Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
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DYNAMIC CONTACT BAYONET ELECTRICAL CONNECTOR
FOR HARSH ENVIRONMENTS
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
[0001] The present invention relates generally to multi-trace electrical
connectors for harsh environments. More particularly, the present invention
relates to bayonet rotary electrical connectors which maintain electrical
connection dynamically, and which may have replaceable connector
components. This type of connector is used, for example, in drilling
operations
where the connector must be rotated, for example during assembly, disassembly,
or operation of bottom hole equipment or sensor or communications packages,
and where the electrical connection may be maintained. The connector must be
easily unplugged for service work or disassembly and reassembly of related or
attached components, without special tools or facilities.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0002] In the prior art, a variety of conical or rotary bayonet-style
connectors have been disclosed or are known. Each has disadvantages.
[0003] Blake (US 3,060,417) discloses a conical connector with circular
brushes and rings in a system of fire-detectors within an aircraft. Blake's
connectors are static, meaning that when in operation, they do not rotate one
against the other. The ring configuration is meant to permit the electrical
connecting of two components by screwing them together, which necessitated (in
this design) connectors which could be rotated in relation to each other
during
assembly. Blake's connector has a male conical end the outer surface of which
has grooves with a metallic feature each connected to an external electronic,
and
in each groove is slidably positioned a metallic split ring in contact, when
positioned, with the metallic feature. The female mating part (a conical
receptacle) has deployed about its inner surface inner contact strips which
touch
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the split rings when the male and female parts or screwed together for
assembly.
The conical nature of the parts is meant to compress the split rings against
the
contact strips to make and hold a good electrical connection, yet provide ease
of
disassembly and assembly. Blake's invention is static in the sense that it
does
not rotate when in use, but rather is held tight, one mating part static
against the
other. Blake is meant for deployment in fire-detection systems on aircraft
requiring a robust but refittable connector system to easily assemble,
disassemble and check, and reassemble a network of longitudinally spaced
thermistor-based temperature sensors. Blake is not meant for harsh
environments, or to maintain connection while its parts rotate in relation to
each
other during normal operation.
[0004] Elkins (US 3,665,509) provides for an electrical connector set
comprising a conical male connector and a mating conical receptacle to
reliably
and safely make electrical connections at great depths underwater. The male
plug has contact rings deployed around its outer surface, perpendicular to its
axis, and the female receptacle has connecting surfaces which match and
correspond to the contact rings when the plug is seated in the receptacle. The
male plug also has means to provide vacuum pressure differentials to the
interface of the male and female components to assist them in mating, seating,
sealing and maintaining their mated position. The plug, once seated, does not
rotate in the socket. The invention is meant to provide a multi-trace
electrical
connection to a salvage pontoon which may be placed, seated, and secured in a
static position sealed from intrusion of seawater, by a pressure differential
introduced by lowering the fluid pressure in the space between the male and
female components to a pressure below the ambient fluid pressure in the deep
water within which the device is submerged when used. Elkins does not provide
constant electrical connection during rotation of the two plug elements, and
requires resilient seals and the provision of vacuum forces for its operation.
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[0005] Wurr (US 7,131,844) discloses a dynamic rotary electrical
connector for use in applications such as providing electrical connections
between a static device to wires within a cable on a rotating reel. It
provides a
series of flat washer-like metallic contact surfaces of consecutively smaller
outer
and inner diameter placed on a non-conducting circular body with increasingly
smaller steps (from one end to the other), each step meant to hold one washer-
like contact surface. The contact surfaces are connected to electrical traces
within the stepped body, which is mounted to a fixture at the axis of a reel,
with
the contact surfaces facing the reel. A second part, holding brushes which are
each sprung to be held in contact with a matching washer-like contact ring is
mounted to the cable reel on the side of the reel facing the stepped body so
that
the brushes are biased to contact their matching contact ring and provide
electrical connection from the static device through the stepped body's traces
to
the contact rings then to the brushes and from each brush to a wire within the
cable for which the reel is made. Wurr's female (brush) component does nothing
to assist in providing stable alignment along the rotational axis of the parts
while
under torsional stress longitudinally, and would fail should either part twist
off its
rotational axis relative to the other in providing continual electrical
connection
during rotation. Wurr is generally open to the environment
[0006] Daniels (US 3,193,636) provides a rotatable multiple-lead electrical
connector with an essentially conical male plug with circumferential connector
ring contacts embedded into the plug's outer surface, each shaped in cross-
section as a "W"; and a matching conical female receptacle with internal
circumferentially mating connectors comprised of multiple spring contact arms
shaped in cross-section roughly as a "v", to engage the "V" shape with the "W"
shape, so that the connector rings form a mechanism to retain male plug in the
receptacle. When engaged, the male connector rings each connect with a
mating spring-ring in the female receptacle. Electrical signals are provided
to the
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female receptacle by wires within the non-conductive body of the receptacle
affixed to the "V" shaped embedded spring contact arms, and to the male plug
by
wires through the plug's body and soldered to each "W" shaped ring connector.
