Sand dust resistant plug of a plug and receptacle of a plug and receptacle

Abstract

This invention discloses a sand- and dust-resistant direct-plug connector plug and a sand- and dust-resistant direct-plug connector, belonging to the field of electrical connector technology. The sand- and dust-resistant direct-plug connector plug includes a plug housing and a plug insulator component. A locking ring is fixedly disposed on the plug housing, and several spring claws are evenly distributed circumferentially on the locking ring. The spring claws are used for locking engagement with a socket. A connecting cap is sleeved on the outer side of the plug housing, and the connecting cap is sleeved outside the locking ring and can reciprocate in the front-to-back direction. An unlocking ring is fixedly connected to the connecting cap. An elastic clamping component is provided between the rear end of the connecting cap and the plug housing. The preload of the elastic clamping component restricts the rearward movement of the connecting cap. The inner wall of the unlocking ring is used for sealing engagement with the socket. This invention abandons the traditional threaded / bayonet rotation operation mode, enabling quick direct insertion and extraction. The locking structure is insensitive to sand and dust, while possessing excellent sealing protection and anti-accidental unlocking capabilities.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention belongs to the field of electrical connector technology, and particularly relates to a sand and dust resistant direct-plug connector plug and a sand and dust resistant direct-plug connector. Background Technology

[0002] Electrical connectors are core components for achieving modular circuit connections and signal and power transmission. Their connection reliability, ease of operation, and environmental adaptability directly determine the overall performance of the electrical system. In the electrical connections of high-current products, the mainstream connector locking methods are currently threaded connections or bayonet connections. These locking methods rely on the rotational pair between the connecting nut and the housing to achieve locking and unlocking, and are traditional structural forms that have been used in this field for a long time.

[0003] However, in applications requiring rapid deployment in dusty environments and confined installation spaces, traditional threaded / bayonet connectors suffer from several insurmountable technical drawbacks: First, their operational characteristics are limited. Threaded / bayonet connections require rotating the connecting nut to a specific angle to lock or unlock, resulting in time-consuming mating and disassembly operations that fail to meet the demands of rapid deployment. Furthermore, the rotation requires significant radial operating space, which is difficult to achieve in confined installation spaces. Second, they have poor adaptability to dusty environments. The locking structure of threaded / bayonet connectors relies on a precision clearance fit, typically with a small clearance. In dusty or sandy environments, fine dust particles easily accumulate in this gap, causing the connection to jam and preventing proper mating or unlocking, severely impacting the reliability of the circuit connection. Third, they lack sufficient protection against accidental unlocking. Traditional structures rely on the self-locking mechanism of the threads or bayonet to prevent loosening. When subjected to external forces such as vibration or impact, the connecting nut can easily loosen, leading to accidental unlocking and circuit breakage. This poses a significant safety hazard for fields such as defense and aviation, where connection stability is paramount.

[0004] To address the aforementioned technical issues, there is an urgent need for a connector that can achieve rapid locking and unlocking, with a locking structure that is insensitive to sand and dust, while also integrating sand and dust protection and anti-accidental unlocking functions. This would allow it to simultaneously meet the combined requirements of harsh sand and dust environments, confined installation spaces, and rapid deployment. However, there is currently no mature technical solution that can solve all of the above problems at the same time. Summary of the Invention

[0005] To address the shortcomings of the aforementioned background technology, this invention proposes a sand and dust resistant direct-plug connector plug and a sand and dust resistant direct-plug connector, which solves the problems of traditional connector plugs requiring a large radial operating space and sand and dust easily causing jamming of the connection structure.

[0006] The technical solution of this invention is implemented as follows: A sand and dust resistant direct-plug connector plug includes a plug housing and a plug insulator component. The plug insulator component is assembled inside the plug housing. A locking ring is fixedly provided on the plug housing. A plurality of spring claws are evenly distributed around the circumference of the locking ring. The spring claws are used for locking and engaging with a socket. A connecting cap is sleeved on the outer side of the plug housing. The connecting cap is sleeved on the outer side of the locking ring and can reciprocate in the front-back direction. An unlocking ring is fixedly connected to the connecting cap. An elastic pressing component is provided between the rear end of the connecting cap and the plug housing. The preload of the elastic pressing component restricts the rearward movement of the connecting cap. The inner wall of the unlocking ring is used for sealing and engaging with the socket. The front end of the spring claw is provided with a first guiding surface for guiding and engaging with the mating end of the socket housing to elastically expand the spring claw outward. The unlocking ring is provided with a third guiding surface for guiding and engaging with the first guiding surface to elastically expand the spring claw outward.

