U.S. patent number 3,721,943 [Application Number 04/792,704] was granted by the patent office on 1973-03-20 for electrical connecting device.
Invention is credited to Maurice D. Curr.
United States Patent |
3,721,943 |
Curr |
March 20, 1973 |
ELECTRICAL CONNECTING DEVICE
Abstract
This invention includes a socket contact of sheet metal, which
is formed to a tubular configuration from a flat piece having a
malleable portion at one end and a resilient portion at the other.
The malleable portion is crimped to an adjoining wire, while the
resilient portion provides a spring force for gripping a mating
pin. The latter element may be permanently mounted in the connector
and extend through a sealing member such as rubber or glass. The
pin extends outwardly for insertion into the socket contact of an
adjoining connector section.
Inventors: |
Curr; Maurice D. (Idyllwild,
CA) |
Family
ID: |
25157798 |
Appl.
No.: |
04/792,704 |
Filed: |
January 21, 1969 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
439/273; 439/736;
439/744; 439/877; 439/935 |
Current CPC
Class: |
H01R
13/426 (20130101); Y10S 439/935 (20130101) |
Current International
Class: |
H01R
13/426 (20060101); H01r 013/52 () |
Field of
Search: |
;339/94,153,154,177,217,218,258,276 |
References Cited
[Referenced By]
U.S. Patent Documents
Primary Examiner: McGlynn; Joseph H.
Claims
I claim:
1. A hermetic electrical connector device comprising
a member defining an opening therethrough,
a substantially rigid insert of dielectric material received in
said opening,
said insert having a forward end, a rearward end and at least one
aperture extending therethrough,
a tubular contact in said aperture,
means positioning said contact in said aperture,
a wire extending into one end of said contact and connected
thereto,
a glass insert in said opening beyond the opposite end of said
contact,
an elongated pin extending through said glass insert,
said glass insert being fused to said pin so as to hold said pin
rigidly and provide a hermetic seal therewith,
one end of said elongated pin extending into said opposite end of
said contact,
the other end of said elongated pin extending outwardly beyond said
glass insert for engagement with a mating electrically conductive
device,
and an additional insert of resilient material in said opening
adjacent said glass insert and extending around said elongated
pin.
2. An electrical connector comprising
a tubular shell having a forward end and a rearward end,
a glass insert in said shell,
said glass insert having a forward side and a rearward side,
a plurality of spaced substantially parallel elongated pins, the
central portions of said pins being received in said glass insert
so that said pins are held rigidly and sealed with respect to said
glass insert, one end portion of each of said pins extending
outwardly from said forward side of said glass insert,
the opposite end portion of each of said pins extending outwardly
from said rearward side of said glass insert,
a member of resilient material in said tubular shell engaging said
forward side of said glass insert,
said member of resilient material having openings therethrough,
said one end portions of said pins extending through said openings
in said member of resilient material and extending beyond said
member of resilient material,
an insert of dielectric material in said shell adjacent said
rearward side of said glass insert,
said dielectric insert having a plurality of first openings
therethrough aligned with said pins,
a first contact in each of said openings,
each of said contacts having a forward end and a rearward end,
each of said forward ends receiving and engaging said opposite end
portion of one of said pins,
a wire for each of said first contacts, each of said wires being
received in and crimped to said rearward end of the contact
therefor,
retainer means removably holding said first contacts in said
openings,
said retainer means being releasable for allowing said contacts to
be removed rearwardly from said openings,
a second dielectric member,
said second dielectric member having a plurality of openings
therethrough,
a second socket contact in each of said openings in said second
dielectric member,
each of said second contacts having a forward end and a rearward
end,
said forward ends of said second contacts being adapted to receive
said one end portions of said pins for forming an electrical
connection therewith,
a second wire for each of said second contacts,
each of said second wires being received in and crimped to said
rearward end of the second contact therefor,
and second retainer means removably holding said second socket
contacts in said openings in said second dielectric member.
3. A device as recited in claim 2 including in addition a second
member of resilient material interposed between said rearward side
of said glass insert and said dielectric insert, said second member
of resilient material having openings therethrough, said opposite
end portions of said pins extending through said openings in said
second member of resilient material.
Description
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. The Field of the Invention
This invention relates to an electrical connector.
2. The Prior Art
There is a continuing need for electrical electrical connecting
devices, particularly where the connectors must meet the rigid
performance standards existing in the aerospace field. Problems are
accentuated by the trend toward further miniaturization and the
small size permitted the electrical connecting devices.
