Elastomeric locking taper connector with randomly placeable intermeshing member
AssigneeMinnesota Mining and Manufacturing Company
InventorRobert S. Reylek
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
An intermeshable electrical connector comprises a flexible electrically conductive member having electrically conductive elements along an outer surface for forming electrical connections with a rigid member having electrically conductive elements along an outer surface, these elements being correspondingly configured to the elements on the flexible member. The rigid member may be intermeshed with the flexible member at a desired location in a releasable engagement, forming the electrical connections, while allowing for subsequent release and reconnection without stripping, damaging or penetrating the electrically conductive elements of the flexible member.
Claims17
An intermeshable electrical connector comprising:
- a flexible electrically conductive member having an outer surface, a plurality of electrically conductive protruding elements, the elements forming the outer surface;
- and
- a rigid member including at least one surface having electrically conductive elements correspondingly configured to those of the flexible member;
- whereby the rigid member is randomly placable along the flexible member and when brought into engagement with the flexible member, the electrically conductive elements of the flexible member and the rigid member are retained in a releasable attachment with a force sufficient to ensure electrical connection and subsequent release and reconnection.
An electric current or signal carrying member comprising:
- a body having a plurality of electrically conductive tapered elements forming the outer surface of the electric current or signal carrying member, the body further comprising electrically conducting particles;
- and
- wires imbedded in the body in communication with the electrically conducting particles, such that electric current or signals can be transmitted to external devices when a correspondingly configured electrically conducting member is intermeshed in a releasably attachable frictional engagement with the electric current or signal carrying member.
An electrical connector comprising:
- a flexible electrically conducting member extending a substantial length, the flexible member including a plurality of electrically conductive tapered elements extending the length of the flexible member, the tapered elements forming the outer surface of the flexible member, the tapered elements including means for carrying electric current or signals the length of the flexible member without an appreciable drop in voltage over the length;
- and
- a rigid member including at least one surface having electrically conductive elements correspondingly configured to those of the flexible member;
- whereby the rigid member is placable at a desired random location along the flexible member and when brought into engagement with the flexible member, the electrically conductive elements of the flexible member and the rigid member are retained in a releasable attachment with a force sufficient to ensure electrical connection and subsequent release and reconnection.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.