Abstract:
A connector includes a housing having a mating face configured to join a mating connector. A contact held in the housing proximate the mating face. A gel material is provided on the housing between the contact and the mating face. The gel material includes a self-sealing slit formed in the gel material. The slit is configured to accept the mating connector. When the mating connector is removed, the slit closes to seal the contact.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
       [0001]     The present invention relates generally to sealed electrical connectors, and particularly to a receptacle terminal connector that automatically seals when disconnected.  
         [0002]     Sealed electrical connectors are used in many areas, such as in the automotive industry, to protect electrical connections from moisture or other contaminants. Conventional connectors provide sealing only when mated and must be mated in a dry environment, such as an automotive assembly plant, to provide a sealed interconnection. When unmated in the field, the conventional connector is exposed to the environment and subject to contamination.  
         [0003]     Many of today&#39;s vehicles are equipped with removable assemblies such as seats, consoles, entertainment systems, etc., that can be removed from the vehicle and later reinstalled by the vehicle operator. These removable assemblies may include electrical subsystems, such as power/heated seats, radios, and the like. The electrical subsystems may relate to operator comfort features, convenience features, entertainment features, navigation systems, or vehicle safety features, sensors or controls. When the assembly is removed, it is desirable to close or seal the electrical connector in the vehicle housing from environmental conditions. Sealing the connector prevents debris from plugging a receptacle and prevents water from reaching power and data contacts. When the electrical subsystem is reinstalled in the vehicle, it should function correctly even if the environment in which the connectors are mated is not completely dry.  
         [0004]     Heretofore, separate seals or plugs were inserted into the connector in the vehicle housing. Hence, the operator manually inserted the plug once the assembly was removed and manually removed the plug before reinstalling the assembly. However, the seals and plugs are inconvenient and may be lost or damaged.  
         [0005]     A need exists for a connector that automatically disconnects and reconnects when the operator removes and installs the assembly while maintaining a seal over the connector interface in the vehicle housing whether connected or disconnected.  
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION  
       [0006]     In one embodiment of the invention, a connector is provided including a housing having a mating face configured to join a mating connector. A contact is held in the housing proximate the mating face, and a gel material is provided on the housing between the contact and the mating face. The gel material includes a self-sealing slit formed in the gel material. The slit is configured to accept the mating connector. When the mating connector is removed, the slit closes to seal the contact. The connector also includes a dielectric member that accepts the contact. The dielectric member has an open face that is covered. The gel material may have surfaces that are cured to a rubber-like state.  
         [0007]     The connector further includes an annular dielectric shell having a channel therethrough. The channel has a rear end that retains an annular seal configured to inhibit entry of fluid into the rear end. The connector includes a terminal position assurance (TPA) member and the gel material is sandwiched between the TPA member and the dielectric member.  
         [0008]     In another embodiment of the invention, a connector assembly is provided including a plug holding a plug contact and a receptacle holding a receptacle contact. The receptacle has a gel material provided on the receptacle over a face of the receptacle. The plug contact pierces the gel material when the plug and receptacle are joined. The gel material re-seals when the plug contact is removed. 
     
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0009]      FIG. 1  is a front view of the mating face of a connector receptacle formed according to an embodiment of the present invention.  
         [0010]      FIG. 2  is a cross sectional view of the receptacle of  FIG. 1  taken along line  2 - 2  in  FIG. 1 .  
         [0011]      FIG. 3  is a front view of the mating face of a connector plug formed according to an embodiment of the present invention.  
         [0012]      FIG. 4  is a cross sectional view of the connector plug of  FIG. 3  taken along line  4 - 4  in  FIG. 3 .  
         [0013]      FIG. 5  is a cross sectional view of a plug and receptacle aligned to be mated and formed according to an embodiment of the present invention.  
         [0014]      FIG. 6  is a cross sectional view of the mated plug and receptacle of  FIG. 5 . 
     
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION  
       [0015]      FIG. 1  illustrates a front view of a sealed terminal receptacle  100 . Receptacle  100  is shown in cross section in  FIG. 2  and generally includes a housing  110  having an outer shell  120  surrounding a dielectric inner shell  130 . Outer shell  120  and inner shell  130  are arranged concentric with one another and are separated by a gap  180 . The inner shell  130  includes a channel  132  formed about the perimeter thereof. A seal  134  is carried in the channel  132  on inner shell  130 . The seal  134  includes a number of ribs  136  formed about the perimeter of the seal  134 . The ribs  136  are separated and partially extend into gap  180 . Inner shell  130  includes an upper side wall  135  that forms a shoulder  139  above channel  132  on the perimeter of inner shell  130 . The inner shell  130  has multiple chambers  138  that extend between front and rear ends  131  and  133 , respectively, of the inner shell  130 . The chambers  138  each receive an annular seal  146  provided about the wires  144  to seal chambers  138  at the rear end  133  near the entry of the wires  144  into the inner shell  130 . In an alternative embodiment, the receptacle  100  could be provided with a multi-cavity rubber mat seal, along with a cover or wire-guide over the mat seal, as is known in the art, to seal the entry of the wires  144  at the rear ends  133  of the inner shell  130 . Terminal contacts  140  are attached to the ends of conductors  142  extending from wires  144 . Terminal contacts  140  have axially extending holes  141  (shown in ghost outline) for receiving a contact of a mating connector.  
