Underwater connect and disconnect plug and receptacle

• US 4,838,797 A
• Filed: 06/19/1987
• Issued: 06/13/1989
• Est. Priority Date: 06/19/1987
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: the united states of america as represented by the secretary of the navy
• Original Assignee: the united states of america as represented by the secretary of the navy
• Inventors: Dodier, Paul J.
• Primary Examiner(s): McGlynn, Joseph H.
• Application Number:
  US07/067,529
• Time in Patent Office: 725 Days
• Field of Search: 439/38-40
• US Class Current: 439/38
• CPC Class Codes: H01F 38/14 Inductive couplings for wireless supply or distribution of electric power using inductive coupling H02J50/10
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 13/523 for use under water
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 13/6633 with inductive component, e.g. transformer
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 439/95 Electrical connector adapted to transmit electricity to mating connector without physical contact, e.g. by induction, magnetism, or electrostatic field

Abstract

A plug and receptacle combination is transformer coupled. There are no exed contacts to the environment at any time, whether the plug and receptacle combination are mated or separated from each other. By encapsulating the primary winding and secondary winding separately in a respective plug and receptacle, mating and unmating can be accomplished while submerged in water.

Claims

1. A connector assembly unit comprising:

a first connector having a first transformer winding;

a second connector adapted to connect to and disconnect from said first connector, said second connector having a second transformer winding;

said first transformer winding and said second transformer winding form respective primary and secondary windings of the same transformer upon said first and second connectors being connected, and said first transformer winding and said second transformer winding are incapable of transformer coupling upon said first and second connectors being disconnected;

said primary winding is included in and completely enclosed in one of a plug and a receptacle, and said secondary winding is included in and completely enclosed in the other of said plug and said receptacle.

2. A connector assembly unit according to claim 1 wherein said plug has a soft iron core located on the same axis and interior to one of said primary and secondary windings.

3. A connector assembly unit according to claim 2 wherein said soft iron core, said primary winding and said secondary winding are all coaxial along the same segment of axis upon said plug and receptacle being mated.

4. A connector assembly unit according to claim 3 wherein each of said plug and receptacle are watertight in both the connect and disconnect modes.