Patent Publication Number: US-7906957-B2

Title: High voltage connector and method having integrated voltage measurement probe points

Description:
TECHNICAL FIELD 
     This invention relates to a high voltage electrical connector and method configured and arranged to enable measurement while there is still engagement of electrical terminals. 
     BACKGROUND 
     In electrical systems, there is commonly the need to join electrically conductive materials to deliver power to components. One type of connection is by connectors containing electrical terminals. These terminals join the cable or wires, generally running from a power supply, such as a car battery or alternator, to other units or components to provide those components or units of the vehicle with power. When a high voltage cable is connected to such a unit within a vehicle, and the production line requires quality assurance tests or the system requires diagnostic work, there are added procedural complexities that delay testing and diagnosis of electrical issues with exposed terminals. 
     Many times during assembly of vehicles testing is more difficult because of the tight spaces required to access a connection in a fully separated configuration. Further, each such connection needs to be specifically designed for the particular installation or access while taking into account factors such as engineering, cost, production line assembly steps, and robotics. 
     SUMMARY 
     The present invention is directed to a connector apparatus that may remain connected while providing access for testing, diagnostics, and assembly. 
     The electrical connector is adapted for joining a first cable to a second cable and for staged disassembly to test for the presence of voltage. The connector comprises a socket, a plug, and a probe hole. The socket is characterized by an insulative protective socket case with a socket opening on one side exposing an electrically conductive socket terminal, enclosed therein, in electrical communication with the first cable. The plug is characterized by an insulative protective plug case, with a plug end on one side exposing an electrically conductive plug terminal enclosed therein, in electrical communication with the second cable. The socket case and plug case are configured with the respective opening and end facing each other to allow the socket and plug to mate for such electrical communication between the terminals. The probe hole extends through at least one of the socket case and the plug case. The connector is configured with a sealed position in which the socket case and plug case are sufficiently fully mated for such electrical communication, and the socket terminal and plug terminal are also in such electrical communication, and the probe hole is obstructed preventing access to the sufficiently mated terminals. The connector is also configured with a probe position in which the socket case and plug case are sufficiently partially mated for electrical communication, and the probe hole is sufficiently unobstructed to allow a probe tool to come into electrical communication with one of said socket and plug terminals. 
     An aspect of the invention also provides an electrical connector box which is adapted for staged disassembly to test for the presence of high voltage. It comprises a first box portion having a first terminal enclosed therein, and a first opening exposing the first terminal. It also comprises a second box portion having a second terminal enclosed therein and a second opening exposing the second terminal and substantially complementary to the first opening to receive the first box portion sufficiently into the second box portion to electrically engage the first and second terminals in first and second positions of engagement. The port in the second box portion is alignable with one of the first and second terminals when the first and second terminals are engaged in one of their positions of engagement and sufficiently small enough to prevent a human digit to intrude but sufficiently large enough to receive an electrical meter probe into electrical communication with the first terminal. There is a first latch portion on one of the box portions which is engageable with a keeper portion on the other of the box portions to position the port in a first alignment with respect to one of the first and second terminals so that a probe may test for the presence of high voltage when the first and second terminals are engaged in the one of the positions of engagement. There is a second latch portion on one of the box portions which is engageable with another keeper portion on the other of the box portions to position the port in a second position out of alignment with the one of the first and second terminals when the first and second terminals are engaged in the other of the positions of engagement. 
     An aspect of the invention also provides a method for measuring the voltage of a sealable and probable-position socket and plug connection which has respective first and second fastening mechanisms for determining the sealable and probable positions. The method comprises disengaging a first fastening mechanism; moving the plug from a sealed position to a probe position which is determined by the second fastening mechanism; measuring the voltage in the probe position; and moving the plug from the probe position to the sealed position. 
     An aspect of the invention also provides a method for measuring voltage by disassembling a multi-position socket and plug connection having respective first and second fastening mechanisms for determining sealable, probable, and open positions. The method comprises disengaging the first fastening mechanism; moving the multi-position plug from the sealed position to the probe position; measuring voltage; and disengaging the second fastening mechanism and moving the plug from the probe position to the open position when the measurement at the probe position shows no voltage. 
