Submersible electrical cable connector

A submersible cable connector assembly comprising:

• a cable-side connector assembly that includes a flex circuit having a circular head with a plurality of pins protruding therefrom;
• a receptacle-side connector assembly that includes a molded contact receptor having a plurality of concentric conductive rings with insulating material positioned between each ring, each concentric conductive ring electrically coupling with at least one of the pins when the cable-side connector assembly and the receptacle-side connector assembly are coupled together;
• a spring;
• a spring contact plate coupled to the spring;
• and
• a rubberized contact pad coupled between the spring contact plate and the circular head of the flex circuit;
• the spring, spring contact plate and rubberized contact paid applying a first force to the circular head of the flex circuit and forcing the plurality of pins to make contact with the concentric conductive rings of the molded contact conductor when the cable side-connector assembly and the receptacle-side connector assembly are coupled together;
• wherein the cable-side connector assembly further includes a boot assembly having a cable shaft extending therefrom through which wires from a cable extend into the cable side connector assembly;
• wherein the flex circuit includes two first ends which extend from the circular head, the first ends comprised of electrical traces insulated within a thin, flexible, durable film-like covering, one of the first ends coupling each individual pin in the plurality of pins to a PCB;
• and the other of the first ends coupling each individual pin in the plurality of pins to one of the wires which extend into the cable side connector assembly through the cable shaft of the boot assembly.

A method for coupling wires to an underwater device, the method comprising:

• constructing a cable-side connector assembly having a flex circuit with a circular head and a plurality of pins protruding therefrom;
• constructing a receptacle-side connector assembly having a molded contact conductor with front surface comprising a number of concentric conductive rings and insulating material positioned there between;
• coupling the cable-side connector assembly to the receptacle-side connector assembly such that each one of the concentric conductive rings electrically couples with at least one of the pins in the plurality;
• and
• disposing a spring behind the flex circuit, wherein the spring applies a force on the circular head of the flex circuit and urges more than one of the pins of the plurally pins to make contact with the more than one concentric conductive rings of the molded contact receptor when the cable-side connector assembly and the receptacle-side connector assembly are coupled together.

A method for coupling wires to an underwater device, the method comprising:

• constructing a cable-side connector assembly having a flex circuit with a circular head and a plurality of pins protruding therefrom;
• constructing a receptacle-side connector assembly having a molded contact conductor with front surface comprising a number of concentric conductive rings and insulating material positioned therebetween;
• coupling the cable-side connector assembly to the receptacle-side connector assembly such that each one of the concentric conductive rings electrically couples with at least one of the pins in the plurality;
• disposing a boot assembly having a cable shaft within the cable-side connector assembly, the cable shaft extending outward from the cable-side connector assembly and providing a channel through which the wires to be coupled to the underwater device extend into the cable-side connector assembly;
• coupling each individual pin in the plurality of pins to one of the wires which extend into the cable side connector assembly through the cable shaft;
• disposing a spring within the cable side connector assembly;
• coupling a spring contact plate to the spring;
• and
• coupling a rubberized contact pad between the spring contact plate and the circular head of the flex circuit such that the spring, spring contact plate and rubberized contact pad apply a force on the circular head of the flex circuit and forcing the pins to make contact with the concentric conductive rings of the molded contact receptor when the cable-side connector assembly and the receptacle-side connector assembly are coupled together.

An underwater cable connector assembly comprising:

• a cable-side connector assembly that includes:
• a boot assembly having a cable shaft extending therefrom through which wires extend into the cable side connector assembly;
• a printed circuit board housed within the boot assembly;
• a flex circuit having a circular head with a plurality of pins protruding therefrom, the flex circuit having two first ends which extend from the circular head, the first ends comprised of electrical traces insulated within a thin, flexible, durable film-like covering, one of the first ends coupling each individual pin to the PCB;
• and the other of the first ends coupling each individual pin in the plurality of pins to one of the wires which extend into the cable side connector assembly through the cable shaft of the boot assembly;
• a receptacle-side connector assembly that includes a molded contact receptor having a plurality of concentric conductive rings with insulating material positioned between each ring, each concentric conductive ring electrically coupling with at least one of the plurality of pins when the cable-side connector assembly and the receptacle-side connector assembly are coupled together;
• and
• a spring disposed behind the flex circuit, wherein the spring applies a force on the circular head of the flex circuit and urges more than one of the pins of the plurality of pins to make contact with the more than one concentric conductive rings of the molded contact receptor when the cable-side connector assembly and the receptacle-side connector assembly are coupled together.

An underwater cable connector assembly comprising:

• a cable-side connector assembly that includes:
• a boot assembly having a cable shaft extending therefrom through which wires extend into the cable side connector assembly;
• a printed circuit board housed within the boot assembly;
• a flex circuit having a circular head with a plurality of pins protruding therefrom, the flex circuit having two first ends which extend from the circular head, the first ends comprised of electrical traces insulated within a thin, flexible, durable film-like covering, one of the first ends coupling each individual pin to the PCB;
• and the other of the first ends coupling each individual pin in the plurality of pins to one of the wires which extend into the cable side connector assembly through the cable shaft of the boot assembly;
• a receptacle-side connector assembly that includes a molded contact receptor having a plurality of concentric conductive rings with insulating material positioned between each ring, each concentric conductive ring electrically coupling with at least one of the pins when the cable-side connector assembly and the receptacle-side connector assembly are coupled together;
• a spring;
• a spring contact plate coupled to the spring;
• and
• a rubberized contact pad coupled between the spring contact plate and the circular head of the flex circuit;
• the spring, spring contact plate and rubberized contact pad applying a first force to the circular head of the flex circuit and forcing the pins to make contact with the concentric conductive rings of the molded contact conductor when the cable side-connector assembly and the receptacle-side connector assembly are coupled together.