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-2019393663-A1
Application number	US-201916446711-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Jun 20, 2019
Priority date	Jun 22, 2018
Publication date	Dec 26, 2019
Grant date	—

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 connector system for connection, said sealed connector system comprising a male connector body, a female connector body defining a shroud configured to receive the male connector body, and a resilient seal axially surrounding a portion of the male connector body, said method comprising the steps of:
a) applying a lubricant on a seal wiping surface on the interior of the shroud; and b) 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 2 , wherein step b) further comprises the steps of:
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 the seal wiping surface; disposing a spray valve disposed within the insert; dispensing the lubricant as a mist into the central cavity and through the plurality of passages to the portals; and depositing the lubricant mist onto the seal wiping surface of the shroud.

4 . 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.

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

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

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

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

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

10 . A tool configured for preparing a sealed connector system for connection, said sealed connector system comprising a male connector body, a female connector body defining a shroud configured to receive the male connector body, and a resilient seal axially surrounding a portion of the male connector body, said tool comprising:
an insert configured to be disposed within the shroud, said insert defining a central cavity and a plurality of 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 and through the plurality of passages to the portals, wherein the portals are configured to deposit the lubricant mist onto a seal wiping surface of the shroud.

11 . The tool according to claim 10 , wherein the insert is configured to limit application of the lubricant mist to the seal wiping surface.

12 . The tool according to claim 10 , wherein the insert and the spray valve are configured to accommodate a perfluoropolyether based lubricant.

13 . The tool according to claim 10 , wherein the insert and the spray valve are configured to accommodate a phenylmethyl polysiloxane based lubricant.

Assignees

• Aptiv Tech Ltd

Inventors

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

Classifications

• C10N2040/17

  for electric contacts · CPC title

• C10M2229/0425

  used as base material · CPC title

• C10M2213/0606

  used as base material · CPC title

• H01R13/5202

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

• C10M107/50

  containing silicon · CPC title