Umbilical Connector

Abstract

An electrical umbilical connector provided with detent structure for deadfacing the connector during use thereof. Salient features include a throwaway connector part utilized for circuit breaking and for protecting another connector part from flame and weather damage, simplicity of construction, facility of assemblage and disassemblage and cooperable detents for locking and unlocking respective connector parts. The connector may find use in missile launching applications as in the launching of a missile from an airplane.

Description

This invention pertains to electrical umbilical connectors of rugged construction subjected in use to deteriorative effects of flame damage and weather. Connectors of the present invention provide inherent circuit breaking in advantageous fashion.

An object of this invention is to provide a connector of mated parts having detent means for achieving circuit breaking.

Another object is to provide an umbilical connector adapted for use in extremely adverse conditions.

Another object is to provide self-circuit breaking of an umbilical connector when pulled apart to separate and disassemble one connector part from other connector parts.

A specific object is to provide an umbilical connector with detents for locking, unlocking, and releasing various connector parts in order to adapt such connector to disestablish a plurality of circuit paths operatively established by the connector parts between an airplane and missile.

The above and other objects are achieved in a connector embodiment comprising first, second and third jacketed connector parts successively joined and detented so that pullaway force applied to the first connector part to pull the same away from the second and third connector parts will effect detachment of the first part from the second part and deadfacing of the second part from the third part.

In a preferred embodiment the first part is locked to the second part by first detent means and the second part is lockable to the third part by second detent means. The detent means are adapted and arranged so that the second detent means will lock the second part to the third part after the second part has been moved from a first position to a second position and so that the first detent means will then unlock the first part from the second part whereby the first part may be detached. The detent means are force load sensitive and coact with the jacketing of the connector parts to produce two stage separation of the connector parts. Double-ended contact pins of the second part have opposite ends operatively mated with contact sockets of the first and third parts so that when the connector parts are joined or physically mated as aforesaid conductive paths are provided through the connector. The movement of the second connector part from the first to the second position unmates the respective ends of the contact pins of the second part from the contact sockets of the third part to break the electrical connection therebetween and thus deadface the connectors.

These and other objects in addition thereto are elucidated hereinafter in the following detailed description pertaining to the accompanying drawings wherein:

FIG. 1 is a sectioned side view of major parts comprising an umbilical connector according to the invention.

FIG. 2 is a view of the connector parts as assembled for use in a particular application.

FIGS. 3 and 4 show the umbilical connector in successive stages of disassembly.

FIGS. 5 and 6 show marcel rings used in the umbilical connector as they appear before incorporation therein.

FIG. 1 shows the major parts of a connector 10 comprising three connector parts 12, 14, and 16. The parts 12, 14 and 16 are each adapted to be telescopically assembled and joined, as in FIG. 2, in order to complete respective conductive circuit paths between insulated wire conductors 18 of a cable 20 and insulated wire conductors 22 of a cable 24.

The connector parts 12, 16, respectively, include a metal tubular member or jacket 26, 28; a body insert 30, 32 of insulating material; and a set of laterally offset contact sockets 34, 36. The sockets 34, 36 are anchored within the body inserts 30, 32. Each socket 34, 36 includes a tube portion 38 for receiving one end of a wire conductor 18, 22 and a tube portion 40 for receiving an electrical contact pin in mated relation thereto.

The connector part 14 includes a metal tubular member or jacket 42, an insert body 44 of insulating material, and a set of laterally offset, double-ended contact pins 46 anchored within the insert body 44. Opposite ends of each contact pin project from opposite sides of the insert body 44. The set of double-ended contact pins 46 is functionally equivalent to two sets of electrically interconnected single-ended contact pins.

The contact sockets 34, 36 and contact pins 46 are arranged with the opposite ends of pins 46 telescoped into and mated with tube portions 40 of sockets 34, 36 when the connector parts 12, 14 and 16 are fully assembled to thus conductively connect the wire conductors 18 and 22.

