Breakaway locking connector

• US 6,776,638 B2
• Filed: 07/23/2002
• Issued: 08/17/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 07/23/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Amphenol Alden Products Company (Amphenol Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Alden Products Co.
• Inventors: Thurston, Bryan A.
• Primary Examiner(s): Bradley, P. Austin
• Assistant Examiner(s): CHUNG TRANS, XUONG MY
• Application Number:
  US10/202,514
• Publication Number:
  US 20040018764A1
• Time in Patent Office: 756 Days
• Field of Search: 439/312-319, 439/923
• US Class Current: 439/312
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 13/58 Means for relieving strain on wire connection, e.g. cord grip , for avoiding loosening of connections between wires and terminals within a coupling device terminating a cable for flat or ribbon cables H01R12/771
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 13/623 Casing or ring with helicoidal groove
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 13/635 by mechanical pressure, e.g. spring force
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 13/64 Means for preventing incorrect coupling
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 439/923 Separation or disconnection aid

Abstract

A breakaway locking connector system includes a first body having a rotatable collar mounted thereon and a second body configured to mate with the first body and automatically disengage from the first body when a predetermined force is applied to the connector system. The first and second bodies include telescopingly engaged body portions and axially mating contacts. The connector system further includes an annular collar encircling the telescoping body portions and rotatively held on the first body and a spring inside the collar. The ends of the spring are confined between the first body and the collar so as yieldingly to resist rotation of the collar relative to the first body. Axially aligned tabs are provided on the collar and the second body for latching the first body and the second body together through a predetermined range of forces. The tabs include opposed flaring cam surfaces, which cause the collar to rotate relative to the second body as the first and second body are telescoped to a mated contact position and at least one tab includes an angled back surface. The cam surfaces guide the collar tab around the body tab, and the coiled spring yields as the collar is rotated by the cam tabs during contact mating to allow the collar tab to slide past the body tab. The spring then rotates the collar tab to a latching position axially behind the body tab, thereby locking the connector bodies in mated contact position. When a predetermined pulling force is applied to the mated bodies, the body tab and the collar tab are configured to automatically disengage without damaging the components of the connector.

Claims

1. A connector system comprising:

a first tubular connector body comprising a housing having a first body portion and first contact portions;

a second tubular connector body comprising a housing having a second body portion configured to telescopingly engage with the first body portion and second contact portions configured to axially mate with the first contact portions;

an annular collar rotatively held on the first body, wherein the annular collar encircles the first and second body portions when the first and second body portions are engaged;

a spring disposed inside the collar, the ends of the spring being confined between the first body and the collar so as yieldingly to resist rotation of the collar relatively to the first body;

at least one triangular-shaped collar tab on the collar; and

at least one triangular-shaped receptacle tab on the second body axially opposed to said at least one collar tab for coupling the collar and first body to the second body, wherein the collar tab and the receptacle tab have opposing points from which cam surfaces flare in opposite directions and a back surface remote from the points and intersecting the cam surfaces, wherein opposed cam surfaces of the collar tab and receptacle tab cooperatively produce rotation of the collar relative to the second body as the first and second bodies are telescoped to a mated contact position, the cam surfaces guiding the collar tab around the body tab,

wherein the coiled spring yields as the collar is rotated by the collar tab and receptacle tab during contact mating, and the spring then rotating the collar tab to a latching position axially behind the receptacle tab thereby locking the connector bodies in mated contacting position, wherein the back surface of the receptacle tab inclined at an angle relative to the direction of rotation of the collar to allow the receptacle tab to release the collar tab when a predetermined breakaway force is applied to one of said first connector body and said second connector body along a longitudinal axis of the connector system.

2. The connector system of claim 1, wherein the predetermined breakaway force is less than about 20 pounds.

3. The connector system of claim 1, wherein the predetermined breakaway force is less than about 10 pounds.

4. The connector system of claim 1, wherein the angle is less than about 45 degrees relative to the direction of rotation of the collar.

5. The connector system of claim 1, wherein the angle is between about 5 degrees and about 20 degrees relative to the direction of rotation of the collar.

6. The connector system of claim 1, wherein the angle is about 10 degrees relative to the direction of rotation of the collar.

7. The connector system of claim 1, wherein the collar and first body have rotationally opposed stops mutually engaging to limit rotation of the collar by the spring relative to the first body.