[0007] Preferably, the plug housing is provided with a shoulder, and the locking ring is connected to the shoulder to fix the locking ring on the plug housing.

[0008] Preferably, the elastic clamping assembly includes a nut threadedly connected to the outer wall of the plug housing, and a spring is provided between the nut and the rear end of the connector. The nut is used to provide a forward preload to the connector through the spring. The spring claw is an elastic sheet integrally formed at the end of the locking ring. The spring claw can elastically expand outward after being subjected to external force and automatically reset after the external force is removed.

[0009] Preferably, the locking ring and the connecting cap are fixedly connected by any one of riveting, threaded connection, or welding; the spring is a corrugated spring. The clearance between the outer peripheral wall of the locking ring and the inner peripheral wall of the connecting cap is greater than the maximum particle size of sand and dust particles in the target operating environment.

[0010] A connector employing the sand-resistant, dust-resistant, direct-plug connector plug as described above includes a socket. The socket is adapted to the front end of the sand-resistant, dust-resistant, direct-plug connector plug. The socket includes a socket housing and a socket insulator component. The socket insulator component is assembled inside the socket housing. A locking groove is formed on the outer wall of the socket housing. The locking groove is adapted to a spring claw, and the spring claw can lock into the locking groove to lock the sand-resistant, dust-resistant, direct-plug connector plug and socket. An outer sealing ring is fixedly assembled between the outer wall of the socket housing and the inner wall of the unlocking ring, and a sealing fit is achieved through the outer sealing ring. The mating end of the socket housing is provided with... A second guide surface is provided, which cooperates with the first guide surface to elastically expand the spring claw outward. When the sand-resistant direct-plug connector plug and socket are fully engaged, the spring claw, under its own elastic force, engages in the locking groove to form a locking fit structure. The inner wall of the unlocking ring and the outer wall of the socket housing are tightly fitted with the outer sealing ring to form a sealing and protective structure that encloses the locking fit structure. When the connecting cap is pulled, the connecting cap compresses the elastic pressing component and drives the unlocking ring to move backward synchronously. The unlocking ring abuts against and applies force to make the spring claw elastically expand outward and disengage from the locking groove, thereby realizing the unlocking and separation of the sand-resistant direct-plug connector plug and socket.

[0011] Preferably, the locking groove is an annular groove formed on the outer wall of the socket housing, and the opening size of the locking groove is adapted to the end size of the spring claw. An inner sealing ring is provided between the inner wall of the socket housing and the outer wall of the plug end of the plug housing, and the two parts are sealed together by the inner sealing ring. The plug insulator component is provided with a terminal block, and the socket insulator component is provided with a female connector, the terminal block being used to plug into the female connector.

[0012] The beneficial effects of this invention are:

[0013] The locking structure of the sand and dust resistant direct-plug connector plug has high tolerance to sand and dust. It adopts a locking ring structure with evenly distributed circumferential claws, and the locking ring, plug housing, and connector cap are fitted with a large clearance. The engagement process of the claws and locking groove does not rely on micron-level precision gaps, and is not sensitive to sand and dust. It can smoothly complete the connection and separation in environments with wind, sand and dust, and solves the problem of traditional precision fit structures being easily jammed by sand and dust from the root of the structure.

[0014] Its core functionality enables rapid axial insertion for locking and rapid extraction for separation, completely eliminating the rotary operation mode of traditional threaded or bayonet connections. This allows for quick locking and disengagement, significantly reducing operation time and meeting the needs of rapid deployment. Furthermore, it eliminates radial operation requirements and eliminates the need for pre-reserved rotational space, making it perfectly suited for applications with limited installation space. The components are simple in structure and offer flexible connections, allowing for mass production through conventional machining and assembly processes, demonstrating excellent production adaptability.

