Electrical contact device with interlock

An electrical connector assembly comprising:

• a first electrical contact device including a first electrical contact;
• a second electrical contact device including a second electrical contact, the second electrical contact configured to form an electrical connection with the first electrical contact;
• a connector coupled to the first electrical contract device and movable between a first connector position and a second connector position, the connector configured to selectively engage an interlock feature of the second electrical contact device in the second connector position after the second electrical contact device is moved along an insertion axis into engagement the first electrical contact, the engagement of the connector and the interlock feature secures the first electrical contact device and the second electrical contact device against disconnection;
• and
• an actuator movable between a first actuator position and a second actuator position, the actuator being in the first actuator position while the first electrical contact is in electrical communication with a power source, the actuator being in the second actuator position while the electrical communication between the first electrical contact and the power source is disconnected;
• wherein movement of the actuator from the first actuator position to the second actuator position is configured limit movement of the connector toward the first connector position;
• and
• wherein the actuator is configured to move between the first actuator position and the second actuator position along the insertion axis and wherein the connector is configured to move between the first connector position and the second connector position along a second axis that intersects with the insertion axis.

A method for selectively connecting a first electrical contact device and a second electrical contact device, the method comprising:

• verifying that a power source is not in electrical communication with the first electrical contact device;
• if the power source is not in electrical communication with the first electrical contact device, engaging electrical contacts of the first electrical contact device with electrical contacts of the second electrical contact device along a translational direction;
• moving a connector along a connector axis from a first connector position to a second connector position while engaging the first electrical contact device with the second electrical contact device to secure the first electrical contact device to the second electrical contact device, wherein the connector axis intersects with the translational direction;
• and
• supplying electrical current from the power source and driving an actuator to move from a second actuator position to a first actuator position to retain the connector in the second connector position and securing the first electrical contact device and the second electrical contact device against disconnection, wherein the actuator moves along an actuator axis parallel to the translation direction.