Heated hose electrical connectors

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12155155-B2
Application number	US-202418597545-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Mar 6, 2024
Priority date	Jun 8, 2021
Publication date	Nov 26, 2024
Grant date	Nov 26, 2024

Abstract

An electrical connector system for use with independently heated hoses includes a first electrical connector, a second electrical connector, a third electrical connector, and a fourth electrical connector. The first electrical connector includes a first key that mates with a second key of the second electrical connector. The third electrical connector includes a third key that mates with a fourth key of the fourth electrical connector. The first and second keys differ from the third and fourth keys, ensuring the electrical connectors are correctly connected.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. An electrical connector system for a heated hose assembly for use in a plural component material dispensing system, the electrical connector system comprising:
a first heating subassembly comprising:
a first heating element;
a first electrical connector disposed at an end of the first heating element and extending along a first axis, the first electrical connector comprising:
a first key including a first recess and a first plurality of protrusions extending into the first recess; and
a first conductive connector disposed at least partially within the first recess;

a second heating subassembly comprising:
a second heating element;
a second electrical connector disposed at an end of the first heating element and extending along a second axis, the second electrical connector comprising:
a second key including a first projection and a first plurality of cutouts extending into the first projection; and
a first aperture disposed at least partially within the first projection;

wherein the first electrical connector is configured to mate with the second electrical connector such that the first projection extends into the first recess, the first conductive connector extends into the first aperture, and the first plurality of protrusions are received in the first plurality of cutouts.

2. The electrical connector system of claim 1 , wherein the second electrical connector includes a plurality of threaded inserts, and wherein a plurality of fasteners extend through the first electrical connector and into the plurality of threaded inserts to fix the first electrical connector and the second electrical connector together.

3. The electrical connector system of claim 1 , wherein:
the first heating subassembly further comprises:
a third heating element;
a third electrical connector disposed at an end of the third heating element and extending along a third axis, the third electrical connector comprising:
a third key including a second projection and a second plurality of cutouts extending into the second projection; and
a second aperture disposed at least partially within the second projection; and

the second heating subassembly further comprises:
a fourth heating element;
a fourth electrical connector disposed at an end of the fourth heating element and extending along a fourth axis, the fourth electrical connector comprising:
a fourth key including a second recess and a second plurality of protrusions extending into the second recess; and
a second conductive connector disposed at least partially within the second recess; and

the third electrical connector is configured to mate with the fourth electrical connector such that the second projection extends into the second recess, the second conductive connector extends into the second aperture, and the second plurality of protrusions are received in the second plurality of cutouts.

4. The electrical connector system of claim 1 , wherein the first plurality of protrusions includes a first protrusion and a second protrusion, the first protrusion disposed 180-degrees about the first axis from the second protrusion.

5. The electrical connector system of claim 4 , wherein the first plurality of cutouts includes a first cutout and a second cutout, the first cutout disposed 180-degrees about the second axis from the second cutout.

6. A heated hose segment configured to convey a component fluid in a plural component material dispensing system, the heated hose segment comprising:
a hose configured to convey the component fluid;
a heating subassembly configured to increase the temperature of the component fluid within the hose, the heating subassembly comprising:
a first heating element extending along the hose, the first heating element configured to increase the temperature of the component fluid within the hose;
a first electrical connector disposed at a first end of the first heating element, the first electrical connector comprising:
a first mounting supporting a first conductive connector, the first mounting including a first key formed as a recess within the first mounting and a first plurality of protrusions projecting into the recess;

a second electrical connector disposed at a second end of the first heating element, the second electrical connector comprising:
a second mounting supporting a second conductive connector, the second mounting including a second key formed as an axial extension and a first plurality of cutouts extending into the axial extension;

wherein a geometry of the first electrical connector is mountable to a geometry of the second electrical connector.

7. The heated hose segment of claim 6 , further comprising:
a plurality of fasteners extending from the first mounting.

8. The heated hose segment of claim 6 , further comprising:
a plurality of threaded inserts supported by the second mounting.

9. The heated hose segment of claim 6 , wherein the first conductive connector includes a post.

10. The heated hose segment of claim 6 , wherein the second conductive connector includes a socket.

11. The heated hose segment of claim 6 , wherein the geometry of the first electrical connector is mountable to the geometry of the second electrical connector in a plurality of orientations.

12. The heated hose segment of claim 6 , wherein the first plurality of projections includes a first protrusion and a second protrusion.

13. The heated hose segment of claim 12 , wherein the first protrusion is disposed 180-degrees apart from the second protrusion.

14. The heated hose segment of claim 6 , wherein the first plurality of cutouts includes a first cutout and a second cutout.

15. The heated hose segment of claim 14 , wherein the first cutout is disposed 180-degrees apart from the second cutout.

16. A heated hose assembly configured to convey a component fluid in a plural component material dispensing system, the heated hose assembly comprising:
a first hose segment comprising:
a first hose configured to convey the component fluid;
a first heating subassembly configured to increase the temperature of the component fluid within the first hose, the first heating subassembly comprising:
a first heating element extending along the hose, the first heating element configured to increase the temperature of the component fluid within the first hose;
a first electrical connector disposed at a first end of the first heating element, the first electrical connector comprising a first mounting supporting a first conductive connector, the first mounting including a first key formed as a first recess within the first mounting and a first plurality of protrusions projecting into the first recess;
a second electrical connector disposed at a second end of the first heating element, the second electrical connector comprising a second mounting supporting a second conductive connector, the second mounting including a second key formed as a first axial extension and a first plurality of cutouts extending into the first axial extension;

a second hose segment comprising:
a second hose configured to convey the component fluid;
a second heating subassembly configured to increase the temperature of the component fluid within the second hose, the second heating subassembly comprising:
a second heating element extending along the hose, the third heating element configured to increase the temperature of the component fluid within the second hose;
a third electrical connector disposed at a first end of the second heating element, the third electrical connector comprising a third mounting supporting a

Assignees

• Graco Minnesota Inc

Inventors

• Tix Joseph E
• Beckmann Erich W
• Schneider Stephen P
• Peterson Nicholas P
• Brudevold Mark J

Classifications

• H01R13/5221

  having cable sealing means · CPC title

• F16L53/38

  using elongate electric heating elements, e.g. wires or ribbons · CPC title

• B05B12/1418

  for supplying several liquids or other fluent materials in selected proportions to a single spray outlet (controlling ratio of two or more flows of fluid G05D11/02) · CPC title

• B05B7/0408

  with arrangements for mixing two or more liquids · CPC title

• B05B7/1693

  with means for heating the material to be sprayed or an atomizing fluid in a supply hose or the like · CPC title