Dual electrical and fluidic connector assembly

Claim 2

In a connector assembly, the combination comprising: means for connecting at least one electrical conductor in electrical circuit relationship to another electrical conductor; and means for connecting at least one fluid conductor in a fluid communicating relationship to another fluid conductor which comprises: an insert, having a plurality of passages; a duct, disposed in at least one of said passages, said duct having an end portion with a boss thereon which extends beyond said insert, said boss having a given diameter; and a resilient insert having a plurality of bores arranged in the same manner as the passages in said other insert said resilient insert having at least one bore therein receiving the portion of said duct having the boss thereon, said bore having a diameter less than the diameter of the boss on said duct so that when said duct is inserted into said bore said boss on said duct is in pressurized contact with the wall of said bore whereby a fluidtight seal is formed therebetween so that the electrical conductors are electrically isolated from the fluid conductors.

Claim 3

In combination with an electrical connector of the type having a male and female member each of which include an insert having a plurality of passages of a given diameter and wherein one of said inserts includes male electrical contact members disposed in the passages of said insert and female electrical contact members disposed in the passages of said other insert for connecting a plurality of noncommunicating electrical conductors in predetermined circuit relationship, the improvement comprising: one of said inserts is comprised of a resilient material; and at least one duct, said duct disposed in one of the passages of said other insert, said duct having an end portion with a boss thereon which extends beyond said insert, the diameter of said boss being greater than the diameter of the passage in said resilient insert so that when said male and female members are in mated relationship, the boss in said duct is in pressurized contact with the wall of the passage of said resilient insert to form a fluidtight seal therebetween whereby said connector connects in a predetermined relationship electrical and fluid conductors.

Claim 4

In combination with an electrical connector of the type having a male and female member each of which include an insert having a plurality of passages of a given diameter and wherein one of said inserts includes male electrical contact members disposed in the passages of said insert and female electrical contact members disposed in the passages of said other insert for connecting a plurality of noncommunicating electrical conductors in predetermined circuit relationship, the improvement comprising: one of said inserts is comprised of a resilient material; and at least one duct, said duct disposed in one of the passages of said other insert, said duct having an end portion with a boss thereon which extends beyond said insert, the diameter of said boss being greater than the diameter of the passage in said resilient insert so that when said male and female members are in mated relationship, the boss in said duct is in pressurized contact with the wall of the passage of said resilient insert to form a fluidtight seal therebetween whereby said connector connects in a predetermined relationship electrical and fluid conductors.

Claim 5

A connector assembly for connecting at least one fluid conductor To another and at least one electrical conductor to another which comprises: a first assembly which includes: an insert comprised of a resilient material and having at least two passages therethrough, each of said passages having a given diameter; a duct disposed in at least one of said passages, said duct having an end portion which terminates within the passage in said housing; and an electrical contact disposed in another passage, said electrical contact having an end portion which terminates with the passage in said insert; a second assembly which includes: an insert having at least two passages therethrough arranged in the same manner as the passages in said resilient insert; a duct disposed in at least one of said passages, said duct having an end portion which extends beyond said insert, said end portion having at least one boss thereon, the diameter of the boss being greater than the diameter of the passage in said resilient insert so that when said duct is inserted into one of said passages in said resilient insert, the boss on the end portion of said second assembly duct is in pressurized contact with the wall of the passage in said resilient insert whereby a fluidtight seal is formed therebetween; and an electrical contact disposed in another passage, said contact having a middle portion and an end portion which extends beyond said insert for insertion into said passage in said resilient insert having said electrical contact so that when said first assembly is in mated relationship with said second assembly, said electrical contact is in circuit relationship with said other contact whereby said connector assembly connects electrical and fluid conductors in a predetermined relationship.

