GB2268641A

GB2268641A - Bipolar cable connector

Info

Publication number: GB2268641A
Application number: GB9302815A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Gianpiero Turrin; Guiseppe Veronese
Original assignee: Sit La Precisa SpA
Current assignee: Sit La Precisa SpA
Priority date: 1992-07-02
Filing date: 1993-02-12
Publication date: 1994-01-12
Anticipated expiration: 2013-02-12
Also published as: ITMI920660V0; IT226738Z2; GB9302815D0; GB2268641B; FR2693319B1; ITMI920660U1; FR2693319A1; DE9306869U1

Abstract

A socket connector 2 has a cavity 5 with a base from which pins 8,9 projects. The connector 2 sealingly mates with a counterpart 3 having spaces sockets 13, 14 projecting from a wall 21a and surrounded by a seal having a lip 22 which engages the inner walls of the cavity 5. A lip 26 acts as a handle to aid removal of the counterpart 3. <IMAGE>

Description

The invention relates to a bipolar cable connector, particularly though not exclusively suitable for supplying electromagnet coils used e.g. for actuating solenoid valves in general.

The main aim of the invention is to provide a connector of the aforementioned kind and with structural characteristics which provide associated male and female parts with sealing-tightness against external agents (such as dust or moisture), considerably better than that obtained hitherto by similar connectors in the prior art.

Another aim is to provide a bipolar cable connector having structural features ensuring optimum conformity to the safety standards without being complicated or difficult to construct or to use.

Another aim of the invention is to provide the connector with special qualities of compactness, reduced bulk, and easy comfortable handling.

These aims and others which will appear more clearly from the following description, are obtained by an electric cable connector comprising a female part and a male part with respective electric contacts, the connector being characterised according to the invention in that the female part has a body defining a cavity having a base from which two spaced-apart coplanar electric strip contacts project and extend beyond the flat edge of the cavity, the male part comprises a substantially cuboid body, two spaced-apart sockets projecting from a wall of the cuboid body, each socket being formed with a respective slot having transverse dimensions and a depth suitable for receiving a corresponding contact strip of the female part, two electric contacts secured to the base of the slot and a band surrounding the sockets and spaced therefrom and co-operating therewith to define a resiliently deformable lip formed externally with a continuous peripherally extending bead for sealing-tight coupling to the inner walls of the cavity defined in the female part.

The features and advantages of a bipolar cable connector according to the invention will be clearer from the following description of an embodiment, given hereinafter with reference to the accompanying drawings, which are given by way of non-limitative example and in which: Fig. 1 is a perspective view of a connector according to the invention with associated male and female parts; Figs. 2 and 3 are perspective views of the connector in Fig. 1 when the male and female parts are separate, shown from above and below respectively; Fig. 4 is a larger-scale plan view of a female part of the bipolar cable connector according to the invention; Fig. 5 is a longitudinal section through the female part in Fig. 4; Fig. 6 is a cross-section through the female part in Fig. 4;; Fig. 7 is a larger-scale plan view of the male part of a bipolar cable connector according to the invention, and Fig. 8 is a view in longitudinal section of the male part in Fig. 7.

With reference to the aforementioned drawings, a bipolar cable connector 1 according to the invention comprises a female part 2 and a male part 3.

The female part 2 has a body 4 defining a cavity 5 substantially in the form of an elongate rectangular eyelet, the base of which has a peripheral groove 6 of predetermined thickness and forming a sort of holder 7 relative to the inner walls of the cavity 5 and relative to the base.

Advantageously the opposite walls 7a, 7b of the holder 7 diverge towards the base of the groove 6, giving the holder a substantially wedge shape.

Two similar parallel coplanar spaced-apart electric contact strips 8, 9 project from the holder 7 and extend beyond the flat edge 5a of the cavity.

A socket 10 extends from the holder 7 (advantageously integrally therewith) in a position between the contact strips 8, 9 and is formed with a threaded axial aperture 11. The socket 10, which is preferably and conventionally cuboidal, does not project beyond the flat edge 5a of the cavity 5.

The male part 3 has a substantially cuboid body 12 having a wall 12a from which two similar parallel spaced-apart sockets 13, 14 project. Each socket 13, 14 has an axial slot 15, 16 respectively, with transverse dimensions and depth suitable for receiving a respective contact strip 8, 9 of the female part 2.

Electric contacts 17, 18, preferably of the faston (1ttt) type, are secured to the base of slots 15, 16 respectively and extend to a reduced height inside the slots. In order to facilitate and guarantee coupling between the contact strips 8, 9 of the female part 2 and the faston contacts 17, 18 of the male part 3, the slots 15, 16 are provided with respective internal guides 19, 20 made of a suitable rigid insulating material.