         [0016]     A gel material  150  covers the front end  131  of the inner shell  130  and contacts  140 . Gel material  150  is a layer of about five millimeters in thickness between its upper surface  152  and lower surface  154 . Gel  150  provides a re-enterable boundary that provides sealing when unmated, yet can be repeatedly penetrated to provide an electrical connection. The characteristics of gel material  150  are such that the material has the ability to flow sufficiently to conform to the surface of the penetrating object to form a watertight seal. However, gel material  150  does not bond to the penetrating object. The gel material  150  has sufficient structural integrity to avoid flowing into the chambers  138 . One suitable gel material is available under the name GelTek™, formerly marketed by Raychem Corporation.  
         [0017]     A terminal position assurance (TPA) member  170  is mounted over the top of contacts  140  and the front end  131  of inner shell  130 . The TPA member  170  includes a top wall  176  and side walls  174  that extend over the upper side walls  135  of inner shell  130  so that gel material  150  is sandwiched between the lower surface  178  of the TPA member upper wall  176  and the upper ends of contacts  140  and inner shell upper ends  131 . The TPA member  170  is seated on the shoulder  139  of inner shell  130  and assures that mating connectors are properly aligned and positioned before the mating operation is performed. The TPA member  170  includes beveled openings  172  aligned with contacts  140  below gel material  150 . In one embodiment, gel material  150  includes self sealing slits aligned with openings  172  in TPA  170 . In an alternative embodiment, the gel material  150  could employ a more fully-cured, rubber-like “skin” on the surfaces. The skin would have less “tack” than the inner portion of the gel material  150 . This skin would serve to reduce the adherence of small contaminants to the gel material  150  in the areas exposed through openings  172 .  
         [0018]      FIGS. 3 and 4  illustrate a mating connector plug  200  suitable for use with receptacle  100 . Connector plug  200  includes a shroud  210  that has a necked down portion  220 , a shroud base  212 , and a side wall  216  which has an inner surface  218 . Wires  240  carrying conductors  250  are received in channels  224  in necked down portion  220  of shroud  210 . Annular seals  260  are provided to seal wire receiving channels  224  in necked down portion  220 . Conductors  250  are attached to internal contacts  254  within channels  224 . Plug contacts  230  extend from inner contacts  254  through shroud base  212  and into the shroud opening  214 . A chamfered edge  234  extends from shroud base  212  to cover a portion of plug contacts  230 . Plug contacts  230  exhibit a beveled tip  232  for ease of insertion into a mating receptacle.  
         [0019]     Next, a mating operation will be explained in connection with  FIGS. 5 and 6 . In  FIG. 5 , plug  200  is positioned to be mated with receptacle  100 . Plug contacts  230  are positioned in line with beveled openings  172  in TPA member  170 . Side wall  216  of shroud  210  extends into gap  180  between outer shell  120  and dielectric inner shell  130 . As the connection is made, plug contacts  230  pierce gel material  150  and are received in contacts  140  in receptacle  100 .  
         [0020]     In  FIG. 6 , a fully mated connection is illustrated. When fully mated, plug contacts  230  have pierced gel material  150  and are received in receptacle contacts  140 . Shroud base  212  is abutted with TPA member  170 . The inner surface  218  of shroud side wall  216  is shown engaged with and compressing ribs  136  of dielectric seal  134  and providing a sealed connection. When the connector is unmated, the plug contacts  230  are removed from the receptacle contacts  140 , then withdrawn from the TPA member  170 . Gel material  150  heals and receptacle  100  remains sealed.  
         [0021]     Receptacle seals  146  and plug seals  260  operate to seal the rear ends of receptacle  100  and plug  200  to prevent entry of moisture or other foreign matter into the rear of the connector. Seals  146  and  260  are conventional seals that may be made of rubber or any other such material commonly used in the art. Alternatively, multi-cavity rubber mat seals, with a cover or wire-guide over the mat seal, could be used to seal the rear ends of receptacle  100  and plug  200 .  
         [0022]     The TPA member  170  is installed in such a manner that gel material  150  is maintained in a state of compression. This causes the gel material  150  to conform to the underside  178  of the TPA member top wall  176 . Holding gel material  150  under compression enhances its ability to flow and close any openings therethrough which causes it to eject moisture and allows it to be used as a seal. When maintained under compression, gel material  150  allows a dry connection to be made even in a wet environment by conforming to the plug contacts  230  and repelling moisture. When the connector is unmated, the state of compression in gel material  150  allows gel material  150  to re-seal and the receptacle  100  remains sealed from water intrusion without the need for a separate cap or glove to cover the receptacle. The gel material  150  can either be pre-cured and placed in the mating face of the connector or the connector body can be “potted” with gel material  150 .  
         [0023]     Though described with a four contact connector, it is to be understood that receptacle  100  may contain any number of receptacle contacts with plug  200  including a like number of plug contacts.  
         [0024]     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.