Connector system with modular socket insert assembly

A modular socket insert assembly is described, which can fit into the male ends of two substantially identical connectors to connect them, wherein the socket insert assembly can be easily taken apart in the field for cleaning or replacement of a damaged socket. The socket insert assembly includes a pair of insulators having inner ends that substantially abut one another and having aligned holes for holding a group of separate socket modules. The hole in each insulator is wide at the inner end of the insulators where they abut one another, and is narrowed at the outer ends of the insulators, to trap a socket module in place.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
In connector systems used in a hostile environment, such as deep within an 
oil well, the female or socket ends of contacts are damaged much more 
often than the male or pin contact ends. Also, cleaning of the deep recess 
of a socket contact end is much more difficult than of a pin contact end 
which may have no recesses. A socket device with socket contact ends at 
both ends of the connector could be used to connect two male or pin ends 
to avoid the need to reconnect multiple wires to a new connector whenever 
it is damaged. However, if the module with the sockets at either ends is 
to be disposed of everytime a socket becomes damaged or very dirty, then 
the cost would be high. A socket insert assembly which enabled cleaning 
and replacement of its sockets modules in the field, would facilitate the 
maintenance of connector systems in the field. 
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
In accordance with one embodiment of the present invention, a connector 
system is described, which includes a modular socket insert assembly which 
can be easily cleaned and repaired in the field. The socket insert 
assembly includes a pair of insulators having inner ends that 
substantially abut one another and having outer ends. The assembly also 
includes a plurality of socket modules that each have a pair of opposite 
socket ends that can each receive a pin contact to electrically connect a 
pair of pin contacts. Each insulator has a plurality of through holes, 
each through hole having a wide diameter portion extending from the inner 
end of the insulator for receiving a socket module, and a narrow portion 
near its outer end that is too narrow to pass a socket module so as to 
retain the socket module therein.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
FIG. 1 illustrates a connector system 10 which can be used in a hostile 
environment such as deep within an oil well where part or all of the 
system is subjected to dirt under considerable heat and pressure. The 
system includes a pair of receptacle connectors 12, 14 having male 
connector ends 16, 18 that must be interconnected under hostile 
conditions. In this connnector system, the connector 12 has an opposite 
end 20 which is also a male end and which connects to a socket connector 
22 at the end of a cable, where the connections between the ends 20, 22 
are under less than hostile conditions, in as much as a seal applied 
around the outside 24 of the connector isolates its opposite ends to 
protect the end 20 from the extreme hostile environment. 
The two male connector ends 16, 18 are interconnected by a socket insert or 
plug assembly or apparatus 26. The socket insert assembly includes two 
insulators 28, 30 that have inner ends 32, 34 that abut one another, and 
outer ends 36, 38. Each insulator has a plurality of through holes 40, 42 
that extend between its opposite ends. A plurality of socket modules 44 
lie in the holes. Each socket module has a pair of opposite socket ends 
46, 48 for receiving pin contacts, to interconnect a pair of pin contacts 
received in its opposite ends. Each hole 40, 42 of the insulators includes 
a wide diameter portion 50, 52 extending from the inner end of the 
respective insulator, for receiving the socket module. Each hole also 
includes a narrow portion 54, 56 near its outer end, which is too narrow 
to pass a socket module 44, to thereby retain the socket module in place. 
However, each narrow portion 54, 56 is wide enough to pass a pin contact, 
so that a pin contact can enter an end of a socket module. A socket insert 
assembly shell 60 surrounds the two insulators to hold them in, although 
it is possible to provide other locking means to hold the insulators 
together. 
Each connector includes a group of pin contacts 62, 64 that have middle 
portions 66 trapped within an insulation member 68 within the connector 
and are preferably sealed thereto. Each pin contact also has an end 70 
that projects from the insulation member into a hollow connector end 72. 
The contact end is surrounded by a largely cylindrical hollow connector 
end 74 formed by a shell 76 of the connector. The socket insert assembly 
26 is designed to fit into the hollow shell end 74 of either male 
connector end 16, 18 to receive the pin contact ends 70 therein. The depth 
D of each hollow connector end is less than the length L of the socket 
insert assembly. As a result, when one end of the socket insert assembly 
is fully inserted into a male connector end such as 16, the opposite end 
of the socket insert assembly projects therefrom and can be inserted into 
the other male connector end 18 to contact its pin contacts 64. The length 
L is less than 2D, so the extreme end of the shells can abut one another. 
Each socket module 44 has a construction such as is shown in FIG. 5. The 
socket module includes a body 80 extending along axis 81, with a middle 
portion 82 and with arcuate opposite end portions 84. A napkin spring 86 
fits around each end portion to press a pin contact portion 70 against the 
inside surface of a body end portion 84. A hood 88 surrounds the end 
portion 84 of the body and the spring 86 to retain them in place. The hood 
has an open outer end 9 which is large enough to pass a pin contact but 
small enough to prevent loss of the spring 86. 
