Rigid electrical connector

Claim 2

A connector formed of a plug and a receptacle each of which has a shell comprising: a coupling ring mounted to rotate relative to said plug shell; first coupling means responsive to the initial rotation of said coupling ring to coact with said receptacle when said coupling ring is rotated to loosely couple said plug and said receptacle; a block of contact-supporting insulating material rigidly supported in each of said shells, said plug and receptacle each having a forward face, said forward faces being positioned parallel to each other when said plug and receptacle are loosely coupled, at least one of said blocks being of compressible material; and second coupling means responsive to the continued rotation of said coupling ring to complete the coupling of said plug and receptacle, said second coupling means being effective to force said forward faces against each other under pressure, causing a compression of the blocks of compressible material to form a rigid, substantially airtight interfacial seal, said second coupling means being adapted to advance said plug into said receptacle a relatively short distance for each degree of rotation of said coupling ring, whereby the compression of said block is achieved without requiring the application of substantial torque to said coupling ring.

Claim 3

A connector of the type described in claim 1 wherein said second coupling means is operative when said coupling ring is rotated past the point where said loose coupling has been effected.

Claim 4

A connector of the type described in claim 1 wherein said second coupling means terminates in the bottoming of said plug and receptacle shells.

Claim 5

A connector formed of a plug and a receptacle each of which has a shell comprising: a coupling ring mounted to rotate relative to said plug shell; first coupling means adapted to coact with said receptacle when said coupling ring is rotated to loosely couple said plug and said receptacle; a block of contact-supporting insulating material rigidly supported in each of said shells, said plug and receptacle each having a forward face, said forward faces being positioned parallel to each other when said plug and receptacle are loosely coupled, at least one of said blocks being of compressible material; and second coupling means adapted to complete the coupling of said plug and receptacle, said second coupling means being effective to force said forward faces against each other under pressure, causing a compression of the blocks of compressible material to form a rigid, substantially airtight interfacial seal, said second coupling means being adapted to advance said plug into said receptacle a relatively short distance for each degree of rotation of said coupling ring, whereby the compression of said block is achieved without requiring the application of substantial torque to said coupling ring.

Claim 6

A connector formed of a plug and a receptacle each of which has a shell comprising: a coupling ring mounted to rotate relative to said plug shell; first coupling means adapted to coact with said receptacle when said coupling ring is rotated to loosely couple said plug and said receptacle; a block of contact-supporting insulating material rigidly supported in each of said shells, said plug and receptacle each having a forward face, said forward faces being positioned parallel to each other when said plug and receptacle are loosely coupled, at least one of said blocks being of compressible material; and second coupling means adapted to complete the coupling of said plug and receptacle, said second coupling means being effective to force said forward faces against each other under pressure, causing a compression of the blocks of compressible material to form a rigid, substantially airtight interfacial seal, said second coupling means being adapted to advance said plug into said receptacle a relatively short distance for each degree of rotation of said coupling ring, whereby the compression of said block is achieved without requiring the application of substantial torque to said coupling ring.

Claim 7

A connector of the type described in claim 4 wherein said second coupling means is a screw thread.

Claim 8

A connector of the type described in claim 4 wherein said first coupling means is adapted to advance said plug into said receptacle a relatively large distance for each degree of rotation of said coupling ring.

Claim 9

A connector of the type described in claim 6 wherein said first coupling means includes a bayonet pin on said receptacle and a cam track formed in said plug, said cam track being adapted to coact with said pin, when said coupling ring is rotated, to loosely couple said plug and receptacle.

Claim 10

A connector formed of a plug and a receptacle each of which has a shell comprising: a coupling ring mounted to rotate relative to said plug shell; first coupling means adapted to coact with said receptacle when said coupling ring is rotated to loosely couple said plug and said receptacle; a block of contact-supporting insulating material rigidly supported in each of said shells, said plug and receptacle each having a forward face, said forward faces being positioned parallel to each other when said plug and receptacle are loosely coupled, at least one of said blocks being of compressible material; and second coupling means adapted to complete the coupling of said plug and receptacle, said second coupling means being effective to force said forward faces against each other under pressure, causing a compression of the blocks of compressible material to form a rigid, substantially airtight interfacial seal, said first and second coupling being concurrently operable.

Claim 11

A connector formed of a plug and a receptacle each of which has a shell comprising: a coupling ring mounted to rotate relative to said plug shell; first coupling means adapted to coact with said receptacle when said coupling ring is rotated to loosely couple said plug and said receptacle; a block of contact-supporting insulating material rigidly supported in each of said shells, said plug and receptacle each having a forward face, said forward faces being positioned parallel to each other when said plug and receptacle are loosely coupled, at least one of said blocks being of compressible material; and second coupling means adapted to complete the coupling of said plug and receptacle, said second coupling means being effective to force said forward faces against each other under pressure, causing a compression of the blocks of compressible material to form a rigid, substantially airtight interfacial seal, said first and second coupling being concurrently operable.

