Patent Application
20150222050
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to a connector device. More particularly, the present invention relates to a push-on/push-off connector allowing the connector to be secured and removed by a pushing motion.
2. Description of Related Art
With telescopically mating electrical connectors such as a plug and a socket it is often desirable or necessary to lock the two connector bodies together after their conductive contacts have been physically and electrically joined. Single conductor connectors with some form of bayonet joint may be rotated to a locking position. Multiple male and female contacts, however, must be slidingly joined telescopically without rotation, and typically have used a pliable plastic connector body which is deformed as a catch on one connector body rides over a detent on the other connector body to a locking position beyond the detent. If such a deforming latching body is frequently engaged and disengaged the plastic fatigues from the deformation and the latching mechanism fails. Some electrical connectors with push to connect-twist to remove (referred to herein as a push-twist connector), twist to connect/twist to remove, and push to connect-pull to remove (push-pull connector) features have been developed, however they are bulky and inefficient.
Therefore, what is needed are electrical connector devices that may be space-efficient and operate on an enhanced push to connect-twist to remove or new push to connect-push to remove (push-push) attachment-removal mechanism.
The subject matter of this application may involve, in some cases, interrelated products, alternative solutions to a particular problem, and/or a plurality of different uses of a single system or article.
In one aspect, an electronic connector system comprising a plug and a receptacle is provided. The plug comprises a plug housing defining a body of the plug, and a connector end extending from the plug housing with an electric contact positioned within. A plurality of plug drive tabs having canted leading faces extend from the plug housing. A substantially cylindrical coupling ring is rotatably attached to the plug. The coupling ring comprises a plurality of ring drive tabs having a canted front surface, and a plurality of latch tabs having a canted leading face and a canted trailing face. The drive tabs and latch tabs are on opposite ends of the cylinder.
The receptacle of the electronics connector system comprises a receptacle body defining a slot for receiving the plug, with a second electric contact within the slot configured to connect to the first electrical contact of the plug. The receptacle further comprises a plurality of receptacle tabs connected to the receptacle body. The receptacle tabs are configured to receive the latch tabs of the coupling ring. The receptacle tabs may be configured in any manner, but typically they will extend into the slot from the receptacle surface.
This aspect of the electronics connector system is configured such that upon a first inward pushing motion of the plug towards the receptacle, the plurality of latch tabs are received by the plurality of receptacle tabs, thereby connecting the plug within the receptacle and connecting the first and second electric contacts. Further, upon a second inward pushing motion of the plug when the plurality of latch tabs are received by the plurality of receptacle tabs, the plurality of latch tabs, and in turn the plug, are released from the plurality of receptacle tabs. In some embodiments, a spring may further provide an axial force to eject the plug from the receptacle.
In another aspect, an electrical connector is provided. The electrical connector comprises a first and second tubular connector bodies having telescopingly engagable body portions and axial mating electrical contacts. The electronic connector further comprises an annular collar rotatably held on the first body, which is sized to fit within a cavity formed by the second body. A spring is connected to the collar, the ends of the spring being between the first body and the collar, and the spring is configured to yieldingly resist rotation of the collar. The electrical connector has at least two axially opposed tabs. A first tab is on an outer surface of the annular collar. A second tab is on an inner surface of the cavity formed by the second body. The tabs are configured with opposing flaring cam surfaces that cooperatively produce rotation of the collar relative to the second body when the bodies are telescoped to a mated contact position. Thus, the cam surfaces guide the first tab around the second tab. This electric connector is configured such that the spring yields as the collar is rotated by the cam tabs during contact mating, and then the spring can rotate the first tab to a latching position axially behind the second tab, locking the connector bodies in a mated contact position.
Further, a circumferential ramp extends from an outer surface of the annular collar. The circumferential ramp is configured to be guided by the second tab upon manual axial rotation of the collar relative to the second body when the two are mated together. The guiding of the circumferential ramp by the second tab urges the collar out of the receptacle cavity, thus facilitating removal of the first body from the second body. Depending on embodiment, a spring may provide an axial force urging the plug out of the receptacle, thereby at least partially eliminating the need for the ramp.
The detailed description set forth below in connection with the appended drawings is intended as a description of presently preferred embodiments of the invention and does not represent the only forms in which the present invention may be constructed and/or utilized. The description sets forth the functions and the sequence of steps for constructing and operating the invention in connection with the illustrated embodiments.
