← Back to Patent Explorer
US4468078A Expired / Lapsed US ⏱️ 0.0 years remaining

Forwardly removable coupling ring for an electrical connector

Assignee: Amphenol Corp
•
Filing: 1982-07-28
•
Granted: 1984-08-28
•
Expires: 2002-07-28
📄 Original PDF 🌐 Google Patents 🔄 Sync Now

Abstract

Abstract The invention is an electrical connector that has a forwardly removable coupling ring (30). The coupling ring (30) is characterized by annular members (31, 32) that are connected together by one or more removable fasteners (50, 51) and held in place in front of the housing flange (11) by a snap ring (40) located in a groove (12) in the housing (10).

Inventors

  • 👤 David L. Frear
  • 👤 Stephen Punako
  • 👤 David W. MacAvoy
  • 👤 David O. Gallusser

Bibliographic Details

Application Number —
Jurisdiction US
Data Source google_patents
Last Synchronized 2026-11-01 20:51
CPC Classifications
F; F16; F16L; F16L19/00; F16L19/02; H; H01; H01R; H01R13/00; H01R13/62; H01R13/625

Claims Analysis

Total Claims: 11
Claim 1
Independent Claim 169 words
In combination with an electrical connector of the type having: a tubular housing having a central axis, a forward portion and a radially projecting annular shoulder; at least one electrical contact mounted in said housing; a tubular coupling member disposed around a portion of said housing, said coupling member having a forward portion adapted to connect to another housing having contacts adapted to mate with the contacts in said tubular housing; and means for rotatably mounting the coupling member to said housing, the improvement wherein said coupling member and said means for rotatably mounting said coupling member comprises: a groove in the forward portion of a housing; a first annular member located between the groove and annular shoulder of said housing; a snap ring in the groove in said housing to retain said first member on said housing forward of said shoulder; a second annular member; and means for removably connecting said first and second members together whereby said coupling member is rotatably mounted forwardly of said housing shoulder.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim 169 words
In combination with an electrical connector of the type having: a tubular housing having a central axis, a forward portion and a radially projecting annular shoulder; at least one electrical contact mounted in said housing; a tubular coupling member disposed around a portion of said housing, said coupling member having a forward portion adapted to connect to another housing having contacts adapted to mate with the contacts in said tubular housing; and means for rotatably mounting the coupling member to said housing, the improvement wherein said coupling member and said means for rotatably mounting said coupling member comprises: a groove in the forward portion of a housing; a first annular member located between the groove and annular shoulder of said housing; a snap ring in the groove in said housing to retain said first member on said housing forward of said shoulder; a second annular member; and means for removably connecting said first and second members together whereby said coupling member is rotatably mounted forwardly of said housing shoulder.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim 75 words
The electrical connector combination as recited in claim 1 wherein the means for removably connecting said first and second members together includes a passage through said first and second member, said passages axially aligned; and a third member, removably mounted in said aligned passage whereby, when said third member is removed from said passages the first and second annular members and said snap ring may be removed from the forward portion of said connector housing.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim 29 words
The electrical connector as recited in claim 2 wherein the third memeber is a threaded bolt adapted to mate with a nut in the passage in said first member.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim 21 words
The electrical connector combination recited in claims 1, 2 or 3 wherein said first annular member includes a radially extending lever.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim 73 words
The electrical connector combination as recited in claims 1, 2 or 3 wherein said second annular member includes on the inside thereof at least one radially extending groove adapted to receive a respective projection on another housing whereby rotational movement of said coupling member by said lever causes the projection in the other housing to travel in the annular groove drawing the housings together and the contacts therein into a fully mated position.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim 30 words
The electrical connector combination as recited in claim 5 wherein the second annular member includes a plurality of grooves each adapted to receive a respective projection on a similar housing.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim 21 words
The electrical connector combination as recited in claim 4 including means for locating the radially extending lever into a predetermined position.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim 45 words
The electrical connector as recited in claim 5 wherein said projection on said other housing and said groove in said coupling ring each include a shoulder adapted to mate with each other whereby said housing and coupling ring are held together when said shoulders mate.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim 18 words
The electrical connector as recited in claim 5 wherein said first annular member includes a radially extending lever.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim 18 words
The electrical connector as recited in claim 8 wherein said first annular member includes a radially extending lever.

References Cited (Backward Citations)

FR1079927A Cited
US3221292A Cited
US3271726A Cited
US3328743A Cited
US3316524A Cited
US3745511A Cited
US3711815A Cited
US3786396A Cited
US3840839A Cited
US4185856A Cited
US4390222A Cited
US4415213A Cited

USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows

Annuity Stage Window Opens Payment Deadline Surcharge Period Until Estimated Fee Status
3.5 Years (Year 4) 1987-08-28 1988-02-27 1988-08-28 $2000.00 Window Closed / Lapsed
7.5 Years (Year 8) 1991-08-28 1992-02-27 1992-08-28 $3760.00 Window Closed / Lapsed
11.5 Years (Year 12) 1995-08-28 1996-02-27 1996-08-28 $7700.00 Window Closed / Lapsed

Assigned Categories & Tags

No categories assigned to this patent yet.

Assign Category Tag