Electrical connectors – With sealing element or material for cooperation with... – Combined with distinct cable sheath sealing element or material
Reexamination Certificate
2000-03-02
2001-08-28
Abrams, Neil (Department: 2839)
Electrical connectors
With sealing element or material for cooperation with...
Combined with distinct cable sheath sealing element or material
C174S15300A
Reexamination Certificate
active
06280220
ABSTRACT:
TECHNICAL FIELD
The invention herein resides generally in the art of seals. More particularly, the present invention relates to seals which preclude entry of contaminants into an electrical connection area. Specifically, the present invention relates to seals which employ compressive ribs which do not permanently deflect and that preclude entry of harmful materials into an electrical connection area.
BACKGROUND ART
In order to prevent contaminants from entering areas of contact between electrical connections, it is imperative to provide a seal between the connector and wires received therein. It is well known that electrical connections are made by attaching mating terminals to the wires to be connected. Entry of contaminants, such as water, corrosive fluids, gases and the like, into the connection area can cause short circuits between electrical conductors, interrupt the electric connection between mating terminals, or interfere with the transmitted signal.
It is well known that relatively tight connections can be made between mating connectors and between the connectors and the received wire; however, there are always slight gaps therebetween. These gaps may be caused by mismatched tolerances in the connectors; excessive force used in mating the connectors, or in loading the wires into the connectors; or even slight vibrations after the connectors have been mated, or after the wires have been inserted. It will also be appreciated that some connectors with received wires are placed in pressurized environments with extreme temperature fluctuations. These variations further exacerbate any gaps between the connectors or wires received therein.
To block these gaps between connectors and the wires that they receive it is known to provide elastomeric seals therebetween. These seals typically have substantially inwardly extending ribs that are compressed when a wire is received through a seal. Unfortunately, these ribs often over deflect and get cut or pinched. As will be appreciated, once this seal is ineffective, contaminants may enter the connection area and lead to the aforementioned problems. Yet another problem associated with current seals is that the terminals attached to the wires invariably damage the sealing ribs if several insertions and withdrawals of the wire are made through the seal. Once the inwardly extending ribs of such a seal are damaged, the seal around the wire becomes ineffective. Still another problem with current seals is that the sealing ribs are positioned such that, when flexed, they are likely to be pinched or cut. This results in a seal that provides wide center-to-center spacing. In other words, current seals do not provide or accommodate the large number of wires required by hi-density connectors.
Therefore, there is a need in the art for a more efficient seal between mating connectors and between connectors and wires received therein.
DISCLOSURE OF INVENTION
In light of the foregoing, it is a first aspect of the present invention to provide a seal for disposition between a connector and a wire received therein.
Another aspect of the present invention is to provide a seal carried by one of the mating connectors which has a hole with a perimeter that exerts a compressive force on the wire received therein.
Still a further aspect of the present invention, as set forth above, is to provide the perimeter of the hole with inwardly compressive ribs that do not remain folded over onto the interior surface from which they extend when a wire is inserted therethrough, but recover and return to circumferential engagement with the wire.
An additional aspect of the present invention, as set forth above, is to provide the hole with tapered lead-in surfaces resulting in a low insertion force for a properly prepared terminal, which is one without a razor edge, wherein the terminal is attached to the wire and wherein the combination of the tapered lead-in surfaces and compressive ribs allow more than 5 and up to 50 insertions and extractions of the wire and the terminal without diminishing the effectiveness of the seal.
Yet an additional aspect of the present invention, as set forth above, is to provide the perimeter hole with at least two inwardly extending compressive ribs with a notch therebetween wherein the notch has a diameter less than an opening diameter of the hole.
Another aspect of the present invention, as set forth above, is to provide a plurality of holes with reduced center-to-center spacing.
The foregoing and other aspects of the invention which shall become apparent as the detailed description proceeds, are achieved by a seal for disposition between a connector and a wire, comprising opposed faces having at least one wire hole therethrough; an outer sealing surfaces connecting the opposed faces and contacting the connector; the at least one wire hole having at least two inwardly extending compressive ribs contacting an outer surface of the wire, said ribs having a notch therebetween, the inwardly extending compressive ribs having a contacting apex extending from lead-in side surfaces connected to respective opposed faces, the notch having a diameter less than a diameter of a connection point between the lead-in side edges and the opposed faces.
The present invention also provides a seal that surrounds a wire for precluding entry of contaminants into an electrical connection area, comprising a pair of opposed faces having a plurality of wire holes extending therethrough, each of the wire holes having an interior sealing surface that exerts a compressive force on a wire received therein, the interior sealing surface providing a plurality of compressive ribs concentric with the wire hole, the compressive ribs having a notch therebetween that is concentric with the wire hole, the notch having a diameter less than a diameter of any point between the outermost compressive ribs and their adjacent opposed face.
The present invention further provides a method for determining a shape of an interior sealing surface provided by a seal disposed around a wire with an attached terminal, comprising the steps of measuring a diameter of the attached terminal for designation as diameter A; multiplying a measured diameter of the wire times about 60% for designation as diameter B; measuring a thickness of the seal for designation as dimension C; calculating a radius value D by multiplying dimension C times a factor x; calculating a radius value E by multiplying dimension C times a factor y; calculating a radius value F by multiplying dimension C times a factor z; determining a plurality of first intersection points by multiplying dimension C times values less than 1; calculating a plurality of second intersection points by employing the radius values D, E and F and diameters A and B; and employing the plurality of first and second intersection points, the diameters A and B, and the radiuses D, E and F to construct the shape of the interior sealing surface.
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Abrams Neil
Quality Synthetic Rubber, Inc.
Renner Kenner Greive Bobak Taylor & Weber
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