Electrical connector

Abstract

An electrical connector is disclosed herein which employs a breech lock whereby the two sections of the connector may be readily mated or unmated by a simple rotation of the breech lock through a fraction of a turn. In addition, means are also provided for retracting the electrical contacts into a protected position until the two sections are fully mated.

We claim:  .[.1. An electrical connector including the combination of 
     
        of contacts into the extended and fully mated position..]. 5. An electrical connector including the combination of a plug section,   a first set of electrical contacts in said section,   a receptacle section, said receptacle section being effective to mate with said plug section,   a second set of electrical contacts in said second section,   a .Iadd.zero pitch .Iaddend.breech lock on said sections effective to releasably secure said sections together when they are mated, and   means operatively interconnected with said breech lock for moving one of said sets of contacts into and out of engagement with the other of said sets of contacts when said breech lock secures said sections together and   
     
     
        releases them from each other. 6. An electrical connector including the combination of a plug section,   a first set of electrical contacts in said plug section,   a receptacle section,   a second set of electrical contacts in said receptacle section, said receptacle section being adapted to mate with the plug section whereby the electrical contacts in said first set mate with the electrical contacts in said second set,   a .Iadd.zero pitch .Iaddend.breech lock on said sections adapted to releasably secure said sections together when they are mated with each other, and   a set of mating screw threads on one of said sections for moving one of said sets of electrical contacts into and out of mating engagement with   
     
     
        the other set of contacts. 7. An electrical connector including the combination of a plug section,   a first set of electrical contacts in said plug section,   a receptacle section,   a second set of electrical contacts in said receptacle section, said receptacle section being adapted to mate with the plug section whereby the electrical contacts in said first set mate with the electrical contacts in said second set,   a .Iadd.zero pitch .Iaddend.breech lock including a member movably mounted on one of said sections for releasably engaging the other of said sections,   said member being rotatably movable in a first direction into a first angular position and in a second direction into a second angular position,   said member when in the first angular position being effective to securely lock said sections together in the mated position and when in the second angular position allowing said sections to freely mate and unmate,   a mating set of screw threads on one of said sections for moving the set of electrical contacts thereon into electrical mating engagement with the other set of electrical contacts when rotated in said first direction and out of engagement when rotated in said second direction, and   resilient spring means effective to react with said threads of bias said   
     
     
        member toward said first angular position. 8. An electrical connector including the combination of a plug section,   a first set of electrical contacts on said plug section,   a receptacle section adapted to mate with said plug section,   a second set of electrical contacts on said receptacle section, one of said sets being movable between a first position wherein said contacts are electrically mated and a second position wherein they are electrically unmated,   a .Iadd.zero pitch .Iaddend.breech lock on said sections including a plurality of circumferentially spaced detent means on one of said sections and a movable member on the other of said sections,   said movable member being rotatable between a first angular position wherein it engages the detent means and a second angular position wherein it does not engage said detent means,   resilient spring means effective to bias said movable member toward said first angular position, and   means operatively coupled to said breech lock and to said movable set of contacts for moving said set into the first mated position when said movable member is in said first angular position and into the second unmated position when said movable member is in said second angular   
     
     
        position. 9. An electrical connector including the combination of a first member,   a first set of electrical contacts in said member,   a second member, said members being adapted to mate with each other,   a second set of electrical contacts in said second member,   a plurality of keys on one of said members and a plurality of key-ways on the other of said members, said keys and key-ways being positioned to complement each other when said members are mated together,   a .Iadd.zero pitch .Iaddend.breech lock having detent means on one of said members and a keeper on the other of said members,   said keeper being rotatably movable between a first position wherein it engages the detent means and a second position wherein it does not engage the detent means, and   means on one of said members for moving the set of contacts on one of said members into engagement with the set of contacts on the other of said members when said keeper is rotated into said first position and for moving it out of engagement when said keeper is rotated into said second   
     
