US 5,911,595 AGranted

Low profile angular connector device and method

AssigneesKern Engineering & Mfg. Corp., Woven Electronics Corporation

InventorsLawrence William Orr, Jr., Roland A. Kern, Richard John Kern

Life of this patent

Estimating the term…

Loading patent…

Abstract

The electrical connector of this invention is for terminating the wires of a cable into an electrical insert positioned within a connector backshell at an angle to the direction of the cable. A wireing space at the rear of the backshell is provided to terminate the wires within the insert. The connector is used to provide a connector interface for a cable running along one surface of a bulkhead and turning at an angle through the bulkhead to a receptacle or connector face extending from the other face of the bulkhead. The connector face receives an associated electrical interface device. The electrical connector of this invention provides the connector in a minimum amount of clearance space on both sides of the bulkhead. Grounding and shielding of a shielded portion of the cable to the connector is also provided within the minimum clearance space. A tie cord attaches the wires of the cable to a neck of the hollow shaft of the connector backshell to provide stress relief for the wires.

Claims40

Dependent claims

A low-profiled electrical connector for terminating wires of a circular electrical cable in a minimum amount of clearance space for connecting to an associated electrical interface device, said electrical connector comprising:

a low-profiled connector backshell housing which includes a cylindrical housing with an open front face normal to an interface axis of said connector backshell, and said cylindrical housing having an interior cylindrical interface wall;
a cylindrical electrical insert carried within said cylindrical housing next adjacent said interior wall, said electrical insert having a connector face generally coextending with said front face of said backshell with a plurality of electrical terminals for mating with said electrical interface device;
said backshell housing including a rear housing defined between said electrical insert and a back of said backshell housing;
a low-profiled stem integral with said backshell housing, said stem opening into said rear housing for receiving and routing said cable along a stem axis extending at an angle to said interface axis;
a rear access included in said back of said connector backshell housing having an access opening for receiving said insert there through;
said access opening being defined by a continuous peripheral wall lying in a plane generally normal to said interface axis;
a rear cover plate attached to said peripheral wall overlying said access opening for closing said access opening to provide shielding for said wires within said backshell;
a low-profile thickness for said electrical connector defined between said front face and rear cover plate of said backshell;
and,
a low-profile wiring space portion of said thickness defined in said rear housing of said backshell housing facilitating routing and termination of said wires of said cable to said electrical insert so that the thickness of said backshell is minimized to accommodate connection to said associated electrical interface device in a minimum amount of clearance space.

7 more elements

A low-profile electrical connector assembly for terminating wires of a shielded cable to an associated electrical interface device at an angle to the direction of said cable, said assembly comprising:

a connector backshell which includes:
a backshell housing including a cylindrical housing with an interface axis disposed at said angle, and said cylindrical housing having an open front face perpendicular to said interface axis,
a rear access opening included in a rear of said backshell housing to accommodate the termination of said wires to said connector insert,
a rear access cover affixed to said backshell housing overlying and closing said rear access opening,
a low-profile thickness defined between said front face opening of said backshell housing and the back of said rear access cover providing use of said electrical connector in a minimum space, and
a hollow stem having a low-profiled neck facilitating routing of said cable within said low-profile thickness of said backshell housing along a stem axis extending at said angle to said interface axis;
an electrical connector insert carried within said backshell housing having a connector face generally coextending with said open backshell face and having a plurality of terminals for terminating contacts associated with said wires;
a rear wiring space of said backshell defined between said connector insert and said rear access back cover for routing and termination of said wires within said backshell;
a mount for affixing said backshell to an interface support;
and,
said low-profile thickness of said backshell including a low-profiled clearance portion defined between said backshell mount and said rear access cover facilitating mounting of said backshell connector in a minimum amount of clearance space.

8 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.