Patent Publication Number: US-2023143094-A1

Title: Contact identification attachment for electrical connectors

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION 
     This application claims the benefit of the filing date of U.S. Provisional Application Ser. No. 63/263,925 filed Nov. 11, 2021, entitled, “Contact Identification Attachment For Electrical Connectors”, which is hereby incorporated by reference as if fully set forth herein. 
    
    
     BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     This disclosure generally relates to electrical connectors. Specifically, this disclosure relates to identification of contact positions for electrical connectors. In particular, this disclosure relates to an attachment that may be retrofitted onto electrical connectors in order to provide aid for contact position identification and ease of wire termination and intended connectivity. 
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     Field terminated connectors such as a M8 or a M12 style circular connectors are widely used in industrial settings as well as in commercial environments. By way of example, connectors may be used in industrial automations to securely connect various devices. Certain connector styles (such as but not limited to M12 for example) may be suited for fieldbus connections, while other connector styles (such as but not limited to M8 for example) may be suited for industrial sensors. 
     A connector may include a plurality of male or female contacts in various configurations such as solder and screw type used for various purposes. For example, certain contacts may be used for certain types of signals and connections, while other contacts may be used for power connections. 
     Using a M12 connector as an example, as shown in  FIGS.  1 A and  1 B , such a connector may include 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 8, 12, or 17 contacts. Thus, attempting to identify and connect wires to correct corresponding contacts may be challenging and difficult—especially in a field setting—and wiring errors may cause a system malfunction and may cause damage to corresponding devices or equipment. 
     Several solutions exist that attempt to address the complexity of wiring a connector appropriately. For example, wiring diagrams may be provided to a user instructing the user to connect a certain color wire or a wire originating from a certain location to a certain connector contact. 
     Due to the wide variation in end-user configuration and use, connector manufactures typically provide connectors with contact designations as a method of identifying contact orientations of such connectors. However, given what is often a small size of a connector, identifying the corresponding pin number or the correct connector orientation may be challenging in practice. 
     Further, it is also possible that multiple wiring diagrams may be used with the same connector depending on the specific device to be connected and the required functionality. Providing multiple wiring diagrams to the user may further add to the complexity and confusion of properly wiring the connector, thus increasing time, labor cost, and chance of mis-wire. 
     Moreover, wiring diagrams may be lost or easily misinterpreted, contact identification may be small, inconveniently located, difficult to interpret, and connector orientation may be misconstrued, all of which may result in incorrect wiring. 
     In some connectors (such as the one shown in  FIGS.  2 A and  2 B ), the connector manufacturer may provide color codes integral to the connector plastic or insulator as means of identifying pin numbers. However, such an approach remains static and non-configurable, and does not aid the end user with their specific application or functionality that may differ or vary from the manufacturer&#39;s set configuration. As such, there remains a need to provide a flexible, configurable, and easy-to-comprehend field wiring instruction solution that may be configured as needed to accommodate infinite wiring, conductor color code, and functionality configurations required by each specific application. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         FIG.  1 A  illustrates a side-view of a M12 style connector known in the art; 
         FIG.  1 B  illustrates a top-view of the M12 style connector of  FIG.  1 A ; 
         FIG.  2 A  illustrates a perspective view of a color-coded M12 style connector known in the art; 
         FIG.  2 B  illustrates an exemplary wiring diagram of the M12 style connector of  FIG.  2 A ; 
         FIG.  3    illustrates a side-view of a contact identification attachment according to an embodiment being used in conjunction with a connector; 
         FIG.  4    illustrates a top-view of the contact identification attachment of  FIG.  3   ; 
         FIG.  5    illustrates a top-view of a system for distributing a contact identification attachment according to an embodiment; and 
         FIG.  6    illustrates a process of utilizing a contact identification attachment in conjunction with a device compatible with augmented reality or virtual reality. 
     
    
    
     Before explaining the disclosed embodiment of the present invention in detail, it is to be understood that the invention is not limited in its application to the details of the particular arrangement shown, since the invention is capable of other embodiments. Exemplary embodiments are illustrated in the referenced figures of the drawings. It is intended that the embodiments and figures disclosed herein are to be considered illustrative rather than limiting. Also, the terminology used herein is for the purpose of description and not of limitation. 
