Claims
- 1. A cable connector keying system comprising:a first shaped feature connected to a first connector component; a second shaped feature connected to a second connector component; and means for removably connecting said first shaped feature to said first connector component and said second shaped feature to said second connector component respectively, said first shaped feature and said second shaped feature shaped so that said first connector component is connectable with said second connector component when said first shaped feature fits with said second shaped feature, said first shaped feature and said second shaped feature including a first pin arrangement and a second pin arrangement respectively.
- 2. The connector keying system of claim 1 further including second means for enabling selective adjustment of said first shaped feature and said second shaped feature to customize said keying system.
- 3. The connector keying system of claim 2 wherein said first means includes a first retainer body and a second retainer body for facilitating attachment of said first shaped feature to said first connector component and said second shaped feature to said second connector component.
- 4. The connector keying system of claim 3 wherein said second means includes a first assembly for accommodating said first shaped feature, said first assembly selectively rotatable relative, to said first retainer body to selectively cause a different orientation of said first shaped feature, and wherein said second means includes a second assembly selectively rotatable relative to said second retainer body to selectively cause a different orientation of said second shaped feature.
- 5. The connector keying system of claim 4 wherein said first assembly and said second assembly are pin assemblies.
- 6. The connector keying system of claim 5 wherein said first pin arrangement is arranged relative to said second pin arrangement to allow only said first connector component and said second connector component having said first pin arrangement and said second pin arrangement mounted thereon, respectively, to interconnect.
- 7. The connector keying system of claim 5 wherein said first and second pin assemblies have first and second corresponding pin assembly bases with predetermined numbers of pins mounted on front surfaces thereof.
- 8. The connector keying system of claim 7 wherein said first and second pin assemblies have first and second corresponding shafts therethrough extending from rear surfaces of said first and second pin assembly bases, respectively.
- 9. The connector keying system of claim 8 wherein said first and second retainer bodies have openings therein for receiving said first and second shafts of said first and second pin assemblies.
- 10. The connector keying system of claim 9 wherein said first means includes first and second retaining rings for retaining first and second connector flanges of said first and second connector components between said first retaining ring and said first retainer body and between said second retaining ring and said second retainer body, respectively.
- 11. The connector keying system of claim 10 wherein said first and second shafts are hollow and partially threaded, accommodating first and second holes, respectively, that run through said first and second pin assembly bases and through said first and second corresponding shafts, respectively.
- 12. The connector keying system of claim 11 wherein said first connector component includes a jackscrew that extends through said first connector component and through said first and second holes to secure said first connector component to said second connector component and to hold said keying assemblies in place.
- 13. The connector keying system of claim 12 wherein said first and second retainer bodies have ridges for mating with said pin assembly bases to secure said pin assembly bases relative to said retainer bodies to prevent rotation of said pin assembly bases relative to said retainer bodies when said keying systems are installed on said first and said second connector components.
- 14. A cable connector keying system comprising:a first keying assembly having a first set of one or more pins in a first user-configurable configuration, said first keying assembly removably mountable to a first connector and a second keying assembly having a second set of one or more pins in a second user-configurable configuration and removably mountable to a second connector, said first configuration and said second configuration arrangeable so that said first configuration selectively matches said second configuration to enable said first connector to selectively connect to said second connector.
- 15. The connector keying system of claim 14 wherein said first configuration only matches said second configuration to enable said first connector to only connect to said second connector.
- 16. The connector keying system of claim 14 wherein said first keying assembly and said second keying assembly have one or more holes therein or therethrough to accommodate pins of said second keying assembly and said first keying assembly, respectively, when said first keying assembly matches said second keying assembly.
- 17. A cable connector keying system comprising:first means for connecting a first shaped feature to a first connector component and a second shaped feature to a second connector component, said first shaped feature and said second shaped feature shaped so that said first shaped feature fits with said second shaped feature to allow said first connector component to connect with said second connector component and second means for enabling selective adjustment of said first shaped feature and said second shaped feature to customize said keying system.
- 18. A method for enabling selective connection of cable connector components comprising:connecting a first shaped feature to a first connector component and a second shaped feature to a second connector component, said first shaped feature and said second shaped feature shaped so that said first shaped feature fits with said second shaped feature to allow said first connector component to connect with said second connector component, said first shaped feature and said second shaped feature being pin assemblies and said first shaped feature and said second shaped feature including a first pin arrangement and a second pin arrangement respectively and enabling selective adjustment of said first shaped feature and said second shaped feature to facilitate re-keying.
- 19. A connector keying system for use with a first connector and a second connector, said system comprising:a first shaped key; a second shaped key, said second key being shaped and mounted to mate with said first shaped key in a selective orientation of said second key relative to said first key; a first mechanism for removably securing said first key to said first connector; and a second mechanism for removably securing said second key to said second connector, whereby said first connector may be mated to said second connector when said second key is disposed in said selective orientation and said first connector is prevented from mating with said second connector when said second key is not disposed into said selective orientation.
- 20. The invention of claim 19 further including means for selectively reshaping said first shaped key.
- 21. The invention of claim 20 further including means for selectively reshaping said second shaped key.
- 22. The invention of claim 21 wherein said first and second shaped keys are pin assemblies.
RIGHTS IN INVENTION
This invention was made with support under Government Subcontract No. 100200 Boeing Corp. under Prime Contract HQ0006-01-C-0001 with the Department of the Army. The U.S. Government may have certain rights to this invention.
US Referenced Citations (9)