Electrical connector assembly

• US 7,575,450 B2
• Filed: 03/24/2006
• Issued: 08/18/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 03/24/2005
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Tramec Sloan, LLC
• Original Assignee: BLD Products Limited (Standard Motor Products Incorporated)
• Inventors: Karafa, Anthony, Terryn, Christopher, Helmer, Christopher R., Williams, Libby, Kuipers, Todd M.
• Primary Examiner(s): Patel; T C
• Assistant Examiner(s): Imas; Vladimir
• Application Number:
  US11/277,383
• Publication Number:
  US 20070072461A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,243 Days
• Field of Search: 439/144, 439/142, 439/372, 439/373, 439/606, 439/281, 439/282, 439/278, 439/271, 439/272
• US Class Current: 439/144
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 13/5219 Sealing means between coupling parts, e.g. interfacial seal
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 13/639 Additional means for holding or locking coupling parts together, after engagement, e.g. separate keylock, retainer strap
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 31/06 Intermediate parts for linking two coupling parts, e.g. adapter with a holder adapted for supporting apparatus to which its counterpart is attached H01R33/94

Abstract

An electrical connector assembly, such as for use with a tractor-trailer, comprises a socket and a plug. The plug can comprise a resilient seal configured to surround mating electrical terminals on the socket and the plug. A coupler can be configured to retain the plug in the socket and compress the resilient seal against the socket. The plug can further comprise a knob having a bulbous portion sized to fit in a palm of a user'"'"'s hand for ease of grasping by the user. The knob can include a drip edge.

Claims

1. A plug for an electrical connector assembly, the electrical connector assembly comprising a socket having a receptacle defining an interior that terminates at a wall having a proximal face, at least one socket electrical terminal accessible through the receptacle, and a catch configured to mate with the plug to retain the plug in the socket, the plug comprising:

a body sized for receipt within the interior of the receptacle and having a distal end;

at least one plug electrical terminal carried by the body and configured for coupling with the at least one socket electrical terminal;

a catch receiver formed on the body and configured to couple with the catch on the socket to retain the plug in the socket; and

the body terminating in a resilient portion including a resilient annular seal configured to encircle the coupled electrical terminals, and extend distally beyond the distal end of the body such that the resilient annular seal compresses against the proximal face of the receptacle wall when the catch on the socket couples with the catch receiver on the plug body.

2. The plug according to claim 1, wherein the catch receiver comprises a key formed on the body and configured to be received within a keyway formed in the socket receptacle.

3. The plug according to claim 2, wherein the key comprises a proximal end configured for abutting contact with the catch to retain the plug in the socket and compress the resilient seal against the proximal face of the receptacle wall.

4. The plug according to claim 3, wherein a distance between the catch and the proximal face of the receptacle wall is less than a distance between the key proximal end and a distal end of the resilient seal when the resilient seal is uncompressed.

5. The plug according to claim 1, wherein the resilient seal comprises a peripheral lip.

6. The plug according to claim 1, wherein the socket and the plug each comprise seven of the electrical terminals.

7. The plug according to claim 1, wherein the resilient seal is made from a polymeric material.

8. The plug according to claim 7, wherein the polymeric material comprises polyvinyl chloride.

9. The plug according to claim 1, wherein the body is overlain by an outer cover having a differing rigidity.

10. The plug according to claim 9, wherein the resilient seal is uninterruptedly formed with the body.

11. The plug according to claim 10, wherein the resilient seal is configured to be compressed between the outer cover and the proximal face of the receptacle wall when the catch mates with the catch receiver.

12. An electrical connector assembly comprising:

a socket comprising;

a receptacle defining an interior that terminates at a wall having a proximal face; and

at least one socket electrical terminal accessible through the receptacle;

a plug comprising;

a body sized for receipt within the interior of the receptacle and having a distal end;

at least one plug electrical terminal carried by the body and configured for coupling with the at least one socket electrical terminal; and

the body terminating in a resilient portion including a resilient annular seal extending from the distal end of the body and configured to encircle the coupled electrical terminals; and

a coupler configured to retain the plug in the socket and effect compression of the resilient seal against the proximal face of the receptacle wall.

