Electrical connector

Claim 2

An electrical connector comprising a female part including a housing having at least one bore therein, receptacle means comprising a coiled spring disposed in the bore of the housing and for receiving a male part having an outer dimension comparable to the inner dimension of the coiled spring, and means for engaging the spring to change the state thereof so that the inner diameter of the receptacle changes from one diameter to a lesser, locked-position diameter including a restraining means at one end of the housing facing the open bore and means for urging the restraining means against the spring to axially compress the spring to thereby increase its diameter so as to easily accommodate the male part.

Claim 3

An electrical connector as set forth in claim 1 wherein said means for engaging includes a restraining plate positioned at one of the housing facing the open bore and a locking ring coupled to the restraining plate for urging the restraining plate against the coil spring.

Claim 4

An electrical connector as set forth in claim 2 wherein said coil spring is restrained and compressed by the restraining plate when the connector is unlocked.

Claim 5

An electrical connector as set forth in claim 1 wherein said coil spring has sections of different diameter.

Claim 6

An electrical connector as set forth in claim 1 wherein said coil spring has an extending end and said means for engaging includes a locking ring having threads to receive the extending end.

Claim 7

An electrical connector comprising a female part having at least one hole extending through face in said part, a conductive receptacle comprising a helical spring having an uncompressed outer diameter which is spaced from the wall of said hole, means for compressing said spring positioned over said face and having an opening therein in alignment with said hole, said compressing means adapted to be moved relative to said housing for compressing said spring whereby the outer diameter of said spring is closer to said wall, and a small conductive pin having a diameter at least as great as the inner diameter of said spring when uncompressed and smaller than the inner diameter of said spring when compressed whereby said pin may be freely inserted in said helical spring when compressed and securely retained in firm electrical contact when said helical spring is uncompressed.

Claim 8

An electrical connector comprising a female part having at least one hole extending through face in said part, a conductive receptacle comprising a helical spring having an uncompressed outer diameter which is spaced from the wall of said hole, means for compressing said spring positioned over said face and having an opening therein in alignment with said hole, said compressing means adapted to be moved relative to said housing for compressing said spring whereby the outer diameter of said spring is closer to said wall, and a small conductive pin having a diameter at least as great as the inner diameter of said spring when uncompressed and smaller than the inner diameter of said spring when compressed whereby said pin may be freely inserted in said helical spring when compressed and securely retained in firm electrical contact when said helical spring is uncompressed.

Claim 9

An electrical connector as set forth in claim 6 wherein said means for compressing moves axially of the helical spring axis.

Claim 10

An electrical connector as set forth in claim 7 wherein said means for compressing causes axial displacement of the helical spring.

Claim 11

An electrical connector as set forth in claim 8 wherein said helical spring has one end disposed within the female part hole and another end extending outwardly of the hole from the face of the female part and engageable by the means for compressing.

Claim 12

An electrical connector as set forth in claim 9 wherein said means for compressing has a hole corresponding to each female part hole.

Claim 13

An electrical connector as set forth in claim 6 wherein said male pin has grooves therein.

Claim 14

An electrical connector as set forth in claim 6 wherein said male pin is in the form of a screw.

Claim 15

An electrical connector as set forth in claim 6 including means for locking the male pin to the female part.

Claim 16

An electrical connector as set forth in claim 7 wherein said means for compressing includes a member mating with the female part and having internal threads for receiving an end of the helical spring that extends outwardly of the female part hole from the face of the female part.

Claim 17

An electrical connector as set forth in claim 14 wherein the member has tapered threads.

Claim 18

An electrical connector comprising a female part including a housing having at least one bore therein, receptacle means comprising a helical spring disposed in the bore of the housing and for receiving a male pin having an outer dimension comparable to the inner dimension of the helical spring, said helical spring including a receptacle section and control section, and means for engaging said control section of the spring to change the state thereof so that the inner diameter of the receptacle section changes from one diameter wherein the pin may be freely inserted to a smaller restrained diameter, said means for engaging including the male pin end engaging said control section.

Claim 19

An electrical connector comprising a female part including a housing having at least one bore therein, receptacle means comprising a helical spring disposed in the bore of the housing and for receiving a male pin having an outer dimension comparable to the inner dimension of the helical spring, said helical spring including a receptacle section and control section, and means for engaging said control section of the spring to change the state thereof so that the inner diameter of the receptacle section changes from one diameter wherein the pin may be freely inserted to a smaller restrained diameter, said means for engaging including the male pin end engaging said control section.

Claim 20

An electrical connector as set forth in claim 16 wherein said spring receptacle section includes an extension spring section and said spring control section includes a compression spring section.

Claim 21

An electrical connector as set forth in claim 17 wherein said receptacle section has an inner diameter greater than the inner diameter of the control section.

Claim 22

An electrical connector as set forth in claim 18 wherein the male pin end engages the smaller diameter control section causing elongation of the receptacle section and attendant reduction of the receptacle section diameter to tightly squeeze the male pin.

Claim 23

An electrical connector as set forth in claim 16 including restraining means over the face of said housing and having at least one opening therein in alignment with the housing bore.

Claim 24

An electrical connector comprising a female part having at least one hole extending from a face of said part, a conductive receptacle comprising a helical spring having an outer diameter less than the female part hole diameter, said helical spring having a rest position wherein its inner diameter is at a maximum and a restraining position, a male conductive pin having a diameter on the order of the inner diameter of said spring in its rest position and greater than the inner diameter of said spring in its restraining position whereby said pin may be freely inserted in said helical spring when in the rest position and securely retained in firm electrical contact when said helical spring is moved to a restraining position, and means for positively engaging said spring positioned over the face of the housing and having an opening therein in alignment with the hole in the female part, said means for positively engaging the spring comprising means for rotating a free end of the spring, after having freely inserted the male pin, to cause the helical spring to securely tighten about the male pin.

Claim 25

An electrical connector comprising a female part having at least one hole extending from a face of said part, a conductive receptacle comprising a helical spring having an outer diameter less than the female part hole diameter, said helical spring having a rest position wherein its inner diameter is at a maximum and a restraining position, a male conductive pin having a diameter on the order of the inner diameter of said spring in its rest position and greater than the inner diameter of said spring in its restraining position whereby said pin may be freely inserted in said helical spring when in the rest position and securely retained in firm electrical contact when said helical spring is moved to a restraining position, and means for positively engaging said spring positioned over the face of the housing and having an opening therein in alignment with the hole in the female part, said means for positively engaging the spring comprising means for rotating a free end of the spring, after having freely inserted the male pin, to cause the helical spring to securely tighten about the male pin.

Claim 26

An electrical connector as set forth in claim 21 wherein said means for engaging includes a member mating with the female part and having internal threads for receiving an end of the helical spring for rotation thereof.

Claim 27

An electrical connector as set forth in claim 22 wherein the member and female part have mating tapered threads.