[0015] Furthermore, this connector has strong sealing and protection performance. After being inserted into place, the inner wall of the unlocking ring fits against the outer sealing ring on the socket housing, forming a circumferentially enclosed sealing structure. This completely encloses the core locking and engaging structure of the spring claw and the locking groove within a sealed space, solving the problem of traditional locking structures being completely exposed and prone to accumulating sand and dust.

[0016] In addition, it has reliable anti-accidental unlocking capability. By setting an elastic clamping component between the rear end of the connector and the plug housing, the preload of the spring in the front-back direction restricts the rearward movement of the connector when it is not in operation. This effectively solves the problem of accidental unlocking when the connector is subjected to impact or vibration, and improves the stability of the electrical connection. At the same time, the preload of the spring can be adjusted by the nut to further control the force required for separation and optimize the operating feel of the connector. Attached Figure Description

[0017] To more clearly illustrate the embodiments of the present invention, the accompanying drawings used in the description of the embodiments will be briefly introduced below. Obviously, the accompanying drawings described below are only some embodiments of the present invention. For those skilled in the art, other drawings can be obtained based on these drawings without creative effort.

[0018] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the cross-sectional structure of the sand and dust resistant direct-plug connector plug of the present invention;

[0019] Figure 2 This is a schematic diagram of the cross-sectional structure of the socket of the present invention;

[0020] Figure 3 This is a schematic diagram of the three-dimensional structure of the locking ring of the present invention;

[0021] Figure 4 This is a schematic diagram illustrating the plug-socket connection process of the sand-resistant and dust-resistant direct-plug connector of the present invention. Figure 1 ;

[0022] Figure 5 This is a schematic diagram illustrating the plug-socket connection process of the sand-resistant and dust-resistant direct-plug connector of the present invention. Figure 2 ;

[0023] Figure 6 This is a schematic diagram illustrating the plug-socket connection process of the sand-resistant and dust-resistant direct-plug connector of the present invention. Figure 3 ;

[0024] Figure 7 This is a schematic diagram of the insertion of the sand and dust resistant direct-plug connector plug and socket before separation;

[0025] Figure 8 This is a schematic diagram illustrating the separation action of the plug and socket of the sand-resistant, dust-resistant, direct-plug connector of the present invention.

[0026] In the diagram: 1: Plug housing; 101: Shoulder; 2: Plug insulator component; 3: Locking ring; 301: Spring claw; 302: First guide surface; 4: Retaining ring; 5: Connecting cap; 6: Unlocking ring; 601: Third guide surface; 7: Elastic clamping assembly; 701: Spring; 702: Nut; 8: Socket housing; 801: Locking groove; 802: Second guide surface; 803: Stop surface; 9: Socket insulator component; 10: Outer sealing ring; 11: Inner sealing ring; 12: Wiring terminal; 13: Wiring female socket. Detailed Implementation

[0027] The technical solutions of the embodiments of the present invention will be clearly and completely described below with reference to the accompanying drawings. Obviously, the described embodiments are only some embodiments of the present invention, and not all embodiments. Based on the embodiments of the present invention, all other embodiments obtained by those skilled in the art without creative effort are within the scope of protection of the present invention.

[0028] like Figure 1 , 2 As shown, a sand-resistant, dust-resistant, direct-plug connector plug includes a plug housing 1 and a plug insulator component 2, the plug insulator component 2 being assembled inside the plug housing 1. Specifically, the sand-resistant, dust-resistant, direct-plug connector plug includes a plug housing 1, a plug insulator component 2, a locking ring 3, a retaining ring 4, a connecting cap 5, an unlocking ring 6, and an elastic clamping assembly 7. The plug insulator component 2 is fixedly assembled within the internal cavity of the plug housing 1, serving to achieve insulation and mechanical fixation of the conductive components inside the plug. Specifically, in this embodiment, a terminal block 12 is fixedly provided on the plug insulator component 2, with the insertion end of the terminal block 12 facing the insertion direction of the sand-resistant, dust-resistant, direct-plug connector plug, for adapting to and connecting with the conductive structure on the socket side to achieve the transmission of electrical energy and signals.

