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EP-4740273-A1 - ACCESSORIES FOR CIRCULAR CONNECTORS

EP4740273A1EP 4740273 A1EP4740273 A1EP 4740273A1EP-4740273-A1

Abstract

A coupler is provided for a circular connector having first and second cylindrical connection elements, the coupler including a first coupler element, a second coupler element and an engagement arrangement. When the first coupler element and the second coupler element are connected to the first connection element and the second connection element, respectively, the engagement arrangement is configured to permit axial translation of the first and second connection elements along the common connector axis into a connected configuration, conditional on at least a number of conditions for engagement being fulfilled.

Inventors

  • LAGZIEL, RAFI
  • INGBER, Israel
  • PELEG, EYAL

Assignees

  • ISRAEL AEROSPACE INDUSTRIES LTD.

Dates

Publication Date
20260513
Application Date
20240703

Claims (20)

  1. 1. A coupler for a circular connector, the circular connector comprising a first generally cylindrical connection element having a first longitudinal central axis, and a second generally cylindrical connection element having a second longitudinal central axis, the first connection element and the second connection element having: a connected configuration in which the first and second connection elements are coaxially aligned so as to have a common connector axis, and in which the first and second connection elements are fully mated with one another so as to permit electrical connection therebetween; and a disconnected configuration in which the first and second connection elements are not full mated with one another and are electrically disconnected from one another; the coupler comprising: a first coupler element connectable to the first connection element, the first coupler element comprising a first portion of an engagement arrangement, the first portion comprising a first geometrical configuration; and a second coupler element connectable to the second connection element, the second coupler element comprising a second portion of the engagement arrangement, the second portion comprising a second geometrical configuration; and wherein, when the first coupler element and the second coupler element are connected to the first connection element and the second connection element, respectively, the engagement arrangement is configured to permit axial translation of the first and second connection elements along the common connector axis into the connected configuration, conditional on at least the following conditions for engagement being fulfilled: (a) the first geometrical configuration is complementary to, matches or corresponds to the second geometrical configuration at least in an axial direction parallel with common connector axis, so as to fit together when brought together in an axial direction along the common connector axis; an (b) the first connection element and the second connection element are coaxially aligned along the common connector axis; and (c) the first and second portions of the engagement arrangement are in an engaging enabling position, in which they are oriented about the common connector axis at corresponding angular orientations so as to fit together when brought together in an axial direction along the common connector axis.
  2. 2. The coupler according to claim 1, wherein each of the first and second coupler elements, when connected to the respective first and second connection element, is constrained with respect to the respective connection element at least: to prevent relative movement in an axial direction along the respective central longitudinal axis; and to prevent relative movement in a radial direction from the respective central longitudinal axis.
  3. 3. The coupler according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the engagement arrangement acts as a limiter preventing the connection elements when connected to the coupler elements from being brought into the connected configuration unless the conditions for engagement are fulfilled.
  4. 4. The coupler according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein at least one of the first and second portions of the engagement arrangement comprises at least one projection and at least the other of the first and second portions of the engagement arrangement comprises a corresponding at least one recess; configured to receive the at least one projection; wherein, in use, when the coupler elements are connected to the respective connection elements: - the at least one projection extends in a direction parallel to the common connector axis; and - the at least one recess is configured to receive the at least on projection in the connected configuration.
  5. 5. The coupler according to any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein the first and second coupler elements are configured to be mounted to a cylindrical outer surface of the respective first and second connection elements.
  6. 6. The coupler according to claim 5, wherein each of the first and second coupler elements comprises a hollow annular body comprising a central longitudinal axis.
  7. 7. The coupler according to claim 6, wherein the hollow annular body comprises at least two arc-shaped members; and wherein the arc-shaped member are connected in a hinged manner at one end and configured with a snap-fit closure at the other.
  8. 8. The coupler according to claim 6, wherein the hollow annular body comprises at least two arc-shaped members; and wherein the two arc-shaped member are configured at both ends with snap-fit closures.
  9. 9. The coupler according to any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein the first coupler element comprises a first annular plate configured to be mounted to an axial end surface of the first connection element; and wherein the second coupler element comprises a second annular plate configured to be mounted to the second connection element; wherein the first annular plate comprises at least one through-bore passing through a thickness of said plate, and the second annular plate is provided with at least one protrusion configured to extend orthogonal to a surface of said second annular plate; wherein, when the conditions for engagement are fulfilled, the first and second annular plates can be brought together, such that the at least one protrusion is configured to be at least partially received in the at least one through-bore.
  10. 10. The coupler according to claim 9, wherein the at least one protrusion is configured to taper in a direction away from said second annular plate.
  11. 11. The coupler according to claim 9 or 10, wherein the at least one through-bore comprises at least two through-bores located at predetermined relative angular locations about a central axis of said first annular plate, and wherein the at least one protrusion comprises at least two protrusions configured to be located at predetermined relative angular locations about a central axis of said second annular plate configured to correspond with the predetermined relative angular locations of the at least two through-bores.
  12. 12. The coupler according to any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein the first coupler element comprises at least one non-rotationally symmetric recess extending therein when viewed along an axis of the at least one recess; and wherein the second coupler element comprises at least one protrusion configured to be mounted to the second connection element, the at least one protrusion configured to extend parallel to an axis of the second connection element, wherein the at least one protrusion comprises a non-rotationally symmetric cross-section taken orthogonal to an axis of the protrusion; wherein, when the conditions for engagement are fulfilled, the at least one protrusion can be passed at least partially through the at least one recess.
  13. 13. The coupler according to claim 12, wherein the at least one protrusion is configured to taper along the axis thereof.
  14. 14. The coupler according to any one of claims 12 to 13, wherein the at least one non- symmetrical recess comprises at least two non-symmetric recesses configured to be located at predetermined relative angular locations about the first longitudinal central axis of the first connection element, and wherein the at least one protrusion comprises at least two protrusions configured to be located at predetermined relative angular locations about the second longitudinal central axis of the second connection element configured to correspond with the predetermined relative angular locations of the recesses configured to receive the at least two protrusions.
  15. 15. The coupler according to any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein the first coupler element has a hollow cylindrical shape and comprises a central longitudinal axis, and wherein the first geometrical configuration comprises at least one of a longitudinally extending groove or a protrusion; and wherein the second coupler element has a hollow cylindrical shape and comprises a central longitudinal axis, and wherein the second geometrical configuration comprises at least the other of the longitudinally extending groove or the protrusion; wherein, when the conditions for engagement are fulfilled, the first and second coupler elements, when fixed to the respective first and second connection elements, can be brought together, such that the protrusion is configured to be at least partially received in the groove.
  16. 16. The coupler according to claim 15, wherein the protrusion comprises a key extending longitudinally along the respective coupler element.
  17. 17. The coupler according to any one of claims 15 to 16, wherein each of the first and second coupler elements further comprises a flange configured to facilitate fixing of the respective first and second coupler element within the respective first or second connection element.
  18. 18. The coupler according to any one of claims 15 to 17, wherein each of the first and second coupler elements comprises a plurality of protrusions or grooves located at predetermined angular locations about the respective central axis.
  19. 19. The coupler according to any one of claims 1 to 18, wherein at least a portion of the coupler is made from at least one of - a polymer material, optionally a plastics material; and - a metal, optionally any one of steel, aluminium or titanium; - a composite materials, optionally a fiber reinforced materials.
  20. 20. The coupler according to any one of claims 1 to 19, wherein the coupler is configured to be retrofitted on a pre-existing circular connector.