In these connectors, it is desirable to attach the wires to the
contacts by crimping. This is a reliable and simple means of
forming an attachment, requiring neither the skill nor the time
necessary where the contacts are soldered to the wires. Mating
contacts also require some resilient means in order that a firm
engagement can be made between a pin contact and a socket into
which it is inserted to accomplish an electrical connection.
Therefore, on the one hand, for a crimped connection to a wire, the
contact should be malleable in order that it can be deflected to
grip the wire. On the other hand, resilience is needed where the
pin and socket must be held together in firm engagement. Therefore,
a crimped-type socket contact has required construction from a
material having malleability, plus the inclusion of auxiliary
spring elements for assuring that the mating pin will be
appropriately engaged to accomplish the electrical connection. The
malleable material for crimping will not provide the requisite
resilience for firm contact engagement, so that the complexities
and expense of the added spring arrangements have been
necessary.
In hermetic connectors, there has been in the past no satisfactory
means of providing crimped-type contacts. These connectors normally
include glass inserts to accomplish the hermetic seal. This is done
by fusing the contacts in the glass so that no leakage will take
place around them. The contacts then become permanently and
nonremovably fastened in the electrical connector. It is necessary,
therefore, to solder each wire to its contact so mounted. This is a
very slow and laborious operation, particularly for connectors of
smaller sizes, requiring a high degree of skill. It presents even
more of a problem from the servicing standpoint as the contacts
cannot be taken from the connectors. It is necessary when
separating a wire from the contact to melt the solder joint so that
the wire can be removed. With the large bundle of wires entering an
ordinary connector, and the lack of accessibility to inner portions
of it, the joints of many additional wires must be melted and the
wires removed in order to provide access to the one where the wire
separation is needed. Following this, all the wires must be
resoldered to their contacts.
SUMMARY OF THE PRESENT INVENTION
The present invention provides an improved arrangement whereby
crimped-type contacts are able to provide a resilient force for
engagement with mating pins. The invention also permits removable
crimped contacts to be used with hermetic connectors. For all types
of connectors, it provides a device of high performance and maximum
reliability.
According to this invention, the socket contact is formed from a
sheet metal piece made up of two sections welded together at their
edges. One section is of malleable material, and the other is of
resilient material. These are rolled to a tubular form, with the
resilient end being split in order that it may provide opposed
resilient jaws for gripping a pin inserted within it. The malleable
end is attachable to the wire by a simple crimping operation. The
contact may be provided with an internal stop for limiting the
inward movement of the wire, and an external shoulder for use in
positioning the contact in a connector.
The socket contact may mate with an elongated pin that extends
between it and another socket contact. This pin is secured in the
connector, and for hermetic connectors it is fused in the glass
insert, where it is effectively sealed. Only the pin, therefore, is
permanently attached to the connector, while the socket contact is
readily removable from it. Forwardly inclined spring tabs are used
in the retaining arrangement for the contact, permitting it to be
removed and inserted from the rear. The pin so secured can be mated
with conventional socket contacts. Conversely, the sheet metal
socket contact of this invention can be joined to a conventional
pin contact rather than the permanently mounted pin.
An object of this invention is to provide an improved electrical
connecting device.
Another object of this invention is to provide a contact capable of
resiliently engaging a mating electrically conductive member, while
also being attachable to a wire by crimping.
A further object of this invention is to provide sealed connectors,
including hermetic connectors, having removable contacts.
Yet another object of this invention is to provide an electrical
connecting arrangement meeting highest performance standards, yet
which is producible rapidly and at a low cost.
A further object of this invention is to provide an electrical
connecting device facilitating servicing and maintenance.
An additional object of this invention is to provide an electrical
connector device having versatility in the manner in which it may
be mated with an adjoining part.
These and other objects will become apparent apparent from the
following detailed description taken in connection with the
accompanying drawing.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS:
FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a socket contact in accordance with
this invention;
FIG. 2 is an enlarged longitudinal sectional view of the contact,
taken along line 2--2 of FIG. 1;
FIG. 3 is a longitudinal sectional view taken along line 3--3 of
FIG. 2;
FIG. 4 is a transverse sectional view taken along line 4--4 of FIG.