Generally, one aspect of the present invention concerns connector, such as an electrical connector, that is engaged and disengaged by an inward pushing movement. Another aspect of the present invention concerns a connector, such as an electrical connector, that is engaged by a pushing motion and disengaged by a twisting motion. The present invention may be used for any connection, though it is particularly applicable to electrical connection of a plug to a receptacle. Particular embodiments of the connector include electronic connections to an interface panel, for example on a medical instrument, instrumentation paneling, and the like. The push-push and push-twist connector devices are configured to provide a safe, user friendly, and efficient way to connect structures, particularly electronics. The efficient structure of the push-push and push-twist connector devices allows for maximizing connections per plug, making them easily adaptable for advanced electronics connections. While the present invention is generally described in use as an electronics connector, it should be understood that the connector invention may work equally well as a pneumatics connector, hydraulic connector, hybrid connectors (containing multiple elements such as electronics, pneumatics and/or hydraulic), and the like.
In one embodiment, multiple electronic devices such as measurement devices could all be connected to an interface panel, the interface panel being configured to receive the multiple inputs and provide an output. This application may be particularly useful in medical device field. For example, a monitoring device may be configured to receive a plurality of inputs on an interface panel, and provide monitoring output such as a visual display output or data recording output. A number of medical devices may be attached to one or more patients, each device having an electric signal output with an electrical connector described herein at an end of an electric cable to be attached to the monitoring device. These medical devices may be easily connected to the monitoring device using the push-push connector structure, or push-twist structure, providing a safe, user-friendly and reliable electronic connection of the medical device to the monitoring device.
In another embodiment, different electrical connections providing different aspects of therapy and/or control for a device may be contained in the connector plug, providing multiple functions to the cord connection. For example, in one embodiment the plug may be used on a defibrillator device, the electrical connection providing the charge (therapy) and also sensor detecting heart activity (control) may be connected between paddles and device in the same cable using the connectors described herein.
The structure of the push-push connector device may be any structure capable of securely receiving a plug upon a first insertion, and substantially limiting removal until a second pushing depresses the plug slightly further, releasing it for removal. The embodiments described herein teach some such structures, however other embodiments allowing this operation are within the scope of the present invention.
The structure of the push-twist connector device may be any structure capable of securely receiving a plug upon a first insertion, and substantially limiting removal until a twisting motion disengages and releases the plug. The embodiments described herein teach some such structures, however other embodiments allowing this operation are within the scope of the present invention.
Turning now to
Latch tabs 12 protrude from an outer surface of the coupling ring 10, though in alternative embodiments they may protrude from an inner surface of the coupling ring 10. The latch tabs 12 have canted leading and trailing sides facing toward and away from a nearby edge of the coupling ring 10. These canted leading and trailing sides facilitate engagement and rotation with latch tabs (not shown) of the receptacle or plug, depending on embodiment.
Receptacle tabs 21 are shown receiving latch tabs 12. In one embodiment, the coupling ring 10 is in communication with a spring or other device capable of providing a force (collectively referred to herein as a spring). This spring (not shown) is configured to urge the coupling ring 10 away from the receptacle 20 along the longitudinal axis of the coupling ring 10. The spring (not shown) and drive tabs 31. 11 urge the latch tab into a notch formed by the receptacle tabs 21, where the latch tabs 12 are shown secured in this figure. Operation of the mechanism is discussed further with respect to
These tabs are canted at an angle capable of mating with the canted face of the ring drive tabs 11. The plug housing 30 and coupling ring 10 are shown here to be concentrically aligned, both having a generally circular cross section. In many embodiments, the coupling ring will be rotatably connected to the plug. Upon engagement of the plug drive tab 31 and ring drive tab 11, the plug housing 30 will be able to urge the ring in a forward motion along its longitudinal axis, and also, by way of the engaging canted faces, urge the coupling ring in a rotational direction about its longitudinal axis. In the embodiment shown, the ring would be urged counter clockwise, though it should be understood that the direction of the canted faces could urge rotation in either clockwise our counter clockwise directions. Upon engagement of the coupling ring 10 with the receptacle housing 20 and receptacle tabs 21, the latch tabs 12 of the coupling ring 10 will limit rotational motion during certain ranges of longitudinal motion, and thus the coupling ring will only be allowed to rotate when in a position such that the latch tabs 12 are free from engagement with the receptacle tabs 21. Regardless of the arrangement of ring drive tabs 11 and if they are on the outside or inside of the coupling ring 10, the plug drive tabs 31 may be radially positioned along the plug housing to engage with the ring drive tabs 11.
