Anti-decoupling mechanism for an electrical connector assembly
US4508408A · kind A · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | May 11, 1983 |
| Grant date | Apr 2, 1985 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | May 11, 2003 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC H)Electricity
- CPC primaryH01R13/622
- WIPO fieldElectrical machinery, apparatus, energy
- WIPO sectorElectrical engineering
Abstract
An annular, radially expansible/contractible spiral spring (50) includes inner and outer circumferential faces (54, 56) and a tab (60) disposed perpendicularly to the annulus and between the faces, the spring being adapted to mount a coupling nut (30) on a plug shell (20) and provide means for resisting rotation of the coupling nut in both coupling/uncoupling directions, the spiral spring having faces (52) overlapping and opposite ends (58a, 58b) free with tab (60) being disposed at one end (58b) and adapted to be received in successive detents (40) disposed around an end face (37) of the coupling nut, each detent (40) having angularly spaced sidewalls (42, 44) with one sidewall (42) being radially disposed and the other sidewall (44) being skewed and acutely-angled relative to a radius, the sidewalls being adapted to be driven against the tab to tighten (contract) or loosen (expand) the spring annulus relative to the plug shell, sidewall (44) being adapted to cam tab (60) radially from its detent and allow coupling nut rotation.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.