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
     Although this invention is susceptible of embodiments in many different forms, there are shown in the drawings and are described in detail herein specific embodiments with the understanding that the present disclosure is an exemplification of the principles of the invention. It is not intended to limit the invention to the specific illustrated embodiments. The features of the invention disclosed herein in the description, drawings, and claims may be significant, both individually and in desired combinations, for the operation of the invention in its various embodiments. Features from one embodiment may be used in other embodiments of the invention. 
     Referring to  FIG.  3   , a contact identification attachment  100  according to an embodiment may be provided. Specifically, the contact identification attachment  100  may be retrofitted onto an existing connector  200 . 
     The connector  200  may be a M12 style connector, a M8 style connector, or other styles of connectors known in the art. In this example, the connector  200  may include one or more contacts  210 . The one or more contacts  210  may or may not be color coded at some locations such as its core or an outer insulator. However, in a common connector, the contacts  210  are unlikely to be color coded. The connector  200  may further include a mechanical front shell  220  and a connector mating body  230 . 
     In addition, a device  300  that needs to be wired with the connector  200  may also be provided. The device may include one or more wires  310  that are to be wired to the corresponding contacts  210  of the connector  200 . The wires  310  may or may not be color coded. In cases where the wires  310  are color coded, the color on the individual wire  310  need not match the color of corresponding contacts  210  if the contacts  210  are color coded at all. 
     The device  300  may further include a mechanical backshell  320  that may be mated with the mechanical front shell  220  of the connector  200  during assembly. The device  300  may further include incoming wire with insulating jacket  330 . Moreover, adhesive may be provided on a surface  102  of the contact identification attachment  100  to secure the contact identification attachment  100  to the connector  200  or to the device  300  during assembly. 
       FIG.  4    illustrates a top view of the contact identification attachment  100  according to an embodiment. The contact identification attachment  100  may be of a shape that generally corresponds to a connector that the contact identification attachment  100  is to be attached with. For example, if a connector is circular in shape, the contact identification attachment  100  may also be circular in shape that resembles a disk. Of course, the contact identification attachment  100  needs not match the shape of a connector, and may be in many shapes and sizes. 
     The contact identification attachment  100  may include an insert  110  that forms the main portion of the contact identification attachment  100 . The insert  110  may be made from non-conductive materials such as thin plastic, film, paper cardstock, or the like. The insert  110  may include one or more cutouts  120  that correspond to the one or more contacts of a connector. Using the embodiment shown  FIG.  3   , where the connector  200  includes three contacts  210  (a first contact  212 , a second contact  214 , and a third contact  216 ), the contact identification attachment  100  may be designed to also include three cutouts  120  (a first cutout  122 , a second cutout  124 , and a third cutout  126 ) to match the contacts  210 . The cutouts  120  may be in the form of a hole or a bore through the contact identification attachment  100 , allowing wires to be passed therethrough. 
     A shape of the cutouts  120  may match the shape of the contacts  210  that the cutouts  120  are designed to be fitted over. By way of example, if a contact  210  (such as the second contact  214  or the third contact  216 ) is circular in shape, the cutout  120  (such as the second cutout  124  or the third cutout  126 ) that correspond to such contact  210  may also be circular in shape. Similarly, if a contact  210  (such as the first contact  212 ) is trapezoidal in shape, the corresponding cutout  120  (such as the first cutout  112 ) may also be trapezoidal in shape. Nonetheless, it should be noted that the shape of the cutouts  120  need not match their corresponding contacts  210  so long as the cutouts  120  are sizeable enough to run wires therethrough. 
     The cutouts  120  may also match the locations of the contacts  210  that the cutouts are designed to be fitted over. For example, as shown in  FIG.  3   , the first contact  212  may be proximal to a center axis of the connector  200 , while the second contact  214  and the third contact may be proximal to an edge of the connector  200 . In such case, the first cutout  122  (that corresponds to the first contact  212 ) may also be proximal to a center of the contact identification attachment  100 , while the second cutout  124  and the third cutout  126  may have a first relative location with references to the first cutout  122  and with each other similar to a second relative location of the second contact  224  and the third contact  226  with references to the first contact  222  and with each other. 
     The contact identification attachment  100  may further include indicators  130  near or proximal to each of the cutouts  120 . In some embodiments, the indicators  130  may partially or completely surround the corresponding cutouts  120 . Using the example provided in  FIG.  4   , when three cutouts  120  are provided on the contact identification attachment  100 , three indicators  130  may also be provided. Here, a first indicator  132  may correspond to the first cutout  122 , a second indicator  134  may correspond to the second cutout  124 , and the third indicator  136  may correspond to the third cutout  126 . 