The sockets 13, 14 are surrounded at a suitable spacing by a band 21 of flexible material secured to and projecting from the wall 12a of the male part 3 and cooperating therewith to define a flat edge 21a equal in width to the flat edge 5a surrounding the cavity 5 in the female part 2.

The band 21, which is dimensioned and shaped so as intimately to engage in the cavity 5 in the female part 2, co-operates with the sockets to define a resiliently deformable lip 22 formed with an external bead 22a extending peripherally and continuously at a distance from the free edge of the lip.

The lip 22 has the right thickness for engaging the groove 6 formed at the base of the cavity 5 in the female part 2, so that when the male and female parts of the connector according to the invention are coupled, the lip 22 is deformed by the wedge-shaped holder 7 and engages the side wall of cavity 5 in sealing-tight manner, the sealing-tightness being assisted and improved by the presence of the bead 22a.

Opposite the short side from which the bipolar cable C extends, the cuboid body 12 of the male part 3 has a substantially handle-like portion 23 having opposite side walls 23a, 23b which are connected to the upper wall via respective curved portions 24, 25 which make it easier to grip the male part 3 when using it to couple or uncouple the female part 2.

For ease in handling the male part, the short wall of the cuboid body 12 remote from the wall previously considered is concave and defines a projecting or clawlike portion 26 which makes it easier to grip the male part.

The cuboid body 12 is formed with an aperture 27 which opens into the wall opposite that from which the sockets 13 and 14 extend, and where the aperture is closed by a tearable diaphragm 27a.

When the male and female parts of the connector according to the invention are coupled, the aperture 27 is in alignment with the threaded aperture 11 in the socket 10 in the female part 2 and is adapted to receive a threaded screw for increasing the stability of coupling when desired.

The bipolar cable connector as described hereinbefore is particularly advantageously, though not exclusively, of use for supplying windings B of electromagnets (not shown). In that case the body 4 of the female part 2 is made integrally with the sheaf B1 for protecting the coil.

Note that the reference throughout the description to a bipolar cable is by no means limitative but has been made only for the purpose of simplifying the description. The cable can be of a different kind.

Claims

WE CLAIM

1. An electric cable connector comprising a female part and a male part with respective electric contacts, characterised in that the female part has a body defining a cavity having a base from which two spaced-apart parallel electric strip contacts project and extend beyond the flat edge of the cavity, the male part comprises a substantially cuboid body, two spaced-apart sockets projecting from a wall of the cuboid body, each socket being formed with a respective slot having transverse dimensions and a depth suitable for receiving a corresponding contact strip of the female part, and two electric contacts secured to the base of the slot and a band surrounding the sockets and spaced therefrom and co-operating therewith to define a resiliently deformable lip formed externally with a continuous peripherally extending bead for sealing-tight coupling to the inner walls of the cavity defined in the female part.

2. A connector according to claim 1, characterised in that the base of the cavity in the female part has a peripheral groove of predetermined depth and defining a substantially wedge-shaped holder at the aforementioned base.

3. A connector according to claim 1, characterised in that a socket is secured to the base of the cavity between the contact strips of the female part, and does not project beyond the flat edge of the cavity and is axially formed with a threaded aperture

4. A connector according to claim 1, characterised in that the electric contacts secured to the base of the (R ,T; M) slot are faston-typeLelectric contacts.

5. A connector according to claim 1, characterised in that the slots have respective internal guides of rigid insulating material for guided movable engagement of the contact strips on the female part.

6. A connector according to claim 1, characterised in that the band is dimensioned and shaped for intimately engaging in the cavity in the female body.

7. A connector according to claim 6, characterised in that the band defines a flat edge on the wall of the cuboid body, the width of the edge being equal to the flat edge of the cavity in the female part.

8. A connector according to claim 7, characterised in that the lip of the band has dimensions, shape and thickness adapted to engage, with consequent resilient deformation, the groove formed at the base of the cavity in the female part.

9. A connector according to claim 1, characterised in that the cuboid body of the male part is formed with an aperture extending centrally between the sockets, the aperture opening on to the wall of the body opposite the wall from which the sockets extend, opposite which wall the aperture is closed by a tearable diaphragm.

10. A connector according to claim 1, characterised in that the cuboid bddy of the male part has a front concave wall defining a claw-like projection for handling the male part.

11. A connector substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to and as illustrated in the accompanying drawings.