Underwater disconnectible connector

Claim 2

A fluidproof electrical connector comprising: A. a tubular plug of electrically insulating material having at least one electrically conductive plug contact thereon, at least a portion of said plug contact being exposed at The tubular surface of said plug; B. an electrically insulating socket having a tubular bore of substantially similar cross-sectional shape to that of said plug tubular surface, said bore being of greater crosssectional dimensions than said plug so that when said plug is inserted into said socket, a clearance exists therebetween; C. at least one resilient, outwardly yieldable, electrically conductive socket contact disposed within said socket and protruding inwardly into said bore to present a yieldable restriction to insertion of said plug into said bore; D. said socket contact being positioned within said socket to be in longitudinal alignment with, and thereby in resiliently engaged contact with, said plug contact when said plug is fully inserted into said socket; E. a pair of inner perimetric grooves recessing said tubular bore of said socket, with one of said grooves being on either side of said socket contact, F. at least one resilient sealing ring seated in each said socket groove, each sealing ring having an inner opening of smaller dimension than the cross section of said plug tubular surface, whereby when said plug is fully inserted into said socket, said sealing rings effect a sealed isolation of said electrically connected contacts therebetween, and G. a nonconductive, water-insoluble, greaselike material disposed in portions of said grooves unoccupied by said sealing rings.

Claim 3

A fluidproof electrical connector comprising: A. a tubular plug of electrically insulating material having at least one electrically conductive plug contact thereon, at least a portion of said plug contact being exposed at the tubular surface of said plug; B. an electrically insulating socket having a tubular bore of substantially similar cross-sectional shape to that of said plug tubular surface, said bore being of greater cross-sectional dimensions than said plug so that a clearance exists therebetween when said plug is inserted into said socket, said socket bore having a circumferential slot in the surface of said tubular bore; C. at least one resilient, outwardly yieldable, electrically conductive socket contact disposed within said socket slot and protruding inwardly into said bore to present a yieldable restriction to insertion of said plug into said bore; D. said socket contact being positioned within said socket to be in longitudinal alignment with, and in resiliently engaged electrical contact with, said plug contact when said plug is fully inserted into said socket; E. at least one resilient sealing ring disposed within said socket bore on each side of said socket contact, each sealing ring having an inner opening of smaller dimension than the cross section of said plug whereby when said plug is fully inserted into said socket, said sealing rings effect a sealed isolation of said electrically connected contacts therebetween, and F. a nonconductive, water-insoluble, greaselike material contained within those portions of said slot unoccupied by said socket contact and precluding entrapment of a fluid conductor within said slot.

Claim 4

A fluidproof electrical connector comprising: A. a tubular plug of electrically insulating material having at least one electrically conductive plug contact thereon, at least a portion of said plug contact being exposed at the tubular surface of said plug; B. an electrically insulating socket having a tubular bore of substantially similar cross-sectional shape to that of said plug tubular surface, said bore being of greater cross-sectional dimensions than said plug so that a clearance exists therebetween when said plug is inserted into said socket, said socket bore having a circumferential slot in the surface of said tubular bore; C. at least one resilient, outwardly yieldable, electrically conductive socket contact disposed within said socket slot and protruding inwardly into said bore to present a yieldable restriction to insertion of said plug into said bore; D. said socket contact being positioned within said socket to be in longitudinal alignment with, and in resiliently engaged electrical contact with, said plug contact when said plug is fully inserted into said socket; E. at least one resilient sealing ring disposed within said socket bore on each side of said socket contact, each sealing ring having an inner opening of smaller dimension than the cross section of said plug whereby when said plug is fully inserted into said socket, said sealing rings effect a sealed isolation of said electrically connected contacts therebetween, and F. a nonconductive, water-insoluble, greaselike material contained within those portions of said slot unoccupied by said socket contact and precluding entrapment of a fluid conductor within said slot.

