Electrical connector

• US 7,137,839 B2
• Filed: 12/22/2003
• Issued: 11/21/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 12/22/2003
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Caterpillar Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Caterpillar Incorporated
• Inventors: Dilliner, Jennifer L., Akasam, Sivaprasad, Baker, Thomas M., Hoff, Brian D.
• Primary Examiner(s): Gilman, Alexander
• Application Number:
  US10/740,454
• Publication Number:
  US 20050136723A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,065 Days
• Field of Search: 439/133, 439/315, 439/316, 439/318, 439/320, 439/321, 439/489, 439/488, 324/538, 324/72.5, 200/51.R
• US Class Current: 439/315
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 13/622 Screw-ring or screw-casing H01R13/623 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 2107/00 Four or more poles
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 2201/20 for testing or measuring purposes
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 2201/26 for vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 24/28 Coupling parts carrying pins, blades or analogous contacts and secured only to wire or cable

Abstract

An electrical connector includes a female component having one or more receptacles, a first test receptacle, and a second test receptacle. The electrical connector also includes a male component having one or more terminals configured to engage the one or more receptacles, a first test pin configured to engage the first test receptacle, and a second test pin configured to engage the second test receptacle. The first test receptacle is electrically connected to the second test receptacle, and at least one of the first test pin and the second test pin is shorter in length than the one or more terminals.

Claims

1. An electrical connector, comprising:

a female component including a one or more receptacles, a first test receptacle, and a second test receptacle; and

a male component having one or more terminals configured to engage the one or more receptacles, a first test pin configured to engage the first test receptacle, and a second test pin configured to engage the second test receptacle;

wherein the first test receptacle is electrically connected to the second test receptacle, such that the first test receptacle and the second test receptacle have a continuous connection therebetween; and

wherein at least one of the first test pin and the second test pin is shorter in length than at least one of the one or more terminals and an electrical condition associated with the at least one of the first test pin and the second test pin provides an indication of the connection between the one or more receptacles and terminals.

2. The electrical connector of claim 1, wherein the first test pin is configured to receive an electrical signal from a controller unit of a vehicle.

3. The electrical connector of claim 1, wherein the first test pin is configured to receive an electrical signal from a DC voltage source.

4. The electrical connector of claim 1, wherein the second test pin is configured to provide an electrical signal to a controller unit of a vehicle.

5. The electrical connector of claim 1, further including a locking element on the male component configured to engage a corresponding locking element on the female component.

6. The electrical connector of claim 5, wherein the locking element on the male component includes a threaded ring and the corresponding locking element on the female component includes a set of threads.

7. The electrical connector of claim 1, wherein the electrical connector is configured to carry electrical signals to an electrically driven component in a vehicle.

8. The electrical connector of claim 7, wherein the electrical signals include DC voltages of greater than about 50 V.

9. The electrical connector of claim 1, wherein the first test pin is electrically connected to the second test pin when the male component is engaged with the female component by at least a threshold amount.

10. The electrical connector of claim 9, wherein the one or more terminals each have a length L, the first test pin and the second pin both have a length S, and wherein the threshold amount T is represented by:

T=L−

S.

11. The electrical connector of claim 9, wherein a longest one of the one or more terminals has a length L, a shorter one of the first test pin and the second pin has a length S, and wherein the threshold amount T is represented by:

T=L−

S.

12. The electrical connector of claim 9, wherein a shortest one of the one or more terminals has a length L, a shorter one of the first test pin and the second pin has a length S, and wherein the threshold amount T is represented by:

T=L−

S.

13. A high voltage connector for a vehicle, comprising:

a female component including one or more receptacles, a first test receptacle, and a second test receptacle; and

a male component having one or more terminals configured to engage the one or more receptacles, a first test pin configured to engage the first test receptacle, and a second test pin configured to engage the second test receptacle;

wherein the first test receptacle is electrically connected to the second test receptacle, such that the first test receptacle and the second test receptacle have a continuous connection therebetween;

wherein the first test pin and the second test pin are both shorter in length that the one or more terminals and an electrical condition associated with at least one of the first test pin and the second test pin provides an indication of the connection between the one or more receptacles and terminals, and wherein the first test pin is electrically connected to the second test pin when the male component is engaged with the female component by at least a threshold amount; and

wherein the high voltage connector is configured to carry electrical signals to an electrically driven component in the vehicle.

14. The high voltage connector of claim 13, wherein the electrical signals include DC voltages of greater than about 50 V.

15. The high voltage connector of claim 13, wherein the one or more terminals each have a length L, the first test pin and the second pin both have a length S, and wherein the threshold amount T is represented by:

T=L−

S.

16. The high voltage connector of claim 13, wherein the first test pin is configured to receive an electrical signal from a controller unit of a vehicle, and wherein the second test pin is configured to provide an electrical signal to a controller unit of a vehicle.

17. The high voltage connector of claim 13, wherein the first test pin is configured to receive an electrical signal from a DC voltage source.

18. An electrical connector, comprising:

a female component operatively coupled to a first cable and including one or more receptacles, a first test receptacle, and a second test receptacle; and

a male component operatively coupled to a second cable and having one or more terminals configured to engage the one or more receptacles, a first test pin configured to engage the first test receptacle, and a second test pin configured to engage the second test receptacle;

wherein the first test receptacle is electrically connected to the second test receptacle;

wherein at least one of the first test pin and the second test pin is shorter in length than at least one of the one or more terminals; and

wherein the electrical connector is configured to pass electrical signals between the first cable and the second cable when the female component is engaged with the male component by at least a threshold amount.

19. The electrical connector of claim 18, wherein an electrical signal may be applied to one of the first test pin and the second test pin to provide an indication of the connection between one or more receptacle and terminals.

20. The electrical connector of claim 18, wherein the first test pin is configured to receive an electrical signal from a controller unit.

21. The electrical connector of claim 18, wherein the first test pin is configured to receive an electrical signal from a DC voltage source.

22. The electrical connector of claim 18, wherein the second test pin is configured to provide an electrical signal to a controller unit.

23. The electrical connector of claim 18, wherein the electrical connector is configured to carry electrical signals to an electrically driven component in a vehicle.

24. The electrical connector of claim 23, wherein the electrical signals include DC voltages of greater than about 50 V.

25. The electrical connector of claim 18, wherein the first test pin is electrically connected to the second test pin when the male component is engaged with the female component by at least a threshold amount.

26. The electrical connector of claim 25, wherein the one or more terminals each have a length L, the first test pin and the second pin both have a length S, and wherein the threshold amount T is represented by:

T=L−

S.

27. The electrical connector of claim 25, wherein a longest one of the one or more terminals has a length L, a shorter one of the first test pin and the second pin has a length S, and wherein the threshold amount T is represented by:

T=L−

S.

28. The electrical connector of claim 25, wherein a shortest one of the one or more terminals has a length L, a shorter one of the first test pin and the second pin has a length S, and wherein the threshold amount T is represented by:

T=L−

S.