Electrical connectors – Coupling part including flexing insulation – Sealing
Reexamination Certificate
1999-12-06
2001-06-19
Bradley, Paula (Department: 2833)
Electrical connectors
Coupling part including flexing insulation
Sealing
C439S274000, C439S148000, C439S744000, C439S871000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06247965
ABSTRACT:
TECHNICAL FIELD
This invention relates generally to electrical connectors having mating male and female connector bodies, and more particularly to the manner of sealing unoccupied terminal cavities of the connectors.
RELATED PRIOR ART
Electrical connector assemblies of the type involved with the present invention include male and female connector bodies, each mounted to the ends of a plurality of electrical cables having mating terminals supported within passages of the respective connector bodies that, when the male and female connectors are joined, provide an electrical connection between the cooperating cables. The passages typically are formed with resilient lock arms that engage cooperating catches on the associated terminals to secure the terminals within the passages.
In some connector applications, it is desirable to seal the connector assembly to protect the terminals from exposure to the external environment. The connector bodies are each formed with a plurality of passages that extend into the connector bodies from the cable end in which the cables and their terminals are received. In a sealed connector application, a seal is provided about the cable that, when installed in the corresponding passage, serves to seal such passage from the outside environment. In some applications, not every passage is occupied by a corresponding cable. There may be, for example, an unequal number of cables occupying the passages of the respective male and female connector bodies. The male connector body may have four cables occupying four of its passages whereas the female cavity may only have two or three of its four passages occupied. In a sealed connector environment, it is necessary to seal the unoccupied cavity or cavities in order to protect the interior of the connector from exposure to the external atmosphere. The present known practice for sealing the unoccupied passages is to install a resiliently compressible elastomeric plug into the unoccupied passage or passages which relies for sealing and retention on a friction fit with the walls of the passages in which they are installed. It is an object of the present invention to provide a more secure means of sealing such unoccupied passages.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION AND ADVANTAGES
An electrical connector assembly constructed according to the invention includes male and female connector members having mateable plug and socket end portions, respectively. Each is formed with a plurality of locking cavities extending into the connector members from opposite cable ends thereof. A locking retainer is provided in each of the cavities. A plurality of electrical cables extend into less than all of the locking cavities such that at least one of the locking cavities is unoccupied . The cables have terminal ends that are formed with catches that engage the mating locking retainers of the cavities in which they are installed to lock the cables against removal. The terminal ends of the female connector member mate with at least some of the terminal ends of the male connector members when the connector members are fully assembled to establish an electrical connection therebetween. The cables are provided with annular seals that engage the walls of the cavities in which the cables are installed to seal such cavities.
According to a characterizing feature of the invention, the assembly includes at least one non-electrical cavity plug disposed in the unoccupied locking cavity. The plug has a seal that is operative to seal the unoccupied cavity and a catch that engages the locking retainer of the unoccupied cavity to secure the plug against removal therefrom.
The present invention has the advantage of providing a locking plug having a catch which engages the locking retainer of the unoccupied cavity in which it is installed to positively lock the plug against inadvertent removal from the cavity. Such a plug does not rely solely on a friction fit within the locking cavity for retention, but takes advantage of the locking retainer already provided for locking the electrical terminals as a means of positively securing the locking plug within the unoccupied cavity.
REFERENCES:
patent: 4784617 (1988-11-01), Oda
patent: 374482 (1991-07-01), None
Brantingham Duane L.
Chupak John M.
Cummings Douglas S.
Margrave Christopher Adrian
Bradley Paula
Delphi Technologies Inc.
Jones Richard A.
Nguyen Truc
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