Locking fastening device for two-part electrical connectors with axial coupling

Abstract

The locking fastening device for two-part electrical connectors with axial coupling includes two male mistake-proofing mechanisms and two female mistake-proofing mechanisms included in the parts. The mistake-proofing mechanisms are positioned on both sides of the contacts of the two parts of the male and female electrical connector and respectively includes at least a protuberance and a bore axially cooperative to produce the fastening of the parts, during coupling.

Claims

1. A locking fastening device for two-part electrical connectors with axial coupling, the device comprising: a male connector being comprised of a cylindrical main body having an abutment surface and a protuberance extending from said cylindrical main body, said protuberance being comprised of at least one flexible element protruding from said abutment surface, each flexible element having an axial blocking member radially extending outward; a female connector being comprised of hollow barrel with an annular recess, an inner bore, and a surface projection between said inner bore and said annular recess, wherein said male connector and said female connector form an intermediate connected configuration, when said at least one flexible element of said male connector inserts through said inner bore of said female connector, and a corresponding axial blocking member abuts said surface projection, said male connector and said female connector being axially aligned; and a push-piece being comprised of a means for guiding said male connector and said female connector from said intermediate connected configuration to an active axial locked configuration, wherein said push-piece inserts through said female connector to push said at least one flexible element of said male connector radially outward into an expansion space formed by said surface projection and said annular recess in said active axial locked configuration, said male connector and said female connector being axially aligned and axially locked to each other in said active axial locked configuration.

2. The locking fastening device for electrical connectors, according to claim 1, wherein said push-piece 5 further comprises a cylindrical core, and wherein said means for guiding said male connector and said female connector from said intermediate connected configuration to an active axial locked configuration comprises a housing, a peripheral wall, at least one stud extending outward from said peripheral wall, a notch in said female connector corresponding to each stud, and a means for returning said at least one stud in and out of a corresponding notch by rotation of said push-piece.

3. The locking fastening device for electrical connectors, according to claim 2, wherein said means for guiding said male connector and said female connector from said intermediate connected configuration to an active axial locked configuration comprises a plurality of studs radially arranged around said housing, wherein said notch in said female connector corresponding to each stud has an L-shape, and wherein each stud and correspond notch are in bayonet connection in said active axial locked configuration.

4. The locking fastening device for electrical connectors, according to claim 1, wherein said protuberance of said male connector is comprised of a hollow barrel having at least one portion of axial flexible peripheral wall with a free end, said axial blocking member being comprised of an outer collar at said free end of said at least one portion of axial peripheral wall.

5. The locking fastening device for electrical connectors, according to claim 4, wherein said hollow barrel is comprised of two portions of axial flexible peripheral wall, wherein said outer collar is oriented radially outward and has an outer diameter less than a diameter of said inner bore of said female connector.

6. The locking fastening device for electrical connectors, according to claim 1, wherein said at least one flexible element has a length corresponding to a length of said inner bore of said female connector, said corresponding axial blocking member abutting said surface projection in said annular recess for said intermediate connected configuration and in said expansion space for said active axial locked configuration.

7. The locking fastening device for electrical connectors, according to claim 3, wherein said means for returning said at least one stud in and out of a corresponding notch by rotation of said push-piece is comprised of a torsion spring inserted between said female connector and said push-piece, said torsion spring exerting pressure to rotate said push-piece so as to engage said studs each notch in said female corresponding to each stud, each notch having a first rectilinear portion, a hard spot, a rounded portion looping over said hard spot, a rounded unlocking flank, and a second rectilinear portion across from said first rectilinear portion.

8. The locking fastening device for electrical connectors, according to claim 7, wherein said means for guiding said male connector and said female connector from said intermediate connected configuration to an active axial locked configuration further comprises a ring around said push-piece, wherein said female connector is further comprised of a cylindrical peripheral recess having a rim facing said push-piece and a shoulder facing said male connector, and wherein said ring engages said cylindrical peripheral recess so as to align each stud with said corresponding notch in said intermediate connected configuration.

9. The locking fastening device for electrical connectors, according to claim 8, wherein said torsion spring is comprised of a spiral body, one branch at an end of said spiral body and another branch at an opposite end of said spiral body, said torsion spring being positioned in said housing of said push-piece between said cylindrical core and said peripheral wall, wherein said peripheral wall has an axial slit, said one branch being housed in said axial slit and said ring of said push piece, wherein said another branch is housed in said female connector, and wherein said peripheral wall and said cylindrical core form a recess, at least a portion of said spiral body being housed in said recess, each stud extending from said peripheral wall on a side opposite said recess.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWINGS

(1) The invention will now be described in more detail, in reference to the appended figures.

(2) FIG. 1 is a partial axial sectional view of a connection device according to the invention.

(3) FIGS. 2 to 5 show perspective views of the different components of said connection device, namely, respectively, the male mistake-proofing mechanism (FIG. 2), the female mistake-proofing mechanism (FIG. 3), the push-piece (FIG. 4) and the torsion spring (FIG. 5).

(4) FIG. 6 is an enlarged sectional view of the interaction between the mistake-proofing mechanisms in the non-blocked and unlocked position.

