Patent Document

RIGHTS IN INVENTION 
     This invention was made with support under Government Subcontract No. 100200 Boeing Corp. under Prime Contract HQ0006-01-C-0001 with the Department of the Army. The U.S. Government may have certain rights to this invention. 
    
    
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     1. Field of Invention 
     This invention relates to electrical connectors. Specifically, the present invention relates to systems and methods for keying connectors to prevent erroneous connections. 
     2. Description of the Related Art 
     Connector keying systems are employed in various demanding applications including connectors for electronic test equipment, computers, life support machines, and etc. Such keying systems must reliably prevent inadvertent electrical connections. 
     Keying systems are particularly important in interfacing applications involving electronic test equipment, where interface cables must be properly connected to prevent costly hardware or software damage. Typically, different connector types are used to interface hardware components. For example, one interface cable may be fitted with a 9-pin micro-D style connector, while another interface cable may be fitted with a 160-pin micro-D style connector. 
     Some applications require plural interface cables having similar connector pin arrangements. In these applications, the connectors are often labeled (by color or part number) to facilitate proper connections. However, connector labeling is undesirably susceptible to human error. 
     Alternatively, similar connectors are permanently modified via a special keying system to prevent inadvertent interfacing of incompatibles hardware components. Conventional keying systems are typically built into the connector and are not readily customizable without extensive modification of the connector. The systems may include various pins that are selectively arranged on flanges of the male and female connector components. Connection between the male and female connector components is only allowed when the pin arrangements match up for proper connector mating. 
     Conventionally, male and female connector pairs are permanently keyed in a particular configuration and sold together. Consequently, to use the keying system, pre-existing interface cable arrangements require costly rework or are typically replaced with new cable fitted with accompanying keyed connectors. Unfortunately, cable and connector replacement is often time-consuming and costly, especially in applications having cables that run through walls or floors. Cable and connector replacement is particularly problematic in applications having connector components that are permanently installed on circuit boards. Removal of the circuit boards for permanent connector replacement or modification is often impractical. 
     Alternatively, existing connectors are permanently modified to accommodate the keying system. Connector machining is often required to modify the connectors to accommodate the keying system or to change the current keying configuration, which is undesirably costly and causes system downtime. Consequently, conventional keying systems are often limited to certain applications. 
     Hence, a need exists in the art for a versatile, removable, and customizable connector keying system that does not require permanent connector modification and is easily programmable to accommodate several keying configurations and various connector types. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     The need in the art is addressed by the connector keying system of the present invention. In the illustrative embodiment, the inventive keying system is adapted for use with connectors having flanges. The keying system includes a first shaped feature that is removably connected to a first connector component. A second shaped feature is removably connected to a second connector component. The first shaped feature and the second shaped feature are shaped so that the first shaped feature fits with the second shaped feature to selectively allow the first connector component to connect with the second connector component. 
     In a specific embodiment, the keying system further includes a first mechanism for removably connecting the first shaped feature to the first connector component and the second shaped feature to the second connector component. A second mechanism enables selective orientation of the first shaped feature and the second shaped feature to customize the keying system. 
     The first mechanism includes a first retainer body and a second retainer body for facilitating attachment of the first shaped feature to the first connector component and the second shaped feature to the second connector component, respectively. The second mechanism includes a first feature assembly for accommodating the first shaped feature. The first feature assembly is selectively rotatable relative to the first retainer body to selectively cause a different orientation of the first shaped feature. A second feature assembly is selectively rotatable relative to the second retainer body to selectively cause a different orientation of the second shaped feature. 
     In a more specific embodiment, the first feature assembly and the second feature assembly are pin assemblies. The first shaped feature and the second shaped feature comprise a first pin and hole arrangement and a second pin and hole arrangement, respectively. The first pin and hole arrangement is configured relative to the second pin and hole arrangement to allow only the first connector and the second connector, having the first pin and hole arrangement and the second pin and hole arrangement mounted thereon, respectively, to interconnect. 
