Abstract:
A connector plug gap sealer that fits smoothly within an internal cavity of a connector plug includes a first section, a second section, and a third section, the second section includes a flat section and a guiding section, the third section extending from the guiding section around the horizontal axis of symmetry. The first, second and the third sections configured into a single unitary piece to define the plug gap sealer having a flat bottom surface around the horizontal axis of symmetry of the plug gap sealer. The method associated with installing the connector plug gap sealer is also disclosed.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF INVENTION  
         [0001]    This invention relates generally to electric motors and, more particularly, to connector plug gap sealer used within electric motors.  
           [0002]    Many times a designer is forced to use catalog components when selecting plug connectors. It is not uncommon for the plug to have more terminal cavities available than what are actually being used. When the cavities are not used, there are holes or cavities in or around the connector that are potential paths for molten metal, water, other liquids depending on the motor application, and or electrical sparks to pass through. This potential obstacle is a serious problem in acquiring agency approvals.  
           [0003]    Therefore, it would be desirable to have a connector plug gap sealer capable of sealing the unused terminal cavities and other gaps.  
         SUMMARY OF INVENTION  
         [0004]    In an exemplary embodiment, a connector plug gap sealer includes a body and a leg attached to the body. The plug gap sealer is inserted into a gap of a connector to fill a cavity. The plug gap sealer snap-fits into the connector gap without using additional hardware and engages the connector by positively latching the connector. The plug sealer device is axially positioned when it is fully seated in the connector cavity.  
           [0005]    A connector plug gap sealer fits smoothly within an internal cavity of a connector plug. The connector plug gap sealer includes a first section, a second section, and a third section. The second section includes a flat section and a guiding section extends from the first section around a horizontal axis of symmetry and a third section. The third section extends from the guiding section around the horizontal axis of symmetry. The first, second and the third sections form a unitary gap sealer having a flat bottom surface around the horizontal axis of symmetry of the plug gap sealer.  
           [0006]    A method for installing a connector plug gap sealer includes positioning a plug gap sealer, inserting the plug gap sealer into a cavity of a connector plug, and applying sufficient pressure to lock a guiding section of the plug gap sealer into a secured position within the cavity of the connector plug. 
       
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS  
       [0007]    [0007]FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a connector plug gap sealer.  
         [0008]    [0008]FIG. 2 is a side view of the connector plug gap sealer shown in FIG. 1.  
         [0009]    [0009]FIG. 3 is an exemplary embodiment of method steps showing the connector plug gap sealer installation.  
         [0010]    [0010]FIG. 4 is a perspective view of an alternative embodiment of a connector plug gap sealer to seal two adjacent cavities of a connector plug.  
         [0011]    [0011]FIG. 5 is a side elevational view of alternative embodiment of the connector plug gap sealer.  
         [0012]    [0012]FIG. 6 is an expanded portion of a second section and a third section of the alternative embodiment of the connector plug gap sealer.  
         [0013]    [0013]FIG. 7 is a backside elevational view of the alternative embodiment of the connector plug gap sealer.  
         [0014]    [0014]FIG. 8 is an expanded portion of a second section and a third section of the alternative embodiment of the connector plug gap sealer.  
         [0015]    [0015]FIG. 9 is an end view of the connector plug gap sealer shown in FIG. 4.  
         [0016]    [0016]FIG. 10 is an exemplary embodiment of method steps showing installation of the connector plug gap sealer shown in FIG. 4. 
     
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION  
       [0017]    While the present invention is susceptible of embodiments in various forms, it is described in some selected exemplary embodiments with the understanding that the present disclosure is to be considered an exemplification of the invention and is not intended to limit the invention to the specific embodiments illustrated. It will be recognized by those skilled in the art that although, the present plug gap sealer design is related to a particular connector, the plug gap sealer can be modified to fit other suppliers&#39; connectors.  
         [0018]    [0018]FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a connector plug gap sealer  10  including three sections  12 ,  14 , and  16 . Plug gap sealer  10  has an axis of symmetry  18 . Sections  12 ,  14 , and  16  are molded to form a single piece around axis of symmetry  18 . In an alternative embodiment, the three sections are fabricated from a flexible, yet firm plastic material, and then assembled together to form a single housing  10 .  
         [0019]    First section  12  includes an upper body  20  and a lower body  22 . Lower body  22  has a trapezoid shape having a first flat bottom surface  24  and a sloped top surface  28 . Upper body  20  is rectangular in shape and connected to lower body  22  around axis of symmetry  18 . In an alternative embodiment, upper body  20  is square in shape and connected to lower body  22  around axis of symmetry  18 .  
