EP3190666A1 - Pin for adapting electrical connectors, and a kit of parts including same - Google Patents

Abstract

The present invention provides a pin (100, 400, 500) for adapting a socket contact (610) of a connector. The pin (100, 400, 500) converts the connector for use with a sprung contact type receptacle connector (700). The pin (100, 400, 500) comprises: a shaft portion (102) having a first end (104) and a second end (106), the first end (104) being tapered; an electrical contact portion (106) provided at the second end (106), having a greater diameter than the shaft portion (102); and at least one barb (108), disposed on the shaft portion (102), configured to engage with the connector upon insertion of the pin (100, 400, 500) socket contact (610). The invention also provides a kit of parts comprising such a pin (100, 400, 500), together with a corresponding sprung contact type mating connector.

Description

• The present invention relates to a pin for adapting electrical connectors, and in particular for adapting a socket contact within an existing connector for use with a mating connector with sprung contacts. The invention also relates to a kit of parts for adapting a socket contact, and a mating connector with sprung contacts.
• Electrical connectors consisting of a mating pair, made up of a plug half and receptacle half, are well known. These types of connector pairs are often designed based on military standards.
• They advantageously provide secure connections, and are used in aerospace, industrial, marine, and automotive applications. Often for this particular style of connectors the socket contacts are located in the plug connector side. These are often permanently incorporated into equipment and are difficult, costly and time consuming to replace in service. The mating receptacle half, is usually provided on a removable portion of the equipment.
• When coupled together, the pin contacts are inserted into the socket contacts and the connector is sealed. However it has been found that certain environments can result in debris, dirt, dust, and/or moisture ingress into the socket cavities when the two halves are unmated which can negatively affect the electrical performance.
• It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide means for enabling the use of equipment in environments where debris, dirt, dust, and/or moisture is present, without degrading the electrical connection between the mating connectors, and without replacing the portion of the mating pair permanently incorporated into equipment while in service.
• According to a first aspect of the present invention, there is provided a pin for adapting a socket contact of a connector, comprising: a shaft portion having a first end and a second end, the first end being tapered; an electrical contact portion provided at the second end, having a greater diameter than the shaft portion; and at least one barb, disposed on the shaft portion, configured to engage with the connector upon insertion of the pin into the socket contact.
• Advantageously, providing such a pin enables a plug and receptacle mating pair having socket contacts to be adapted for use with a sprung contacts as opposed to insertion contacts. Providing the pin with at least one barb which engages with the connector prevents the pin from being removed once it is inserted, and thus permanently adapts the connector. The pin therefore prevents the ingress of debris, dirt, dust, and/or moisture into the socket contact, and where such debris, dirt, dust and/or moisture is deposited on the connector it may be easily wiped off the contact portion of the pin before the sprung contact receptacle connector is coupled to the plug connector.
• As such, use of the pins means that the existing, difficult to replace, socket contact connectors can remain in place, but be provided with the advantages associated with a sprung contact connector mating pair.
• For ease of understanding, the invention will now be described with reference to use in adapting socket contacts in a plug connector for use with a receptacle connector having sprung contacts. However, as will be appreciated, the socket contacts may be provided in a receptacle connector, the sprung contacts being provided in the plug connector.
• It should also be appreciated that the present invention may be used to adapt any suitable socket contact type connector for use with sprung contacts.
• Providing a tapered end, for insertion into the socket contact, enables the pins to be fitted to the plug connector more easily, and therefore reduces the probability of damaging the face of the plug connector, and reduces the time required to fit each pin. In a preferred embodiment, the tapered first end is hemispherical. Alternatively, the first end may be conical, or frustoconical.
• Preferably, the pin has a substantially circular cross-section, and is preferably sized to be a locational interference fit within the socket contact. Sizing the pin in this manner ensures a good electrical connection between the pin and the socket contact.
• The or each barb may comprise a tapered face, facing the first end of the shaft portion, and an engagement face, facing the second end of the shaft portion. The tapered face may enable the pin to be more easily located and inserted into the socket contact. The engagement face is configured to engage with the socket contact, and may engage with the rear face of a housing of the plug connector. That is to say, it engages with the internal face of the housing. The housing of such a plug connector may be a socket insert, the plug connector having an outer shell for receiving the insert. The pin is therefore, in effect, permanently attached to the plug connector. As described above, it will be appreciated that the socket insert may be provided in an outer shell of the receptacle connector half of the mating pair of connectors.
• The radius of the barb portion preferably has a minimum tolerance of about 0.05 mm larger than the maximum tolerance value for the hole in the plug connector, for example the hole in the plug connector housing known as the socket insert which the pin passes through upon insertion into the socket contact. This means that when the barb portion passes through the hole it will temporarily cause the socket insert to deform, and when it has passed through returns to its original form preventing the contact from being removed for the plug connector.
• In a preferred embodiment, the pin comprises a single barb, the tapered face extending around substantially the entire circumference of the shaft portion, and the engagement face extending around substantially the entire circumference of shaft portion.
• The electrical contact portion is preferably in the form of a disc. The disc has a contact face for electrically coupling with an electrical connector, such as a sprung contact receptacle connector, and a mating face, for mechanically mating with a portion of the plug connector. The mating face is preferably frustoconical.
• Preferably, the contact face of the contact portion is planar. Alternatively, the contact face of the contact portion may be concave. The cross-sectional profile of the concave face may be curved, and may be symmetrical such that a dome shape is provided. Alternatively, the concave face of the contact portion has a cross-sectional profile that is triangular. In this way, a cone shaped indentation in the contact face may be provided.
• The distance, along the length of the shaft portion, between the at least one barb and the contact portion is configured such that, upon insertion of the pin into the socket contact of the plug connector, the barb engages with an internal surface of the connector, and an outer edge of the contact portion is substantially planar with an outer surface of the connector. It is also preferable that the distance along the length of the shaft portion between the mating face of the contact portion and the engagement face of the or each barb, is configured such that, upon insertion of the pin into the socket contact of the plug connector, a housing portion of the connector, disposed between the barb and the contact portion is placed under compression by the barb and contact portion. In this way, a secure fit is provided preventing movement of the pin relative to the plug connector's mating face and also substantially preventing the ingress of debris, dust, dirt and/or moisture into the socket contact.