     An aspect of the invention also provides a method for making a physical voltage measurement of a high voltage circuit without risk. The method comprises providing an electrical connector with sequentially latchably matable high voltage terminals; latchably mating the high voltage terminals in electrically conductive communication with each other in first and second electrically conductive positions; exposing at least one of the high voltage terminals for making the physical measurement when the terminals are in one of the electrically conductive positions but not when the terminals are in the other one of the electrically conductive positions. 
     The above features and advantages and other features and advantages of the present invention are readily apparent from the following detailed description of the best modes for carrying out the invention when taken in connection with the accompanying drawings. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         FIG. 1  shows a side elevational view of plug and socket portions of the connector in a partially open probe position of the connector to enable a voltage measurement in connected high voltage cables; 
         FIG. 2A  shows a side view of the connector in a closed or sealed position wherein a multimeter probe is unable to make contact through a probe hole with a terminal on a cable for such measurement; 
         FIG. 2B  shows a side view of the connector in the probe position with the multimeter probe making contact through the probe hole with the terminal to allow for reading of a measurement; 
         FIG. 2C  shows a side exploded view of the connector with the plug and socket portions separated in a fully open position; 
         FIG. 3  shows a front perspective view of the plug portion in a second embodiment of the invention; and 
         FIG. 4  shows an exploded side perspective view of the second embodiment of the connector showing the socket and plug portions in the open position and with holes on a leading end of an elongated plug portion all alignable with respective probe holes on the socket portion when the connector is in a probe position such as shown in  FIG. 2B . 
     
    
    
     DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
     With reference to the drawings,  FIGS. 1 and 4  show an electrical connector device  10  wherein the cables  14  and  16 , are electrically connectible respectively to a corresponding socket or first box portion  20  and plug or second box portion  30  of the electrical connector  10 . The socket portion  20  includes a socket case  22  which protects a socket terminal  24  from external contact. The socket terminal  24  of the socket case  22  is electrically connectible to a corresponding plug terminal  34  in the plug portion  30 . The plug terminal  34  is likewise protected and supported by a corresponding plug case  32 . When assembled, the plug case  32  fits snugly inside the socket case  22  with the large socket opening  29  and plug end  39  facing each other allowing the socket terminal  24  and plug terminal  34  to mate. Together the first and second box portions of the socket and plug provide an insulative protective characteristic to the electrical connector  10 . 
     More particularly, the socket portion  20  has the socket terminal  24  enclosed therein, and a socket opening  29  which exposes the socket terminal  24 . The plug portion  30  has a plug terminal  34  enclosed therein and a plug end  39  which exposes the plug terminal  34 . The leading plug end  39  is substantially complementary to the socket opening  20  which receives the plug portion  30  sufficiently into the socket portion  20  to electrically engage said socket terminal  24  and plug terminal  34  in first and second positions of engagement, respectively called the sealed position and probe position, as shown in  FIG. 2A  and  FIG. 2B  respectively. 
     With reference to  FIG. 1 , which shows the socket  20  and plug  30  mated in a probe position  10 B, the plug has two latch or bolt portions  36  and  37  on the exterior of the plug case  32 . The socket has two hooks or keeper portions  26  and  27  which respectively mate with two latches  36  and  37  on the plug  30 . Together, each bolt and keeper includes a fastening mechanism. The selection of which keeper and latch portion, i.e. the pair  26  and  36  or the pair  27  and  37 , will be mated depends on whether the connector  10  is in the probe position  10 B (see also  FIG. 2B ) or a sealed or closed position  10 A (see also  FIG. 2A ). 
     With reference to  FIG. 1 , more particularly, a latch portion  36  on the plug  30  is engageable with a keeper portion  26  on the socket  20  to position the socket  20  and plug  30  in an alignment (see also  FIG. 2B ) with respect to the socket or plug terminals,  24  and  34  respectively. In that alignment of the probe position  10 B, a multimeter probe or the like, henceforth called the probe tool  12 , may measure electrical properties, such as to test for the presence of voltage, when the socket and plug terminals,  24  and  34  respectively, are still engaged via the probe hole  28  (see also  FIG. 2B ). Also, a second latch or bolt  37  on the plug  30  is engageable with another keeper portion  27  on the socket  20  to position a port or probe hole  28  out of alignment with a respective terminal  34  when the plug  30  and socket  20  are in a closed or sealed position  10 A (shown in  FIG. 2A ). 