Further, each ring connector and each set of contact arms may be split into
radial
segments, each segment with its own electrical lead; in this way, partial
rotation
of the engaged plug or socket will change the electrical connection (from one
set
of mated radial ring segments to another set, on each of the male and female
elements). Daniels refers to this as a "swivel type" connector. The connector
rings in Daniels are not robust enough to provide long term service in harsh
conditions. Their assembly is difficult, and the connector system cannot be
easily repaired or replaced. The retention system of interlocking sprung
connector rings will not provide sufficient force to bias the components
together
during some downhole drilling or similar operations. The generally
comparatively
fragile nature of the sprung contact arms in the female component are not
suitable for downhole use in drilling operations or similar harsh conditions,
longitudinal forces and bending forces.
[0007] Panzar (US 7,052,297) discloses a rotary connector with
removable/refittable contacts. A roughly cylindrical male plug is built-up of
alternating insulator and conductor rings stacked on a central core which is a
metal rod covered with an insulating layer. Wiring is provided to each
connector
ring by passing through each previously-stacked insulator and conductor ring.
A
mating receptacle is provided with conductors spaced within its cavity at
circumferences spaced to match the spacing of the conductor rings on the plug,
when assembled. Electrical ground is provided through the core's metal rod to
a
connector on the plug's tip end. The connectors either on the male plug's
probe
or within the receptacle's body are made of a springy, elastic circular
contact
which, when the plug is engaged and contacts are made, touches each of a
conductor ring and female circumferential conductor in at least one spot to
make
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electrical connection. The connection is kept when the plug is engaged whether
or not the plug is rotated within the receptacle. Panzar requires holes to be
made in each conductor and insulator ring prior to assembly, and then the
alignment of each hole for insertion of electrical leads, which must be
insulated
since they pass through conductor rings to which they are not meant to
connect.
When any conductor or insulator ring rotates during use, there is a tendency
for
the holes through which the leads pass to misalign. Each time that occurs, a
cutting stress is placed on the leads' insulator layer, and eventually, the
lead will
either become uninsulated at that point of contact with a conductor, or be
severed. Since multiple holes are required to maintain constant alignment, and
misalignment of one ring will cause multiple lead failures, Panzar suffers
from a
susceptibility in operation. Additionally, although Panzar's ground lead being
at
its tip makes some difference, by deploying multiple electrical leads along a
cylindrical plug and inserting the plug into a cylindrical socket also with
multiple
leads, Panzar's system is susceptible to make unintended and undesirable
circuit
connections while being plugged or unplugged.
Other Prior Art Known as at Filing
[0008] See Canadian Application Serial Number 2554624, filed 1 June
2005 at PCT with a US equivalent at serial number 10/925,672. A company
named Greentweed <greentweed.com> makes or sells a rotary electrical
connector with a two-part cross-sectional profile comprising two level
segments
with no conical segment.
[0009] It is desirable to have a reliable, repairable, easy to manufacture,
safe and robust dynamic rotary multi-lead electrical connector for use in
harsh
conditions such as drilling operations, capable of making high voltage
connections and withstanding much vibration, high temperature differentials in
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operating environments, and providing a mating mechanism which does not
close unintended circuits during the plugging and unplugging of the connector.
[0010] It is, therefore, desirable to provide the improved dynamic contact
bayonet electrical connector of this invention.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0011] It is an object of the present invention to obviate or mitigate at
least
one disadvantage of previous related art.
[0012] The invention provides a bayonet rotary connector for making and
breaking multiple electrical connections when respectively plugged and
unplugged. The invention has a male component and a mating female
component, each with mating surfaces (outer male surface, inner female
surface), the surfaces each comprising electrically conductive rings and
electrically insulating substances deployed between the conductive rings, each
electrically conductive ring within each component being capable of being
connected to an external device or devices.