[0029] The locking ring 3 is fixedly mounted on the plug housing 1. In this embodiment, the outer wall of the plug housing 1 is provided with an annular shoulder 101. The locking ring 3 is sleeved on the outer side of the plug housing 1, and the locking ring 3 is fixed behind the shoulder 101 in the front-to-back direction by the retaining ring 4, so as to prevent the locking ring 3 from moving in the front-to-back direction during the insertion and unlocking actions, and to ensure the positional accuracy of the locking fit. Specifically in this embodiment, as follows... Figure 3As shown, the locking ring 3 is an integral annular elastic structure. Several integrally formed spring claws 301 are evenly distributed circumferentially on its mating end. Each spring claw 301 is an elastic sheet, possessing the elastic characteristic of elastically expanding outward under external force and automatically resetting after the external force is removed. A first guide surface 302 is provided at the front end of the spring claw 301. The first guide surface 302 is used to cooperate with the plug end of the socket to guide the outward elastic expansion of the spring claw 301 during the mating process. As an optional solution, in other embodiments, the locking ring 3 is threaded onto the outer circumferential surface of the plug housing 1. After being screwed to abut against the rear end face of the shoulder 101, the retaining ring 4 is installed for front-to-back positioning to achieve a radial anti-rotation effect after the locking ring 3 is installed and positioned. In this case, threads need to be provided on the outer circumferential surface of the plug housing 1 near the shoulder 101 to achieve a threaded connection. As another alternative, by opening corresponding fixing holes on the locking ring 3 and the shoulder 101, and connecting them with conventional fasteners such as bolts, the locking ring 3 and the plug housing 1 can be fixedly assembled, and the radial anti-rotation function of the locking ring 3 can be achieved at the same time.

[0030] Furthermore, the inner wall of the locking ring 3's spring claw 301 and the outer wall of the plug housing 1 have a large clearance fit. The fit clearance between the outer peripheral wall of the locking ring 3 and the inner peripheral wall of the cap 5 is greater than the maximum particle size of sand and dust in the target environment. This makes the fit between the spring claw 301 and the locking groove 801 insensitive to sand and dust, thus preventing sand and dust particles from entering the fit clearance and causing structural jamming from the structural source, and adapting to the usage requirements of harsh sand and dust environments. The radial clearance between the outer peripheral wall of the locking ring 3 and the inner peripheral wall of the cap 5 also constitutes a clearance space for the spring claw 301 to elastically expand outward during the unlocking process of the sand and dust resistant direct-plug connector plug and socket.

[0031] Additionally, the cap 5 is fitted onto the outside of the plug housing 1 and also covers the outside of the locking ring 3. The cap 5 and the plug housing 1 are in a clearance fit, allowing for smooth reciprocating linear movement along the front-back direction of the plug housing 1. The unlocking ring 6 is fixedly connected to the inner wall of the insertion end of the cap 5. The connection method can be riveting, threaded connection, or welding. This embodiment prioritizes riveting to ensure connection strength while simplifying the assembly process. In this embodiment, the inner wall of the unlocking ring 6 is provided with a third guide surface 601 that matches the first guide surface 302. This third guide surface 601 is used to push the spring claw 301 outwardly during the unlocking process, thus achieving the unlocking action.

[0032] Additionally, the elastic clamping assembly 7 is disposed between the rear end of the connector cap 5 and the plug housing 1, and its preload restricts the rearward movement of the connector cap 5 in the non-operating state. Specifically, the elastic clamping assembly 7 includes a spring 701 and a nut 702. The nut 702 is threadedly connected to the outer wall of the rear end of the plug housing 1. The spring 701 is an axially compressed elastic element, sleeved on the outside of the plug housing 1, with one end abutting against the rear end face of the connector cap 5 and the other end abutting against the front end face of the nut 702. In this embodiment, under the action of the spring 701, the rear end face of the connector cap 5 is pressed against the rear end face of the retaining ring 4. As a first optional solution, the compression of the spring 701 can be adjusted by tightening the nut 702 during assembly, thereby adjusting its preload on the connector cap 5 in the front-rear direction. This can enhance the ability to prevent accidental unlocking and also precisely control the separation operation force of the connector, optimizing the operating feel. As a second option, the plug housing 1 is provided with a flange or step for axial stop with the nut 702. When the nut 702 is rotated to abut the flange or step, it is considered that the nut 702 is tightened in place. In this state, the spring 701 provides a constant forward pushing force to the cap 5, so that the cap 5 is automatically in the locked position.