     The first and second pin assemblies have first and second corresponding pin assembly bases with predetermined numbers of pins mounted on front surfaces thereof. The first and second pin assemblies have first and second corresponding shafts therethrough extending from rear surfaces of the first and second pin assembly bases, respectively. The first and second retainer bodies have openings therein for receiving the first and second shafts of the first and second pin assemblies. 
     The first mechanism includes first and second retaining rings for retaining first and second connector flanges of the first and second connectors, respectively, between the first retaining ring and the first retainer body and between the second retaining ring and the second retainer body. The first and second retaining rings are attachable to the first and second shafts, respectively. 
     The first and second shafts are completely hollow with an internal thread that extends part way through the shaft. The first connector component includes a jackscrew that extends through the first connector component and through the first and second holes to secure the first connector component to the second connector component and to secure the mating connectors. The first and second retainer bodies have ridges for mating with the pin assembly bases to secure the pin assembly bases relative to the retainer bodies to prevent rotation of the pin assembly bases relative to the retainer bodies when the keying systems are installed on the first and the second connector components. The first and second retainer bodies have another opposing ridge that prevents rotation of the retainer body relative to the connector body as well. 
     The novel design of the present invention is facilitated by the pin assemblies, which may be rotated relative to associated retainer bodies that hold the pin assemblies to corresponding connector flanges. Use of the retainer body and associated retaining ring allow the keying pin assemblies to be connected to or removed from connector flanges without permanently modifying the connectors. The ability to rotate the pin assemblies relative to the retainer bodies by simply removing the retaining clip and manually rotating the pin assemblies enables different keying configurations. Hence, the keying system of the present invention is easily adaptable to various existing connectors; does not require permanent connector modification or machining; and is easily customizable for plural keying configurations. 
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     FIG. 1 is a diagram of an exemplary micro-D style connector having male and female components fitted with a connector keying system constructed in accordance with the teachings of the present invention. 
     FIG. 2 is a diagram showing the micro-D style connector of FIG. 1 with the male and female components connected. 
     FIG. 3 is a diagram showing the micro-D style connector of FIG. 1 with the male and female components separated by the keying system due to a mismatch. 
     FIG. 4 is a more detailed diagram showing and exploded view of the female portion of the connector keying system of FIG.  1 . 
     FIG. 5 is a diagram showing the male portion of the connector keying system of FIG.  1 . 
    
    
     DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
     While the present invention is described herein with reference to illustrative embodiments for particular applications, it should be understood that the invention is not limited thereto. Those having ordinary skill in the art and access to the teachings provided herein will recognize additional modifications, applications, and embodiments within the scope thereof and additional fields in which the present invention would be of significant utility. 
     FIG. 1 is a diagram of an exemplary micro-D style connector  10  having a male component  12  and a female component  14  fitted with a connector keying system  16  constructed in accordance with an illustrative embodiment of the teachings of the present invention. The male connector component  12  has a left male flange  18  and a right male flange  20  that are positioned on opposite sides of the male connector component  12  and have surfaces that face toward a corresponding left female flange  22  and a right female flange  24 , respectively. The left and right female flanges  22 ,  24  are positioned on opposite sides of the female connector component  14 . 
     The left and right male flanges  18 ,  20  are each fitted with a male keying portion  26  of the connector keying system  16 . The left and right female flanges  22 ,  24  are fitted with a female keying portion  28 . In the present specific embodiment, the male keying portion  26  includes a male pin assembly  30 , which accommodates a single pin  32  that faces the female connector component  14 . The female keying portion  28  includes a female pin assembly  36  that accommodates three pins  38 . 
     Each pin assembly  30 ,  36  is stabilized by a separate retainer body  34  that fits between the male pin assembly  30  and the male flange  20  and between the female pin assembly  36  and the female flange  24 . Each retainer body  34  has a central hole and four additional holes, as discussed more fully below. The four additional holes correspond to possible pin positions. 
