Claims
- 1. A rotary connector comprising:
- a housing having a pair of opposite ends and an axis of rotation;
- a spindle disposed within said housing along said axis of rotation;
- said spindle having a pair of opposite ends;
- a plurality of spindle rings on said spindle;
- a plurality of wipers within said housing, each of said wipers comprising means for engaging a respective one of said spindle rings;
- male and female connector members in mating engagement with each other within said housing;
- a first of said connector members being located at one end of said spindle and having a plurality of exposed contact elements each electrically connected to one of said spindle rings;
- a second of said connector members being separate and discrete from said spindle and said housing and being located adjacent said one spindle end;
- said second connector member having a plurality of exposed contact elements located between said one spindle end and one end of said housing, each of said contact elements on the second connector member comprising means for engaging a respective exposed contact element on the first connector member when said connector members are in said mating engagement;
- a cable having one cable end electrically connected to the exposed contact elements on said second connector member, and another cable end spaced from said one cable end and located outside said housing;
- and means mounting said housing for rotation relative to said spindle and said first and second connector members.
- 2. A rotary connector as recited in claim 1 wherein:
- said one cable end comprises a plurality of wires terminating at respective uninsulated wire parts constituting said exposed contact elements on said second connector member.
- 3. A rotary connector as recited in claim 2 wherein:
- each exposed contact element on the first connector member is connected to a respective spindle ring by one of a plurality of electrically conductive connecting means, each extending through said spindle, each exposed contact element constituting an uninsulated terminal portion located outside said spindle adjacent said one spindle end one end connected to a respective said contact element;
- and means on said first and second connector members cooperating to hold each uninsulated part of a respective cable wire in electrically conducting, press-fit engagement with a corresponding said uninsulated terminal portion on the connecting means.
- 4. A rotary connector as recited in claim 1 and comprising:
- a male modular connector at said other cable end and electrically connected thereto; and
- a female modular connector mounted for rotation with said housing;
- said female modular connector having exposed contact elements electrically connected to said wipers.
- 5. A rotary connector as recited in claim 4 wherein:
- said female modular connector comprises a pair of side walls, a bottom wall extending between said side walls, and a plurality of grooves on the lower surface of said bottom wall;
- said contact elements are located between said side walls and above said bottom wall;
- a plurality of connective portions each received in a respective said groove in said bottom wall;
- each connective portion has one end connected to a respective contact element and another end connected to a respective wiper;
- said female modular connector comprises a plurality of extensions projecting from said bottom wall, each extension being in substantial alignment with a respective groove and containing a terminal portion of said groove;
- each of said connective portions is disposed along one of said extentions;
- and each extension has a length corresponding to the length of that part of the connective portion disposed alongside said extension.
- 6. A rotary connector as recited in claim 5 wherein:
- each extension has a surface sloping upwardly relative to the bottom wall of the female modular connector element.
- 7. A rotary connector as recited in claim 3 wherein:
- said first connector member is a male member;
- said spindle has a shank extending from said one spindle end constituting said male connector member;
- said second connector member is a female member and comprises a pocket for receiving said spindle shank and said terminal portions of said connecting means;
- and said cable wires extend into said pocket.
- 8. A rotary connector as recited in claim 7 wherein:
- said spindle shank has an outer surface;
- said pocket has an inner surface;
- said uninsulated part of each cable wire has a free end;
- and said cooperating means comprises (a) means on said outer surface of said spindle shank and (b) means on said inner surface of said pocket for sandwiching, between said surfaces, a plurality of component pairs each comprising (i), as one component, an uninsulated part of one of said cable wires and (ii), as the other component, a respective uninsulated terminal portion of the connecting means, with each component of said pair extending in longitudinal, side-by-side, contacting relation.
- 9. A rotary connector as recited in claim 8 wherein said second connector member comprises:
- a slit for receiving said free end of a cable wire when said uninsulated part of the wire is in said sandwiched relation with a terminal portion of the connecting means.
- 10. A rotary connector as recited in claim 8 wherein said second connector member comprises:
- first and second ends spaced apart in an axial direction;
- said pocket extending inwardly into said second connector member from said first end;
- an internal channel extending in an axial direction from said pocket to said second end;
- a part of said cable end portion which is received within said second connector member being disposed within said channel.
- 11. A rotary connector as recited in claim 10 wherein said second connector member comprises:
- means for pinchingly engaging that part of the cable end portion disposed within said channel, to prevent said cable from being withdrawn from said second connector member.
- 12. A rotary connector as recited in claim 8 wherein:
- said pocket has an outer end portion, for receiving said spindle shank, and an inner end portion;
- and said second connector member comprises divider means, at the inner end portion of said pocket, defining a first plurality of passageways each for receiving a respective insulated cable wire part.
- 13. A rotary connector as recited in claim 12 wherein:
- said divider means defines a second plurality of passageways, spaced from said first plurality of passageways, each for receiving a respective uninsulated cable wire part.
- 14. A rotary connector as recited in claim 13 and comprising:
- a shelf defining one wall of said pocket and separating said first plurality of passageways from said second plurality of passageways;
- said shelf having a pair of opposed surfaces each terminating at an outer end portion of the shelf;
- said uninsulated wire part being bent around said outer end portion of the shelf.