Claim 5

A fluidproof electrical connector comprising: A. a tubular electrical plug having electrical insulating material seating at least one electrically conductive plug contact thereon with at least a portion of said plug contact exposed at the plug outer tubular surface and with said insulating material exposed at the plug outer tubular surface on either side of said plug contact, B. an electrical socket having a tubular bore of substantially similar cross-sectional shape to that of said plug outer surface, said bore being of greater cross-sectional size than said plug so that a clearance exists therebetween when said plug is mated with said socket, C. said socket carrying electrical insulating material for supporting a contact thereon, D. at least one electrical socket contact carried on said socket seated in said bore on said insulatiNg material thereon, said socket contact being positioned on said socket to be in longitudinal alignment with said plug contact when said plug is matingly engaged with said socket, and said socket contact having a resiliently and radially yielding contact surface protruding inwardly into said bore for resiliently engaging, and maintaining electrical contact with, said plug contact when said plug and socket are matingly engaged, E. said socket bore further having at least first and second seal-carrying means, with one said means on either side of said socket contact, and F. at least first and second resilient annular sealing means carried on said socket by said same-numbered seating means, each sealing means having an inner opening constrictionally engaging said insulating material exposed at said plug tubular surface on the corresponding side of said plug contact when said plug is matingly engaged with said socket, and said pair of sealing means effecting a fluidtight seal across said clearance between said matingly engaged plug and socket on either side of said engaged contacts, and insulating with said seals the engagement of said contacts from fluids in said clearance outwardly beyond said sealing means from said contacts.

Claim 6

A fluidproof electrical connector comprising: A. a tubular electrical plug having electrical insulating material seating at least one electrically conductive plug contact thereon with at least a portion of said plug contact exposed at the plug outer tubular surface and with said insulating material exposed at the plug outer tubular surface on either side of said plug contact, B. an electrical socket having a tubular bore of substantially similar cross-sectional shape to that of said plug outer surface, said bore being of greater cross-sectional size than said plug so that a clearance exists therebetween when said plug is mated with said socket, C. said socket carrying electrical insulating material for supporting a contact thereon, D. at least one electrical socket contact carried on said socket seated in said bore on said insulatiNg material thereon, said socket contact being positioned on said socket to be in longitudinal alignment with said plug contact when said plug is matingly engaged with said socket, and said socket contact having a resiliently and radially yielding contact surface protruding inwardly into said bore for resiliently engaging, and maintaining electrical contact with, said plug contact when said plug and socket are matingly engaged, E. said socket bore further having at least first and second seal-carrying means, with one said means on either side of said socket contact, and F. at least first and second resilient annular sealing means carried on said socket by said same-numbered seating means, each sealing means having an inner opening constrictionally engaging said insulating material exposed at said plug tubular surface on the corresponding side of said plug contact when said plug is matingly engaged with said socket, and said pair of sealing means effecting a fluidtight seal across said clearance between said matingly engaged plug and socket on either side of said engaged contacts, and insulating with said seals the engagement of said contacts from fluids in said clearance outwardly beyond said sealing means from said contacts.

Claim 7

A connector as defined in claim 3 wherein said exposed portion of said plug contact is free of outward projection beyond the tubular plug surface that engages at least said one sealing means more proximal to the opening into said bore.

Claim 8

A connector as defined in claim 3 further comprising a resilient annular wiping member carried on said socket adjacent the plug-receiving end of the bore therein, said wiping member interferingly engaging the outer tubular surface of said plug for wiping said plug surface upon mating interconnection of said plug and socket.

Claim 9

A connector as defined in claim 3 wherein each said seal-carrying means includes a perimetric groove recessing said tubular bore of said socket.

Claim 10

A connector as defined in claim 6 wherein A. each said groove has a width along the tubular bore greater than the depth with which it recesses said bore, and B. each said sealing means is an annular member which has, when said socket is disengaged from said plug, a normal width along said tubular bore and a normal thickness transverse to that width, both of which are both less than the width of the groove in which the member is seated and greater than the depth of that groove.

Claim 11

A connector as defined in claim 6 further comprising an electrically nonconductive and water insoluble greaselike material disposed in each said groove and filling the portions therein not occupied by said sealing means.

Claim 12

A connector as defined in claim 6 in which said socket has a further perimetric groovelike slot recessing the tubular bore thereof and seating said socket contact.

Claim 13

In an electrical connector having a tubular plug carrying a pair of first and second electrical plug contacts spaced apart along the tubular surface thereof, and having a receptacle having a tubular bore therein for receiving said plug in mating engagement spaced inwardly therefrom and having a pair of first and second electrical receptacle contacts, each for mating electrical contact with said same-numbered plug contact, the improvement comprising: A. first, second and third annular sealing means carried on said receptacle within said bore therein with one said sealing means intermediate said receptacle contacts and each other sealing means on an opposite side of said pair of receptacle contact, each said sealing means resiliently compressively engaging said plug and effecting a fluid-type seal between said matingly engaged plug and receptacle on either side of said engaged first contacts and on either side of said engaged second contacts, thereby isolating the engagement of each of said same-numbered contacts from fluids in the plug-to-bore space and outwardly beyond said sealing means from each of said matingly engaged first contaCts and second contacts.

