US 5,957,713 AGranted

Electric contact arrangement for hose coupling

AssigneeWestinghouse Air Brake Company

InventorsThomas H. Engle, Thomas Bogenschutz

Life of this patent

Estimating the term…

Loading patent…

Abstract

Connector for joining a fluid conduit and an electrical line to another fluid conduit and electrical line. It has a body including a mating surface with a fluid pressure port and a seal surrounding the port. It has a nipple for a fluid pressure hose and a fluid passage joining the nipple to the port. It has means for joining two connectors having their mating surfaces in contact to compress the seals and prevent loss of fluid. There is at least one electrical contact having a contact surface on the mating surface outside of the seal, so that when two connectors are joined, the contact surface(s) on the first connector touch(es) the contact surface(s) on the second connector. It also has an enclosed pathway communicating pressure from an internal portion of the connector to a portion of the electrical contact opposite the contact surface, and it has a second seal preventing flow of fluid past the contact, the second seal permitting motion of the electrical contact in a direction having a component normal to the electrical contact surface so that fluid pressure carried by the enclosed pathway causes the electrical contact to press against an adjacent electrical contact on the second connector. It has electrical connection means attached to the contact(s). The electrical connection means pass through the pathway and through a pressure boundary of the connector, and are for connection to the electrical line.

Claims20

Dependent claims

A connector for joining an air pressure communication conduit and at least one electrical trainline on a first railway vehicle to a like connector on a second railway vehicle coupled to such first railway vehicle, said connector comprising:

(a) a connector body including;
(I) a mating surface for mating two like connectors, said mating surface having an air pressure port and a first seal surrounding said air pressure port;
(II) a nipple for attachment of an air pressure hose, said connector body having formed therein an air pressure communication passage joining said nipple to said air pressure port;
(III) means for mechanically joining said two like connectors disposed with said mating surface of a first one of said two like connectors in contact with a corresponding mating surface of a second one of said two like connectors whereby force is applied across their said mating surfaces so that said first seal on said first one of said two like connectors is compressed and pressed against a corresponding seal on said second one of said two like connectors thereby preventing loss of air from said two like connectors;
(b) at least one electrical contact having an electrical contact surface located on said mating surface outside of a pressure boundary provided by said first seal, so that when said first like connector is joined to said second like connector, said at least one electrical contact surface on said first like connector makes interconnection with said at least one electrical contact surface on said second like connector;
(c) at least one enclosed pathway communicating air pressure from an internal portion of said connector to a portion of said electrical contact opposite said electrical contact surface;
(d) a second seal preventing flow of air past said electrical contact, said second seal permitting motion of said electrical contact in a direction having a component normal to said electrical contact surface so that such air pressure carried by said enclosed pathway causes said electrical contact to press against an adjacent electrical contact on said second like connector;
and
(e) electrical connection means attached to said portion of said electrical contact opposite said electrical contact surface, said electrical connection means passing through at least a portion of said enclosed pathway and through a pressure boundary of said connector, said electrical connection means for connection to said at least one electrical trainline.

6 more elements

A connector for joining a fluid pressure communication conduit and at least one electrical communication line to a like fluid pressure communication conduit and a like at least one electrical communication line, said connector comprising:

(a) a connector body including;
(I) a mating surface for mating two like connectors, said mating surface having a fluid pressure port and a first seal surrounding said fluid pressure port;
(II) a nipple for attachment of a fluid pressure hose, said connector body having formed therein a fluid pressure communication passage joining said nipple to said fluid pressure port;
(III) means for mechanically joining said two like connectors disposed with said mating surface of a first one of said two like connectors in contact with a corresponding mating surface of a second one of said two like connectors whereby force is applied across their said mating surfaces so that said first seal on said first one of said two like connectors is compressed and pressed against a corresponding seal on said second one of said two like connectors thereby preventing loss of fluid from said two like connectors;
(b) at least one electrical contact having an electrical contact surface located on said mating surface outside of a pressure boundary provided by said first seal, so that when said first like connector is joined to said second like connector, said at least one electrical contact surface on said first like connector makes interconnection with said at least one electrical contact surface on said second like connector;
(c) at least one enclosed pathway communicating fluid pressure from an internal portion of said connector to a portion of said electrical contact opposite said electrical contact surface;
(d) a second seal preventing flow of fluid past said electrical contact, said second seal permitting motion of said electrical contact in a direction having a component normal to said electrical contact surface so that said fluid pressure carried by said enclosed pathway causes said electrical contact to press against an adjacent electrical contact on said second like connector;
and
(e) electrical connection means attached to said portion of said electrical contact opposite said electrical contact surface, said electrical connection means passing through at least a portion of said enclosed pathway and through a pressure boundary of said connector, said electrical connection means for connection to said at least one electrical communication line.

6 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Facts

Application: 08/803,262Filed 20 Feb 1997
Granted: 28 Sep 1999
Term ends: Not estimatedThe source records don’t support an estimate.

Classification5 codes

H01R 13/005
Details of coupling devices of the kinds covered by groups H01R12/70 or H01R24/00 - H01R33/00: electrical coupling combined with fluidic coupling
F16L 25/01
Construction or details of pipe joints not provided for in, or of interest apart from, groups F16L13/00 - F16L23/00: specially adapted for…
F16L 37/256
In which the connection is made by inserting one member axially into the other and rotating it to a limited extent, e.g. with bayonet-action: the…
H01R
Electrically-conductive connections