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EP0135299A2 Expired / Lapsed EP ⏱️ 0.0 years remaining

Improved weatherproof positive lock connector

Assignee: Whittaker Corp
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Filing: 1984-07-19
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Granted: —
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Expires: 2004-07-19
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Abstract

Abstract The device is used to connector electrical conduits together and comprises a male plug and a female receptacle, each of which has a housing with a central tubular component and a cavity extending through and adapted to receive an electrical conduit. When the plug and receptacle are joined together an electrical conduit ends disposed in the plug and receptacle are electrically interconnected. Both the plug and receptacle also include means for securing the conduits in place and sealing means for thermally sealing the conduits therein against atmospheric conditions. The central tubular components are electrically insulative. The male plug has a plurality of flexible fingers extending from the front end thereof while the receptacle has its tubular member dimensioned such that it splits the fingers as the plug and receptacle are joined together. The receptacle tubular member has a plurality of recesses into which the finger ends snap to hold the plug and receptacle together. Locking tabs slide over these recesses to lock the fingers in the recesses. The fingers are retractable from the recesses, thus permitting uncoupling of the plug and receptacle, by sliding the outer sleeve of the receptacle rearwardly against an internal spring and carrying with it the locking tabs to a rear unlocked position. The device is simple. durable and highly effective. It is utilized in interconnecting nuclear reactor cable components and in other high temperature corrosive environments which require positive locking thermal and corrosion resistant connectors. The device is also useful in high frequency electrical conductor applications.

Inventors

  • 👤 Peter G. Mcgeary

Bibliographic Details

Application Number —
Jurisdiction EP
Data Source google_patents
Last Synchronized 2026-11-01 20:50
CPC Classifications
H; H01; H01R; H01R13/00; H01R13/62; H01R13/627; H01R13/6277; H01R13/46; H01R13/52

Claims Analysis

Total Claims: 9
Claim 1
Independent Claim 239 words
An improved, weatherproof, snap-on, positive lock connector device for electrical conduits, said device comprising, in combination: a. a male plug comprising a housing having i. a central tubular component having a cavity extending therethrough adapted to receive an electrical conduit at the rear end thereof, ii. a plurality of flexible fingers extending forwardly from the front end of said tubular component, iii. a sleeve concentric with and peripheral of said fingers to define with said fingers a peripheral space therebetween and, iv. sealing means disposed in said space and around said tubular component for thermally sealing said tubular component against atmospheric condition; b. a female receptacle comprising a housing having i. a central tubular member having a cavity extending therethrough adapted to receive an electrical conduit at the rear end thereof; ii. a plurality of spaced peripheral recesses in the outer surface of said tubular member aligned with and adapted to receive said fingers, iii.a sleeve concentric with, slideable over and peripheral of said tubular member to define a peripheral space therebetween, said sleeve being receivable within said male plug sleeve, iv. locking means in said female receptacle peripheral space movable between a forward locked position over said recesses and a rearward unlocked position away from said recesses, v. spring means urging said locking means into said locked position and said sleeve into a forward position, and, v. sealing means for thermally sealing said female receptacle against atmospheric conditions.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim 239 words
An improved, weatherproof, snap-on, positive lock connector device for electrical conduits, said device comprising, in combination: a. a male plug comprising a housing having i. a central tubular component having a cavity extending therethrough adapted to receive an electrical conduit at the rear end thereof, ii. a plurality of flexible fingers extending forwardly from the front end of said tubular component, iii. a sleeve concentric with and peripheral of said fingers to define with said fingers a peripheral space therebetween and, iv. sealing means disposed in said space and around said tubular component for thermally sealing said tubular component against atmospheric condition; b. a female receptacle comprising a housing having i. a central tubular member having a cavity extending therethrough adapted to receive an electrical conduit at the rear end thereof; ii. a plurality of spaced peripheral recesses in the outer surface of said tubular member aligned with and adapted to receive said fingers, iii.a sleeve concentric with, slideable over and peripheral of said tubular member to define a peripheral space therebetween, said sleeve being receivable within said male plug sleeve, iv. locking means in said female receptacle peripheral space movable between a forward locked position over said recesses and a rearward unlocked position away from said recesses, v. spring means urging said locking means into said locked position and said sleeve into a forward position, and, v. sealing means for thermally sealing said female receptacle against atmospheric conditions.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim 33 words
The improved device of claim 1 wherein said fingers bear terminal pads, and said pads and said recesses have sloped about matching surfaces to facilitate sliding access of said fingers to said recesses.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim 37 words
The improved device of claim 1 wherein said tubular member is of a size to effect radial flexing of said fingers during said engagement and wherein said fingers when in said recesses are in a relaxed state.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim 32 words
The improved device of claim 2 wherein said retaining means comprises tabs urgeable into said unlocked position by said finger pads during said engagement of said male plug and said female receptacle.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim 30 words
The improved device of claim 1 wherein said retaining means are keyed to and retractable from said locked position with retraction of said female receptacle sleeve from said forward position.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim 19 words
The improved device of claim 5 wherein said tubular component and said tubular member each comprise electricaÐy insulative material.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim 37 words
The improved device of claim 6 wherein said male plug and said female receptacle are generically cylindrical and wherein said cavities in said tubular component and tubular member are adapted to receive the ends of elecbical cable.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim 20 words
The improved device of claim 7 wherein said device is a high frequency, thermally stable, moisture-proof, electrically insulative cable connector.

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