Multi-terminal rotary connector

Claim 1

A multi-terminal biparte rotary connector assembly including a first plug member having a generally circular first mating end with a generally cylindrical outer periphery; a plurality of electrical contacts on said first end, each of said contacts having an apex portion exposed radially outward of said periphery; a second receptacle member having a generally circular opening with a cylindrical inner periphery in a mating end to mate with said first end of said plug member; one of said members including means defining at least one aperture in the mating end thereof for receiving anti-separation and polarization attachment means in a singular orientation; anti-separation and polarizing attachment means extending from the mating end of the other of said members for insertion into said aperture means of said one of said members and rotation with respect to said aperture means to releasably lock said plug member and receptacle member in singular oriented mated contact with one another; and a plurality of electrical contacts on the inner periphery of said opening in said receptacle member, each of said latter contacts having an apex portion exposed radially inward of said inner periphery and disposed such that the plug contacts engage the receptacle contacts only when said attachment means is received into said aperture means and said members are rotated with respect to one another to said locked position, the apex portions of each of said engaging contacts including a generally rounded contacting surface and a raised contact portion extending above the respective rounded surface thereof, said raised contact portion of abutting pairs of said contacts spaced from one another to contact said rounded contacting surface of an opposed contact of the other member when said members are in said locked position, said contacts interfering with and sliding past one another as said members are rotated to said locked position to thereafter inhibit counter-rotation.