Cord set with a breakable connector
First Claim
1. A cord set for connecting a vehicle to a power source, the cord set comprising:
- a first cord having a first end and a second end, said first end having a first connector adapted to be selectively connected to the power source;
a second cord having a first end and a second end, said first end having a second connector adapted to be selectively connected to the vehicle; and
a coupling mechanism operable to selectively couple said first cord to said second cord, said coupling mechanism comprising;
a first fitting fixedly attached to said second end of said first cord, said first fitting including a projection radially extending therefrom; and
a second fitting fixedly attached to said second end of said second cord, said second fitting including an aperture for matingly receiving said projection;
wherein said projection is operable to enter said aperture in a snap-fit arrangement to connect said first fitting to said second fitting, said projection being operable to disconnect from said second fitting when the cord set is placed under a predetermined tensile force.
5 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A cord set for connecting a vehicle to a power source includes a first cord having a first connector adapted to be selectively connected to the power source and a second cord having a second connector adapted to be selectively connected to the vehicle. In addition, the cord set includes a coupling mechanism that selectively couples the first cord to the second cord. The coupling mechanism includes a first fitting fixedly attached to the first cord having a plurality of projections and a second fitting fixedly attached to the second cord having a plurality of apertures for matingly receiving the projections of the first fitting. The projections engage the apertures to connect the first fitting to the second fitting under normal operation and disengage the apertures to disconnect the first fitting from the second fitting when the cord set is place under a predetermined tensile force.
58 Citations
21 Claims
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1. A cord set for connecting a vehicle to a power source, the cord set comprising:
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a first cord having a first end and a second end, said first end having a first connector adapted to be selectively connected to the power source; a second cord having a first end and a second end, said first end having a second connector adapted to be selectively connected to the vehicle; and a coupling mechanism operable to selectively couple said first cord to said second cord, said coupling mechanism comprising; a first fitting fixedly attached to said second end of said first cord, said first fitting including a projection radially extending therefrom; and a second fitting fixedly attached to said second end of said second cord, said second fitting including an aperture for matingly receiving said projection; wherein said projection is operable to enter said aperture in a snap-fit arrangement to connect said first fitting to said second fitting, said projection being operable to disconnect from said second fitting when the cord set is placed under a predetermined tensile force. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10)
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11. A cord set for connecting a vehicle to a power source, the cord set comprising:
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a first cord having a first end and a second end, said first end having a first connector adapted to be selectively connected to the power source; a second cord having a first end and a second end, said first end having a second connector adapted to be selectively connected to the vehicle; and a coupling mechanism operable to selectively couple said first cord to said second cord, said coupling mechanism comprising; a first fitting fixedly attached to said second end of said first cord and including a housing having a plurality of sealing ribs extending radially outwardly from said housing, a plurality of projections extending radially outwardly from said housing, and a plurality of current-conducting pins, said plurality of projections including at least one projection having a different geometry than others of said plurality of projections; and a second fitting fixedly attached to said second end of said second cord and including a housing having a first plurality of apertures and a second plurality of apertures, said first plurality of apertures matingly receiving said plurality of projections and said second plurality of apertures matingly receiving said current-conducting pins; wherein said projections are adapted to engage said first plurality of apertures to connect said first fitting to said second fitting and are adapted to disconnect from said first plurality of apertures when the cord set is placed under a predetermined tensile force. - View Dependent Claims (12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17)
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18. A method of interconnecting a vehicle and a power source, the method comprising:
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connecting a first end of a cord set to the power source; connecting a second end of said cord set to the vehicle; moving the vehicle away from the power source with said cord set still connected to the power source and to the vehicle; placing the cord set under tension due to movement of the vehicle relative to the power source; and disconnecting a breakable connector positioned between said first and second ends of said cord set when a predetermined tensile force is experienced by the cord set. - View Dependent Claims (19, 20, 21)
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Specification