     
        position. 10. An electrical connector including the combination of a first section,   a first shell in said first section,   a first set of electrical contacts in said shell,   a second section,   a second shell in said second section, said second shell being movable between an extended position and a retracted position,   a second set of electrical contacts in said second shell, the electrical contacts in said second set mating with the electrical contacts in said first set of contacts when said shell is in the extended position, the electrical contacts in said second set being separated and electrically isolated from the contacts in the first set when said shell is in the retracted position,   a sleeve rotatably mounted on the second shell,   a first annular array of shoulders on said sleeve,   a second annular array of shoulders on said first section, the shoulders in said second array being circumferentially spaced and positioned to engage the shoulder in said first array and secure said sections together,   said .Iadd.second array of .Iaddend.shoulders being separated by a plurality of openings and positioned to allow said .Iadd.first array of .Iaddend.shoulders to pass therethrough when the sleeve is rotated into a first angular position and to engage the .Iadd.first array of .Iaddend.shoulders when it is rotated into a second angular position, .Iadd.the rotation of said sleeve being at zero pitch .Iaddend.and   means for moving said second shell into said retracted position when said sleeve is rotated into said first angular position and into the extended position when said sleeve is rotated into the second angular position.   
     
     
            An electrical connector including the combination of a first section,   a first shell in said first section,   a first set of electrical contacts in said shell,   a second section,   a second shell in said second section and movable between an extended position and a retracted position,   a second set of electrical contacts in said second shell and adapted to mate with said first set of contacts when said shell is in the extended position,   a sleeve being rotatably mounted on the second shell,   a first annular array of shoulders on said sleeve,   a second annular array of shoulders on said first section, the shoulders in said second array being circumferentially spaced and positioned to engage the shoulder in said first array and secure said sections together,   said .Iadd.second array of .Iaddend.shoulders being separated by a plurality of openings and positioned to allow said .Iadd.first array of .Iaddend.shoulders to pass therethrough when the sleeve is rotated into a first angular position and to engage the .Iadd.first array of .Iaddend.shoulders when it is rotated into a second angular position, .Iadd.the rotation of said sleeve being at zero pitch, .Iaddend.   means for moving said second shell into said retracted position when said sleeve is rotated into said first angular position and into the extended position when said sleeve is rotated into the second angular position,   an electrical insulating insert in the first shell member,   said first set of electrical contacts being disposed in said insert,   an electrical insulating insert in the second shell member,   said second set of electrical contacts being disposed in said second insert,   one of said inserts being movable with said second shell between said retracted position wherein the contacts in the first and second sets are separated and an extended position wherein they are mated, and   means on said sleeve for moving the movable insert between the retracted and extended positions when said sleeve is rotated between said angular   
     
     
        positions. 12. The connector of claim 11 wherein said last means includes a high pitch thread for moving said insert between said positions with less than one turn, and   
     
     
       a spring biasing the insert toward the extended position. 13. An electrical connector including the combination of a first shell member having a passage therein,   a first set of electrical contacts in said shell member,   a second shell member having a portion adapted to mate with said first shell member,   a second set of electrical contacts in said shell member,   a plurality of keys on said portion,   a plurality of key-ways in said passage aligned with said keys and adapted to pass therethrough when said shell members are mated,   a sleeve rotatably mounted on said first shell members for rotation between a first angular position and a second angular position,   an annular shoulder on said sleeve adapted to engage the keys when said sleeve is .[.in a.]. .Iadd.rotated at zero pitch from the first angular position into the .Iaddend.second angular position, and   a set of high pitch threads on said sleeve and effective to move said second set of contacts into a mating position when said sleeve is rotated   
     
     
        into one of said angular positions. 14. An electrical connector including the combination of a first shell member,   a first set of electrical contacts in said shell member,   a passage extending axially into said first shell member,   a plurality of key-ways circumferentially spaced around the passage,   a second shell member,   a second set of electrical contacts in said second shell member,   a barrel on the second shell member adapted to fit into said passage when said shell members are mated,   a plurality of keys circumferentialy spaced around said barrel and adapted to mate with and fit into said key-ways when said shell members are mated, said keys forming a plurality of shoulders circumferentially spaced around said barrel, .Iadd.at zero pitch .Iaddend.   a sleeve rotatably mounted on said first shell member for rotation between a first angular position and a second angular position,   a plurality of keeper means on said sleeve, .Iadd.circumferentially spaced around said sleeve at zero pitch .Iaddend.said keeper means being positioned to pass between said keys when the sleeve is in the first angular position and to engage the shoulders formed by the keys when the sleeve is in the second angular position,   a high pitch set of threads on said sleeve, and   
     