3;
FIG. 5 is a view similar to FIG. 2, but with the contact attached
to a wire by crimping;
FIG. 6 is a perspective view of malleable and resilient strips used
for producing the contact;
FIG. 7 is a perspective view of the strips after joining at their
edges;
FIG. 8 is an elevational view illustrating the rolling of the
strips to reduce their thickness;
FIG. 9 is a perspective view of the blank for forming the contact
cut from the strips;
FIG. 10 is a perspective view of the blank after cutting a slot and
bending the stop tab;
FIG. 11 is a perspective view after the blank has been rolled to a
tubular shape;
FIG. 12 is a longitudinal sectional view of the receptacle of a
hermetic electrical connector made in accordance with this
invention;
FIG. 13 is a fragmentary sectional view of the receptacle,
illustrating the manner in which the contacts may be removed;
FIG. 14 is a longitudinal sectional view of a plug for mating with
the receptacle of FIG. 12;
FIG. 15 is a fragmentary longitudinal sectional view showing the
receptacle and plug in the mated position;
FIG. 16 is a longitudinal sectional view of the invention as
applied to a connector which is not hermetic; and
FIG. 17 is a fragmentary sectional view of a connector in which the
socket contact of this invention is mated with a conventional pin
contact.
DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT:
A socket contact 10 made in accordance with this invention, as may
be seen in FIGS. 1, 2, 3 and 4, includes a rearward cylindrical
barrel portion 11 and a slightly frusto-conical forward end portion
12 that is convergent outwardly. The latter part of the contact is
provided with opposed longitudinal slots 13 and 14 so that it has
opposed jaw sections 15 and 16. This end of the contact is adapted
to receive a pin when in the mated condition for transmission of
current between the contact and the pin. Intermediate the forward
portion 12 and the rearward barrel portion 11 is a section 17 of
enlarged diameter. This provides a substantially radial forward
exterior shoulder 18 and a similar rearward shoulder 19. These
shoulders are utilized in positioning the contact in an electrical
termination device, as will be described below.
The barrel end 11 of the contact 10 is adapted to receive the end
of a wire 20 stripped of its insulation 21, as seen in FIG. 5. With
the wire end in the contact barrel, the latter portion is deflected
inwardly by a suitable tool to provide undulations 22 bearing
against the wire. This crimps the barrel 11 so that it is attached
to the wire 20 and forms an electrical circuit with it. A tab 23
extends radially across most of the width of the contact at the
inner end of the barrel 11. This acts as a stop that is engageable
by the end surface 24 of the wire 20, limiting the distance the
wire 20 can be inserted into the contact 10. This assures that the
wire 20 remains within the barrel portion 11 of the contact and
does not enter the forward section 12. Therefore, the end of the
wire 20 will not interfere with a pin to be inserted into the end
12 of the contact when it is in service.
In order to function satisfactorily as a contact having the
desirable crimped-type connection to a wire, it is necessary that
the barrel portion 11 possess malleability. At the same time, the
forward portion 12 requires resilience in order that the opposed
sections 15 and 16 can act as springs bearing inwardly and gripping
the surface of a pin inserted between them. In order to obtain
these contrasting qualities, the contact 10 is made of one section
A of malleable material, which is used at the barrel end of the
contact, and an additional section B of spring material for the
opposite end. The sections A and B are integrally attached together
at a location adjacent the enlarged portion 17. Typically, the
malleable material A may be brass, while the resilient material B
is beryllium copper. It may be desirable for the latter portion to
have a surface coating such as gold plating.
In obtaining material of this type, which is marketed under the
trademark "Duo-Metal" by The Brush Beryllium Company, Reading,
Penna., strips of the materials A and B first are prepared to a
thickness somewhat greater than that desired for the gauge of the
completed contact 10 (FIG. 6). These strips are welded together
along their longitudinal edges to form a wider strip with the
materials A and B integrally attached (FIG. 7). The assembled
materials then repeatedly are passed through rollers, such as the
rollers 25 and 26 shown in FIG. 8, reducing the thickness of the
strip. Subsequently, it is cut to form the flat sheet metal blank
of FIG. 9 that is used to make the contact 10.
The blank, which is of rectangular shape and predetermined
dimensions, is provided with a cutout to serve as the slot 14 in
the completed contact. Also, the stop tab 23 is cut and bent
90.degree. relative to the surface of the blank, as shown in FIG.
10. The blank then is rolled to a tubular shape, as seen in FIG.
11, bringing its opposite longitudinal edges 27 and 28 into
adjacency. The intermediate portion 17 of enlarged diameter also is
formed and the frustoconical shape imparted to the forward portion
12.
In addition, the edges 27 and 28 are joined in a suitable manner,
such as by brazing, in the area of the barrel 11 of the contact.
