Means and method for insulating connectors from ambient atmosphere during mating

Claim 1

Connector means for making electrically connective contact between mating electrical terminals without exposure of the terminals during connection to ambient atmosphere for connection in underwater or explosive atmosphere conditions, or the like, comprising in combination, two mating connectors each including an insulating cover body and at least one electrically conductive terminal exposed from said insulating cover for mating in electrical contact with a further terminal of the other mating connector when brought together in mating position therewith, a displaceable mass of pliable and flowable insulating material covering and intimately contacting said exposed terminal in each connector that the insulating material will flow out of the region between the two connectors when they are brought together in mating position, and means for bringing the insulating material of both said connectors together to merge into a common pliable flowable mass with the terminals in position to engage in mating electrical contact upon application of frictional pressure between the two connectors thereby displacing at least a portion of said pliable material covering said terminals away from the space between the connectors and causing the conductive terminals to penetrate through the common flowable mass to engage in electrical contact while maintaining an insulation barrier between said terminals and the ambient atmosphere about said connectors by a portion of the common insulating material mass retained between said connectors.

Claim 7

The method of making connections between two electrical connector plugs, each having at least one terminal conductor, without exposing the terminal conductors to the surrounding atmosphere during mating of the plugs, comprising the steps of, covering the exposed terminal conductors of each connector plug with a pliable and flowable substance of insulating material, bringing the substance of said two connector plugs into contact to merge into a common pliable flowable mass with the terminal conductors in position to engage in mating electrical contact upon application of frictional pressure between the two connectors, and applying frictional pressure to penetrate said terminal conductors through the common flowable mass and displace part of said mass from the space between the two plugs to bring said two plugs into mating position with the terminal conductors of the two plugs in electrical contact while preventing any contact of the terminal conductors with the ambient atmosphere surrounding the plugs during the mating thereof.

Claim 8

The method of making connections between two electrical connector plugs, each having at least one terminal conductor, without exposing the terminal conductors to the surrounding atmosphere during mating of the plugs, comprising the steps of, covering the exposed terminal conductors of each connector plug with a pliable and flowable substance of insulating material, bringing the substance of said two connector plugs into contact to merge into a common pliable flowable mass with the terminal conductors in position to engage in mating electrical contact upon application of frictional pressure between the two connectors, and applying frictional pressure to penetrate said terminal conductors through the common flowable mass and displace part of said mass from the space between the two plugs to bring said two plugs into mating position with the terminal conductors of the two plugs in electrical contact while preventing any contact of the terminal conductors with the ambient atmosphere surrounding the plugs during the mating thereof.