Power connector, and electrical connection element and operating method therefor

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9478900-B1
Application number	US-201514800768-A
Country	US
Kind code	B1
Filing date	Jul 16, 2015
Priority date	Jul 16, 2015
Publication date	Oct 25, 2016
Grant date	Oct 25, 2016

Abstract

An electrical connection element is for a power connector. The power connector includes an electrical component having a number of first electrical mating members. The electrical connection element comprises: a housing including a number of second electrical mating members structured to be electrically connected to the number of first electrical mating members; a contact assembly enclosed by the housing and being electrically connected to the number of second electrical mating members; and an operating mechanism for opening and closing the contact assembly. The contact assembly is structured to electrically connect and disconnect power while the number of first electrical mating members remain mechanically coupled to the number of second electrical mating members.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A power connector comprising:
an electrical component having a number of first electrical mating members; and
an electrical connection element comprising:
a housing including a number of second electrical mating members electrically connected to said number of first electrical mating members,
a contact assembly enclosed by said housing and being electrically connected to said number of second electrical mating members, and
an operating mechanism for opening and closing said contact assembly,

wherein said contact assembly is structured to electrically connect and disconnect power while said number of first electrical mating members remain mechanically coupled to said number of second electrical mating members; wherein said operating mechanism is a manual operating lever coupled to said housing and said contact assembly; wherein said manual operating lever is structured to move between a first position, a second position, and a third position; wherein, when said manual operating lever moves from the first position to the second position, said manual operating lever opens said contact assembly in order to disconnect power; wherein, when said manual operating lever moves from the second position to the third position, said manual operating lever assists disengagement of said number of second electrical mating members from said number of first electrical mating members; wherein, when said manual operating lever moves from the third position to the second position, said manual operating lever assists engagement of said number of second electrical mating members with said number of first electrical mating members; and wherein, when said contact assembly is closed, said manual operating lever prevents disengagement of said number of second electrical mating members from said number of first electrical mating members.

2. The power connector of claim 1 wherein said electrical connection element is a line side electrical receptacle; wherein said electrical component is a load side electrical receptacle; wherein said number of second electrical mating members is a number of female conductors; and wherein said number of first electrical mating members is a number of male conductors.

3. A power connector comprising:
an electrical component having a number of first electrical mating members; and
an electrical connection element comprising:
a housing including a number of second electrical mating members electrically connected to said number of first electrical mating members,
a contact assembly enclosed by said housing and being electrically connected to said number of second electrical mating members, and
an operating mechanism for opening and closing said contact assembly,

wherein said contact assembly is structured to electrically connect and disconnect power while said number of first electrical mating members remain mechanically coupled to said number of second electrical mating members; wherein said electrical component comprises another housing including said number of first electrical mating members and a driving member; and wherein said driving member cooperates with said operating mechanism in order to open and close said contact assembly.

4. The power connector of claim 3 wherein said operating mechanism comprises a first sliding member, a second sliding member, a first biasing element, a second biasing element, and a linking member each coupled to said housing; wherein said first sliding member, said second sliding member, said first biasing element, said second biasing element, and said linking member are structured to move between a first position corresponding to said contact assembly being open and a second position corresponding to said contact assembly being closed; wherein said first biasing element couples said first sliding member to said linking member; wherein said second biasing element couples said second sliding member to said contact assembly; wherein said driving member is structured to push said first sliding member from the first position to the second position; wherein, responsive to said first sliding member moving from the first position to the second position, said first biasing element pulls said linking member from the first position to the second position; and wherein, when said linking member moves from the first position to the second position, said linking member drives said second sliding member, thereby causing said second biasing element to close said contact assembly.

5. The power connector of claim 3 wherein said electrical connection element is a line side electrical receptacle; wherein said electrical component is a load side electrical receptacle; wherein said number of second electrical mating members is a number of female conductors; and wherein said number of first electrical mating members is a number of male conductors.

6. The power connector of claim 3 wherein said electrical connection element is a load side electrical receptacle; wherein said electrical component is a line side electrical receptacle; wherein said number of second electrical mating members is a number of male conductors; and wherein said number of first electrical mating members is a number of female conductors.

7. A power connector comprising:
an electrical component having a number of first electrical mating members; and
an electrical connection element comprising:
a housing including a number of second electrical mating members electrically connected to said number of first electrical mating members,
a contact assembly enclosed by said housing and being electrically connected to said number of second electrical mating members, and
an operating mechanism for opening and closing said contact assembly,

wherein said contact assembly is structured to electrically connect and disconnect power while said number of first electrical mating members remain mechanically coupled to said number of second electrical mating members; wherein said housing further includes a driving member; and wherein said operating mechanism comprises a number of link members, a cam, a number of biasing elements, and a contact carrier each structured to cooperate with one another and said driving member in order to open and close said contact assembly.

8. The power connector of claim 7 wherein said operating mechanism further comprises another housing; wherein said number of link members comprises a first link member and a second link member; wherein said number of biasing elements comprises a cam spring and a contact spring; wherein said first link member couples said driving member to said cam; wherein said second link member couples said cam to said contact carrier; wherein said cam spring is coupled to said another housing and said cam; wherein said contact spring is coupled to said contact carrier and said contact assembly; wherein said first link member, said second link member, said cam, said contact spring, said cam spring, and said contact carrier are structured to move between a first position corresponding to said contact assembly being open and a second position corresponding to said contact assembly being closed; wherein said driving member is structured to drive said first link member from the first position to the second position; wherein said first link member and said cam spring are structured to drive said cam from the first position to the second position; wherein, responsive to said cam moving from the first position to the second position, said second link member drives said contact carrier, thereby causing said contact spring to close said contact assembly.

9. The power connector of claim 7 wherein said electrical connection element is a line side electrical receptacle; wherein said electrical component i

Assignees

• Eaton Corp

Inventors

• Juds Mark Allan
• Rollmann Paul Jason
• Hastings Jerome Kenneth
• Eckroth Kurt Von
• Johnson Jeffrey Troy
• Briggs Roger James

Classifications

• H01F7/06

  Electromagnets; Actuators including electromagnets {(electric coils H01F5/00; devices for holding workpieces using electric force B23Q3/15; load-engaging elements for lifting articles electromagnetically B66C1/06; electromagnetic couplings F16D27/00; magnetic brakes F16D63/002; electromagnetically operated valves F16K11/24, F16K31/00; analysing materials by magnetic means G01N27/72, G01N27/80; electromagnets for winding mechanical clocks G04C1/02; electromagnetic relays H01H51/00; windings for salient poles of dynamo-electric machines H02K3/18; electromagnets for telegraphic communication H04L; for arc lamps H05B31/28)} · CPC title

• H01R13/53 Primary

  Bases or cases for heavy duty; Bases or cases {for high voltage} with means for preventing corona or arcing · CPC title

• H01R13/62977

  Pivoting levers actuating linearly camming means · CPC title

• H01R13/635

  by mechanical pressure, e.g. spring force · CPC title

• H01R13/703

  operated by engagement or disengagement of coupling parts, {e.g. dual-continuity coupling part}(H01R13/71 takes precedence) · CPC title