-in self-retaining means of securing the two-piece retainer ring together further comprises a roll pin protruding from at least one piece of the two-piece retainer ring inserted in a tight friction snap fit within a mating hole in the other piece of the two-piece retainer ring; and

wherein the connected retainer ring further comprises a circular groove around the exterior of the retainer ring and the means for snap-fitting and securing the retainer ring rotatably within the nut comprises a pair of spring wires inserted through opposing sides of the nut and protruding into the interior circular opening of the nut so that the spring wires form parallel chords within the circular opening and the spring wires engage the exterior circular groove of the retainer ring with a snap-fit allowing relative rotation of the nut and retainer ring.