The jacket 26 further includes a flange 48, an annular groove 50, conical sections 52, 54 and a section 56 provided with at least one circumaxial polarizing key 58. The jacket 26 is threadedly attached to a tubular coupling member 60 affixed at the rear of a missile (not shown). The coupling member 60 includes an opening for the cable 20. A mounting member 61 includes a round opening in which the connector part 12 is disposed.

The jacket 42 includes an annular groove 62, annular grooves 63, 64, a small opening 66, an internal collar 68 provided with at least one polarizing key slot 70, 72 on opposite sides of insert body 44. Marcel wire rings 74, 76 (shown in FIGS. 5 and 6) are seated respectively in grooves 63, 64 but have been deleted from FIG. 1 for the purpose of clarity. Marcel ring 74 is sized to retain its shape when seated in groove 63 with its truncated corners bottomed in the groove. Marcel Ring 74 is seated in the groove 63 in any orientation. Marcel ring 76 is sized to retain its shape when seated in the groove 64 with its arcuate segments bottomed in the groove. Ring 76 is seated in the groove 64 in a particular orientation acquired by the placement of its tab ends into the opening 66.

The jacket 28 includes a flange 78, an opening 80 for cable 24, a countersunk rear opening 82, diametrically opposed arcuate grooves 84, 86 each extending through an arc of 90.degree., a conical section 88, and a section 90 which includes at least one circumaxial polarizing key 92.

The connector part 16 is disposed in a round opening having a flanged lip 94 in the front wall of a housing 96 located under one wing of an aircraft (not shown) behind and above the body proper of the missile to which the connector part 12 is coupled. A round end cap 98 (FIG. 2) covers the opening 82 and a compression spring 100 urges the connector part 14 frontward.

An elastomeric jacket or boot 102 encircling jackets 42 and 28 stretches from the groove 62 on the jacket 42 to the annular groove formed by the flanged lip 94 of the housing 96 to prevent flame damage to connector part 26 and equipment located inside the housing 96 and also to restrict weathering of associated elements. The openings at the opposite ends of the jacket 102 are sized to a smaller relaxed diameter than the grooves into which the ends are tucked so that a snug fit thereto is obtained.

In order to assemble the connector 10 as shown in FIG. 2 the jacket 102 is fitted over the jacket 42 to tuck one end thereof into the groove 61. The connector part 14 is placed axially in front of the connector part 16 then rotated to offset the straight segments of marcel ring 76 90.degree. from the grooves 84, 86. The connector part 14 is moved backward to telescope the rear of the jacket 42 onto the front of the jacket 28. The jacket 42 is moved backward onto the jacket 28 so that the straight segments of the marcel ring 76 ride up the conical section 88, being flexed thereby into the overlying segments of the groove 64, whence the ring 76 passes by the grooves 84, 86 to a location therebehind wherein the front of the key 92 abuts the rear shoulder of the collar 68 inside the jacket 42. The jacket 42 is then rotated 90.degree. relative to the jacket 28 in order to align the key 92 to the key slot 72 and the rear ends of the contact pins 46 with the contact sockets 36. At this point the rear ends of the contact pins 46 are directly in front of the contact sockets 36 and ready to enter therein.

The assembly of the jacket 42 to the jacket 28 is now completed by pushing the jacket 42 further backward thereby sliding the contact pins into the contact sockets and the key 92 into the key slot 72. The free end of the elastomeric jacket 102 is now fitted about the annular groove defined by the flanged lip 94.

Next, the missile with the connector part 12 attached thereto as previously described is suspended as usual from a launching rail underneath the airplane's wing. The missile is pushed backward along the rail to bring the connector part 12 directly in front of the connector part 14. As the missile moves back the rear of the jacket 26 is telescoped into the front of the jacket 42. As the jacket 26 moves back the marcel ring 74 seated in the groove 62 rides up and over the conical sections 54, 52 into the annular groove 50. During this backward motion of the connector part 12 the front ends of the contact pins 46 enter and mate with the contact sockets 34 and the key 58 enters the key slot 70.