         [0020]    Second section  14  extends from first section  12  around axis of symmetry  18  and includes a flat section  30  and a guiding section  32 . Flat section  30  is rectangular in shape having a length  34  equal to a flat portion of an internal cavity of a connector (not shown). Guiding section  32  includes two substantially parallel surfaces  36  and  38  perpendicular to axis of symmetry  18  and a substantially flat surface  40  connected to a sloped surface  42 . Flat surface  40  is substantially parallel to a second flat bottom surface  46 . Guiding section top surface  40  has a beveled angle where first end height  50  is greater than second end height  52 . Bottom surface  46  is also substantially parallel to an upper surface  54  of flat section  30  and extends all the way to form the bottom surface of second section  14 . Bottom surface  24  of first section  12  is substantially planar with bottom surface  46  of second section  14 .  
         [0021]    Third section  16  is rectangular in shape with an upper surface  58 , a bottom surface  60 , and two substantially parallel surfaces  62  and  64 . Bottom surface  60  is substantially parallel to upper surface  58  of third section  16  and extends all the way to form the bottom surface  66  of plug sealer  10 . Bottom surface  24  of first section  12  is substantially planar with bottom surface  46  of second section  14  and bottom surface  60  of third section  16  to form a unitary bottom surface  66  of plug sealer  10 .  
         [0022]    [0022]FIG. 2 is a side view of connector plug gap sealer  10  shown in FIG. 1. Plug gap sealer  10  includes three sections  12 ,  14 , and  16 . Plug gap sealer  10  has an axis of symmetry  18  (shown in FIG. 1). Connector plug gap sealer  10  further includes two substantially parallel surfaces  80  and  82  of first section  12 . A height  84  of parallel surface  80  is sufficient to fit in snuggly into the cavity of the connector. Parallel surfaces  80  and  82  are perpendicular to unitary bottom surface  66  of plug gap sealer  10  and perpendicular to axis of symmetry  18 . Guiding section  32  helps guide plug gap sealer  10  into a position within the connector cavity (not shown).  
         [0023]    [0023]FIG. 3 is an exemplary embodiment of method  100  steps showing connector plug gap sealer  10  installation. Method  100  includes holding plug sealer  10  from first section  12  and aligning plug gap sealer  10  such that axis of symmetry  18  of plug sealer  10  is substantially collinear to an axis of symmetry  102  of cavity  104  of connector plug  106 . Once aligned, the method further includes inserting plug sealer  10  into cavity  102  and applying sufficient pressure on side walls  108  and  110  to lock guiding section  32  (shown in FIG. 1) of plug sealer  10  into a secured position within cavity  102  of connector plug  106 .  
         [0024]    [0024]FIG. 4 is a perspective view of an alternative embodiment of a connector plug gap sealer  120  having dual axial positioning arms to seal two adjacent cavities of a connector plug. Plug gap sealer device  120  includes three separate sections  122 ,  124 , and  126 . First section  122  is a base section comprising a first handle  128  and a second handle  130  connected by a middle upper body  132 . An upper body  134  is connected to middle upper body  132 . First section  122  also includes a vertical axis of symmetry  138  and a horizontal axis of symmetry  140 .  
         [0025]    Second section  124  includes a first leg  142  and a second leg  144 . First leg  142  and second leg  144  are positioned equidistant from vertical axis of symmetry  138 . Structural configurations of first leg  142  and second leg  144  are identical.  
         [0026]    First leg  142  extends from first section  144  around a horizontal axis of symmetry  148  of second section  124 . Horizontal axis of symmetry  148  is substantially perpendicular to vertical axis of symmetry  138  of the first section. Second section  124  includes a flat section  150  and a guiding section  152 . Flat section  150  is rectangular in shape having a length  154  equal to a flat portion of an internal cavity of a connector (not shown). Guiding section  152  includes two substantially parallel surfaces  156 ,  158  and are perpendicular to axis of symmetry  148 .  
         [0027]    [0027]FIG. 5 is a side elevational view of an alternative embodiment of a connector plug gap sealer  120 . A substantially flat top surface  170  is connected to a sloped surface  172 . Flat surface  170  is substantially parallel to a flat bottom surface  174 . Top surface  170  of guiding section  152  has a beveled angle where first end height  176  is greater than second end height  178 . Bottom surface  180  is also substantially parallel to an upper surface  182  of flat section  150  and extends all the way form the middle upper body  132  of first section  122 .  
