US 2010/0136808 A1Published application

Electrical Connector

AssigneesVan-System S.r.l., Ten 47 Limited

InventorAugusto Vanzo

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Abstract

A single pole power connector system includes a plurality of single pole connectors for carrying electric current in a multi-phase power applications. A single pole connector can be provided for each phase or line of the application. The single pole connectors can include mating male plugs and female receptacles. To releasably couple the male plugs and female receptacles of each single pole connector together, the plugs and receptacles can include between them a coupling feature. To prevent or avoid misconnections between male plugs and female receptacles of different single pole connectors, the plugs and receptacles can also include between themselves a polarization feature. The polarization feature can be angularly offset with respect to the coupling feature so that the plugs and receptacles can only couple with their intended pair.

Claims23

Dependent claims

A single pole connector system comprising:

a plurality of single pole connectors, each connector having a male plug and a corresponding female receptacle, the male plug including a plug body extending along a first axis line and a contact pin generally within the plug body, the female receptacle having receptacle body extending along a corresponding axis line and a socket within the receptacle body, the socket adapted to accommodate the contact pin when the male plug and female receptacle are coupled;
the single pole connectors each further including a coupling feature including a channel disposed into a surface of either the plug body or the receptacle body, the channel adapted to receive a mating tab protruding from the surface of the other of the plug or receptacle bodies;
the single pole connectors further including a polarization feature including a slot disposed into a surface of either the plug body or the receptacle body, the slot adapted to receive a key protruding radially from the surface of the other of the plug or receptacle bodies, wherein the slot and key are angularly offset with respect to the channel and tab, and the angular offset being different for each of the plurality of single power connectors.

A method of making a single pole connector system comprising:

i) providing a first single pole connector including a male plug and a female receptacle adapted to receive the first male plug, the first single pole connector further including a first coupling feature and a first polarization feature, the first coupling feature and first polarization feature being angular offset from each other a first angular offset amount;
ii) providing a second single pole connector including a second plug and a second female receptacle adapted to receive the second male plug, the second single pole connector including a second coupling feature and a second polarization feature, the second coupling feature and second polarization feature being angularly offset from each other a second angular offset amount;
iii) aligning each of the first and second male plugs with the respective one of the first and second female receptacles, so that respective first and second polarization features and respective first and second coupling features can engage;
iv) inserting and rotating the first male plug into and with respect to the first female receptacle so that the first coupling feature engages and the first polarization feature engages;
and
v) inserting and rotating the second male plug into and with respect to the second female receptacle so that the second coupling feature engages and the second polarization feature engages.

3 more elements

A single pole power connector system comprising:

a first single pole connector generally delineating a first axis line and including a first male plug and a first female receptacle adapted to receive the first male plug;
the first single pole connector further including a first coupling feature for engaging the first male plug and the first female plug;
the first single pole connector further including a polarization feature angularly offset with respect to the first coupling feature a first angular distance;
and
a second single pole connector generally delineating a second axis line and including a second male plug and a second female receptacle adapted to receive the second male plug, the second single pole connector further including a second coupling feature for engaging the second male plug and the second female receptacle;
the second single pole connector further including a second polarization feature angularly offset with respect to the second coupling feature a second angular distance being different than the first angular distance.

3 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.