Electrical connectors – With coupling movement-actuating means or retaining means in... – Retaining means
Reexamination Certificate
1999-05-28
2001-08-14
Sircus, Brian (Department: 2839)
Electrical connectors
With coupling movement-actuating means or retaining means in...
Retaining means
Reexamination Certificate
active
06273742
ABSTRACT:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The invention is directed to an electrical connector having a jack screw locking system to maintain the electrical connector securely mated with the mating connector.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
Jack screws locking arrangements are often used to secure two mated connectors together. When such connector assemblies are subject to vibration during use, the screws can become loosened thus allowing the connectors to become separated. It is desirable, therefore, to have an assured locking system to prevent mated connectors from becoming separated when subjected to vibration and/or physical shock.
Additionally there are many electrical connector assemblies that provide float between the mating contacts. That is, the contacts are allowed to move slightly in the radial direction. The contacts are provided with float in order to adjust for differences in dimensional tolerances between the mating connectors. The float also allows the contacts to properly mate when they are not exactly aligned with each other. Some connectors also provide float in the mating direction or in the axial direction.
What is needed is an electrical connector that can be easily fastened and secured with the mating connector and not be unfastened when exposed to vibration and/or physical shock during operation, thereby providing a locking feature, but also can be unfastened with the proper tool if the need arises.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The invention is directed to an electrical connector including a housing having a plurality of contacts mounted therein and at least one screw member attached to the housing for securing the housing to a mating connector. The screw member has a threaded section to engage a complementary portion of a mating connector and to secure the housing to the mating connector upon full mating therewith. The at least one screw member further includes a head with a ratchet disposed along a forward end thereof. The housing includes at least one protrusion adapted to engage the ratchet of the at least one screw member. The housing further includes at least one spring member adapted to provide axial compression between the ratchet and the at least one housing protrusion to assure the ratchet remains engaged to the at least one protrusion thereby preventing the at least one screw member from inadvertently becoming loosened.
In one embodiment the contacts have spring members secured between the housing and the contacts to allow the contacts to move axially in the mating direction. In another embodiment a spring member is disposed on the shaft of the jack screw between the head and the leading end.
As the screw is tightened by applying a fastening torque, axial compression is provided by the contact spring members. The axial compression results in increasing frictional force at the ratchet of the screw head, which the user must overcome by applying added torque, until the screw bottoms on a physical stop and the applied torque is removed. The screw is now locked in the fastened position. In order to unfasten the screw, the user must break the lock by applying sufficient unfastening torque to overcome the frictional force at the ratchet. The screw is much less susceptible to unfastening during shock and vibration of normal use since the torque required for unfastening is not likely to be generated by normal shock and vibration.
REFERENCES:
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patent: 5007858 (1991-04-01), Daly et al.
patent: 5162000 (1992-11-01), Frantz
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patent: 5342216 (1994-08-01), Davis et al.
patent: 5647758 (1997-07-01), Ichikawa et al.
patent: 5921801 (1999-07-01), O'Sullivan et al.
patent: 6059599 (2000-05-01), Huang
patent: 6095845 (2000-08-01), Murphy
patent: 6120332 (2000-09-01), Bertens et al.
Castagna Lou
Fulponi John Anthony
Le Thanh-Tam
Sircus Brian
The Whitaker Corporation
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