WO2000033424A1

WO2000033424A1 - Connector arrangement

Info

Publication number: WO2000033424A1
Application number: PCT/ZA1999/000131
Authority: WO
Inventors: Jacob Van Pareen
Original assignee: SMI Tech Pty Ltd
Current assignee: SMI Tech Pty Ltd
Priority date: 1998-12-03
Filing date: 1999-12-02
Publication date: 2000-06-08
Anticipated expiration: 2001-06-03
Also published as: AU1527500A

Abstract

A connector arrangement (10) is disclosed and claimed. The arrangement comprises a first connector part (12) including a first electrical contact arrangement (20). Conductors (24, 22) are connected to the first connector part and terminate in the first electrical contact arrangement. A second connector part (34) includes a second electrical contact arrangement (38). Second conductors (48, 49) are connected to the second connector part and terminate in the second electrical contact arrangement. The first and second connector parts (12, 34) comprise formations (50) for arresting the first and second electrical contact arrangements in contact with one another. The formations are configured such that a straight line axial force F required to remove the first and second contact arrangements from one another is greater than a force required to bring the first and second contacts into contact with one another, but is less than a force required to sever or remove any one of the conductors from its respective contact arrangements.

Description

CONNECTOR ARRANGEMENT

TECHNICAL FIELD

THIS invention relates to a connector arrangement and more particularly to

a connector arrangement for an electronic or electric detonator arrangement

and/or a wired blasting system including such detonators.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

According to the invention there is provided a connector arrangement

comprising:

a first connector part including a first electrical contact;

a first conductor connected to the first connector part and

terminating in the first electrical contact;

a second connector part including a second electrical contact;

- a second conductor connected to the second connector part and

terminating in the second electrical contact;

the first and second connector parts comprising formations for

arresting the first and second electrical contacts in contact with one

another; and

- the formations being configured such that a straight line axial force

required to remove the first and second contacts from one another is

greater than a force required to bring the first and second contacts

into contact with one another, but is less than a force required to sever or remove any one of the conductors from its respective

connector part.

The first electrical contact arrangement may be provided on a spigot

forming part of the first connector part and the second electrical contact

arrangement may be provided in a sleeve forming part of the second

connector part.

The first connector part may include a body including the spigot and a

handle region formed integrally therewith from a suitable polymer material.

The second connector part may include a body including the sleeve and a

handle region formed integrally therewith from a suitable polymer material.

The first and second connector parts may be of elongate configuration, the

handle of the first connector part and the spigot may be axially aligned.

Similarly, the handle of the second connector part and the sleeve may also

be axially aligned.

The arresting formations may include a first thread on the spigot and a

cooperating second thread in the sleeve. The threads may be mutually

cooperating interrupted threads. However, in a preferred embodiment, the threads are continuous screw

threads. The threads may be configured to allow rotation or twisting of the

first and second parts relative to one another for between 90° and 360°

(preferably between about 100° - 1 10°) to bring the first and second

contacts into contact with one another.

A cross sectional profile of the first thread may include first and second

faces extending transversely from the spigot and meeting in a ridge, the

first face facing towards a free end of the spigot and slanting towards the

ridge in a direction away from the free end of the spigot, and the second

face extending substantially perpendicularly to a centre axis of the spigot.

A cross sectional profile of the second thread may include first and second

faces meeting in a ridge, the first face facing towards an open end of the

sleeve and slanting in a direction away from the open end to the ridge, and

the second face extending substantially perpendicularly to a centre axis of

the sleeve.

In other embodiments, a cross-sectional profile of each thread includes first

and second faces extending symmetrically on either side of a ridge.

In yet other embodiments, the arresting formations may include first and

second sets of parallel ribs on the spigot and in the sleeve respectively. A cross sectional profile of a rib in the first set of ribs may include first and

second faces extending transversely from the spigot and meeting in a ridge,

the first face facing towards a free end of the spigot and slanting towards

the ridge in a direction away from the free end of the spigot, and the

second face extending substantially perpendicularly to a centre axis of the

spigot.

A cross sectional profile of a rib in the second set of ribs may include first

and second faces meeting in a ridge, the first face facing towards an open

end of the sleeve and slanting in a direction away from the open end of the

sleeve to the ridge, and the second face extending substantially

perpendicularly to a central axis of the sleeve.

