U.S. patent number 3,643,208 [Application Number 04/826,323] was granted by the patent office on 1972-02-15 for underwater separable connector.
This patent grant is currently assigned to Massa Division, Dynamics Corporation of America. Invention is credited to Frank Massa, Jr..
United States Patent |
3,643,208 |
Massa, Jr. |
February 15, 1972 |
UNDERWATER SEPARABLE CONNECTOR
Abstract
A shielded underwater cable terminates at a connector located
inside a cylindrical metal sleeve. The sleeve serves the dual
function of retaining a potting compound which mechanically
protects the connector and of electrically shielding the connector
region. In addition, the cable shield and sleeve are interconnected
by plug and socket connectors also located inside the sleeve so
that there is a positive electrical connection between the shields
in two cables when two mating connector halves are put
together.
Inventors: |
Massa, Jr.; Frank (Cohasset,
MA) |
Assignee: |
Massa Division, Dynamics
Corporation of America (Hingham, MA)
|
Family
ID: |
25246242 |
Appl.
No.: |
04/826,323 |
Filed: |
May 21, 1969 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
439/606; 439/387;
439/936; 439/276 |
Current CPC
Class: |
H01R
13/523 (20130101); Y10S 439/936 (20130101) |
Current International
Class: |
H01R
13/523 (20060101); H01r 013/52 () |
Field of
Search: |
;339/143,89,218,136,102,94,14,6M,196,59 |
References Cited
[Referenced By]
U.S. Patent Documents
Foreign Patent Documents
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
986,541 |
|
Mar 1951 |
|
FR |
|
340,088 |
|
Dec 1930 |
|
GB |
|
955,432 |
|
Apr 1964 |
|
GB |
|
246,921 |
|
Oct 1964 |
|
NL |
|
Primary Examiner: Moore; Richard E.
Claims
I claim:
1. A separable underwater electrical connector for use in deep
water, said connector comprising two connector portions having plug
and socket terminal means respectively, each of said connector
portions including a rigid block of insulating material, a
plurality of pin terminal means located within the rigid insulating
block in one portion of said connector, a plurality of socket
terminal means located within the rigid block in the other portion
of said connector, a metallic sleeve surrounding the periphery of
and extending beyond each of said rigid blocks of insulating
material, waterproof jacketed cable means including an electrical
shield surrounding a plurality of insulated electrical conductors,
means for electrically connecting said shield in each of said cable
means to a corresponding one of said metallic sleeves and to one of
said electrical terminals in the corresponding portion of said
separable connector, said insulated electrical conductors being
connected to other of said electrical terminal means, and a rigid
potting compound filling the terminal region bounded by the inside
surface of said metal sleeve, a surface of said insulating block,
and the exposed end of said cable.
2. The invention in claim 1 and a waterproof elastomer compound
molded over the outside surface of said metallic sleeve and sealed
to the outside jacket of said cable.
3. The invention in claim 2 wherein said elastomer is molded over
the metallic sleeve on one connector half to form an electrically
shielded plug, said elastomer being molded over and projecting
beyond the sleeve on the other connector half to form a shielded
terminal region having a cavity therein, whereby said two connector
halves are almost completely shielded throughout the terminal
region.
4. A plug end portion of a separable underwater connector for use
in deep water, said plug comprising a rigid block of insulating
material having a front surface and a rear surface, holes in said
insulating block, electrically conducting pin terminals having
enlarged flange portions thereon, said pins snugly passing through
said holes in said insulating block, and resting with said flange
portions against the rear surface of said block with the pins
projecting beyond the front surface of said insulating block, a
jacketed underwater cable containing at least one insulated
electrical conductor surrounded by a shield located beneath said
jacket, a metallic sleeve sealed to the periphery of said
insulating block with the open end of said sleeve projecting away
from the rear surface of said insulating block toward the end of
said shield of the jacketed cable sufficient to effectively provide
shielded continuity between the sleeve and shield, means for
electrically connecting said shield to said metallic sleeve and to
one of said pin terminals, means for electrically connecting said
insulated conductor to another one of said pin terminals, and a
rigid potting compound means filling the terminal region contained
within said metal sleeve and extending from the rear surface of
said insulating block to the end of said cable jacket.
5. The invention in claim 4 and means comprising an elastomer
compound molded over the outside surface of said metallic sleeve
and sealing the outside jacket of said cable.
6. The invention in claim 5 further characterized in that said
elastomer compound is molded to form a cup-shaped extension cavity
surrounding the terminal pins projecting beyond the front surface
of said insulating block.
7. The invention in claim 6 further characterized in that the open
end of said cup-shaped cavity is terminated by a flangelike
peripheral projection extending outwardly at right angles to its
open end.
