Self-purging multi-contact electrical connector

Claim 2

A self-purging, multi-contact electrical connector for use in a hostile fluid environment comprising: a pair of connector housings, each such housing being connected to an electrical wire means and having walls defining a chamber with an open end; means cooperable with said walls for releasably interconnecting said housings; an elastomeric body carried in each of said housing chambers in engagement with said walls, said elastomeric bodies having exposed, aligned corresponding pressure engagement surfaces at least one of which projects beyond the plane of its respective chamber open end and disposed upon contact with the other pressure engagement surface to expel fluid progressively outwardly; each of said elastomeric bodies carrying at least one electrically conducting contact member exposed at said pressure engagement surface and electrically connected to said wire means; means permitting escape of fluid environment during progressive engagement of said elastomeric bodies so as to purge the hostile fluid environment from said connector, said contact members being urged into pressure contact by said elastomeric bodies to provide an electrically conductive connection; and space means provided between said walls and said pressure engagement surfaces adjacent said open ends for permitting flow of said elastomeric body under pressure contact.

Claim 3

The self-purging electrical connector of claim 1 wherein said at least one electrically conducting contact member carried by one of said elastomeric bodies comprises a plurality of annular axially offset, radially-spaced concentric members, each of said concentric members being electrically connected to at least one conductor from said associated electrical wire means.

Claim 4

The self-purging electrical connector of claim 1 wherein one of said connector housings is integral with a sub-sea oil production apparatus and said means for releasably interconnecting said housings comprises, external threaded means carried by said other housing, a generally cylindrical collar having internal threaded means engaging said other housing external threaded means and having an intermediate reduced diameter portion, a wall laterally spaced from said apparatus including a U-shaped opening in alignment with said one apparatus housing for receiving said reduced diameter collar portion, whereby rotation of said axially constrained collar effects axial movement of said other electrical connector housing so as to produce pressure engagement of said elastomeric bodies.

Claim 5

The self-purging electrical connector of claim 1 wherein each of said elastomeric body convex surfaces extend axially beyond said opening at the center thereof and axially inwardly of said opening adjacent the housing wall, said elastomeric body filling said chambers when said connector is in a closed position so as to expel the hostile fluid environment before contact of said housing wall ends, whereby entrapment of fluid within said housings is avoided.

Claim 6

The self-purging electrical connector of claim 4 wherein each of said elastomeric bodies comprises a volume exceeding the volume of said housing chamber, so that when said housing wall ends are in proximate contact said elastomeric bodies are under compressive load.

Claim 7

In a self-purging, multi-contact electrical connector for connection and use in an atmosphere deleteriously affecting the effectiveness of electrical contact in the connector including a pair of connector housings each having a chamber of selected volume, a multi-conductor electrical wire coNnected to each of said housings, and means for mechanically coupling said housings, the improvement comprising: an electrically-insulating, deformable body carried in and substantially filling each of said chambers, each of said bodies having an exterior convex face including a plurality of annular coaxial openings in registry when said connector housings are coupled; an electrical contact member carried in each of said openings, each of said contact members being electrically connected to one of said wire conductors, and each of said contact members having a contact face axially offset from the adjacent contact face whereby mechanically coupling of said housings effects radially progressive pressure contact of said body exterior faces so as to purge the atmosphere from between said faces and out of said connector whereby said bodies are held under pressure confinement; the volume of said deformable bodies under pressure engagement exceeding the volume of said chambers; and space means in said housing accommodating the excess volume of the deformable bodies while maintaining the deformable bodies under compression.

Claim 8

In a self-purging, multi-contact electrical connector for connection and use in an atmosphere deleteriously affecting the effectiveness of electrical contact in the connector including a pair of connector housings each having a chamber of selected volume, a multi-conductor electrical wire coNnected to each of said housings, and means for mechanically coupling said housings, the improvement comprising: an electrically-insulating, deformable body carried in and substantially filling each of said chambers, each of said bodies having an exterior convex face including a plurality of annular coaxial openings in registry when said connector housings are coupled; an electrical contact member carried in each of said openings, each of said contact members being electrically connected to one of said wire conductors, and each of said contact members having a contact face axially offset from the adjacent contact face whereby mechanically coupling of said housings effects radially progressive pressure contact of said body exterior faces so as to purge the atmosphere from between said faces and out of said connector whereby said bodies are held under pressure confinement; the volume of said deformable bodies under pressure engagement exceeding the volume of said chambers; and space means in said housing accommodating the excess volume of the deformable bodies while maintaining the deformable bodies under compression.

Claim 9

A self-purging, multi-contact electrical connector for use in a hostile fluid environment comprising: a pair of connector housings, each such housing connected to an electrical wire means and defining a chamber; means for releasably interconnecting said housings; an elastomeric body sealingly carried in each of said housing chambers, said elastomeric bodies having exposed, aligned corresponding pressure engagement surfaces arranged to expel fluid progressively outwardly; each of said elastomeric bodies carrying at least one electrically conducting contact member exposed at said pressure engagement surface and electrically connected to said wire means; at least one electrically conducting contact member carried by one of said elastomeric bodies comprising a plurality of annular, radially-spaced concentric members, each of said concentric members being electrically connected to at least one conductor from said associated electrical wire means; said plurality of annular concentric contact members in one of said elastomeric bodies having substantially flat faces and the annular concentric contact members in the other of said elastomeric bodies having annularly convex faces so that complimentary contact members when engaged provide aligned pressure contact; means permitting escape of fluid environment during progressive engagement of said elastomeric bodies so as to purge the hostile fluid environment from said connector, said contact members being urged into pressure contact by said elastomeric bodies to provide an electrically conductive connection.

Claim 10

A self-purging, multi-contact electrical connector for use in a hostile fluid environment comprising: a pair of connector housings, each such housing connected to an electrical wire means and defining a chamber; means for releasably interconnecting said housings; an elastomeric body sealingly carried in each of said housing chambers, said elastomeric bodies having exposed, aligned corresponding pressure engagement surfaces arranged to expel fluid progressively outwardly; each of said elastomeric bodies carrying at least one electrically conducting contact member exposed at said pressure engagement surface and electrically connected to said wire means; at least one electrically conducting contact member carried by one of said elastomeric bodies comprising a plurality of annular, radially-spaced concentric members, each of said concentric members being electrically connected to at least one conductor from said associated electrical wire means; said plurality of annular concentric contact members in one of said elastomeric bodies having substantially flat faces and the annular concentric contact members in the other of said elastomeric bodies having annularly convex faces so that complimentary contact members when engaged provide aligned pressure contact; means permitting escape of fluid environment during progressive engagement of said elastomeric bodies so as to purge the hostile fluid environment from said connector, said contact members being urged into pressure contact by said elastomeric bodies to provide an electrically conductive connection.