     The indicators  130  may take various forms. In an embodiment, the indicators  130  may be color coded. Thus, even if a connector does not come with color coded contacts, the contact identification attachment  100  may be retrofitted onto such connector to color code the contacts. For example, the indicators  130  may be green, red, and purple respectively. In an embodiment, each cutout  120  may have a unique indicator  130  that corresponds to such cutout  120 . For example, the first cutout  122  may have the corresponding first indicator  132  in green, the second cutout  124  may have the corresponding second indicator  134  in red, and the third cutout  126  may have the corresponding third indicator  136  in purple, and so forth. 
     Other types of unique indicators may also be used in addition to or in alternative to color coding. By way of example, in an embodiment, the indicators  130  may include different unique shape markings, such as triangle, circle, square, or the like. In yet another embodiment, indicators  130  may comprise of different symbols or words such as “I”, “II”, “III”, “A”, “B”, “C” or “1”, “2,” “3”, or other appropriate markings. The indicators  130  may be provided on the contact identification attachment  100  through printing, etching, engraving, or other methods known to those skilled in the art. 
     In some embodiments, the cutouts  120  and/or the indicators  130  may also provide keying when mated with a connector  200  to prevent inadvertent rotation, such as having an additional cutout along an edge of the contact identification attachment  100 . 
       FIG.  5    illustrates an embodiment of a system to distribute the contact identification attachment  100 . In an embodiment, a medium  400  may be provided to end users that includes a contact identification attachment  100  therein. The medium  400  may have a similar dimension as a business card or a credit card, such that the medium is easily portable. 
     The medium  400  may include a card  410  that forms a main portion of the medium  400 . The card  410  may be made from any suitable material such as plastic, paper cardstock, or the like. The card  410  may include an attachment cutout  420  for the contact identification attachment  100 . In an embodiment, the contact identification attachment  100  may be of a punch-out nature integral to the medium  400 . For example, the contact identification attachment  100  may be coupled with the medium  400  through a perforated edge, making the contact identification attachment  100  removable from the medium  400 . Thus, during distribution, a user may be given the medium  400  that includes the contact identification attachment  100  attached thereto. Thereafter, the user may remove the contact identification attachment  100  from the medium  400 . 
     The medium  400  may further include portions  430  that contain information relating to the contact identification attachment  100 . By way of example, if the corresponding contact identification attachment  100  for the medium  400  includes three cutouts  120 , the medium  400  may include three portions  430  that describe various information, such as functions, that correspond to the cutouts  120 . The information described in these portions  430  may correspond to the indicators  130  on the corresponding contact identification attachment  100 . For example, if the indicators  130  are color coded, the portions  430  may similarly be color coded and provide information pertaining to the respective cutouts  120 . 
     In an example, using the medium  400  as shown in  FIG.  5   , multiple wiring configurations may be provided using a same contact identification attachment  100 . For example, if the indicators  130  of the contact identification attachment  100  are color coded green, red, and purple, instructions may be provided on the medium  400 . By way of example, the medium  400  may be printed with instructions such as: “for configuration A, connect red wire to red cutout contact, connect green wire to green cutout contact, and connect purple wire to purple cutout contact; for Configuration B, connect red wire to green cutout contact, connect purple wire to red cutout contact, and connect green wire to purple cutout contact” and the like. Thus, using the contact identification attachment  100 , wiring instructions for multiple configurations may easily be conveyed even if a connector does not include color coded contact itself. 
     Refer back to  FIG.  3   , in practice, a medium  400  with a contact identification attachment  100  contained therein may be provided to a user. The user may remove the contact identification attachment  100  from the medium  400  in the field and attached the contact identification attachment  100  onto an existing connector  200 . The user may align the contact identification attachment  100  with the connector  200  using keying by a property of a cutout  120  (such as a shape) and/or a property of an indicator  130  (such as color coding or other markings). The user may further affix the contact identification attachment  100  on the connector  200  using adhesive or other appropriate means. Thereafter, the user may review instructions provided on the medium  400  (or provided separately), and connect proper wires  310  to the proper contacts  210  using the contact identification attachment  100  as an aid. 
     In a further embodiment, virtual reality (VR) or augmented reality (AR) may be used in conjunction with a contact identification attachment  100 . For example, an AR compatible device (such as a smartphone) may be loaded with an AR application, where when executed, the AR application may utilize a camera, which may be provided on the smartphone or as a standalone camera, to read or recognize indicators  130  of the contact identification attachment  100 . The AR application may provide instructions to a user with options for types of installations. 
