Patent Publication Number: US-8974241-B2

Title: Bracket for connector pin seals

Description:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention is directed to an electrical contact assembly including a removable bracket for retaining one or more grommets, through which cable conductors of the electrical contact assembly are positioned. 
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     There exist electrical contact assemblies that include a connector housing having one or more openings, one or more cable conductors that are each positioned within a respective opening in the housing, and one or more rubber grommets that are each positioned around a respective cable conductor to seal the cable conductor in its respective opening. The rubber grommets substantially prevent contaminants from entering the interior of the housing through the one or more openings. In use, the cable conductors can be tugged, pushed or pulled, which can detach the rubber grommets from their respective openings, thereby allowing contaminants to enter the interior of the housing. The contaminants could degrade the performance of the electrical contact assembly. In view of the foregoing, it would be advantageous to either limit or prevent movement of the rubber grommets in an effort to prevent contaminants from entering the interior of the housing of the electrical contact assembly, while allowing intentional detachment of those grommets , for rework of the electrical contact assembly. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     According to one aspect of the invention, an electrical connector includes a housing having a bracket mating surface and an opening that extends through the bracket mating surface; an electrical conductor that is positioned through the opening in the housing; a grommet that is positioned in a space defined between the electrical conductor and the opening in which the conductor is positioned to substantially prevent contaminants from entering the housing through the opening; and a bracket removably positioned on the bracket mating surface of the housing of the connector and positioned to bear on the grommet to substantially prevent displacement of the grommet with respect to the housing of the connector. 
     According to another aspect of the invention, an electrical connector includes a housing having a bracket mating surface and a plurality of openings that extend through the bracket mating surface; a plurality of conductors, each of which is positioned in a respective opening in the housing; a plurality of grommets, each of which is positioned in a space defined between a respective conductor and an opening in which the respective conductor is positioned to substantially prevent contaminants from entering the housing through the opening; and a bracket removably positioned on the bracket mating surface of the housing of the connector and positioned to bear on at least one of the grommets to substantially prevent displacement of the at least one grommet with respect to the housing of the connector. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       The invention is best understood from the following detailed description when read in connection with the accompanying drawings, with like elements having the same reference numerals. Included in the drawings are the following figures: 
         FIG. 1  depicts a perspective view of an electrical contact assembly having eight conductors and two brackets according to a first exemplary embodiment of the present invention. 
         FIG. 2  is a front elevation view of the electrical contact assembly of  FIG. 1 . 
         FIG. 3  is a cross sectional side elevation view of the electrical contact assembly of  FIG. 2  taken along the lines  3 - 3 . 
         FIGS. 4A-4C  depict perspective views of a bracket of the electrical contact assembly of  FIG. 1 . 
         FIG. 5  depicts a perspective view of an electrical contact assembly having four conductors (one shown) and two brackets, according to a second exemplary embodiment of the invention. 
         FIGS. 6A-6C  depict perspective views of the bracket of the electrical contact assembly of  FIG. 5 . 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
     Referring to  FIGS. 1-3 , in accordance with a first exemplary embodiment of the present invention, an electrical contact assembly  100  is illustrated. Electrical contact assembly  100  may be used to electrically transmit electrical signals. The electrical signals of the embodiment may travel from one location to another location through electrical contact assembly  100 . The electrical contact assembly  100  may be a useful interface for electrically transmitting and distributing power and/or signals to another electrical component that is disposed external to the electrical contact assembly  100 . 
     Referring generally to the overall assembly  100 , the electrical contact assembly  100  generally includes a housing  110  in which a plurality of openings  102  (see  FIG. 3 ) are defined (8 shown). A plurality of cable conductors  106  (8 shown) are positioned through the respective openings  102 . Grommets  104  (8 shown) are each positioned in a respective opening  102  and around a respective cable conductor  106 . Two brackets  101   a  and  101   b  (referred to collectively as brackets  101 ) are mounted to the housing  110  for maintaining the plurality of grommets  104  substantially fixed in their respective positions. The brackets  101  are releasably mounted to the housing  110  so as to enable field repair or replacement of the conductors  106 . 
