Electrical connecting device
AssigneePhilips Electronics North America Corporation
InventorsGeorge Wozniczka, Robert Holmes
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
An electrical connecting device is provided which includes a housing comprising at least one orifice having disposed therein a connector for making electrical connection between electrical power-providing components and electrical power-receiving components. The connector includes inner and outer flange structures which substantially envelop edge portions of the orifice to provide a substantially continuous seal between at least side and bottom edge portions of the orifice and connector. In especially preferred embodiments, the edge portions of the orifice are contained in a groove formed between the inner and outer flange structures.
Claims13
An electrical connecting device which includes a housing comprising at least one orifice having disposed therein a connector for making electrical connection between electrical power-providing components and electrical power-receiving components, said connector comprising inner and outer flange means which substantially envelop edge portions of the orifice to provide a substantially continuous seal between at least side and bottom edge portions of said orifice and said connector;
- said connector also comprising an opening for mating with a part of a second connector which opening includes a molded-in latch surface and a molded-in seal surface, said opening together with said part of said second connector forming a continuous seal.
An electrical connecting device, which comprises:
- a housing having at least one orifice formed in a wall thereof, said orifice being defined by at least top edge, side edge, and bottom edge portions;
- a first internal half-connector having a plurality of longitudinally extending chambers, each chamber including an electrical contact longitudinally disposed therein, said internal half-connector also including inner and outer flange means which form a substantially continuous seal about at least the side and bottom edge portions of said orifice, the connector and wall portion of the housing having complementary parts whereby upon assembly of the connector into the orifice, there is provided a substantially continuous seal between at least inner and outer side and bottom edge portions of said orifice and inner and outer side and bottom portions of said connector, said seal comprising inner and outer flange means provided on the connector which envelop said outer and inner side and bottom edge portions of the orifice;
- a second external half-connector for detachable connection to said first internal half-connector, said second half-connector having a plurality of longitudinally extending chambers, the chambers of the first internal half-connector receiving the chambers of the second external half-connector to establish electrical contact of electrical components connected thereto, said second half-connector;
- said first half-connector also comprising an opening for mating with a part of said second connector which opening includes a molded-in latch surface and a molded-in seal surface, said opening together with said part of said second connector forming a continuous seal.
An electrical ballast comprising a housing having at least one wall and comprising an electrical half-connector disposed in at least one orifice of said at least one wall, the half-connector and wall portion of the ballast housing having complementary parts whereby upon assembly of the half-connector into the orifice, there is provided a substantially continuous seal between at least inner and outer side and bottom edge portions of said orifice and inner and outer side and bottom portions of said connector, said seal comprising inner and outer flange means provided on the connector which envelop said outer and inner side and bottom edge portions of the orifice, said half-connector also comprising an opening for mating with a part of a second half-connector which opening includes a molded-in latch surface and a molded-in seal surface, said opening together with said part of a second connector forming a continuous seal.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.