Patent Publication Number: US-2017373407-A1

Title: Flush earth ground connector

Description:
CROSS REFERENCES TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
     Not Applicable 
     STATEMENT REGARDING FEDERALLY SPONSORED RESEARCH Not Applicable 
     REFERENCE TO APPENDIX 
     Not Applicable 
     FIELD OF INVENTION 
     The presented invention relates to the aviation and aerospace industry and the method of providing an electrical earth ground for aircraft, aerospace vehicles, and associated support equipment. 
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     Current aircraft and aircraft support equipment electrical ground points are grounding rods driven through the pavement surface. Alligator style clamps are then attached to the rod with the other end of the cable attached to a chassis connector. The grounding rod is usually recessed below the surface of the concrete so it does not protrude. To access the recessed rod the concrete around the rod is chiseled or poured to create a divot. This recessed divot accumulates foreign objects such as screws, nuts, and bolts. Foreign object damage can have devastating effects on aircraft and aircraft engines resulting in possible loss of life and equipment. This presented invention, the flush earth ground connector, eliminates the possibility of foreign objects accumulating at the grounding point due to the fact that bottom portion of the connector remains flush with the surrounding surface leaving the area free from protrusions or divots. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     The flush earth ground connector is a connecting device to statically ground aircraft, aerospace vehicles, and aerospace support equipment. Since it is a connector it has two separating components that, when brought together, form a conductive connection. The two major components are the upper and the lower portion. 
     The lower portion of the system is a metal, semispherical, cylinder type object with the flat surface facing up and mounted so that it is flush with the surrounding surface. The bottom has an area that is drilled and tapped to allow for a long threaded screw type object to allow it to be securely mounted into the ground or surrounding surface. The lower portion is then connected by conductive wire and/or clamp to the grounding rod. After the lower portion is installed the area is filled with concrete or suitable material flush with the surrounding area. This prevents foreign objects from collecting or gathering around the grounding point. 
     The upper portion of the system is a cylindrical disk type design with a handle and an internal magnet. The internal magnet secures the upper and lower portion together allowing for the connection. To accommodate the magnet the upper portion is designed into two halves. The bottom half is a metal disk that has the center area hollowed for placement of the magnet. It is also milled and threaded near the edge of the disk so the top half can be screwed into the bottom half. The top half is similarly disk shaped with threads protruding so it can be connected to the bottom half. The top half of the plug also incorporates a handle. The handle has an opening to allow for a standard aerospace grounding cable to be inserted and secured by two set screws. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWING 
       A preferred embodiment of the invention, illustrative of the best mode in which the applicant has contemplated applying the principles, is set forth in the following description and is shown in the drawings and is particularly and distinctly pointed out and set forth in the appended claims. 
       The disclosure will be better understood and objects other than those set forth above will become apparent when consideration is given to the following detailed description thereof. Such description makes reference to the drawings wherein: 
       FIG. 1  is a perspective view of an installed into the earth, coupled, and wired to both ground and chassis assembly according to an embodiment of the disclosure. 
         FIG. 2A  is a perspective view of the bottom portion of the connector according to an embodiment of the disclosure. 
         FIG. 2B  is a side view of the bottom portion of the connector mounted onto an auger according to an embodiment of the disclosure. 
         FIG. 3A  is a top view of the upper portion of the connector according to an embodiment of the disclosure. 
         FIG. 3B  is a side view of the upper portion of the connector according to an embodiment of the disclosure. 
         FIG. 3C  is a rotated side view of the upper portion of the connector according to an embodiment of the disclosure. 
         FIG. 3D  is a bottom view of the upper portion of the connector according to an embodiment of the disclosure. 
         FIG. 4  is an exploded view of the upper portion of the connector showing the internal magnet according to an embodiment of the disclosure. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
     The following detailed description is merely exemplary in nature and is not intended to limit the described embodiments of the application and uses of the described embodiments. As used herein, the word “exemplary” or “illustrative” means “serving as an example, instance, or illustration.” Any implementation described herein as “exemplary” or “illustrative” is not necessarily to be construed as preferred or advantageous over other implementations. All of the implementations described below are exemplary implementations provided to enable persons skilled in the art to practice the disclosure and are not intended to limit the scope of the appended claims. Furthermore, there is no intention to be bound by any expressed or implied theory presented in the preceding field, background, brief summary, or the following detailed description. Many modifications are conceivable without departing from the spirit of the inventive concept as defined in the appended Claims. 
     Note that the standard and universally accepted symbols for earth ground and chassis ground are used in  FIG. 1  items  22  and  14  respectively. 
     As best illustrated in  FIGS. 1 through 6 , the flush earth ground connector generally comprises of two parts. An upper portion  10  and lower portion  19 . Male and female connotation describing the connector parts does not apply due to the fact that the connecting bodies are flush and smooth as is the purpose of the embodiment. Therefore, upper portion and lower portion will be used to describe the two parts of the connector assembly  5 . The upper portion  10  is attracted to the lower portion  19  by an internal magnet  18 . The magnet  18  secures the upper  10  and lower portion  19  together to allow for electrical flow through the connector assembly  5 . 
     The upper portion  10  is of cylindrical disk shape with a handle  15  of rectangular shape protruding from the top. The handle  15  contains and opening  13  to accept a standard aerospace static grounding wire  12 . The grounding wire  12  is secured by two set screws  11  contained within the handle  15  of the upper portion. Upon insertion of the ground wire  12  the two set screws  11  are tightened to hold the wire  12  in place and allow for electrical conductivity. As shown in  FIG. 4 , an exploded view of the upper portion, of the present embodiment describes two separate components, an upper half  40  and lower half  41  that combine together through threading  43  to secure a magnet  18  internally. 
     The lower portion  19  of the connector is a semispherical, cylinder type shape. The top surface  26  of the lower portion is flat and sits flush with the surrounding surface  17 . The flat surface  26  of the lower portion  19  allows for placement of the upper portion of the connector  10 . The bottom of the lower portion  19  has a cylindrical hollowed space  27  to allow for mounting on to an auger  30 . The lower portion  19  can also be mounted by alternative methods, not limited to but including, directly to an earth ground rod, a post, or otherwise secured to the surrounding surface  17 . The lower portion  19  is connected to an earth ground  22  either directly or via cable  20  by securing it through a weld or clamp or similar attaching methods. 
     The coupled, flush earth ground connector  5  allows electrical static build up to be dissipated from the aerospace vehicle, equipment, or aircraft through the chassis connection  14 , the aerospace ground wire  12 , the upper portion of the connector  10 , the bottom portion of the connector  19 , the ground cable  20 , to the earth ground rod  22 . Upon removal of the upper portion of the connector  10 , the bottom portion  19  remains flush with the surrounding surface  17  leaving the area free from protrusions or divots.