[0033] Example 2: A sand and dust resistant direct-plug connector plug. Based on Example 1, the spring 701 is a corrugated spring. Corrugated springs have a high elastic modulus and small deformation, providing a large elastic force within a limited space. Their stiffness characteristics are flexible, allowing for different stiffness curves to be achieved by adjusting waveform parameters. This further enhances the axial limiting capability of the connector 5, preventing unlocking failure caused by accidental backward movement of the connector 5 under strong impact. It provides high protection and impact resistance for extreme high-impact conditions, making it suitable for extreme use scenarios with strong vibration and impact. Furthermore, depending on the actual operating conditions, in variable operating conditions, the preload can be precisely adjusted by rotating the nut 702. Combined with the parameter design of the spring claw 301, dual precise control of the separation force is achieved, balancing anti-loosening performance and ease of operation. In constant operating conditions, the nut 702 engages with the flange or step on the plug housing 1, and the spring 701 provides a constant forward pushing force to the connector 5. At this time, the parameter design of the spring claw 301 enables precise control of the separation force between the plug and socket of different specifications of sand and dust resistant direct-plug connectors.

[0034] Example 3: A sand and dust resistant direct-plug connector, including a sand and dust resistant direct-plug connector plug as in Example 1 or 2, and also including a socket, that is, the sand and dust resistant direct-plug connector is a connector assembly including a sand and dust resistant direct-plug connector plug and a socket; the socket and the front end of the sand and dust resistant direct-plug connector plug are mutually adapted, and the two are coaxially inserted to realize the electrical conduction and locking fixation of the head seat, and the front ends of the sand and dust resistant direct-plug connector plug and socket are defined as the mutually inserted ends.

[0035] Specifically, the socket includes a socket housing 8, a socket insulator component 9, an outer sealing ring 10, and an inner sealing ring 11. The socket insulator component 9 is fixedly assembled in the internal cavity of the socket housing 8 and coaxially corresponds with the plug insulator component 2 to achieve insulation and mechanical fixation of the conductive components inside the socket. In this embodiment, a wiring female socket 13 is fixedly provided on the socket insulator component 9. The wiring female socket 13 and the wiring terminal 12 are coaxially adapted. The wiring female socket 13 and the wiring terminal 12 are respectively connected to two wires in the circuit. The insertion and cooperation of the wiring female socket 13 and the wiring terminal 12 realizes stable circuit conduction.

[0036] Furthermore, the insertion end of the socket housing 8 is provided with a second guide surface 802, which is adapted to the first guide surface 302 of the spring claw 301, and is used to guide the spring claw 301 to automatically and elastically expand outward during the insertion process. A locking groove 801 adapted to the spring claw 301 is provided on the outer wall of the socket housing 8. Specifically, the locking groove 801 is an annular groove formed on the outer wall of the socket housing 8, and the groove opening size of the locking groove 801 is adapted to the end size of the spring claw 301. When the sand-resistant dust-resistant direct-plug connector plug is inserted into the socket, the spring claw 301 can be engaged in the locking groove 801 under its own elastic force, forming a stable axial locking fit structure. Furthermore, a stop surface 803 is provided between the locking groove 801 and the spring claw 301, so that after the spring claw 301 is engaged in the locking groove 801, the stop surface 803 is used to achieve axial stop.

[0037] Furthermore, an outer sealing ring 10 is fixedly fitted between the outer wall of the socket housing 8 and the inner wall of the unlocking ring 6, and a sealing fit is achieved through the outer sealing ring 10. Specifically, in this embodiment, the outer sealing ring 10 is fixedly fitted to the outer wall of the socket housing 8 and is located in front of the insertion direction of the locking groove 801. The outer diameter of the outer sealing ring 10 is adapted to the size of the inner wall of the unlocking ring 6. When the sand and dust resistant direct-plug connector plug is inserted into the socket, the inner wall of the unlocking ring 6 and the outer sealing ring 10 are tightly press-fitted together, forming a circumferential sealing and protective structure. This completely encloses the core locking fit structure of the spring claw 301 and the locking groove 801 within the sealed space inside the cap 5, preventing external sand and dust from entering.

