High current male and female power connector assembly

• US 6,309,231 B1
• Filed: 09/02/1999
• Issued: 10/30/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 09/02/1999
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: ITT Manufacturing Enterprises, Inc. (ITT, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Litton Precision Products International, Inc. (Northrop Grumman Corporation)
• Inventors: Cameron, John, Gordon, Keith Forbes
• Primary Examiner(s): NGUYEN, KHIEM M
• Application Number:
  US09/388,930
• Time in Patent Office: 789 Days
• Field of Search: 439/140, 439/332, 439/335, 439/346, 439/889
• US Class Current: 439/140
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 13/4538 Covers sliding or withdrawing in the direction of engagement
• 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 13/625 Casing or ring with bayonet engagement

Abstract

Disclosed is a male and female power connector assembly in which the male contact is provided with a biased plunger which prevents insertion of a finger into contact with an electrically live component housed within the male connector. The female connector also includes a housing which prevents or induces the likelihood of an object coming into contact with an electrically live component on the female connector. The male and female power connector assembly of the present invention also includes a unique alignment and locking mechanism including a slot having a recessed area on the male for engagement with a tab in the female connector. Also a front flange in the male connector can have at least one slot for engagement with a pin in a pin connector in the female connector.

Claims

1. A male connector for insertion into a female connector having at least one key, said male connector comprising:

an electrically non-conductive outer sleeve having a large diameter entry bore for receiving the female connector, said sleeve having an L-shaped slot for receiving the at least one key via a first leg of said L-shaped slot, such that upon rotation of said male connector and said female connector relative to each other, said at least one key enters a second leg of said L-shaped slot, said second leg being perpendicular to said first leg, thereby locking said male and female connectors;

an electrically energizable inner sleeve; and

a biased electrically non-conductive plunger positioned radially inwardly said inner sleeve for preventing unauthorized access from said outer sleeve to said inner sleeve and adapted to move in response to a longitudinally directed force by the female connector from a first position to a second position for electrically connecting the female connector to said energizable inner sleeve.

2. The male connector of claim 1, wherein said biased plunger includes:

a spring which, when uncompressed, biases said biased plunger into said first position, and

wherein said non-conductive plunger which permits the female connector to enter and contact said inner sleeve when said spring is compressed such that said plunger is moved to said second position.

3. The male connector of claim 1, wherein the female connector includes a louver band to connect said inner sleeve and the female connector and when said band is compressed the band surrounds a male contact of the female connector such that said louver band contacts said inner sleeve and the male contact when said biased plunger is in said second position, thereby providing electrical contact between said inner sleeve and the male contact for energizing the female connector.

4. The male connector of claim 3, wherein said louver spring is positioned within the female connector.

5. The male connector of claim 3, wherein said biased plunger is partially recessed within a bore in said inner sleeve.

6. The male connector of claim 1, wherein said biased plunger includes a shoulder and said inner sleeve includes a shoulder, each of said shoulders being in abutting relation when said biased plunger is in said first position.

7. The male connector of claim 1, wherein said inner sleeve is connected to a source of electrical power.

8. The male connector of claim 1, wherein said inner sleeve is connected to cable termination means and wherein said cable termination means comprises one of either a threaded bolt, a crimp, a solder barrel or a flat blade.

9. The male connector of claim 1, wherein said outer sleeve has a radially inwardly extending flange located near said biased plunger when said biased plunger is in said first position.

10. The male connector of claim 1, wherein the female connector includes a pin having an electrically conductive portion and an electrically nonconductive portion and a pin extending transversely through said conductive portion and wherein said outer sleeve has a radially inwardly extending shoulder having slots, the female connector pin alignable with said slots.

11. The male connector of claim 1, wherein said outer sleeve is electrically non-conductive.

12. The male connector of claim 1, further comprising at least one slot in said outer sleeve and at least one corresponding mating tab in the female connector.

13. The male connector of claim 1, wherein the outer sleeve includes two longitudinal slots extending from a front end of said outer sleeve and terminating in a rearwardly extending transverse slot portion, and wherein the female connector includes two tabs for alignment with said two corresponding longitudinal slots, and wherein said two tabs are brought into engagement with said transverse slot portions when said plunger is in said second position and said male connector is rotated relative to said female connector.

14. The male connector of claim 13, wherein said two slots are located less than 180°

apart.

