Sealed electrical contact system

Abstract

A sealed electrical contact system includes at least one male electrical contact with at least one annular flange and a male conductive contact. At least one female electrical contact includes a receptacle and a female conductive contact disposed in the receptacle. The at least one annular flange is configured to contact an inner surface of the receptacle when the male conductive contact contacts the female conductive contact and closes a circuit.

Claims

1. A sealed electrical contact system, comprising: at least one male electrical contact including a male conductive contact, a conical portion, and at least one annular flange surrounding the conical portion; and at least one female electrical contact including a receptacle and a female conductive contact disposed in the receptacle, the receptacle being hollow and conically-shaped; wherein the at least one annular flange is configured to contact and form a seal with an inner surface of the receptacle when the male conductive contact contacts the female conductive contact and closes a circuit.

2. The sealed electrical contact system of claim 1 wherein closing the circuit communicates a signal indicating that a swinging door of a platform screen door is closed.

3. The sealed electrical contact system of claim 1 wherein the at least one annular flange is a plurality of annular flanges.

4. The sealed electrical contact system of claim 3 wherein each one of the plurality of annular flanges has a different diameter.

5. The sealed electrical contact system of claim 1 wherein the female electrical contact further includes a biasing element to bias the female conductive contact toward contact with the male conductive contact.

6. The sealed electrical contact system of claim 5 wherein the biasing element comprises a resilient material.

7. The sealed electrical contact system of claim 1 wherein the at least one male electrical contact comprises a first male electrical contact and a second male electrical contact and wherein the first male electrical contact is electrically coupled to the second male electrical contact.

8. The sealed electrical contact system of claim 1 wherein the female conductive contact is disposed on a sloped inner surface of the receptacle.

9. The sealed electrical contact system of claim 1 wherein the at least one annular flange is formed of a resilient material.

10. The sealed electrical contact system of claim 1 wherein the male electrical contact is coupled to one of a portion of a door or a door jamb and the female electrical contact is coupled to the other of the portion of the door or the door jamb.

11. The sealed electrical contact system of claim 10 wherein the portion of the door is at a leading side of the door.

12. The sealed electrical contact system of claim 10 wherein the portion of the door is at a trailing side of the door.

13. The sealed electrical contact system of claim 10 wherein the receptacle is recessed in the other of the portion of the door or the door jamb.

14. A sealed electrical contact system, comprising: a first male electrical contact and a second male electrical contact each including at least one annular flange, a first male conductive contact of the first male electrical contact being electrically coupled to a second male conductive contact of the second male electrical contact; and a first female electrical contact and a second female electrical contact, the first female electrical contact including a first receptacle and a first female conductive contact disposed within the first receptacle, the second female electrical contact including a second receptacle and a second female conductive contact disposed within the second receptacle; wherein each of the at least one annular flanges is configured to contact an inner surface of and form a seal with the respective first and second receptacles when the first male conductive contact contacts the first female conductive contact and the second male conductive contact contacts the second female conductive contact.

15. The sealed electrical contact system of claim 14 wherein each of the at least one annular flanges is formed of a resilient material.

16. The sealed electrical contact system of claim 14 wherein the first and second male electrical contacts are secured to one of a portion of a door or a door jamb and the first and second female electrical contacts are secured to the other of the portion of the door or the door jamb.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

(1) A more complete understanding of the present invention may be acquired by reference to the following Detailed Description when taken in conjunction with the accompanying Drawings wherein:

(2) FIG. 1 is a perspective view of an environment including a sealed electrical contact system according to an embodiment of the present disclosure;

(3) FIG. 2A is a partial section view of the sealed electrical contact system of FIG. 1 illustrating an open circuit;

(4) FIG. 2B is a partial section view of the sealed electrical contact system of FIG. 2A illustrating a closed circuit;

(5) FIG. 3A is a partial section view of an alternate embodiment of a sealed electrical contact system according to the teachings of the present disclosure illustrating an open circuit; and

