US2003094812A1PendingUtilityA1

Connector with radial spring

45
Priority: Nov 21, 2001Filed: Nov 19, 2002Published: May 22, 2003
Est. expiryNov 21, 2021(expired)· nominal 20-yr term from priority
Inventors:Peter J. Balsells
F16L 37/084Y10T403/7018Y10T403/59Y10T29/53622Y10T29/53613B23P 17/00F16B 2200/10Y10T403/60Y10T29/49826
45
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References
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Claims

Abstract

A connector includes a housing having a bore with a housing groove disposed on an inside surface of the bore with a groove establishing a release angle between a housing groove bottom and a bore inside surface. A retainer defines a spring cavity between a retainer and the release angle and a circular radial canted coil spring is disposed in the spring cavity. A pin having a tapered end and a body diameter sized for sliding engagement with the bore is provided which includes a circumferential groove in the pin body for receiving the coil spring upon insertion of the pin into the bore. A circumferential groove includes a load angle for rotating the coil spring in an orientation in which the major spring axis is parallel to the release angle upon initial withdrawal of the pin from the bore. The coil is further compressed along the spring minor axis and expands radially upon continued withdrawal of the pin from the bore.

Claims

exact text as granted — not AI-modified
What is claimed is:  
     
         1 . A connector comprising: 
 a housing having a bore with a housing groove disposed on an inside surface of said bore, said groove establishing a release angle between a housing groove bottom and the bore inside surface;    a retainer for defining a spring cavity between the retainer and said release angle;    a circular radial canted coil spring disposed in said spring cavity, the coil spring having a major and a minor axis;    a pin having a tapered end and a body diameter sized for sliding engagement with the bore inside surface and having a circumferential groove in the pin body for receiving the coil spring upon insertion of the pin into the bore, said circumferential groove having load angle means for rotating the coil spring to an orientation in which the spring major axis is parallel with said release angle upon initial withdrawal of said pin from said bore and compressing the coil spring along the spring minor axis and expands the spring radially upon continued withdrawal of said pin from said bore.    
     
     
         2 . The connector according to  claim 1  wherein said load angle is disposed below a centerline of the coil spring.  
     
     
         3 . The connector according to  claim 1  wherein the housing groove includes coil groove stop means disposed between the release angle and the bore inside surface, for limiting axial movement of the coil spring upon withdrawal of said pin from said bore.  
     
     
         4 . The connector according to  claim 1  wherein said release angle is disposed at between about 5° and about 90° to a centerline of the connector.  
     
     
         5 . The connector according to  claim 1  wherein said release angle is disposed at between about 25° and about 65° to a centerline of the connector.  
     
     
         6 . The connector according to  claim 1  wherein said release angle is disposed at between about 25° and about 30° to a centerline of the connector.  
     
     
         7 . The connector according to  claim 6  wherein the housing groove includes said groove stop means disposed between the release angle and the bore inside surface, for limiting axial movement of the coil spring upon withdrawal of said pin from said housing.  
     
     
         8 . The connector according to  claim 7  wherein the coil spring is a radial coil spring.  
     
     
         9 . The connector according to  claim 8  wherein the coil spring is initially disposed in the cavity with the major axis disposed with an included angle of between about 30° and about 45°.  
     
     
         10 . The connector according to  claim 9  wherein the coil spring is initially disposed in the cavity is a convex orientation.  
     
     
         11 . The connector according to  claim 9  wherein the coil spring is initially disposed in the cavity in a concave orientation.  
     
     
         12 . The connector according to any one of claims  8 ,  9 ,  10  or  11  wherein said load angle means is disposed at an angle between about 5° and about 90° to said connector centerline.  
     
     
         13 . The connector according to any one of claims  8 ,  9 ,  10  or  11  wherein said load angle means is disposed at about 40° to said connector centerline.  
     
     
         14 . The connector according to  claim 1  wherein the coil spring has an inside diameter smaller than the pin body diameter.  
     
     
         15 . The connector according to  claim 1  wherein said load angle means is greater than the release angle by at least 1°.  
     
     
         16 . The connector according to  claim 1  wherein the coil spring has a ratio of coil width to coil height from 1 to about 1.5.  
     
     
         17 . The connector according to  claim 16  wherein the coil spring has a ratio of coil width to coil height from 1 to about 1.04.

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