     It should be understood that the number of openings  102 , grommets  104 , conductors  106  and brackets  101  may vary from that which is shown and described. For example, the electrical contact assembly  100  may include a single opening  102 , one conductor  106  positioned though that opening  102 , one grommet  104  positioned in the opening  102  and over the single conductor  106  and one bracket  101  that is releasably mounted to the housing  110  for maintaining the single grommet  104  substantially fixed in position. 
     Referring now to the individual components of the electrical contact assembly  100 , each cable conductor  106  is configured to transmit electricity from one location to another. Each cable conductor  106  may comprise one or more wires, pins, cables, windings, or sleeves. A cable conductor  106  may be made of any material used to conduct electricity. 
     As best shown in  FIG. 3 , the housing  110  is an assembly that is comprised of a first housing part  105 , a second housing part  107 , and a threaded ring  109  that releasably couples the housing parts  105  and  107  together. The individual components of the housing  110  may be composed of a metallic material, a polymeric material, or any other suitable material. 
     The first housing part  105  of the housing  110  has a substantially cylindrical body that includes a plurality of circular openings  102   b  . The distal end of the first housing part  105  includes mechanical threads  125  for connecting to a mating connector (not shown). A flange is disposed at the central region of the first housing part  105 , and holes  103  are formed in that flange for attaching the electrical contact assembly  100  to another structure that is not shown. A circumferential projection  111  extends from the proximal end of the first housing part  105  to engage a shoulder  129  that is formed on the distal end of the second housing part  107 . Mechanical threads  127  are provided on the proximal end of the first housing part  105 , at a location that is distal of the projection  111 , for engagement with mating threads on the threaded ring  109 . 
     The second housing part  107  of the housing  110  has a substantially cylindrical body that includes a plurality of circular openings  102   a  (2 shown). The openings  102   a  terminate at a planar bracket mounting surface  108  that is defined on the proximal end of the second housing part  107 . The openings  102   a  are defined through the bracket mating surface  108 . A circumferential recess  126  is defined on a side surface  128  of the second housing part  107 . A circumferential shoulder  129  is formed on the distal end of the second housing part  107  for engagement with the circumferential projection  111  of the first housing part  105 . An annular shoulder  123  is defined in a central region of the exterior surface of the second housing part  107  for abutting against the threaded ring  109 . 
     The threaded ring  109  of the housing  110  has a substantially cylindrical body. Mechanical threads  114  are provided on the distal end of the interior surface of the threaded ring  109  for engaging with mechanical threads  127  on the proximal end of the first housing part  105 . A shoulder  115  is defined on the proximal end of the interior surface of the threaded ring  109  for abutment with the shoulder  123  that is formed on the second housing part  107 . In assembly, rotating the threaded ring  109  onto the exterior threads  127  on the first housing part  105  causes the shoulder  115  of the threaded ring  109  to bear on the shoulder  123  of the second housing part  107  thereby mating the housing part  105  and  107  together. The threaded ring  109  of the housing  110  may also be referred to herein as a connector. 
     In assembled form, openings  102   b  and  102   a  of the housing parts  105  and  107 , respectively, register with each other such that a cable conductor  106  is at least partially positioned through the registered openings  102   a  and  102   b . Registered openings  102   a  and  102   b  are referred to collectively as openings  102 . 
     The housing  110  of the electrical contact assembly  100  may vary from that which is shown and described. For example, the housing  110  may be a unitary component. 
     Eight grommets  104  are assembled into respective openings  102  on the proximal end of the housing  110 . Each grommet  104  substantially prevents contaminants from entering the housing through the opening  102  in which the grommet  104  is positioned. Each grommet  104  includes a thru-hole that is sized to receive a single cable conductor  106 . Each cable conductor  106  passes through a respective grommet  104 . At least a portion of the revolved exterior surface of each grommet  104  makes sealing contact with the surface of a respective opening  102  in which a particular grommet  104  is positioned. The revolved interior surface of each grommet  104  makes sealing contact with the outer surface of a respective cable conductor  106 . Thus, each grommet  104  creates a fluid-tight seal between a respective cable conductor  106  and the opening  102  in which that particular cable conductor  106  is positioned. Each grommet  104  includes a circumferential recess  113  that is formed on the outer surface. The recess  113  is delimited by two opposing shoulders. One or more brackets  101  are positioned in the recess  113 . The grommets  104  may be composed of a rubber material, for example, or any other elastomeric material, that creates a seal between the cable conductors  106  and the housing  110 . A grommet  104  may also be referred to herein as a seal or a sealing member. 