     
       a spring exerting an axial force on said sleeve.  .[.15.  An electrical connector including the combination of a first section,   an electrical insulating insert in said section,   a first set of electrical contacts in said insert,   a second section adapted to mate with said first section,   an electrical insulating insert in said second section,   a second set of electrical contacts in said second insert, the electrical contacts in said sets being adapted to mate with each other,   one of said inserts being movable relative to its section between a fully retracted position wherein said electrical contacts are completely separated and electrically unmated and a fully extended position, wherein said electrical contacts are completely engaged and electrically mated, and   high pitch thread means operatively interconnecting one of said inserts to its section for moving said one of said inserts relative to its section   said pitch being sufficiently high to cause, when said sections are mated, one of said inserts to move from the fully retracted position to the fully extended position as a result of only a partial revolution..]. .[.16. The   
     
     
        connector of claim 15 including a breech lock..]. 17. An electrical connector including the combination of a first section,   a second section,   a .Iadd.zero pitch .Iaddend.breech lock on said sections movable between a lock position and an unlock position releasably securing said sections together,   a first set of electrical contacts in one of said sections,   a second set of electrical contacts in the other of said sections, one of said contact sets being movable between a mating position wherein the contacts therein engage and mate with the contacts in the other set of contacts and an unmated position wherein the contacts therein separate from and do not mate with the contacts in the other set, and   a set of mating screw threads operatively interconnected with said breech lock for moving said movable set of contacts between the mated position and the unmated position as said breech lock moves between locked position   
     
     
        and the unlocked position. 18. An electrical connector including the combination of a first section,   a second section,   a .Iadd.zero pitch .Iaddend.breech lock on said sections for releasably securing said sections together when one of said sections is rotated in a first direction and for releasing said sections when it is rotated in a second direction,   a first set of electrical contacts in one of said sections,   a second set of electrical contacts in the other of said sections, one of said contact sets being movable between a mating position wherein it engages the other set of contacts and an unmated position wherein it does not engage the other set,   a set of mating screw threads for moving said movable set of contacts into said mating position when said first section it rotated in said first direction and into said unmating position when said first section is rotated in said second direction, and   said threads having a high pitch whereby said set of contacts moves between said mated and unmated positions when said first section is rotated less   
     
     
        than one revolution. 19. The connector of claim 18 including a spring producing an axial force which coacts with said set of threads for   
     
     
        biasing said contacts toward the mated position. 20. An electrical connector including the combination of a first section,   a second section adapted to mate with said first section,   a first set of electrical contacts in said first section,   a second set of electrical contacts in said second section, said second set of contacts being movable in said second section between a mating position wherein said contacts mate with the contacts in the first set when said sections are mated and an unmating position wherein said contacts are separated from the contacts in the first set,   an annular array of shoulders on one of said sections .Iadd.arranged at zero pitch.Iaddend.,   an annular array of projections on the other of said sections .Iadd.arranged at zero pitch.Iaddend., said projections being circumferentially spaced and positioned to allow said projections to pass between said shoulders when one of said sections is rotated in a first direction into a first angular position and to engage the shoulders when rotated in a second direction into a second angular position,   a set of mating threads on one of said sections for moving said second set of electrical contacts between said mating and unmating positions when said projections are moved between said first and second angular positions, and   
     
     
       a spring resiliently biasing said threads toward said mating position. 21. An electrical connector including the combination of a first section,   a first shell member in said first section,   a first set of electrical contacts in said first shell member,   a second section adapted to mate with said first section,   a second shell member in said second section adapted to mate with said first shell member when said sections are mated with each other,   a second set of electrical contacts in said second shell member,   a sleeve in one of said sections, said sleeve being rotatably mounted relative to the shell member in said section,   a set of mating threads on said shell and said sleeve effective to move said shell between an extended position wherein said shell members and the electrical contacts in said sets mate when said sleeve is rotated in one direction and a retracted position wherein said shell members and the electrical contacts in said sets are separated when said sleeve is rotated in the opposite direction,   an annular array of shoulders on one of said sections .Iadd.arranged at zero pitch.Iaddend.,   an annular array of projections on the other sections .Iadd.arranged at zero pitch.Iaddend., said shoulders and said projections being circumferentially spaced around and positioned to engage each other and secure said sections together when said sleeve is rotated in said first direction, and   said projections and annular shoulders being positioned to allow said projections to pass between said shoulders when the sleeve is rotated in   
     
