Environmental seal means for plug and socket connector assembly

Claim 1

An environmental seal means for an in-line electric plug and socket connector assembly, the plug and socket each having an axially extended support structure, the support structures facing each other to define therebetween an annular space, and each of the support structures having an end being axially spaced from each other, the seal means comprising: (a) an elastomeric hollow shaft encompassing the support structure in which an outer surface of the shaft forms the inner radius of the annular space; and (b) a series of more than one rib axially disposed about and integral with the outer surface of said elastomeric shaft so as to freely extend radially into contact with an inner surface of the other one of the support structures, said series of ribs having an annular radius larger than the radius of the annular space, and all said ribs in contact with the other support structure being arcuately flexed by the other support structure in a direction opposite from the end of one support structure and toward the end of the other support structure to a position substantially parallel with an outer surface of said shaft, said flexed ribs and said shaft of said seal means forming a structure between the one and the other support structures that matches the clearance between the one and the other support structures so as to oppose increasing the insertion force needed to mate the terminals within the connector assembly.