     The pin assemblies  30 ,  36  each have a hollow shaft  40  with partial internal threads that extends from rear surfaces of each pin assembly  30 ,  36 . A center hole  42  through the center of each pin assembly  30 ,  36  is aligned with the interior of each hollow shaft  40 . Each hollow shaft  40  has partial internal threads (not shown). Each shaft  40  extends through corresponding connector flanges  20 ,  24 , via pre-existing jackset screw holes in the flanges  20 ,  24 , and accommodates a retaining ring  44  on the backside of each flange  20 ,  24 . The retaining ring  44  secures corresponding keying portions  26 ,  28  to the flanges  20 ,  24 . 
     The center hole  42  through each pin assembly  30 ,  36  accommodates a captive jackset screw  46  that passes through each hollow shaft  40 . Captive jackset screws, such as the jackset screw  46 , are known in the art and help hold the male connector component  12  to the female connector component  14 . Each central shaft or hole  40 ,  42  of the male keying portion  26  and the female keying portion  28 , respectively, may be threaded to help accommodate each jackset screw  46 . Those skilled in the art will appreciate that the keying system  16  may be adapted for use with connector fastening mechanisms other than jackset screws without departing from the scope of the present invention. 
     The male pin assembly  30  has three empty pin holes in positions corresponding to the three pins  38  of the female pin assembly  36 , as discussed more fully below. The female pin assembly  36  has an empty pin hole  48  in a position corresponding to the single pin  32  on the male pin assembly  30 . The single pin  32  and the three pins  38  are oriented so that when the male and female connector components  12 ,  24  are connected, the male and female keying portions  26 ,  28  mate, and the single pin  32  slides into the corresponding pin hole on the female pin assembly  36 . Simultaneously, the three pins  38  slide into corresponding holes in the male pin assembly  30 , as discussed more fully below. 
     When the male and female keying portions  26 ,  28  mismatch, such that the single pin  32  does not line up with the corresponding empty pin hole  48  in the female keying portion  28 , the male and female connector components  12 ,  14  are prevented from connecting by the pins  32 ,  38 . 
     The keying system  16  may be reconfigured by simply changing the orientation of the pins  32 ,  38  on the male and female keying portions  26 ,  28 . The orientation of the pins  32 ,  38  may be changed for example, by removing the retaining clip  44  to release the male pin assembly  30  from the retainer body  34 ; rotating the male pin assembly  30  by a quarter turn; repositioning the male pin assembly  30  with the retainer body  34 ; and then reinstalling the retainer clip  44 . 
     Those skilled in the art will appreciate that the pin assemblies  30 ,  36  may be replaced with other shaped features without departing from the scope of the present invention. For example, the pins  32 ,  38  may be replaced with bumps or other strategically shaped contours. Additional or fewer pins may also be employed. 
     FIG. 2 is a diagram showing the micro-D style connector  10  of FIG. 1 with the male and female components  12 ,  14  connected. The male keying portion  26  and the female keying portion  28  are mated, and the corresponding pin assemblies  34 ,  36  are held tightly together via the retaining rings  44  and jackset screws  46 . 
     The dimensions of the connector keying system  16  are sufficiently small to enable a complete electrical connection between the male connector component  12  and the female connector component  14 . The male keying portion  26  and the female keying portion  28  may cause a larger separation between the connector components  12 ,  14  than would otherwise exist. However, this separation remains within acceptable connection tolerances. 
     FIG. 3 is a diagram showing the micro-D style  10  connector of FIG. 1 with the male and female components  12 ,  14  separated by the keying system  16  due to a mismatch. The single pin  32  on the male pin assembly  30  of the male keying portion  26  is aligned relative to the pins  38  on the female pin assembly  36  of the female keying portion  28  so that the single pin  32  contacts one of the pins  38  on female pin assembly  36 , thereby preventing the male keying portion  26  from mating with the female keying portion  28 . This prevents the male connector component  12  from connecting with the female connector component  14 . The lengths of the pins  32 ,  38  are set so that even a partial electrical connection between the male connector component  12  and the female connector component  14  is prevented. In the present specific embodiment, when the male keying portion  26  is mismatched with the female keying portion  28 , a 0.030 inch gap exists between the connector components  12 ,  14 . 
