Electrical connector

Claim 2

An electrical connector device comprising first and second tubular selectively mateable main supporting members, an insulating contact supporting insert mounted in each main supporting member, a contact mounted on each said insert for selective engagement with each other, and means for sealing the main supporting members together when they are fully mated to form a closed space between them, said sealing means comprising tubular parts affixed to the main supporting members and having sealed telescoping relationship when said members are fully mated, one of said telescoping tubular parts is rigid and the other is made of elastomeric material, said rigid part of the sealing means being a tubular hood receivable within a longitudinally extending annular, generally complementary, recess in the elastomeric part, and means for pressing the outer radial portion of the elastomeric part radially inwardly into engagement with said rigid tubular hood, thereby to prevent the intrusion of foreign media into the zone of the mating contacts.

Claim 3

Apparatus as defined in claim 1 wherein the annular portion of the elastomeric part disposed radially outwardly of said annular recess therein Is relatively thin and is elastically deformable by radially inwardly directed pressure so as to engage the outer surface of the hood more forcibly when the mated parts of the connector are subjected to external pressure.

Claim 4

Apparatus as defined in claim 1 wherein the means for pressing the outer radial portion of the elastomeric part radially inwardly comprises an annular member telescoped about and compressively engaging the outer surface of the elastomeric part adjacent the open end of the annular recess therein.

Claim 5

Apparatus as defined in claim 1 comprising means for constantly urging the main supporting members axially toward each other when the members are fully mated.

Claim 6

Apparatus as defined in claim 4 wherein the means for constantly urging the main supporting members toward each other when the members are fully mated comprises interfitting formations on the hood and the elastomeric part, said formations having annular surfaces inclined with respect to the longitudinal axes of the supporting members.

Claim 7

Apparatus as defined in claim 1 wherein said annular member is a coil spring.

Claim 8

Apparatus as defined in claim 6 wherein the spring is selectively displaceable longitudinally of the elastomeric part from its operative position near the open end of the annular recess to an inoperative position axially rearwardly of the recess whereby to allow the main supporting members to be axially separated.

Claim 9

The combination comprising mateable plug and receptacle assemblies of an electrical connector, a rigid tubular fitting, means for securing one of said assemblies centrally in said fitting, an elastomeric tubular cable termination member having an annularly axially extending recess in the open end thereof complementary to an annular end portion of said fitting, having a wall which is generally wedge-shaped in longitudinal radial section and wherein the inner and outer surfaces of said annular end portion of the fitting diverge from each other in the direction of said one assembly and each of said surfaces extends at a small axis of said fitting, and means for mounting the other said assembly in the bore of said cable termination member in position to mate with said one assembly when said annular end portion of the fitting is seated in said recess.

Claim 10

The combination comprising mateable plug and receptacle assemblies of an electrical connector, a rigid tubular fitting, means for securing one of said assemblies centrally in said fitting, an elastomeric tubular cable termination member having an annularly axially extending recess in the open end thereof complementary to an annular end portion of said fitting, having a wall which is generally wedge-shaped in longitudinal radial section and wherein the inner and outer surfaces of said annular end portion of the fitting diverge from each other in the direction of said one assembly and each of said surfaces extends at a small axis of said fitting, and means for mounting the other said assembly in the bore of said cable termination member in position to mate with said one assembly when said annular end portion of the fitting is seated in said recess.

Claim 11

A combination as defined in claim 8 wherein the elastomeric cable termination member has a compression fit around said annular end portion of the fitting in said recess.

Claim 12

A combination as defined in claim 8 wherein the outer surface of said annular end portion of the fitting and the surface of said recess adjacent thereto have engageable generally radially extending annular surfaces whereby said fitting and termination member are yieldably maintained in assembled relation.

Claim 13

A combination as defined in claim 10 wherein said radially extending surfaces made an acute angle with the axis of said fitting and member.

Claim 14

The combination comprising first and second mateable electrical connector assemblies, said first assembly comprising a tubular shell, a contact supporting insert in said shell and at least one electrical contact extending through said insert, a tubular fitting surrounding and secured to said shell, an annular space between said tubular fitting and said shell, a solid ring of compound filling the annular space in said fitting around said shell, said fitting having an annular end portion extending beyond the outer surface of said ring, said second assembly comprising a tubular shell adapted to telescopically mate with said first-named shell, a contact supporting insert therein and at least one electrical contact adapted to mate with said first-named contact, a cable comprising at least one conductor connected to said second-named contact, and an elastomeric tubular body terminating said cable, closely surrounding the outer end portion of said second-named shell and having an annular recess in the end thereof in which said annular end portion of the fitting has a close telescopic fit when said aSsemblies are mated wherein at least a portion of the surface of said tubular fitting is in pressure contact with at least a portion of the surface of said recess in said elastomeric body.

Claim 15

The combination comprising first and second mateable electrical connector assemblies, said first assembly comprising a tubular shell, a contact supporting insert in said shell and at least one electrical contact extending through said insert, a tubular fitting surrounding and secured to said shell, an annular space between said tubular fitting and said shell, a solid ring of compound filling the annular space in said fitting around said shell, said fitting having an annular end portion extending beyond the outer surface of said ring, said second assembly comprising a tubular shell adapted to telescopically mate with said first-named shell, a contact supporting insert therein and at least one electrical contact adapted to mate with said first-named contact, a cable comprising at least one conductor connected to said second-named contact, and an elastomeric tubular body terminating said cable, closely surrounding the outer end portion of said second-named shell and having an annular recess in the end thereof in which said annular end portion of the fitting has a close telescopic fit when said aSsemblies are mated wherein at least a portion of the surface of said tubular fitting is in pressure contact with at least a portion of the surface of said recess in said elastomeric body.

Claim 16

A combination as defined in claim 12 wherein said ring is resilient and is engaged by the end surface of said elastomeric body when said assemblies are mated.

Claim 17

A combination as defined in claim 12 wherein said recess and said annular end portion of the fitting have complementary formations which cooperate to resist separation of said assemblies when the same are mated.

Claim 18

A combination as defined in claim 12 comprising releasable resilient means for compressing said body radially inwardly against the outer surface of said fitting.

Claim 19

A combination as defined in claim 12 wherein said recess and said annular end portion of the fitting are complementarily shaped.

Claim 20

A combination as defined in claim 16 wherein said recess and said annular end portion of the fitting are generally wedge-shaped in longitudinal radial section.