US 4,676,575 AGranted

Sealing member for bulkhead connector

AssigneeAMP Incorporated

InventorsKeith R. Denlinger, John R. Shuey

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Abstract

An integral elastomeric sealing member for an electrical connector assembly mountable to a panel has a transverse gasket section and an axial seal section extending rearwardly from an aperture through the gasket section. The gasket section is compressed between a mounting face of the receptacle and the panel, and the axial seal section extends along the inside of the plug-receiving cavity thereof and has an inner dimension just less than the outer dimension of the plug section of the plug connector which it seals around when the plug is in mating engagement with the receptacle. A tapered portion around the plug section acts as a camming surface to gently deform the axial seal section outwardly against the cavity wall, while the gasket section is held firmly between the panel and the receptacle connector.

Claims18

Dependent claims

An integral sealing member for an electrical connector assembly, said assembly comprising a receptacle connector mounted to a panel member and a plug connector matable with the receptacle connector through an aperture in the panel member, said sealing member comprising:

a transverse gasket section having an aperture therethrough of a cross-sectional shape and dimension adapted to receive therethrough a plug section of a said plug connector, said gasket section including first holes through which means are extendable for mounting said receptacle connector to said panel, and further including relief slots each disposed intermediate one of said first holes and said aperture;
and
a seal section extending axially rearwardly from said gasket section at the periphery of said aperture thereof, said axial seal section having a dimension between facing inner surfaces thereof selected to be slightly less than the outer dimension of a seal-engaging surface portion of a plug section of said plug connector, whereby said gasket section seals between said panel and a forward end face of said receptacle connector mounted thereto and said axial seal section tightly and sealingly engages said seal-engaging surface portion of said plug section, during mating engagement of said plug connector in said mounted receptacle connector.

An electrical connector assembly of a plug connector, a panel means and a receptacle connector mounted to the panel means to matingly receive the plug connector, comprising:

panel means having an aperture therethrough;
a receptacle connector mounted to said panel means at said aperture, said receptacle connector including a receptacle section having a plug-receiving cavity, and a mounting face forwardly thereof proximate said panel means;
means for mounting said receptacle connector to said panel means;
a plug connector matable with said receptacle connector and including a plug section extending forwardly thereof adapted to be inserted through said panel aperture and received within said receptacle section of said receptacle connector upon mating thereof, said plug section having an outer sidewall surface including an engagement surface portion peripherally therearound;
and
a sealing member having a transverse gasket section having an aperture therethrough and further having an axial seal section joined integrally to said gasket section at the periphery of said seal aperture, said sealing member being disposed at a forward end of said receptacle connector, said gasket section being disposed along said mounting face and sealingly secured between said mounting face and said panel means about said panel aperture when said receptacle connector is mounted to said panel means by said mounting means, and said axial seal section extends rearwardly therefrom into said plug-receiving cavity of said receptacle connector along a forward wall portion of said cavity, said axial seal section having a cross-sectional configuration corresponding to the cross-sectional configuration of said engagement surface portion, having a selected axial dimension and having an inner dimension selected to be slightly less than the outer dimension of said engagement surface portion whereby upon mating engagement of said plug connector in said receptacle connector said engagement surface portion deforms said axial seal section outwardly against said cavity forward wall portion providing sealing for a distance therealong, and whereby said sealing member both seals between said panel means and said receptacle connector and between said receptacle connector and said plug connector.

3 more elements

An electrical connector assembly of a receptacle connector mounted to a panel means to matingly receive a plug connector, the plug connector having a plug section with outwardly facing side walls peripherally therearound comprising:

panel means having an aperture therethrough;
a receptacle connector mounted to said panel means at said aperture, said receptacle connector including a receptacle section having a cavity adapted to receive thereinto said plug section of said plug connector, and a mounting face forwardly thereof proximate said panel means;
means for mounting said receptacle connector to said panel means;
and
a sealing member having a transverse gasket section having an aperture therethrough and further having an axial seal section joined integrally to said gasket section at the periphery of said seal aperture, said sealing member being disposed at a forward end of said receptacle connector, said gasket section being disposed along said mounting face and sealingly secured between said mounting face and said panel means about said panel aperture when said receptacle connector is mounted to said panel means by said mounting means, and said axial seal section extends rearwardly therefrom into said plug-receiving cavity of said receptacle connector along a forward wall portion of said cavity, said axial seal section having a cross-sectional configuration corresponding to the cross-sectional configuration of a seal-engaging surface portion of said outwardly facing side walls of said plug section, having a selected axial dimension and having an inner dimension selected to be slightly less than the outer dimension of said seal-engaging surface portion whereby upon mating engagement of said plug connector in said receptacle connector said seal-engaging surface portion deforms said axial seal section outwardly against said cavity forward wall portion providing sealing for a distance therealong, and whereby said sealing member both seals between said panel means and said receptacle connector and between said receptacle connector and said plug connector.

2 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.