     With reference again to  FIG. 1 , the socket  20  contains the probe hole  28 . This probe hole  28  is designed to be sufficiently small to accommodate a multimeter probe and nothing larger. This probe hole  28  is also located vertically above the socket or plug terminal,  24  or  34  respectively, to allow the complete length of the electrically conductive part of probe tool  12  to enter without exposing a substantial portion of the electrically conductive portion of the probe  12  at the exterior of the socket or plug case,  22  or  32  respectively. This probe hole  28  will allow a technician to insert a probe tool  12 , such as those found on an ordinary multimeter, to measure various electrical properties, such as voltage, at the socket terminal  24  and plug terminal  34  while still allowing an electrical connection between the two and without exposing the terminals to contact with external items. More particularly, a latch  37  on the plug  30  is engageable with a keeper  27  on the socket  20  to position probe hole  28  in coaxial alignment with the engaged terminal  24  so as to allow the probe tool  12  to enter while preventing entry of external items larger then the probe tool  12 , and while still allowing the socket terminal  24  and plug terminal  34  to be engaged. 
       FIG. 2A  shows the socket  20  and plug  30  in the closed position  10 A in which the top hook or keeper  27  and top latch  37  are used to hold the socket case  22  and plug case  32  together. Also in this position the probe hole  28  is blocked or obstructed by the plug case  32 . Unlike the probe position  10 B illustrated in  FIG. 1  and  FIG. 2B , in the  FIG. 2A  position  10 A the obstruction of the plug case prevents any contact of probe  12  with the socket terminal  24  and plug terminal  34 . More particularly, a latch  37  on the plug  30  is engageable with a keeper  27  on the socket  20  to position probe hole  28  in blocking alignment with the plug case  32  to prevent any external items from entering via the probe hole  28  or via the socket opening  29  at plug end  39  while still allowing the socket terminal  24  and plug terminal  34  to be fully engaged. 
       FIG. 2B  shows the connection in the probe position  10 B. It illustrates a staged progression from the closed position  10 A as shown in  FIG. 2A . In the probe position  10 B the bottom hook or keeper  26  and the bottom latch  36  are used to hold the socket case  22  and plug case  32  together. Also in this probe position  10 B, the probe hole  28  is not blocked by the plug case  32 . Hence a probe tool  12  can enter through the probe hole  28  and make contact with the mated socket terminal  24  and plug terminal  34 . More particularly, the connector  10  is configured with a probe position  10 B in which the socket case  22  and plug case  32  are sufficiently partially mated to maintain electrical communication between the socket terminal  24  and plug terminal  34 , and the probe hole  28  is sufficiently unobstructed to allow a probe tool  12  to engage such electrical communication with one of the mated socket terminals  24  and plug terminals  34 . 
       FIG. 2C  shows a completely open or separated position  10 C in which the socket  20  and plug  30  are not electrically connected and the socket case  22  and plug case  32  are not mated. Hence, the socket terminal  24  and plug terminal  34  are not in electrical communication. In this position both terminals are exposed but not electrically connected. This is shown for illustrative purposes as this position would be required when a technician is changing or replacing components. 
       FIG. 3  shows an exemplary plug  30  in a perspective view of a second embodiment having a variation of the plug  30  shown in  FIGS. 1 ,  2 A,  2 B, and  2 C. In  FIG. 3 , the plug  30  is shown with an elongated plug end  39 . Inside the plug end  39 , which is formed by the plug case  32 , each plug terminal  34  is visible and is in electrical communication with the wire or cable  16  coming from the rear. Also, only the top plug latch  37  is visible in this view as the bottom plug latch  36  is located out of sight on the underside of the plug  30  as seen in phantom in  FIG. 4 . More particularly, the leading end of plug  30  is altered to have two plug probe holes  38  which are configured to match and align with the corresponding socket probe holes  28  when the socket  20  and plug  30  are in a probe position  10 B such as shown in  FIG. 2B . These two plug holes  38  are also configured not to match nor align with the corresponding socket holes  28  when the socket  20  and plug  30  are in a sealed position  10 A such as shown in  FIG. 2A . This hole arrangement allows the socket hole  28  to continue to be obstructed by the plug case  32  as previously described when referring to  FIG. 2A . 