- 15. A rotary connector as recited in claim 14 wherein:
- each of said second plurality of passageways has an open end and a closed end;
- and said second connector member comprises a slit adjacent said closed end for receiving said free end of said uninsulated part of said wire.
- 16. A rotary connector as recited in claim 8 wherein:
- said pocket has an open outer end and comprises means for guiding a spindle shank inserted into said pocket through said open outer end, to bring said uninsulated cable wire parts and said uninsulated terminal portions on the connecting means into said contacting relationship.
- 17. A female modular connector for use in a rotary connector, said female modular connector comprising:
- a pair of side walls and a bottom wall extending between said side walls;
- a plurality of grooves on the bottom surface of said bottom wall;
- a plurality of contact elements located between said side walls and above said bottom wall;
- a plurality of connective portions each having one end connected to a respective said contact element;
- each connective portion being received in a respective groove on said bottom wall;
- a plurality of extensions projecting from said bottom wall, each extension being in substantial alignment with a respective groove and containing a terminal portion of said groove;
- each of said extensions having a length which increases sequentially in a direction proceeding from one of said side walls toward the other side wall.
- 18. A female modular connector as recited in claim 17 wherein:
- there are two outer extensions and two inner extensions;
- said inner extensions and one of said outer extensions each comprises a surface sloping upwardly from the bottom of said extension;
- and there are a plurality of wipers each connected to the outer end of a respective connective portion and each extending upwardly from said connective portion alongside a respective upwardly sloping surface of said projection.
- 19. A sub-assembly for a rotary connector, said sub-assembly comprising:
- a spindle having an axis and a pair of opposite ends;
- a plurality of spindle rings on said spindle; direction from one spindle end;
- a plurality of electrically conductive connecting means each extending within said spindle from a respective spindle ring, through the spindle shank, to an uninsulated terminal portion located outside said spindle and adjacent said one spindle end;
- a cable having an end portion comprising a plurality of electrically conductive wires each terminating at an uninsulated part corresponding to a respective one of said connecting means;
- a female connector member comprising means for receiving and engaging said spindle shank;
- said female connector member comprising means for receiving said end portion of the cable;
- and means on said female connector member and on said spindle shank cooperating to hold each said uninsulated part of a cable wire in electrically conducting press-fit engagement with a corresponding said uninsulated terminal portion on the connecting means when the spindle shank is received and engaged by said female connector member.
- 20. A sub-assembly as recited in claim 19 wherein:
- said female connector member has a pocket for receiving said spindle shank and said terminal portions of said connecting means;
- and said cable wires extend into said pocket.
- 21. A sub-assembly as recited in claim 20 wherein:
- said spindle shank has an outer surface;
- said pocket has an inner surface;
- said uninsulated part of each cable wire has a free end;
- and said cooperating means comprises (a) means on said outer surface of said spindle shank and (b) means on said inner surface of said pocket for sandwiching, between said surfaces, a plurality of component pairs each comprising (i), as one component, an uninsulated part of one of said cable wires and (ii), as the other component, an uninsulated terminal portion of the connecting means, with each component of said pair extending in longitudinal, side-by-side, contacting relation.
- 22. A sub-assembly as recited in claim 21 wherein said female connector member comprises:
- a slit for receiving said free end of a cable wire when said uninsulated part of the wire is in said sandwiched relation with a terminal portion of the connecting means.
- 23. A sub-assembly as recited in claim 21 wherein said female connector member comprises:
- first and second ends spaced apart in an axial direction;
- said pocket extending inwardly into said female connector member from said first end;
- an internal channel extending in an axial direction from said pocket to said second end of said female connector member;
- a part of said cable end portion which is received within said member being disposed within said channel.
- 24. A sub-assembly as recited in claim 21 wherein:
- said pocket has an outer end portion, for receiving said spindle shank, and an inner end portion;
- and said female connector member comprises divider means, at the inner end portion of said pocket, defining a first plurality of passageways each for receiving a respective insulated cable wire part.
- 25. A sub-assembly as recited in claim 24 wherein:
- said divider means defines a second plurality of passageways, spaced from said first plurality of passageways, each for receiving a respective uninsulated cable wire part.
- 26. A sub-assembly as recited in claim 25 wherein:
- each of said second plurality of passageways has an open end and a closed end;
- and said female connector member comprises a slit adjacent said closed end for receiving said free end of said uninsulated part of said wire.
- 27. A sub-assembly as recited in claim 21 wherein:
- said pocket has an open outer end and comprises means for guiding a spindle shank, inserted into said pocket through said open outer end, to bring said uninsulated cable wire parts and said uninsulated terminal portions on the connecting means into said contacting relationship.
RELATED APPLICATION
This is a continuation in part of design application Ser. No. 07/647,005 filed Jan. 29, 1991, and the disclosure thereof is incorporated herein by reference.
US Referenced Citations (19)
Foreign Referenced Citations (1)
Number |
Date |
Country |
172266 |
Aug 1952 |
ATX |
Continuation in Parts (1)
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Number |
Date |
Country |
Parent |
647005 |
Jan 1991 |
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