Electrical connector assembly, especially for electric vehicle

An electrical connector assembly, the combination comprising:

• a receptacle;
• first electrical contact means coupled to said receptacle;
• a plug;
• second electrical contact means coupled to said plug;
• first cover means, coupled to said receptacle, for selectively covering said first contact means;
• second cover means, coupled to said plug, for selectively covering said second contact means;
• and
• uncovering means, coupled to said receptacle, for selectively moving said first and second cover means to uncover said first and second contact means, respectively, to permit electrical coupling of said first contact means with said second contact means, upon insertion of said plug into said receptacle,
• said first cover means of said receptacle having a substantially unobstructed cavity which is sized for receiving said second cover means of said plug therein with substantially no force being applied between said first and second cover means.

An electrical connector assembly, the combination comprising:

• a receptacle;
• first electrical contact means coupled to said receptacle;
• a plug;
• second electrical contact means coupled to said plug;
• first cover means, coupled to said receptacle, for selectively covering said first contact means;
• second cover means, coupled to said plug, for selectively covering said second contact means;
• uncovering means, coupled to said receptacle, for selectively moving said first and second cover means to uncover said first and second contact means, respectively, to permit electrical coupling of said first contact means with said second contact means, upon insertion of said plug into said receptacle;
• and
• motive means, coupled to one of said first and second contact means, for moving at least one of said first and second contact means in a direction transverse to the direction of insertion of said plug into said receptacle.

An electrical connector, comprising:

• an electrically insulated housing;
• electrical contact means coupled to said housing and arranged transversely relative to the direction of insertion with a mating electrical connector so that said electrical contact means will be aligned with a mating electrical contact means only after reaching a complete insertion position with a mating electrical connector;
• cover means for selectively covering and uncovering said electrical contact means;
• coupling means, coupled to said cover means and said housing, for movably coupling said cover means to said housing between a closed position to cover said contact means and an open position forming a space arranged transversely to the direction of insertion between said housing and said cover means to expose said contact means;
• and
• means, coupled to said cover means, for preventing said cover means from being moved to expose said contact means until after reaching said complete insertion position with a mating electrical connector.

An electrical connector, comprising

• an electrically insulated housing;
• electrical contact means coupled to said housing;
• cover means for selectively covering said electrical contact means;
• coupling means, coupled to said cover means and said housing, for movably coupling said cover means to said housing;
• and
• means, coupled to said cover means, for preventing cover means from being moved to expose said contact means until after complete insertion with a mating electrical connector,
• said cover means including a cavity for receiving a mating cover of a mating electrical connector.

An electrical connector comprising:

• an electrically insulated housing;
• electrical contact means coupled to said housing;
• cover means for selectively covering said electrical contact means;
• coupling means, coupled to said cover means and said housing, for movably coupling said cover means to said housing;
• and
• means, coupled to said cover means, for preventing said cover means from being moved to expose said contact means until after complete insertion with a mating electrical connector,
• said means for preventing including a first latching surface coupled to said cover means, a second latching surface coupled to said housing for selectively engaging said first latching surface, and means for moving said first latching surface relative to said second latching surface in response to completion insertion of said electrical connector with a mating electrical connector.

A method for making an electrical connection, comprising the steps of:

• providing a first member with an electrical receptacle having a first housing, a first insulated cover means movably coupled to the first housing, and first electrical contact means coupled to the first housing;
• providing a second member with a plug having a second housing, a second insulated cover means movably coupled to the second housing, and second electrical contact means coupled to the second housing;
• selectively covering the first and second electrical contact means with the first and second insulated cover means respectively;
• selectively uncovering the first and second electrical contact means by moving the first and second insulated cover means relative to the first and second contact means respectively;
• fully inserting the plug of the second member into the receptacle of the first member before the step of uncovering the first and second electrical contact means such that the first and second housings remain stationary during the step of uncovering the first and second electrical contact means;
• and
• moving one of the first and second contact means for electrically coupling the first and second contact means together after the steps of fully inserting the plug into the receptacle and uncovering the first and second contact means.

A method for making an electrical connection, comprising the steps of:

• providing a first member with an electrical receptacle having a first electrical contact means coupled thereto;
• providing a second member with a plug having a second electrical contact means coupled thereto;
• selectively covering and uncovering the first and second electrical contact means with first and second insulated cover means, respectively by moving the first and second insulated cover means relative to the first and second contact means respectively;
• preventing movement of the first and second insulated cover means from exposing the first and second electrical contact means until after complete insertion of the plug into the receptacle so that the plug reaches a full insertion position in which the first and second contact means are aligned,
• fully inserting the plug of the second member into the receptacle of the first member in one direction to the full insertion position;
• and
• electrically coupling the first and second contact means together by translating said first contact means in a direction transverse to the one direction of insertion of the plug into the receptacle.

A method for making an electrical connection, comprising the step of:

• providing a first member with an electrical receptacle having first electrical contact means coupled thereto;
• providing a second member with a plug having second electrical contact means coupled thereto;
• selectively covering the first and second electrical contact means with first and second insulated cover means respectively;
• selectively uncovering the first and second electrical contact means by moving the first and second insulated cover means relative to the first and second contact means respectively;
• fully inserting the plug of the second member into the receptacle of the first member;
• electrically coupling the first and second contact means together;
• and
• providing the first cover means with a cavity for receiving the second cover means therein.