[0038] In addition, an inner sealing ring 11 is provided between the inner wall of the socket housing 8 and the outer wall of the plug end of the plug housing 1, and the inner sealing ring 11 is used for sealing. In this embodiment, the inner sealing ring 11 is fixedly assembled to the inner wall of the socket housing 8. The inner diameter of the inner sealing ring 11 is adapted to the size of the outer wall of the plug end of the plug housing 1. When the plug of the sand and dust resistant direct plug connector is inserted into place, the inner sealing ring 11 and the outer wall of the plug end of the plug housing 1 are tightly fitted to form a secondary seal, which further prevents sand and dust from entering the internal cavity of the plug housing 1 and ensures the reliability of the circuit connection.

[0039] As a further specific implementation, the first guide surface 302 and the third guide surface 601 are slightly arc-shaped surfaces or inclined surfaces, and the second guide surface 802 is a circular arc surface, inclined surface, or slightly arc-shaped surface. By utilizing the cooperation between the first guide surface 302 and the third guide surface 601, as well as the cooperation between the first guide surface 302 and the second guide surface 802, the pawl 301 can be elastically expanded outward by axial movement to meet the action requirements.

[0040] like Figure 4 , 5 As shown in Figure 6, the insertion and locking process of the connector in this embodiment is as follows: Align the central axis of the sand-resistant direct-plug connector plug with the central axis of the socket, and make the wiring female 13 and the wiring terminal 12 correspond. Push the plug housing 1 along the insertion direction. The first guide surface 302 of the front end of the locking ring 3 spring claw 301 slides against the second guide surface 802 of the insertion end of the socket housing 8. The axial insertion force is decomposed by the inclined structure into a radial component force that makes the spring claw 301 elastically expand outward. The spring claw 301 automatically expands outward elastically and slides along the outer wall of the socket housing 8 as the sand-resistant direct-plug connector plug is axially advanced. When the plug and socket of the sand-resistant direct-plug connector are fully engaged, the spring claw 301 slides to the corresponding position of the locking groove 801, the radial constraint disappears, and the spring claw 301 returns to its initial position under its own elastic force. The end of the spring claw is inserted into the locking groove 801 and hooks the socket housing 8, forming a stable axial locking fit structure, thus completing the direct-plug locking of the plug and socket of the sand-resistant direct-plug connector. At this time, the wiring female 13 and the wiring terminal 12 are fully engaged, and the circuit is connected.

[0041] While the connector is fully engaged, it simultaneously achieves triple protection and anti-loosening effects: First, the inner wall of the engagement end of the unlocking ring 6 is tightly press-fitted with the outer sealing ring 10 on the socket housing 8, forming a circumferentially enclosed sealing protection structure, sealing the cavity where the locking engagement structure of the spring claw 301 and the locking groove 801 is located, and isolating external sand, dust and moisture from intrusion; Second, the inner sealing ring 11 on the inner wall of the socket housing 8 is tightly pressed with the outer wall of the insertion end of the plug housing 1, forming a secondary radial seal, further preventing sand and dust from intruding into the conductive cavity inside the connector, ensuring the reliability of the circuit connection; Third, the spring 701 at the rear end of the connector 5 forms a stable axial preload through the nut 702, continuously applying a thrust towards the engagement direction to the connector 5, limiting the axial backward movement of the connector 5 in the non-operating state, avoiding unlocking failure caused by the accidental backward movement of the connector 5 when the connector is subjected to vibration or impact, and achieving a reliable anti-accidental unlocking function.