     
        the second direction. .Iadd. 22.  An electrical connector including the combination of a plug section,   a first set of electrical contacts in said section,   a receptacle section, said receptacle section being effective to mate with said plug section,   a second set of electrical contacts in said receptacle section,   a zero pitch locking means on said sections effective to releasably secure said sections together when they are mated, including on one of said sections circumferentially arranged detent means and cooperating shoulder means axially spaced from said detent means, and further including on the other of said sections a circumferentially movable member having flange means adapted to fit between said detent means and said shoulder means, and   means on the other of said sections operatively interconnected with said movable member for driving the set of contacts thereof linearly into and out of engagement with the other set of contacts in response to circumferential movement of said movable member to secure said sections together and release them from each other, said detent means and shoulder means providing bearings for the two direction of driving action. .Iaddend. .Iadd. 23. An electrical connector including the combination of   a plug section,   a first set of electrical contacts in said plug section,   a receptacle section,   a second set of electrical contacts in said receptacle section, said receptacle section being adapted to mate with the plug section whereby the electrical contacts in said first set mate with the electrical contacts in said second set,   zero pitch locking means on said sections adapted to releaseably secure said sections together when they are mated with each other, including on one of said sections circumferentially arranged detent means and cooperating shoulder means axially spaced from said detent means, and further including on the other of said sections a circumferentially movable member having flange means adapted to fit between said detent means and said shoulder means, and   a set of mating screw threads on said circumferentially movable member and said other of said sections for driving the set of electrical contacts in said other of said sections linearly into and out of mating engagement with the other set of contacts in response to circumferential movement of said movable member, said detent means and shoulder means providing bearings for the two directions of driving action. .Iaddend. .Iadd. 24. An electrical connector including the combination of   a plug section,   a first set of electrical contacts in said plug section,   a receptacle section,   a second set of electrical contacts in said receptacle section, said receptacle section being adapted to mate with the plug section whereby the electrical contacts in said first set mate with the electrical contacts in said second set,   a zero pitch locking means in said sections effective to releasably secure said sections together when they are mated, including on one of said sections circumferentially arranged detent means and cooperating shoulder means axially spaced from said detent means, and further including on the other of said sections a circumferentially movable member having flange means adapted to fit between said detent means and said shoulder means,   said movable member being circumferentially movable in a first direction into a first angular position and in a second direction into a second angular position,   said movable member when in the first angular position being effective to securely lock said sections together in the mated position by engagement of said flange means with said detent means, and when in the second angular position said flange means and detent means being out of engagement allowing said sections to freely mate and unmate, and   a mating set of screw threads on said on said movable member and said other of said sections for driving the set of electrical contacts thereon linearly into electrical mating engagement with the other set of electrical contacts when said movable member is circumferentially moved in said first direction and driving it out of electrical mating engagement when circumferentially moved in said second direction, said detent means providing a bearing for the first-mentioned driving action and said shoulder means providing a bearing for the second-mentioned driving action. .Iaddend..Iadd. 25. An electrical connector as set forth in claim 24, and further including a resilient spring means effective to react with said threads to bias said movable member toward said first angular position. .Iaddend..Iadd. 26. An electrical connector including the combination of   a plug section,   a first set of electrical contacts on said plug section,   a receptacle section adapted to mate with said plug section,   a second set of electrical contacts on said receptacle section,   one of said sets being movable between a first position wherein said contacts are electrically mated and a second position wherein they are electrically unmated,   a zero pitch locking means on said sections including a plurality of circumferentially arranged detent means and a cooperating shoulder means axially spaced therefrom on one of said sections and a movable member having flange means adapted to fit between said detent means and said shoulder means on the other of said sections,   said movable member being rotatable between a first angular position wherein its flange means engages the detent means and a second angular position wherein its flange means does not engage said detent means,   resilient spring means effective to bias said movable member toward said first angular position, and   means operatively coupling said movable member and said movable set of contacts for driving said set linearly into the first mated position when said movable member is rotated into said first angular position and driving it into the second unmated position when said movable member is rotated into said second angular position, said detent means providing a bearing for the first-mentioned driving action, and said shoulder means providing a bearing for the second-mentioned driving action.   
     