[0013] The male component of the invention has a symmetrical generally
cylindrical shape with at least a small diameter cylindrical tip part and a
sloped or
conically shaped larger middle part and optionally a large level diameter butt
end
part, and can have a connector ring or tip at its tip end.
[0014] The female component of the invention has a receptacle to mate
with the male component so that the electrically conductive rings of the male
component make electrical contact with electrically conductive rings within
the
female component when the male component is fully inserted into and engaged
with the female component.
[0015] In each case, the electrically conductive rings may be of a narrower
width than the width of the electrically insulating material deployed between
the
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rings in order that no conductive ring on one component can contact more than
one ring on the other component during insertion or removal of the male
component into or from the female component.
[0016] The electrically conductive rings of the female component may be
provided with spring connectors each of which resides within a trough formed
on
two sides by insulating material and the third by the inner surface of the
electrically conductive ring to which it is installed, said spring connectors
being
compressed by the mating conductive ring of the male component when the male
component is engaged with the female component, to provide a positive,
dynamic electrical connection which is not susceptible to disconnection if
vibrated
or jostled or rotated male component against female component.
[0017] The mating spring connectors of the device deployed on the conical
surface of the female component may be further compressed upon engagement
of the male component with the female component, and held in such
compression when the two components are clamped or held together when
deployed. Other aspects and features of the present invention will become
apparent to those ordinarily skilled in the art upon review of the following
description of specific embodiments of the invention in conjunction with the
accompanying figures.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0018] Embodiments of the present invention will now be described, by
way of example only, with reference to the attached Figures, wherein:
[0019] Fig. 1 is a side elevation perspective drawing and matching cross-
sectional cutaway of the invention installed in a drill string.
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[0020] Fig. 2 shows the female component of the invention as a side
elevation perspective drawing (fig. 2a), a matching cross-sectional cutaway
(fig.
2b), and a perspective drawing (fig. 2c)
[0021] Fig. 3 shows a top elevation of the female component of the
invention (fig. 3b) with a cross-section along an axis of the top elevation
(fig. 3a).
[0022] Fig. 4 shows a side elevation of the female component of the
invention (fig. 4a) with a cross-section along an axis of the side elevation
(fig. 4b)
[0023] Fig. 5. Shows a top elevation perspective drawing of the female
component of the invention, assembled (fig. 5a) together with a cross-section
along an axis of the top elevation (fig. 5b) and a perspective drawing of the
female component (fig. 5c)
[0024] Fig. 6 shows a side elevation perspective drawing of the male
component of the invention, assembled (fig. 6a), a cross-section of the same
component (fig. 6b) and a perspective drawing from an angle showing a 3-
dimensional aspect of the same male component (fig. 6c)
[0025] Fig. 7 is a series of images of the male connector's shell, being: a
butt-end end elevation (fig. 7a), a side elevation (fig. 7b), a tip-end end
elevation
(fig. 7c), a longitudinal cross-section (fig. 7d), and a perspective drawing
in 3D
(fig. 7e)
[0026] Fig. 8 is a transparent perspective drawing showing the wiring
harness in place with respect to the male connector shell.
[0027] Fig. 9 is an exploded view (fig. 9a) and an assembled view (fig. 9b)
of the male connector to portray the relative positions of connecting rings,
wiring,
the shell and the wiring contact elements of the male connector.
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DETAILED DESCRIPTION
Overview:
[0028] Generally, the present invention provides a multi-trace bayonet
rotary connector which comprises a male 2 and female 1 component, the male
component 2 having a series of ring connectors 200 deployed along its body
240,
the body 240 having a profile in cross-section characterizable as having at
least
two and preferably three steps 250, 260, 270, which in order from the tip
comprise: a level or flat slender step 250, and a conically sloped step
transitioning from the diameter of the level step to a larger diameter 260,
and
optionally but preferably a larger diameter level step 270 being furthest from
the
body's tip 201. The sloped step 260 is configured in an embedded cone shape,
the apex of which is toward the tip 201 of the male component 2. The female
component 1 provides for a mating receptacle 140 to receive the male
component's body 240, with spring connectors 100 arranged within the female
receptacle 140 such that each spring connector 100 makes contact with one of
the ring connectors 200 on the male component 2 when the male 2 and female 1
components are assembled together (fig. 1).
[0029] The figures show an embodiment of a male 2 and female 1
component of the invention. Included on the female component 1 is a slot 145
into which the cabling 148 is deployed and a brass end piece 149 which is
typically tightened on a threaded end 150 of the female component 1 to hold
its
two molded halves 1A, 1B together.
[0030] Note the conical shape of the male component 2. At the tip 201 in
the embodiment shown, there are 3 rings of the same outside diameter 251, 252,
253 which in this embodiment carry DC or AC power or ground which circuiting
is
not as problematic if accidentally improperly connected during engagement or
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disengagement of the components 1 and 2 as would be the traces on the conical
segment 260 of the connector.
[0031] It is to be noted that the connectors 200 on the male component 2
will not meet or touch the connectors 100 within the female component 1 until
they 1, 2 are fully mated.
[0032] The wiring connectors 148 inside the female component 1 are laid
in an internal slot 110 in the halves 1A, 1 B and soldered to each of the
connector
rings 105 attached to connector springs 100 which are deployed along the
inside
140 of the female component 1. The mechanical connection (by soldering, for
instance) between the connector ring and the wiring connector in each case
provides strong resistance against rotation of the connector ring in relation
to the
rest of the female component, and provides stability to the female component
generally.
[0033] Similarly, mechanical connections between each connector ring
and wiring component within the male component provide similar anti-rotational
biases and stability. This is particularly so when/if the respective male or
female
component is filled with epoxy to become a monolithic structure, such that
these
mechanical connections add further to the integrity of the structure.
[0034] When making up the female component I of the connector, the
body of which is molded in two pieces 1A, 1B, the conductor rings 105 are
inserted into receiving slots 110 on one side piece 1A or 1 B, then the other
side
element 1B or 1A is assembled to fit, engaging the rings and abutting the
first
side 1A or 1B element, which elements 1A, 1B are held together mechanically
and can be then glued or epoxied; inner spring conductors 100 are inserted
inside the cavity 140, and one or more end-caps 149 are secured to the female
component 1 to hold the two halves 1A, 1B together.
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[0035] The inner diameter of the female component's conductor rings 105
is slightly larger than the inner diameter of the cavity 110 formed by the
insulative
body elements 115 of 1A and 1B (aside from the ring-receiving slots 110), so
that
the shoulders in the body's cavity 149 next to each ring-receiving slot 110
will
hold a spring conductor 100 adjacent and in contact with each conductor ring's
105 inner diameter surface.
Manufacture of the Female Component:
[0036] A first female half-shell 1A with grooves 110 into which spring-
connector-rings 100 can be inserted is provided. The spring-connector-rings
105
are sized to have internal opening diameters smaller than the insulating
material
115 of the half-shell 1A, 113, 115 adjacent the groove 110 into which a spring-
connector-ring 100 is to be placed. A lead wire is 148 attached to
electrically
connect (e.g. soldered) to each spring-connector-ring 105, and each spring-
connector-ring 105 is placed within its groove 110 in the first female half-
shell 1A
or 1 B. The leads are routed toward the tip or small-diameter end of the
female
half-shell T. A second female half-shell 1B or 1A providing insulation between
each spring-connector-ring is mated to the first half-shell 1A or 1 B, and the
leads
148 are laid into a channel 160 into a chamber 165 at the tip-end T of the
assembled half-shell 1A, 1 B which forms the body of the female connector 1.
The leads 148 are electrically connected (e.g. soldered) to a multi-lead
connection assembly 170 (not necessarily shown). The multi-lead connection
assembly may be sealed to the female component's body with a high-pressure
resistant seal. The two half-shells 1A, 1B may be held together by a removable
ring 149 or housing slid over either end of the conjoined half-shells. The
lead
wires 148 may be sealed into the conjoined half-shells 1A, 1B by injection of
epoxy or similar hardening plastic material to make the female connector
component's body a unitized body. Into the core of the female component's body
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140, there is an essentially cylindrical opening with recessed spring-
connector-
rings' interior diametrical surfaces alternating with the internal radial
surface of
the between-rings insulator 115 provided by the profile of the half-shells'
internal
surfaces. These recessed spring-connector-ring spaces (at 100) receive mating
circular spring connectors 100, which are installed into the provided recesses
which are circumferential grooves, and held there by spring tension, in
electrical
contact with the spring-connector-rings' 105 inside surfaces.
[0037] The female component's half-shells 1A, 1B may have a slot 145 in
its outer surface which exposes metal connector rings 105 connected to each of
the spring-connector-rings 100 deployed on its inner surface, and into which a
multi-trace cable 148 is laid, the end of each trace 148 having being soldered
or
otherwise connected to a single one of the spring connectors 105.
[0038] The slot in the outer surface of the female component, after the
traces 148 are soldered or connected to the ring components 105, may be filled
with a silicon, epoxy or other substance to protect and seal same.
[0039] It is to be understood that this is but one method of manufacturing
the female component suitable for use in the invention described here, and is
provided by way of example.
Manufacture of the Male Component:
[0040] A male connector shell 280 of insulating material is provided, with a
first butt end B with an opening 281 to carry a multiple-lead connection 283
(not
necessarily shown), and open conduits 284, 285, 286 from that opening to
permit
electrical leads (wires) 291-302 to connect from the multiple-lead connection
283
through the body of the male shell 280, each to a separate connector ring 200
deployed along a shaft 310 of the male shell 280 extending toward the shell's
second or tip end T. A series of connector rings 200 of predesignated inner
and
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outer diameter and width are each connected to a lead wire 291-302. One by
one, and in a predesignated order, the connector rings 200 are slipped onto
the
shaft 310 of the shell 280 with the associated lead wire 291-302 being
inserted
into the appropriate conduit 284, 285, 286 etc. to the butt end B opening 281
of
the shell 280; after each connector ring 200, an appropriately sized (inner
and
outer diameter, thickness) insulator ring 320 is slipped onto the shell's 280
shaft
310; and so on, until the last insulator ring 320 has been placed, after which
a tip-
connector 330 is installed with its lead-wire 302 connecting through the
appropriate conduit 284, 285, 286 etc. to the butt end's B multiple-lead
connection device 283. As noted above, the mechanical connection of the wiring
connector to each connecting ring provides an added anti-rotational bias to
the
ring in relation to the male component as a whole, and provides added
integrity
to the male connector when the male connector is filled with epoxy and made
into a unitized integral monolithic part. Also, similarly to the female
component's
multi-lead connection to external devices, the multi-lead connection assembly
283 may be sealed to the male component's body with a high-pressure resistant
seal. The final tip-connector 330 may be screwed into or onto the shell's 280
shaft's 310 end T thus holding all of the conductor 200 and insulator 320
rings
together on the shell 280. The shell's 280 conduits and openings may be filled
with hardening plastic or epoxy or similar material to consolidate the
components
into a single unitary body.
[0041] The male component's shell 280 consists of a central core 281 with
at least one shoulder 340 and a central body 310 and when assembled, extends
through a number of connector rings 200 and insulator rings 320. On the
central
core are slots 350 within which other multi-trace leads 291-302 are laid, such
that
the leads 291-302 are not in contact with the connector rings 200 but rather
are
gathered in the slot 320 and in the core 281 and thus inside the inner
diameter of
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both the connector 200 and insulator 320 rings. The leads 291-302 are sheathed
in insulation except where soldered to the rings 200.
[0042] A nut 330 may be threaded onto the tip T of the male component
shaft 310 to assist in holding the connector 200 and insulator 320 rings in
place.
Alternatively, the male component 2 may be assembled roughly, and then formed
by injection or other molding techniques of suitable thermoset or other
plastic
material to form a unibody and may be further machined to become relatively
exactly mateable with the female component 1.
[0043] It is to be understood that this is but one method of manufacturing
the male component suitable for use in the invention described here, and is
provided by way of example.
How the Connector Makes Electrical Connections:
[0044] The female component 1 will have a multiple-lead plug 170 or other
mechanism by which each of leads 148 individually connected to one its spring
connectors 100 may be in turn connected to an electronic or electrical device.
For instance, the plug 170 might connect each lead 148 to a sensor pack's
output leads and to a power supply's power and ground leads. The female
component 1 may then be attached to a tool for use downhole within a
drillstring
(as in figure 1), the tool in turn may be detached but re-attachable to a
drillstring,
which is typically done by rotating threaded connectors which are at the ends
of
component parts of the drillstring. The male component 2 will also have a
multi-
lead plug 283 (or similar device) by which each of its leads 291-302 may be
attached to a transponder, memory, or other device, which in operation
downhole
requires that electrical connections be made between the transponder (for
example) and the sensor pack (in the other part of the drillstring). In order
to
attach and detach the two components (in this example, the sensor pack and the
transponder pack), the male connector 2 is inserted into the female component
1,
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and the spring connectors 100 of the female component 1 make contact with the
ring connectors 200 of the male component 2. The connection can be made by
simple linear insertion, but the connector components can be rotated (by
reference to each other) to permit, for example, assembly of other parts of
the
drillstring or tools on the string. Typically, the female 1 and male 2
components
would be operatively connected, and held together by each being assembled
inside a housing with two halves which, when locked, hold the female and male
components together in compression (as in figure 1).
Operational Considerations:
[0045] The male component 2 (and by inference the mating receptacle
portion of the female component 1) may have connectors 200 on any or all of
the
different profiles 250, 260, 270 comprising its shape, but preferably will
have
ground or power traces supplied at the level portions 250, 270 of the profile,
and
sensitive or data traces supplied at the conical or sloped portion 260 of the
profile.
[0046] During assembly of the two components 1, 2 together to make
dynamic electrical connection, the male 1 component's level tip 250 section
acts
as a centering device; during insertion it may make connection with a spring
conductor 100 within the receptacle of the female component, but the contacts
on the conical or sloped profile 250 portion of the male component 2 will not
make electrical contact or connection with any spring connector 200 except the
spring connector with which it is designed to mate; similarly, conductors on
the
largest diameter 270 flat portion of the male 2 component's profile will not
make
contact with any spring connector 200 in the female receptacle 1 but those
which
are deployed on the mating portion of the female receptacle.
[0047] If desired, the width of each electrically conductive ring on the male
component 200 will be designed to be less than the width of the non-conductive
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surface between selected pairs of adjacent spring connectors 100 within the
female component so that those spring connectors 100 will not be shorted by
any
conductive ring 200 during insertion of the male component; particularly on
the
level portion(s) 250, 270 of the male component 1 and the mating level
portions
of the female receptacle.
[0048] Additionally, the sloped outer surfaces 260 of the two components
1, 2 may be forced into close contact by application of linear force on the
outer
ends B, T of the two components 1, 2; this is advantageous, as the linear
force
may be relied upon to keep the connectors 200 and springs 100 in physical
contact and good electronic connection despite and during harsh vibration or
impact forces on the bayonet connector.
[0049] The present device may be built to provide reliable and adequate
electrical connectivity with up to about 10 circuits or traces and still have
an
overall length of around 7-10 inches, while conventional connectors with
similar
trace counts are in the range of 20 inches and longer, end-to-end (B-T).
[0050] In a preferred embodiment, the tip connector 330 of the male
component 2 (and the mating spring connector of the female component) would
be a ground or common circuit, to allow that to mate first on connection and
disconnect last on removal, and to be disconnected prior to any powered ring
200 or spring 100 connector (in particular on any of the level segments 250,
270
on the components' mating surfaces) wiping across any other spring 100 or ring
200 connector during engagement or disengagement of the components 1, 2.
The tapered conical section 200 is designed to allow for the tip 330 (ground
or
common) section to not contact any other connector 100, and the tapered design
permits a large surface-area for dynamic positive surface connection around
360
degrees of the component's springs 100 and rings 200. In addition, those
connector springs 100 and rings 200 on the tapered section 260 may be held
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together in compression when the components are engaged and locked while in
use (by external brackets or devices not discussed specifically here), for
example
clamped together within a thread-tightened enclosure (as in figure 1); this
provides positive connection for environments which have, as an example, high
amounts of vibration. Another feature is that the design, being short with at
least
2 and perhaps 3 (or more) stepped or conical internal interfaces (between the
male and female mating surfaces) minimizes flex within the connector's body,
but
will allow consistent electrical connections to be maintained if there were
slight
flex or movement, as the connectors' springs 100 and rings 200 are held in
compression, and the contact springs 100 may have a compression load,
preferably of about 1 pound.
[0051] The width of the connection rings 200 and springs 100 permit some
tolerance of slight misalignment or flex of the components during use, while
providing for a shorter than conventional rotary connector.
[0052] Signals carried on the lower tapered regions 260 of the
components may be, for example, 5 volt do logic signals, typically 1 milliamp;
the
first 3 contact pairs 251, 252, 253 after the common or ground at the tip T
may be
24 volt DC power conduits of approximately 10 amps. The last contact pairs (on
the fat level end of the male connector 270, if present) may not be used, but
if
used could be for logic or power voltage levels, preferably for higher power
levels
as their larger mating surface area would provide more current amp conductive
capacity.
[0053] The small diameter level tip segment 250 with the tip connector 330
is designed to provide alignment guidance for the proper engagement of the
male 2 and female 1 components. The placement of the tip connector 330
provides isolation of ground or common connections from being made during
engagement of the components. The sloped, ramped or conical segment's 260
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ring 200 and spring 100 widths and placement vis a vis the width and order of
the
insulators 320 between adjacent rings 200 or adjacent springs 100 prevents
transient contacts during engagement activities from being made, and provides
for positive contact being made and maintained by compressive forces holding
the male and female components together during use.
[0054] This arrangement has several advantages:
1. By virtue of the conical structure, during the insertion and removal of the
male component from the female component none of the traces within the
conical section slide against or are connected with any of the other traces,
and when the connection is made the connection is made properly
between all circuits roughly simultaneously. This overcomes the non-
conical connector problem of multiple shorts and undesirable connections
being made while a level or multi-stepped male element is slid into, and
thus in connection with, a level or multi-step female component
2. Conventional multi-traced bayonet rotary connectors of this type have had
a male body with a threaded rod or bolt with an insulating sleeve inserted
through a body and a nut at the external terminus holding connector rings
and insulator rings tightly against the body of the unit. Being made of a
threaded rod, the central core of the tip section of the male component
can not carry the multi-traced cable, and therefore those cables have
traditionally been deployed through holes drilled and spaced, one per
trace, in the body of each connector and insulator ring. This has the
disadvantage of causing intermittent or permanent shorts or loss of
connection when the rings are mechanically shifted and contact or cut the
traces, such as when the connector is under some angular stress, or when
one side of the connector is twisted radially or torqued versus the other
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side. If intermittent, those types of misconnections are difficult or
impossible to find.
3. Having the spring connectors deployed in the inside of the female
connector protects those springs from damage during handling or
deployment or shipment, as opposed to having the spring connectors on
the male side of the connector, where they are exposed during shipment
or transport or storage.
4. The female component, once assembled, is a one piece unit, thus being
simpler to manufacture and handle.
5. This invention is typically made of a 30% glass filled core, with higher
strength and better electrical properties, and a lower co-efficient of
expansion differential between the metal and insulated parts, providing for
better durability in use in extreme environments.
[0055] In the preceding description, for purposes of explanation, numerous
details are set forth in order to provide a thorough understanding of the
embodiments of the invention. However, it will be apparent to one skilled in
the
art that these specific details are not required in order to practice the
invention.
[0056] The above-described embodiments of the invention are intended to
be examples only. Alterations, modifications and variations can be effected to
the particular embodiments by those of skill in the art without departing from
the
scope of the invention, which is defined solely by the claims appended hereto.
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LEGEND FOR DRAWINGS
Number Feature
T Tip-end of the assembled half-shell 1A
B First butt end of male connector shell Figure 2b
1 Female Component
2 Male Component
1A Part of Body of Female Component 1
1 B Part of Body of Female Component 1
100 Spring Connectors
105 Connector Rings
110 Internal Slot
115 Insulative Body Elements
140 Mating Receptacle / Cavity
145 Slot
148 Wiring Connectors/ Cabling / Lead Wire / Multi-trace Cable
149 Brass End Piece
150 Threaded End of Female Component 1
160 Channel
165 Chamber
170 Multi-lead Connection Assembly
200 Ring Connectors
201 Body's Tip
240 Male Component Body
250 Flat Slender Step
251 Outside Diameter Of The Tip Of Male Component 1
252 Outside Diameter Of The Tip Of Male Component 1
253 Outside Diameter Of The Tip Of Male Component 1
260 Conically Sloped Step Transitioning From The Diameter Of
The Level Step To A Larger Diameter
270 Larger Diameter Level Step
280 Male Connector Shell
281 Opening
283 Multiple-Lead Connection
284 Open Conduit
285 Open Conduit
286 Open Conduit
291 Electrical Leads (Wires)
292 Electrical Leads (Wires)
293 Electrical Leads (Wires)
294 Electrical Leads (Wires)
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Number Feature
295 Electrical Leads (Wires)
296 Electrical Leads (Wires)
297 Electrical Leads (Wires)
298 Electrical Leads (Wires)
299 Electrical Leads (Wires) 300 Electrical Leads (Wires)
301 Electrical Leads (Wires)
302 Electrical Leads (Wires)
310 Shaft
320 Insulator Rings
330 Tip-Connector
340 Shoulder
350 Slots
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