Abstract:
An in-line hermaphroditic electrical cable assembly with a high current rating, is disclosed. The in-line hermaphroditic electrical cable assembly includes contacts for both signal and power conductors. A freely rotatable contact terminal retainer retains the signal and power contacts. A hyperboloid socket terminal is used as a power contact. Complementary coupling housings are coupled together by urging together and twisting hermaphroditic electrical and structural components.

Description:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION  
       [0001]     This invention relates to the field of electrical cable coupling assemblies, and in particular, to an in-line hermaphroditic electrical coupling mechanism for a cable contact arrangement that incorporates both a signal contact and a power contact.  
       BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
       [0002]     It is well known to provide electrical cables with contacts that may easily fit together in order to electrically connect the cables. An example of an especially convenient cable contact is the pin and socket contact. The pin and socket contact permits connection of two cables by simply sliding a pin on one cable into a socket on the other. One type of widely used pin and socket contact, is the in-line insertion type.  
         [0003]     Electrical apparatuses of various types are often required to include a convenient, simultaneous connection/disconnection for a plurality of in-series conductors. Very often both the power and signal contacts require separate cables for routing. Automotive vehicles for example, represent a typical environment wherein it is desired to provide for the quick assembly of a plurality of conductors in series. As is well known, today&#39;s automobiles employ a rather sophisticated electrical system containing many wiring harnesses involving hundreds of circuits transmitted throughout the engine compartment, the vehicle interior, and the trunk which require both signal and power contacts. To facilitate not only the initial assembly of the vehicle, but also to accommodate subsequent repair, testing and replacement, it is important that releasable connectors be utilized throughout the numerous involved wiring harnesses. With the influx of computer control systems, it becomes necessary to allow for the in-line insertion of electronic instruments for checking the digital circuits, not only in vehicles but in an assortment of various other apparatus.  
         [0004]     Hermaphroditic cable assemblies allow either end of a respective conductor to mate with itself. The coupling process can become most cumbersome when multiple cables are involved with both signal and power requirements. Also, it is most desirable that an improved conductor termination be provided, not only to insure the highest possible amperage rating, but also to permit quick and positive insertion and retention of the terminations within a connector housing. A RADSOK® termination provides such a termination.  
         [0005]     RADSOK® is the trademark for a patented high performance hyperboloid socket and pin-style electrical contact system for applications 30 amps and above. The hyperboloid connectors offer superior performance when compared with standard pin and socket connectors. In the RADSOK® terminal, multiple contacting elements are hyperbolically arrayed around the inner diameter of the socket. In addition, each of the contact elements is skewed with respect to the axial direction of the terminal. The result is multiple contact surfaces comprise a contact grid. The hyperbolic configuration results in a mechanical interference between an inserted pin and the contact elements. When a pin is inserted into the socket, the contacting elements of the grid mechanically wrap around the pin providing pressure necessary for superior electrical connection.  
         [0006]     Because it is desirable to design pin and socket contacts to be as simple as possible, many of the conventional contact arrangements lack any sort of durable, but simple latching mechanism. Continuous use in which strain is placed on the cables in a direction that would cause the contacts to be pulled apart is prevalent in the industry. Current methods of providing a latching mechanism by trapping the contacts inside an elaborate connector have been lacking in structural integrity. One solution has been to combine the mating and un-mating mechanism with the latching mechanism combined.  
         [0007]     Thus, a need exists in the industry to provide an in-line cable assembly which is hermaphroditic, allows a higher current rating such as that provided with a RADSOK® socket, provides an adequate latching mechanism, and allows the end user to have one cable instead of two to accommodate the power and signal needs, simultaneously.  
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
       [0008]     The present invention provides a system and method for electrically coupling a pin contact to a socket contact for in an in-line hermaphroditic electrical cable assembly that accommodates both signal and power requirements in one cable.  
