Electrical connector pairs typically have a plug and a receptacle. Electrical contacts within the plug and the receptacle are arranged laterally in close array. The lateral proximity of the contacts are typically too close to allow high voltage between them. It is desirable to provide a connector pair wherein high voltage between contacts will not cause current leakage or voltage breakdown.
According to one aspect of the invention, both plug and receptacle connectors have rectangular dielectric posts surrounding the contacts and extending outwardly from a root.
According to another aspect of the invention, the plug has a housing with rectangular openings to accept the posts surrounding the contacts.
According to another aspect of the invention, the combination of dielectric posts and rectangular openings in the plug form isolation paths, preventing current leakage and voltage breakdowns when high voltage appears between the contacts.
According to a further aspect of the invention, a combination of a receptacle electrical connector and a plug that mates with the receptacle connector, may include one or more of the following features: the receptacle connector has connector contacts that have dielectric posts surrounding parts of the connector contacts; there are slots between the posts, separating the posts for the individual connector contacts; the plug has a housing with openings that accept the posts when the plug is mated to the connector; the openings are rectangular openings; the housing includes partitions that enter into the slots between the posts when the plug is mated to the connector; the combination of the posts and the partitions form isolation paths, preventing current leakage and voltage breakdowns when high voltage appears between the contacts; the posts are plastic posts; the plastic posts extend from a root that is a continuous molded piece with all of the posts; the posts are integral parts of a molded connector body of the connector; the plug has plug contacts that engage the connector contacts when the plug is mated with the connector; the plug contacts have dielectric posts surrounding parts of the plug contacts; the posts surrounding the plug contacts have slots between them; the posts surrounding the plug contacts are received in the rectangular openings; the partitions of the plug housing are located in the slots between the posts surrounding the plug contacts; and the posts surrounding the plug contacts are integral parts of a continuous unitary molded plastic piece that includes a header that is connected to all of the posts.
According to another aspect of the invention, a device includes: a receptacle electrical connector; and a plug that mates with the receptacle connector. The receptacle connector has connector contacts that have dielectric posts surrounding parts of the connector contacts
To the accomplishment of the foregoing and related ends, the invention comprises the features hereinafter fully described and particularly pointed out in the claims. The following description and the annexed drawings set forth in detail certain illustrative embodiments of the invention. These embodiments are indicative, however, of but a few of the various ways in which the principles of the invention may be employed. Other objects, advantages and novel features of the invention will become apparent from the following detailed description of the invention when considered in conjunction with the drawings.
The annexed drawings, which are not necessarily to scale, show various features of the invention.
An electrical connector has dielectric posts surrounding the contacts and extending outwardly from the root along the contact axis a finite amount. The mating connector (or plug) has a housing that surrounds the posts. A device that includes both the electrical connector and the mating connector provides good electrical isolation between adjacent contacts.
Referring initially to
Turning now to
Plastic posts 52 surround the connector contacts 20 near the connector root 42, where the connector contacts 20 emerge from the connector root 42. The posts 52 extend along contact axes of their respective connector contacts 20. Slots 54 are located between adjacent of the posts 52 (and therefore also adjacent of the connector contacts 20 in the vicinity of the posts 52). Plastic posts 56 similarly surround the plug contacts 40 where the plug contacts 40 emerge from the plug header or root 46. Slots 58 are located between adjacent of the posts 56 (and therefore also adjacent of the plug contacts 40 in the vicinity of the posts 56).
With reference now to
A similar extended isolation path 64 is provided for the connector contacts 20. When the plug 12 is inserted into the connector 10 the ends of the partitions 34 engage the slots 54 between the posts 52. The partitions 34 and the posts 52 combine to increase the isolation path 64 between the connector contacts 20 significantly beyond the spacing of the connector contacts 20. The extended isolation paths 60 and 64 aid in preventing current leakage and voltage breakdowns when high voltage appears between the contacts 20 and 40.
As an alternative all or part of the plug header 46 and/or the posts 56 may be formed as an integral molded part with other portions of the housing of the plug 12.
Many variants are possible regarding the above device and method. For example device may include any suitable number of contacts, as well as various configurations for the contacts.
Although the invention has been shown and described with respect to a certain preferred embodiment or embodiments, it is obvious that equivalent alterations and modifications will occur to others skilled in the art upon the reading and understanding of this specification and the annexed drawings. In particular regard to the various functions performed by the above described elements (components, assemblies, devices, compositions, etc.), the terms (including a reference to a “means”) used to describe such elements are intended to correspond, unless otherwise indicated, to any element which performs the specified function of the described element (i.e., that is functionally equivalent), even though not structurally equivalent to the disclosed structure which performs the function in the herein illustrated exemplary embodiment or embodiments of the invention. In addition, while a particular feature of the invention may have been described above with respect to only one or more of several illustrated embodiments, such feature may be combined with one or more other features of the other embodiments, as may be desired and advantageous for any given or particular application.
Filing Document | Filing Date | Country | Kind | 371c Date |
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PCT/US12/36269 | 5/3/2012 | WO | 00 | 2/14/2014 |
Number | Date | Country | |
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61481854 | May 2011 | US |