Patent Grant
8894435
The subject matter herein relates generally to electrical connectors, and more particularly, to sense pins for electrical connectors.
As a mated pair of electrical connectors are de-mated (i.e., separated) from each other, the electrical contacts of the electrical connectors may remain engaged in physical and electrical contact before the electrical connectors are fully de-mated from each other. For some known electrical connector assemblies, the electrical performance of the assembly will degrade when the electrical connectors are de-mated beyond a de-mating distance that is less than the fully de-mated distance. For example, the amount of electrical power and/or the speed, strength, and/or number of electrical signals transmitted through the assembly may be reduced.
Some electrical connector assemblies include sense pins for indicating whether the electrical contacts of a mated pair of electrical connectors have achieved a predetermined wipe length that provides a reliable electrical connection between corresponding electrical contacts. Such known sense pins could be used to detect whether the mated pair of electrical connectors have been de-mated beyond a distance at which the electrical performance of the assembly begins to degrade. But, the detection range of known sense pins is too broad. For example, the tips of known sense pins include guide features such as chamfers, fillets, and/or rounds that guide initial engagement between the sense pin and the corresponding electrical contact of the other electrical connector. Tolerance stack ups between the guide features and the corresponding electrical contact create an unreliable segment of the wipe length wherein the electrical connection between the sense pin and the corresponding electrical contact is intermittent. The unreliable segment of the wipe length may cause the sense pin to falsely indicate that the electrical contacts are still within a predetermined de-mating distance beyond which electrical performance degrades. Such a false indication may cause the electrical connector assembly to be unknowingly operated with degraded electrical performance. The unreliable segment of the wipe length may also cause the sense pin to falsely indicate that the electrical contacts are de-mated beyond the predetermined de-mating distance, which may cause the unnecessary diversion of the functionality of the electrical connector assembly to other resources.
A need remains for a sense pin having a more precise detection range for reliably indicating whether a mated pair of electrical connectors have been de-mated beyond a predetermined de-mating distance.
In one embodiment, an electrical connector is provided for mating with a mating connector. The electrical connector includes a housing and electrical contacts held by the housing. The electrical contacts are configured to mate with corresponding mating contacts of the mating connector. A sense pin is held by the housing and is configured to mate with a corresponding mating contact of the mating connector. The sense pin extends a length that includes a tip segment and a sensing segment. The tip and sensing segments have different electrical characteristics. The tip segment includes a tip of the sense pin. The tip segment extends between the sensing segment and the tip such that the sensing segment is offset from the tip along the length of the sense pin. The sensing segment is configured to indicate that the electrical contacts and the mating contacts are de-mated by more than a predetermined de-mating distance.
In another embodiment, an electrical connector is provided for mating with a mating connector. The electrical connector includes a housing and electrical contacts held by the housing. The electrical contacts are configured to mate with corresponding mating contacts of the mating connector. A sense pin is held by the housing and configured to mate with a corresponding mating contact. The sense pin extends a length that includes a tip segment and an intermediate segment that extends from an end of the tip segment such that the tip segment extends between the intermediate segment and a tip of the sense pin. The end of the tip segment is positioned along the length of the sense pin such that the tip segment is moved into physical contact with the corresponding mating contact as the sense pin and the corresponding mating contact are de-mated beyond a predetermined de-mating distance. The physical contact between the tip segment and the corresponding mating contact opens or closes an electrical connection between the sense pin and the corresponding mating contact to thereby indicate that the electrical contacts and the mating contacts are de-mated by more than the predetermined de-mating distance.
In another embodiment, an electrical connector is provided for mating with a mating connector. The electrical connector includes a housing and electrical contacts held by the housing. The electrical contacts are configured to mate with corresponding mating contacts of the mating connector. A differential pair of sense pins is held by the housing and configured to mate with corresponding mating contacts. At least one of the sense pins of the differential pair includes a bridging spring that is disengaged from the other sense pin of the differential pair when the electrical and mating connectors are fully mated together. The bridging spring is configured to be moved into physical contact with the other sense pin of the differential pair as the differential pair of sense pins are de-mated from the corresponding mating contacts beyond a predetermined de-mating distance.
The electrical contacts 22 of the electrical connector 12 are held by the housing 18 of the electrical connector 12. Specifically, the electrical contacts 22 include bases 26 and mating segments 28 that extend from the bases 26. In the exemplary embodiment of the electrical connector 12, the bases 26 are held by the housing 18 and the housing 18 is configured such that the mating segments 28 extend within corresponding mating receptacles 30 of the housing 18. In addition or alternatively, one or more of the mating segments 28 extends outward from a mating end 32 of the housing 18, whether or not the mating segments) 28 is configured to be received within a corresponding mating receptacle (not shown) of the electrical connector 14.