Claim 12

A connector of the type described in claim 8 wherein said first coupling means includes a bayonet pin on said receptacle shell and a cam track formed in said coupling ring, said cam track being adapted to coact with said pin, when said coupling ring is rotated, to couple said plug and receptacle.

Claim 13

A connector of the type described in claim 8 wherein said second coupling means includes a screw thread connecting said coupling ring to said plug shell.

Claim 14

A thread-assisted bayonet connector formed of a plug having a shell and a receptacle having a shell comprising: a coupling ring on said plug mounted for rotation relative to said plug shell; a pin on said receptacle; a cam track formed in said plug and responsive to the initial rotation of said coupling ring to coact with said pin when said ring is rotated, to loosely couple said plug and receptacle; a block of contact-supporting insulating material rigidly supported in each of said shells, each of said blocks having a forward face, said forward faces being positioned parallel to each other when said plug and receptacle are loosely coupled, at least one of said blocks being of a compressible material; and a screw thread on said plug responsive to continued rotation of said coupling ring to complete the coupling of said plug and receptacle, said screw thread being effective to force said forward faces against each other under pressure, causing a compression of the block of compressible material to form a rigid, substantially airtight interfacial seal.

Claim 15

A thread-assisted bayonet connector formed of a plug having a shell and a receptacle having a shell comprising: a coupling ring on said plug mounted for rotation relative to said plug shell; a pin on said receptacle; a cam track formed in said plug and responsive to the initial rotation of said coupling ring to coact with said pin when said ring is rotated, to loosely couple said plug and receptacle; a block of contact-supporting insulating material rigidly supported in each of said shells, each of said blocks having a forward face, said forward faces being positioned parallel to each other when said plug and receptacle are loosely coupled, at least one of said blocks being of a compressible material; and a screw thread on said plug responsive to continued rotation of said coupling ring to complete the coupling of said plug and receptacle, said screw thread being effective to force said forward faces against each other under pressure, causing a compression of the block of compressible material to form a rigid, substantially airtight interfacial seal.

Claim 16

A thread-assisted bayonet connector formed of a plug having a shell and a receptacle having a shell comprising: a coupling ring on said plug mounted for rotation relative to said plug shell; a pin on said receptacle; a cam track formed in said plug and adapted to coact with said pin when said ring is rotated, to loosely couple said plug and receptacle; a block of contact-supporting insulating material rigidly supported in each of said shells, each of said blocks having a forward face, said forward faces being positioned parallel to each other when said plug and receptacle are loosely coupled, at least one of said blocks being of a compressible material; and means for inhibiting the action of said screw thread until the loose coupling by said pin and cam has been completed.

Claim 17

A thread-assisted bayonet connector formed of a plug having a shell and a receptacle having a shell comprising: a coupling ring on said plug mounted for rotation relative to said plug shell; a pin on said receptacle; a cam track formed in said plug and adapted to coact with said pin when said ring is rotated, to loosely couple said plug and receptacle; a block of contact-supporting insulating material rigidly supported in each of said shells, each of said blocks having a forward face, said forward faces being positioned parallel to each other when said plug and receptacle are loosely coupled, at least one of said blocks being of a compressible material; and means for inhibiting the action of said screw thread until the loose coupling by said pin and cam has been completed.

Claim 18

A connector of the type described in claim 12 wherein said cam track is formed in a bayonet sleeve which surrounds said plug shell; and wherein said means for inhibiting the action of said screw thread includes a coupling sleeve which is normally positioned to couple said bayonet sleeve to said coupling ring so that these elements rotate together, said coupling sleeve being adapted to disengage said coupling ring and said bayonet sleeve when said loose coupling of said plug and receptacle resulting from the coaction of said pin and said cam track has been completed.

Claim 19

A connector of the type described in claim 12 wherein the coupling effected by said pin and cam and the coupling effected by said screw thread are effected concurrently.

Claim 20

A connector of the type described in claim 14 wherein said cam track is formed in said coupling ring and wherein said screw thread is between said coupling ring and said plug shell.

Claim 21

A connector plug which is adapted to be coupled to a mating receptacle comprising: a plug shell; a coupling ring mounted to rotate relative to said shell; a cam track formed in said plug and adapted To coact with said receptacle, when said coupling ring is rotated, to loosely couple said plug and receptacle; a screw thread adapted to move said plug shell toward said receptacle when said coupling ring is rotated, and means for inhibiting the action of said screw thread until the loose coupling effected by the coaction with said cam track has been completed.