       FIG. 4  shows an exemplary socket  20  and exemplary plug  30  of the second embodiment in the open or separated position from a perspective side view. This plug  30  contains the two probe holes  38 . In this view it is easy to visualize how measuring voltage, for example, would be facilitated by moving the socket  20  and plug  30  from sealed position  10 A ( FIG. 2A ) to a probe position  10 B ( FIG. 2B ) by disengaging a first fastening mechanism or latch  37  from the keeper  27 . In doing so, the probe position  10 B ( FIG. 2B ) is determined by the second fastening mechanism or latch  36  and keeper  26 . This would also bring the socket probe holes  28  into alignment with the plug holes  38 . Then one can make measurements, such as voltage, in the probe position  10 B ( FIG. 2B ) by inserting a probe tool  12  (such as shown in  FIG. 2B ) sufficiently that the probe tool  12  goes through a socket hole  28  and a plug hole  38  to make contact with the mated socket terminal  24  and plug terminal  34 . After making a measurement, the plug  30  can be moved from a probe position  10 B ( FIG. 2B ) back to a sealed position  10 A ( FIG. 2A ) causing latch  37  to reengage with keeper  27 . Alternatively, when the connector is in a probe position  10 B ( FIG. 2B ), after taking a measurement, one could disengage the latch  36  and keeper  26  and separate the socket  20  and plug  30  to the position shown in  FIG. 4  as necessary for maintenance or disassembly. 
     An aspect of the invention provides a method for making an improved physical voltage measurement. The method comprises providing an electrical connector  10  with sequentially latchably matable socket  20  and plug  30  each with respective internal high voltage terminals  24  and  34  ( FIG. 2A and 2B ). Then latchably mating the high voltage terminals  24  and  34  in electrically conductive communication with each other in first and second electrically conductive positions ( FIG. 2A  and  FIG. 2B  respectively). Finally, exposing at least one of the high voltage terminals  24  or  34  via a probe hole  28 , for making the physical measurement when the terminals are in one of the electrically conductive positions ( FIG. 2B ), but not when the terminal is in the other one of the electrically conductive positions ( FIG. 2A ). The method may also be practiced with probe holes in both socket and plug ( FIG. 4 ). 
     Another aspect of this invention provides a method for measuring voltage by disassembling a multi-position socket  20  and plug  30  connection having respective first fastening mechanisms,  27  and  37 , and second fastening mechanisms,  26  and  36 , for determining sealable  10 A, probe  10 B, and open positions  10 C by disengaging the first fastening mechanisms  27  and  37 , then moving the multi-position plug  30  from the sealed position  10 A to the probe position  10 B. In the probe position  10 B, a probe tool  12  can measure voltage via the probe hole  28 . Finally, when the measurement by the probe tool  12  at the probe position  10 B showed no voltage, disengaging the second fastening mechanisms,  26  and  36 , and moving the plug  30  allows transformation from the probe position  10 B to the open position  10 C. This aspect of the invention may also be practiced with probe holes in both socket and plug ( FIG. 4 ). 
     The previously described versions of the present invention have many advantages, including being able to assemble, test, and maintain high voltage cables while reducing risk of shorts. But the invention does not require that all the advantageous features and all the advantages need to be incorporated into every embodiment of the invention. 
     Although the present invention has been described in considerable detail with reference to certain preferred versions thereof, other versions are possible. Therefore, the spirit and scope of the appended claims should not be limited to the description of the preferred versions contained herein. 
     All the features disclosed in this specification (including any accompanying claims, abstract, and drawings) may be replaced by alternative features serving the same, equivalent or similar purpose, unless expressly stated otherwise. Thus, unless expressly stated otherwise, each feature disclosed is one example only of a generic series of equivalent or similar features. 
     While the best modes for carrying out the invention have been described in detail, those familiar with the art to which this invention relates will recognize various alternative designs and embodiments for practicing the invention within the scope of the appended claims.