Abstract:
Panel mount electrical receptacles having a panel mount housing for securing the receptacle to a panel wall, one or more electrical connectors for electrical connections, and one or more non-conductive retaining pin that secures each electrical connector to the panel mount housing are provided.

Description:
BACKGROUND 
       [0001]    1. Field 
         [0002]    The present disclosure relates to electrical receptacles with non-metallic retaining pins, and more specifically to panel mount receptacles with non-metallic retaining pins that retain an electrical connector within a receptacle housing. 
         [0003]    2. Description of the Related Art 
         [0004]    In many industrial and commercial indoor and outdoor environments single pole panel mount receptacles are used with cabling to provide electrical power for numerous applications, such as to supply power to machinery, generators, to lighting systems and sound stages, to amusement park rides, and to sporting stadiums. 
         [0005]    Such panel mount receptacles may be male or female receptacles and include a receptacle housing and a contact mounted within the housing. In some prior panel mount receptacles, the contacts were mounted to the receptacle housing using a metallic retaining pin inserted through one side of an exterior of the receptacle housing, through the contact, and out the other side of the receptacle housing. In such receptacles, the metallic pin, which conducts electricity, was exposed on the outer surface of the receptacle thereby being a potential hazard to those who would touch the receptacle. To prevent shock, vendors applied a non-conductive epoxy over the area of the exposed pins. However, over time the epoxy coating degrades and chips off the pin thereby exposing the pin to human contact. 
       SUMMARY 
       [0006]    The present disclosure relates generally to electrical receptacles with non-conductive retaining pins, and more specifically to panel mount receptacles with a non-metallic retaining pin to retain a contact within a receptacle housing. 
         [0007]    In one embodiment, the panel mount receptacle includes an electrical connector having a contact and a termination, and a panel mount housing having a mounting section that provides a mounting structure for securing the panel mount receptacle to a panel wall. The panel mount housing also includes an extension ring extending from one side of the mounting section, and a contact shroud extending from another side of the mounting section. In this embodiment, the extension ring has an elongated key extending the length of the extension ring, and a pair of holes, and the electrical connector has an elongated keyway configured to mate with the elongated key of the extension ring, and a hole that can be aligned with the pair of holes in the extension ring. The electrical connector is positioned within the panel mount housing such that the termination extends outwardly from the extension ring, the elongated keyway is mated with the elongated key, and at least a portion of the contact is positioned within the contact shroud. The electrical connector is secured to the panel mount housing with a non-conductive retaining pin positioned in the pair of holes in the extension ring and the hole in the electrical connector. Preferably, the electrical connector is formed of brass, the panel mount housing is formed of thermoplastic, and the non-conductive retaining pin is formed of a non-metallic material, for example, thermoplastic. In one embodiment, the non-conductive retaining pin has an endcap and a tapered diameter such that a widest diameter is adjacent the endcap and a narrowest diameter is at a distal end. In another embodiment, the non-conductive retaining pin has a uniform diameter, an endcap, and a plurality of tapered crushing ribs, where each crushing rib extends from the endcap to a distal end. In another embodiment, the non-conductive retaining pin has a pair of endcaps and a tapered diameter. One endcap can be positioned adjacent one of the pair of holes in the extension ring and the other endcap can be positioned adjacent the other of the pair of holes in the extension ring. 
         [0008]    Another embodiment of the panel mount receptacle includes an electrical connector having a contact and a termination, and a panel mount housing. In this embodiment, the panel mount housing has a mounting section that provides a mounting structure for securing the panel mount receptacle to a panel wall, an extension ring extending from one side of the mounting section and having a pair of holes, and a contact shroud extending from another side of the mounting section. Preferably, the electrical connector has a hole that can be aligned with the pair of holes in the extension ring, and is positioned within the panel mount housing such that the termination extends outwardly from the extension ring, and at least a portion of the contact is positioned within the contact shroud. The electrical contact is secured to the panel mount housing with a non-conductive retaining pin positioned in the pair of holes in the extension ring and the hole in the electrical connector. Preferably, the electrical connector is formed of brass, the panel mount housing is formed of thermoplastic, and the non-conductive retaining pin is formed of a non-metallic material, for example, thermoplastic. In one embodiment, the non-conductive retaining pin has an endcap and a tapered diameter such that a widest diameter is adjacent the endcap and a narrowest diameter is at a distal end. In another embodiment, the non-conductive retaining pin has a uniform diameter, an endcap, and a plurality of tapered crushing ribs, where each crushing rib extends from the endcap to a distal end. In yet another embodiment, the non-conductive retaining pin has a pair of endcaps and a tapered diameter. One endcap can be positioned adjacent one of the pair of holes in the extension ring, and the other endcap can be positioned adjacent the other of the pair of holes in the extension ring, and the tapered diameter has a widest diameter adjacent one endcap and a narrowest diameter adjacent the other endcap. The endcap adjacent the narrowest diameter of the non-conductive retaining pin is formed after the non-conductive retaining pin is positioned in the pair of holes in the extension ring. 