[0042] like Figure 7 , 8As shown, the unlocking and disassembly process of the connector described in this embodiment is as follows: When disassembly and unlocking are required, simply pull the cap 5 in the opposite direction of mating. The cap 5 overcomes the preload of the spring 701, compresses the spring 701, and moves axially backward, simultaneously causing the unlocking ring 6 fixed at the front end to move backward in sync. The third guide surface 601 on the inner wall of the unlocking ring 6 slides against the first guide surface 302 of the claw 301, and the axial tension is decomposed into a component force that causes the claw 301 to expand elastically outward. This force pushes the claw 301 of the locking ring 3 at an angle, causing it to expand radially, and the end completely disengages from the locking groove 801 of the socket housing 8, thus completing the unlocking of the sand-resistant dust-proof direct-plug connector plug and socket. Continuing to pull the cap 5 axially, the locking ring 3 can completely separate the entire sand-resistant dust-proof direct-plug connector plug from the socket, achieving pure direct-pull unlocking without any rotation operation. After separation, release the cap 5, and the return force of the spring 701 pushes the cap 5 and the unlocking ring 6 back to the initial mating preparation position, waiting for the next mating operation.

[0043] Example 4: A sand and dust resistant direct-plug connector, based on Example 3, addresses the varying requirements of connector separation force under different operating conditions by enabling adjustable separation force. Precise control of the separation force is achieved by adjusting the parameters of the spring claws 301 of the locking ring 3, making it suitable for multi-scenario applications with specific requirements for operating force. In this example, the width, thickness, and circumferential number of the spring claws 301 of the locking ring 3 are adjustable parameters. By adjusting the width, thickness, or number of the spring claws 301, the elastic deformation force of the locking ring 3 is changed, thereby precisely controlling the connector's separation force.

[0044] Specifically, for scenarios requiring light operation and convenient one-handed operation, a narrow-width, thin-thickness, and fewer-numbered spring claw 301 design can be adopted to reduce the elastic deformation force of the spring claw 301, thereby reducing the mating and disengaging forces of the connector and adapting to the low-operation force requirements of civilian and portable equipment. For scenarios with high vibration and high locking reliability requirements, such as defense and mining, a wide-width, thick-thickness, and more-numbered spring claw 301 design can be adopted to increase the elastic deformation force of the spring claw 301, thereby increasing the locking and disengaging forces, preventing locking failure under extreme conditions, and significantly improving the connector's adaptability to different operating conditions. This embodiment does not require changes to the overall installation dimensions and mating structure of the connector; flexible customization of the disengaging force can be achieved simply by adjusting the parameters of the spring claw 301, greatly improving the product's versatility and scenario adaptability.

[0045] The sand and dust resistant direct-plug connector of this invention features a modular design, simple and mature assembly process, controllable manufacturing costs, and the ability to achieve industrialized, large-scale mass production. It solves the pain points of traditional threaded and bayonet connectors in confined spaces and dusty environments, enabling rapid locking and unlocking with direct plugging and unplugging, requiring no rotation or excessive radial operating space, thus adapting to the needs of limited installation space and rapid deployment. Simultaneously, the locking mechanism exhibits high tolerance to sand and dust, and combined with a multi-level sealing protection structure, it can operate stably in harsh environments with high winds and dust. The anti-accidental unlocking structure significantly improves connection reliability under extreme conditions. It can be widely used in high-current product connection scenarios requiring rapid deployment, limited space, and dusty environments, such as defense, aerospace, outdoor engineering, mining machinery, and new energy equipment, demonstrating excellent industrial practicality and broad market application prospects.

[0046] The above description is only a preferred embodiment of the present invention and is not intended to limit the present invention. Any modifications, equivalent substitutions, improvements, etc., made within the spirit and principles of the present invention should be included within the protection scope of the present invention.

Claims

1. A sand and dust resistant direct-plug connector plug, comprising a plug housing (1) and a plug insulator component (2), wherein the plug insulator component (2) is assembled inside the plug housing (1), characterized in that, A locking ring (3) is fixedly provided on the plug housing (1). A plurality of spring claws (301) are evenly distributed around the locking ring (3). The spring claws (301) are used to lock and engage with the socket. A connecting cap (5) is sleeved on the outside of the plug housing (1). The connecting cap (5) is sleeved on the outside of the locking ring (3) and can move back and forth in the front and back direction. An unlocking ring (6) is fixedly connected to the connecting cap (5). An elastic pressing component (7) is provided between the rear end of the connecting cap (5) and the plug housing (1). The pre-tightening force of the elastic pressing component (7) restricts the connecting cap (5) from moving backward. The inner wall of the unlocking ring (6) is used to seal and engage with the socket. The front end of the spring claw (301) is provided with a first guide surface (302) for guiding and engaging with the insertion end of the socket housing (8) so that the spring claw (301) expands outward elastically; the unlocking ring (6) is provided with a third guide surface (601) for guiding and engaging with the first guide surface (302) so that the spring claw (301) expands outward elastically.

