High ingress protection electrical connector

Abstract

The electrical connector includes a connector housing including an opening, a grommet disposed at least partially within the connector housing and configured to seal an interior of the connector housing from an external medium, and a clamp disposed about the opening, the grommet including an inner aperture configured to receive an electrical wire, the clamp including an outer aperture configured to receive an electrical wire, a passage extending from the outer aperture to the inner aperture, and at least one rib forming a boundary of the passage.

Description

[Technical field]

[0001] CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 63 / 304,693, filed January 30, 2022, the contents of which are incorporated by reference in their entirety and for all purposes.

[0002] FIELD OF THE DISCLOSURE The present disclosure relates generally to electrical connectors, including electrical connectors having enhanced ingress protection against dust, water, and other environments. [Background technology]

[0003] Electrical connectors may provide protection against the ingress of foreign objects such as dust and water. Summary of the Invention

[0004] An exemplary embodiment of an electrical connector includes a connector housing including an opening, a grommet disposed at least partially within the connector housing and configured to seal an interior of the connector housing from an external medium, and a clamp disposed about the opening. The grommet includes an inner aperture configured to receive an electrical wire. The clamp includes an outer aperture configured to receive an electrical wire, a passage extending from the outer aperture to the inner aperture, and at least one rib forming a boundary of the passage.

[0005] Another exemplary embodiment of an electrical connector includes a connector housing including an opening, a grommet disposed at least partially within the connector housing and configured to seal an interior of the connector housing from an external medium, and a clamp disposed about the opening. The grommet includes an inner aperture configured to receive an electrical wire, a first grommet portion having a first surface, and a second grommet portion having a second surface. The first surface abuts the connector housing and the second surface abuts the clamp.

[0006] Another exemplary embodiment of an electrical connector includes a connector housing including a rear opening, a grommet disposed at least partially within an intermediate portion of the connector housing and configured to seal an interior of the connector housing from an external medium, a clamp disposed about the rear opening, and an O-ring positioned about a front portion of the connector housing and having an X-shaped cross-sectional profile. [Brief description of the drawings]

[0007] [Figure 1] FIG. 1 is a front perspective view of an exemplary electrical connector plug. [Diagram 2] FIG. 2 is a rear perspective view of an exemplary electrical connector plug. [Diagram 3] FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view of the exemplary electrical connector plug taken along line 3-3 of FIG. [Figure 4A] FIG. 2 is a rear view of a first configuration of an exemplary electrical connector plug. [Figure 4B] FIG. 13 is a rear view of a second configuration of the exemplary electrical connector plug. [Diagram 5] FIG. 1 is a front perspective view of an exemplary electrical connector plug clamp assembly. [Figure 6A] FIG. 2 is a perspective view of an exemplary grommet of an exemplary electrical connector plug. [Figure 6B] FIG. 6B is a side view of the grommet of FIG. 6A. [Figure 7]1 is a side cross-sectional view of an exemplary electrical connector plug mated with an exemplary electrical connector receptacle. [Figure 8] FIG. 1 is a perspective view of an exemplary electrical connector receptacle. [Figure 9] FIG. 1 is a perspective view of an exemplary electrical connector receptacle. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0008] The novel electrical connectors of the present disclosure can provide a high degree of ingress protection through the use of a housing and clamp that provides support and structure around the sealing grommet, protects the grommet from external forces, and prevents the grommet from shifting or slipping. The clamp can accommodate different grommet sizes to accommodate different wire sizes, which can simplify the connector construction and assembly process in some embodiments. Additionally, the novel electrical connectors of the present disclosure can include an X-profile O-ring that seals the connection between the plug and receptacle.

[0009] Referring now to the drawings, like numerals refer to the same or similar features in the various views. FIGS. 1-3 show an exemplary electrical connector plug 100. The connector plug 100 may include a signal subassembly 102, a housing 110, a clamp 120, and a grommet 130. The clamp 120 may be positioned around a rear opening of the housing 110 and may include a first clamp portion 122 and a second clamp portion 124, which may collectively form one or more outer apertures 123. Each outer aperture 123 may be continuous with a respective inner aperture 133 defined by the grommet 130, thereby forming a passageway. In operation, a respective electrical wire or cable may extend through each inner aperture 133 to the signal subassembly 102 and be electrically coupled to a respective electrical contact of the signal subassembly 102. The jacket of the electrical wire or cable may be of substantially the same outer diameter as the diameter of the inner aperture 133, thereby sealing the signal subassembly 102 from environmental intrusion. The electrical wire or cable connected to the signal subassembly 102 may extend further beyond the connector through the outer aperture 123 for connection to a source or destination of the electrical signal.

