Electrical connectors – With contact preventer or retractable cover part – Movably mounted
Reexamination Certificate
2003-09-29
2004-12-28
Ta, Tho D. (Department: 2833)
Electrical connectors
With contact preventer or retractable cover part
Movably mounted
C439S145000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06835076
ABSTRACT:
TECHNICAL FIELD
The present invention relates to electrical connectors and more particularly to systems for providing electrical connection between components and other structures in environments that are prone to connector misalignment and/or contamination or leakage.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The need to transmit electrical power and information (e.g., signal current, voltage, and/or time-dependent variations in electrical properties) extends to a wide variety of movable and removable structures. For example, in the manufacture and assembly of many common products, modular components may be manufactured remotely from one another and later assembled to create a finished product. During assembly, it is often advantageous to accommodate movement of components after they have been electrically connected. Later, it may be further advantageous to accommodate removal or further movement of the component for adjustment or servicing. For example, in automobiles, such components may include moveable and removable seats, doors, hoods, trunk lids, windows, sun/moon roofs, pumps, motors, alternators, and the like. While vehicles such as automobiles provide convenient examples to illustrate this need, however, it is easy to contemplate similar requirements in other applications such as computers, consumer electronics, and medical instruments and devices. For example, this need exists and is increasing in items such as LCD screens, DVD players, entertainment systems, communication devices, electrical auxiliary outlets, and data communication for Internet access and networking, and other applications where components are docked or otherwise mounted to other structures.
In many applications it is desirable to automatically make an electrical connection to a movable or removable structure while the structure is being physically attached to a supporting structure, such as a floor or dock. However, in these types of applications it is often difficult or expensive to ensure that a conventional electrical connector is correctly aligned for mating. For example, it may be difficult to visually align the connectors because their view is obscured by the components themselves. In addition to causing difficulty in aligning connectors, the inability to clearly view or access a connector may also exacerbate problems associated with contamination. For example, in many cases, the internal components of conventional connector bodies may be exposed to dirt, dust, debris, and other contaminants. Conventional electrical connectors, however, often lack protection from dirt, dust, and debris. Without the ability to visually inspect such unprotected connectors, however, contamination may be impossible to detect. In many environments, contamination may also be difficult to prevent—even if it can be effectively detected.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,250,703 to Cisler, et al, which is hereby incorporated by references for background purposes, discloses a connector for a removable vehicle power seat. In Cisler, a female-like socket connector engages a vehicle mounted male-like pin connector when the seat is latched to the vehicle. It has been found, however, that such electrical connectors are prone to contamination from dirt, dust, debris, water, chemicals and other foreign matter—especially when the connector is not seated, such as when a seat is not mounted to the floor.
In addition to preventing foreign material from entering a connector, it may also be desirable to prevent leakage (e.g., of corrosion inhibiting compounds, dielectric compounds, electromagnetic radiation, and the like) from unmated connectors. It may also be advantageous to minimize the potential for electrical contact (e.g., unintentional grounding, application of excessive voltage) with the electrical contacts within a connector.
In addition, known moveable connection systems in general, and power removable seat connection systems in particular, lack mechanisms to bring unaligned connectors into alignment during mating. Although efforts may have been made to provide features that might facilitate alignment through, for example, flexibility of connectors or their mounts, no connection system or method currently exists for guiding a misaligned set of connectors into alignment.
Accordingly, it would be advantageous to have an electrical connection system and method whereby a misaligned set of connectors might be easily guided into alignment. It would also be advantageous if such an electrical connection system and method would minimize its susceptibility to contamination, particularly when the connectors are in an unmated state, while sufficiently exposing the contact surfaces of the connectors for effective mating. It would also be advantageous to have an electrical connection system and method that could prevent or minimize leakage from an electrical connector when it is unmated. It would further be advantageous to have an electrical connection system and method that could minimize the potential for undesirable electrical contact with electrical contacts of a connector when the connector is unmated.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The methods and apparatus of the present invention address many of the shortcomings of the prior art. In accordance with various aspects of the present invention, methods and systems provide improved electrical inter-connection with and among components as well as with and among other structures while overcoming many of the deficiencies of the prior art.
In one aspect, the invention provides a self-aligning electrical connector assembly providing protection from contamination, electrical contact, and/or leakage. In an exemplary embodiment, a connector assembly includes an insulative housing, at least one terminal accommodated in the housing, and a cover slidably retained by the housing. The cover may be of an electrically insulating material and may be adapted to prevent contamination within the housing, to prevent leakage out of the housing, or to prevent undesired electrical contact within the housing. The housing defines an opening for receiving a mating element. The terminal has a contact portion exposed for mating through the opening with a mating element. To provide protection from contamination, electrical contact, and/or leakage, when located at a first position, the cover covers the contact portion at the opening. Finally, the cover is movable to a second position relative to the housing to expose the contact portion for electrical contact with the mating element.
In one exemplary embodiment, an electrical connector also includes a spring that biases the cover toward the first position and that is retained by the housing. In another exemplary embodiment, the housing is adapted to receive the mating element along a connection axis, and the cover is movable along a sliding axis that lies non-parallel to the connection axis. The housing may defined an outer periphery such that the cover is movable entirely within the outer periphery.
In another exemplary embodiment, an electrical connector also includes a female alignment member that comprises a socket for receiving a male alignment member. In this embodiment, the female alignment member may include a passageway extending between the socket and a passageway opening that is defined by a chamfered rim to receive the male alignment member and to facilitate alignment of a misaligned male alignment member during mating.
In another exemplary embodiment, the cover has a forward end facing a direction of movement from the second position toward the first position, and the cover includes an inclined surface portion on a first side. In this embodiment, the inclined surface portion faces away from the cavity opening and slopes toward a second side opposite the first side and toward the forward end. Optionally, the inclined surface portion may extend to the forward end of the cover.
In another embodiment, an electrical connector comprises a first connector member and a second connector member. The first connector member comprises an insulative first housing adapted to receive at least one con
Jones Randall T.
Simmons, III Timothy
Delphi Technologies Inc.
Ta Tho D.
Tsukerman Larisa
Wood David P.
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