connectors

Abstract

Connector (10), comprising: a rear housing (12) defining a sleeve (1220), the sleeve (1220) including a projection (1228a, 1228b) and a bulb (1230); and a connector housing (14) defining a collar (1410) configured to receive the sleeve (1220) of the rear housing (12), the collar (1410) comprising: an axial channel (1412, 1414) to receive the projection (1228a, 1228b) of the rear housing (12) and a circumferential channel (1416, 1418) coupled to the axial channel (1412, 1414) to allow rotation of the rear housing (12) relative to the connector (10); and a resilient latch (1420) is mounted along the circumferential channel (1416, 1418) and arranged to be resiliently deflected by the bale (1230) when the rear housing (12) is rotated about a longitudinal axis (L) between an inserted position and a locked position, the latch (1420) including a locking mechanism (1422) for retaining the bale (1230) when fully rotated to the locked position.

Description

Field of the invention

[0001] This description generally relates to a coupling mechanism for a connector. Background of the invention

[0002] Screw-type locking mechanisms for connectors are well known in the art. For example, European patent publication number EP 2 492 566 A3 describes a connector having a threaded terminal backshell for providing sealed cable passage. The connector includes a tubular housing with an external thread, a first end having a clamp and / or sealing insert that is secured by a nut actuated on the first end of the perforated compression screw, and a second end that is secured through a hole in a component wall and in a desired position by a locknut or other fastener. Screw-type locking mechanisms can provide strength, but they are often difficult and time-consuming to assemble.

[0003] In other examples, axially loaded, longitudinally loaded, latch-like coupling mechanisms are also known in the prior art. For example, DE 20 2012 001 298 U1 describes an electrical connector comprising an outer housing connectable to an inner housing. The inner housing has axially aligned locking hooks with resilient support arms and a protruding latching lug. The outer housing includes a receiving pocket for the latching lug to engage the outer housing behind a retaining wedge when the outer housing is slid over the inner housing.

[0004] Similarly, US 2005 / 0 233 639 A1 describes an electrical connector having a connecting plug that is axially loaded in the longitudinal direction. In particular, the exemplary electrical connector includes a contact carrier and a strain relief device, wherein a circumferential radial seal is provided on the contact carrier and is inserted into a corresponding circumferential groove. The strain relief device, which is in the form of a sleeve, comprises three locking recesses. The strain relief device is pushed axially onto the contact carrier, and three locking elements arranged on the contact carrier engage the locking recesses in the strain relief device.

[0005] While known latch-type mechanisms are designed for relatively simple assembly, the latches themselves must bear an axial load, requiring larger and / or stronger materials to achieve the same axial resistance as a screw-type locking mechanism. For example, axially loading the connector by pulling typically places a large axial load on the latches, often resulting in connection failure.

[0006] Accordingly, there is a need in the art to provide an electrical connector that approximates the strength of a threaded fastener with the ease of a locking mechanism, generally to provide ease of handling and strength with a reduced profile and / or material thickness requirement. Brief description of the drawings Fig. 1 is an exploded perspective view of an exemplary electrical connector according to the present disclosure. Fig. 2 is a perspective view of an exemplary rear housing of the present disclosure. Fig. 3 is a side view of the exemplary rear housing in Fig. 2. Fig. 4 is a cross-sectional view of the exemplary rear housing taken along line 4-4 of Fig. 2. Fig. 5 is an end view of the exemplary rear housing of the Fig. 2. Fig. 6 is a side view of an exemplary cable seal according to the present invention. Fig. 7 is a cross-sectional view of the exemplary cable seal in Fig. 6. Fig. 8 is a cross-sectional view similar to Fig. 4, which shows the example backshell as assembled with the example cable seal and an example compression nut. Fig. 9 is a front perspective view of an exemplary connector housing of the present disclosure. Fig. 10 is a rear perspective view of the exemplary connector housing in Fig. 9. Fig. 11 is a front view of the exemplary connector housing in Fig. 9. Fig. 12 is a rear view of the exemplary connector housing in Fig. 9. Fig. 13 is another perspective rear view of the exemplary connector housing in Fig. 9. Fig. 14 is a perspective view of the exemplary backshell and exemplary connector of the present invention prior to assembly. Fig. 15 is a perspective view of the exemplary backshell and exemplary connector as assembled in an inserted position. Fig. 16 is a perspective view of the exemplary backshell and exemplary connector as assembled and rotated into a locking position. Fig. 17 is a side elevation view of the exemplary backshell and exemplary connector as assembled and rotated into a locking position. Fig. 18 is an enlarged perspective view of the assembled exemplary backshell and exemplary connector with a partial cross-sectional view showing the locking mechanism. Fig. 19 is a perspective view of another exemplary connector housing of the present invention having a connector. Detailed description