         [0009]     Briefly described, in architecture, a preferred embodiment of the system, among others, can be implemented as follows. A contact terminal retainer is provided and is press-fit within a first coupling housing. Two latch arms are provided, integrally molded to an exterior surface of the coupling sleeve. A latch ear is provided at one end of each latch arm to engage with two grooves on the coupling housing to form ramp surfaces. The contact terminal retainer includes pin and socket contacts for a signal conductor. A pin contact terminal is provided in the contact terminal contact to satisfy a power conductor requirement. A hyperboloid socket terminal is also included within the contact terminal retainer to complement the pin contact terminal. A second coupling housing with matching end connectors as described above is brought end-to-end with the first coupling housing. Upon mating the contacts and rotating the two coupling housings, the twisting movement mates the latch ears of the first coupling housing to the grooves of the second coupling housing, and the latch ears of the second coupling housing to the grooves of the first coupling housing. Because the contact terminal retainer is structured to freely rotate within the coupling housing, it may remain stationary during a coupling procedure to facilitate proper interconnection of the contacts while the coupling housings rotate freely.  
         [0010]     In another embodiment of the present invention the hermaphroditic electrical cable assembly is structured in a welding receptacle pin and socket assembly. In this embodiment, a flange mount receptacle is integrally molded to the coupling housing.  
         [0011]     Other systems, methods, features, and advantages of the present invention will become apparent to one with skill in the art upon examination of the following drawings and detailed description. It is intended that all such additional systems, methods, features, and advantages be included within this description, be within the scope of the present invention, and be protected by the accompanying claims.  
     
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0012]     Many aspects of the invention can be better understood with reference to the following drawings. The components in the drawings are not necessarily to scale, emphasis instead being placed upon clearly illustrating the principles of the present invention. Moreover, in the drawings, like reference numerals designate corresponding parts throughout several views.  
         [0013]      FIG. 1  is a drawing of a perspective view of a preferred embodiment of an in-line electrical cable assembly in accordance with the invention.  
         [0014]      FIG. 2  is another perspective view of the drawing depicted in  FIG. 1 .  
         [0015]      FIG. 3  is a front view of the drawing depicted in  FIG. 1 .  
         [0016]      FIG. 4  is a drawing of a cross-sectional view of  FIG. 3  along the lines as indicated.  
         [0017]      FIG. 5  is a drawing of a cross-sectional view of  FIG. 3  along the lines as indicated.  
         [0018]      FIG. 6  is a drawing of a perspective view of the in-line electrical cable assembly in a receptacle in accordance with the invention.  
         [0019]      FIG. 7  is another perspective view of the drawing depicted in  FIG. 6 .  
         [0020]      FIG. 8  is a front view of the drawing depicted in  FIG. 6 .  
         [0021]      FIG. 9  is a drawing of a cross-sectional view of  FIG. 6  along the lines as indicated.  
         [0022]      FIG. 10  is a drawing of a cross-sectional view of  FIG. 6  along the lines as indicated. 
     
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT  
       [0023]      FIGS. 1-5  illustrate a preferred embodiment of a hermaphroditic in-line electrical cable assembly  100  in accordance with the invention.  
         [0024]     In  FIGS. 1 and 2 , a coupling housing  102  includes two latch arms  104  that are integrally molded to an exterior surface of the coupling housing  102 . The latch arms  104  are positioned radially opposite each other on the coupling housing  102 . A latch ear  106  is disposed at one end of each latch arm  104 . The latch ears  106  will be used to interlock two coupling housings  102  together.  FIG. 1  illustrates the latch arms  104  with corresponding latch ears  106  positioned radially opposed to each other.  
         [0025]     Two grooves  108  are disposed in the exterior surface at one end of the coupling housing  102 . The grooves  108  form a ramp surface  110  ( FIG. 2 ) to accept the latch ears  106  of a second coupling housing  102  when mating. A raised detent  112  is positioned on the ramp surface  110  to resist rotational movement of the latch ear  106  within the groove  108  when the coupling housings  102  are latched together.  
         [0026]     A contact terminal retainer  114  is positioned and retained in the interior of the coupling housing  102 . The contact terminal retainer  114  is adapted to rotate freely within the coupling housing  102 .  
         [0027]      FIG. 3  depicts a front view of the electrical cable assembly  100 . Both signal and power contacts are visible in the contact terminal retainer  114 .  FIGS. 4 and 5  represent cross-sectional views through the power and signal contacts, respectively.  