(5) FIG. 7 shows another enlarged sectional view equivalent to FIG. 6, showing the interaction between the mistake-proofing mechanisms in the blocked and locked position.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

(6) In reference to FIGS. 1 to 5, the device according to the invention applies to secure electrical connectors including a female part 1 provided with female mistake-proofing mechanisms or female connectors 3 (only one of which is visible in the partial view) and a male part 2 provided with male mistake-proofing mechanisms or male connectors 4 (only one of which is visible for the same reason). The male mistake-proofing mechanism 4 includes a cylindrical main body 40 from which a protuberance 41 made up of two flexible elements 42, 43 axially protrudes. In practice, the protuberance 41 is made up of a divided hollow barrel 41 in said flexible elements 42, 43 by the removal of two portions of the peripheral wall 41 of the barrel 41 up to the base of the latter, at the abutment surface 44 of the male mistake-proofing mechanism 4. At the free end of the flexible elements 42, 43, portions 45, 46 of an outer collar 41 or rim of the barrel extend toward the outside of the latter, in a substantially radial direction. The mistake-proofing mechanism 4 also includes a hexagonal head 47 housed in a recess 21 with a corresponding shape of the male part 2 of the connector, preventing any relative rotation.

(7) A ring 22 is positioned in a peripheral recess 48 of the mistake-proofing mechanism 4, for the axial retention of the latter in the part 2. Axial blocking also results from a nut 23 and a blocking washer 24.

(8) The female mistake-proofing mechanism 3 includes a first hexagonal portion 31 that blocks its rotation in a housing 11 of the part 1 making up the female connector. The hollow barrel 32 includes an inner bore 33 and an annular recess 34 intended to receive an axial retaining ring 12 clipped on a shoulder 13 of the part 1. The hexagonal portion 31 of the mistake-proofing mechanism 3 also has L-shaped notches 35 for the bayonet-type connection, positioned opposite one another and only one of which is visible in FIG. 3. The notch 35 has locking flank formed by a first rectilinear portion 35, a hard spot 37, a rounded portion 35 that loops over the hard spot 37, a rounded unlocking flank 35, and a second rectilinear portion 35 across from the first rectilinear portion 35.

(9) The push-piece 5 includes a cylindrical core 51, defining, with a low peripheral wall 52, a housing 50 for the spiral body 61 of the spring 6. The push-piece 5 also includes a peripheral annular recess 53 for the retaining ring 54. Only one stud 55 from among the two situated opposite one another is visible in FIG. 4, said studs 55 being provided to cooperate with the notches 35 of the female mistake-proofing mechanism 3, in the bayonet guiding connection. A gripping handle 56 allows manipulation by the operator, which therefore does not require any tools. An axial slit 57 is used to house one of the branches 62, 63 of the torsion spring 6.

(10) In the state of FIG. 1, the connection is not finalized, it is not axially blocked or locked, it is in the same state as in FIG. 6, i.e., with the hub 51 of the push-piece located near the flexible elements 42, 43 of the male mistake-proofing mechanism 4. In FIGS. 6 and 7, the small circle corresponds to the axial blocking zone, and the large circle corresponds to the locking zone in the blocked position. The state of the connection is intermediate, one is in the presence of an activated state that has begun, an axial thrust of the push-piece 5 already having been initiated.

(11) First examining the zone shown by the small circle in FIG. 6, the outer collar 45, 46 of the flexible elements 42, 43 is not yet pushed radially into the expansion space 36 provided in the female mistake-proofing mechanism 3. As shown, in this inactivated state, because the outer diameter of these collars 45, 46 is not larger than the inner diameter d of the bore 33, no axial blocking is yet possible.

(12) In the lower part covered by the large circle, the studs 55 are already engaged in a rectilinear portion of the notches 35, below the hard spots 37 marking the directional change of the push-piece 5. The latter is indeed stressed in rotation as of the beginning of the movement by the torsion spring 6, which is compressed between the slit 57 of the push-piece 5 and an orifice (not shown) inside the female mistake-proofing mechanism 3, but it cannot rotate when it is upstream from the hard spots 37. The ring 54 does not oppose the movement, it is movable in a cylindrical peripheral recess 38 of the female mistake-proofing mechanism 3 closed by a rim 39a in which the slots 35 emerge, and limited in the upper part by a shoulder 39b. The distance between them is close to the axial length of the slots 35, which guarantees that when the device is deactivated, the push-piece 5 is retained such that the studs 55 are ready to be activated, and are situated at the inlet of the notches 35, thereby allowing the accumulation of energy in the spring. 6. In the unlocking phase, which involves the excursion of the push-piece 5 furthest from the inside of the female mistake-proofing mechanism 3, the stop formed by the shoulder 39b does not oppose the upward movement of the ring 54.

(13) In reference to FIG. 7, the connection is activated, i.e., the parts 1 and 2 of the connector are axially blocked and locked. The movement in the axial direction of the push-piece 5 in the female mistake-proofing mechanism 3 triggers the self-locking in the manner explained below. In reference to the zone covered by the small circle, more particularly related to the axial blocking function, the latter results from the fact that the core 51 of the push-piece 5 has moved axially enough to separate the flexible elements 42, 43 such that the collar portions 45, 46 are now in the space 36, with a facing surface of a projection 136 of the expansion space 36 that prevents any axial withdrawal of one of the parts 1, 2 relative to the other 2, 1.

(14) At the same time, the studs 55 having arrived at the hard spots 37, the push-piece 5 is rotated by the spring 6, which releases its energy at the entry for the studs 55 in the non-rectilinear portions of the slots 35. Past the hard spots 37, said studs descend again slightly into the rounded part of the openings, locking the connection by releasing axial energy, for example, by an elastic seal inserted between the two parts 1, 2 of the connector according to the invention. The unlocking is done very simply by reverse rotation and pulling of the push-piece is (to block the latter in the non-locking zone) by the operator.

(15) The configuration described in reference to the figures is of course not exhaustive with respect to the invention, which on the contrary encompasses the shape and structure alternatives that relate to the various components and organize the same functions, inasmuch as they fall within the definition of the claims.