     In yet another embodiment, the user may select a type of installation desired by the user, and the AR application may show the proper wiring instruction for the selected type of installation in conjunction with the contact identification attachment  100 . As an example, if the indicators  130  are color coded, the AR application may display one or more AR images on the AR compatible device of connecting a first wire to a first contact corresponding to a first cutout and a first indicator of a first color, and connecting a second wire to a second contact corresponding to a second cutout and a second indicator of a second color, and so forth. It should be appreciated that the same or similar methods may also be applied to a VR compatible device (such as a VR headset) loaded with suitable VR application. 
       FIG.  6    illustrates a process  600  of utilizing a contact identification attachment utilizing an AR or VR compatible device. The process  600  may be carried out by the compatible device using one or more processors executing program or software stored either on a memory on the device or stored remotely on a server. 
     At Step  610 , the compatible device may identify a contact identification attachment. The compatible device may include or be connected to a camera or other sensors. In some embodiment, a user may initiate an application, a program, or a software on the compatible device that activates the camera. When the contact identification attachment comes into view and range of the camera, the compatible device may recognize that the object in view is a contact identification attachment. For example, this may be achieved through recognizing a size or a dimension of an object at matching a profile the contact identification attachment. As can be appreciated, may variations of the contact identification attachment may exist, and the application or the software may be able to identify many variations of the contact identification attachment. 
     At Step  620 , the camera or the sensor may obtain an image of the contact identification attachment identified in Step  610 . In some embodiments, Step  620  may be combined with Step  610  such that a user may manually take a picture (such as pressing a shutter button) to obtain an image, and from the image, the contact identification attachment may be identified. 
     At Step  630 , the application may recognize indicators on the contact identification attachment based on the image taken at Step  620 . Alternatively, the indicators may already be recognized based on the identification of the contact identification attachment at Step  610 . 
     At Step  640 , the application may determine what possible configurations are supported by the specific contact identification attachment. In some embodiments, the application may determine a specific identity or version of the contact identification attachment based on a number of factors, such as the number of the indicators, the type of the indicators, the shape of the indicators, the order of the indicators, the relative positions of the indicators, or the like. 
     For example, if the indicators are color coded, the application may recognize the specific color combination as being correspond to a specific contact identification attachment. For example, if the contact identification attachment includes a red indicator, a blue indicator, and a purple indicator, the application may recognize that the contact identification attachment is “Contact Identification Attachment V1”, versus if the contact identification attachment includes a red indicator, a blue indicator, and a green indicator, the application may recognize that the contact identification attachment is “Contact Identification Attachment V2”. 
     Based on recognizing the specific contact identification attachment, the application may be able to retrieve (such as from a database) the various configurations supported by the specific contact identification attachment. For example, “Contact Identification Attachment V1” may support configurations “A”, “B”, and “C”, while “Contact Identification Attachment V2” may only support configuration “D”. In additional embodiments, identity or version of the specific contact identification attachment, or possible configurations may be provided using machine-reading codes such as a barcode or a QR code. 
     At Step  650 , the compatible device may prompt the user to select a desired configuration. For example, if, at Step  640 , it is determined three possible configurations are supported by the specific contact identification attachment, then the compatible device may ask the user to input or select one of the three configurations. Alternatively, if only one configuration is possible, Step  650  may be omitted or skipped. 
     At Step  660 , a wiring instruction corresponding to the selected configuration may be displayed. Depending on the compatible device, the wiring instruction may be provided on a display of the compatible device. The wiring instructions may be augmented on the image taken at Step  620  or may be augmented on a live image or a live video. In some embodiments, the compatible device may recognize a specific wire being manipulated by the user, and display the appropriate wiring instructions, based in part on the selected configuration and the information obtained from the indicators. 
     Additional steps may be included in the process  600 . For example, the user may select a different configuration if multiple configurations are available. Moreover, some steps may be repeated or omitted depending on the specific implementation, and are within the spirit of this disclosure. 
     Specific embodiments of a contact identification attachment according to the present invention have been described for the purpose of illustrating the manner in which the invention may be made and used. It should be understood that the implementation of other variations and modifications of this invention and its different aspects will be apparent to one skilled in the art, and that this invention is not limited by the specific embodiments described. Features described in one embodiment may be implemented in other embodiments. The subject disclosure is understood to encompass the present invention and any and all modifications, variations, or equivalents that fall within the spirit and scope of the basic underlying principles disclosed and claimed herein.