Upon a user pushing the plug inward, the plug housing 30 and plug drive tabs 31 engage the coupling ring 10. At this point, the latch tabs 12 are guided by the canting on their leading face and the angled canting of the front of the receptacle tabs 21 to align with channels 23 between the receptacle tabs 21. The plug drive tabs 31, ring drive tabs 11, latch tabs 12, and receptacle tabs 21 may be configured so that when the latch tabs 12 are aligned with the channel 23, the plug drive tabs and ring drive tabs will be aligned as well. This alignment is achieved by a rotation of the coupling ring 10 about its longitudinal axis, shown as direction D. In this embodiment, rotational direction D may be a clockwise rotation. This downward movement is achieved against the force of the spring or similar device urging the coupling ring away from the receptacle as shown in
In an embodiment such as that shown in
Once the coupling ring 10 is received by the receptacle housing via the latch tabs 12 and receptacle tabs 21, the plug and corresponding connections will be secured to the receptacle. To remove the plug, a user must again push the plug housing 30 inward. Here, the plug will displace the coupling ring downwards until the latch tabs 12 extend past rear guide 24 of the latch tabs 21. Once the latch tab 12 moves past the rear guide 24, again the coupling ring may rotate based on by a rotational urging caused by the canted engagement of the ring drive tab 11 and plug drive tab 31. The rotation may be further aided, once the inward pushing force of the plug housing 30 is removed, by an upward urging of the spring (not shown) of the coupling ring 10 in direction C (see
An alternative embodiment is shown in
In
In this embodiment, the coupling ring 75 may operate as a coupling ring. Coupling ring 75 may freely spin about a longitudinal axis of the plug. Latch tabs 12 extend from an outer surface of the coupling ring 75. On an interior of the rotatable coupling ring 75, ring drive tabs 11 protrude inwardly. Thus, the ring drive tabs 11 and latch tabs 12 are on opposite sides of the coupling ring 75 (acting as the coupling ring). These tabs 11, 12 extend fully around the outer and inner edges of coupling ring 75. Plug drive tabs 31 extend from the connected plug body 76 and are disposed in a circle following the side of the plug body 76. Similarly, on the receptacle 70, the receptacle tabs 21 extend inwardly into the slot defined by the receptacle 70. The receptacle tabs 21 and slot 70 are sized to receive the latch tabs 12 and are radially positioned appropriately.
Upon insertion of the plug into the receptacle slot, and upon application of an inward pushing force to the plug body 76, the plug drive tabs 31 engaging ring drive tabs 11, and push the latch tabs 12 inward. The latch tabs 12 will be automatically oriented as discussed above, and latch tabs 12 will secure to receptacle tabs 21, until a second pushing force again inwardly moves the plug and connected elements, at which point the latch tabs 12 will disengage from the receptacle tabs 21, releasing the plug.
In the embodiment shown, spring 79 of the receptacle body 70 may urge coupling ring 75 into the plug drive tabs 31 to engage the ring drive tabs 11 once the plug begins to be inserted into the receptacle. In another embodiment, a spring or other pressure source (not shown) urges the coupling ring 75 in direction F.
The receptacle is shown aligned with the plug and ready to receive the plug. The receptacle is formed of the receptacle body 70, which defines a slot capable of receiving plug connector end 74. An optional cover 72 lies over the entrance to the slot and allows only a properly shaped plug connector end 74. Electrical contacts 71 extend within the slot to engage with electrical contacts of the plug (not shown), thereby allowing electrical communication between the cable 77, contacts 71, 78 and device to which the receptacle is attached. The electrical contacts 71 are supported by a post located centrally in the receptacle's slot, and in some embodiments, the electrical contacts 71 are arranged around the posts circumference. However, it should be understood that the electrical contacts 71 may be configured in any way within the slot. The electrical contacts 71 extend beyond the receptacle and are formed as contacts 78. Spring 79 may be configured to provide a force against the plug upon its insertion, and may also be used to provide a seal around the plug upon its insertion. Further, in some embodiments, spring 79 may engage with coupling ring 75 upon insertion of the plug connector end 74 and may urge the coupling ring 75 in direction F. In some embodiments, spring 79 may further act to eject the plug connector end 74 once it is disengaged from an engaged position.
