US3845450A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Underwater electrical connector
Assignee: Honeywell International Inc
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Filing: 1972-12-26
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Granted: 1974-10-29
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Expires: 1992-12-26
Abstract
Abstract A disconnectable electrical connector assembly capable of being connected and disconnected under water, at any depth, during the presence of a voltage potential applied to one or more contacts of the connector. The connector assembly includes two mateable halves wherein the contacts of one half or both halves are immersed in an oil bath. The mateable halves are designed so that, after mating, the contacts of each respective half are immersed in a common oil bath. Both halves of the connector assembly are connected to resiliently deformable plastic cable conduits that contain a nonconducting fluid which when submerged in water, to any depth, is pressurized to ambient pressure thereby eliminating any differential pressures across the fluidtight seals in the connector assembly.
Inventors
- 👤 J Cole
- 👤 J Hall
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-04 18:55
CPC Classifications
H; H01; H01R; H01R13/00; H01R13/46; H01R13/52; H01R13/523
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 9
Claim 1
Independent Claim
563 words
An underwater electrical connector and cable assembly comprising: a plug housing having a forward mating end, a rear conduit receiving end and a central axis from said forward end to said rear end; a first plurality of electrical contacts having mating ends and conductor receiving ends; means for mounting said first plurality of electrical contacts in said plug housing and in spaced relationship around said plug housing central axis so that the mating end of said contacts are at the mating end of said housing; sealing means for establishing a fluid-tight seal at The mating end of said plug housing, said sealing means including a forwardly biased portion that covers said contacts and maintains a fluid-tight seal when said contacts are covered and is rearwardly movable to expose said contacts, said sealing means defining with said plug housing a cavity within which at least a portion of the mating ends of said contacts mounted in said plug are disposed, said cavity communicating with the rear conduit receiving end of said plug housing; a first water-tight resiliently deformable, conduit connected at one end to the conduit receiving end of said plug housing, said conduit including therein a plurality of electrical conductors, each having one end connected to a respective conductor receiving end of said contact mounted in said plug; an electrically nonconducting fluid filling the remaining space in said conduit and said plug cavity whereby the mating ends of said contacts mounted in said plug are substantially surrounded by said nonconducting fluid, said forward mating end of said plug adapted to receive a receptacle having contacts within said plug housing so that said contacts mounted in said plug are in contact with the nonconducting fluid in said plug cavity upon mating of said plug with a receptacle; a receptacle housing having a forward mating end, a rear conduit receiving end and a central axis from said forward end to said rear end; a second plurality of electrical contacts having mating ends and conductor receiving ends; means for mounting said second plurality electrical contacts in said receptacle housing and in spaced relationship around said receptacle housing central axis so that the mating end of said contacts are at the mating end of said receptacle housing and said contacts mounted in said receptacle engage said contacts mounted in said plug upon mating of said plug and receptacle; sealing means for establishing a fluid-tight seal at the mating end of said receptacle housing, said sealing means including a forwardly biased portion that covers said contacts mounted in said receptacle and maintains a fluid-tight seal when said contacts mounted in said receptacle are covered and is rearwardly movable to expose said contacts mounted in said receptacle upon mating, said receptacle covering means defining with said receptacle housing a cavity within which at least a portion of the mating ends of said contacts mounted in said receptacle are disposed, said cavity communicating with the rear conduit receiving portion of said receptacle housing; the other end of said first water-tight, resiliently deformable conduit connected to the conduit receiving end of said receptacle housing, said nonconducting fluid filling said receptacle cavity also, whereby at least a portion of the mating ends of said contacts mounted in said receptacle are surrounded by said nonconducting fluid and whereby said nonconducting fluid in said conduit communicates with said plug cavity and said receptacle housing.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
563 words
An underwater electrical connector and cable assembly comprising: a plug housing having a forward mating end, a rear conduit receiving end and a central axis from said forward end to said rear end; a first plurality of electrical contacts having mating ends and conductor receiving ends; means for mounting said first plurality of electrical contacts in said plug housing and in spaced relationship around said plug housing central axis so that the mating end of said contacts are at the mating end of said housing; sealing means for establishing a fluid-tight seal at The mating end of said plug housing, said sealing means including a forwardly biased portion that covers said contacts and maintains a fluid-tight seal when said contacts are covered and is rearwardly movable to expose said contacts, said sealing means defining with said plug housing a cavity within which at least a portion of the mating ends of said contacts mounted in said plug are disposed, said cavity communicating with the rear conduit receiving end of said plug housing; a first water-tight resiliently deformable, conduit connected at one end to