Also included within the scope of the invention is a connector part for a

connector arrangement, the connector part including:

a body including a first contact arrangement, a first conductor

being connectable to the first contact arrangement to extend

from the body;

formations on the body for cooperating with formations on a

body of a second connector part, for arresting the first contact

arrangement in contact with a second contact arrangement

forming party of the second connector part; the formations being configured such that a straight line axial

force required to remove the first and second contacts from one

another is greater than a force required to bring the first and

second contacts into contact with one another, but is less than

a force required to sever or remove the first conductor from the

first contact arrangement.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE ACCOMPANYING DIAGRAMS

The invention will now further be described, by way of example only, with

reference to the accompanying diagrams wherein:

figure 1 is a diagrammatic perspective view of a connector arrange¬

ment according to the invention including first and second

connector parts in a configuration wherein an electrical contact

is made;

figure 2 is a similar view of the arrangement, but in a configuration

wherein the contact is broken; and

figure 3 is a side view of the arrangement in figure 1 , partially in

section, to illustrate means for arresting first and second

contact arrangements in contact with one another.

DESCRIPTION OF A PREFERRED EMBODIMENT OF THE INVENTION

A connector arrangement according to the invention is generally designated

by the reference numeral 10 in figures 1 to 3. As best shown in figure 2, the connector arrangement 1 0 comprises a first

connector part 1 2 including an elongate body 1 4 including a handle portion

1 6 and a spigot formation 1 8 formed integrally with the handle portion from

a suitable polymer material. A first electrical contact arrangement 20 is

provided on the spigot 1 8. The contact arrangement includes a hollow

conductive sleeve 26 mounted coaxially with a longitudinal axis of the

spigot formation and which sleeve is insulated by an annular part 28 of the

spigot formation from a coaxially mounted conductive outer sleeve 32.

Wires or conductors 22 and 24 are connected to sleeves 26 and 32

respectively.

The connector arrangement 1 0 further comprises a second connector part

34. The second connector part 34 includes a body 36 made of the

aforementioned material and including a second contact arrangement 38,

shown in figure 3. The body 36 includes a resiliently flexible sleeve 40

formed integrally with a solid handle region 42. The sleeve 40 is

dimensioned removably to receive the spigot 1 8. The second contact

arrangement 38 includes a conductive spigot 44 removably receivable in

sleeve 26 and a hollow conductive sleeve 46 for removably receiving outer

sleeve 32 of the first connector part. The second contact arrangement is

connected to wires 48 and 49 extending from body 36. As best shown in figure 3, the connector arrangement 10 comprises an

arrangement 50 for arresting the spigot 18 in the sleeve 40 and the first

contact arrangement 20 and second contact arrangement 38 in mating

contact relationship with one another. More particularly, the arrangement

50 is configured to enable relatively easy insertion of the spigot 18 into the

sleeve 40 to make contact, thereby to facilitate ease of use of the

connector arrangement, but to provide substantially more resistance to

removal of the spigot 18 from the sleeve with a straight line axial force F,

to prevent accidental separation of the aforementioned contact

arrangements.

In a first embodiment, the arrangement 50 comprises a screw thread 56

(shown in figures 2 and 3) towards the free end of spigot 18 and a co¬

operating screw thread 58 in sleeve 40, shown in figure 3 only.

In one form, the profile of the threads is such that the faces 56.1 of the

thread 56 facing towards the free or distal end of the spigot slant towards a

ridge 56.2 of the thread in a direction towards the handle. The faces 56.3

of the thread 56 facing towards the handle 1 6 are substantially

perpendicular to a longitudinal axis of the spigot. The faces 58.1 of the

thread 58 in the sleeve 40 facing the open end of the sleeve slant towards

a ridge 58.2 in a direction towards the handle 42. The faces 58.3 of the

thread 58 facing towards the handle 42 are substantially perpendicular to a longitudinal axis of the body 36. In other forms, both threads, when

viewed in transverse cross-section may have symmetrical face profiles on

either side of a ridge. In other embodiments parallel ribs with cross-

sectional profiles as shown in figure 3 may be utilized.

Referring again to the embodiment shown in figure 3, upon insertion of

spigot 18 into sleeve 40, the slanting faces of threads 56 and 58 cooperate

with one another to facilitate insertion of the spigot into the sleeve.

Alternatively, by twisting the parts 12 and 34 relative to one another and

using the threads 56,58, the contact arrangements 20,38 are brought into

mating contact with one another and rib 52 slips into groove 54. In the

configuration shown in figures 2 and 3, the electrical contact arrangements

20 and 38 co-operate with one another to make an electrical contact

between the wires 22, 24 on the one hand and the wires 48,49 on the

other.