Most of the socket modules carry noncritical signals, and have napkin 
springs which can be deflected by moderate insertion forces. A minority of 
the socket modules carry critical signals, and low contact resistance then 
must be assured even when the system is subjected to severe vibrations, 
shocks, and other disturbances. Where critical signals are carried by a 
socket module, its napkin spring is stiffer so it applies at least a 50% 
greater force against a contact, than does a spring of a module carrying 
noncritical signals. Only a minority of socket modules with stiffer napkin 
springs are present in a socket insertion assembly, to avoid an excessive 
connector mating force. 
The socket insert assembly 26 (FIG. 1) is designed to facilitate the clean 
out and replacement of a socket module 44 or insulator in the field. To 
disassemble the assembly, a snap ring 94 is removed from a slot near one 
end of the shell 60, which can be easily accomplished with a screw driver 
blade or knife. The assembly is then turned so that the end 38 is 
lowermost, so that the two insulators may be removed from the shell 60. 
The two insulators are then turned upside down so that the end 36 is 
lowermost. The top insulator 30 can then be lifted off of the other one 28 
so that ends of a socket modules 44 project from the inner end 32 of the 
insulator 28. If one of the socket modules 44 is damaged or a few of them 
require cleaning, they can be lifted out, cleaned, and then replaced. 
Alternately, all of the socket modules can be placed in a container and 
cleaned, and the insulators and their holes can also be cleaned. 
One of the insulators 28 is longer, along the axis 96, than the other 30. 
Reassembly of the socket assembly is accomplished by orienting the longer 
insulator 28 with its inner end 32 uppermost, and then inserting the 
numerous socket modules in the holes 50 of the larger insulator. When the 
socket modules are dropped into the longer holes 50 of the longer 
insulator, their projecting ends are held sufficiently close in position 
so that the shorter insulator 30 can fit over them. That is, the module 
axes are sufficiently parallel to the axes of the insulator holes. The 
shorter insulator 30 can be lowered into position so that its inner end 34 
abuts the inner end 32 of the longer insulator. Thereafter, the projecting 
upper ends of the socket modules hold the two insulators 28, 30 in 
alignment. It may be noted that it would be much harder to assemble the 
socket module by first inserting the socket modules into the shorter 
insulator 30, because then the projecting ends of the socket modules would 
not be closely aligned with the insulator holes; then, it would be 
difficult to drop the longer module over them. 
The diameter of the hole 50, 52 of the insulators is at least about 3% 
greater than the outer diameter of the socket module 44, to permit slight 
movement of the socket modules to accomodate the precise spacing of the 
pin contacts that they receive. In prior connector systems wherein each 
half is hermetically sealed, only very slight misalignment of mating 
contacts can be tolerated. However, in the present socket modules both 
ends of a module are free and the modules can "float" within the 
insulator, and the spring which engages an inserted pin contact allows 
more than prior socket deflection. This allows a much greater degree of 
contact misalignment without degrading the contact arrangement, and 
provides an automatic cleaning action on both the pin and socket contacts 
during mating and unmating, and even by reason of axial float while the 
contacts are mated. 
After assembling the two insulators with the socket modules therein, the 
two insulators as a unit are dropped into the shell 60. The longer 
insulator 28 has two different outside portions 100, 102 of different 
diameters, the portion 102 nearest the inner end 32 of the insulator being 
of larger diameter. This forms a ledge 104 at the intersection of these 
different diameter portions. The shell has two different outside diameters 
to form an inside shoulder 106 on which the ledge 104 rests. The 
insulators are freely slidable into the shell, until the ledge 104 rests 
on the shoulder 106, to prevent the insulators from moving further towards 
a first end 108 of the shell. The snap ring 94 is then installed around a 
cut away portion 110 at the outer end of the short insulator and into a 
groove 112, to prevent the insulators from moving towards a second end 113 
of the shell. The assembly and reassembly of the socket insert assembly is 
relatively easy and, as mentioned above, can be performed rapidly in the 
field without any tools except for a screwdriver, knife, or the like. 
Thus, the invention provides a connector system which includes a socket 
insert assembly that can connect the male ends of a pair of connectors. 
The socket insert assembly includes individual socket modules that can be 
easily removed for replacement or cleaning in the field. 
Although particular embodiments of the invention have been described and 
illustrated herein, it is recognized that modifications and variations may 
readily occur to those skilled in the art and consequently, it is intended 
that the claims be interpreted to cover such modifications and 
equivalents.