Automotive steering column electrical connector

An electrical connector for providing electrical continuity between a first wiring and a second wiring, wherein the first wiring is rotatable with respect to the second wiring, said electrical connector comprising:

• a rotor comprising a rotor plate, said rotor plate having an outer face and an opposite inner face;
• a base comprising a base plate, said base plate having an outer face and an opposite inner face;
• connecting means for connecting said rotor to said base, wherein said rotor is rotatable with respect to said base, wherein further said inner face of said rotor plate faces toward said inner face of said base plate;
• gasket means located between said inner face of said rotor plate and said inner face of said base plate for providing selective sealing therebetween;
• at least one annular channel formed in at least one of said inner face of said rotor plate, said inner face of said base plate and said gasket means, said gasket means providing sealing for said at least one annular channel with respect to at least one of said rotor plate and said base plate;
• an electrically conductive liquid located in said at least one annular channel;
• base bus terminal means connected with said base plate for selectively connecting a first wiring with said electrically conductive liquid;
• and
• rotor bus terminal means connected with said rotor plate for selectively connecting a second wiring with said electrically conductive liquid, said rotor bus terminal means being spaced from said base bus terminal means;
• wherein the first wiring is electrically connected to the second wiring via selective contact of said base bus terminal means and said rotor bus terminal means with said electrically conductive liquid irrespective of relative rotation between said rotor plate and said base plate;
• and wherein said at least one annular channel is partly formed in said inner face of said rotor plate and partly formed in said gasket means.

An electrical connector for providing electrical continuity between a first wiring and a second wiring, wherein the first wiring is rotatable with respect to the second wiring, said electrical connector comprising:

• a rotor comprising a rotor plate, said rotor plate having an outer face and an opposite inner face;
• a base comprising a base plate, said base plate having an outer face and an opposite inner face;
• connecting means for connecting said rotor to said base, wherein said rotor is rotatable with respect to said base, wherein further said inner face of said rotor plate faces toward said inner face of said base plate;
• gasket means located between said inner face of said rotor plate and said inner face of said base plate for providing selective sealing therebetween;
• at least one annular channel formed in at least one of said inner face of said rotor plate, said inner face of said base plate and said gasket means, said gasket means providing sealing for said at least one annular channel with respect to at least one of said rotor plate and said base plate;
• an electrically conductive liquid located in said at least one annular channel;
• base bus terminal means connected with said base plate for selectively connecting a first wiring with said electrically conductive liquid;
• and
• rotor bus terminal means connected with said rotor plate for selectively connecting a second wiring with said electrically conductive liquid, said rotor bus terminal means being spaced from said base bus terminal means;
• wherein the first wiring is electrically connected to the second wiring via selective contact of said base bus terminal means and said rotor bus terminal means with said electrically conductive liquid irrespective of relative rotation between said rotor plate and said base plate;
• wherein said connecting means provides a snapping interference connection between said base and said rotor;
• and
• wherein the first wiring is connected in stationary relation to a first component, and the second wiring is connected in stationary relation to a second component, and wherein the second component is rotatable with respect to the first component;
• said electrical connector further comprising:
• base connection means for connecting said base in stationary relation to the first component;
• and
• rotor connection means for connecting said rotor in stationary relation to the second component.

An electrical connector for providing electrical continuity between a first wiring and a second wiring, wherein the first wiring is rotatable with respect to the second wiring, said electrical connector comprising:

• a rotor comprising a rotor plate, said rotor plate having an outer face and an opposite inner face;
• a base comprising a base plate, said base plate having an outer face and an opposite inner face;
• connecting means for connecting said rotor to said base, wherein said rotor is rotatable with respect to said base, wherein further said inner face of said rotor plate faces toward said inner face of said base plate;
• gasket means located between said inner face of said rotor plate and said inner face of said base plate for providing selective sealing therebetween;
• a plurality of discrete, mutually spaced apart, concentric annular channels formed in at least one of said inner face of said rotor plate, said inner face of said base plate and said gasket means, said gasket means providing sealing for each said annular channel with respect to at least one of said rotor plate and said base plate;
• an electrically conductive liquid located in each said annular channel, the electrically conductive liquid in each said annular channel being mutually electrically isolated;
• a base bus terminal comprising a plurality of base terminals sealingly connected with said base plate, each base terminal contacting the electrically conductive liquid of a respective said annular channel, said base bus terminal being structured to connect to a first wiring;
• and
• a rotor bus terminal comprising a plurality of rotor terminals sealingly connected with said rotor plate, each said rotor terminal contacting the electrically conductive liquid of a respective said annular channel, said rotor bus terminal being structured to connect to a second wiring, the base terminal being mutually separated from the rotor terminal of each annular channel respective thereto;
• wherein the first wiring is electrically connected to the second wiring via contact of each said base terminal and each said rotor terminal with the electrically conductive liquid of the annular channel respective thereto irrespective of relative rotation between said rotor plate and said base plate;
• wherein the first wiring is connected in stationary relation to a first component, and the second wiring is connected in stationary relation to a second component, and wherein the second component is rotatable with respect to the first component;
• said electrical connector further comprising:
• base connection means for connecting said base in stationary relation to the first component;
• and
• rotor connection means for connecting said rotor in stationary relation to the second component;
• and
• wherein the first component is a stationary portion of a steering column and the second component is a rotative portion of a steering column;
• wherein said base plate has a centrally disposed base hub aperture, and wherein said rotor plate has a centrally disposed rotor hub aperture, said base hub aperture and said rotor hub aperture receiving therethrough the rotative portion of the steering column.