In this position, the perpendicular faces 56.3, 58.3 of the threads 56 and

58 abut against one another. With these faces abutting against one

another, a substantially larger axial straight line force F is required to

separate the first and second connector parts 12,34 from one another

compared to the aforementioned forces required to insert the spigot 18 into

the sleeve 40. However, the straight line axial force required to separate

the two connector parts 12,34 is still smaller than a force required to sever any one or more of the wires 24, 26, 48 and 49 or to separate them from

their connections to the connector parts.

In order conveniently to remove the spigot 1 8 from the sleeve 40 and to

break the contact, the two connector parts 1 2 and 34 are rotated through

about 100° relative to one another about their longitudinal axes to utilize

the threads 56 and 58, to overcome the aforementioned abutting

perpendicular faces.

It will be appreciated that there are many variations in detail on the

connector arrangement according to the invention without departing from

the scope and spirit of the appended claims.

Claims

1 . A connector arrangement comprising:

a first connector part including a first electrical contact;

a first conductor connected to the first connector part and

terminating in the first electrical contact;

a second connector part including a second electrical contact;

a second conductor connected to the second connector part and

terminating in the second electrical contact;

the first and second connector parts comprising formations for

arresting the first and second electrical contacts in contact with

one another; and

the formations being configured such that a straight line axial

force required to remove the first and second contacts from one

another is greater than a force required to bring the first and

second contacts into contact with one another, but is less than

a force required to sever or remove any one of the conductors

from its respective connector part.

2. A connector arrangement as claimed in claim 1 wherein the first

electrical contact arrangement is provided on a spigot forming part of

the first connector part and the second electrical contact arrangement

is provided in a sleeve forming part of the second connector part.

3. A connector arrangement as claimed in claim 2 wherein the first

connector part includes a body including the spigot and a handle

region formed integrally therewith from a suitable polymer material.

4. A connector arrangement as claimed in claim 2 or claim 3 wherein

the second connector part includes a body including the sleeve and a

handle region formed integrally therewith from a suitable polymer

material.

5. A connector arrangement as claimed in any one of claims 2 to 4

wherein the arresting formations include a first thread on the spigot

and a cooperating second thread in the sleeve.

6. A connector arrangement as claimed in claim 5 wherein the threads

are continuous screw threads.

7. A connector arrangement as claimed in claim 6 wherein a cross

sectional profile of the first thread includes first and second faces

extending transversely from the spigot and meeting in a ridge, the

first face facing towards a free end of the spigot and slanting

towards the ridge in a direction away from the free end of the spigot,

and the second face extending substantially perpendicularly to a

central axis of the spigot.

. A connector arrangement as claimed in claim 6 or claim 7 wherein a

cross sectional profile of the second thread includes first and second

faces meeting in a ridge, the first face facing towards an open end of

the sleeve and slanting in a direction away from the open end to the

ridge, and the second face extending substantially perpendicularly to

a centre axis of the sleeve.

9. A connector arrangement as claimed in claim 6 wherein a cross-

sectional profile of each thread includes first and second faces

extending symmetrically on either side of a ridge.

10. A connector arrangement as claimed in any one of claims 2 to 4

wherein the arresting formations include first and second sets of

parallel ribs on the spigot and in the sleeve respectively.

1 1 . A connector arrangement as claimed in claim 10 wherein a cross

sectional profile of a rib in the first set of ribs includes first and

second faces extending transversely from the spigot and meeting in a

ridge, the first face facing towards a free end of the spigot and

slanting towards the ridge in a direction away from the free end of

the spigot, and the second face extending substantially

perpendicularly to a centre axis of the spigot.

2. A connector arrangement as claimed in claim 1 0 or claim 1 1 wherein

a cross sectional profile of a rib in the second set of ribs includes first

and second faces meeting in a ridge, the first face facing towards an

open end of the sleeve and slanting in a direction away from the open

end of the sleeve to the ridge, and the second face extending

substantially perpendicularly to a centre axis of the sleeve.

3. A connector part for a connector arrangement, the connector part

including:

- a body including a first contact arrangement, a first conductor

being connectable to the first contact arrangement to extend

from the body;

formations on the body for cooperating with formations on a

body of a second connector part, for arresting the first contact

arrangement in contact with a second contact arrangement

forming party of the second connector part;

the formations being configured such that a straight line axial

force required to remove the first and second contacts from one

another is greater than a force required to bring the first and

second contacts into contact with one another, but is less than

a force required to sever or remove the first conductor from the

first contact arrangement.

4. A connector arrangement substantially as herein described with

reference to the accompanying diagrams.

5. A connector part substantially as herein described with reference to

the accompanying diagrams.