(6) FIG. 3B is a partial section view of the electrical contact system of FIG. 3A illustrating a closed circuit.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

(7) FIG. 1 is an environmental view of a sealed electrical contact system 10 where the electrical contacts are not in electrical communication which each other so the details of the respective contacts can be shown. The sealed electrical contact system 10 according to the teachings of the present disclosure is suitable for any male/female electrical contact that completes a circuit or otherwise communicates a signal. For example, the sealed electrical contact system 10 may indicate positioning of doors (i.e. whether the door is open or fully closed), such as elevator doors, sliding doors, swinging doors, and the like. The sealed electrical contact system 10 may also be used to sense the positioning of an elevator car.

(8) According to one embodiment, the sealed electrical contact system 10 may be employed on a platform screen door. More specifically, the sealed electrical contact system 10 may be employed on an emergency swinging door of a platform screen door system. The seal created by the electrical contacts may be water tight to prevent corrosion and other debris from interfering with the electrical connection and falsely indicating that the swinging doors are open. This sealing function may be particularly beneficial in a railway environment where moisture, debris, and other unwanted material are virtually unavoidable.

(9) The sealed electrical contact system 10 includes a pair of male electrical contacts 12 and a pair of female electrical contacts 14. A first male electrical contact 12a is electrically connected to a second male electrical contact 12b by any suitable electrically conductive means, such as a conductive wire 16. Each of the female electrical contacts 14a and 14b are ends of an open circuit, and therefore each is connected to a respective conductive wire 18 that runs within (and/or along) a door jamb 20. In certain embodiments, the conductive wires 18 are electrically coupled to a railroad control system (not illustrated). Thus, when the pair of male electrical contacts 12 are electrically coupled to the pair of female electrical contacts 14, the circuit is closed and the railroad control system receives a signal that is interpreted as indicating that an emergency swinging door 22 of the platform screen door system is closed and it is safe to operate the train, provided all other safety signals indicate the train may be safely operated, for example the signal indicating that the sliding door, which is the primary entrance and exit from the train car, is fully closed.

(10) According to certain embodiments, the male electrical contacts 12 may be secured to either the door 22 or the door jamb 20, and the female electrical contacts are secured to either the door 22 or the door jamb 20, whichever the male electrical contacts are not secured to. The male/female electrical contacts 12, 14 may be secured to either the leading side or the trailing side of the door 22 and the corresponding leading or trailing side of the door jamb 20. FIG. 1 illustrates the male electrical contacts 12 secured to a trailing side of the door 22 proximate a hinge 23 and the female electrical contacts 14 secured to a door jamb 20. The door 22 may include an offset pivot to facilitate more direct insertion of the male electrical contact 12 into the female electrical contact 14. Other embodiments contemplate any combination of male/female electrical contacts. For example, the door 22 may include one male and one female electrical contact and the door jamb 20 may include one male and one female electrical contact, provided that when all of the electrical contacts (male/female) are in electrical communication with each other, a circuit is closed. And, when one of the four electrical contacts is not in electrical communication with the others, then the circuit is open and the door 22 is indicated as not fully closed.

(11) The female electrical contacts 14 each include a receptacle 24. The receptacle 24 is generally frustoconically-shaped and hollow with an open distal end. In certain embodiments, the receptacle 24 may be formed of a substantially rigid polymer material and may generally be a thin-walled part. The receptacle 24 may be formed using any suitable polymer forming process, such as injection molding.