[0007] The following description of exemplary methods and apparatus is not intended to limit the scope of the description to the precise form or forms specifically set forth herein. Instead, the following description is provided for illustrative purposes to enable others to follow the teachings.

[0008] Referring to Fig. 1, an exemplary connector 10 in accordance with the present disclosure generally includes a backshell 12, a plug housing 14, a backshell seal 16, a cable seal 18, and a compression nut 20. In this example, each of the backshell 12, the plug housing 14, and the compression nut 20 is formed from a plastic material. Specifically, the exemplary components are made of polycarbonate (PC), but it will be appreciated by one of ordinary skill in the art that there are a variety of materials in the art, including plastics, that could be used. For example, it is understood that the materials forming the components include, but are not limited to, nylon, polybutylene terephthalate (PBT), PBT+PC blend, etc. In alternative constructions, the components may be formed from any combination of plastic and / or metal components.For example, the housings may be structurally constructed from a plastic material, while the actual locking component is made of metal (stainless steel or spring steel) and is attached to and / or formed with the housing. Furthermore, in at least one other example, the components may be constructed entirely from a metal-shell connector incorporating the type of locking system disclosed herein.

[0009] As in the Fig. 1-5, the backshell 12 is provided with a housing having an external thread 1202 on the outer peripheral surface of the backshell 12. A plurality of clamping prongs 1204 are provided at a first end 12a of the backshell and extend axially (i.e., along a longitudinal axis L) of the backshell 12. Each of the prongs 1204 is separated by a gap to allow independent deflection of the prongs 1204 radially inward and / or outward, as needed. As previously mentioned, the prongs 1204 in this example are formed from a resilient material, such as a plastic or other suitable material. A receiving lip 1206 is provided circumferentially along the inner surface of the prongs 1204.Similarly, a channel 1208 opens toward the prongs 1204 and is provided on the inner surface of the backshell 12 for limiting the insertion of the cable seal 18 into the backshell 12, as described hereinafter.

[0010] As can be seen from the Fig. 6 and Fig. 7, a corresponding receiving groove 1802 is provided on an outer surface of the cable seal 18 at one end of the seal 18, and at the other end of the cable seal is a beveled surface 1804. As in Fig. 8, the receiving groove 1802, during operation, engages the receiving lip 1206, and the beveled surface 1804 is configured to be inserted into the channel 1208. The compression nut 20 can then be tightened onto the threaded end of the backshell 12 to urge the prongs 1204 into engagement with the seal 18. In particular, as will be understood by one of ordinary skill in the art, the method of attaching the exemplary connector 10 to a cable (not shown) can include passing a cable through the compression nut 20, the cable seal 18, and the backshell 12. When the cable passes through the cable seal 18 and the back housing 12, the receiving groove 1802 at one end of the seal 18 engages the receiving lip 1206 on the inside of the prongs 1204, and the other end of the seal 18, in particular the beveled surface 1804, is inserted into the channel 1208.In this way, the position of the seal 18 at the two ends is maintained, preventing the seal 18 from moving away relative to the cable when it has been correctly installed.