The electrical contacts 24 of the electrical connector 14 include bases 34 and mating segments 36 that extend from the bases 34. The bases 34 of the electrical contacts 24 are held by the housing 20 and the housing 20 is configured such that the mating segments 36 extend outward from a mating end 38 of the housing 20 for being received within one or more corresponding mating receptacles 30 of the electrical connector 12. In addition or alternatively, one or more of the mating segments 36 extends outward from the mating end 38 but is not configured to be received within a corresponding mating receptacle 30 of the electrical connector 12. Moreover, in addition or alternatively to including mating segments 36 that extend outward from the mating end 38, the mating segment 36 of one or more electrical contacts 24 extends within a corresponding mating receptacle (not shown) of the housing 20 for mating with the corresponding electrical contact 22 within the mating receptacle. The electrical contacts 24 of the electrical connector 14 may be referred to herein as “mating contacts”. The electrical connector 14 may be referred to herein as a “mating connector”.
The electrical connectors 12 and 14 are shown in
The electrical contacts 22 and 24 slide along each other along a wipe length WL. Specifically, the wipe length WL is defined by the distance along which the mating segments 28 and 36 slide in physical contact with each other. The dimension of the wipe length WL of the electrical contacts 22 and 24 may be selected as a distance that establishes an electrical connection between the corresponding mating segments 28 and 36 that has a predetermined reliability, strength, and/or the like. For example, the dimension of the wipe length WL may be selected such that the sliding physical contact between mating segments 28 and 36 wipes through oxidation and/or other surface layers of the mating segments 28 and 36 at one or more points of physical contact between the mating segments 28 and 36.
Although shown as abutting in the fully mated position shown in
As briefly described above and will be described in more detail below, one or more of the electrical contacts 22 of the electrical connector 12 is a sense pin 22a that is configured to indicate when the electrical connectors 12 and 14 are de-mated by more than a predetermined de-mating distance PDD. The sense pin 22a is configured to mate with a corresponding electrical contact 24a of the electrical connector 14.
The length L of the mating segment 28 of the sense pin 22a includes a base segment 50, an intermediate segment 52, and a tip segment 54. Specifically, the base segment 50 extends a length L1 from the base 26 of the sense pin 22a to an end 56 of the base segment 50. The base segment 50 includes the end 42 of the mating segment 28 of the sense pin 22a. The end 42 defines an end of the base segment 50 that is opposite the end 56. The intermediate segment 52 extends a length L2 from an end 58 to an opposite end 60. The end 58 of the intermediate segment 52 extends from the end 56 of the base segment 50. The length L2 of the intermediate segment 52 extends from the end 56 of the base segment 50 to the tip segment 54. In other words, the intermediate segment 52 extends between the base segment 50 and the tip segment 54 along the length L of the mating segment 28 of the sense pin 22a.
The tip segment 54 includes the tip 44 of the sense pin 22a. The tip segment 54 extends a length L3 from an end 62 to the tip 44, and more specifically from the end 62 to the tip surface 46. The end 62 of the tip segment 54 extends from the end 60 of the intermediate segment 52. As can be seen in
In the exemplary embodiment of the sense pin 22a, the tip 44 extends a length that extends from an end 64 of the chamfer 48 to the tip surface 46. In other words, the end 64 of the chamfer 48 defines an interior end of the tip 44. Accordingly, in the exemplary embodiment of the sense pin 22a, the intermediate segment 52 is offset from both the chamfer 48 and the tip 44 by the same offset O (i.e., by the same distance). In embodiments wherein the end 64 of the chamfer 48 is not considered to define the interior end of the tip 44 (i.e., the length of the tip 44 is considered to extend past the end 64 of the chamfer 48 in the direction A), the intermediate segment 52 will be offset (in the direction A) from the interior end of the tip 44 and from the end 64 of the chamfer 48 by different distances. In such embodiments wherein the end 64 does not define the interior end of the tip 44, the intermediate segment 52 may be offset (in the direction A) from the interior end of the tip 44 by any positive, non-zero, distance and may be offset (in the direction A) from the end 64 of the chamfer 48 by any positive, non-zero, distance. It should be understood that in embodiments wherein the tip 44 includes another guide feature in addition or alternatively to the chamfer 48, the intermediate segment 52 will be offset from the other guide feature in a substantially similar manner to the offsets from the chamfer 48 described and/or illustrated herein (e.g., the offset O).
