Industrial connector assembly

• US 7,165,987 B2
• Filed: 09/28/2004
• Issued: 01/23/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 09/28/2004
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Leviton Manufacturing Company Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Leviton Manufacturing Company Incorporated
• Inventors: Kim, Frank Chin-Hwan, Phung, Phillip
• Primary Examiner(s): Zarroli; Michael C.
• Application Number:
  US10/951,544
• Publication Number:
  US 20060068625A1
• Time in Patent Office: 847 Days
• Field of Search: 439/271, 439/321, 439/277, 439/296, 439/312, 439/320
• US Class Current: 439/271
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 13/5219 Sealing means between coupling parts, e.g. interfacial seal
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 13/59 Threaded ferrule or bolt operating in a direction parallel to the cable or wire
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 13/623 Casing or ring with helicoidal groove
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 24/64 for high frequency, e.g. RJ 45

Abstract

A robust sealable electrical connector has a plug assembly to electrically couple wires of a cable typically within a room or other area that may have an adverse environment to wires behind a wall through a jack assembly typically mounted on the wall. When the plug assembly and jack assembly are engaged they provide a doubly sealed condition such that associated electrically conductive elements within the connector are protected from hostile environmental. The connector provides a sealed condition even when the plug assembly is partially disengaged from the connector housing or when an outward force is imparted to the plug assembly such as from vibrations or when a passerby becomes entangled with a cable extending from the plug assembly.

Claims

1. A connector assembly comprising:

a first connector;

a second connector, the first and second connectors being configured to be operably coupled together;

a housing having an inner surface extending along a first dimension to at least partially define an inner space, an open end to provide access to the inner space, and an end surface extending about the inner space toward the open end, the second connector being at least partially located within the inner space of the housing for access therewith through the open end of the housing;

a body within which the first connector is at least partially located, the body being sized to be inserted into the inner space of the housing through the open end of the housing to a fully inserted position whereat the first connector is operably coupled to the second connector of the housing, the body having first and second outer surfaces, the first outer surface extending about and positioned outward of the second outer surface;

a first sealing member positioned at the first outer surface of the body and positioned for sealing contact with the end surface of the housing and the first outer surface of the body to provide a first seal between the housing and the body when the body is inserted into the housing and in the fully inserted position; and

a second sealing member sealingly contacting both the second outer surface of the body and the inner surface of the housing as the body is moved from the fully inserted position to a less than fully inserted position along the first dimension of the housing to provide a second seal between the housing and the body at all positions between the fully inserted position and the less than fully inserted position, the less than fully inserted position being spaced apart from the fully inserted position sufficient that the first outer surface of the body and the end surface of the housing are sufficiently distance that the first sealing member does not provide the first seal between the housing and the body.

2. The connector assembly of claim 1 wherein the second sealing member is an O-ring.

3. The connector assembly of claim 2 wherein the second outer surface has a groove extending thereabout with the O-ring positioned therein.

4. The connector assembly of claim 1 wherein the body has an outwardly projecting flange and the first outer surface of the body is a surface of the flange positioned to face toward the housing when the body is inserted into the inner space of the housing, and the body has an outer wall with the second outer surface being a portion thereof.

5. A connector assembly for use with a first connector and a second connector configured to be operably coupled together, the connector assembly comprising:

a housing having an inner surface extending along a first dimension to at least partially define an inner space, an open end to provide access to the inner space, and an end surface extending about the inner space toward the open end, the housing being configured to at least partially receive the second connector within the inner space of the housing for access therewith through the open end of the housing;

a body configured to at least partially receive the first connector therewithin, the body being sized to be inserted into the inner space of the housing through the open end of the housing to a first position whereat the first and second connectors are operably coupled together, the body having first and second outer surfaces;

a first sealing member positioned at the first outer surface of the body and positioned for sealing contact with the end surface of the housing and the first outer surface of the body to provide a first seal between the housing and the body when the body is inserted into the housing and in the first position, the first sealing member being positioned with respect to the first outer surface of the body and the end surface of the housing such that when the body is inserted into the housing and in a second position spaced sufficiently apart from the first position along the first dimension of the housing the first sealing member does not provide the first seal between the housing and the body; and

a second sealing member sealingly contacting both the second outer surface of the body and the inner surface of the housing when the body is at all positions between the first position and a second position to provide a second seal between the housing and the body.

6. The connector assembly of claim 5 wherein the second sealing member is an O-ring.

7. The connector assembly of claim 6 wherein the second outer surface has a groove extending thereabout with the O-ring positioned therein.

8. A connector assembly for use with a housing and a housing connector, the housing having an inner surface extending along a first dimension to at least partially define an inner space, an open end to provide access to the inner space, and an end surface extending about the inner space toward the open end, the housing connector being at least partially located within the inner space of the housing for access therewith through the open end of the housing, the connector assembly comprising:

a mating connector configured to be operably coupled to the housing connector;

a body within which the mating connector is at least partially located, the body being sized to be inserted into the inner space of the housing through the open end of the housing to a fully inserted position whereat the mating connector is operably coupled to the housing connector, the body having first and second outer surfaces, the first outer surface extending about and positioned outward of the second outer surface;

a first sealing member positioned at the first outer surface of the body and positioned for sealing contact with the end surface of the housing and the first outer surface of the body to provide a first seal between the housing and the body when the body is inserted into the housing and in the fully inserted position; and

a second sealing member sealingly contacting both the second outer surface of the body and the inner surface of the housing as the body is moved from the fully inserted position to a less than fully inserted position along the first dimension of the housing to provide a second seal between the housing and the body at all positions between the fully inserted position and the less than fully inserted position, the less than fully inserted position being spaced apart from the fully inserted position sufficient that the first outer surface of the body and the end surface of the housing are sufficiently distance that the first sealing member does not provide the first seal between the housing and the body.