The foregoing assembly steps having been completed the missile is now in its launch position on the rail and is held in place by a conventional shear bolt arrangement used to lock the missile in place against accidental dislodgement from its launching rail. The connector parts are now positioned as shown in FIG. 2 with the flange 78 set back slightly from the front wall of the housing 96, the compression spring 100 being somewhat compressed, any slight misalignment of the connector parts during joining of part 12 to part 14 being taken up by the play afforded by the clearance space in the wall opening and the compression spring.

Having described the connector 10 and its assemblage it is now feasible to specify the way in which the connector 10 functions to achieve self-deadfacing during the launching of the missile from the aircraft in order to electrically disconnect the contact pins 46 from the contact sockets 36.

Briefly, the pilot starts the missile's engine while using the connector 10 as an umbilical by which certain missile circuitry is operated from within the airplane. The engine builds up forward thrust until the shear bolt is sheared off releasing the missile for forward flight. The missile then begins its forward motion away from the plane pulling the three connector parts forward in unison until the flange 78 abuts the front wall of the housing 96. The missile continues forward and the connector parts 12 and 14 are pulled forward thereby in unison away from the connector part 16. As this occurs the marcel ring 74 serves to detent the part 12 to the part 14 locking the same together while the marcel ring 76 is carried by the jacket 42 along the outside of jacket 28 up to the grooves 84, 86. The previously flexed straight segments of the ring 76 unflex dropping into the grooves 84, 86 to detent the jacket 42 to the jacket 28 locking, in affirmative fashion, the same together. This detenting and locking is accomplished with sufficient locking force to restrain the connector part 14 against further forward motion notwithstanding the substantial forward thrust of the missile.

As can be seen in FIG. 3, the preceding forward motion of parts 12 and 14 away from part 16 has disengaged or unmated the rear ends of the contact pins 46 from the contact sockets 36 resulting in the deadfacing of the connector 10.

The missile next continues forward pulling the connector part 12 with it causing the previously flexed straight segments of the marcel ring 74 to be cammed out of the groove 50 up the outgoing conical section 52 of the jacket 26 into the groove 63 of the jacket 42 thereby unlocking the jacket 26 from the jacket 42. The connector part 12 then separates from the part 14 as the missile continues forward.

Thereafter, the missile leaves the launch rail carrying the connector part 12 with it and exposing the connector part 14 locked with the connector part 16. The engine exhaust flame of the departing missile engulfs and sears the remaining connector part 14 thus causing irreparable damage thereto and rendering it useless. The elastomer jacket 102 hoods the connector part 16 against flame damage and weathering.

Thus, in summary, the connector 10 not only serves to connect conductors (e.g., 18, 22) but also permits disconnection of the connected conductors in a specific sequence. The construction of the connector 10 notably possesses the advantage that the contact pins 46 of the connector part 14 may be electrically shorted after the connector part 12 has been detached, as by the conductive plasma of the aforementioned engine exhaust flame, without destroying circuitry connected to the contact sockets 36 of the connector part 16.

After the pilot's mission has been completed and the airplane returned to base, the jacket 102 and connector part 14 are readily disassembled from the housing mounted connector part 16 by a procedure reverse to that used during connector assemblage. These parts are then replaced by similar parts prior to providing another missile with another connector part 12 in the fashion already described.

Thus, the connector 10 as described may find particular utility in a plane-launched missile application but it should be apparent that the connector itself may be used in a variety of analogous and nonanalogous applications as the need arises. The inventive concept embodied in the described connector embodiment is deemed to reside in various features as defined by the appended claims.

Claims

I claim:

1. A connector comprising:

first, second and third connector parts each comprising mateable contact elements;

each of said parts having front and back ends, the back end of said first part being fitted with the front end of said second part, the back end of said second part being fitted with the front end of said third part;

first discrete detent means for independently locking said first and second parts together;

second discrete detent means for independently locking said second and third parts together;

said first and second detent means being structurally unconnected whereby each is discrete and capable of independent locking as aforesaid;

said first detent means being adapted to unlock said first part from said second part when it is desired to detach said first part from said second part;

said second detent means being adapted to lock said second part to said third part after said second part has been moved from a first position to a second position, the second part being in its first position when said second and third parts are fitted as aforesaid and being in its second position when said second part has been pulled away from said third part a predetermined distance;

said first and second detent means being cooperably adapted so that the unlocking force of said first detent means is less than the locking force of said second detent means; and

said first and second detent means being arranged so that when said first and third parts are pulled apart the first part locked to the second part will pull said second part from its first to its second position whereupon said second detent means will lock said second part to said third part and said first detent means will then unlock said first part from said second part which has been locked to said third part whereby said first part may be detached.