     FIG. 4 is a more detailed diagram showing an exploded view of the female portion  28  of the connector keying system  16  of FIG.  1 . The pin assembly  36  has a pin assembly base  50  with the center hole  42  extending perpendicularly through from a front surface  52  of the pin assembly base  50  and through the hollow shaft  40 . The hollow shaft  40  extends from a rear surface  54  of the pin assembly base  50 . The hollow shaft  40  has a retaining groove  56  therein that facilitates fastening of the retaining ring  44  to the hollow shaft  40 . 
     The pin assembly base  50  also includes the empty pin hole  48 , which is placed near a corner of the block-shaped pin assembly base  50 . In the present specific embodiment, the three pins  38  extend from three different corners of the square-shaped front surface  52  of the pin assembly base  50 . The fourth corner accommodates the empty pin hole  48 . The empty pin hole  48  will accommodate the single pin  32  of FIG. 1 that extends from the male pin assembly  30  when the male pin assembly  30  mates with another matching pin assembly, such as the female pin assembly  36 . 
     Those skilled in the art will appreciate that the pin assembly base  50  may be another shape, such as hexagonal, and that a different number of pins may be employed and distributed in various different positions about the pin assembly base  50 . Furthermore, the exact shape of the pins  38  is application-specific and may be adjusted by one skilled in the art to meet the needs of a given application. In addition, the pins  38  may be replaced with any strategically shaped feature to meet the needs of a given application without departing from the scope of the present invention. For example, the front surface  52  of the pin assembly base  50  may be strategically contoured to provide a desired number of user-configurable keying combinations. 
     Depending on the interfacing environment, certain applications may require that a given keyed pin assembly be able to mate with more than one corresponding pin assembly. In this case, for example, one of the pins  38  may be removed. The modified pin assembly will then mate with any similar pin assembly that has missing pins in locations corresponding to the locations of the pins  38 . Consequently, in this case, more than one pin configuration could mate with the modified pin assembly. The pins  38  may be threaded and screwed into corresponding threaded holes on the pin assembly base  50  to enable removal, replacement, or repositioning of existing pins  38 . 
     In the preferred embodiment, at least one pin of a complimentary pin assembly, such as the male pin assembly  30  of FIG. 1, will coincide with an empty pin hole, such as the pin hole  48 , on the pin assembly base  50 . The pin that coincides with the empty pin hole  48  helps to stabilize and interlock the pin assemblies  30 ,  36 . 
     The retainer body  34  of the female keying portion  28  is designed to secure the female pin assembly  36  on a connector flange, such as the flange  24  of FIG. 1, and to facilitate plural keying configurations. The retainer body  34  includes four holes  58  positioned on the retainer body  34  in positions directly coinciding with the three pins  38  and the empty pin hole  48  of the pin assembly base  50 . The retainer body  34  also includes a central hole  60  that is sized to accommodate the hollow shaft  40  of the female pin assembly  36 . 
     The retainer body  34  includes side ridges  62  for holding the pin assembly base  50  in place when the pin assembly  36  is mated with the retainer body  34 . The ridges  62  facilitate mating the retainer body  34  with the pin assembly base  50  to prevent rotation of the pin assembly base  50  relative to the retainer body  34 . 
     A retainer body flange  64  extends perpendicularly from the retainer body  34  and toward the retaining ring  44 . The retainer body flange  64  helps to stabilize the retainer body  34  on a connector flange, such as the connector flange  24  of FIG.  1 . The connector flange  24  fits between the retaining ring  44  and the backside of the retainer body  34  when the female keying portion  28  is installed on the connector flange  24 . 