         [0009]    Another embodiment of the panel mount receptacle includes a panel mount housing having a mounting section that provides a mounting structure for securing the panel mount receptacle to a panel wall, and a contact shroud extending from one side of the mounting section. An electrical connector having a contact and a termination is positioned within the panel mount housing such that the termination extends outwardly from a side of the mounting section opposite the contact shroud, and at least a portion of the contact is positioned within the contact shroud. A non-conductive retaining pin positioned within a pair of holes in the panel mount housing and within a hole in the electrical connector secures the electrical connector to the panel mount housing. The non-conductive retaining pin can have various embodiments, such as those described above. 
         [0010]    The mounting section may have an extension ring extending from another side of the mounting section. The extension ring may have the pair of holes, and an elongated key that mates with an elongated keyway in the electrical connector. In this configuration, the electrical connector is positioned within the panel mount housing such that the termination extends outwardly from the extension ring, the elongated keyway is mated with the elongated key, and the at least a portion of the contact is positioned within the contact shroud. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0011]    The figures depict embodiments for purposes of illustration only. One skilled in the art will readily recognize from the following description that alternative embodiments of the structures illustrated herein may be employed without departing from the principles described herein, wherein: 
           [0012]      FIG. 1  is a perspective view of a panel mount receptacle stud type according to one embodiment of the present disclosure; 
           [0013]      FIG. 2  is a perspective view of a panel mount receptacle double set screw type according to another embodiment of the present disclosure; 
           [0014]      FIG. 3  is a perspective view of an embodiment of a non metallic retaining pin used to secure an electrical connector to a panel mount receptacle housing; 
           [0015]      FIG. 4  is an elevational view of the non-metallic retaining pin of  FIG. 3 , looking from a far end toward an endcap of the pin; 
           [0016]      FIG. 5  is a side view of an embodiment of a male receptacle double set type with the non-metallic pin inserted and prior to heat staking the pin; 
           [0017]      FIG. 6  is a cross-sectional view of the male receptacle prior to heat staking pin of  FIG. 4 ; 
           [0018]      FIG. 7  is a side view of the male receptacle of  FIG. 4 , with the non-metallic pin inserted and heat staked; and 
           [0019]      FIG. 8  is a cross-sectional view of the male receptacle of  FIG. 6 . 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
       [0020]    The present disclosure generally provides electrical panel mount receptacles that have a non-metallic retaining pin that secures an electrical connector to a panel mount housing. Referring to  FIG. 1 , an embodiment of a panel mount receptacle  10  is shown. In this embodiment, the receptacle  10  includes a panel mount housing  20  and an electrical connector  40 . The panel mount housing  20  has a receptacle side  22  (seen in  FIG. 5 ) that is accessible from an exterior of a panel when installed, and a termination side  24  (seen in  FIG. 5 ) that is accessible from an interior of a panel when installed. 
         [0021]    The receptacle side  22  of the panel mount housing  20  has a contact shroud  36  that surrounds a male or female contact of the electrical connector  40  extending through the panel mount housing  20 , as shown in  FIGS. 1 and 5 . The contact shroud  36  is preferably circular and configure to mate with a comparable plug, such as the Male Plug or Female plugs manufactured by Hubbell, Inc. Examples of Male Plugs are the HBL15MRxx and HBL15MRSxx series of plugs manufactured by Hubbell, Inc., and examples of Female Plugs are the HBL15FRxx and HBL15FRSxx series of plugs manufactured by Hubbell, Inc. However, one skilled in the art would recognize that the shape of the contact shroud may be any shape that is compatible with various shaped plugs. 
         [0022]    The termination side  24  of the panel mount housing  20  has a mounting section  26  that has a surface  26   a  configured to rest against a panel wall when installed, and provides a mounting structure for securing the receptacle  10  to a panel wall. The mounting section  26  has a plurality of mounting holes  28  where a bolt may be inserted through the panel mount housing  26  and through matching holes in a panel wall so that the panel mount receptacle  10  can be securely fastened to a panel wall. An extension ring  30  extends from the mounting section  26  on the termination side  24  of the panel mount housing  20 . The extension ring  30  has an elongated key  32  that preferably extends the length of the extension ring, and a pair of holes  34   a  and  34   b  to receive a non-metallic retaining pin  50  (shown in  FIG. 5 ). The holes may be different in size to ensure the retaining pin is inserted into the panel mount housing  20  in a consistent way for subsequent heat staking described below. 
         [0023]    The panel mount housing  20  is preferably made of a non-conductive material, such as thermoplastic, a thermoplastic elastomer, or a synthetic thermoset rubber, and may be color coded to meet NEC electrical specifications. It should be noted that while described as different parts, the panel mount housing is preferable a single housing. 