     Referring still to  FIGS. 1-3 , in an assembled form of the contact assembly  100 , the grommets  104  protrude from the bracket mounting surface  108  at the proximal end of the housing  110  such that the grommets  104  extend outside of the housing  110 . The portion of each grommet  104  that extends beyond the bracket mounting surface  108  is contacted by one or more brackets  101  that are mounted to the proximal end of the housing  110 . 
       FIGS. 4A-4C  depict perspective views of the bracket  101  of the contact assembly  100 . The bracket  101  generally includes a flat body portion  116  having a uniform thickness, and a plurality of legs  118  (three shown) depending from the flat body portion  116  that extend substantially perpendicular to the flat body portion  116 . 
     A series of radiused cutouts  122  (3 shown) are defined on one side of the flat body portion  116 , while another series of radiused cutouts  124  (2 shown) are defined on the other side of the body portion  116 . The radiused cutouts  124  are defined between adjacent legs  118 . The cutouts  122  and  124  are sized to be sealingly positioned within the recesses  113  (see  FIG. 3 ) on the exterior surface of the grommets  104 . 
     A slot  117  is formed through each leg  118 . Material at the end of each slot  117  is bent outwards to form a detent  120 . The detents  120  are defined at the terminal end of the interior facing surface of each leg  118  at a location beneath the slots  117 . The detent  120  is sized to be removably positioned within the recess  126  that is defined on the side surface  128  of the housing  110 . 
     Referring back to  FIG. 3 , in an assembled form of the contact assembly  100 , two brackets  101   a  and  101   b  (referred to collectively as brackets  101 ) are mounted on the proximal end of the housing  110 . The underside  119  of the body portion  116  of each bracket  101  is positioned directly against the bracket mating surface  108 . At least a portion of the surfaces defined by the cutouts  122  and  124  are positioned in respective recesses  113  that are formed on the outer surface of each grommet  104 . The detents  120  of the legs  118  of the brackets  101  are then seated in the recess  126  that is defined on the side surface  128  of the housing  110 . Engagement between the brackets  101 , the housing  110  and the grommets  104  substantially prevents the grommets  104  from movement with respect to the housing  110 . 
       FIG. 5  is a perspective view of an electrical contact assembly  200  having four conductors and two brackets, according to a second exemplary embodiment of the invention. The electrical contact assembly  200  is substantially similar to the electrical contact assembly  100  and only the differences between those electrical contact assemblies will be described hereinafter. 
     The electrical contact assembly  200  generally includes a housing  210  having a bracket mating surface  208  through which four openings  202  are defined, four cable conductors  206  (only one shown) positioned through the respective openings  202 , four grommets  204  that are each positioned in a respective opening  202  and around a respective cable conductor  206 , and two brackets  201  that are releasably mounted to the housing  210  for maintaining the grommets  204  substantially fixed in their respective positions. 
       FIGS. 6A-6C  depict the bracket  201  of the electrical contact assembly  200 . Like the bracket  101  of  FIGS. 4A-4C , the bracket  201  generally includes a flat body portion  216  having a uniform thickness, and a plurality of legs  218  (three shown) depending from the flat body portion  216  that extend substantially perpendicular to the flat body portion  216 . Each leg  218  includes a detent  220 , the purpose of which was described with reference to  FIG. 3 . Two cutouts  222  are defined on the interior-facing surface of the bracket  201 . At least a portion of the edge of each cutout  222  is received in a recess that is formed in the grommets  204 . 
     While preferred embodiments of the invention have been described herein, it will be understood that such embodiments are provided by way of example only. Numerous variations, changes and substitutions will occur to those skilled in the art without departing from the spirit of the invention. It is intended that the appended claims cover all such variations as fall within the spirit and scope of the invention.