     In operation, the shaft  40  of the female pin assembly  36  is inserted into the central hole  60  of the retainer body  34  and then through a corresponding hole (not shown) on the connector flange  24  of FIG.  1 . The pin assembly base  50  fits between the supporting ridges  58  of the retainer body  34 , which keep the pin assembly base  50  from rotating when the base  50  is secured to the retainer body  34  with the retaining ring  44 . The connector flange  24  of FIG. 1 fits between the retainer body  34  and the retaining ring  44 . The empty pin hole  48  is aligned with one of the corresponding corner holes  58  in the retainer body  34 . 
     FIG. 5 is a diagram showing the male portion  26  of the connector keying system  16  of FIG.  1 . With reference to FIGS. 4 and 5, when the single pin  32  of the matching male keying portion  26  coincides with the empty pin hole  48 , the single pin  32  extends through the empty pin hole  48  and through a corresponding corner hole  58  of the retainer body  34 . In addition, the three pins  38  extend through three corresponding empty pin holes  68  on the pin assembly base  36  of the male keying portion  26 . This further secures keying portions  26  and  28 , preventing any undesirable rotation of constituent components. 
     Those skilled in the art will appreciate that the three pins  38  may partially extend from the backside of the pin assembly base  50  and fit with the corner holes  58  of the retainer body  34 . This may help further stabilize the retainer body  34  relative to the pin assembly  36 . 
     When the female pin assembly  36  is fitted to the retainer body  34 , a retaining groove  56  extends from the backside of the retainer body  34  and through a connector flange, such as the connector flange  24  of FIG.  1 . The end of the connector flange abuts the retainer body flange  64 . The retaining ring  44  fits with the retaining groove  56 , thereby securing the female pin assembly  36 , the retainer body  34 , and the associated connector flange together. Those skilled in the art will appreciate that the retaining ring  44  may be replaced with another retaining mechanism, such as a nut, without departing from the scope of the present invention. 
     The female keying portion  28  may be reconfigured by simply removing the retaining ring  44 ; sliding the pin assembly  36  away from the retainer body  34  and accompanying ridges  62 ; rotating the pin assembly  36  by 90, 180, or 270 degrees; then reinserting the pin assembly  36  into the retainer body  34 ; and then reinstalling the retaining ring  44  via the retaining groove  56 . The male keying portion  26  may be reconfigured similarly. 
     When the male pin assembly  30  matches the female pin assembly  36 , the single pin  32  fits into the single hole  48 , and the three empty holes  68  in the male pin assembly  30  accommodate the three pins  38  of the female pin assembly base  36 . When the pins  32 ,  38  and holes  48 ,  68  are properly aligned, accompanying connector components will fit together to establish a connection, as shown in FIG.  2 . If the male pin assembly  30  is mismatched with the female pin assembly  36 , a connection between corresponding connector components will not be allowed, as shown in FIG.  3 . 
     In the present specific embodiment, one of the keying portions  26 ,  28  will have three pins  38 , while the other has as single pin  32 . This enables sixteen different unique keying combinations. One particular orientation of the male pin assembly  30  will only match one corresponding orientation of the female pin assembly  36 . Hence, no duplicate combinations, where one orientation of the female pin assembly  36  matches more than one orientation of the male pin assembly  30 , are allowed in this embodiment. 
     Both pin assemblies  30 ,  36  are selectively rotatable relative to the retainer body  34  to enable different keying configurations. The retaining ring  44  is simply removed, and the pin assemblies  30 ,  36  are moved away from the retainer body  34  to facilitate rotation and reconfiguration. Use of the easily removable retaining ring  44  in combination with the pin assemblies  30 ,  36  and retainer body  34  facilitates both keying system reconfiguration and installation and removal from accompanying connector components. 
     Thus, the present invention has been described herein with reference to a particular embodiment for a particular application. Those having ordinary skill in the art and access to the present teachings will recognize additional modifications, applications, and embodiments within the scope thereof. It is therefore intended by the appended claims to cover any and all such applications, modifications and embodiments within the scope of the present invention. 
     Accordingly;

Technology Category: 5