         [0028]     In  FIG. 4 , a pin contact terminal  404  is positioned within the contact terminal retainer  114 . A mating hyperboloid socket terminal  406  is also positioned within the contact terminal retainer  114  in the vicinity of the pin contact terminal  404 . The pin contact and socket terminals  404 , 406  are used to address the power requirements of the particular situation.  
         [0029]     In  FIG. 5 , a pin contact  502  is positioned within the contact terminal retainer  114 . A pin insert  504  is disposed in the contact terminal retainer  114  and supports the pin contact  502  within the contact terminal retainer  114 . A mating socket contact  506  is also positioned within the contact terminal retainer  114  in the vicinity of the pin contact  502 . A socket insert  508  is disposed in the contact terminal retainer  114  and supports the socket contact  506  within the contact terminal retainer  114 . The pin and socket contacts  502 , 506  address the signal requirements of the particular situation.  
         [0030]     To couple two coupling housings  102  together, the two coupling housings  102  are urged towards each other to matching mating hermaphroditic power and signal parts. The latch ears  106  of the two coupling housings  102  enter grooves  108  through openings  120  and are aligned with the grooves  108 . Once aligned, a clockwise rotational movement of the opposing coupling housings  102  interlocks the latch ears  106  within the grooves  108  along the ramp surfaces  110 . The rotational movement of the two coupling housings  102  is impeded when the latch ears  106  encounter the raised detents  112 . The raised detents  112  present an obstacle to any further rotational movement of the latch ears  106  within the grooves  108 , and can be overcome with additional forceful urging of the latch ears  106  within the grooves  108 . Because the contact terminal retainer  114  freely rotates within the coupling housing  102 , the contact terminal retainer  114  remains stationary during the coupling procedure, thus facilitating proper interconnection of the contacts while the coupling housings  102  rotate freely. The raised detents  112  present a resistive obstacle to overcome when uncoupling the coupling housings  102 . The raised detents  112  also hamper any unwanted loosening of the coupled coupling housings  102 .  
         [0031]      FIGS. 6-10  illustrate another embodiment of a hermaphroditic cable assembly  500  installed within a conventional welding receptacle.  
         [0032]     In  FIGS. 6 and 7 , the coupling housing  602  includes two latch arms  604  that are integrally molded to an exterior surface of the coupling housing  602 . The latch arms  604 , latch ears  706 , grooves  608 , ramp surface  610 , raised detent  712 , and contact terminal retainer  714  are structured and arranged in an orientation as described above for the embodiment shown in  FIGS. 1-5 . However, in this embodiment, a flange mount receptacle  616  is integrally molded to the back end of the coupling housing  602 . The flange mount receptacle  616  does not rotate except in conjunction with the coupling housing  602  around the center axis of the contact terminal retainer  714  to facilitate a wall or panel mounting, while maintaining a stationary target via the contact terminal retainer  714  for coupling of the contacts. In coupling, a second coupling housing  602  is urged forward to mate the respective contacts contained in the contact terminal retainer  714 , and then rotate to latch its latch arms  602  into the grooves  608  of the coupling housing  602  that is integrally molded to the flange mount receptacle  616 .  
         [0033]     In  FIGS. 9 and 10 , pin contact terminal  904 , the hyperboloid socket terminal  906 , the pin contact  1002 , and the socket contact  1006  are depicted. These terminals and contacts are the same as described with respect to the embodiment of  FIGS. 1-5 . The remaining structural elements duplicate those included in  FIGS. 1-5 .  
         [0034]     With regard to coupling, the same manner of coupling the coupling housings  102  as described above for  FIGS. 1-5  is used.  
         [0035]     It should be emphasized that the above-described embodiments of the present invention, particularly, any preferred embodiments, are merely possible examples of implementations, merely set forth for a clear understanding of the principles of the invention. Many variations and modifications may be made to the above-described embodiments of the invention without the departing substantially from the spirit and principles of the invention. All such modifications and variations are intended to be included herein within the scope of this disclosure and the present invention, and protected by the following claims.