[0011] With further reference to the Fig. 1-5, a second end 12b of the housing of the backshell 12 is provided with a sleeve 1220 configured for insertion into the plug housing 14. In this example, the sleeve 1220 is sized to support a plurality of electrical wire contacts (not shown) as are well known in the art. In the illustrated drawings, the sleeve may support, for example, five contacts, corresponding to the openings defined in the plug housing 14 as will be described. One skilled in the art will appreciate that the size, type, and / or number of contacts may vary as desired. The exemplary sleeve 1220 includes a flange 1222 extending radially from the outer surface of the sleeve 1220 proximate the threads 1202. During assembly of the connector 10, the flange 1222 may help limit the insertion depth of the backshell 12 into the plug housing 14.A nut 1224 may optionally be provided on the backshell 12, such as between the flange 1222 and the threads 1202, to provide a surface for mechanically tightening the backshell 12 and / or the connector 10 if necessary. The distal end of the sleeve 1220 may be provided with a circumferential channel 1226 (. Fig. 4) for receiving the rear housing seal 16 (e.g. an O-ring; Fig. 3) may be provided to provide a seal between the outer surface of the sleeve 1220 and the inner surface of the connector housing 14.

[0012] The outer surface of the sleeve 1220 is further provided with a plurality of protrusions for securely mating the backshell 12 with the connector housing 14. Specifically, in this example, the outer surface of the sleeve 1220 includes a plurality of radial protrusions 1228 circumferentially spaced about the outer surface of the sleeve 1220 and at least one locking lobe 1230. In this example, the radial protrusions include a first pair of "C-shaped" protrusions 1228a disposed on opposite sides of the sleeve 1220 and a second pair of "rectangular" protrusions 1228b similarly disposed on opposite sides of the sleeve 1220. By arranging the protrusions 1228 on opposite sides of the sleeve 1220, the backshell 12 can be coupled to the connector housing 14 in at least two orientations.Of course, it will be understood by one skilled in the art that the shape, number and / or location of the protrusions 1228 may, if desired, vary from one to many in order to increase or reduce the number of connection orientations or to provide connectors having different strength characteristics.

[0013] How best to Fig. 2 and Fig. 5, the exemplary detent ball 1230 includes a beveled surface 1230a and an opposing shoulder surface 1230b. As described in more detail below, the detent ball 1230 is disposed on the sleeve 1220 such that rotation of the backshell 12 about the longitudinal axis L, when fully received within the connector housing 14, causes the beveled surface 1230a to deflect a corresponding latch 1420 on the connector housing 14 and seat the latch against the shoulder surface 1230b.

[0014] To the Fig. 9-13, for example, the exemplary connector housing 14 includes a housing having a first end 14a that includes a plurality of female connector shells 1402 configured to mate with a corresponding male shell on a separate connector (not shown), such as a separate connector 14 having male connector shells opposite the female connector shells. The housing also includes a second end 14b that has a collar 1410 configured to fit over the sleeve 1220 of the backshell 12. In this example, the end 14a includes five female connector shells 1402 that have interlocking shapes and / or features 1404 (see Fig. 11) to allow the insertion of the corresponding outer plug (see Fig. 19) in a desired orientation. The ornamental design of the features 1404 of the shells 1402, including the number, location, shape, depth, size, etc., can be varied as desired. Similarly, as shown, the second end 14b includes a plurality of contact-receiving receptacles 1406 configured to retain wire contacts therein.

[0015] As previously mentioned, the second end 14b of the exemplary connector housing 14 includes the collar 1410, which is sized to receive the sleeve 1220 within the collar. In this example, the collar includes a plurality of axial channels 1412, 1414 formed in the sidewall and exposed through an end wall 1413 of the collar 1410. The first of the axial channels 1412 is sized and circumferentially disposed about the periphery of the collar 1410 to receive the exemplary C-shaped projections 1228a therein. Similarly, the second of the axial channels 1414 is sized and disposed to receive a pair of both the rectangular projection 1228b and the detent bulb 1230.Each of the axial channels 1412 and 1414 is operatively formed with a corresponding circumferential channel 1416, 1418 to respectively permit rotation of the projections 1228A, 1228B and the detent ball 1230 about the longitudinal axis L when the backshell 12 is fully inserted into the connector housing 14. Furthermore, as previously mentioned, a resilient latch 1420 is disposed along the periphery of the collar 1410 and biased inwardly such that the latch engages the detent ball 1230 with a corresponding slot 1422 or other securing mechanism, such as an aperture or other suitable device.