(12) FIG. 2A is a section view of the sealed electrical contact system 10 showing an open circuit, and FIG. 2B is a section view of the sealed electrical contact system 10 showing a closed circuit. Each male electrical contact 12 includes a conductive contact 26, typically formed of metal, disposed at a distal end of the male electrical contact 12. The conductive contact 26 is electrically coupled to the wire 16, which connects to the other conductive contact 26. The wire 16 runs through a cone portion 28 of the male electrical contact 12. The cone portion 28 supports at least one and preferably a plurality of annular flanges 30, where each annular flange 30 surrounds, the cone portion 28. The cone portion 28 may be a generally rigid, thin walled part formed of a suitable polymer material, similar to the receptacle 24. According to an alternate embodiment, the cone portion 28 may be omitted and the annular flanges 30 may surround the wire 16. The annular flanges 30 are formed of a resilient material, such as natural or synthetic rubber. This disclosure is not limited to conically-shaped electrical contacts, but rather contemplates electrical contacts of any suitable shape provided a prong-shaped portion is inserted into a receptacle. For example, the male electrical contact 12 may be generally cylindrical and be inserted into a generally cylindrical, hollow female receptacle. 24.

(13) When the male electrical contacts 12 are inserted into the female electrical contacts 14 such that the circuit is closed, as illustrated in FIG. 2B, the annular flanges 30 contact an inner surface 32 of the receptacle 24 and form a seal. The annular flanges 30 are elastically deformed by the contact with the inner surface 32 of the receptacle 24 and the resilient material of the flanges 30 opposes this elastic deformation, such that a seal is formed between the annular flanges 30 and the inner surface 32 of the rigid receptacle 24. The seal formed is analogous to a seal formed in a syringe between the barrel and the plunger. According to certain embodiments, a diameter of the annular flanges 30 may increase from a smallest diameter proximate the conductive contact 26 to a largest diameter furthest from the conductive contact 26.

(14) Each of the female electrical contacts 14 include a conductive contact 34, and each of these conductive contacts 34 may be coupled to a biasing element 36. The biasing element 36 may be a single piece of resilient material, such as rubber or a closed-cell foam. According to an alternate embodiment, the biasing element may be a coil spring. The biasing element 36 biases the female conductive contact 34 toward the male conductive contact 26. In this manner, manufacturing tolerances and shifting structures are accommodated. In addition, the biasing element 36 allows electrical contact and a closed circuit condition to be maintained even under vibrating conditions associated with train movement. The biasing element 36 also allows an electrical connection to be made if the male electrical contact 12 is less than fully inserted into the female electrical contact 14.

(15) FIG. 3A is a section view of an alternate embodiment of a sealed electrical contact system 40 showing an open circuit, and FIG. 3B is a section view of the sealed electrical contact system 40 showing a closed circuit. The electrical contact system 40 includes a pair of receptacles 42 that may be recessed into a door or a door jamb 44. The receptacles 42 receive a pair of male electrical contacts 46 to close the circuit and indicate a properly closed emergency swing door, and thus a safe condition for train operation. The pair of male electrical contacts 46 is secured to either a door 48 or the door jamb 44, as discussed above with the embodiment shown in FIGS. 1-2B. The male electrical contacts 46 include cone portion 50 that supports a plurality of annular flanges 52. The annular flanges 52 are formed of a resilient material, and when the annular flanges 52 are elastically deformed by the inner surface 54 of the receptacle 42, a water-tight seal is created, as described above with respect to sealed electrical contact system 10, and the male and female conductive contacts 56, 60 are protected from debris and corrosion.

(16) The male conductive contact 56 is disposed on an outer conical surface of the conical portion 50. Similarly, the female conductive contact 60 is disposed on an inner conical surface of the receptacle 42. In this manner, less than full insertion of the male electrical contact 46 into the receptacle 42 of the female electrical contact will still electrically couple the contacts 56, 60 and close the circuit. In addition, positioning the male and female electrical contacts 56, 60 on respective conical surfaces allows electrical contact to be maintained even under vibrating conditions associated with train movement or shifting structural members.

(17) Although preferred embodiments of the present invention have been illustrated in the accompanying Drawings and described in the foregoing Detailed Description, it will be understood that the invention is not limited to the embodiments disclosed, but is capable of numerous rearrangements, modifications and substitutions without departing from the spirit of the invention as set forth and defined by the following claims.