Patent ID: 7491081

Claim:
An electrical connector, comprising: (a) a socket component ( 3 ) adapted for non-rotatable collinear mounting in an opening contained in a fixed support ( 11 ), said socket component including: (1) a cylindrical central body portion ( 5 ) formed of electrical insulating material and containing a plurality of longitudinal through bores; (2) a plurality of electrical female contacts ( 3 a ) mounted in said socket through bores, respectively; and (3) an outer tubular portion ( 8 ) connected with and extending in concentrically spaced relation about said central body portion, thereby to define an annular groove (G); (4) said outer tubular portion ( 8 ) having an internal surface carrying internal screw thread means ( 9 ); (b) a cylindrical plug component ( 2 ) including: (1) a cylindrical body portion ( 4 ) containing a plurality of plug through bores; (2) said plug body portion having at one end an integral tubular end portion ( 4 a ) adapted to extend within said annular space; and (3) a plurality of male contacts ( 2 a ) supported within said plug bores, respectively, said male contacts being arranged for respective electrical engagement with said female contacts when said plug tubular end portion is inserted axially within said annular groove; and (c) a tubular fastening sleeve component ( 6 ) rotatably mounted concentrically about said plug component intermediate said plug component and said socket component outer tubular portion, said tubular sleeve component having an outer circumferential surface carrying external screw thread means ( 7 ) adapted for threaded engagement with said internal screw thread means; (d) one of said internal and external screw thread means having a smaller number of screw threads and extending an axial length (a) that is less than about 30% of the axial length (b) of the other of said internal and external screw thread means, whereby following axial connection of the plug and socket components, the components may be fastened together by a relatively few turns of the sleeve component.