Underwater separable connector

Claim 2

A separable underwater electrical connector for use in deep water, said connector comprising two connector portions having plug and socket terminal means respectively, each of said connector portions including a rigid block of insulating material, a plurality of pin terminal means located within the rigid insulating block in one portion of said connector, a plurality of socket terminal means located within the rigid block in the other portion of said connector, a metallic sleeve surrounding the periphery of and extending beyond each of said rigid blocks of insulating material, waterproof jacketed cable means including an electrical shield surrounding a plurality of insulated electrical conductors, means for electrically connecting said shield in each of said cable means to a corresponding one of said metallic sleeves and to one of said electrical terminals in the corresponding portion of said separable connector, said insulated electrical conductors being connected to other of said electrical terminal means, and a rigid potting compound filling the terminal region bounded by the inside surface of said metal sleeve, a surface of said insulating block, and the exposed end of said cable.

Claim 3

The invention in claim 1 and a waterproof elastomer compound molded over the outside surface of said metallic sleeve and sealed to the outside jacket of said cable.

Claim 4

The invention in claim 2 wherein said elastomer is molded over the metallic sleeve on one connector half to form an electrically shielded plug, said elastomer being molded over and projecting beyond the sleeve on the other connector half to form a shielded terminal region having a cavity therein, whereby said two connector halves are almost completely shielded throughout the terminal region.

Claim 5

A plug end portion of a separable underwater connector for use in deep water, said plug comprising a rigid block of insulating material having a front surface and a rear surface, holes in said insulating block, electrically conducting pin terminals having enlarged flange portions thereon, said pins snugly passing through said holes in said insulating block, and resting with said flange portions against the rear surface of said block with the pins projecting beyond the front surface of said insulating block, a jacketed underwater cable containing at least one insulated electrical conductor surrounded by a shield located beneath said jacket, a metallic sleeve sealed to the periphery of said insulating block with the open end of said sleeve projecting away from the rear surface of said insulating block toward the end of said shield of the jacketed cable sufficient to effectively provide shielded continuity between the sleeve and shield, means for electrically connecting said shield to said metallic sleeve and to one of said pin terminals, means for electrically connecting said insulated conductor to another one of said pin terminals, and a rigid potting compound means filling the terminal region contained within said metal sleeve and extending from the rear surface of said insulating block to the end of said cable jacket.

Claim 6

A plug end portion of a separable underwater connector for use in deep water, said plug comprising a rigid block of insulating material having a front surface and a rear surface, holes in said insulating block, electrically conducting pin terminals having enlarged flange portions thereon, said pins snugly passing through said holes in said insulating block, and resting with said flange portions against the rear surface of said block with the pins projecting beyond the front surface of said insulating block, a jacketed underwater cable containing at least one insulated electrical conductor surrounded by a shield located beneath said jacket, a metallic sleeve sealed to the periphery of said insulating block with the open end of said sleeve projecting away from the rear surface of said insulating block toward the end of said shield of the jacketed cable sufficient to effectively provide shielded continuity between the sleeve and shield, means for electrically connecting said shield to said metallic sleeve and to one of said pin terminals, means for electrically connecting said insulated conductor to another one of said pin terminals, and a rigid potting compound means filling the terminal region contained within said metal sleeve and extending from the rear surface of said insulating block to the end of said cable jacket.

Claim 7

The invention in claim 4 and means comprising an elastomer compound molded over the outside surface of said metallic sleeve and sealing the outside jacket of said cable.

Claim 8

The invention in claim 5 further characterized in that said elastomer compound is molded to form a cup-shaped extension cavity surrounding the terminal pins projecting beyond the front surface of said insulating block.

Claim 9

The invention in claim 6 further characterized in that the open end of said cup-shaped cavIty is terminated by a flangelike peripheral projection extending outwardly at right angles to its open end.

Claim 10

A socket end portion of a separable underwater connector comprising a rigid block of insulating material having a front surface and a rear surface, counterbored holes in said insulating block with the smaller portion of the counterbored holes passing through the front surface of said insulating block, socket terminal means in each hole, the dimensions of said socket terminal assemblies enabling an insertion of said terminals snugly into the counterbored holes from the rear surface of said insulating block, a jacketed waterproof cable containing at least one insulated electrical conductor surrounded by a shield located beneath said jacket, a metallic sleeve sealed to the periphery of said insulating block with the open end of said sleeve projecting away from the rear surface of said insulating block and extending toward the end of said shield of the cable sufficient to effectively provide shielded continuity between the sleeve and shield, said cable shield being electrically connected to said metallic sleeve and to one of said socket terminals, said insulated conductor being electrically connected to another one of said socket terminals, and a rigid potting compound filling the region contained within said metallic sleeve and extending from the rear surface of said insulating block to the exposed end of said cable jacket.

Claim 11

A socket end portion of a separable underwater connector comprising a rigid block of insulating material having a front surface and a rear surface, counterbored holes in said insulating block with the smaller portion of the counterbored holes passing through the front surface of said insulating block, socket terminal means in each hole, the dimensions of said socket terminal assemblies enabling an insertion of said terminals snugly into the counterbored holes from the rear surface of said insulating block, a jacketed waterproof cable containing at least one insulated electrical conductor surrounded by a shield located beneath said jacket, a metallic sleeve sealed to the periphery of said insulating block with the open end of said sleeve projecting away from the rear surface of said insulating block and extending toward the end of said shield of the cable sufficient to effectively provide shielded continuity between the sleeve and shield, said cable shield being electrically connected to said metallic sleeve and to one of said socket terminals, said insulated conductor being electrically connected to another one of said socket terminals, and a rigid potting compound filling the region contained within said metallic sleeve and extending from the rear surface of said insulating block to the exposed end of said cable jacket.

Claim 12

The invention in claim 8 further characterized in that an elastomer compound is molded around the outside surface of said metallic sleeve and sealed to the outside jacket of said cable.

Claim 13

The invention in claim 9 further characterized in that said elastomer compound is molded to form a projecting cylindrical wall plug portion surrounding the outer periphery of said rigid insulating block and at least part of said sleeve.

Claim 14

The invention in claim 10 further characterized in that the base section of said projecting cylindrical wall portion is terminated by a flangelike peripheral area extending outwardly in a plane normal to said plug.