Self-aligning connector for data and/or power transmission

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9306331-B2
Application number	US-201414306338-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jun 17, 2014
Priority date	Jun 17, 2013
Publication date	Apr 5, 2016
Grant date	Apr 5, 2016

Abstract

A self-aligning connector for data and/or power transmission includes a base plate, a plurality of data and/or power contact elements arranged on the base plate, first and second positioning means attached to the base plate, a mounting means and a frame assembly connecting the base plate to the mounting means and comprising a plurality of frames. Each frame is directly connected to exactly two elements selected from a group consisting of the plurality of frames, the mounting means and the base plate. Each frame is tiltable at least about one axis and/or displaceable in at least one direction with respect to each element it is directly connected to. A connector assembly includes a first self-aligning connector and a second connector. A vehicle includes a first compartment and a second compartment separated by a wall, a bellows assembly and the connector assembly.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A self-aligning connector for at least one of data and power transmission, the connector comprising:
a base plate extending along a base plane;
a plurality of data and/or power contact elements arranged on the base plate;
first positioning means attached to the base plate and adapted for engaging with mating first positioning means of a mating connector for achieving a pre-positioning of the base plate with respect to the mating connector;
second positioning means attached to the base plate and adapted for engaging with mating second positioning means of the mating connector for achieving a fine positioning of the base plate with respect to the mating connector;
a mounting means for mounting the base plate to a structure; and
a frame assembly connecting the base plate to the mounting means and comprising a plurality of frames, wherein each frame is directly connected to exactly two elements selected from a group consisting of the plurality of frames, the mounting means and the base plate,
wherein the base plate is directly connected to exactly one frame and the mounting means is directly connected to exactly one frame,
wherein each frame is tiltable at least about one axis and/or displaceable in at least one direction with respect to each element the frame is directly connected to, such that the base plate can be tilted in three degrees of freedom with respect to the mounting means and displaced in three degrees of freedom with respect to the mounting means.

2. The connector according to claim 1 , wherein the first positioning means is formed by at least two spikes extending transversally to the base plate and in parallel to one another.

3. The connector according to claim 2 , wherein the second positioning means is formed by at least two and preferably three spikes extending transversally to the base plate, in parallel to one another and in parallel to the spikes forming the first positioning means,
wherein a free end of each of the spikes forming the first positioning means is spaced further from the base plate than a free end of each of the spikes forming the second positioning means.

4. The connector according to claim 1 , wherein the plurality of frames includes a central frame extending along a central plane, wherein a first element of the two elements directly connected to the central frame can be tilted about a vertical axis extending perpendicular to the central plane and can be displaced along the central plane with respect to the central frame.

5. The connector according to claim 4 , wherein the central frame comprises a lower and an upper panel, wherein the first element is arranged between the upper and the lower panel, the panels precluding movement of the first element perpendicular to the central plane with respect to the central frame.

6. The connector according to claim 5 , wherein the central frame comprises a stud connecting the lower and the upper panel, wherein the stud extends through an aperture in the first element, wherein a displacement and/or tilting of the first element with respect to the central frame is delimited by an engagement of the stud with an edge of the first element surrounding the aperture.

7. The connector according to claim 4 , wherein the central frame comprises a plurality of biasing means for biasing the first element towards a neutral position with respect to the central frame, wherein the first element in the neutral position can be displaced by equal distances in opposing directions with respect to the central frame ( 39 ) and/or tilted by equal angles in opposing directions with respect to the vertical axis.

8. The connector according to claim 7 , wherein the central frame comprises four biasing means, preferably in the form of leaf springs.

9. The connector according to claim 4 , wherein the central frame is directly connected to the mounting means and can be displaced with respect to the mounting means in a direction perpendicular to the central plane.

10. The connector according to claim 4 , further comprising biasing means such that the base plate is biased towards a neutral position with respect to the central frame, wherein the base plane extends parallel to the central plane in the neutral position.

11. The connector according to claim 1 , wherein the plurality of frames comprises a double-tilting frame, wherein the double-tilting frame can be tilted about different axes with respect to both elements the double-tilting frame is directly connected to.

12. The connector according to claim 11 , wherein the double-tilting frame is directly connected to the base plate and preferably an intermediate frame.

13. A connector assembly comprising:
a first connector comprising:
a base plate extending along a base plane;
a plurality of data and/or power contact elements arranged on the base plate;
first positioning means attached to the base plate and adapted for engaging with mating first positioning means of a mating connector for achieving a pre-positioning of the base plate with respect to the mating connector;
second positioning means attached to the base plate and adapted for engaging with mating second positioning means of the mating connector for achieving a fine positioning of the base plate with respect to the mating connector;
a mounting means for mounting the base plate to a structure; and
a frame assembly connecting the base plate to the mounting means and comprising a plurality of frames, wherein each frame is directly connected to exactly two elements selected from a group consisting of the plurality of frames, the mounting means and the base plate,
wherein the base plate is directly connected to exactly one frame and the mounting means is directly connected to exactly one frame,
wherein each frame is tiltable at least about one axis and/or displaceable in at least one direction with respect to each element the frame is directly connected to, such that the base plate can be tilted in three degrees of freedom with respect to the mounting means and displaced in three degrees of freedom with respect to the mounting means, and
a second connector, the second connector comprising:
a plurality of data and/or power contact elements adapted for connection with the data and/or power contact elements of the first connector,
first positioning means adapted for engaging with the first positioning means of the first connector; and
second positioning means adapted for engaging with the second positioning means of the first connector.

14. A vehicle comprising a first and a second compartment separated by a wall,
a bellows assembly arranged in the wall and adapted for providing a data and power connection between the first compartment and a storage means located in the second compartment, the bellows assembly comprising a biasing means for automatically extending the bellows assembly from the wall towards the storage means; and
a connector assembly comprising:
a base plate extending along a base plane;
a plurality of data and/or power contact elements arranged on the base plate;
first positioning means attached to the base plate and adapted for engaging with mating first positioning means of a mating connector for achieving a pre-positioning of the base plate with respect to the mating connector;
second positioning means attached to the base plate and adapted for engaging with mating second positioning means of the mating connector for achieving a fine positioning of the base plate with respect to the mating connector;
a mounting means for mounting the base plate to a structure; and
a frame assembly connecting the base plate to the mount

Assignees

• Airbus Operations Gmbh

Inventors

• Lange Roland
• Ebeling Stefan
• Gärtner Jens
• Köhler Andreas
• Kotian Raj
• Hoffmann Ralph

Classifications

• H01R2201/26

  for vehicles · CPC title

• B60R16/023

  for transmission of signals between vehicle parts or subsystems · CPC title

• H01R13/6315 Primary

  allowing relative movement between coupling parts, e.g. floating connection (for coupling devices specially adapted for printed circuits, flat or ribbon cables, or like generally planar structures, H01R12/91 takes precedence) · CPC title