         [0028]    [0028]FIG. 6 is an expanded portion of second section  124  and third section  126  of alternative embodiment of a connector plug gap sealer  120 . Third section  126  includes a first end  190  and a second end  192 . First end  190  and second end  192  are positioned equidistant from vertical axis of symmetry  138  (shown in FIG. 4) and away from vertical axis by a pre-determined distance  194 . Distance  194  is computed based on the length of an internal cavity of a connector (not shown). Structural configurations of first end  190  and second end  192  are substantially identical.  
         [0029]    First leg  142  is connected to first end  190  to a first axial positioning arm. First end  190  is rectangular in shape with an upper surface  196 , a bottom surface  198 , and two substantially parallel surfaces  200  and  202 . Bottom surface  198  is substantially parallel to upper surface  196  and extends all the way to form a bottom surface  204  of plug sealer  120 . Bottom surface  180  of first leg  142  and bottom surface  198  of first end  190  are substantially planar to form a unitary bottom surface  204  connecting the first leg and the first end of plug sealer  120 .  
         [0030]    [0030]FIG. 7 is a backside elevational view of alternative embodiment of a connector plug gap sealer  120 . Second leg  144  extends from first section  122  around a horizontal axis of symmetry  300  of second section  124 . Horizontal axis of symmetry  300  is substantially perpendicular to axis of symmetry  138  of first section  1220 . Second section  124  includes a flat section  302  and a guiding section  304 . Flat section  302  is rectangular in shape having a length  308  equal to a flat portion of an internal cavity of a connector (not shown). Guiding section  304  includes two substantially parallel surfaces  310 ,  314  and perpendicular to horizontal axis of symmetry  300 . A substantially flat top surface  316  is connected to a sloped surface  320 . Flat surface  316  is substantially parallel to a flat bottom surface  324 . Top surface  316  of guiding section  304  has a beveled angle where first end height  326  is greater than second end height  328 . Bottom surface  330  is also substantially parallel to an upper surface  332  of flat section  302  and extends all the way form the middle upper body  132  of first section  122 . Horizontal axis of symmetry  148  (shown in FIG. 4) and horizontal axis of symmetry  300  are equidistant from vertical axis of symmetry  138 .  
         [0031]    [0031]FIG. 8 is an expanded portion of second section  124  and third section  126  of an alternative embodiment of a connector plug gap sealer  120 . Second leg  144  is connected to second end  192  to form a second axial positioning arm. Second end  192  is rectangular in shape with an upper surface  340 , a bottom surface  342 , and two substantially parallel surfaces  344  and  346 . Bottom surface  342  is substantially parallel to upper surface  340  of second end  192  and extends all the way to form a bottom surface  348  of plug sealer  120 . Bottom surface  330  (shown in FIG. 7) of second leg  144  and bottom surface  342  of second end  192  are substantially planar to form a unitary bottom surface  350  connecting the second leg and second end of plug sealer  120 .  
         [0032]    [0032]FIG. 9 is an end view of connector plug gap sealer  120  shown in FIG. 4. First section  122  (shown in FIG. 4) includes a vertical axis of symmetry  138  and a horizontal axis of symmetry  140 . FIG. 9 depicts first leg  142  and second leg  144 . First leg  142  and second leg  144  are positioned an equidistant X from vertical axis of symmetry  138 . First section  122  (shown in FIG. 4) is a base section comprising first handle  128  and second handle  130  connected by a middle upper body  132 . An upper body  134  is connected to middle upper body  132 .  
         [0033]    [0033]FIG. 10 is an exemplary embodiment of method steps  100  showing installation of connector plug gap sealer  120  shown in FIG. 4. The method includes holding plug sealer  120  from first section  122  (shown in FIG. 4) and aligning plug sealer  120  such that horizontal axis of symmetry  148  is substantially collinear to axis of symmetries  400  of cavities  402  of connector plug  406 . Once aligned, the method further includes inserting plug sealer  120  into cavities  402  and applying sufficient pressure on side walls  408  and  410  to lock guiding section  152  and  304  (shown in FIG. 4) of plug sealer device  120  into a secured position within cavities  402  of connector plug  406 .  
         [0034]    While the invention has been described in terms of various specific embodiments, those skilled in the art will recognize that the invention can be practiced with modification within the spirit and scope of the claims.