Electrical connector and method of manufacturing same

• US 7,946,852 B2
• Filed: 12/22/2008
• Issued: 05/24/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 04/20/2007
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Belkin International Incorporated (Hon Hai Precision Industry Co., Ltd.)
• Original Assignee: Belkin International Incorporated (Hon Hai Precision Industry Co., Ltd.)
• Inventors: John, Wadsworth
• Primary Examiner(s): Gilman; Alexander
• Application Number:
  US12/341,829
• Publication Number:
  US 20090098743A1
• Time in Patent Office: 883 Days
• Field of Search: 439/21, 439/20, 439/23, 439/25, 439/640, 439/13, 295/921
• US Class Current: 439/21
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 13/652 with earth pin, blade or socket
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 2103/00 Two poles
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 24/30 with additional earth or shield contacts
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 35/04 Turnable line connectors with limited rotation angle with frictional contact members
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 39/64 Devices for uninterrupted current collection
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49002 Electrical device making

Abstract

In one example, an electrical device comprises an electrical connector. The electrical connector comprises a housing comprising an interior perimeter, and a rotating section located at least partially within the interior perimeter of the housing. The rotating section comprises a section wall, a front face coupled to a first end of the section wall, a conductor set, and a prong set. The conductor set comprises a first conductor at least partially circumscribing a perimeter of the section wall at a first distance from the front face, and a second conductor at least partially circumscribing a perimeter of the section wall at a second distance from the front face. The prong set comprises a first prong protruding through the front face and coupled to the first conductor, and a second prong protruding through the front face and coupled to the second conductor. The rotating section, including the conductor set and the prong set, is rotatable relative to the interior perimeter of the housing. Other examples and embodiments are described and claimed herein.

Claims

1. An electrical device comprising:

an electrical connector comprising;

a housing comprising an interior perimeter; and

a rotating section located at least partially within the interior perimeter of the housing and comprising;

a section wall;

a front face coupled to a first end of the section wall;

a conductor set comprising;

a first conductor at least partially circumscribing a perimeter of the section wall at a first distance from the front face; and

a second conductor at least partially circumscribing the perimeter of the section wall at a second distance from the front face; and

a prong set comprising;

a first prong protruding through the front face and coupled to the first conductor; and

a second prong protruding through the front face and coupled to the second conductor;

wherein;

the rotating section, including the conductor set and the prong set, is rotatable relative to the interior perimeter of the housing;

the prong set further comprises a third prong;

the first prong is longer than the second prong; and

the second prong is longer than the third prong.

2. The electrical device of claim 1, wherein:

the rotating section further comprises;

an insulator set comprising;

a first insulator located at the perimeter of the section wall and located between the first and second conductors, the first insulator being distinct form the section wall.

3. The electrical device of claim 2, wherein:

a diameter of the first conductor and a diameter of the second conductor are larger than a diameter of the first insulator.

4. The electrical device of claim 1, wherein:

the prong set is complementary with a slot set of an electrical outlet; and

the housing of the electrical connector is rotatable about the electrical outlet while the prong set is coupled to the slot set.

6. The electrical device of claim 1, wherein:

the rotating section comprises a channel set comprising;

a first channel configured to accommodate an internal portion of the first prong; and

a second channel configured to accommodate an internal portion of the second prong;

wherein;

an external portion of the first prong is substantially perpendicular to the front face when the first channel accommodates the internal portion of the first prong; and

an external portion of the second prong is substantially perpendicular to the front face when the second channel accommodates the internal portion of the second prong.

7. The electrical device of claim 1, wherein:

the first conductor is coupled to a first flange;

the second conductor is coupled to a second flange;

the first channel of the channel set comprises a first flange-stop located at the first distance from the front face;

the second channel of the channel set comprises a second flange-stop located at the second distance from the front face;

the first flange-stop is configured to couple with the first flange to position the first conductor at the first distance from the front face; and

the second flange-stop is configured to couple with the second flange to position second conductor at the second distance from the front face.

8. The electrical device of claim 1, wherein:

the first and second conductors are separated from each other by an air gap.

9. The electrical device of claim 1, further comprising:

a contact assembly; and

a contact set coupled to the contact assembly, the contact set comprising;

a first contact coupled to the first conductor; and

a second contact coupled to the second conductor;

wherein;

the first contact remains compressed by the first conductor throughout a rotation of the rotating section; and

the second contact remains compressed by the second conductor throughout the rotation of the rotating section.

10. The electrical device of claim 9, further comprising:

a cable coupled to the housing and comprising;

a first wire coupled to the first contact; and

a second wire coupled to the second contact.

11. The electrical device of claim 9, wherein:

the first contact is coupled to the contact assembly in a compressible configuration; and

the first contact conforms to a perimeter of the first conductor when compressed between the contact assembly and the first conductor.

12. The electrical device of claim 9, wherein:

the first contact comprises an arc when coupled to the contact assembly;

an equilibrium shape of the arc is at least one of convex or flat; and

the arc is concave when the first contact is compressed by a perimeter of the first conductor.

5. An electrical device comprising:

an electrical connector comprising;

a housing comprising an interior perimeter; and

a rotating section located at least partially within the interior perimeter of the housing and comprising;

a section wall;

a front face coupled to a first end of the section wall;

a conductor set comprising;

a first conductor at least partially circumscribing a perimeter of the section wall at a first distance from the front face; and

a second conductor at least partially circumscribing the perimeter of the section wall at a second distance from the front face; and

a prong set comprising;

a first prong protruding through the front face and coupled to the first conductor; and

a second prong protruding through the front face and coupled to the second conductor;

wherein;

the rotating section, including the conductor set and the prong set, is rotatable relative to the interior perimeter of the housing; and

the first prong and the first conductor are coupled together as a single unit to comprise a unitary piece of conducting material.