In operation, the connector device has two component sides, the receiving side configured to receive the coupling ring, and the coupling side, having the coupling ring and drive tabs. Typically the plug will be the coupling side, however plug may also be the receiving side, depending on embodiment. Operationally, a user may insert the plug into the receptacle until it is received. In some embodiment, this may be indicated to a user by an audible snap or ‘clicking’ feeling felt during the insertion. The plug will then be securely received. To remove the plug, the user may again push the plug inwardly, at which point the coupling ring will be released, and the plug can be pulled outwardly away from the receptacle. In some embodiments, this may be indicated by an audible snap or ‘clicking’ feeling felt during the inward pushing.
Turning now to
With the collar 111 and spring 117 assembled on the plug body 101 the spring may yieldingly hold the collar in the normal position in which the collar camming tabs 121 have the same angular relationship to the male contacts on the plug as the receptacle camming tabs 122 have to the female contact in the receptacle body. To assure that the male contacts are in correct angular alignment during mating engagement, the receptacle cavity 106 has a narrow longitudinal key 123 and a wide key 124 which slide into correspondingly small and large keyways 126 and 127 in the boss 104 of the first, plug, body 101. As a visual aid to the correct angular alignment index marks 128, 129, 131 are embossed and painted on the plug 101, collar 111 and receptacle 107, respectively. The mark on the collar includes an arrowhead 130 indicating the direction in which the collar can be rotated from normal position during the two operations of locking engagement and disengagement of the plug and receptacle.
The operation of locking the plug and receptacle together with mated contacts is effected manually by aligning the index marks 129 and 131 on the collar and receptacle respectively then pushing the two bodies together. At first the collar camming tabs 121 start to slide past the receptacle camming tabs 122 as collar 111 is inserted into receptacle cavity 106. For this purpose each collar camming tab 121 is offset a small angle B, e.g. five degrees, from a central plane through the collar and receptacle. The tabs are pie shaped with opposing points 133 and two camming surfaces 134 flaring away from the point to intersection with a back surface 136. After first sliding engagement the mutual wedging action of the camming surfaces 134 forces the collar to rotate against its spring, allowing the collar tab to slide around the receptacle tab and then spring back with its back surface behind and abutting the back surface of the receptacle tab. In this position the tabs have locked the first, plug body to the second, receptacle body. The spring then reverses rotation of the collar until the faces of the collar stops 112 strike the opposed faces of the plug stops 119 with an audible snap signaling that the plug and receptacle are locked together. Locking is confirmed visually by alignment of the index marks 129 and 131 after the automatic return of the collar to its normal position by the spring.
To disengage the first and second bodies the collar is manually rotated. The circumferential ramp 137 extending from the collar outer face is thereby turned toward tabs 122 and, because it is slanting across the paths of the tabs, the collar 111 is guided away from second body 107 by the force applied between the circumferential ramp of the collar outer face and tab 122 of the second body 107 inner face. The camming face of each ramp 137 is angled away from the adjacent tab so that it cams the collar tab, collar and first body apart and out of engagement. Disengagement is therefore effected without pulling and straining the cord extending from the plug 101, because rotation of the collar is in a plane at right angles to the axis of the plug and cord. Moreover, in some embodiments, a spring within the receptacle (not shown) is provided that may urge the plug away from the receptacle.
The rotating collar and camming tabs of the connector provide automatic locking engagement of the plug and socket without deformation of the plastic, insulative connector bodies or collar. Engagement is indicated positively by an audible snap and by alignment of index marks. The spring allows a rotary disengaging manipulation which is convenient and which places no longitudinal strain on a cord or cable connected to the plug body.
While several variations of the present invention have been illustrated by way of example in preferred or particular embodiments, it is apparent that further embodiments could be developed within the spirit and scope of the present invention, or the inventive concept thereof. However, it is to be expressly understood that such modifications and adaptations are within the spirit and scope of the present invention, and are inclusive, but not limited to the following appended claims as set forth.