This provides a longitudinal brazed joint 29 along the barrel 11 so
that the barrel is continuous around its circumference. This
enables the barrel to be crimped to the end of the wire 20,
irrespective of the rotational position of the barrel relative to
the crimping tool. Without this attachment, in some relative
rotational positions, the action of the crimping tool would cause
the edges 27 and 28 to become displaced with respect to each other,
and a secure connection to the wire would not be made. With the
barrel end made as an uninterrupted tubular element, rather than
being split, however, there is no difficulty in the crimping
operation, and the wire always will be appropriately secured to the
contact.
As shown in FIG. 12, several of the contacts 10 are associated in a
completed section 30 of an electrical connector. In this
arrangement, there is provided a rear-release type installation in
which the contact can be both inserted and removed from the
rearward end of the connector. This advantageous feature is present
even though the connector illustrated is of the hermetic type
normally requiring permanently mounted contacts and soldered
connections of the wires to the contacts.
The connector section 30 shown in FIG. 12 is a stationary
receptacle adapted to mate with a movable plug. The receptacle 30
includes a shell 31 having a flange 32 and a threaded exterior
portion receiving a nut 33, which holds the receptacle to a
mounting panel 34. The shell 31 is a tubular element within which
are mounted various inserts. A glass insert 35 is included in
providing the hermetic seal for the receptacle. On the forward side
of the glass insert 35 (to the left as shown in FIG. 12) is a
resilient rubber insert 36 that acts as an additional seal. A
backing insert 37, also of resilient material, is positioned on the
opposite, or rearward, side of the glass insert 35. The backing
insert 37 is bonded to an insert 38 of substantially rigid
dielectric material which, in turn, is bonded to an additional
insert 39, also of such material. A nut 40 surrounds and engages
the flange 41 of the rear insert 39, holding the insert assembly in
the receptacle shell 31.
The inserts 38 and 39 together provide openings 42 parallel to the
axis of the receptacle 30. The openings 42 are centrally enlarged
to define spaced radial forward and rearward shoulders 43 and 44,
respectively. In each of these openings is a retainer clip 45,
which may be of the type shown in FIG. 14 of U. S. Pat. No.
3,158,424. The retainer clip 45 is a split tubular element received
in the enlarged portion of the bore 42 so that it is prevented from
axial movement by the shoulders 43 and 44. It is provided with two
inwardly and forwardly extending resilient retainer tabs 46.
A contact 10 also is received in each of the openings 42 inside the
retainer clip 45. The forward shoulder 18 of the contact 10 is
adjacent the forward shoulder 43 of the opening 42, which thereby
retains the contact against forward movement. The inner ends of the
resilient spring tabs 46 are adjacent the rearward shoulder 19 of
each contact 10, which prevents rearward movement of the contact.
Thus, the contacts 10 are secured within the bores 42.
Continuations of the openings 42 are provided in the inserts 35, 36
and 37. Received within the openings in the latter inserts are
elongated pins 48, the ends 49 and 50 of which are hemispherical.
The central portions of the pins are molded into the glass insert
35. In this manner, the pins 48 are held in the receptacle 30,
parallel to the axis, with hermetic seals formed around them. The
peripheries of the pins 48 also are engaged by the resilient insert
36 to provide a further seal. The pins 48 extend forwardly beyond
the inserts 36 and 37 into the open forward tubular portion of the
shell 31. This provides longitudinally projecting pin ends for
mating with adjacent socket contacts.
The opposite ends 50 of the pins 48 extend into the openings 42 and
into the forward ends 12 of the contacts 10. There, each pin 48 is
gripped by the opposed resilient jaws 15 and 16 of the contact 10,
resulting in firm engagement with the pin and a low-resistance path
for the flow of electric current. Entry of the pin 48 into the
contact 10 is facilitated by the hemispherical end 50, which
effectively spreads the jaws 15 and 16 slightly as the pin enters
the receptacle. In their free positions, the spacing between the
ends of the jaws 15 and 16 is less than the diameter of the pin 48
so that the jaws will grip the pins.
The receptacle 30 constructed in this manner is of the hermetic
type, yet at the same time the contacts carried by the receptacle
are joined to their wires by crimping and are insertable and
releasable from the rear. Thus, the hermetic connector receptacle
avoids the use of soldered connections and permanently attached
contacts. It is a simple matter to introduce the contacts 10 into
the openings 42 in the receptacle by a standard tool for engagement
with the pins 48. This is accomplished by pushing each contact
inwardly from the rearward end of the opening 42, advancing it to
the position shown in FIG. 12. As this forward movement of the
contact takes place, the forwardly and inwardly inclined spring
tabs 46 are engaged and deflected outwardly by the enlarged portion
17 of the contact. After the rearward shoulder 19 of the contact
has passed the forward ends of the spring tabs 46, they are free to
snap inwardly behind the shoulder 19 to retain the contact in the
receptacle.
