High-voltage electrical connector and related method

An electrical connector comprising:

• a plug assembly including
• a plug insulator having a cylindrical nose, the plug insulator being formed of a substantially non-resilient dielectric material,
• an electrical contact supported within the plug insulator and exposed through a central opening formed in a forward end of the cylindrical nose, and
• a plug body having a cylindrical seal compressor encircling at least a portion of the cylindrical nose;
• a receptacle assembly including
• a receptacle insulator having a side wall that defines a cylindrical cavity, the receptacle insulator being formed of substantially non-resilient dielectric material, and
• an electrical contact supported coaxially within the cavity of the receptacle insulator;
• wherein the plug assembly and receptacle assembly are configured to be engageable with each other, with the contact of the plug assembly electrically coupled with the contact of the receptacle assembly, and with the cylindrical nose positioned within the cylindrical cavity, an annular space being defined between the nose and the cavity side wall;
• and
• a resilient dielectric seal fitted either onto the cylindrical nose or within the cylindrical cavity such that the seal is interposed in the annular space defined between the nose and the cavity side wall when the plug assembly and receptacle assembly are engaged with each other, wherein the seal has a prescribed nominal radial thickness profile sized such that the plug assembly and receptacle assembly can engage each other without substantial sliding resistance;
• wherein, when the plug assembly and receptacle assembly are engaged to the extent that the contacts of the two assemblies are fully mated, the cylindrical seal compressor of the plug body can be advanced toward the receptacle assembly, to longitudinally compress the resilient dielectric seal and thereby increase the seal's nominal radial thickness profile until the seal substantially fills the annular space between the nose and the cavity side wall.

A method for providing a high-voltage seal around mating electrical contacts of a plug assembly and a receptacle assembly, wherein the plug assembly includes a plug insulator having a generally cylindrical nose and the receptacle assembly includes a receptacle insulator defining a generally cylindrical cavity, wherein the plug assembly and receptacle assembly both are formed of a substantially non-resilient dielectric material and are configured to be engageable with each other with the nose positioned within the cavity and with the contact of the plug assembly electrically coupled with the contact of the receptacle assembly, an annular space being defined between the cylindrical nose and the cylindrical cavity side wall, wherein the method comprises the steps of:

• fitting a resilient dielectric seal either onto the cylindrical nose or within the cylindrical cavity such that the seal is interposed in the annular space defined between the nose and the cavity side wall when the plug assembly and receptacle assembly are engaged with each other, wherein the seal has a prescribed nominal radial thickness profile sized such that the plug assembly and receptacle assembly can engage each other without substantial sliding resistance;
• and
• after the step of fitting, increasing the nominal radial thickness profile of the dielectric seal until it substantially fills the annular space between the cylindrical nose and the cylindrical cavity side wall.