Description

ACCESSORIES FOR CIRCULAR CONNECTORS TECHNOLOGICAL FIELD The present disclosure relates to circular connectors, in particular to circular connectors that include an electrical arrangement configured for interconnecting between electrical cables via electrical connector elements, for example pin connectors. BACKGROUND Circular connectors, also known as cylindrical connectors, are a well known arrangement in the art for enabling interconnection of certain types of electrical components, to thereby enable transmission of analog or digital data, electrical signals or electrical power, for example, between multiple cables, between a circuit box and cables, and the like, especially in avionics applications. The circular connector types are commonly classified according to their receptacle housing, for example cable plugs, in-line receptacles, box-mounted receptacles, panelmounted receptacles, bulkhead feed-through, blind-mate connectors and PCB mount connectors. Conventionally, such connectors comprise two generally cylindrical connector parts, in which a first connector part accommodates a male electrical connector part of an electrical arrangement, and the second connector part accommodates a female connector element of the electrical arrangement. For example such an electrical arrangement can be in the form of an 8-pin connector, or crimped removable pins, or PCB pins, or fixed pin contacts. Such connectors can also come in different sizes, such as to enable different numbers of pins/sockets to be interconnected. In practice, the same type of electrical arrangement can be provided to a plurality of cylindrical connectors, such that the first connector part is physically compatible with more than one second connector part, which can lead to errors occurring in which a first connector part is connected to the wrong second connector part. Some manufacturers produce a plurality of different connectors, each connector having a different, integrally formed, alignment arrangement to avoid such errors, but such a solution requires many different connectors to be manufactured, and stocked by the user, which can have logistical and cost implications. In other cases, the pattern of which one of the male or female connector element is provided in the junction box can be inverted for some of the connectors to minimize connection errors, which can have limited utility in avoiding such errors, and which complicates the arrangements at the junction box itself. GENERAL DESCRIPTION According to a first aspect of the present disclosure, there is provided a coupler for a circular connector, the circular connector comprising a first generally cylindrical connection element having a first longitudinal central axis, and a second generally cylindrical connection element having a second longitudinal central axis, the first connection element and the second connection element having: a connected configuration in which the first and second connection elements are coaxially aligned so as to have a common connector axis, and in which the first and second connection elements are fully mated with one another so as to permit electrical connection therebetween; and a disconnected configuration in which the first and second connection elements are not full mated with one another and are electrically disconnected from one another; the coupler comprising: a first coupler element connectable to the first connection element, the first coupler element comprising a first portion of an engagement arrangement, the first portion comprising a first geometrical configuration; and a second coupler element connectable to the second connection element, the second coupler element comprising a second portion of the engagement arrangement, the second portion comprising a second geometrical configuration; and wherein, when the first coupler element and the second coupler element are connected to the first connection element and the second connection element, respectively, the engagement arrangement is configured to permit axial translation of the first and second connection elements along the common connector axis into the connected configuration, conditional on at least the following conditions for engagement being fulfilled: a) the first geometrical configuration is complementary to, matches or corresponds to the second geometrical configuration at least in an axial direction parallel with common connector axis, so as to fit together when brought together in an axial direction along the common connector axis; an b) the first connection element and the second connection element are coaxially aligned along the common connector axis; and c) the first and second portions of the engagement arrangement are in an engaging enabling position, in which they are oriented about the common connector axis at corresponding angular orientations so as to fit together when brought together in an axial direction along the common connector axis. For example, each of the firs