[0016] The Fig. 14-18 illustrate the operation of the exemplary connector 10. In particular, as in Fig. 14, the backshell 12 and the plug housing 14 are rotated about the longitudinal axis L until the projections 1228a, 1228b and the detent ball 1230 are properly aligned with their corresponding axial channels 1412, 1414. It will be understood by one of ordinary skill in the art that the backshell 12 and the plug housing 14 cannot be properly mated until proper alignment is achieved. Once proper alignment is achieved, the sleeve 1220 of the backshell 12 is fully inserted into the collar 1410 of the plug housing 14, such as when the end wall 1413 of the collar 1410 contacts the flange 1222, and the projections 1228a, 1228b and the detent ball 1230 are properly aligned with their circumferential channels 1416, 1418.It will also be appreciated by one skilled in the art that the sleeve 1220 of the backshell 12, once fully inserted into the connector housing 14, and in particular the housing seal 16, creates a seal between the outer surface of the sleeve 1220 and the inner surface of the collar 1410.

[0017] Furthermore, once the back housing 12 is fully inserted into the connector housing 14, as shown in Fig. 15 (e.g., an inserted position), the backshell 12 can be rotated about the longitudinal axis L relative to the connector housing 14 toward a locked position (e.g., by approximately 30°). It can be seen in this example that rotation of the backshell 12 can only be effected in a single direction R, since rotation in a direction opposite to the direction R is prevented by the projections 1228a and 1228b contacting the ends of the respective channel walls. As the backshell 12 is rotated between the inserted position toward the locked position in the direction R, the beveled surface 1230a of the bulb 1230 contacts the resilient latch 1420 and deflects the latch 1420 outwardly.As rotation continues, the bale 1230 enters the securing mechanism, such as the slot 1422, and allows the latch 1420 to return to its original state and against the shoulder 1230b, thereby capturing the bale 1230 in the slot 1422, as shown in FIGS. Fig. 16 and Fig. 17. The projections 1228a and 1228b prevent further rotation of the rear housing 12 relative to the plug housing 14 (i.e., over-rotation) by contacting an end wall of the circumferential channel 1416, and by contacting the latch 1420, respectively. Meanwhile, the latch 1420 prevents reverse rotation of the rear housing 12 relative to the plug housing 14 by maintaining the bulb 1230 within the slot 1422, and the shoulder 1230b against the inside of the locking mechanism, as shown in Fig. 18 shown.

[0018] The exemplary connector 10 thus provides a connection between the backshell 12 and the plug housing 14 that is performed quickly and easily. Specifically, the connection merely requires a user to insert the backshell 12 into the plug housing 14 and to rotate the backshell 12 a predetermined amount to engage the locking mechanism. The backshell 12 does not need to be fully rotated relative to the plug housing 14. Similarly, any axial loads in the direction of the longitudinal axis L, once fully inserted and rotated, are distributed by the projections 1228a, 1228b around the entirety of the collar 1410, thereby providing increased resistance to axial loads without placing additional stress on the latches 1420 and / or the ball 1230.

[0019] Although certain exemplary methods and apparatus have been described herein, the scope of this patent is not limited thereto. On the contrary, this patent extends to all methods, apparatus, and articles of manufacture that reasonably fall within the scope of the appended claims, either literally or under the doctrine of equivalents.

