Connector apparatuses
AssigneeTruBlue LLC
InventorsRyan Daniel Walker, Rich Reynolds
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A connector apparatus includes a first connector and a second connector. A housing defines a first channel and a second channel and a locking mechanism configured to secure one of the first and second connectors within the first channel or the second channel. The locking mechanism includes a disk with a rotational stop, and a latch arm pivotable between at least a latched position and an unlatched position. When the first connector is secured within the first channel by the disk and the second connector is inserted into the second channel, the second connector actuates the latch arm towards the unlatched position such that the disk is enabled to pivot and secure the second connector to the housing while simultaneously releasing the first connector from the housing.
Claims9
A connector system comprising:
- a first quick link connector and a second quick link connector;
- and
- a connector apparatus comprising:
- a housing defining a first channel and a second channel, the first channel and the second channel each sized and shaped to receive at least a portion of each of the first and second quick link connectors;
- and
- a locking mechanism configured to selectively secure one of the first and second quick link connectors within the first channel or the second channel of the housing, the locking mechanism comprising:
- a disk pivotably mounted at least partially within the housing and including at least one rotational stop, wherein the disk has a pair of discrete notches defined in an outer perimeter sized and shaped to at least partially receive at least a portion of the first and second quick link connectors;
- and
- at least one latch arm disposed within the housing and selectively pivotable between at least a latched position, whereby the at least one latch arm is engaged with the at least one rotational stop of the disk, and an unlatched position, whereby the at least one latch arm is disengaged with the at least one rotational stop of the disk, and
- wherein when the first quick link connector is secured within the first channel by a first notch of the pair of discrete notches of the disk and the second quick link connector is inserted into the second channel and a second notch of the pair of discrete notches of the disk, the second quick link connector actuates the at least one latch arm towards the unlatched position such that the disk is enabled to pivot and secure the second quick link connector to the housing while simultaneously releasing the first quick link connector from the housing.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.