9. The connector assembly of claim 8 wherein the second sealing member is an O-ring.

10. The connector assembly of claim 9 wherein the second outer surface has a groove extending thereabout with the O-ring positioned therein.

11. The connector assembly of claim 8 wherein the body has an outwardly projecting flange and the first outer surface of the body is a surface of the flange positioned to face toward the housing when the body is inserted into the inner space of the housing, and the body has an outer wall with the second outer surface being a portion thereof.

12. A connector assembly for use with a housing and a housing connector, the housing having an inner surface extending along a first dimension to at least partially define an inner space, an open end to provide access to the inner space, and an end surface extending about the inner space toward the open end, the housing connector being at least partially located within the inner space of the housing for access therewith through the open end of the housing, the connector assembly comprising:

a mating connector configured to be operably coupled to the housing connector;

a body within which the mating connector is at least partially located, the body being sized to be inserted into the inner space of the housing through the open end of the housing to a first position whereat the mating connector is operably coupled to the housing connector, the body having first and second outer surfaces;

a first sealing member positioned at the first outer surface of the body and positioned for sealing contact with the end surface of the housing and the first outer surface of the body to provide a first seal between the housing and the body when the body is inserted into the housing and in the first position, the first sealing member being positioned with respect to the first outer surface of the body and the end surface of the housing such that when the body is inserted into the housing and in a second position spaced sufficiently apart from the first position along the first dimension of the housing the first sealing member does not provide the first seal between the housing and the body; and

a second sealing member sealingly contacting both the second outer surface of the body and the inner surface of the housing when the body is at all positions between the first position and the second position to provide a second seal between the housing and the body.

13. The connector assembly of claim 12 wherein the second sealing member is an O-ring.

14. The connector assembly of claim 13 wherein the second outer surface has a groove extending thereabout with the O-ring positioned therein.

15. A connector assembly for use with a first connector configured to be operably coupled to a second connector and a housing with an inner surface extending along a first dimension to at least partially define an inner space, an open end to provide access to the inner space, and an end surface extending about the inner space toward the open end, the second connector being at least partially located within the inner space of the housing for access therewith through the open end of the housing, the connector assembly comprising:

a body configured to receive the first connector at least partially therewithin, the body being sized to be inserted into the inner space of the housing through the open end of the housing to a fully inserted position whereat the first connector is operably coupled to the second connector of the housing, the body having first and second outer surfaces, the first outer surface extending about and positioned outward of the second outer surface;

a first sealing member positioned at the first outer surface of the body and positioned for sealing contact with the end surface of the housing and the first outer surface of the body to provide a first seal between the housing and the body when the body is inserted into the housing and in the fully inserted position; and

a second sealing member sealingly contacting both the second outer surface of the body and the inner surface of the housing as the body is moved from the fully inserted position to a less than fully inserted position along the first dimension of the housing to provide a second seal between the housing and the body at all positions between the fully inserted position and the less than fully inserted position, the less than fully inserted position being spaced apart from the fully inserted position sufficient that the first outer surface of the body and the end surface of the housing are sufficiently distance that the first sealing member does not provide the first seal between the housing and the body.

16. The connector assembly of claim 15 wherein the second sealing member is an O-ring.

17. The connector assembly of claim 16 wherein the second outer surface has a groove extending thereabout with the O-ring positioned therein.

18. A connector assembly for use with a first connector configured to be operably coupled to a second connector and a housing with an inner surface extending along a first dimension to at least partially define an inner space, an open end to provide access to the inner space, and an end surface extending about the inner space toward the open end, the second connector being at least partially located within the inner space of the housing for access therewith through the open end of the housing, the connector assembly comprising:

a body configured to receive the first connector, the body being sized to be inserted into the inner space of the housing through the open end of the housing to a first position whereat the first connector is operably coupled to the second connector of the housing, the body having first and second outer surfaces;

a first sealing member positioned at the first outer surface of the body and positioned for sealing contact with the end surface of the housing and the first outer surface of the body to provide a first seal between the housing and the body when the body is inserted into the housing and in the first position, the first sealing member being positioned with respect to the first outer surface of the body and the end surface of the housing such that when the body is inserted into the housing and in a second position spaced sufficiently apart from the first position along the first dimension of the housing the first sealing member does not provide the first seal between the housing and the body; and

a second sealing member sealingly contacting both the second outer surface of the body and the inner surface of the housing when the body is at all positions between the first position and the second position to provide a second seal between the housing and the body.

19. The connector assembly of claim 18 wherein the second sealing member is an O-ring.

20. The connector assembly of claim 19 wherein the second outer surface has a groove extending thereabout with the O-ring positioned therein.