Electrical connectors – With circuit conductors and safety grounding provision – Direct grounding of coupling part member passing into aperture
Reexamination Certificate
2000-05-12
2001-09-18
Ta, Tho D. (Department: 2833)
Electrical connectors
With circuit conductors and safety grounding provision
Direct grounding of coupling part member passing into aperture
C439S606000, C439S686000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06290512
ABSTRACT:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to plugs and receptacles for use in conjunction with electrical cords and cables and more particularly to molded terminal assemblies having open and closed positions to accommodate and contain electrical contacts therein which are usable with or without overmolding.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
Electrical plugs and receptacles for removably connecting conductor sets are ubiquitous. Various plug and receptacle designs have been proposed over the years primarily directed to promoting ease of manufacture by way of automated assembly, the preservation of the integrity of the plug/receptacle and separation of the electrical conductors over the useful life thereof. In particular, plural parallel electrical conductors must be maintained in insulated relationship such that shorts are avoided. Because plugs and receptacles are frequently exposed to mechanical stresses, they are frequently overmolded with a flexible elastomer such that they can be stepped on or dropped without breaking. In order to improve the integrity of the plug, that is the isolation of the contacts, and to provide a strong mechanical support for the contacts such that they can flex and press against a mating electrical contact, rigid premold assemblies have been utilized for holding the electrical contacts in a selected position. The premolds are then overcoated with an elastomer to provide additional insulation and also to provide the required protection from mechanical shocks and stresses.
To facilitate automated production, prior art premolds frequently utilized electrical conductors that extended beyond the rear surface of the premold to allow crimping of the conductors to a wire set (see, for example, U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,603,638 and 5,647,751). The crimps could be faced in the same direction facilitating the automated crimping of the electrical connectors to the wires. Such designs required overmolding in that the crimp area of the electrical conductors was exposed and needed the overmolding as insulation. Furthermore, in order to prevent shorts, exposed crimp areas had to be monitored through quality assurance measures to maintain separation of any stray wires that may inadvertently extend from one terminal to another.
It therefore remains an objective in the art to provide improved insulation and separation of conductor sets and attached wires in the manufacture of electrical plugs and receptacles and, in particular, those using premolds. It continues to remain an objective in the art to provide plugs and receptacles that are mechanically strong and that resist breakage from the stresses and strains that they may be subjected to in the environment. In this regard, it is especially desirable to have multipart premolds that do not become disassembled when subjected to mechanical forces. The present invention is intended to meet the foregoing objectives.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The limitations and disadvantages of the prior art are overcome by the present invention which includes a premold for housing the electrical contacts of an electrical connector. The premold has a base with a plurality of channels extending from a front surface to a rear surface thereof, each of the channels accommodating therein an associated electrical contact. The front surface is that surface of the premold that is proximate to a mating electrical connector when the electrical connector is used for making an electrical connection. An intermediate wall extending transversely across each of the channels divides them into a front portion extending from the front surface to the intermediate wall and a rear portion extending from the intermediate wall to the rear surface. The front portion of each channel accommodates an engageable portion of the electrical contact and the rear portion accommodates a connector end of the electrical contact for connecting it to an electrical cord. The front portion and the rear portion of the channels shield the electrical contacts from inadvertent contact with the environment from a first direction.
A cover fitting over the base covers the front portion and the rear portion of each of the channels and the electrical contacts contained therein for retaining the electrical contacts within the housing insulated from contacting each other and from contacting the environment from a second direction. The cover is substantially coextensive with the base portion such that each of the electrical contacts are substantially completely contained within the premold.
REFERENCES:
patent: 4846723 (1989-07-01), Pong
patent: 4921454 (1990-05-01), Atherton et al.
patent: 5219304 (1993-06-01), Lin
patent: 5603638 (1997-02-01), Brown et al.
patent: 5647751 (1997-07-01), Shulman et al.
patent: 6109975 (2000-08-01), Nitta
patent: 403222271-A (1991-10-01), None
patent: 405029038-A (1993-02-01), None
patent: 406203914-A (1994-07-01), None
Hayco, Inc.
Selitto Behr & Kim
Ta Tho D.
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