15. The male connector of claim 13, wherein said outer sleeve includes a front flange, said front flange having a pair of slots, and wherein the female connector includes a pin extending transversely through a male contact assembly in the female connector, wherein said pin engages said front flange when said male connector and the female connector are in a coupled position.

16. The male connector of claim 1, further including a spring biased pin and wherein the female connector has a longitudinal slot, said spring biased pin engageable with said slot when said male connector and the female connector are in a coupled position.

17. An electrical connector assembly, comprising:

a male connector including;

an outer sleeve having a large diameter entry bore;

an electrically energizable inner sleeve;

a biased electrically insulated plunger positioned radially inwardly said inner sleeve and movable from a first position beyond said inner sleeve to a second position within said inner sleeve;

a female connector including;

an outer sleeve having a large diameter entry bore for receiving said male outer sleeve;

a pin having an electrically non-conductive front portion and an electrically energizable portion;

a bayonet locking mechanism for locking said male and said female connector upon rotation of said male and connectors in a first direction relative to each other and unlocking said connectors upon rotation of said male and female connector portions in an opposite direction relative to each other;

wherein when said pin is brought into contact with said biased plunger, said biased plunger is moved from said first position to said second position and said electrically energizable portion of said pin is brought into contact with said electrically energizable sleeve.

18. The electrical connector assembly of claim 17, further comprising means for preventing longitudinal movement of said male connector and said female connector when said male connector and said female connector are in a coupled position.

19. The electrical connector assembly of claim 17, further comprising means for preventing rotation of said male connector and said female connector when said male connector and said female connector are in a coupled position.

20. The electrical connector assembly of claim 17, further including a louver bond to connect said inner sleeve of the male connector and the female connector and when said spring is compressed the spring surrounds a conductive pin of the female connector such that said louver bond contacts said inner sleeve and the conductive pin when said biased plunger is in said second position, thereby providing electrical contact between said inner sleeve and the conductive pin for energizing the female connector.

21. The electrical connector assembly of claim 17, wherein the outer sleeve includes two longitudinal slots extending from a front end of said outer sleeve and terminating in a rearwardly extending transverse slot portion, and wherein the female connector includes two tabs for alignment with said two corresponding longitudinal slots, and wherein said two tabs and brought into engagement with said transverse slot portions when said plunger is in said second position and said male connector is rotated relative to said female connector.

22. The electrical connector assembly of claim 21, wherein said two slots are located less than 180°

apart.

23. The electrical connector assembly of claim 21, wherein said outer sleeve includes a front flange, said front flange having a pair of slots, and wherein the female connector includes a pin extending transversely through a male connector assembly in the female connector, wherein said pin engages said front flange when said male connector and the female connector are in a coupled position.

24. The electrical connector assembly of claim 17, further including a spring biased pin and wherein the female connector has a longitudinal slot, said spring biased pin engageable with said slot when said male connector and the female connector are in a coupled position.

26. The electrical connector assembly of claim 17, comprising a secondary locking mechanism for preventing rotation of said male and female connector in said opposite direction relative to each other, thereby preventing accidental disconnection of said male and female connectors, said secondary locking mechanism being comprised of a slot disposed in said female connector, a pin disposed in said male connector portion and a spring connected to said pin for urging said pin into said slot when said male and female connectors are locked via said bayonet locking mechanism, said secondary locking mechanism requiring the insertion of a tool into said slot for retraction of said pin out of said slot to permit rotation of said female and said male connectors for unlocking of said male connector from said female connector.

27. The electrical connector assembly of claim 26, wherein said pin and spring are disposed within a hole in said male connector portion, said pin has an enlarged portion at one end being of sufficient dimensions to compress said spring while sliding freely within said hole and a collar is provided around said pin in secure relation to said hole so as to bear against said enlarged portion when said pin is urged into said slot, thereby preventing removal of said pin from said hole.

25. A method of coupling a male connector and female connector to prevent longitudinal and rotational movement when in a coupled position, comprising:

aligning the male connector and the female connector such that a pin in the female connector is aligned with a slot in the male connector and such that a tab in the female connector is aligned with a groove in the male connector;

pushing the male connector into the female connector to compress a spring biased pin;

rotating one of the male connector and the female connector to engage the pin with a flange in the male connector and to engage the tab with a recess in the male connector to thereby prevent longitudinal movement of the male connector relative to the female connector and to engage the spring biased pin with a groove in the female connector to thereby prevent rotational movement of the male connector relative to the female connector.