         [0024]    As described above, the electrical connector  40  extends through the panel mount housing  20 . The electrical connector  40  has a contact  42  and a termination  44 , seen in  FIG. 5 . The contact  42  extends from the extension ring  30  through the mounting section  26  and into the contact shroud  36 . As seen in  FIG. 1 , at least the portion of the contact  42  within the extension ring  30  has a keyway  46  that fits within key  32  in the extension ring  30 . The key and keyway configuration align the electrical connector  40  within the panel mount housing  20 , and ease stress on the retaining pin when a plug is mated with the contact  42  and rotated to secure the plug to the male contact. The contact  42  also includes a hole  48  positioned to align with the holes  34  in the extension ring  30 . The contact may be a male contact or a female contact, and is made of an electrically conductive material suitable to conduct low and high currents. Examples of suitable materials for the contact include brass and tin plated copper. Examples of suitable electrical connectors include the HBLxxxRCM series and HBLxxxRCF series contacts manufactured by Hubbell, Inc. 
         [0025]    Continuing to refer to  FIGS. 1 and 5 , the termination  44  extends outwardly from the contact  42  starting at a point adjacent the extension ring  30 , as seen in  FIGS. 1 and 2 . The termination  44  may be any conventional termination used to securely connect an electrical cable to the electrical connector  40 . Examples of such terminations include a threaded lug termination, seen in  FIG. 1 , a set screw termination, seen in  FIG. 2 , or a buss bar termination. The termination is made of an electrically conductive material suitable to conduct low and high currents. Examples of suitable materials for the termination include brass and tin plated copper. Typically, the termination  44  and contact  42  are a single structure forming the electrical connector  40 . 
         [0026]    To secure the electrical connector  40  to the panel mount housing  20 , a retaining pin  50 , seen in  FIG. 3 , is used. In one embodiment, the retaining pin  50  has an endcap  52  and is tapered such that the widest diameter of the pin  50  is at the endcap  52  and the diameter tapers to the narrowest diameter as the distal end  54 . In another embodiment, the retaining pin  50  has a uniform diameter, an endcap  52 , and includes a plurality of tapered crushing ribs  56  spaced apart along the perimeter of the retaining pin. The tapered crushing ribs  56  extend along the length of the retaining pin  50  from the endcap  52  to the distal end  54 , as seen in  FIG. 3 . Preferably, the retaining pin  50  is made of non-conductive and/or non-metallic material that is capable of being heat staked. An example of a suitable non-metallic material is a thermoplastic material. 
         [0027]    To ensure consistent positioning of the retaining pin  50  within panel mount housing  20  for heat staking, hole  34   a  can have a diameter that is larger than hole  34   b . The larger diameter hole  34   a  may have a diameter large enough to receive the entire length of the retaining pin  50  up to the endcap  52 . That is, and referring to  FIG. 4 , the hole  34   a  has a diameter “r” which is about the size of the core diameter of the retaining pin plus the added diameter created by the crushing ribs. Hole  34   b  would have a diameter “a” that is about the size of the of the core diameter of the retaining pin  50 . 
         [0028]    Referring to  FIGS. 5-8 , to secure the electrical connector  40  to the panel mount housing  20  according to one embodiment, the retaining pin  50  is inserted into hole  34   a  in extension ring  30 , through hole  48  in the contact  42  and out through the hole  34   b  in extension ring  30 . As the retaining pin  50  is inserted into the extension ring  30  and contact  40 , the crushing ribs  56  engage the walls of the holes  34  and  48 , and are compress to form a tight fit of the retaining pin  50  within the holes, thus tightly securing the contact  40  to the panel mount housing  20 . To provide a secure endcap on the retaining pin  50 , the retaining pin is then heat staked so that the distal end  54  of the retaining pin  50  has an endcap  58 , which is similar to endcap  52 . Heat staking is a known process of deforming a non-metallic member, e.g., a plastic stud, pin or boss, to capture another part. Heat staking is performed with a contoured tool that transfers heat to the non-metallic member producing a melt phase and then exerting pressure to reform the non-metallic member. Heat stake profiles can have numerous different forms, including, a standard profile, a knurled profile, a dome profile, a flush profile, or a hollow profile. 
         [0029]    The receptacles according to the present disclosure provide safe electrical power in numerous applications, such as to supply power to manufacturing machinery, generators, lighting systems and sound stages, amusement park attractions and rides, sporting stadiums. However, it will be understood that various modifications can be made to the embodiments of the present disclosure herein without departing from the spirit and scope thereof. Therefore, the above description should not be construed as limiting the disclosure, but merely as embodiments thereof. Those skilled in the art will envision other modifications within the scope and spirit of the invention as defined by the claims appended hereto.