An electrical connector system for recharging a battery of an electric vehicle, the combination comprising:

• a first electrical connector having a first housing and first electrical contact means coupled to a power source;
• a second electrical connector having a second housing with an inlet cavity and second electrical contact means coupled to the battery of the electric vehicle;
• first cover means, coupled to said first housing of said first electrical connector, for selectively covering said first contact means;
• second cover means, coupled to said second housing of said second electrical connector, for selectively covering said second contact means;
• uncovering means, coupled to said second electrical connector, for selectively moving said first and second cover means to uncover said first and second contact means, respectively, to permit electrical coupling of said first contact means with said second contact means, after full insertion of said first electrical connector into said inlet cavity of said second electrical connector to a complete insertion position such that said first and second housings remain stationary in said complete insertion position during uncovering of said first and second contact means;
• actuation means for moving one of said first and second contact means relative to the other of said first and second contact means after full insertion of said first electrical connector into said inlet cavity to said complete insertion position so that said first and second housings remain stationary during electrical coupling of said first and second contact means in said complete insertion position;
• and
• sensing means for determining full insertion of said first electrical connector into said inlet cavity, said sensing means being operatively coupled to said actuation means to permit said actuation means to move one of said first and second contact means.

An electrical connector system, for recharging a battery of an electric vehicle, the combination comprising:

• a first electrical connector having first electrical contact means coupled to a power source;
• a second electrical connector having second electrical contact means coupled to the battery of the electric vehicle;
• first cover means, coupled to said first electrical connector, for selectively covering said first contact means;
• second cover means, coupled to said second electrical connector, for selectively covering said second contact means;
• uncovering means, coupled to said second electrical connector, for selectively moving said first and second cover means to uncover said first and second contact means, respectively, to permit electrical coupling of said first contact means with said second contact means, upon insertion of said first electrical connector relative to said second electrical connector;
• and
• motive means, coupled to one of said first and second contact means, for moving at least one of said first and second contact means in a direction transverse to the direction of insertion of first and second connectors together.

An electrical connector system for recharging a battery of an electric vehicle, the combination, comprising:

• a first electrical connector having first electrical contact means coupled to a power source;
• a second electrical connector having second electrical contact means coupled to the battery of the electric vehicle;
• first cover means, coupled to said first electrical connector, for selectively covering said first contact means;
• second cover means, coupled to said second electrical connector, for selectively covering said second contact means;
• uncovering means, coupled to said second electrical connector, for selectively moving said first and second cover means to uncover said first and second contact means, respectively, to permit electrical coupling of said first contact means with said second contact means, upon insertion of said first electrical connector relative to said second electrical connector;
• and
• said first electrical connector including unlatching means for releasably unlocking said second cover means of said second electrical connector.

An electrical connector assembly, the combination comprising:

• a first electrical connector with a first housing and first electrical contact means;
• a second electrical connector with a second housing and second electrical contact means for electrically mating with said first contact means;
• first cover means, coupled to said first electrical connector, for selectively concealing covering said first contact means;
• second cover means, coupled to said second electrical connector, for selectively covering said second contact means;
• and
• coupling means, associated with said first and second housings, for removably coupling said first and second electrical connectors together, said coupling means including
• hook means coupled to one of said first and second electrical connectors, and
• pivot means coupled to the other of said first and second electrical connectors for pivotally receiving said hook means.

A method of coupling a power source of electrical power to an electrical load, comprising the steps of:

• a) forming an enclosure with an open end and wall portions to provide a normally enclosed interior, one of said wall portions being a displaceable wall portion and the power source being supplied to the load through the open end proximate the displaceable wall portion,
• b) mounting an electrical contact for movement between first and second positions respectively outwardly and inwardly of the interior, said contact being normally at said first position,
• c) positioning the one wall portion opposite said contact to isolate said contact from the power source when said contact is at said first position,
• d) coupling the electrical load to said contact to receive electrical power therefrom,
• e) displacing said one wall portion to allow movement of said contact to said second position and thereafter,
• f) moving said contact to said second position to receive the electrical power from the power source,
• g) sensing the presence of the power source of electrical power in the interior of the enclosure, and
• h) utilizing the sensed presence of the source to cause displacement of said one wall portion.

An electrical inlet for coupling a source of electrical power to an electrical load, comprising:

• electrical contact means electrically connected to said electrical load;
• an enclosure formed with an opening, an interior side wall and an end wall disposed transverse and adjacent said side wall inwardly of the opening, whereby the end and side walls normally cooperate to form a fully enclosed interior, the power being conducted through the opening to a location proximate one of the walls;
• first means for movably mounting said contact means opposite said one of said walls for movement toward and away from the enclosure interior;
• second means, coupled to said first means, for moving one of said walls from a first position to a second position for at least partially uncovering said contact means in response to an actuating signal;
• third means, responsive to said second means, for moving the uncovered contact means toward said enclosure interior and toward said location for receiving electrical power from said source of electrical power in said enclosure;
• and
• sensing means, on the inlet, for sensing the introduction of the source of electrical power into said enclosure and producing said actuating signal for uncovering said contact means.

An electrical connector for receiving a mating electrical connector, comprising:

• a contact housing adapted to receive a mating electrical connector;
• a first set of electrical contacts coupled to said contacts housing and adapted to be electrically coupled to mating electrical contacts of a mating electrical connector;
• and
• a breakaway mechanism coupled to said contact housing for disengaging said first electrical contacts from the mating electrical contacts when coupled together and after application of a predetermined separation force occurs between said contact housing and the mating electrical connector, said breakaway mechanism including
• a coupling arrangement movably coupling said contact housing to a support for limited movement relative therebetween only after application of the predetermined separation force occurs between said contact housing and the mating electrical connector, and
• a disconnecting arrangement coupled to said contact housing and being responsive to the limited movement between the support and said connector housing for disconnecting electrical energy being transferred from said first electrical contacts to the mating electrical contacts and for releasing said first electrical contacts from the mating electrical contacts.