2. A connector comprising:

first, second and third tubular parts assembled and arranged in succession along a common axis so that said second part is situated between said first and third parts and is physically mated with said first and third parts with said first and second parts overlapping one another and said second and third parts overlapping one another;

mateable contacts secured within said parts and arranged so that the contacts of the respective overlapping parts are electrically mated;

said parts being adapted and arranged for relative axial movement under the influence of an applied force;

a pair of separately mounted detent means that are each capable of operation independently of the other and that are each arranged to operate in cooperation with the other being coupled to said parts for cooperably controlling the axial movement of said parts when force is applied by selectively and sequentially locking and unlocking

axial movements of the overlapping parts;

said pair of detent means including first discrete detent means adapted to permit unlocked axial movement of said second part away from said third part and further adapted to lock said second part against axial movement relative to said third part after said second part has been moved axially away from said third part a distance sufficient to electrically unmate the contacts of said second and third parts but insufficient to physically unmate said second and third parts; and

said pair of detent means further including second discrete detent means locking said first and second parts against relative axial movement therebetween and adapted to unlock said first part from said second part subsequent to the locking of said second part to said third part and thereby thereafter permit unlocked axial movement of said first part away from said second part to electrically unmate the contacts of said first and second parts and to physically unmate said first part from said second part.

3. A connector comprising:

first, second and third separate tubular parts assembled and arranged in succession along a common longitudinal axis so that opposite ends of said second part are physically mated with respective ends of said first and third parts whereby said first and second parts overlap and said second and third parts overlap;

mateable contact elements secured within each of said parts and arranged so that the contact elements of respective overlapping parts are electrically mated;

each of said first and second parts being adapted and arranged for axial movement away from said second and third parts respectively when acted upon by an applied force;

force load sensitive detent means coupled to and cooperating with said parts for controlling the aforementioned movements by selectively and sequentially locking and unlocking said overlapped parts;

said detent means including first and second separate and separately moveable detent members arranged in spaced relation and respectively coupling the respective overlapped parts;

said second detent member being adapted to permit axial movement of said second part away from said third tubular part a distance insufficient to physically unmate said second part from said third part but sufficient to electrically unmate the contact elements within said second and third parts and then to lock said second part against axial movement relative to said third part; and

said first detent member being adapted to unlock said first part from said second part subsequent to the locking of said second part to said third part and thereby permit axial movement of said first part away from said second part to electrically unmate the contact elements of said first and second parts and to physically unmate the first part from the second part whereby the contact elements of said second and third parts are electrically unmated before the first part is physically unmated from the second part.

4. A connector comprising:

first, second and third tubular jackets assembled and arranged in succession along a common axis with opposite ends of said second part being fitted with respective ends of said first and third jackets so that said first and second jackets overlap and said second and third jackets overlap;

mateable contact elements secured within each of said jackets and arranged so that the contact elements associated with the overlapping jackets are electrically mated in order to provide conductive paths;

load-sensitive detent means for detentedly coupling the overlapped parts;

said detent means including first and second discrete and separate structurally dissociated detents wherein said second detent is adapted to lock said second jacket against axial movement away from said third jacket after said second jacket has been moved axially away from said third jacket a distance sufficient to unmate the associated contact elements and wherein said first detent is adapted to unlock said first jacket from said second jacket subsequent to the locking of said second and third jackets, whereby said first jacket may then be moved axially away from said second jacket to electrically unmate the associated contact elements and to physically unmate the first jacket from the second jacket.