[0010] The clamp 120 may include a grip 112, which may be a textured recess configured to receive a user's fingers and ergonomically facilitate use of the electrical connector 100. Thus, a user may use the grip 112 to attach and detach the connector 100 to and from another connector. The grip 112 may be provided on a lateral front edge 156 of the clamp 120. The first and second clamp portions 122, 124 may each include two front outer edges 156.

[0011] The clamp 120 can include one or more features that provide strain relief and ingress protection while still allowing the same clamp 120 to be used with multiple different wire sizes. For example, in a first configuration, such as the configuration shown in FIG. 4A, the first clamp portion 122 and the second clamp portion 124 can be flush or substantially flush with one another (e.g., parallel planes formed by the flat surfaces of the first clamp portion 122 and the second clamp portion 124 are in contact). In the first configuration, the one or more outer apertures 123 can be relatively small to accommodate relatively small wires. In a second configuration, such as the configuration shown in FIG. 4B, the first clamp portions can be spaced apart from one another such that a gap 125 is formed between the flat surfaces of the first clamp portion 122 and the second clamp portion 124. In the second configuration, the one or more outer apertures 123 can be relatively large to accommodate relatively large wires. This dynamic range of aperture 123 sizes allows clamp 120 to better reduce strain on the wire or wires due to a tighter fit of the wires within aperture 123. The first and second configurations of Figures 4A and 4B are identical except for the different grommet sizes. Specifically, the configuration of Figure 4A includes a thinner grommet with a smaller diameter aperture, and the configuration of Figure 4B includes a thicker grommet with a larger diameter aperture.

[0012] To maintain the structural integrity of the entire connector plug 100, and particularly the structural integrity of the outer aperture 123 in multiple configurations (e.g., for multiple wire and grommet sizes), the clamp may include one or more protective ribs. As shown in Figures 4B and 5, these protective ribs may include a first outer rib 126a, a first inner rib 126b, a second inner rib 127b, and a second outer rib 127a. The first outer rib 126a and the first inner rib 126b (collectively referred to as "first ribs 126") may extend outwardly from a left side of the first clamp portion 122, and the second outer rib 127a and the second inner rib 127b (collectively referred to as "second ribs 127") may extend outwardly from a right side of the second clamp portion 124. The second clamp portion 124 may also include a second outer groove 128a and a second inner groove 128b (collectively referred to as "second grooves 128") that may be configured to receive the first outer rib 126a and the first inner rib 126b, respectively. Similarly, the first clamp portion 122 may include a first outer recess 129a and a second outer groove 129b (collectively referred to as "first grooves 129") that may be configured to receive the second outer rib 127a and the second inner rib 127b, respectively.

[0013] When the second clamp portion 124 is mated with the first clamp portion 122, the second rib 127 of the second clamp portion 124 may be configured to fit within the first groove 129 of the first clamp portion 122, while the second groove 128 of the second clamp portion 124 may be configured to receive the first rib 126 of the first clamp portion 122. In this manner, when the first clamp portion 122 and the second clamp portion 124 are mated but not flush (e.g., the second configuration of FIG. 4B), the protective rib may extend longitudinally between the clamp portions and be partially exposed to define the lateral boundaries of the outer apertures 123, providing structure for mating and protection between the outer apertures 123. The protective rib thus allows the connector plug 100 to accommodate larger wire sizes without sacrificing structural integrity while maintaining a high level of insulation from the outside medium.

[0014] In some embodiments, the first clamp portion 122 and the second clamp portion 124 may be the same (or substantially the same components), and the second clamp portion 124 may be a 180 degree mirror image of the first clamp portion 122. Similarly, the first rib 126 and the second rib 127 may be substantially identical, and the first groove 129 and the second groove 128 may be substantially identical.

[0015] 6A and 6B show an exemplary grommet 130 in greater detail. The grommet 130 can receive one or more wires through an inner aperture 133 and seal the connection between those wires and the internal signal subassembly 102 inside the housing 110 from outside media. The grommet 130 may be made of a flexible material (e.g., silicone rubber) that is compressible without compromising its structural integrity.

[0016] The grommet 130 can include a first grommet portion 132, a second grommet portion 134, and one or more inner apertures 133 that can be continuous with one or more outer apertures 123 of the clamp 120. The second grommet portion 134 can be positioned between the first grommet portion 132 and a rear opening of the housing 110 in which the clamp 120 can be positioned. In some embodiments, such as shown in FIG. 6A, the first grommet portion 132 can be larger than the second grommet portion 134 (e.g., the perimeter of the outer surface of the first grommet portion 132 is larger than the perimeter of the outer surface of the second grommet portion 134) such that the grommet 130 includes a stepped chamfer 135. The outer surfaces of each of the first grommet portion 132 and the second grommet portion 134 are parallel to an axis 133a defined by the center of the inner aperture 133.