The intermediate segment 52 and the tip segment 54 include respective surface materials 66 and 68. The surface materials 66 and 68 have different electrical characteristics such that the intermediate segment 52 and the tip segment 54 have different electrical characteristics. Specifically, one of the segments 52 or 54 is electrically conductive at the surface thereof, while the other segment 52 or 54 is electrically non-conductive at the surface thereof. In the exemplary embodiment of the sense pin 22a, the surface material 66 of the intermediate segment 52 is electrically non-conductive such that the intermediate segment 52 is electrically non-conductive, while the surface material 68 of the tip segment 54 is electrically conductive such that the tip segment 54 is electrically conductive.
The surface materials 66 may be formed in any manner. For example, in some embodiments, the mating segment 28 of the sense pin 22a is defined by a body 70 that is electrically conductive and the surface material 66 of the intermediate segment 52 is defined by an electrically non-conductive coating that is formed on the body 70. In such embodiments wherein the body 70 is electrically conductive, the electrically conductive surface material 68 of the tip segment 54 may be defined by a surface of the body 70 or may be defined by an electrically conductive coating that is formed on the body 70. Moreover, and for example, in some embodiments the body 70 is electrically non-conductive and the surface material 68 of the tip segment 54 is defined by an electrically conductive coating that is formed on the body 70. In such embodiments wherein the body 70 is electrically non-conductive, the electrically non-conductive surface material 66 of the intermediate segment 52 may be defined by a surface of the body 70 or may be defined by an electrically non-conductive coating that is formed on the body 70. The surface material 66, the surface material 68, and the body 70 may each be fabricated from any material(s) that provide the surface material 66, the surface material 68, and the body 70 with the electrical characteristics described and/or illustrated herein.
As briefly described above, the sense pin 22a is configured to indicate when the electrical connectors 12 and 14 are de-mated by more than a predetermined de-mating distance PDD. Referring again to
In the exemplary embodiment of the electrical connector assembly 10, the predetermined de-mating distance PDD is the de-mating distance beyond which the electrical performance of the electrical connector assembly 10 begins to degrade. In other words, the predetermined de-mating distance PDD is the upper limit of the de-mating distance before the performance of the electrical connector assembly 10 begins to degrade. It should be appreciated that because the electrical contacts 22 and 24 are still engaged in physical and electrical contact with each other at the predetermined de-mating distance PDD, the pre-determined de-mating distance PDD is less than the wipe length WL of the electrical contacts 22 and 24.
As the connectors 12 and 14 are de-mated from each other along the connection axis 16 from the fully mated position shown in
The electrical connectors 12 and 14 are shown in
Because the intermediate segment 52 of the sense pin 22a is configured to indicate that the electrical contacts 22 and 24 are de-mated by more than the predetermined de-mating distance PDD by disengaging from physical contact with the contact regions 74 of the electrical contact 24a, the intermediate segment 52 may be considered, and referred to herein, as a “sensing segment” of the sense pin 22a.
The sense pin 122a includes a mating segment 128 that extends a length from an end 142 of the mating segment 128 to a tip 144 of the sense pin 122a. The tip 144 includes a tip surface 146. The tip 144 optionally includes one or more guide features, such as, but not limited to, a chamfer, a round, a fillet, and/or the like. In the exemplary embodiment of the sense pin 122a, the tip 144 includes a chamfer 148. The length of the mating segment 128 of the sense pin 122a includes a base segment 150, an intermediate segment 152, and a tip segment 154. The intermediate segment 152 extends a length from an end 158 to an opposite end 160. The intermediate segment 152 extends between the base segment 150 and the tip segment 154 along the length of the mating segment 128 of the sense pin 122a.
The tip segment 154 includes the tip 144 of the sense pin 122a. The tip segment 154 extends a length from an end 162 to the tip 144, and more specifically from the end 162 to the tip surface 146. The tip segment 154 extends between the intermediate segment 152 and the tip 144 along the length of the mating segment 128 of the sense pin 122a. Accordingly, the intermediate segment 152 is offset from the tip 144 along the length of the mating segment 128 of the sense pin 122a in the direction of the arrow B. Because the tip 144 includes the entirety of the chamfer 148 and the intermediate segment 152 is offset from the tip 144, the intermediate segment 152 is offset (in the direction B) from the chamfer 148 along the length of the mating segment 128 of the sense pin 122a.