     
        .Iaddend..Iadd. 27.  An electrical connector including the combination of a first member,   a first set of electrical contacts in said member,   a second member, said members being adapted to mate with each other,   a second set of electrical contacts in said second member,   a plurality of axially oriented complimentary keys and key-ways on said members for guiding said members into mated position,   a zero pitch locking means having detent means and shoulder means axially spaced therefrom on one of said members and a keeper on the other of said members having flange means adapted to fit between said detent means and said shoulder means,   said keeper being rotatably movable between a first position wherein said flange means engages the detent means and a second position wherein said flange means does not engage the detent means, and   means on one of said members cooperating with said keeper for driving the set of contacts on one of said members linearly into engagement with the set of contacts on the other of said members when said keeper is rotated into said first position and for driving it out of engagement when said keeper is rotated into said second position, said detent means providing a bearing for the first-mentioned driving action, and said shoulder means providing a bearing for the second-mentioned driving action.   
     
     
        .Iaddend..Iadd. 28.  An electrical connector including the combination of a first section,   a first shell in said first section,   a first set of electrical contacts in said shell,   a second section,   a second shell in said second section, said second shell being movable between an extended position and a retracted position,   a second set of electrical contacts in said second shell, the electrical contacts in said second set mating with the electrical contacts in said first set of contacts when said shell is in the extended position, the electrical contacts in said second set being separated and electrically isolated from the contacts in the first set when said shell is in the retracted position,   a sleeve rotatably mounted on the second shell,   a first annular array of shoulders on said sleeve arranged at zero pitch,   a second annular array of shoulders on said first section arranged at zero pitch, the shoulders in said second array being circumferentially spaced and positioned to engage the shoulders in said first array and secure said sections together,   both said arrays of shoulders being separated by a plurality of openings positioned to allow said arrays to pass through one another when the sleeve is rotated into a first angular position and to engage each other when it is rotated into a second angular position,   an additional shoulder extending annularly about said first section and axially spaced from said second annular array of shoulders, said first annular array of shoulders being adapted to fit between said additional shoulder and said second annular array of shoulders, and   means on said sleeve cooperating with said second shell for driving said second shell linearly into said retracted position when said sleeve is rotated into said first angular position and driving it linearly into the extended position when said sleeve is rotated into the second angular position, said second annular array of shoulders providing a bearing for the second-mentioned driving action, and said additional shoulder providing a bearing for the first-mentioned driving action.   
     
     
        .Iaddend..Iadd. 29.  An electrical connector including the combination of a first section,   a first shell in said first section,   a first set of electrical contacts in said shell,   a second section,   a second shell in said second section and movable between an extended position and a retracted position,   a second set of electrical contacts in said second shell and adapted to mate with said first set of contacts when said shell is in the extended position and to be separated therefrom when said shell is in the retracted position,   a sleeve rotatably mounted on the second shell,   a first annular array of shoulders on said sleeve arranged at zero pitch,   a second annular array of shoulders on said first section arranged at zero pitch, the shoulders in said second array being circumferentially spaced and positioned to engage the shoulders in said first array and secure said sections together,   both said arrays of shoulders being separated by a plurality of openings positioned to allow said arrays to pass through one another when the sleeve is rotated into a first angular position and to engage each other when it is rotated into a second angular position,   an additional shoulder extending annularly about said first section and axially spaced from said second annular array of shoulders, said first annular array of shoulders being adapted to fit between said additional shoulder and said second annular array of shoulders,   means on said sleeve cooperating with said second shell for driving said second shell linearly into said retracted position when said sleeve is rotated into said first angular position and driving it linearly into the extended position when said sleeve is rotated into the second angular position, said second annular array of shoulders providing a bearing for the second-mentioned driving action, and said additional shoulder providing a bearing for the first-mentioned driving action,   an electrical insulating insert in the first shell member,   said first set of electrical contacts being disposed in said insert, and   an electrical insulating insert in the second shell member,   said second set of electrical contacts being disposed in said second insert,   said second insert being movable with said second shell between said retracted position wherein the contacts in the first and second sets are separated and an extended position wherein they are mated. .Iaddend.   
     