13. The electrical connector assembly according to claim 12, wherein the coupler comprises a catch on one of the socket and the plug and a catch receiver on the other of the socket and the plug, wherein the catch and the catch receiver are configured to mate with one another to retain the plug in the socket.

14. The electrical connector assembly according to claim 13, wherein the catch receiver comprises a key formed on the body and configured to be received within a keyway formed in the socket receptacle.

15. The electrical connector assembly according to claim 14, wherein the socket further comprises a closure movable to selectively close the interior of the receptacle, and the catch comprises a finger depending from the closure.

16. The electrical connector assembly according to claim 15, wherein the key comprises a proximal end configured for abutting contact with the finger to retain the plug in the socket and compress the resilient seal against the proximal face of the receptacle wall.

17. The plug according to claim 16, wherein a distance between the finger and the proximal face of the receptacle wall is less than a distance between the key proximal end and a distal end of the resilient seal when the resilient seal is uncompressed.

18. The plug according to claim 12, wherein the resilient seal extends distally beyond the distal end of the body.

19. The plug according to claim 18, wherein the resilient seal comprises a peripheral lip.

20. The plug according to claim 12, wherein the socket and the plug each comprise seven of the electrical terminals.

21. The plug according to claim 12, wherein the resilient seal is made from a polymeric material.

22. The plug according to claim 21, wherein the polymeric material comprises polyvinyl chloride.

23. The plug according to claim 12, wherein the body is overlain by an outer cover having a differing rigidity.

24. The plug according to claim 23, wherein the resilient seal is uninterruptedly formed with the body.

25. The plug according to claim 24, wherein the resilient seal is configured to be compressed between the outer cover and the proximal face of the receptacle wall when the catch mates with the catch receiver.

26. An electrical connector assembly comprising:

a socket comprising;

a receptacle defining a cavity that terminates at an immovable wall having a proximal face; and

at least one socket electrical terminal extending through the immovable wall into the receptacle and accessible therethrough;

a plug comprising;

a body configured for selective retention within the cavity of the receptacle, and having a distal end terminating in an immovable face;

at least one plug electrical terminal carried by the body and accessible through the immovable face, and configured for coupling with the at least one socket electrical terminal; and

a compressible ring-like peripheral seal located at the distal end of the body, and configured to encircle the immovable face;

wherein the coupling of the plug with the socket will compress the peripheral seal against the proximal face.

34. The plug according to claim 26, wherein the peripheral seal comprises a peripheral lip.

35. The plug according to claim 26, wherein the socket and the plug each comprise seven of the electrical terminals.

36. The plug according to claim 26, wherein the peripheral seal is made from a polymeric material.

37. The plug according to claim 36, wherein the polymeric material comprises polyvinyl chloride.

38. The plug according to claim 26, wherein the body is overlain by an outer cover having a differing rigidity.

39. The plug according to claim 26, wherein the peripheral seal is uninterruptedly formed with the body.

27. An electrical connector assembly comprising:

a socket comprising;

an open receptacle formed in the socket, defining a cavity that terminates at an immovable wall; and

at least one socket electrical terminal extending through the immovable wall into the receptacle;

a plug comprising;

a body configured for selective retention within the cavity of the receptacle, and having a distal end terminating in an immovable face;

at least one plug electrical terminal carried by the body and accessible through the immovable face, and configured for coupling with the at least one socket electrical terminal; and

a compressible ring-like peripheral seal configured to encircle the immovable face;

wherein coupling of the plug with the socket will urge the peripheral seal against the immovable wall to isolate the at least one socket electrical terminal and the at least one plug electrical terminal from an exterior of the connector assembly.

28. The plug according to claim 27, wherein the peripheral seal comprises a peripheral lip.

29. The plug according to claim 27, wherein the socket and the plug each comprise seven of the electrical terminals.

30. The plug according to claim 27, wherein the peripheral seal is made from a polymeric material.

31. The plug according to claim 30, wherein the polymeric material comprises polyvinyl chloride.

32. The plug according to claim 27, wherein the body is overlain by an outer cover having a differing rigidity.

33. The plug according to claim 27, wherein the peripheral seal is uninterruptedly formed with the body.