the conduit receiving end of said plug housing, said conduit including therein a plurality of electrical conductors, each having one end connected to a respective conductor receiving end of said contact mounted in said plug; an electrically nonconducting fluid filling the remaining space in said conduit and said plug cavity whereby the mating ends of said contacts mounted in said plug are substantially surrounded by said nonconducting fluid, said forward mating end of said plug adapted to receive a receptacle having contacts within said plug housing so that said contacts mounted in said plug are in contact with the nonconducting fluid in said plug cavity upon mating of said plug with a receptacle; a receptacle housing having a forward mating end, a rear conduit receiving end and a central axis from said forward end to said rear end; a second plurality of electrical contacts having mating ends and conductor receiving ends; means for mounting said second plurality electrical contacts in said receptacle housing and in spaced relationship around said receptacle housing central axis so that the mating end of said contacts are at the mating end of said receptacle housing and said contacts mounted in said receptacle engage said contacts mounted in said plug upon mating of said plug and receptacle; sealing means for establishing a fluid-tight seal at the mating end of said receptacle housing, said sealing means including a forwardly biased portion that covers said contacts mounted in said receptacle and maintains a fluid-tight seal when said contacts mounted in said receptacle are covered and is rearwardly movable to expose said contacts mounted in said receptacle upon mating, said receptacle covering means defining with said receptacle housing a cavity within which at least a portion of the mating ends of said contacts mounted in said receptacle are disposed, said cavity communicating with the rear conduit receiving portion of said receptacle housing; the other end of said first water-tight, resiliently deformable conduit connected to the conduit receiving end of said receptacle housing, said nonconducting fluid filling said receptacle cavity also, whereby at least a portion of the mating ends of said contacts mounted in said receptacle are surrounded by said nonconducting fluid and whereby said nonconducting fluid in said conduit communicates with said plug cavity and said receptacle housing.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
332 words
An underwater disengageable electrical connector for interconnecting a plurality of electrical conductors, the electrical connector comprising: a receptacle element; a plug element disengageably insertable into said receptacle element, said plug element having a housing assembly carrying circumferentially spaced electrical contacts, a mating end, a conduit receiving end, and sealing means for establishing a fluid-tight seal at the mating end of said housing assembly, said sealing means including movable means for covering said contacts on said plug element and means for biasing said contact covering means in a contact covering position, said covering means biased to a contact covering position upon disengagement of said elements and a contact exposing position upon mating of the plug and receptacle; said receptacle element having a housing assembly carrying circumferentially spaced electrical contacts each engageable with a respective contact in said plug, a mating end, a conduit receiving end, and sealing means for establishing a fluid-tight seal at the mating end of said receptacle housing assembly, said sealing means including movable means for covering said contacts in said receptacle and means for biasing said receptacle contact covering means in a contact covering position, said receptacle contact covering means biased to a receptacle contact covering position upon disengagement of said elements and a contact exposing position upon mating of said plug and receptacle; said contacts in said plug and receptacle having a mating end and a conductor receiving end; a cavity within each of the plug and receptacle elements defined by said respective sealing means and said contact carrying housing assembly; a water-tight resiliently deformable conduit connected at one end to the conduit receiving end of said plug and connected at the other end to the conduit receiving end of said receptacle, said conduit including therein a plurality of electrical conductors connected to respective conductor receiving ends of said contacts in said plug and said contacts in said receptacle; and an electrically nonconducting fluid filling the remaining space in said conduit and said cavities in said housing assemblies.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
332 words
An underwater disengageable electrical connector for interconnecting a plurality of electrical conductors, the electrical connector comprising: a receptacle element; a plug element disengageably insertable into said receptacle element, said plug element having a housing assembly carrying circumferentially spaced electrical contacts, a mating end, a conduit receiving end, and sealing means for establishing a fluid-tight seal at the mating end of said housing assembly, said sealing means including movable means for covering said contacts on said plug element and means for biasing said contact covering means in a contact covering position, said covering means biased to a contact covering position upon disengagement of said elements and a contact exposing position upon mating of the plug and receptacle; said receptacle element having a housing assembly carrying circumferentially spaced electrical contacts each engageable with a respective contact in said plug, a mating end, a conduit receiving end, and sealing means for establishing a fluid-tight seal at the mating end of said receptacle housing assembly, said sealing means including movable means for covering said contacts in said receptacle and means for biasing said receptacle contact covering means in a contact covering position, said receptacle contact covering means biased to a receptacle contact covering position upon disengagement of said elements and a contact exposing position upon mating of said plug and receptacle; said contacts in said plug and receptacle having a mating end and a conductor receiving end; a cavity within each of the plug and receptacle elements defined by said respective sealing means and said contact carrying housing assembly; a water-tight resiliently deformable conduit connected at one end to the conduit receiving end of said plug and connected at the other end to the conduit receiving end of said receptacle, said conduit including therein a plurality of electrical conductors connected to respective conductor receiving ends of said contacts in said plug and said contacts in said receptacle; and an electrically nonconducting fluid filling the remaining space in said conduit and said cavities in said housing assemblies.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
