Electrical connectors – With circuit conductors and safety grounding provision – Grounding to connector container or housing
Reexamination Certificate
1999-06-23
2001-07-03
Paumen, Gary F. (Department: 2833)
Electrical connectors
With circuit conductors and safety grounding provision
Grounding to connector container or housing
Reexamination Certificate
active
06254402
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention generally relates to electrical connectors, and more particularly to a connector having at least one contact grounded to the shell or housing of the connector.
2. Description of the Related Art
In many types of electrical connectors, it is desirable to provide grounding for one or more of the contacts directly to the shell of the connector. Such grounding is typically provided by using a screw to establish an electrical connection between the contact to be grounded and the shell of the connector. A hole is machined in the shell and in the insert that retains the contacts in the shell, and threads are tapped into the contact. Then the shell insert and contact are aligned and the screw inserted into the openings in the shell and insert, and threaded into the contact. Threading ensures engagement between the grounding contact and the screw, as well as between the head of the screw and the connector shell. Examples of this type of screw grounding arrangement are disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 2,410,618, 4,113,333, 4,291,930, and 4,407,553.
There are several problems with the conventional screw-based grounding arrangement. First, the presence of an opening in the shell through which the screw is inserted may compromise the environmental sealing of the connector. Second, assembly of this type of connector is difficult because of the need to align holes in the insert and contact with the hole in the shell following insertion of the contact into the insert, and of the insert into the shell. Third, since the head of the screw is arranged on the outside surface of the shell, it can be inadvertently loosened so as to create a situation where the shell is not properly grounded.
An alternative arrangement that eliminates the need for a grounding screw is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,573,411. In the arrangement disclosed in this patent, a grounding wire contact pin is integrally formed with a grounding wire element that extends to the outer surface of an insert and forms an interference fit with an inside surface of the outer shell of the plug. While this arrangement eliminates the need for forming a screw hole in the outer shell of the plug, however, it has the disadvantage that it can only be used in situations where the contact pin and grounding element may be molded into the insert. Since the pin and grounding element are integrally formed inside the insert, they are difficult to manufacture with appropriate tolerances, greatly limiting applicability of this type of grounding arrangement. In addition, because the pin and grounding element are not molded into the insert, the entire insert assembly must be replaced if the contact or grounding element fails.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
It is therefore a first objective of the invention to provide a grounding arrangement for an electrical connector which does not compromise environmental sealing of the connector, provides a secure electrical connection between the grounding contact and connector shell, and yet which is simple to assemble and requires only minor modifications to the conventional connector insert and grounding contact arrangements.
It is a second objective of the invention to provide a grounding arrangement for an electrical connector of the type in which contacts are held within the connector shell by an insulating insert, in which a grounding contact positioned in the insert is grounded to the shell, and yet in which alignment of an opening in the contact insert with an opening in the connector shell following insertion of the insert into the shell is not required.
It is a third objective of the invention to provide a grounding arrangement for an electrical connector which is not exposed to an outside of the connector shell an therefore not subject to inadvertent loosening.
It is a fourth objective of the invention to provide a grounding arrangement for an electrical connector in which a grounding pin extending from the contact to the shell is self-biased to ensure proper electrical continuity between the contact and the shell.
These and other objectives of the invention are achieved by providing a grounding arrangement for an electrical connector of the type including a shell, an insert arranged at least partially inside the shell, and a contact positioned at least partially within the insert, in which grounding to the shell is established by a pin or lug having one end arranged to engage the grounding contact, and which extends through an opening in the insert to engage an interior surface of the shell. Advantageously, the pin or lug is arranged such that, upon engagement of the shell-engaging end of the pin or lug with the interior of the shell, the pin or lug is self-biased against the grounding contact and shell without the need to screw or otherwise fixedly secure the grounding pin or lug to the contact and shell.
In an especially preferred embodiment of the invention, the grounding pin is conical or frusto-conical in shape and includes a convex head for abutting the inside surface of the shell, the shape of the head facilitating insertion of the insert and grounding pin into the connector shell. Opposite the convex head of the grounding pin of this embodiment are a plurality of flexible legs arranged to be received in a tapered hole in the grounding contact and which serve to bias the pin against the grounding contact in order to ensure electrical continuity between the shell, the pin, and the contact.
In an alternative embodiment of the invention, the pin is L-shaped, with a portion of the pin extending outwardly from the insert being bent generally transversely to the outside of the insert and slightly curved to resiliently engage the interior surface of the shell, and the opposite section of the pin including a slot arranged to fit over a portion of the grounding contact.
In addition to offering the advantages of preserving the environmental integrity of a connector in which the grounding arrangement is used, and of simplifying assembly, the grounding arrangement of the invention has the advantages that grounding of the ground contact to the shell is established upon insertion into the shell of the insert containing the ground contact, providing immediate grounding protection, and of being easily disassembled upon removal of the insert from the connector shell.
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Barnes, Jr. Richard Lewis
Oleksik Gregory John
Amphenol Corporation
Blank Rome Comisky & McCauley,LLP
Nguyen Phuong Chi
Paumen Gary F.
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