8. The connector system of claim 7, wherein the stops are disposed normally to position the collar relative to the first body with the collar tab located with respect to the electrical contacts on the first body in a matching alignment for mating with the contacts and receptacle tab of the second body.

9. The connector system of claim 8, wherein the spring urges the collar stops to a normal position striking the stops on the first body.

10. The connector system of claim 9, wherein the stops have opposed faces producing an audible snap when urged by the spring to an engaged position.

11. The connector system of claim 8, wherein one of said first body and second body has a key and one of said first body and second body has a key way, said key and key way slidingly interfitting when the first and second bodies and the collar are in matching alignment.

12. The connector system of claim 1, wherein the second body has a circumferential ramp at the same radius as the collar tab, the ramp slanting across the path of the collar tab to cam the collar tab, collar and first body apart and out of engagement with the second body when the collar is manually rotated relative to the mated bodies.

13. The connector system of claim 1, wherein the spring returns the collar to matching alignment when the bodies are disengaged.

14. The connector system of claim 1, wherein the collar and second body have longitudinally matching index marks indicating matching alignment of the first and second body and collar.

15. The connector system of claim 1, wherein the first contact portions on the first body are male contacts and the second contact portions on the second body are female contacts for receiving the male contacts.

16. The connector system of claim 1, wherein the spring comprises a round wire of spring metal coiled around the first body.

17. The connector system of claim 1, wherein the second body includes at least one engagement recess formed in an outer surface for receiving the collar tab, said engagement recess comprising a circumferential ramp, a longitudinal wall and the receptacle tab protruding from the longitudinal wall, wherein the receptacle tab is formed by the opposed cam surface and an inclined back wall extending from the longitudinal wall at an angle greater than 90 degrees.

18. A connector system comprising:

a first tubular connector body comprising a housing having a first body portion and first contact portions;

a second tubular connector body comprising a housing having a second body portion configured to telescopingly engage with the first body portion and second contact portions configured to axially mate with the first contact portions;

an annular collar rotatively held on the first body, wherein the annular collar encircles the first and second body portions when the first and second body portions are engaged;

a spring disposed inside the collar, the ends of the spring being confined between the first body and the collar so as yieldingly to resist rotation of the collar relatively to the first body;

at least one collar tab on the collar, wherein the collar tab forms a first point and a first cam surface flaring from the first point; and

at least one receptacle tab on the second body axially opposed to the at least one collar tab for coupling the collar and first body to the second body, wherein the receptacle tab forms a second point opposing said first point, a second cam surfaces flaring from the second point and an inclined back surface remote from the second point and extending from the second cam surface at an angle of between about 5 degrees and about 45 degrees relative to the direction of rotation of the collar, the first cam surface and the second cam surface cooperatively producing rotation of the collar relative to the second body as the first and second bodies are telescoped to a mated contact position,

wherein the coiled spring yields as the collar is rotated by the collar tab and receptacle tab during contact mating, and the spring then rotating the collar tab to a latching position axially behind the receptacle tab thereby releasably locking the connector bodies in mated contacting position.

19. A connector system comprising:

a first tubular connector body comprising a housing having a first body portion and first contact portions;

a second tubular connector body comprising a housing having a second body portion configured to telescopingly engage with the first body portion and second contact portions configured to axially mate with the first contact portions;

an annular collar rotatively held on the first body, wherein the annular collar encircles the first and second body portions when the first and second body portions are engaged;

a spring disposed inside the collar, the ends of the spring being confined between the first body and the collar so as yieldingly to resist rotation of the collar relatively to the first body;

at least one collar tab on the collar having a camming surface; and

at least one engagement recess formed on the second body for receiving the collar tab, comprising a circumferential ramped wall, a longitudinal wall and a protrusion extending from the longitudinal wall comprising an angled back wall extending radially and axially forward from the longitudinal wall at an angle and a camming wall intersecting the back wall and opposed to the camming surface of the collar tab, wherein the collar tab and the protrusion camming surfaces cooperatively produce rotation of the collar relative to the second body as the first and second bodies are telescoped to a mated contact position, the cam surfaces guiding the collar tab around the protrusion, wherein

the coiled spring yields as the collar is rotated by the collar tab and protrusion during contact mating, and the spring then rotating the collar tab to a latching position axially behind the protrusion and into contact with the longitudinal wall thereby releasably locking the connector bodies in mated contacting position, wherein the back wall of the protrusion is angled to allow the receptacle tab to release the collar tab upon application of a predetermined force to one of said first body and said second body.