Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
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BACKGROUND OF THE I NVENTION
_ELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to electrical connectors
for use, for example, in coupling electrical conductor cords when
employing electrically operated hand tools, appllances or other
devices.
Such connectors may be used, for example, domestically
or in industry, for example in the construction industry, when
an extension cord is employed for connecting an electrical device
to an electrical power source.
DESCRIPTION OF THE PRIOR ART
At the present time, the conventional electrical con-
nectors available for such purposes have the disadvantage that
when J for example, used to connect an extension cord to an
electxically operated tool, the connectors frequently become
uncoupled by tension in the cord, which may be caused, for
example, by pulling the tool or by tripping over the corcl.
Not only does the consequential necessity to cease
work with the tool while the connector is recoupled result in
loss of time, but also the uncoupling of the connection creates
a dangerous situation.
q'hus, when a male plug becomes partially separated from
a emale socket, the exposed electrical terminals create a
serious hazard.
Several inefficient procedures are employed at the
present time for overcoming this problem, such as the use of a
wire tied around each connection or the use of adhesive tape, but
such measures are not only time wasting but also create an even
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more potentially dangerous situation, since the use of these
measures may cause the user's fingers to make contact with the
live terminals or may cause a short circuit. It has also pre-
viously been proposed to provide locking connectors employing
springs, clips or twisting or threaded mechanisms for locking
the connectors together. However, such locking connectors have
the disadvantages that they are of complicated and therefore
costly construction and also subject to wear and breakage.
OBJECtr OF THE INVENTION
It is accordingly an object of the present invention,
to provide a novel and improved electrical connector which,
when in use to provide an electrical connection which is subject-
ed to a tension, securely prevents disconnection of the connector.
- BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
According to the present invention, then, there is
provided an electrical connector comprising, housing means,
inlet means to receive an electrical cahle into the housing,
and electric terminal members, connectable to the cable, extend-
ing from the housing means in a direction substantially opposite
to the incoming direction of the electrical cable such that
the connector may be connected to a similar connector having
cooperating terminal members by pulling the connector towards
the similar connector in a direction substantially opposite
~o the incoming direction of the cable.
~ ccordlng to a ~urther aspect of the present lnvention,
there is also provided an electrical connector comprising, first
and second interconnectable housing means, each of the housing
means having an abutment surface, said surfaces adjoining each
other when the first and second housing means are interconnected
and inlet means extending outwardly from each of the abutment
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surfaces to receive an electrical cable into the first and second
housing means, respectively the first housing means also having
electric terminal means, connectable to the cable, extending
from the a~utment surface in a direction substant.ially opposite
to the incoming direction of the cable, the second housing having
cooperating electric terminals provided therein to receive the
extending electric terminals thereinto, such that the first
and second housing means may be interconnected by puIling the
housing means towards one another in a direction substantially
opposite to the incoming directions of the cables leading res-
pectively thereinto.
I~ a preferred embodiment of the invention, the open-
ing is defined by a projection extending from the housing and the
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housing is formed with the recess parallel to the projection,
the projection and the recess being spaced from the terminals
and having complimentary shapes, whereby the housing is engage-
able in interlocking relationship with a similar housing by in-
terengagement of the projections and recesses of the two housings.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
The invention will be more readily understood from the
following description of a preferred embodiment thereof, given
by way of example, with reference to the accompanying drawings
in which:-
Figure 1 shows a view in perspective of a pair ofelectrical connectors accordlng to a first embodiment of the
present invention;
Figure 2 shows a view in perspective of one of the
connectors of Flgure 1, with parts of the connector separated
from one another;
Figure 3 shows a view in perspective of the other of
the connectors of Figure 1, with the parts of the connector
20. likewise separated from one another; and
Figure 4 shows a view in perspective of two electrical
connectors according to a second embodiment of the present in-
vention.
DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
Referring firstly to Fiyure 1 of the drawings, there
is shown a male connector or plug, indicated generally by
reference numeral 10, and a female connector or socket, indica-
ted generally by reference numeral 11.
The plug 10 comprises a housing 1~ from which extend
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three parallel elongate terminals or pins 15 and a projection 16.
The housing 14 is also formed with a recess 18, which
is open at one side 19 thereof.
The terminals 15, the projection 16 and the recess 18
all extend from a flat, transverse abutment surface 20 on the
housing 14~
The projection 16 is of approximately cylindrical
shape and defines a central passage therethrough having an open-
ing 21 for receiving a conductor cable 23.
The connector 11 has parts which are similar to that
of the connection 10 and which are therefGre notdescribed herein
in detail but are indicated by the same reference numerals as
those of Figure 1 followed by~the suffix a.
The cOnneGtOr 11 is provided on cable or cord;23a ex-
tending through the projection 16a to the interiorof the houslng
14a, as described in greater detail hereinafter.
However, it will, of course be understood that the
connector 11, which as indicated above is a female connector ox
socket, is not provided with projecting terminals or pins cor
responding to the pins 15.
Instead, as indicated in Figure 3, the abutment surface
20a of the housing 14a is formed with three openinys 17a through
which the pins 15 can be inserted into electrical contact with
female terminals 15a~
As will be apparent from Figure 1, the three pins 15
project from the ahutment surface 20 of the housing 14 in a
direction which is p~rallel to the longituidnal direction of the
projection 16.
