Connectors with electrical or signal carrying capabilities and related methods

• US 9,011,169 B2
• Filed: 03/21/2013
• Issued: 04/21/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 03/21/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Bal Seal Engineering Incorporated (Kaman Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Bal Seal Engineering Incorporated (Kaman Corporation)
• Inventors: Russell, Mark, Changsrivong, Derek, Rust, Steve
• Primary Examiner(s): Riyami, Abullah
• Assistant Examiner(s): Imas, Vladimir
• Application Number:
  US13/848,678
• Publication Number:
  US 20130288501A1
• Time in Patent Office: 761 Days
• Field of Search: 439/271, 439/827, 439/521
• US Class Current: 439/271
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/3752 Details of casing-lead connections
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 13/187 with spring member in the socket
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 13/2421 using coil springs
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 13/648 Protective earth or shield arrangements on coupling devices , e.g. anti-static shielding coaxially arranged shields H01R24/38
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 2201/12 for medicine and surgery
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 24/38 having concentrically or coaxially arranged contacts
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 24/58 Contacts spaced along longitudinal axis of engagement
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 43/26 for engaging or disengaging the two parts of a coupling device structural association with two-part coupling device H01R13/629
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49208 by assembling plural parts

Abstract

Aspects of the present disclosure include a connector, an array of connectors, a method for manufacturing the connectors, and a method for using the connectors. The connectors are capable of carrying electrical or electric signal and include geometries to operate in holding, latching, or locking applications. The connector can include a contact housing formed by a first electrically conductive housing, a second electrically conductive housing and a housing sealing component at least partially isolating said first and second electrically conductive housings from each other. A body, such as a pin, a rod, or an elongated member, is provided. A first electrically conductive spring is located in a first groove and a second electrically conductive spring is located in a second groove inside the contact housing. Wherein a first electrical path and a second electrical path are formed when the body is inserted into the contact housing. In other examples, more than two electrical paths can be provided.

Claims

1. A connector comprising:

a first housing comprising a first electrically conductive housing section, a second electrically conductive housing section and a housing sealing component at least partially isolating said first and second electrically conductive housing sections from each other;

said first and second electrically conductive housing sections and housing sealing component having an outside diameter dimension and a bore;

a body insertable into said bore, said body comprising a first electrical terminal and a second electrical terminal;

a first electrically conductive spring positioned in a first groove defined at least in part by the first electrically conductive housing section and a second electrically conductive spring positioned in a second groove defined at least in part by the second electrically conductive housing section;

a second housing comprising a bore having the first housing disposed therein, wherein an opening of said bore of said second housing is larger than the outside diameter dimension of the first housing; and

said first electrically conductive housing section, said first electrically conductive spring and said first electrical terminal defining at least a portion of a first electrical path, and said second electrically conductive housing section, said second electrically conductive spring, and said second electrical terminal defining at least a portion of a second electrical path.

2. The connector of claim 1, wherein at least one of the first and second grooves is defined by a first groove on the inner surface of the bore and a second groove on the outer surface of the corresponding electrical terminal.

3. The connector of claim 1, further comprising a non-conductive layer separating the first electrical terminal from the second electrical terminal on the body.

4. The connector of one of claim 1, wherein at least a portion the bore and a portion of the body are tapered.

5. The connector of claim 1, wherein a portion of the bore between the first and the second electrically conductive springs and a portion of the body are tapered.

6. The connector of claim 1, wherein the housing sealing component is mechanically engaged to a second sealing component to at least partially isolate the first and second electrical terminals from each other.

7. The connector of claim 6, wherein the mechanical engagement of the housing sealing component and second sealing component is a latch or a detent.

8. The connector of claim 1, wherein at least one of the first and second electrically conductive springs is a canted coil spring.

9. The connector of claim 1, wherein at least one of the first and second electrically conductive springs is one of a garter spring and a ribbon spring.

10. The connector of claim 1, wherein at least one of the first and second electrically conductive springs is a finger spring.

11. The connector of claim 1, wherein the first housing is positioned in a planar structure;

and wherein a third housing is positioned in the planar structure and spaced from the first housing.

12. The connector of claim 1, further comprising a first structure secured to a second structure by the connector.

13. The connector of claim 1, wherein the body is attached to a header or a can housing of an implantable medical device and the first housing is attached to the other one of the header or the can housing.

14. The connector of claim 13, further comprising a gasket seal located between the header and the can housing.

15. The connector of claim 14, wherein the gasket seal comprises an opening at a location of the body or the combination first and second electrically conductive housing sections and the housing sealing component.

16. The connector of claim 13, wherein a printed circuit board is located in the header and defines a portion of the first and second electrical paths.