Claim 22

A connector plug which is adapted to be coupled to a mating receptacle comprising: a plug shell; a coupling ring mounted to rotate relative to said shell; a cam track formed in said plug and adapted To coact with said receptacle, when said coupling ring is rotated, to loosely couple said plug and receptacle; a screw thread adapted to move said plug shell toward said receptacle when said coupling ring is rotated, and means for inhibiting the action of said screw thread until the loose coupling effected by the coaction with said cam track has been completed.

Claim 23

A connector plug of the type described in claim 16 wherein said cam track is formed in a bayonet sleeve which surrounds said plug shell; and wherein said means for inhibiting the action of said screw thread includes a coupling sleeve which is normally positioned to couple said bayonet sleeve to said coupling ring so that these elements rotate together, said coupling sleeve being adapted to disengage said coupling ring and said bayonet sleeve when said loose coupling of said plug and receptacle resulting from the coaction of said receptacle and said cam track has been completed.

Claim 24

A connector plug of the type described in claim 16 wherein said cam track is formed in said coupling ring and wherein said power thread is formed between said coupling ring and said plug shell.

Claim 25

A connector formed of a plug and a receptacle each of which has a shell comprising: a coupling ring mounted to rotate relative to said plug shell; first coupling means adapted to coact with said receptacle when said coupling ring is rotated to loosely couple said plug and said receptacle; a block of contact-supporting insulating material rigidly supported in each of said shells, said plug and receptacle each having a forward face, said forward faces being positioned parallel to each other when said plug and receptacle are loosely coupled, at least one of said blocks being of compressible material; second coupling means adapted to complete the coupling of said plug and receptacle, said second coupling means being effective to force said forward faces against each other under pressure, causing a compression of the blocks of compressible material to form a rigid, substantially airtight interfacial seal, said second coupling means being operative when said coupling ring is rotated past the point where said loose coupling has been effected; and means for inhibiting the operation of said second coupling means until the loose coupling by said first coupling means has been completed.

Claim 26

A connector formed of a plug and a receptacle each of which has a shell comprising: a coupling ring mounted to rotate relative to said plug shell; first coupling means adapted to coact with said receptacle when said coupling ring is rotated to loosely couple said plug and said receptacle; a block of contact-supporting insulating material rigidly supported in each of said shells, said plug and receptacle each having a forward face, said forward faces being positioned parallel to each other when said plug and receptacle are loosely coupled, at least one of said blocks being of compressible material; second coupling means adapted to complete the coupling of said plug and receptacle, said second coupling means being effective to force said forward faces against each other under pressure, causing a compression of the blocks of compressible material to form a rigid, substantially airtight interfacial seal, said second coupling means being operative when said coupling ring is rotated past the point where said loose coupling has been effected; and means for inhibiting the operation of said second coupling means until the loose coupling by said first coupling means has been completed.

Claim 27

A connector formed of a plug and a receptacle each of which has a shell comprising: a coupling ring mounted to rotate relative to said plug shell; first coupling means adapted to coact with said receptacle when said coupling ring is rotated to loosely couple said plug and said receptacle; a block of contact-supporting insulating material rigidly supported in each of said shells, said plug and receptacle each having a forward face, said forward faces being positioned parallel to each other when said plug and receptacle are loosely coupled, at least one of said blocks being of compressible material; and second coupling means adapted to complete the coupling of said plug and receptacle, said second coupling means being effective to force said forward faces against each other under pressure, causing a compression of the blocks of compressible material to form a rigid, substantially airtight interfacial seal, said first coupling means being adapted to advance said plug into said receptacle a relatively large distance for each degree of rotation of said coupling ring, said second coupling means being adapted to advance said plug into said receptacle a relatively short distance for each degree of rotation of said coupling ring, said second coupling means being operative only when said coupling ring is rotated past the point where loose coupling has been effected.

Claim 28

A connector formed of a plug and a receptacle each of which has a shell comprising: a coupling ring mounted to rotate relative to said plug shell; first coupling means adapted to coact with said receptacle when said coupling ring is rotated to loosely couple said plug and said receptacle; a block of contact-supporting insulating material rigidly supported in each of said shells, said plug and receptacle each having a forward face, said forward faces being positioned parallel to each other when said plug and receptacle are loosely coupled, at least one of said blocks being of compressible material; and second coupling means adapted to complete the coupling of said plug and receptacle, said second coupling means being effective to force said forward faces against each other under pressure, causing a compression of the blocks of compressible material to form a rigid, substantially airtight interfacial seal, said first coupling means being adapted to advance said plug into said receptacle a relatively large distance for each degree of rotation of said coupling ring, said second coupling means being adapted to advance said plug into said receptacle a relatively short distance for each degree of rotation of said coupling ring, said second coupling means being operative only when said coupling ring is rotated past the point where loose coupling has been effected.