Abstract:
A genderless, high current electrical connector having main electrical contacts and auxiliary electrical contacts for control, signaling, data and similar functions including make first/break last or make last/break first contacts with housing polarization configurations for varying voltages.

Description:
REFERENCE TO PROVISIONAL APPLICATION  
       [0001]    Provisional Application of Azeddine (n) Choumach for Genderless, high current electrical connector with auxiliary contacts filed Apr. 7, 2000 as Serial No. 60/196,019. 
     
    
     
       BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
         [0002]    The present invention relates to genderless, high current electrical connectors in general, and more particularly, to high current electrical connectors having main, high current electrical contacts and auxiliary electrical contacts for providing a variety of electrical functions associated with the main contacts.  
           [0003]    The battery motive, material handling industry typically employs battery charging stations to charge and “swap” battery packs for the material handling vehicles. This is a time consuming operation that significantly reduces the effective operating time of the vehicle. Recently, the concept of “fast” charging the vehicle&#39;s battery pack on the vehicle itself has gained acceptance in the material handling industry. Such “fast” charging involves high charging currents. Mating electrical connectors are utilized in transferring the charging electrical current from the electrical current source to the vehicle&#39;s battery pack.  
         SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
         [0004]    A genderless electrical connector has high current electrical contacts that mate with a corresponding electrical connector to provide a connection for charging current to a battery pack such as, that utilized on a material handling vehicle. Auxiliary electrical contacts are provided in the electrical connector for control, signaling, data and similar functions including make first/break last or vice versa contacts. Polarization configurations preferably are included in the connector housing.  
       
    
    
     DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0005]    [0005]FIG. 1 is a perspective view of mating genderless electrical connectors with main electrical contacts and auxiliary contacts;  
         [0006]    [0006]FIG. 2A is a view in perspective of the front face of one of the electrical connectors shown in FIG. 1;  
         [0007]    [0007]FIG. 2B is a view in perspective of the back side of the connector shown in FIG. 2A;  
         [0008]    [0008]FIGS. 3A through 3D are outline drawings of one of the genderless electrical connectors shown in FIG. 1 with FIG. 3A illustrating the front face of the connector, FIG. 3B the bottom of the connector, FIG. 3C a side view of the connector, and FIG. 3D the top of the connector. 
     
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION  
       [0009]    Referring to FIG. 1, the genderless electrical connector is identified generally reference numeral  10  and depicts two such connector as  12  and  14 . Using the connector  12  as an example of connector  10 , it has a housing  16  with two high current electrical contacts  18  mounted with the housing. Such two part (see FIGS.  3 A- 3 D) housings are sold by Anderson Interconnect, Inc, under the Registered Trademarks “SB” and SBX”. Typically, the contacts  18  are capable of handling currents in the order of 600-700 amps at varying voltages in the range of 6-48 volts for “fast” battery charging, but can range up to 150 volts. The contacts can accommodate cables in the order of 300 MCM (two 3/0) for 600 amps and 400 MCM (two 4/0) for 700 amps or any combination thereof. The material handling industry is moving to the concept of “fast” charging in which the vehicle&#39;s battery bank is “fast” charged at high currents e.g. 600-700 amps for a relatively short period of time, such as, 15-30 minutes in order to avoid battery pack swapping during a normal work shift.  
         [0010]    Auxiliary contacts  20  and  22  are also mounted within the housing  12 . Auxiliary contacts  20  are depicted as genderless connectors sold by Anderson Interconnect, Inc. of Sterling, Mass. under the Registered Trademark “POWERPOLE”. The connectors are described in U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,218,599 and 3,259,870 which are incorporated herein by reference. Auxiliary contacts  22  are conventional pin and socket contacts that can be configured for a make first/break last or break first/make last electrical connection(s). It should be understood that the contacts  20  and  22  can be the same type i.e. all pin and socket or all POWERPOLE connectors or a combination thereof.  
         [0011]    The housing  16  has a plurality of ribs  24  that can be configured in various orders and/or widths to provide a polarized connector for varying voltages. A magnetic lock or sensor  26  is mounted in housing  16  to provide an indication of engagement of the two connectors  12  and  14  for control/alarm etc. purposes.  
         [0012]    Given the size of the contacts  18  and the disassembly force need to pull apart the mated connectors  12  and  14 , preferably a handle  28  is attached to at least one of the connectors by means of fasteners  30  such as, bolts.  
         [0013]    [0013]FIGS. 2A and 2B illustrate in slightly enlarged view one of the connectors shown in FIG. 1. The same reference numerals are used in FIGS. 2A and 2B as were used in FIG. 1 to identify the same components.  
         [0014]    [0014]FIGS. 3A through 3B are outline drawings of one of the genderless connectors shown in FIG. 1. Again the same reference numerals are used to identify the same components. It should be understood that in FIG. 3B sockets  32  are illustrated which hold the magnetic lock or sensor  26  shown in FIG. 1.  
         [0015]    In addition, the two part housing  16  can have an integral cable clamp  34  as shown in FIG. 1. It will be appreciated the fasteners for the two halves of housing  16  e.g., nuts ans bolts have been omitted from the drawings for purposes of simplicity of illustration.  
         [0016]    Having described in detail the invention, it should be understood that numerous modifications can be made therein without departing from the scope of the invention as defined in the following claims.