• At least the surface of the shaft portion and the surface of the contact portion may be gold-plated. Preferably, the entire pin is gold-plated, for ease of manufacture. Alternatively, the pin may be coated with another non-corrosive, highly conductive, metal. The electrical contacts surfaces of the pin are the outer surface of the shaft portion between the first end and the barb, and the contact face of the contact portion. It is therefore advantageous that the plating extends at least along and between these surfaces. The pin may be formed of Beryllium copper (BeCu) or Phosphor bronze, and then plated with gold, or another non-corrosive, highly conductive metal.
• As will now be appreciated, it is not important that the tapered portion at the first end of the shaft be plated, because it does not form part of the electrical pathway.
• According to a second aspect of the present invention, there is provided a kit of parts for adapting a socket contact of a connector, comprising: at least one pin for adapting a socket contact of a connector as described herein; and a mating connector with sprung contacts for electrically coupling with the adapted connector, comprising: a housing configured to be mechanically coupled to the adapted connector; at least one sprung electrical contact, mounted to the housing, to be electrically coupled to the pin, or a respective one of the pins, upon mechanical coupling of the mating connector and the connector.
• Preferably, the kit comprises a plurality of pins, the mating connector comprising a corresponding plurality of sprung electrical contacts.
• The adapted connector is preferably a plug connector, the mating connector preferably being a receptacle connector. Alternatively, the adapted connector may be a receptacle connector, the mating connector being a plug connector.
• Any feature in one aspect of the invention may be applied to other aspects of the invention, in any appropriate combination. Furthermore, any, some and/or all features in one aspect can be applied to any, some and/or all features in any other aspect, in any appropriate combination.
• It should also be appreciated that particular combinations of the various features described and defined in any aspects of the invention can be implemented and/or supplied and/or used independently.
• The invention will be further described, by way of example only, with reference to the accompanying drawings in which:
• Figure 1 shows a side view of a pin according to the present invention;
• Figure 2 shows a perspective view of the pin ofFigure 1;
• Figure 3 shows a cross-sectional view of the pin ofFigure 1, taken along the longitudinal axis of the pin;
• Figure 4 shows a cross-sectional view of an alternative embodiment of a pin according to the present invention, taken along the longitudinal axis of the pin;
• Figure 5 shows a cross-sectional view of a further alternative embodiment of a pin according to the present invention, taken along the longitudinal axis of the pin;
• Figures 6(a) and (b) show the pin ofFigure 1 being inserted into a socket contact of a plug connector; and
• Figures 7(a) and (b) show an example of a mating pair of connectors having a receptacle connector with sprung contacts and an adapted plug connector.
• Figures 1 and 2 show apin 100 according to the present invention. Thepin 100 comprises ashaft portion 102 having afirst end 104 with a taper, and in this embodiment rounded taper, asecond end 106 in the form of a contact portion, and abarb 108. Thecontact portion 106 has acontact face 110 and amating face 112. Thebarb 108 has anengagement face 114. The pin is configured to adapt a plug connector, upon insertion of the pin into the or each socket contact, to enable use with a receptacle connector having sprung contacts. The shaft is substantially cylindrical in shape, and thus has a circular cross-sectional shape.
• To adapt the plug connector, the pin is inserted in the existing socket contact by a user. Therounded end 104 of the pin, enables the pin to be more easily located and aligned in the socket contact. As the pin is inserted, and thebarb 108 meets the outer face of the connector, the user must exert sufficient force to push the barb passed the outer housing, until it emerges on the other side of the outer housing, and engages with the rear, internal, surface of the outer housing.
• The distance along the length of the shaft, between theengagement face 114 and themating face 112 is configured such thatengagement face 114 and the mating face cooperate to retain the pin within the plug connector without the pin being able to move in the axial direction of thepin 100. That is to say, the housing of the plug connector, such as a socket insert, is clamped between the barb and the contact portion. In addition, the dimensions of the pin are such that the outer edge of thecontact face 110 is planar with the outer surface of the housing. That is to say, the contact face is flush with the socket insert mating face.
• As can be seen, thebarb 108 is of a frustoconical shape facing thefirst end 104 of thepin 100. The shape enables thepin 100 to be more easily inserted into the socket contact of the plug connector. Themating face 112 of thecontact portion 106 is also of a frustoconical shape, and also faces thefirst end 104 of thepin 100. The shape of themating face 112 is configured to correspond to the shape of the opening of the socket insert, and so may not be frustoconical.
• Referring toFigure 3, which shows a cross-sectional view of thepin 100, it can be seen that thecontact face 110 is substantially flat. Alternatively, as shown inFigures 4 and 5, the contact face may be concave, which may improve the electrical connection between the sprung contact and the pin. InFigure 4, thepin 400 shows the cross-sectional shape of the contact face with asmooth curve 402, and thus a dome shaped contact face is provided. InFigure 5, thepin 500 shows the cross-sectional shape of the contact face as being triangular 502, and thus a cone shaped contact face is provided.
• The pin may be formed of any suitable electrically conductive material, such as Beryllium copper (BeCu) or Phosphor bronze, and may be coated with a non-corrosive, highly conductive, metal such as gold.
• Figure 6(a) shows thepin 100 being inserted into aplug connector 600. As can be seen, theplug connector 600 has an outer casing, known as a shell, which in use mechanically couples with the other half of the mating pair of connectors, asocket connector housing 604, in the form of a socket insert, having anexternal face 606 and aninternal face 608, and asocket contact 610. The diameter of thepin 100 is such that a locational interference fit is formed between thepin 100 and thesocket contact 610.
• As the user continues to insert thepin 100 into theplug connector 600, as shown inFigure 6(b), thebarb 108 passes through the opening in thesocket insert 604, and engages with theinternal face 608 of thesocket insert 604. The mating face of the contact portion mates with theouter surface 606 of thesocket insert 604, the contact face of thepin 100 being flush with theouter surface 606. Using such a snap-fit to locate and retain thepin 100 eliminates the need for soldering, and therefore enables the connector to be adapted quickly and easily.
• Figure 7(a) shows a sprungcontact receptacle connector 700, which is also known as a pogo connector, andFigure 7(b) shows the permanently adapted plug connector. Thereceptacle connector 700 and theplug connector 600 form the complete assembly.
• As will be appreciated, thesocket insert 604 may alternatively be provided in thereceptacle connector 700 outer shell. In this alternative example, the sprung contacts are provided in the plug connector outer shell.

