Method and tool for treating a seal wiping surface of a sealed connector and tool for treating a seal wiping surface of a sealed connector

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11276975-B2
Application number	US-201916446711-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jun 20, 2019
Priority date	Jun 22, 2018
Publication date	Mar 15, 2022
Grant date	Mar 15, 2022

Abstract

A method of preparing a sealed connector system for connection is presented. The sealed connector system has a male connector body, a female connector body defining a shroud to receive the male connector body, and a resilient seal surrounding the male connector body. The method includes the steps of applying lubricant on a seal wiping surface on the shroud interior and inserting the male connector body within the female connector body such that the resilient seal is in compressive contact with the seal wiping surface. A tool to apply the lubricant includes an insert disposed within the shroud having a central cavity and passages extending from the central cavity to portals defined in an outer surface of the insert and a spray valve disposed within the insert configured to dispense a lubricant mist into the central cavity, through the passages to the portals, and onto the seal wiping surface.

First claim

We claim:

1. A method of preparing a sealed electrical connector system for connection, said sealed electrical connector system comprising a male electrical connector body, a female electrical connector body defining a shroud configured to receive the male connector body, and a resilient seal axially surrounding a portion of the male electrical connector body, said method comprising:
disposing an insert within the shroud, wherein the insert defines a central cavity and a plurality of passages extending from the central cavity to portals defined in an outer surface of the insert that are arranged adjacent to a seal wiping surface;
dispensing a lubricant as a mist into the central cavity and through the plurality of passages to the portals;
depositing the lubricant mist onto the seal wiping surface of the shroud: and
inserting the male connector body within the female connector body such that the resilient seal is in compressive contact with the seal wiping surface.

2. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the lubricant is applied to the seal wiping surface using a spraying process.

3. The method according to claim 1 , wherein step b) is performed prior to initial insertion of the male connector body into the female connector body.

4. The method according to claim 1 , wherein application of the lubricant is limited to the seal wiping surface.

5. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the lubricant comprises a perfluoropolyether based lubricant.

6. The method according to claim 5 , wherein the lubricant consists of a perfluoropolyether lubricant.

7. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the lubricant comprises a phenylmethyl polysiloxane based lubricant.

8. The method according to claim 7 , wherein the lubricant consists of a phenylmethyl polysiloxane lubricant.

9. The method according to claim 2 , further comprising disposing a spray valve within the insert.

10. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the resilient seal is formed of a silicone-based material.

11. The method according to claim 10 , wherein the resilient seal is formed of a high oil bleed content silicone material.

Assignees

• Aptiv Tech Ltd

Inventors

• Mathews Thomas
• Mata Ignacio Reyes
• Morgan Terry A
• George Terry A
• Guza Sarah

Classifications

• H01R13/5219 Primary

  Sealing means between coupling parts, e.g. interfacial seal · CPC title

• H01R13/631

  for engagement only · CPC title

• H01R43/26 Primary

  for engaging or disengaging the two parts of a coupling device (structural association with two-part coupling device H01R13/629) · CPC title

• H01R13/5202

  Sealing means between parts of housing or between housing part and a wall, e.g. sealing rings · CPC title

• B05B13/0627

  Arrangements of nozzles or spray heads specially adapted for treating the inside of hollow bodies (B05B13/0645 takes precedence) · CPC title