Patent ID: 9028261
Filing Date: 2015-05-12
Classification: H01R

Abstract:
1. An electrical connector for connecting a pair of electrical lines together, comprising: an annular ring having an outer peripheral surface, an inner surface, a top surface, and a bottom surface, either the outer or inner surface including an electrically-conductive circumferential groove electrically connected with a first of the electrical lines; an annular socket comprising a plurality of downwardly-projecting electrically-conductive prongs, each resiliently attached at a top end thereof to an annular socket ring and terminating proximate a bottom end thereof at an electrical contact, the prongs adapted for electrically and mechanically engaging the groove of the annular ring, the electrical contacts being electrically connected to a second of the electrical lines; both the outer and inner surface of the annular ring including one of the circumferential grooves, and the annular socket comprising two sets of downwardly-projecting prongs, an outer set of which flexes radially outward to engage or disengage the groove on the outer surface of the annular ring, and an inner set of which flexes radially inward to engage or disengage the groove on the inner surface of the annular ring; whereby when the socket is longitudinally aligned with the ring, the socket may be pressed into the ring to resiliently deform the prongs momentarily until the contact of each prong is seated into the groove of the ring, thereby electrically connecting the pair of electrical lines together and mechanically retaining the socket rotationally onto the ring, rotational movement of the socket about the ring maintaining the electrical connectivity between the pair of electrical lines, and whereby when the socket is pulled away from the ring each prong momentarily deforms away from the ring to mechanically release the socket form the ring and break the electrical connection between the at least two electrical lines.