Electrical connectors – With coupling movement-actuating means or retaining means in... – Bayonet coupling part movable about its axis
Reexamination Certificate
1999-02-01
2001-03-27
Donovan, Lincoln (Department: 2839)
Electrical connectors
With coupling movement-actuating means or retaining means in...
Bayonet coupling part movable about its axis
C439S166000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06206714
ABSTRACT:
The present invention relates generally to electrical connectors, and has to do particularly with single-pole connectors intended for high current applications.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
High current capacity single-pole electrical connectors have tended to be difficult to assemble and cumbersome in use, particularly where connecting and disconnecting must be frequently accomplished.
Currently available on the market is a widely used, high-power, single-pole connector plug and receptacle connector set identified as the Cam-Lok®, E-Series. This connector set has been in use for over fifty years and is sold by the Crouse-Hinds Division of Cooper Industries. The receptacle is used with a mating straight plug. Both the receptacle and the plug of the Cam-Lok®, E-Series connector set are rubber sheathed for purposes of environmental sealing, electrical insulation for operator safety, and to provide a good gripping surface for manual connection and disconnection. The Cam-Lok®, E-Series receptacle includes a non-conductive, plate-like mounting base which appears square in plan view, a non-conductive, substantially cylindrical sleeve extending integrally from the mounting base, and a conductive contact pin positioned coaxially within the sleeve and usually having a threaded shank extending out of the unit on the side opposite the sleeve. Openings are provided adjacent the corners of the mounting base, to allow passage of fasteners such as bolts, rivets, etc. for fastening the receptacle to a mounting surface.
The leading end of the mating straight plug of the Cam-Lok®, E-Series connector set typically has a forwardly converging, conical configuration. This allows it to fit inside the cylindrical sleeve of the receptacle and achieve a slight pressure fit which provides a moisture seal. Within the conical leading end of the conventional plug is the end of an electrically conductive contact member which is cylindrical in configuration, with an axial opening adapted to snugly receive the contact pin within the receptacle sleeve. (This assumes the receptacle is the “hot” side of the circuit (source) and the plug is the cold side (drain). However, the gender can be reversed with a different plug and receptacle combination). This electrical contact involves geometries (explained below) which provide a cam action to achieve a secure, low resistance electrical connection. Although the rubber sheaths of the plugs are color-coded to identify ground, neutral, and three electrical phases, this conventional design contains no provision to prevent inadvertent cross-plugging of connectors, that is for example, plugging a phase cable into a neutral or ground connector.
In the conventional Cam-Lok®, E-Series construction, the cable is attached to the contact member on the plug side by way of set screws. The Cam-Lok® design also typically uses an internal wire to grip the jacket of the cable for providing strain relief.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
It is an object of one aspect of this invention to provide an intermateable, keyed adapter and a mating plug which can be used with an existing Cam-Lok® receptacle connector, in order to achieve a secure, safer connection between the mating plug and the original Cam-Lok® connector receptacle.
More specifically, this invention provides a plug and an adapter for use with an existing single pole electrical receptacle. The receptacle includes a non-conductive mounting base a non-conductive, substantially cylindrical sleeve extending from the mounting base, and a conductive contact pin positioned generally coaxially within the sleeve. The adapter has a generally cylindrical collar snugly receivable over the sleeve of the existing Cam-Lok® receptacle, and includes means for maintaining the collar in a predetermined position on the sleeve. The plug of the instant invention is elongate and has first and second ends, the first end defining a substantially cylindrical recess sized to snugly receive the cylindrical collar, and a first end enclosing an electrically conductive contact member which conductively engages the contact pin when the first end of the plug receives the collar. The plug further has attachment means for connection to a cable, the attachment means establishing an electrical connection between the cable and the contact member, and thus between the cable and the contact pin. The plug and adapter also include means for retaining one end of the plug in a desired position with respect to the collar.
The invention also provides a plug and a single pole electrical receptacle comprising a non-conductive mounting base, a non-conductive, substantially cylindrical sleeve extending from the mounting base, and a conductive contact pin positioned generally coaxially within the sleeve, and an adapter having a generally cylindrical collar snugly receivable over the sleeve of the receptacle, and including means for maintaining the collar in a predetermined position on the sleeve.
The plug is elongate and has first and second ends, the first end defining a substantially cylindrical recess sized to receive the cylindrical collar. The first end of the plug encloses an electrically conductive contact member which conductively engages the contact pin when the first end of the plug receives the collar. The plug also has attachment means for connection to a cable, the attachment means establishing an electrical connection between the cable and the contact member, and thus between the cable and the contact pin. The plug and adapter also include means for retaining the end of the plug in a desired position with respect to the collar.
REFERENCES:
patent: 5423692 (1995-06-01), Francis
Donovan Lincoln
Litton Systems Inc.
Lowe Hauptman Gilman & Berner
Webb Brian S.
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