The intermediate segment 152 and the tip segment 154 include respective surface materials 166 and 168. In the exemplary embodiment of the sense pin 122a, the surface material 166 of the intermediate segment 152 is electrically conductive such that the intermediate segment 152 is electrically conductive, while the surface material 168 of the tip segment 154 is electrically non-conductive such that the tip segment 54 is electrically non-conductive.
As can be seen in
The transition between the intermediate segment 152 and the tip segment 154 is positioned along the length of the sense pin 122a at a position that corresponds to the predetermined de-mating distance PDD1. As the connectors 112 and 114 are de-mated from each other along the connection axis 116 from the fully mated position shown in
The physical contact between the contact regions 174 of the electrical contact 124a and the electrically non-conductive surface material 168 of the tip segment 154 opens an electrical connection between the sense pin 122a and the electrical contact 124a. The opening of the electrical connection indicates that the electrical contacts 122 of the electrical connector 112 are de-mated from the corresponding electrical contacts 124 of the electrical connector 114 beyond the predetermined de-mating distance PDD1. Accordingly, the intermediate segment 152 is configured to indicate that the electrical contacts 122 and 124 are de-mated beyond the predetermined de-mating distance PDD1 by disengaging from electrical contact with the contact regions 174 of the electrical contact 124a. Specifically, as the contact regions 174 cross the transition between the intermediate segment 152 and the tip segment 154, the contact regions 74 disengage from physical contact with the intermediate segment 52 and thereby open the electrical connection between the sense pin 122a and the electrical contact 124a.
Because the intermediate segment 152 of the sense pin 122a is configured to indicate that the electrical contacts 122 and 124 are de-mated beyond the predetermined de-mating distance PDD1 by disengaging from electrical contact with the contact regions 174 of the electrical contact 124a, the intermediate segment 152 may be considered, and referred to herein, as a “sensing segment” of the sense pin 122a.
The intermediate segment 252 and the tip segment 254 include respective surface materials 266 and 268. As can be seen in
The electrical connector 312 includes one or more differential pairs 392 of sense pins 322aa and 322ab configured to indicate when the electrical connectors 312 and 314 are de-mated by more than a predetermined de-mating distance PDD2 (
The bridging spring 394 is biased to an extended position shown in
As the connectors 312 and 314 are de-mated from each other along the connection axis 316 from the fully mated position shown in
The embodiments described and/or illustrated herein may provide a sense pin having a more precise detection range, as compared to at least some known sense pins, for reliably indicating whether a mated pair of electrical connectors have been de-mated beyond a predetermined de-mating distance. For example, the embodiments described and/or illustrated herein may offset the sensing segment of a sense pin from a guide feature of the sense pin. Moreover, and for example, the embodiments described and/or illustrated herein may reduce or eliminate an unreliable segment of wipe length from the sensing segment of the sense pin. In other words, and for example, the embodiments described and/or illustrated herein may move the sensing segment of a sense pin to a segment of the wipe length that provides a more reliable electrical connection.
The embodiments described and/or illustrated herein may reduce or eliminate false indications that the electrical contacts of an electrical connector assembly are still within a predetermined de-mating distance beyond which electrical performance degrades, which may prevent the electrical connector assembly from being unknowingly operated with degraded electrical performance. The embodiments described and/or illustrated herein may reduce or eliminate false indications that the electrical contacts of an electrical connector assembly are de-mated beyond a predetermined de-mating distance, which may prevent unnecessary diversion of the functionality of the electrical connector assembly to other resources.
It is to be understood that the above description is intended to be illustrative, and not restrictive. For example, the above-described embodiments (and/or aspects thereof) may be used in combination with each other. In addition, many modifications may be made to adapt a particular situation or material to the teachings of the invention without departing from its scope. Dimensions, types of materials, orientations of the various components, and the number and positions of the various components described herein are intended to define parameters of certain embodiments, and are by no means limiting and are merely exemplary embodiments. Many other embodiments and modifications within the spirit and scope of the claims will be apparent to those of skill in the art upon reviewing the above description. The scope of the invention should, therefore, be determined with reference to the appended claims, along with the full scope of equivalents to which such claims are entitled. In the appended claims, the terms “including” and “in which” are used as the plain-English equivalents of the respective terms “comprising” and “wherein.” Moreover, in the following claims, the terms “first,” “second,” and “third,” etc. are used merely as labels, and are not intended to impose numerical requirements on their objects. Further, the limitations of the following claims are not written in means—plus-function format and are not intended to be interpreted based on 35 U.S.C. §112, sixth paragraph, unless and until such claim limitations expressly use the phrase “means for” followed by a statement of function void of further structure.
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| 20140248792 A1 | Sep 2014 | US |