13. An electrical connector comprising:

a housing;

a body coupled to the housing and comprising;

a conductor ring set comprising;

a first ring at least partially encircling the body at a first distance away from a first end of the body; and

a second ring at least partially encircling the body at a second distance away from the first end of the body; and

a prong set comprising;

a first prong projecting past the first end and coupled to the first ring; and

a second prong projecting past the first end and coupled to the second ring;

a contact carrier coupled to the housing; and

a contact set coupled to the contact carrier, the contact set comprising;

a first contact at the first distance from the first end; and

a second contact at the second distance from the first end;

wherein;

the first contact conforms to a perimeter of the first ring when compressed between the contact carrier and the first ring and when the first ring rotates relative to the housing; and

the second contact conforms to a perimeter of the second ring when compressed between the contact carrier and the second ring and when the second ring rotates relative to the housing

the first contact comprises an arc when coupled to the contact carrier;

an equilibrium shape of the arc is at least one of convex or flat; and

the arc is concave when the first contact is compressed by the perimeter of the first ring.

14. The electrical connector of claim 13, wherein:

the first and second rings comprise different diameters.

15. The electrical connector of claim 13, wherein:

the prong set is complementary with a slot set of an electrical outlet; and

the housing of the electrical connector is rotatable about the electrical outlet while the prong set is coupled to the slot set.

16. The electrical connector of claim 13, wherein:

the first prong and the first ring are unitary.

17. The electrical connector of claim 13, wherein:

the body further comprises a first insulator circumscribing the body and located between the first and second rings, the first insulator being distinct from the body.

18. The electrical connector of claim 13, wherein:

the first and second rings are insulated from each other by an air gap.

19. The electrical connector of claim 13, wherein:

the conductor ring set further comprises a third ring at least partially encircling the body at a third distance away from the first end of the body;

the prong set further comprises a third prong projecting past the first end and coupled to the third ring;

the contact set further comprises a third contact at the third distance away from the first end; and

the body further comprises a channel set comprising;

a first channel configured to route the first prong through the body;

a second channel configured to route the second prong through the body; and

a third channel configured to route the third prong through the body;

wherein;

the third contact conforms to a perimeter of the third ring when compressed between the contact carrier and the third ring and when the third ring rotates relative to the housing;

the first contact remains compressed by the first ring upon a rotation of the body;

the second contact remains compressed by the second ring upon the rotation of the body; and

the third contact remains compressed by the third ring upon the rotation of the body.

20. A method of manufacturing an electrical connector, the method comprising:

providing a housing comprising a contact assembly with a first contact and a second contact;

providing a rotatable body comprising a first ring and a second ring; and

coupling the rotatable body to the housing;

wherein;

providing the rotatable body comprises;

coupling the first ring to a perimeter of the rotatable body at a first distance away from a first end of the rotatable body; and

coupling the second ring to the perimeter of the rotatable body at a second distance away from the first end of the rotatable body;

coupling the rotatable body to the housing comprises;

coupling the contact assembly to the first and second rings;

the first ring is coupled to a first prong projecting past the first end of the rotatable body;

the second ring is coupled to a second prong projecting past the first end of the rotatable body;

the contact assembly maintains the first contact conformed to a perimeter of the first ring upon a rotation of the rotatable body relative to the housing; and

the contact assembly maintains the second contact conformed a perimeter of the second ring upon the rotation of the rotatable body;

the first contact comprises an arc when coupled to the contact assembly;

an equilibrium shape of the arc is at least one of convex or flat; and

the arc is concave when the first contact is compressed by the perimeter of the first ring.

21. The method claim 20, wherein:

coupling the first ring to the perimeter of the rotatable body comprises;

coupling a first flange of the first ring to a first flange-stop of a first channel of the rotatable body; and

coupling the second ring to the perimeter of the rotatable body comprises;

coupling a second flange of the second ring to a second flange-stop of a second channel of the rotatable body.

22. The method claim 20, wherein:

providing the rotatable body further comprises;

insulating the first and second rings from each other via an air gap.

23. The method of claim 20, further comprising:

providing a cable coupled to the housing;

coupling a first wire of the cable to the first contact; and

coupling a second wire of the cable to the second contact.

24. The method of claim 20, further comprising:

providing a cable coupled to the housing;

wherein;

providing the housing further comprises;

providing the housing to comprise a third contact of the contact assembly;

providing the rotatable body further comprises;

coupling a third ring to the perimeter of the rotatable body at a third distance away from the first end of the rotatable body;

coupling the rotatable body to the housing further comprises;

coupling the contact assembly to the third ring;

providing the cable further comprises;

coupling a first wire of the cable to the first contact;

coupling a second wire of the cable to the second contact; and

coupling a third wire of the cable to the third contact;

the third ring is coupled to a third prong projecting past the first end of the rotatable body; and

the contact assembly maintains the third contact conformed to a perimeter of the third ring upon the rotation of the rotatable body.

25. The method claim 20, wherein:

providing the rotatable body further comprises;

coupling a first insulator between the first and second rings; and

coupling a second insulator between the second and third rings.

26. The method of claim 20, wherein:

providing the rotatable body comprises;

providing the first ring and the first prong coupled together as a single unit of conductive material.