98 words
A disengageable electrical connector, as claimed in claim 2, in which said plug element includes a tubular housing having an open outer end and an inner surface, said inner surface mounting said plug contacts; said plug contact covering means comprising a hollow member telescoped inside said tubular housing; said plug biasing means comprising a first spring biasing said hollow member to a contact covering position; and at least one sealing ring mounted in said housing inner surface adjacent said housing open outer end and engageable with the external surface of said hollow member to form a seal therewith.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
80 words
A disengageable electrical connector as claimed in claim 2 in which said receptacle contact carrying part has an outer surface mounting said receptacle contacts; said receptacle contact covering means comprising a member telescoped over the receptacle contact carrying part and displaceable axially relative to said receptacle part; an annular seal mounted between said receptacle part and said member to form a seal therebetween; and said receptacle biasing means comprising a second spring biasing said member to a contact covering position.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
80 words
A disengageable electrical connector as claimed in claim 3 in which said receptacle contact carrying part has an outer surface mounting said receptacle contacts; said receptacle contact covering means comprising a member telescoped over the receptacle contact carrying part and displaceable axially relative to said receptacle part; an annular seal mounted between said receptacle part and said member to form a seal therebetween; and said receptacle biasing means comprising a second spring biasing said member to a contact covering position.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
229 words
An underwater electrical connector and cable assembly comprising: a housing having a forward mating end, a rear conduit receiving end, a rear conductor receiving portion, and a central axis from said forward end to said rear end; a plurality of electrical contacts having a mating end and a conductor receiving end; means for mounting said electrical contacts in spaced relationship around said housing central axis so that the mating end of said contacts are at the mating end of said housing; sealing means for establishing a fluid-tight seal at the mating end of said housing, said sealing means including a forwardly biased portion that covers said contacts and maintains a fluid-tight seal when said contacts are covered but is rearwardly movable to expose said contacts, said sealing means defining with said mounting means and said housing a cavity within which at least a portion of the mating end of said electrical contacts are disposed, said cavity communicating with the rear conductor receiving portion of said housing; a water-tight, resilienT deformable conduit connected to the conduit receiving end of said housing, said conduit including therein a plurality of electrical conductors connected to respective conductor receiving ends of said contacts; and an electrically nonconducting fluid filling the remaining space in said conduit and said housing cavity whereby the mating ends of said electrical contacts are substantially surrounded by said nonconducting fluid.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
229 words
An underwater electrical connector and cable assembly comprising: a housing having a forward mating end, a rear conduit receiving end, a rear conductor receiving portion, and a central axis from said forward end to said rear end; a plurality of electrical contacts having a mating end and a conductor receiving end; means for mounting said electrical contacts in spaced relationship around said housing central axis so that the mating end of said contacts are at the mating end of said housing; sealing means for establishing a fluid-tight seal at the mating end of said housing, said sealing means including a forwardly biased portion that covers said contacts and maintains a fluid-tight seal when said contacts are covered but is rearwardly movable to expose said contacts, said sealing means defining with said mounting means and said housing a cavity within which at least a portion of the mating end of said electrical contacts are disposed, said cavity communicating with the rear conductor receiving portion of said housing; a water-tight, resilienT deformable conduit connected to the conduit receiving end of said housing, said conduit including therein a plurality of electrical conductors connected to respective conductor receiving ends of said contacts; and an electrically nonconducting fluid filling the remaining space in said conduit and said housing cavity whereby the mating ends of said electrical contacts are substantially surrounded by said nonconducting fluid.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1977-10-28 | 1978-04-29 | 1978-10-29 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1981-10-28 | 1982-04-29 | 1982-10-29 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1985-10-28 | 1986-04-29 | 1986-10-29 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |