CONNECTOR PART OF A CONNECTOR UNIT

Abstract

A connector part of a connector unit having a connecting structure and a guiding assembly, wherein the connecting structure is moveable between at least two positions at least one of the at least two positions being a connection position and wherein the guiding assembly determines a movement of the connecting structure in the connection position. The guiding assembly has a first keyway, at least a second keyway and at least one key being engaged in the first keyway and the at least second keyway to bring the connecting structure in the connection position due to a movement of the key in the first keyway and the at least second keyway.

Claims

1. A connector part of a connector unit comprising: a connecting structure and a guiding assembly, wherein the connecting structure is moveable between at least two positions at least one of the at least two positions being a connection position and wherein the guiding assembly determines a movement of the connecting structure in the connection position, wherein the guiding assembly comprises a first keyway, at least a second keyway and at least one key being engaged in the first keyway and the at least second keyway to bring the connecting structure in the connection position due to a movement of the key in the first keyway and the at least second keyway.

2. The connector part according to claim 1, wherein the connecting structure is embodied as a pivotable arm.

3. The connector part according to claim 2, wherein the pivotable arm comprises the first keyway and a guiding element of the guiding assembly) comprises the at least second keyway and/or wherein a pivot of the pivotable arm is arranged stationary in respect to the at least second keyway.

4. The connector part according to claim 3, wherein the first keyway and the at least second keyway are embodied in such a way so that the key is guidable in both keyways so that a relative movement of the pivotable arm in respect to the guiding element occurs.

5. The connector part according to claim 1, wherein one keyway of the first keyway and the at least second keyway comprises at least one kink and/or wherein a course of one keyway of the first keyway and the at least second keyway is embodied straight.

6. The connector part at least according to claim 2, wherein the keyway comprising at least one kink is arranged at the pivotable arm and/or wherein the straight keyway is arranged at the guiding element.

7. The connector part at least according to claim 2, wherein the pivotable arm is housed in the guiding element.

8. The connector part at least according to claim 3, wherein the guiding element is embodied as a sleeve.

9. The connector part at least according to claim 3, wherein the pivot of the pivotable arm is connected to the guiding element.

10. The connector part at least according to claim 2, wherein the guiding assembly further comprises an outer shell and/or wherein the outer shell houses the guiding element which houses the pivotable arm and/or wherein the outer shell comprises the key.

11. The connector part according to claim 1, wherein the connecting structure guides at least one electrical wire and/or optical wire.

12. A connector unit comprising: at least one connector part according to claim 1 and at least a second connector part, wherein the first connector part comprises at least one interacting element to interact at least during a mate of the first connector part and the at least second connector part with the at least one second connector part to trigger a movement of a connecting structure of an guiding assembly of the first connector part.

13. The connector unit according to claim 12, wherein the interacting element is arranged at an outer shell of the first connector part and/or wherein the interacting element is embodied as at least one shoulder.

14. A method for connecting a first connector part and an at least second connector part of a connector unit according to claim 12, the method comprising: pushing the first connector part into the at least second connector part and consequently connecting at least one shoulder at an outer shell which comprises the at least one shoulder and a key with the at least second connector part and thus by further pushing the first connector part into the at least second connector part, moving the key of the outer shell that is engaged in a first keyway and an at least second keyway resulting in a movement of a connecting structure in its connection position.

15. The connector part according to claim 1, wherein the connector part is adapted for use in a subsea application.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0042] The aspects defined above and further aspects of the present invention are apparent from the examples of embodiment to be described hereinafter and are explained with reference to the examples of embodiment. The invention will be described in more detail hereinafter with reference to examples of embodiment but to which the invention is not limited.

[0043] FIG. 1: shows schematically two connector parts of a connector unit in an unmated position in a side view,

[0044] FIG. 2: shows a connecting structure of one of the connector parts from FIG. 1 housed in a guiding element of a guiding assembly,

[0045] FIG. 3: shows the connecting structure of FIG. 2 in greater detail,

[0046] FIG. 4: shows the parts of FIG. 3 during a mate of the two connector parts with a partly raised connecting structure and

[0047] FIG. 5: shows the parts of FIG. 3 after the mate of the two connector parts with a fully raised connecting structure.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0048] The illustrations in the drawings are schematically. It is noted that in different figures, similar or identical elements are provided with the same reference signs.

[0049] FIG. 1 shows a wet mateable subsea optical connector unit 10 for connecting two connected parts, like two subsea cables (not shown), wherein the connector unit 10 comprises two connector parts 12, 14 in the form of a first or a male part 12 (receptacle/pin) and a second or a female part 14 (plug) that are embodied in such a way to establish a physical and specifically an optical connection after a mate of the male part 12 and the female part 14. The connector parts 12, 14 are intended for a use in a subsea application.

[0050] The male connector part 12 is embodied as a pin and the female connector part 14 has a not specifically shown opening to receive the male connector part 12 during a mate of the connector parts 12, 14 in mating direction 48 that is coaxial to an axial direction 50. At a forward end 52 of the pin the male connector part 12 comprises a mating region 54 having a connecting element 56 in the form of a ferrule with at least one optical wire 42 or optical fibre, respectively (not shown). During the mate of the connector part 12, 14 the connecting element 56 of the male connector part 12 contacts a not shown connecting element in the female connector part 14 to establish the optical connection. Alternatively or additionally, the connecting element may be embodied as or with an electrical wire.

[0051] To perform, assist and control the mate of the connecting elements 56 the male connector part 12 comprising a connecting structure 16 and a guiding assembly 18 which are shown in FIGS. 2 and 3 and will be described below with reference to these figures. The connecting structure 16 guides the optical wire 42 (not shown). The guiding assembly 18 of which the connecting structure 16 is a part of is arranged or housed in an outer shell 40 embodied as a sleeve. The in FIG. 1 shown male connector part 12 is further encompassed by an outer housing (not shown).

[0052] The guiding assembly 18 is shown in more detail in FIG. 2 in which for better representability the outer shell 40 is removed. The guiding assembly 18 comprises a guiding element 28 embodied as a sleeve 38. The connecting structure 16 is housed in the guiding element 28 or sleeve 38, respectively, and is embodied as a pivotable arm 26. A pivot 30 of the pivotable arm 26 is connected to the guiding element 28. To allow the connecting structure 16 or the pivotable arm 26, respectively, to exit the guiding element 28 or be raised out of the guiding element 28 the latter comprises an aperture 58. This aperture 58 extends basically axially long a length of the guiding element 28 or it has at least basically a same length than the pivotable arm 26 to allow its freedom to move.

[0053] The connecting structure 16 is moveable between two positions. One position is a resting or parking position in an unmated state of the connector unit 10 in which the connecting structure 16 is basically positioned inside the guiding element 28 (see FIG. 2). The other position is a connection position in a mated state of the connector unit 10 in which the connecting structure 16 is arranged in a raised configuration outside of the guiding element 28 (see FIG. 5). The guiding assembly 18 determines the movement of the connecting structure 16 or the pivotable arm 26, respectively, from the resting position to the connection position.

[0054] To facilitate the controlled movement the guiding assembly 18 comprises a first keyway 20, a second keyway 22 and a key 24 being engaged in the first keyway 20 and the second keyway 22. Due to a movement of the key 24 in the first keyway 20 and the second keyway 24 the connecting structure 16 can be brought in the connection position.

[0055] The guiding element 28 of the guiding assembly 18 comprises the second keyway 22, wherein a course 36 of the second keyway 22 is embodied straight. In other words, the straight keyway 22 is arranged at the guiding element 28. The straight keyway 22 is basically an elongated hole extending along the length of the guiding element 28 and basically coaxial to an axis 60 of the connector part 12.

[0056] As can be seen in FIG. 3 the connecting structure 16 or the pivotable arm 26, respectively, comprises the first keyway 20. This keyway 20 comprises a course 62 with two kinks 32, 34 or in other words the keyway 20 with the two kinks 32, 34 is arranged at the pivotable arm 26. The keyway 20 is subdivided by the two kinks 32, 34 in three sections 64, 66, 68, wherein the first section 64 and the last (third) section 68 represent or maintain stop or resting positions of the pivotable arm 26 either in the unmated or the mated state of the connector unit 10. The second section 66 mediated the movement of the pivotable arm 26. As can be seen in FIG. 1 the outer shell 40 or an inner surface of the outer shell 40 comprises the key 24 (The key 24 is shown in hedged lines). Moreover, to allow the pivotable arm 26 to be raised by the interaction of the key 24 with the keyways 20, 22 the pivot 30 of the pivotable arm 26 is arranged stationary in respect to the second keyway 22.

[0057] The first keyway 20 and the second keyway 22 are embodied in such a way so that the key 24 is guidable in both keyways 20, 22 so that a relative movement of the pivotable arm 26 in respect to the guiding element 28 occurs. In other words, the courses 36, 62 and shapes as well as the orientation of the keyways 20, 22 towards each other are specifically selected to result in the controlled raising of the pivotable arm 26.

[0058] To trigger the movement of a connecting structure 16 or to activate the pivoting motion or the raising of the pivotable arm 26 the male connector part 12, respectively, comprises an interacting element 44 to interact during the mate of the male connector part 12 and the female connector part 14 with a corresponding interacting element of the female connector part 14 (not shown). The shoulder 46 is arranged at the outer shell 40 or an outer surface 70 of the outer shell 40, respectively, and is embodied as a shoulder 46 extending in radial direction 72 outward from the outer surface 70 and in circumferential direction 74 around the outer shell 40.

[0059] With respect to FIGS. 2, 4 and 5 the mating sequence will be described in the following text:

[0060] In the unmated state of the connector unit 10 the pivotable arm 26 is positioned inside the guiding element 28 in a basically axial orientation. The key 24 is positioned at an end 76 of the straight keyway 22 being arranged at the forward end 52 of the male connector part 12 (see FIG. 2). When the connector parts 12, 14 engage or when the male connector part 12 is pushed into the female connector part 14 the shoulder 46 at the outer shell 40 which comprises the shoulder 46 and the key 24 connects with the female connector part 14 or its corresponding interacting element (not shown).

[0061] By further pushing the male connector part 12 into the female connector part 14, the outer shell 40 and thus the key 24 is moved backwards or against mating direction 48, respectively. Since the key 24 is engaged in the first activation keyway 20 and the second straight keyway 22 its movement resulting in a movement of the connecting structure 16 or the pivotable arm 26, respectively, in its connection position (see FIG. 5).

[0062] Specifically, when the key 24 travels the first section 64 of the activation keyway 20 the pivotable arm 26 still rests in its axial or resting position. After crossing the kink 32 the key 24 travels along the second section 66 of the keyway 20 and consequently, the pivotable arm 26 is raised gradually (see FIG. 4) and finally reaching its fully raised connecting position (see FIG. 5). At an end of section 66 the key 24 crosses kink 34 and reaches the third section 68 of the keyway 20. When the key 24 travels the third section 68 of the activation keyway 20 till the key 24 reaches a backward end 78 of the straight keyway 24 the pivotable arm 26 still rests securely in its connecting position (not shown). Hence, due to the interaction of the key 24 with the keyways 20, 22 the pivotable arm 26 changes its spatial arrangement from a basically axial orientation to a transversal orientation or angled orientation in respect to the axis 60 of the connector part 12.

[0063] Under a mated condition, the force of the second female connector part 14 moving forward and being retained maintains the position of the outer shell 40. The de-mating process of the connector unit 10 is accomplished in the reverse, wherein the outer shell 40 and thus the key 24 is pushed back by a spring acting on the shoulder 46 (not shown).

[0064] A connector unit 10 with the aforementioned embodiments makes efficient use of volume, due the advantageous nature of making a compact connector. This can be realized in that the pivotable arm 26 (which contains the ferrule or the connecting element 56, respectively) is folded within the guiding element 28 of the male pin when the connector unit 10 is unmated. During the mating procedure, the pivotable arm 26 lift clear of the guiding element 28 in order to allow the connecting element 56 to mate the opposite the connecting element within the female connector part 14 or the plug half of the connector unit 10. Due to this special guiding assembly 18 the pivotable arm lifts in a controlled way to ensure that the connecting element 56 is not damaged through unintended contact with internal components, whilst simultaneously being brought into line with the opposite connecting element 56 at the correct stage of the mating sequence.

[0065] It should be noted that the term “comprising” does not exclude other elements or steps and “a” or “an” does not exclude a plurality. Also elements described in association with different embodiments may be combined. It should also be noted that reference signs in the claims should not be construed as limiting the scope of the claims.

[0066] Although the invention is illustrated and described in detail by the preferred embodiments, the invention is not limited by the examples disclosed, and other variations can be derived therefrom by a person skilled in the art without departing from the scope of the invention.