Claim 6

A connector assembly for connecting at least one fluid conductor To another and at least one electrical conductor to another which comprises: a first assembly which includes: an insert comprised of a resilient material and having at least two passages therethrough, each of said passages having a given diameter; a duct disposed in at least one of said passages, said duct having an end portion which terminates within the passage in said housing; and an electrical contact disposed in another passage, said electrical contact having an end portion which terminates with the passage in said insert; a second assembly which includes: an insert having at least two passages therethrough arranged in the same manner as the passages in said resilient insert; a duct disposed in at least one of said passages, said duct having an end portion which extends beyond said insert, said end portion having at least one boss thereon, the diameter of the boss being greater than the diameter of the passage in said resilient insert so that when said duct is inserted into one of said passages in said resilient insert, the boss on the end portion of said second assembly duct is in pressurized contact with the wall of the passage in said resilient insert whereby a fluidtight seal is formed therebetween; and an electrical contact disposed in another passage, said contact having a middle portion and an end portion which extends beyond said insert for insertion into said passage in said resilient insert having said electrical contact so that when said first assembly is in mated relationship with said second assembly, said electrical contact is in circuit relationship with said other contact whereby said connector assembly connects electrical and fluid conductors in a predetermined relationship.

Claim 7

A connector assembly for connecting at least one fluid conductor to another and at least one electrical conductor to another which comprises: a first assembly which includes: an insert comprised of a resilient material and having at least two passages therethrough, each of said passages having a given diameter; and a duct disposed in at least one of said passages, said duct having an end portion which terminates within the passage in said insert, and an end portion which extends beyond said insert for receiving a first fluid conductor; An electrical contact disposed in another passage, said electrical contact having an end portion which terminates within the passage in said insert, and an end portion which extends beyond said insert for receiving a first electrical conductor; A second assembly which includes: an insert having at least two passages therethrough; a duct disposed in at least one of said passages, said duct having a middle portion, an end portion which extends beyond said insert for receiving a second fluid conductor, and another end portion having at least one boss thereon which extends beyond said insert for insertion into one of said passages in said resilient insert, the diameter of the boss being greater than the diameter of the passage in said resilient insert so that when said first assembly is in mated relationship with said second assembly the boss on the end portion of said second assembly duct is in pressurized contact with the wall of the passages in said resilient insert whereby a fluidtight seal is formed therebetween; and an electrical contact disposed in another passage, said contact having a middle portion, an end portion which extends beyond said insert for receiving a second electrical conductor, and another end portion which extends beyond said insert for insertion into said passage in said resilient insert so that when said first assembly is in mated relationship with said second assembly, said electrical contact is in circuit relationship with said other contact whereby said connector assembly connects said first electrical conductor to said second electrical conductor and said first fluid conductor to said second fluid conductor.

Claim 8

A connector assembly for connecting at least one fluid conductor to another and at least one electrical conductor to another which comprises: a first assembly which includes: an insert comprised of a resilient material and having at least two passages therethrough, each of said passages having a given diameter; and a duct disposed in at least one of said passages, said duct having an end portion which terminates within the passage in said insert, and an end portion which extends beyond said insert for receiving a first fluid conductor; An electrical contact disposed in another passage, said electrical contact having an end portion which terminates within the passage in said insert, and an end portion which extends beyond said insert for receiving a first electrical conductor; A second assembly which includes: an insert having at least two passages therethrough; a duct disposed in at least one of said passages, said duct having a middle portion, an end portion which extends beyond said insert for receiving a second fluid conductor, and another end portion having at least one boss thereon which extends beyond said insert for insertion into one of said passages in said resilient insert, the diameter of the boss being greater than the diameter of the passage in said resilient insert so that when said first assembly is in mated relationship with said second assembly the boss on the end portion of said second assembly duct is in pressurized contact with the wall of the passages in said resilient insert whereby a fluidtight seal is formed therebetween; and an electrical contact disposed in another passage, said contact having a middle portion, an end portion which extends beyond said insert for receiving a second electrical conductor, and another end portion which extends beyond said insert for insertion into said passage in said resilient insert so that when said first assembly is in mated relationship with said second assembly, said electrical contact is in circuit relationship with said other contact whereby said connector assembly connects said first electrical conductor to said second electrical conductor and said first fluid conductor to said second fluid conductor.