Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 9
Claim 1
Independent Claim
257 words
In an electrical connector having receptacle means including a receptacle shell; a plug means including a plug housing; a coupling nut threaded onto said plug housing, a coupling ring keyed to said coupling nut; electrical contact elements carried within said receptacle shell and said plug housing for electrical mating and unmating; lock means on said coupling ring and said receptacle shell for releasably holding said contact elements in mating relation; means for audibly indicating fully mated and locked relationship of said receptacle means and plug means, said indicating means including an annular groove in said coupling ring, a keyway on said plug housing, and an arcuate spring detent in said annular groove and having a key engaged in said keyway, said detent having radially outwardly directed end portions carried by resilient arcuate arms which are bent when the end portions thereof are between spaced sets of radially outwardly directed recesses in said annular groove during turning of said coupling housing, whereby said end portions snap into a set of recesses to produce an audible sound to indicate fully locked or unlocked position of the receptacle means and plug means, the improvement comprising: an enlarged portion defining a dog-leg in said keyway in the path of axial travel of said plug housing whereby said key .[.makes audible contact with a terminating wall of said dog-leg.]. .Iadd.is released from contact with the plug housing .Iaddend.so as to produce an intensified audible snap .Iadd.of the detent end portions .Iaddend.indicating attainment of the fully mated and locked position of the connector.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
257 words
In an electrical connector having receptacle means including a receptacle shell; a plug means including a plug housing; a coupling nut threaded onto said plug housing, a coupling ring keyed to said coupling nut; electrical contact elements carried within said receptacle shell and said plug housing for electrical mating and unmating; lock means on said coupling ring and said receptacle shell for releasably holding said contact elements in mating relation; means for audibly indicating fully mated and locked relationship of said receptacle means and plug means, said indicating means including an annular groove in said coupling ring, a keyway on said plug housing, and an arcuate spring detent in said annular groove and having a key engaged in said keyway, said detent having radially outwardly directed end portions carried by resilient arcuate arms which are bent when the end portions thereof are between spaced sets of radially outwardly directed recesses in said annular groove during turning of said coupling housing, whereby said end portions snap into a set of recesses to produce an audible sound to indicate fully locked or unlocked position of the receptacle means and plug means, the improvement comprising: an enlarged portion defining a dog-leg in said keyway in the path of axial travel of said plug housing whereby said key .[.makes audible contact with a terminating wall of said dog-leg.]. .Iadd.is released from contact with the plug housing .Iaddend.so as to produce an intensified audible snap .Iadd.of the detent end portions .Iaddend.indicating attainment of the fully mated and locked position of the connector.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
41 words
The improvement according to claim 1, wherein said detent subtends an angle of about 180 degrees, and said recesses in each of said spaced sets of recesses are angularly displaced from one another in said annular groove by about 180 degrees.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
22 words
The improvement according to claim 2, wherein said spaced sets of recesses are angularly displaced from one another by about 90 degrees.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
17 words
The improvement according to claim 3, wherein said annular groove subtends an angle of about 270 degrees.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
70 words
The improvement according to claim 1, wherein said coupling ring and said receptacle shell include locking means operative, when engaged, to secure said plug means and said receptacle means against relative axial movement, said plug housing being axially advanced to mate said electrical contact elements after initial engagement of said locking means, and being fully axially withdrawn to unmate said electrical contact elements before complete disengagement of said locking means.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
48 words
The improvement according to claim 5, wherein the threaded connection between said coupling nut and said plug housing is by means of a fast thread adapted to axially advance the plug housing to fully mate said electrical contact elements by turning said coupling ring through about 90 degrees.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
15 words
The improvement according to claim 8, wherein said fast thread is a four-lead stub thread.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
64 words
The improvement according to claim 1, wherein said key is accelerated from one side of the keyway across the enlarged keyway to .Iadd.a point spaced from .Iaddend.said terminal wall of said dogleg by the engagement of said detent end portions with said second set of recesses, thereby producing an intensified audible indication of attainment of the fully mated and locked condition of the connector.