Claims (15)

1. A pin for adapting a socket contact of a connector, comprising:

   a shaft portion having a first end and a second end, the first end being tapered;

   an electrical contact portion provided at the second end, having a greater diameter than the shaft portion; and

   at least one barb, disposed on the shaft portion, configured to engage with the connector upon insertion of the pin into the socket contact.
2. A pin according to Claim 1, wherein the tapered first end is hemispherical.
3. A pin according to Claim 1 or 2, wherein the or each barb comprises a tapered face, facing the first end of the shaft portion, and an engagement face, facing the second end of the shaft portion.
4. A pin according to Claim 3, wherein the pin comprises a single barb, the tapered face extending around substantially the entire circumference of the shaft portion, and the engagement face extending around substantially the entire circumference of shaft portion.
5. A pin according to Claim 3 or 4, wherein the or each engagement face extends substantially perpendicular from the surface of the shaft portion.
6. A pin according to any of the preceding claims, wherein the electrical contact portion is in the form of a disc, having a contact face for electrically coupling with an electrical connector, and a mating face, for mechanically mating with a portion of the connector.
7. A pin according to Claim 6, wherein the mating face is frustoconical.
8. A pin according to Claim 6 or 7, wherein the contact face is concave.
9. A pin according to Claim 8, wherein the cross-sectional profile of the concave face is curved.
10. A pin according to Claim 8, wherein the cross-sectional profile of the concave face is triangular.
11. A pin according to any of the preceding claims, wherein the distance, along the length of the shaft portion, between the at least one barb and the contact portion is configured such that, upon insertion of the pin into the connector, the barb engages with an internal surface of the connector, and an outer edge of the contact portion is substantially planar with an outer surface of the connector.
12. A pin according to any of the preceding claims, wherein at least the surface of the shaft portion and the surface of the contact portion are gold-plated.
13. A kit of parts for adapting a socket contact of a connector, comprising:

    at least one pin according to any of claims 1 to 12; and

    a mating connector for electrically coupling with the adapted connector, comprising:

    a housing configured to be mechanically coupled to the adapted connector;

    at least one sprung electrical contact, mounted to the housing, to be electrically coupled to the pin, or a respective one of the pins, upon mechanical coupling of the mating connector and the connector.
14. A kit of parts according to Claim 13, comprising a plurality of pins according to any of claims 1 to 11, wherein the connector comprises a corresponding plurality of sprung electrical contacts.
15. A kit of parts according to Claim 13 or 14, wherein the connector is a plug connector and the mating connector is a receptacle connector.

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