Bayonet Electrical Connector With Concentric Contacts and Quick Latch Release
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing bayonet-style electrical connectors are tedious and difficult to repeatedly connect and disconnect, lacking in simplicity and reliability compared to typical connectors.
Innovation Solution
A bayonet electrical connector design featuring a male connector with concentric tubular conductors and a spring-loaded female connector with a latch mechanism, allowing for quick and secure connection and disconnection while maintaining reliable electrical contact during 360-degree rotation.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a bayonet-style electrical connector is used, then the connection provides secure engagement and electrical contact, but the connection and disconnection process becomes tedious and difficult to repeat
Solution Approach 1:
The connector employs a dynamic bayonet engagement mechanism where the male and female connectors rotate relative to each other during connection, transitioning from a linear insertion motion to a locked rotational position. This dynamic engagement allows for secure mechanical and electrical connection while maintaining operational simplicity through a single continuous motion sequence.
2Reliability
If multiple concentric tubular conductors are used, then electrical contact reliability is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The connector utilizes a nested concentric tubular conductor configuration where multiple electrical conductors are arranged one inside another along the central axis. The innermost conductor is surrounded by an intermediate tubular conductor, which is in turn surrounded by an outer tubular conductor. This nesting arrangement provides multiple independent electrical contact paths while maintaining a compact cylindrical form factor and simplifying the overall structural design.
Solution Approach 2:
The electrical connection is segmented into multiple independent conductive paths through the concentric tubular structure. Each tubular conductor serves as a separate electrical contact element, allowing the system to provide multiple electrical connections simultaneously. This segmentation enhances reliability by distributing the electrical contact function across multiple independent elements rather than relying on a single contact point.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
Simplifies the connection process while enhancing the reliability and accuracy of electrical connections, enabling quick and secure engagement and disengagement of male and female connectors.
Implementation Method 1
movement toward an electrical cable of the female connector compresses a spring of the spring-loaded sleeve and moves the latch to disengage the latch from the latch cavity of the male connector
Implementation Method 2
the spring is disposed between a shoulder of the spring-loaded sleeve and a wall of the internal engagement sleeve such that, absent an external force, the spring pushes the shoulder of the spring-loaded sleeve toward the outer flange
Data Source
AI summary
An electrical connector includes a male connector and a female connector. The male connector has a housing, a first tubular conductor, a second tubular conductor, and an inner conductor. The first tubular conductor is carried by the housing and has an exposed first cylindrical contact surface. The second tubular conductor has an exposed second cylindrical contact surface of a smaller diameter than the first cylindrical contact surface. The inner conductor has an exposed contact surface that has a smaller diameter than the second cylindrical contact surface. The female connector has a non-conductive female connector housing and three electrical contacts carried by the female connector housing. Each of the three electrical contacts electrically connect, with the male connector engaged with the female connector, to a respective one of the contact surfaces of the male connector.