[0017] 3, stepped chamfer 135 of grommet 130 allows the grommet to fit snugly against both housing 110 and clamp 120. In particular, first grommet portion 132 may abut housing 110 and second grommet portion 134 may abut clamp 120, such that grommet 130 receives pressure from both housing 110 and clamp 120.

[0018] The contact of the grommet 130 with the housing 110 and the clamp 120, respectively, provides at least three primary advantages. First, the overall surface area of ​​the grommet 130 in contact with the exterior structural portion of the plug connector 100 is increased, thereby increasing the frictional resistance that prevents movement of the grommet 130 within the connector plug 100. To this end, each of the first grommet portion 132 and the second grommet portion 134 may further include a textured exterior surface (ribs, ridges, etc.) configured to further increase the surface area of ​​the grommet 130 in contact with the housing 110 and the clamp 120, thereby increasing the amount of relative friction. Second, the stepped chamfer allows the grommet 130 to make surface contact with the clamp 120 in a plane perpendicular to the aperture 133. This perpendicular contact provides a stop for the grommet 130 and increases the frictional resistance, further preventing movement of the grommet 130 within the connector plug. Third, the first grommet portion 132 provides structural support to the housing 110 in the absence of support due to the empty space between the grommet 130 and the signal subassembly 102. Because the grommet 130 is in direct contact with the housing 110, the grommet 130 is prevented from compressing the housing 110 due to compressive forces applied to the housing 110. This can prevent the bracket from buckling or warping.

[0019] In addition to providing a seal and support at the rear of the connector 100 as described above, the connector 100 may have the additional function of providing a seal at the front of the connector 100. For example, referring to FIG. 7, the connector plug 100 is shown mated with the connector receptacle 200. An "x" profile (i.e., X-shaped) O-ring 140 positioned around the connector plug 100 may seal the internal connection between the connectors 100, 200 from external debris (e.g., water, dust, etc.). The "x" refers to the cross-sectional shape of the O-ring 140 when cut across its entire width. This cross-sectional shape may provide advantages over existing O-rings (e.g., having a circular cross-section) used in electrical connectors. First, the "x" shape has a total of four contact points with the surrounding surfaces (e.g., two contact points with the connector plug 100 and two contact points with the connector receptacle 200), thus providing a better seal than existing circular O-rings that only have a single contact point with each surface. Second, in part due to the additional contact points, the "x" shaped O-ring 140 requires less compressive force to form a seal, thereby reducing strain on and increasing the useful life of the O-ring 140. The "x" shaped O-ring 140 may be made of an elastomer.

[0020] The connector housing 110 may include a forward portion 150 having a relatively smaller outer width and a middle portion 152 having a relatively larger outer width. An angled transition wall 154 may be disposed between the forward portion 150 and the middle portion 152. The O-ring 140 may be disposed around the middle portion 152 rearward of the transition wall 154.

[0021] Referring to FIG. 8, a perspective view of an exemplary electrical connector receptacle 200 is shown. The receptacle 200 includes an outer portion 202 having a relatively large inner width, an inner portion 204 having a relatively small width, and an angled intermediate wall 206 between the outer portion 202 and the inner portion 204. The connector receptacle 200 can be configured to mate with the connector plug 100 (e.g., as shown in FIG. 7) by fitting the outer portion 202 around the forward portion 150 of the connector plug 100. Upon mating, the O-ring 140 contacts the inner surface of the outer portion 202 and forms a seal as described above. Because the inner width of the outer portion 202 is larger than the inner portion 204, the O-ring 140 may not interact with the connector receptacle 200 until the connector plug 100 is substantially inserted, preventing unnecessary wear on the O-ring 140 and improving the smoothness of the insertion process.

[0022] 9 illustrates an exemplary electrical connector wall receptacle 300 that is similarly configured to mate with connector plug 100 and includes an outer lip 302 and an inner lip. Although not shown, both connector receptacle 200 and wall receptacle 300 have a back structure that may be identical to the structure of the back portion of connector plug 100 illustrated and described herein.

