Patent ID: 7988479
Filing Date: 2011-08-02
Classification: H01R

Abstract:
1. An electrical connector, comprising: (a) a first half, wherein said first half includes a first half housing and at least one pin attached thereto that includes a portion of said pin that extends inward from an interior of said first half housing, and wherein said first half housing is able to rotate about a center longitudinal axis thereof with respect to a remainder of said first half; (b) a second half, wherein said second half includes a second half housing that is adapted to cooperate with said first half housing, and wherein said second half housing includes at least one slot disposed on an exterior surface thereof, and wherein said slot includes a predetermined longitudinal length, depth and width whereby said slot is adapted to receive said portion of said pin that extends inward from said interior of said first half housing, and wherein said slot includes a slot opening at a first end thereof into which said pin first enters said slot, and wherein said slot includes a fully engaged slot end that is located at an opposite end of said slot with respect to said slot opening, and wherein said slot includes variation in a direction of contour along said longitudinal length, and wherein said pin, when urged, is able to traverse said longitudinal length from said slot opening to said fully engaged slot end; (c) means for preventing an unintentional mechanical separation of said first half with respect to said second half from occurring beginning when said pin is disposed at said fully engaged slot end and, wherein, when said pin is urged away from said fully engaged slot end into an intermediate portion of said slot, and wherein said intermediate portion of said slot is disposed intermediate said slot opening and said fully engaged slot end, and wherein said intermediate portion is not disposed at either said slot opening or at said fully engaged slot end, and wherein electrical conductivity is maintained between at least one electrical pin of said electrical connector and at least one electrical socket of said electrical connector when said pin is disposed at said fully engaged slot end; (d) wherein said means for preventing an unintentional mechanical separation of said first half with respect to said second half includes a first variation in said variation in said direction of contour, and wherein said first variation includes a curvature that, during separation of said first half with respect to said second half, changes a longitudinal traverse direction of said pin and which requires said pin to be urged for a predetermined distance in a first direction that urges said first half closer to said second half, and wherein after said pin has been urged for said predetermined distance in said first direction, said pin must be displaced tangentially a sufficient amount to pass beyond said means for preventing an unintentional separation; (e) wherein after said pin has been displaced tangentially said sufficient amount, said pin is able to be urged in a second direction, and wherein said second direction urges said first half in a direction that is generally away from said second half, and wherein said pin is able to be urged in said second direction past said slot opening, and wherein when said pin is urged in said second direction past said slot opening, said first half is mechanically separated apart from said second half; (f) wherein during an urging of said first half away from said second half said pin is being urged in said slot, and wherein when said pin has been urged sufficiently far in said slot and is disposed in said slot immediately prior to said portion of said slot that includes said means for preventing an unintentional mechanical separation of said first half, said pin is being urged generally in said second direction, and wherein a change in the direction that said pin is being urged from said second direction to said first direction, as is required by said means for preventing an unintentional separation of said first half, prevents said unintentional separation from occurring, and wherein when said pin is disposed in said intermediate portion of said slot at said first variation electrical conductivity is severed between all of said electrical pins and all of said electrical sockets, and wherein when said pin is disposed in said intermediate portion of said slot at said first variation and as said pin is continually urged in said slot an amount sufficient to separate said first half apart from said second half no electrical conductivity occurs between any of said electrical pins and any of said electrical sockets; and (g) including means for preventing a propagation of a flame from an interior of said electrical connector from reaching an ambient atmosphere surrounding said electrical connector when said first half is being disconnected from said second half, and wherein said means for preventing said propagation of said flame remains effective until after said first half has been urged in said second direction toward said first variation an amount sufficient to sever all electrical connections between all of said electrical pins and all of said electrical sockets other than an electrical ground that is provided by said electrical connector, and wherein said means for preventing propagation of said flame includes a sufficiently low mechanical tolerance along a potential flame path that said flame could otherwise use to propagate between said interior of said electrical connector to said ambient atmosphere at an exterior of said electrical connector, and wherein said mechanical tolerance is less than an established allowable maximum industry tolerance that is deemed to be sufficient to meet hazardous location approval or flame path protection approval, and wherein said flame path includes a longitudinal length, and wherein said mechanical tolerance along said flame path is sufficient to prevent said propagation of said flame beyond said longitudinal length of said flame path, and wherein said mechanical tolerance along said flame path that is sufficient to prevent said propagation of said flame is maintained until said pin has been urged in said second direction from said fully engaged position to said curvature at said first variation.