2. The sand- and dust-resistant direct-plug connector plug according to claim 1, characterized in that, The plug housing (1) is provided with a shoulder (101), and the locking ring (3) is connected to the shoulder (101) to fix the locking ring (3) on the plug housing (1).

3. The sand- and dust-resistant direct-plug connector plug according to claim 2, characterized in that, The elastic clamping assembly (7) includes a nut (702) threaded to the outer wall of the plug housing (1), and a spring (701) is provided between the nut (702) and the rear end of the connector (5). The nut (702) is used to provide a forward preload force to the connector (5) through the spring (701).

4. The sand- and dust-resistant direct-plug connector plug according to claim 3, characterized in that, The spring claw (301) is an elastic sheet integrally formed at the end of the locking ring (3). The spring claw (301) can elastically expand outward after being subjected to external force and automatically reset after the external force is removed.

5. The sand- and dust-resistant direct-plug connector plug according to claim 4, characterized in that, The fixing method of the unlocking ring (6) and the cap (5) is any one of riveting, threaded connection or welding; the spring (701) is a corrugated spring.

6. The sand-resistant, dust-resistant, direct-plug connector plug according to any one of claims 1 to 5, characterized in that, The clearance between the outer peripheral wall of the locking ring (3) and the inner peripheral wall of the cap (5) is greater than the maximum particle size of sand and dust particles in the target environment.

7. A connector employing a sand-resistant, dust-resistant, direct-plug connector plug as described in any one of claims 1 to 6, comprising a socket, the socket being adapted to the front end of the sand-resistant, dust-resistant, direct-plug connector plug, the socket comprising a socket housing (8) and a socket insulating component (9), the socket insulating component (9) being assembled inside the socket housing (8), characterized in that, The outer wall of the socket housing (8) is provided with a locking groove (801), which is adapted to the spring claw (301), and the spring claw (301) can lock and engage with the locking groove (801) to lock the plug and socket of the sand and dust resistant direct plug connector; an outer sealing ring (10) is fixedly assembled between the outer wall of the socket housing (8) and the inner wall of the unlocking ring (6), and the outer sealing ring (10) provides a sealing engagement; The socket housing (8) has a second guide surface (802) at the insertion end. The second guide surface (802) is used to cooperate with the first guide surface (302) to make the spring claw (301) elastically expand outward. When the plug and socket of the sand-resistant direct plug connector are in place, the spring claw (301) is engaged in the locking groove (801) under its own elastic force to form a locking fit structure. The inner wall of the unlocking ring (6) and the outer wall of the socket housing (8) are tightly fitted with the outer sealing ring (10) to form a sealing and protective structure that wraps the locking fit structure. When the connecting cap (5) is pulled, the connecting cap (5) compresses the elastic pressing component (7) and drives the unlocking ring (6) to move backward synchronously. The unlocking ring (6) abuts against and applies force to make the spring claw (301) elastically expand outward and get away from the locking groove (801), thereby realizing the unlocking and separation of the plug and socket of the sand-resistant direct plug connector.

8. The sand- and dust-resistant direct-plug connector according to claim 7, characterized in that, The locking groove (801) is an annular groove formed on the outer side wall of the socket housing (8), and the opening size of the locking groove (801) is adapted to the end size of the spring claw (301).

9. The sand- and dust-resistant direct-plug connector according to claim 8, characterized in that, An inner sealing ring (11) is provided between the inner wall of the socket housing (8) and the outer wall of the plug end of the plug housing (1), and the inner sealing ring (11) provides a sealing fit.

10. The sand- and dust-resistant direct-plug connector according to claim 9, characterized in that, The plug insulator component (2) is provided with a terminal block (12), and the socket insulator component (9) is provided with a female connector (13). The terminal block (12) is used to connect and cooperate with the female connector (13).

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