Claims

[1] Connector (10) comprising: a rear housing (12) defining a sleeve (1220), the sleeve (1220) including a projection (1228a, 1228b) and a bulb (1230); and a connector housing (14) defining a collar (1410) configured to receive the sleeve (1220) of the rear housing (12), the collar (1410) comprising: an axial channel (1412, 1414) to receive the projection (1228a, 1228b) of the rear housing (12) and a circumferential channel (1416, 1418) coupled to the axial channel (1412, 1414) to allow rotation of the rear housing (12) relative to the connector (10); and a resilient latch (1420) is mounted along the circumferential channel (1416, 1418) and arranged to be resiliently deflected by the bale (1230) when the rear housing (12) is rotated about a longitudinal axis (L) between an inserted position and a locked position, the latch (1420) including a locking mechanism (1422) for retaining the bale (1230) when fully rotated to the locked position. [2] The connector (10) of claim 1, wherein at least one of the backshell (12) or the plug housing (14) comprises a non-metallic material. [3] The connector (10) of claim 2, wherein the non-metallic material comprises at least one of polycarbonate, nylon, polybutylene terephthalate, or a combination thereof. [4] Connector (10) according to claim 1, wherein at least one of the back housing (12) or the plug housing (14) comprises a metallic material. [5] The connector (10) of claim 1, wherein the backshell (12) further comprises a plurality of clamping prongs along the periphery of the backshell (12) opposite the sleeve (1220) and extending axially from the backshell (12). [6] A connector (10) according to claim 5, wherein the clamping prongs are each separated by a gap to allow independent deflection of each of the clamping prongs. [7] Connector (10) according to claim 5, wherein at least one of the plurality of clamping prongs is elastically deflectable. [8] Connector (10) according to claim 5, further comprising a tubular cable seal (18) which can be arranged within the clamping prongs. [9] The connector (10) of claim 5, further comprising a compression nut (20) configured to be mounted to the backshell (12) on the clamping prongs, the compression nut (20) having a reduced diameter inner surface to deflect the clamping prongs inwardly. [10] Connector (10) according to claim 9, wherein the compression nut (20) is threadedly mounted to the rear housing (12). [11] The connector (10) of claim 1, wherein the sleeve (1220) is configured to support a plurality of electrical wire contacts. [12] The connector (10) of claim 1, wherein the sleeve (1220) includes a flange (1222) extending at least partially from the periphery of the sleeve (1220). [13] The connector (10) of claim 12, wherein the flange (1222) is configured to limit insertion of the sleeve (1220) into the plug housing (14). [14] The connector (10) of claim 1, wherein the latch (1420) includes an opening defining the locking mechanism (1422), the ball (1230) being retained by the opening when the backshell (12) is fully rotated to the locked position. [15] Connector (10) according to claim 14, wherein the opening is a circumferential slot in the latch (1420). [16] The connector (10) of claim 1, wherein the projection (1228a, 1228b) contacts a wall of the axial channel (1412, 1414) in the collar (1410) to limit relative rotational movement between the backshell (12) and the connector about the longitudinal axis (L). [17] The connector (10) of claim 1, further comprising a housing seal disposed between an outer surface of the sleeve (1220) and an inner surface of the collar. [18] Connector (10) comprising: a rear housing defining a sleeve (1220), the sleeve (1220) comprising a plurality of circumferentially spaced projections and a bulb (1230); and a connector housing defining a collar (1410) configured to receive the sleeve (1220) of the backshell (12), the collar (1410) comprising: a plurality of circumferential spaced axial channels (1412, 1414) for receiving the plurality of projections of the sleeve (1220) of the backshell (12) and a plurality of circumferential channels, each circumferential channel being operatively coupled to one of the axial channels (1412, 1414) to enable axial insertion of the collar (1410) into the sleeve (1220) and to enable rotation of the backshell (12) relative to the plug housing (14) about the longitudinal axis (L); and a resilient latch (1420) is mounted along at least one of the circumferential channels (1416, 1418), the latch (1420) being arranged to be resiliently deflected by the bale (1230) when the rear housing (12) is rotated about a longitudinal axis (L) to a locked position, the latch (1420) comprising a locking mechanism (1422) for retaining the bale (1230) when fully rotated to the locked position. [19] The connector (10) of claim 18, wherein the sleeve (1220) includes a flange (1222) extending at least partially from the periphery of the sleeve (1220). [20] The connector (10) of claim 19, wherein the flange (1222) is positioned to limit insertion of the sleeve (1220) into the plug housing (14). [21] The connector (10) of claim 18, wherein the locking mechanism (1422) comprises a circumferential slot, and wherein the ball (1230) is retained by the slot when the backshell (12) is fully rotated to the locked position. [22] The connector (10) of claim 18, wherein at least one of the projections contacts an inner wall of at least one of the axial channels (1412, 1414) in the collar (1410) to limit relative rotational movement between the backshell (12) and the connector (10) about the longitudinal axis (L).

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