Patent · US Expired

Connector and receptacle containing a physical security feature

US6960025B2 · kind B2 · utility

64Cited by
27References
14Claims
0Family size

Assignee

Inventor

Key dates

Filing dateJul 17, 2001
Grant dateNov 1, 2005
Priority date
Expiry dateMar 7, 2022

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC G)Physics
  • CPC primaryG02B6/3893
  • WIPO fieldOptics
  • WIPO sectorInstruments

Abstract

A connector system that provides discriminating mating between plugs and receptacles by using a system of geometrically matched connector components which allow certain pairs of connectors to mate but which prevent all other combinations of connectors to mate.In a preferred embodiment, the connector system comprises (a) a plurality of receptacles, each receptacle having an inner surface with a first geometry; (b) a plurality of plugs, each plug having a second geometry; (c) wherein the second geometry of a plug cooperates with at least one first geometry of a receptacle to allow the plug and the at least one receptacle to mate, while the second geometry of the plug physically interfering with all other second geometries of all of the other receptacles of the plurality of receptacles to prevent mating therewith.

Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.