[0023] Although the present disclosure describes specific embodiments, it will be understood that the claims are not intended to be limited to those embodiments, unless expressly set forth in the claims. On the contrary, the present disclosure is intended to cover alternatives, modifications, and equivalents that may be included within the spirit and scope of the present disclosure. Furthermore, in the detailed description of the present disclosure, numerous specific details have been set forth in order to provide a thorough understanding of the disclosed embodiments. However, it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that systems and methods consistent with the present disclosure may be practiced without these specific details. In other instances, well-known methods, procedures, components, and circuits have not been described in detail so as not to unnecessarily obscure various aspects of the present disclosure.

Claims

1. An electrical connector comprising: a connector housing including an opening; a grommet disposed at least partially within the connector housing and configured to seal an interior of the connector housing from an external medium, the grommet including an inner aperture configured to receive an electrical wire; a clamp disposed about the opening; The clamp comprises: an outer aperture configured to receive the electrical wire; a passageway extending from the outer aperture to the inner aperture; and at least one rib forming a boundary of the passage; Electrical connector.

2. the clamp further comprises a first clamp portion and a second clamp portion, the at least one rib comprises a first rib and a second rib; the first clamping portion includes the first rib and a first groove; the second clamping portion includes the second rib and the second groove; the first rib is configured to fit within the second groove; The electrical connector of claim 1 , wherein the second rib is configured to fit within the first groove.

3. In a first configuration, the first rib is substantially received within the second groove and the second rib is substantially received within the first groove; 3. The electrical connector of claim 2, wherein in a second configuration, the first rib is partially received within the second groove and partially exposed, and the second rib is partially received within the first groove and partially exposed.

4. 3. The electrical connector of claim 2, wherein said first clamp portion is substantially identical to said second clamp portion.

5. the grommet includes a first grommet portion having a first surface and a second grommet portion having a second surface; the first surface abuts the connector housing; The electrical connector of claim 1 , wherein the second surface abuts the clamp.

6. The electrical connector of claim 1 , wherein the passage defines a longitudinal direction and the at least one rib extends longitudinally to define a lateral boundary of the passage.

7. 10. The electrical connector of claim 1, further comprising an O-ring positioned about said connector housing and having an X-shaped cross-sectional profile.

8. 10. The electrical connector of claim 1, wherein the connector housing further includes a concave textured portion configured to provide an ergonomic grip to the connector housing.

9. An electrical connector comprising: a connector housing including an opening; a grommet disposed at least partially within the connector housing and configured to seal an interior of the connector housing from an exterior medium, an inner aperture configured to receive an electrical wire; a first grommet portion having a first surface; and a second grommet portion having a second surface; a clamp disposed about the opening; the first surface abuts the connector housing and the second surface abuts the clamp; Electrical connector.

10. The clamp is an outer aperture configured to receive the electrical wire; a passageway extending from the outer aperture to the inner aperture; 10. The electrical connector of claim 9, further comprising at least one rib forming a boundary of said passageway.

11. 10. The electrical connector of claim 9, wherein the first surface and the second surface are substantially parallel to an axis defined by a center of the inner aperture.

12. The electrical connector of claim 9 , wherein the second grommet portion is positioned between the first grommet portion and the opening.

13. the electrical connector includes a first configuration and a second configuration; the second grommet portion is thicker in the second configuration than in the first configuration; 10. The electrical connector of claim 9, wherein the diameter of the inner aperture is larger in the second configuration than in the first configuration.

14. 10. The electrical connector of claim 9, further comprising an O-ring positioned about the connector housing and having an X-shaped cross-sectional profile.

15. 10. The electrical connector of claim 9, wherein the connector housing further includes a concave textured portion configured to provide an ergonomic grip to the connector housing.

16. An electrical connector comprising: a connector housing including a rear opening; a grommet disposed at least partially within an intermediate portion of the connector housing and configured to seal an interior of the connector housing from an exterior medium; a clamp disposed about the rear opening; an O-ring positioned about a front portion of the connector housing and having an X-shaped cross-sectional profile; Electrical connector.

17. The grommet is an inner aperture configured to receive an electrical wire; a first grommet portion having a first surface that abuts the intermediate portion of the connector housing; a second grommet portion having a second surface that abuts the clamp; The clamp is an outer aperture configured to receive the electrical wire; a passageway extending from the outer aperture to the inner aperture; 17. The electrical connector of claim 16, further comprising at least one rib forming a boundary of the passageway.

18. 17. The electrical connector of claim 16, wherein an outer width of the front portion is relatively smaller than an outer width of the intermediate portion, the front portion being configured to be received by a connector receptacle.

19. 20. The electrical connector of claim 18, wherein the O-ring contacts the front portion at at least two points and contacts the connector receptacle at at least two points.

20. 17. The electrical connector of claim 16, wherein the connector housing further includes a concave textured portion configured to provide an ergonomic grip to the connector housing.

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