8. A socket end portion of a separable underwater connector
comprising a rigid block of insulating material having a front
surface and a rear surface, counterbored holes in said insulating
block with the smaller portion of the counterbored holes passing
through the front surface of said insulating block, socket terminal
means in each hole, the dimensions of said socket terminal
assemblies enabling an insertion of said terminals snugly into the
counterbored holes from the rear surface of said insulating block,
a jacketed waterproof cable containing at least one insulated
electrical conductor surrounded by a shield located beneath said
jacket, a metallic sleeve sealed to the periphery of said
insulating block with the open end of said sleeve projecting away
from the rear surface of said insulating block and extending toward
the end of said shield of the cable sufficient to effectively
provide shielded continuity between the sleeve and shield, said
cable shield being electrically connected to said metallic sleeve
and to one of said socket terminals, said insulated conductor being
electrically connected to another one of said socket terminals, and
a rigid potting compound filling the region contained within said
metallic sleeve and extending from the rear surface of said
insulating block to the exposed end of said cable jacket.
9. The invention in claim 8 further characterized in that an
elastomer compound is molded around the outside surface of said
metallic sleeve and sealed to the outside jacket of said cable.
10. The invention in claim 9 further characterized in that said
elastomer compound is molded to form a projecting cylindrical wall
plug portion surrounding the outer periphery of said rigid
insulating block and at least part of said sleeve.
11. The invention in claim 10 further characterized in that the
base section of said projecting cylindrical wall portion is
terminated by a flangelike peripheral area extending outwardly in a
plane normal to said plug.
Description
This invention relates generally to separable electrical
connectors, and more particularly to new and improved connectors
for use in underwater applications.
Reference is made to a copending application entitled "Underwater
Separable Connector," Ser. No. 660,328, filed Aug. 14, 1967, by
Frank Massa, and assigned to the assignee of this invention. This
is an improvement over the invention shown in that earlier
copending application.
Underwater electrical connectors of the described type generally
have a rubberlike jacket which is bonded to the outer covering of
an underwater cable. Inside the cable jacket is a metallic shield
which provides electrical shielding protection for the wires inside
the cable. The cable also includes a number of insulated wires or
conductors which are attached to a first connector half having
either a set of plug terminals or a set of socket terminals.
Another similarly shielded cable has its insulated conductors
connected to a similar second connector half which includes
terminals that mate with the terminals in the first half. Thus,
these two cables may be joined together by making a simple plug and
socket connection.
It is desirable to arrange the connectors to also connect the
shields in the two cables when the two connector halves are put
together. Moreover, it is sometimes necessary to improve the
ruggedness of the plug or pin terminals so that they will withstand
a greater twisting force when the two mating connector halves are
brought into engagement or disengagement.
Accordingly, an object of this invention is to provide a new and
improved underwater separable connector. A more particular object
is to provide means for interconnecting the cable shields in two
cables through the plug and socket portions of the connector
assembly which are also used for making electrical connections
between the cables.
In keeping with an aspect of this invention, these and other
objects are accomplished through a use of an electrically
conductive, cylindrical sleeve which serves both as an electrical
shield extension of the cable shield and an enclosure for receiving
a potting compound. The cable shield is electrically connected to
the sleeve and to a plug or socket terminal. The potting compound
is poured into the sleeve enclosure where it sets up solid, without
heat, to consolidate the region between the cable jacket and a base
of the plug or socket terminal assemblies. When the two connector
halves are brought together, the enclosure becomes an important
part of the shielding, and the cable shields are electrically
joined together by the plug and socket terminals.
These and other objects and features of the invention are provided
by a preferred embodiment, which is described in the following
specification and attached drawings, in which:
FIG. 1 is a perspective view of two cable sections which are joined
together by the inventive connector;
FIG. 2 is a plan view of one end of a shielded two-conductor
underwater cable terminated in a waterproof socket;
FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view of the waterproof socket, taken
along the line 3--3 of FIG. 2;
FIG. 4 is a plan view of the end of the mating portion or plug end
of the underwater connector which is attached to a two-conductor
shielded underwater cable; and
FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional view of the plug-end connector taken
along the line 5--5 of FIG. 3.
FIG. 1 shows two underwater cables 20, 21 each of which includes
any suitable number of wires-- such as the exemplary two wires
shown at 22, 23. These cables preferably have waterproof,
rubberlike outer jackets. The wires are, respectively, connected to
terminals in a socket half of a connector 24 and a plug half of a
connector 25. Then, a waterproof jacket is molded over each of
these connector halves. For example, the socket half 24 is covered
by a jacket beginning at 26 with a waterproof bond to the cable 20
and ending at 27 in a molded flange (not visible in FIG. 1).
Likewise, the plug half 25 is also covered by a jacket beginning at
28 with a waterproof bond to the cable 21 and ending at a molded
flange near 29. A pair of mating threaded ring clamps fit over the
jacket flanges. When these threaded ring clamps are joined and the
knurled ring 30 is turned, the jacket flanges are squeezed together
to make a waterproof bond between the two halves 24, 25.
For a better understanding of the socket half 24 of the connector,
reference may be made to FIGS. 2 and 3 which show a rigid
electrical block 31 provided with three counterbored holes 32, 33
and 34. Three tubular, metallic sockets 35, 36 and 37 are located
inside the three holes 32-34. Each tubular socket contains three
peripherally spaced, pierced tabs (as at 38). These tabs are bent
or inclined toward the center line of the tubular sleeves. Thus,
there is a mechanical contact pressure between the socket and
plug.