Claim 14

In an electrical connector having a tubular plug carrying a pair of first and second electrical plug contacts spaced apart along the tubular surface thereof, and having a receptacle having a tubular bore therein for receiving said plug in mating engagement spaced inwardly therefrom and having a pair of first and second electrical receptacle contacts, each for mating electrical contact with said same-numbered plug contact, the improvement comprising: A. first, second and third annular sealing means carried on said receptacle within said bore therein with one said sealing means intermediate said receptacle contacts and each other sealing means on an opposite side of said pair of receptacle contact, each said sealing means resiliently compressively engaging said plug and effecting a fluid-type seal between said matingly engaged plug and receptacle on either side of said engaged first contacts and on either side of said engaged second contacts, thereby isolating the engagement of each of said same-numbered contacts from fluids in the plug-to-bore space and outwardly beyond said sealing means from each of said matingly engaged first contaCts and second contacts.

Claim 15

An electrical connector as defined in claim 10 further comprising means forming a venting aperture through said receptacle from the inner-end of said bore for venting fluid to the exterior of said receptacle from within said bore during the engagement of said plug thereinto.

Claim 16

In an electrical connector as defined in claim 10, the further improvement wherein: A. each of said sealing means includes at least one O-ring-like member seated on said receptacle in a circumferential groove recessing the bore thereof.

Claim 17

An electrical connector as defined in claim 12 further comprising electrically insulating and water-insoluble greaselike material disposed in said each groove in the spaces therein not occupied by said O-ring means.

Claim 18

A fluidproof electrical connector comprising: A. a tubular electrical plug having electrical insulating material seating at least one electrically conductive plug contact thereon with at least a portion of said plug contact exposed at the plug outer tubular surface, B. an electrical socket having a tubular bore of substantially similar cross-sectional shape to that of said plug outer surface, said bore being of greater cross-sectional size than said plug so that a clearance exists therebetween when said plug is mated with said socket, C. said socket carrying electrical insulating material for supporting a contact thereon, D. at least one electrical socket contact carried on said socket seated in said bore on said insulating material thereon, said socket contact being positioned on said socket to be in longitudinal alignment with said plug contact when said plug is matingly engaged with said socket, and said socket contact having a resiliently and radially yielding contact surface protruding inwardly into said bore for resiliently engaging, and maintaining electrical contact with, said plug contact when said plug and socket are matingly engaged, E. said socket bore further having at least first and second seal-carrying means, with one said means on either side of said contact, and having an aperture leading from the inner end of said bore to outside said socket, and F. at least first and second resilient annular sealing means carried on said socket by said same-numbered seating means, each sealing means having an inner opening constrictionally engaging said plug tubular surface on the corresponding side of said plug contact when said plug is matingly engaged with said socket, and said pair of sealing means effecting a fluidtight seal across said clearance between said matingly engaged plug and socket on either side of said engaged contacts, and insulating with said seals the engagement of said contacts from fluids in said clearance outwardly beyond said sealing means from said contacts.

Claim 19

A fluidproof electrical connector comprising: A. a tubular electrical plug having electrical insulating material seating at least one electrically conductive plug contact thereon with at least a portion of said plug contact exposed at the plug outer tubular surface, B. an electrical socket having a tubular bore of substantially similar cross-sectional shape to that of said plug outer surface, said bore being of greater cross-sectional size than said plug so that a clearance exists therebetween when said plug is mated with said socket, C. said socket carrying electrical insulating material for supporting a contact thereon, D. at least one electrical socket contact carried on said socket seated in said bore on said insulating material thereon, said socket contact being positioned on said socket to be in longitudinal alignment with said plug contact when said plug is matingly engaged with said socket, and said socket contact having a resiliently and radially yielding contact surface protruding inwardly into said bore for resiliently engaging, and maintaining electrical contact with, said plug contact when said plug and socket are matingly engaged, E. said socket bore further having at least first and second seal-carrying means, with one said means on either side of said contact, and having an aperture leading from the inner end of said bore to outside said socket, and F. at least first and second resilient annular sealing means carried on said socket by said same-numbered seating means, each sealing means having an inner opening constrictionally engaging said plug tubular surface on the corresponding side of said plug contact when said plug is matingly engaged with said socket, and said pair of sealing means effecting a fluidtight seal across said clearance between said matingly engaged plug and socket on either side of said engaged contacts, and insulating with said seals the engagement of said contacts from fluids in said clearance outwardly beyond said sealing means from said contacts.