Likewise the openings 17a in the connector 11 face ~`
outwardly from the abutment surface 20a of the housing 14a in a
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direction which is parallel to the longitudinal direction of the
projection 16a.
In use, the two connectors 1~ and 11 are coupled to
one another by a relative movement in the longitudinal directions
of the projections 16 and 16a, which are held parallel to one
another.
The recesses 18 and 18a have shapes which are compli-
mentary to the shapes of the projections 16 and 16a, so that
when the connectors 10 and 11 are coupled, the projection 16
interfits in interlocking relationship with the recess 18a and
likewise the projection 16a interfits in interlocking relation-
ship with the recess 18.
The interconnection or coupling of the connectors 10
and 11 in this way is facilitated by the pxovision of the open
sides 19 and l9a of the rece~ses 18 and 18a, which enables the
cable 23a to be moved laterally into the recess 18 and the cable
23 to be moved laterally into the recess 18a.
As will readily be apparent, when the connectors 10
and 11 are coupled, a tension in one of the cables or cords 23
and 23a not only can not disconnect or uncouple the connectors
10 and 11 but, on the contrary, forces the connectors 10 and 11
into even tighter interengagement.
As shown in Figures 2 and 3, the housings 14 and 14a,
which are made of injection moulded plastics material or any
other suitable material, are provided with closures 25 and 25a.
When the housing 14 is assembled with closure 25, the
latter is secured to the housing 14 by three screws 26, which
extend through holes 27 in the closure 25 into threaded engage-
ment with holes 28 ~ormed in the housing 14.
In conventional manner, the three pins 15 are provided
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with terminal screws 30 for securiny respective wires 31 of the
cable 23 in electrical contact with the terminals 15, which ex-
tend through holes 17 in -the housin~ 14.
The housing 14 is formed with a recess 34 for receiving
the closure 25 and, at the bottom of the recess 34, with a fur-
ther recess 35 for accommodating the wires 31 and the associated
terminals and screws.
Referring now to Figure 3, the c:Losure 25a fits in
nesting relationship with the housing 14a and is secured in
position therein by a screw 26a.
The closure 25a is provided ~ith three recesses 36 ~or
receiving and holding the terminals 15a in alignment with the
openings 17a and the housing 14a.
The terminals 15a are secured to respective ~ires or
strands 31a of the cable or cord 23a by screws 30a, which extend
through respective holes in the housing.
As will be readily apparent to those skilled in the
art, the connectors 1~ and 11 are removable from their res-
pective cables or cords 23 and 23a and may of course, be sold
separately from their cables or cords.
However, as will also be readily apparent to those
skilled in the art, the housings 14 and 14a may alternatively be
replaced by one-piece moulded housings permanently secured to
the respective cords or cables.
In either case, the terminals, projections 16 and 16a
and the recesses 18 and 18a all extend parallel to one another
and, when the two connectors are coupled, parallel to the cables
23 and 23a, and the connectors 1~ and 11 can be coupled or un-
coupled only by movement longitudinally of the ends of the cables
3~ 23 and 23a. In other words, electrical terminals are oriented
rela-tive to -their respective housings for mating engagement of
the two housings and the two sets of terminals with one another
by relative movement of the connectors in the direction in which
each of the openings 21 and 21a ~aces.
The connectors illustrated in Figure 4, and indicated,
respectively, by reference numerals 110 and 111, of which con-
nector 110 is a plug or male connector and the connector 111 is
a socket or female connectorl have their terminals inclined with
respect to ~he longitudinal direction of the adjacent ends of
respective conductors 123 and 123a.
More particularly, the connector 110 has a housing
which comprises two parts 114a and 114b which are each elongate
and which are inclined relative to one another, the housing part
114a being aligned with the end of the cable 123.
The housing portions 114a and 114b, are in fact, for-
med in one piece as a moulding permanently secured to the end of
the cable 123.
Three connector pins for elongate terminals 115 pro-
ject ~rom the housing portion 114b at an inclination to the
housing portion 114a and the cable 123.
The connector 111 likewise has a housing comprising
two housing portions 114c and 114d, corresponding to the housing
portions 114a and 114b, the housing portion 114d being provided
with three holes 117a for receiving the pins 115 and the holes
117a facing at an inclination to the housing portion 114c and
the cable 123a.
As will be apparent, the connectors 110 and 111 are
coupled and uncoupled by relative ~ovement thereof longitudinally
o the pins 115, i.e. in a direction inclined relative to the
cables 123 and 123a. However, such coupling and uncoupling
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movement, will, of course, include a component parallel to the
cables 123 and 123a or, in other words, a component of movement
in a direction in which face holes formed in the housing portions
114a and 114c for receiving the ends of the cable 123 and 123a.
Of course, female terminals for engagement with the
pins llS are provided in the housing portion 114d.
Thus, the electrical terminals of each of the con-
nectors 110 and 111 are oriented relative to their respective
housing for mating with the other of the connectors by relative
movement of the connectors in the direction in which the housing
cable openings face.
When the connectors 110 and 111 are coupled, tension in
the cable 123 and/or 123a will tend to retain the connectors in
their coupled relationship, rather than uncoupling them.
It is, for completeness, pointed out that the connec-
tors 110 and 111 have been designed to be coupled, instead of to
one another, to a conventional, flat or straight cable connector
having terminals oriented transversely of its cable.
.
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