17. The connector of claim 13, wherein the printed circuit board comprises two layers of printed circuits.

18. The connector of claim 1, wherein the body is attached to a first structure and the first housing is attached to a second structure to put the first structure in electrical communication with the second structure.

19. The connector of claim 18, wherein the first and the second structures are part of a land vehicle.

20. The connector of claim 18, wherein the first and the second structures are part of a flying aircraft.

21. The connector of claim 18, wherein the first and the second structures are part of a watercraft.

22. The connector of claim 18, wherein the first and the second structures are part of a consumer electronic device.

23. An array of connectors spaced from one another, each connector comprising:

a first housing comprising a first electrically conductive housing, a second electrically conductive housing, and a housing sealing component at least partially isolating said first and second electrically conductive housings from each other;

said first and second electrically conductive housings and said housing sealing component defining a bore with two seams defined by the first electrically conductive housing section and the housing sealing component and the second electrically conductive housing section and the housing sealing component;

a body insertable into said bore comprising a first electrical terminal and a second electrical terminal;

a first electrically conductive spring in a first groove defined at least in part by the first electrically conductive housing section and the housing sealing component and a second electrically conductive spring in a second groove defined at least in part by the second electrically conductive housing section and the housing sealing component;

a second housing comprising a bore receiving the first housing therein, said second housing comprising a seam that is parallel to at least one of the two seams of the first housing; and

said first electrically conductive housing section, said first electrically conductive spring, and said first electrical terminal defining at least a portion of a first electrical path, and said second electrically conductive housing section, said second electrically conductive spring, and said second electrical terminal defining at least a portion of a second electrical path.

24. The array of connectors of claim 23, wherein at least one groove in one of the connectors is aligned with a groove on an outer surface of a corresponding electrical terminal to capture a corresponding electrically conductive spring therebetween.

25. The array of connectors of claim 23, wherein, at least in one of the connectors, at least a portion of the bore is tapered.

26. The array of connectors of claim 23, wherein, at least in one of the connectors, a portion of the bore between two consecutive electrically conductive springs is tapered.

27. The array of connectors of claim 23, wherein, at least in one of the connectors, the housing sealing component is mechanically engaged to a second sealing component to at least partially isolate the first and second electrical terminals from each other.

28. The connector of claim 27, wherein the mechanical engagement of the housing and second sealing components is a latch.

29. The array of connectors of claim 23, wherein a length of the body of one of the connectors is different than a length of the body of another one of the connectors.

30. The array of connectors of claim 23, further comprising at least one mechanical connector positioned with the array of connectors.

31. The array of connectors of claim 23, wherein at least one of the first and second electrically conductive springs of at least one of the connectors is a canted coil spring.

32. The array of connectors of claim 23, wherein at least one of the first and second electrically conductive springs of at least one of the connectors is one of a garter spring and a ribbon spring.

33. The array of connectors of claim 23, wherein at least one of the first and second electrically conductive springs of at least one of the connectors is a finger spring.

34. A method for forming a connector comprising:

forming a first housing comprising by placing a housing sealing component in between a first electrically conductive housing section and a second electrically conductive housing section to at least partially isolate the first and second electrically conductive housing sections from each other;

said first and second electrically conductive housing sections and said housing sealing component having an outside diameter dimension and a common bore;

assembling a first electrical terminal and a second electrical terminal together to form an insertable body;

placing a first electrically conductive spring in a first groove defined at least in part by the first electrically conductive housing section;

placing a second electrically conductive spring in a second groove defined at least in part by the second electrically conductive housing section;

forming a second housing comprising a bore having the first housing disposed therein, wherein an opening of said bore of said second housing is larger than the outside diameter dimension of the first housing; and

placing the insertable body into the bore of the first housing to form a first electrical path defined by the first electrically conductive housing section, the first electrically conductive spring, and the first electrical terminal and a second electrical path defined by the second electrically conductive housing section, the second electrically conductive spring, and the second electrical terminal.

35. The method of claim 34, further comprising placing a non-conductive layer between the first electrical terminal and the second electrical terminal to isolate the first and second electrical terminals from one another.

36. The method of claim 34, further comprising placing the first housing adjacent two or more first housings to form an array.

37. The method of claim 34, further comprising placing the insertable body adjacent two or more insertable bodies to form an array.

38. The method of claim 34, further comprising attaching the first housing to a first structure and attaching the insertable body to a second structure.

39. The method of claim 38, wherein the first structure and the second structure is part of a flying aircraft, a land vehicle, a watercraft, a medical device, a consumer electronic device, a wind turbine, or a satellite.

40. The method of claim 38, further comprising connecting the first housing and the insertable body.