Electrical shorting system

• US 7,789,685 B2
• Filed: 12/18/2006
• Issued: 09/07/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 12/18/2006
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Caterpillar Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Caterpillar Incorporated
• Inventors: Hickam, Christopher D.
• Primary Examiner(s): Abrams; Neil
• Application Number:
  US11/640,740
• Publication Number:
  US 20080142344A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,359 Days
• Field of Search: 439/188, 200/51.1, 200/51.09, 361/55, 361/56
• US Class Current: 439/188
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 13/6616 with resistor
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 13/6641 with diode with LED H01R13/7175
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 13/7031 Shorting, shunting or bussing of different terminals interrupted or effected on engagement of coupling part, e.g. for ESD protection, line continuity
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 13/7175 Light emitting diodes (LEDs)

Abstract

An electrical shorting system includes an electrical switch having a first terminal, a second terminal, and a switching terminal. The electrical shorting system also includes a housing, a first contact in electrical communication with the first terminal of the electrical switch and supported by the housing, and a second contact in electrical communication with the second terminal of the electrical switch and supported by the housing. The electrical switch may be in a closed state in which the first contact is shorted with the second contact through the electrical switch, and when a voltage is applied to the switching terminal, the electrical switch is placed in an open state that impedes current flow through the electrical switch between the first contact and the second contact.

Claims

1. An electrical shorting system including a switch controlled electrical connector, the system comprising:

an electrical switch having a first terminal, a second terminal, and a switching terminal;

a housing;

a first contact in electrical communication with the first terminal of the electrical switch and supported by the housing;

a second contact in electrical communication with the second terminal of the electrical switch and supported by the housing, wherein the first and second contacts are disposed to engage corresponding contacts of a mating connector being in electrical communication with a power source; and

wherein when the electrical switch is in a closed state, current is allowed to flow from the first contact to the second contact through the electrical switch so that the first contact is shorted with the second contact, wherein when a voltage is applied to the switching terminal via the first and second contacts being connected to the corresponding contacts of the mating connector, the electrical switch is placed in an open state that impedes current flow through the electrical switch between the first contact and the second contact.

2. The electrical shorting system of claim 1, further comprising a resistor in electrical communication with the switching terminal and the second terminal.

3. The electrical shorting system of claim 1, further comprising a light emitting diode that visually indicates when the voltage is being applied to the switching terminal.

4. The electrical shorting system of claim 1, wherein the electrical switch is a transistor such that the first terminal, the second terminal, and the switching terminal are respectively an emitter, a collector, and a base.

5. The electrical shorting system of claim 4, wherein the transistor is a PNP transistor.

6. The electrical shorting system of claim 1, wherein the electrical switch is a transistor such that the first terminal, the second terminal, and the switching terminal are respectively a source, a drain, and a gate.

7. The electrical shorting system of claim 6, wherein the transistor is a P-channel enhancement mode field-effect transistor.

8. The electrical shorting system of claim 1, further comprising a one-way diode disposed between the first terminal and the first contact.

9. The electrical shorting system of claim 1, wherein the first and second contacts are supported by the housing such that the first contact engages a mating connector before the second contact engages the mating connector.

10. The electrical shorting system of claim 1, further comprising a resistor electrically connected between the first and second contacts with the electrical switch.

11. The electrical shorting system of claim 1, further comprising a mechanical shorting mechanism.

12. The electrical shorting system of claim 1, wherein the first and second contacts are in electrical communication with an electrical device such that electrical power is delivered through the first and second contacts to the electrical device.

13. A method of shorting a first contact with a second contact of a switch controlled electrical connector of an electrical shorting system, the method comprising:

obtaining the electrical shorting system in electrical communication with a power source such that electrical power is being conducted from the power source to the electrical shorting system, wherein the electrical shorting system further includes a housing supporting the first and second contacts and an electrical switch having a first terminal, a second terminal, and a switching terminal, the first contact being in electrical communication with the first terminal of the electrical switch, the second contact in electrical communication with the second terminal of the electrical switch, wherein the first and second contacts are engaged with corresponding contacts of a mating connector, the mating connector being in electrical communication with the power source, wherein a voltage from the power source is applied to the switching terminal via the first and second contacts and the corresponding contacts of the mating connector such that the electrical switch is placed in an open state that impedes current flow through the electrical switch between the first contact and the second contact;

disconnecting the electrical shorting system from the power source; and

placing the electrical switch in a closed state when power is no longer applied to the switching terminal via the first and second contacts and the corresponding contacts of the mating connector in which current is allowed to flow from the first contact to the second contact through the electrical switch so that the first contact is shorted with the second contact.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein the electrical shorting system further includes a resistor in electrical communication with the switching terminal and the second contact, the method comprising discharging a residual voltage on the switching terminal to the second contact through the resistor.

15. The method of claim 13, wherein the electrical shorting system further includes a light emitting diode such that the method further comprising indicating when the voltage is being applied to the switching terminal.

16. The method of claim 13, wherein the electrical switch is a PNP transistor such that the first terminal, the second terminal, and the switching terminal are respectively an emitter, a collector, and a base.

17. The method of claim 13, wherein the electrical switch is a P-channel enhancement mode field-effect transistor such that the first terminal, the second terminal, and the switching terminal are respectively a source, a drain, and a gate.

18. The method of claim 13, wherein the electrical shorting system further includes a resistor electrically connected between the first and second contacts with the electrical switch, the method further comprising discharging electrical power through the resistor when the electrical switch is placed in the closed state.

19. The method of claim 13, wherein the electrical shorting system further includes a mechanical shorting mechanism, the method further comprising moving the mechanical shorting mechanism to short the first contact with the second contact.

20. The method of claim 13, wherein the electrical shorting system further includes a one-way diode disposed between the first terminal and the first contact.