     
        .Iadd. 30.  An electrical connector including the combination of a first section,   a second section,   a zero pitch locking means on said sections movable between a lock position and an unlock position releasably securing said sections together, including on one of said sections circumferentially arranged detent means and cooperating shoulder means axially spaced from said detent means, and further including on the other of said sections a circumferentially movable member having flange means adapted to fit between said detent means and said shoulder means,   a first set of electrical contacts in one of said sections,   a second set of electrical contacts in the other of said sections, one of said contacts sets being movable between a mating position wherein the contacts therein engage and mate with the contacts in the other set of contacts and an unmated position wherein the contacts therein separate from and do not mate with the contacts in the other set, and   a set of mating screw threads operatively interconnecting said member and said movable set of contacts for driving it linlearly from the unmated to the mated position and from the mated to the unmated position as said locking means is moved between locked position and unlocked position, said detent means and shoulder means providing bearings for the two directions of driving action. .Iaddend. .Iadd. 31. An electrical connector including the combination of   a first section,   a second section,   a zero pitch locking means on said sections for releasably securing said sections together when one of said sections is rotated in a first direction and for releasing said sections when it is rotated in a second direction, including on one of said sections circumferentially arranged detent means and cooperating shoulder means axially spaced from said detent means, and further including on the other of said sections a circumferentially movable member having flange means adapted to fit between said detent means and said shoulder means,   a first set of electrical contacts in one of said sections,   a second set of electrical contacts in the other of said sections, one of said contact sets being movable between a mating position wherein it engages the other set of contacts and a unmated position wherein it does not engage the other set,   a set of mating screw threads for driving said movable set of contacts linearly into said mating position when said one section is rotated in said first direction and into said unmating position when said one section is rotated in said second direction, said detent means and shoulder means providing bearings for the two directions of driving actions, and   said threads having a high pitch whereby said one set of contacts moves between said mated and unmated positions when said one section is rotated less than one revolution. .Iaddend. .Iadd. 32. An electrical connector including the combination of   a first section,   a second section adapted to mate with said first section,   a first set of electrical contacts in said first section,   a second set of electrical contacts in said second section, said second set of contacts being movable in said second section between a mating position wherein said contacts mate with the contacts in the first set when said sections are mated and an unmating position wherein said contacts are separated from the contacts in the first set,   an annular array of shoulders and a cooperating additional annularly arranged shoulder axially spaced from said annular array of shoulders on said first section all arranged at zero pitch,   an annular array of projections on said second section arranged at zero pitch adapted to fit between said annular array of shoulders and said additional shoulder, said projections being circumferentially spaced and positioned to allow said projections to pass between said shoulders when one of said sections is rotated in a first direction into a first angular position and to engage the shoulders when rotated in a second direction into a second angular position,   a set of mating threads on said second section for driving said second set of electrical contacts linearly from said mating to said unmating positions when said sections are rotated from said second to said first angular position, and vice versa when said sections are rotated from said first to said second angular position, and said annular array of shoulders and said additional annularly arranged shoulder providing bearings for the two directions of driving actions, and   a spring resiliently biasing said threads toward said mating position.   
     
     
        .Iaddend..Iadd. 33.  An electrical connector including the combination of a first section,   a first shell member in said first section,   a first set of electrical contacts in said first shell member,   a second section adapted to mate with said first section,   a second shell member in said second section adapted to mate with said first shell member when said sections are mated with each other,   a second set of electrical contacts in said second shell member,   a sleeve rotatably mounted on said first section,   a set of mating threads on said first shell member and said sleeve effective to drive said shell member linearly from an extended position wherein said shell members and the electrical contacts in said sets mate to a retracted position wherein said shell members and the electrical contacts in said sets are separated when said sleeve is rotated in one direction, and vice versa when said sleeve is rotated in the opposite direction,   an annular array of shoulders and a cooperating additional annularly arranged shoulder axially spaced from said annular array of shoulders on said second section all arranged at zero pitch,   an annular array of projections on said sleeve arranged at zero pitch adapted to fit between said annular array of shoulders and said additional shoulder,   said annular array of shoulders and said projections being circumferentially spaced around their respective sections and positioned to engage each other and secure said sections together when said sleeve is rotated in said one direction, and   said projections and annular shoulders being positioned to allow said projections to pass between said shoulders when the sleeve is rotated in said opposite direction,   said annular array of shoulders and said additional annularly arranged shoulder providing bearings for the two directors of driving actions. .Iaddend.