# US 11,909,157 B2 · Electrical connectors including glass seals and methods of fabrication > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 11,909,157 B2 - Document ID: US11909157B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 17/544,558 - Filed: 2021-12-07 - Published: 2023-06-08 - Granted: 2024-02-20 - Earliest claimed: 2021-12-07 - Assignees: Honeywell Federal Manufacturing & Technologies, LLC - Applicants: Honeywell Federal Manufacturing & Technologies, LLC - Inventors: Dennis J. Eichorst; Tieshu Huang; Kaley M. McLain; Richard K. Brow - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US11909157B2 ## CPC - H01R 43/005: {for making dustproof, splashproof, drip-proof, waterproof, or flameproof connection, coupling, or casing} - H01R 13/521: {Sealing between contact members and housing, e.g. sealing insert} - H01R 43/20: for assembling or disassembling contact members with insulating base, case or sleeve - H01R: ELECTRICALLY-CONDUCTIVE CONNECTIONS; STRUCTURAL ASSOCIATIONS OF A PLURALITY OF MUTUALLY-INSULATED ELECTRICAL CONNECTING ELEMENTS; COUPLING DEVICES; CURRENT COLLECTORS ## Abstract An electrical connector comprises an outer shell, at least one pin, and an insulating seal. The outer shell includes at least one side wall defining a cavity and having an inner surface. The outer shell is formed from electrically conductive material. The pin is positioned within the cavity and is also formed from electrically conductive material. The insulating seal is configured to provide electrical isolation of the pin and fills the cavity between the inner surface of the side wall and the pin. The insulating seal is formed from glass doped with a transition metal oxide. ## Claims ### Claim 1 An electrical connector comprising: an outer shell including at least one side wall defining a cavity and having an inner surface, the outer shell formed from electrically conductive material; at least one pin positioned within the cavity and formed from electrically conductive material; an insulating seal configured to provide electrical isolation of the at least one pin, the insulating seal filling the cavity between the inner surface of the at least one side wall and the at least one pin, the insulating seal formed from glass doped with a transition metal oxide. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The electrical connector of claim 1, wherein the electrically insulating material includes alkali barium glass. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The electrical connector of claim 1, wherein the transition metal oxide includes iron oxide. ### Claim 4 A method for fabricating an electrical connector, the method comprising: assembling an outer shell, an insulating seal, and at least one pin to form an electrical connector; heating the outer shell using a first thermal control source; heating the insulating seal using a second thermal control source; cooling the outer shell using the first thermal control source; and cooling the insulating seal using the second thermal control source. ### Claim 5 (depends on 4) The method of claim 4, wherein the insulating seal is formed from electrically insulating material doped with a transition metal oxide. ### Claim 6 (depends on 4) The method of claim 4, wherein heating the outer shell includes increasing a temperature of the outer shell to a first temperature value, and heating the insulating seal includes increasing a temperature of the insulating seal to a second temperature value that is greater than the first temperature value. ### Claim 7 (depends on 4) The method of claim 4, wherein the outer shell includes at least one side wall defining a cavity, the insulating seal includes at least one through hole, and assembling the outer shell, the insulating seal, and the at least one pin includes positioning the insulating seal within the cavity of the outer shell and positioning the at least one pin in the at least one through hole of the insulating seal. ### Claim 8 (depends on 4) The method of claim 4, wherein the first thermal control source is a heating and cooling jacket including an inner chamber in which the assembly of the outer shell, the insulating seal, and the at least one pin is positioned. ### Claim 9 (depends on 8) The method of claim 8, wherein the inner chamber of the heating and cooling jacket is defined by one or more side walls and an outer surface of the outer shell is in contact with an inner surface of the one or more side walls. ### Claim 10 (depends on 4) The method of claim 4, wherein the second thermal control source is a laser source utilized to scan a laser beam across an upper surface of the insulating seal. ### Claim 11 (depends on 10) The method of claim 10, wherein heating the insulating seal includes repeatedly scanning the upper surface of the insulating seal with the laser beam and increasing a power of the laser beam at a first rate on successive scans. ### Claim 12 (depends on 11) The method of claim 11, wherein cooling the insulating seal includes repeatedly scanning the upper surface of the insulating seal with the laser beam and decreasing the power of the laser beam at a second rate on successive scans, such that the second rate is less than the first rate. ### Claim 13 (depends on 10) The method of claim 10, wherein the laser source is utilized to scan the laser beam across the upper surface of the insulating seal in a serpentine raster pattern. ### Claim 14 A method for fabricating an electrical connector, the method comprising: receiving an outer shell including at least one side wall defining a cavity, an insulating seal including at least one through hole, and at least one pin; positioning the insulating seal within the cavity of the outer shell; positioning the at least one pin within the at least one through hole of the insulating seal; positioning the outer shell in an inner chamber of a heating and cooling jacket; heating the outer shell using the heating and cooling jacket; heating the insulating seal using a laser source to scan a laser beam across an upper surface of the insulating seal; cooling the outer shell using the heating and cooling jacket; and cooling the insulating seal using the laser source. ### Claim 15 (depends on 14) The method of claim 14, wherein the insulating seal is formed from electrically insulating material doped with iron oxide and the laser beam has a wavelength of approximately 1070 nanometers. ### Claim 16 (depends on 14) The method of claim 14, wherein heating the outer shell includes increasing a temperature of the outer shell to a first temperature value, and heating the insulating seal includes increasing a temperature of the insulating seal to a second temperature value that is greater than the first temperature value. ### Claim 17 (depends on 14) The method of claim 14, wherein the inner chamber of the heating and cooling jacket is defined by one or more side walls and an outer surface of the outer shell is in contact with an inner surface of the one or more side walls. ### Claim 18 (depends on 14) The method of claim 14, wherein heating the insulating seal includes repeatedly scanning the upper surface of the insulating seal with the laser beam and increasing a power of the laser beam at a first rate on successive scans. ### Claim 19 (depends on 18) The method of claim 18, wherein cooling the insulating seal includes repeatedly scanning the upper surface of the insulating seal with the laser beam and decreasing the power of the laser beam at a second rate on successive scans, such that the second rate is less than the first rate. ### Claim 20 (depends on 14) The method of claim 14, wherein the laser source is utilized to scan the laser beam across the upper surface of the insulating seal in a serpentine raster pattern.