Release of the contact also is readily accomplished from the rear
through the use of conventional tooling. This operation is shown in
FIG. 13, where a standard tubular releasing tool 52 is shown
inserted into the rearward end of the opening 42, prying the spring
tabs 46 outwardly beyond the periphery of the enlarged portion 17
of the contact 10. Preferably, as best seen in the enlarged views
of FIGS. 2, 3 and 5, the corner 53 at the rearward end of the
barrel 11 is beveled, which helps guide the tool 52 over the barrel
without obstruction. With the tabs released, the contact is free
for rearward removal merely by pulling outwardly on the wire 20.
Thus, the hermetic connector provides for both rearward insertion
and release. The contacts and their mountings are the same for both
sections of the hermetic connector, simplifying the manufacture and
use of the connectors.
The plug 54 shown in FIG. 14 is adapted to mate with the receptacle
of FIG. 12. The mated position is illustrated in FIG. 15, where the
plug 54 and receptacle 30 are held together by any suitable
coupling mechanism. The plug 54 is not a hermetically sealed unit,
as normally only the receptacle must have such characteristics,
although the plug 54 could be made hermetic if desired. The plug 54
includes a shell 55, within which are inserts 56 and 47 of rigid
plastic. These are provided with openings 58 similar to the
openings 42 in the receptacle 30. Within each opening 58 is a
retainer clip 45 engaging and preventing rearward movement of a
contact 10. The shoulder 59 of the opening 58 limits forward
movement of the contact in the plug.
The forward resilient insert 36 of the receptacle 30 is provided
with forwardly extending frustoconical portions 60 around the pins
48. In the mated position of the plug and receptacle, the
protruding portions 60 are received and compressed in the more
sharply tapered frustoconical recesses 61 at the forward ends of
the openings 58 in the insert 57 of the plug 54, forming an
effective seal.
When the plug and receptacle are brought together, the ends 49 of
the pins 48 slide into the forward end portions 12 of the contacts
10 in the plug. The opposing resilient jaws 15 and 16 of the
contacts 10 in plug 54 resiliently bear against the peripheries of
the pins 48, thereby providing completed electrical circuits. Thus,
in accordance with this invention, the elongated pin 48 provides an
intermediate element that transmits electrical current from one
socket contact to the other. The pin 48 provides a member that is
rigidly mounted in one section of the connector and is readily
sealed, even hermetically with a glass insert.
The invention is adapted for use in connectors other than hermetic
connectors, where, again, it offers advantages of low cost,
simplicity and reliability. Standardization of parts and tooling
for the full range of electrical connector types is made possible.
As shown in FIG. 16, there is a plug 63 mated to a receptacle 64.
The rigid plastic insert 65 of the plug 63 is provided with an
opening 66 within which a retainer clip 45 and a contact 10 are
received. Similarly, the insert 67 of the receptacle has an opening
68 with another retainer clip 45 and contact 10. An elongated pin
69 extends between the two contacts and is received in the outer
ends 12 of each. The pin 69 in this instance is secured to the plug
between the rigid insert 65 and a resilient insert 70 at the
forward face of the plug. For this purpose, the pin 69 is provided
with an enlarged portion 71 that defines an annular flange received
in recesses in both the inserts 65 and 70. This provides a radially
outwardly projecting element on the pin 69 which is retained by the
inserts 65 and 70, and precludes axial movement of the pin. The
flange portion 71 is secured when the inserts 65 and 70 are bonded
together.
The contacts 10 also will mate satisfactorily with conventional pin
contacts, rather than being utilized as discussed above where a
single pin is used with a pair of socket contacts. As shown in FIG.
17, a contact 10 is mounted in an opening 73 in the insert 74 of a
receptacle 75, held in place by a retainer clip 45. In the plug 77,
however, a conventional pin contact 78 is held in the opening 79 in
the insert 80 by means of the retainer clip 45. The contact 78 may
be a machined part, rather than of sheet metal, including a hollow
barrel 81, an enlarged intermediate portion 82 and a forward
elongated pin end 83. The latter portion is received in the forward
end 12 of the contact 10 in the receptacle, where, as before, the
receptacle bears against the periphery of the pin and provides an
electrical circuit.
For added versatility, the pins 48 or 69 of the previously
described embodiments may be mated with conventional socket
contacts rather than additional contacts 10.
* * * * *