The tubular sleeves or sockets 35-37 are electrically and
mechanically connected by soldering (or other suitable means) to
shouldered terminal lugs 42 and 43. The diameter of one of the
terminal sockets 35 is preferably made larger than the diameter of
the remaining sockets to provide a positive means for polarizing
the cable terminal.
The insulated cable conductors 22 are electrically connected by
soldering or clamping to the terminal lugs 43. The other cable
conductor 22 (which does not appear in FIG. 3) is connected to
another terminal lug in the counterbored hole 34 (FIG. 2).
The cable 20 includes a metallic shielding 45 just beneath the
waterproof jacket. This shielding is connected by wire 46 to one of
the sockets, preferably the larger socket 35. Those who are skilled
in the art will readily understand the nature of and need for this
shielding. It is somewhat like a woven sleeve of metallic wire.
This woven sleeve mechanically protects the wire against damage and
electrically shields the cable from stray potentials in the ambient
surroundings.
Means are provided for extending the electrical shielding into the
region of the socket terminals. This shielding means also provides
the second function of containing the potting material which
strengthens the terminal area.
In greater detail, an electrically conductive sleeve 50 is located,
as shown, surrounding the periphery of the insulating block 31 and
extending back through the connector terminal region to the jacket
of cable 20. The shield 45 from the underwater cable 20 is
electrically connected to the end of the sleeve 50 by any suitable
means. An electrical connection is also made between the sleeve 50
and the terminal lug 35 by means of the electrical conductor
46.
After the electrical connections are completed, the end of the
cable 20 is pushed into the open end of the sleeve 50. Then, a
potting compound 51, such as epoxy, is poured into the sleeve 50 in
order to encapsulate the entire terminal region, contained within
the conducting sleeve 50. The encapsulated region ends at the
insulating block 31 and at the exposed end of the cable 20. After
the encapsulation of this region, a rubber compound or other
suitable elastomer 24 is molded to the cable jacket at 26 and to
the periphery of the sleeve 50 and associated assembled terminal
structure.
A projecting circular flange portion 27 is preferably formed in the
molded rubber structure. This flange provides a means for
mechanically securing the connector jacket 24 to a similar
peripheral mating flange portion of the connector 25. A retaining
ring 30 is provided with threads on a seat which fits against the
shoulder of the peripheral flange 27. These threads mate with
threads on a retaining ring 30a on the connector portion 25.
The construction of the plug portion of the waterproof connector is
illustrated in FIGS. 4 and 5. Here, another circular disk of
electrical insulating material 55 is also provided with three holes
which receive the terminal pins 56, 57 and 58. These pins are
preferably provided with enlarged flange portions which set off the
region of the terminal lugs 71 and 72.
The pins may be inserted from the inside surface of the insulating
disk. The diameters of the holes are such that the full diameters
of the pins 56-58 are snugly fitted throughout the entire thickness
of the insulating disk 55. This fit insures a maximum strength for
the terminal pins.
The same reference numerals, with the letter "a" suffix, identify
parts in the connector half 25 of FIG. 5 which correspond to
similar parts in the connector half 24 in FIG. 3. Since these parts
have already been described, it is thought that no further comments
need be made in connection with the connector half 25.
During a final molding operation, a rubberlike compound is applied
over both of the assemblies described thus far in order to form the
waterproof outer jackets which cover the rigid insulator blocks 31,
55 and the shield-sleeves 50, 55a. This compound forms a long
tapered portion flaring smoothly from the cable to the jacket
flange. A relatively heavy wall of rubber is molded to form a
recessed cuplike cavity 75 within which the plug terminals 56, 57
are contained.
A similar heavy wall of rubber is formed as a plug 76 for
containing socket terminals. The diameter of the molded rubber
cavity 75 surrounding the plug terminals of FIG. 5 is chosen to
produce an interference fit relative to the diameter of plug 76
(FIG. 3).
When the two mating portions 24, 25 are connected together, the
cable shields of the two cables are electrically connected to each
other through the plug or pin 56 and the socket terminal 35. The
cross-sectional view of FIGS. 3 and 5 shows that the electrically
conducting sleeves 50 and 50a form an effective extension of the
cable shields so that the shielding is electrically completed
throughout the terminal region. Thus, after the connectors are
completely engaged, the shielding is practically continuous except
for a very small clearance portion of the interface of the plug 76
and cavity 75. The plug and cavity form a waterproof seal owing to
the interference fit. Moreover, the threaded retaining ring clamps
30 and 30a located over the cylindrical bodies of the connector
halves may be tightened after electrical and mechanical engagement
of the connector halves. The ring clamps apply pressure against the
mating flange portions 27 and 29, thus squeezing them together and
preventing accidental disengagement of the connectors during
vibration or when tension forces are applied to the cables.
The invention is described below in connection with a particular
embodiment which illustrates the basic principles of the invention.
However, it should be obvious to those who are skilled in the art
that various modifications are possible without departing from the
principles shown and described herein. Therefore, the appended
claims should be construed to cover all equivalents reasonably
falling within the true spirit and scope of the invention.
* * * * *