Locking and ratcheting connector

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9528646-B2
Application number	US-201414268293-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	May 2, 2014
Priority date	May 2, 2014
Publication date	Dec 27, 2016
Grant date	Dec 27, 2016

Abstract

A connector includes a connector body, a first sleeve rotatably coupled to the connector body, and a second sleeve receiving the first sleeve and being movable axially between an engaged position and a disengaged position. The second sleeve has a plurality of teeth extending from a surface thereof. A ratchet ring is positioned on the connector body, and the ratchet ring has a plurality of teeth corresponding to the plurality of teeth of the second sleeve. A biasing member is provided for biasing the second sleeve to the engaged position. The teeth of the ratchet ring engage the teeth of the second sleeve when the second sleeve is in the engaged position, and the teeth of second sleeve are spaced from the teeth of the ratchet ring when the second sleeve is in the disengaged position.

First claim

What is claimed:

1. A connector for releasably connecting with a mating connector, comprising:
a connector body;
a first sleeve rotatably coupled to said connector body and configured to connect to the mating connector;
a second sleeve receiving said first sleeve and being movable axially between an engaged position and a disengaged position, said second sleeve having a plurality of teeth extending from a surface thereof;
a ratchet ring positioned on said connector body, said ratchet ring having a plurality of teeth corresponding to said plurality of teeth of said second sleeve, said ratchet ring radially positioned between the second sleeve and the connector body, and said ratchet ring axially positioned between said first sleeve and said second sleeve; and
a biasing member biasing said second sleeve to said engaged position,
wherein said teeth of said ratchet ring engage said teeth of said second sleeve when said second sleeve is in said engaged position such that said first and second sleeves are not rotatable with respect to said connector body in one rotational direction and said first and second sleeves are rotatable with respect to said connector body in an opposite rotational direction, and said teeth of second sleeve being spaced from said teeth of said ratchet ring when said second sleeve is in said disengaged position such that said first and second sleeves are rotatable with respect to said connector body and the mating connector in both rotational directions.

2. The connector of claim 1 , wherein an outer surface of the second sleeve includes a gripping surface for grasping by a user of the connector.

3. The connector of claim 1 , wherein the first and second sleeves are rotationally keyed to each other such that neither of the sleeves can rotate with respect to the other sleeve in either the engaged position or the disengaged position of the second sleeve.

4. The connector of claim 1 , wherein said biasing member is positioned between said first and second sleeves.

5. The connector of claim 1 , wherein said second sleeve is axially moveable with respect to said first sleeve.

6. The connector of claim 1 , wherein said second sleeve is proximal to said ratchet ring in said engaged position and distal to said ratchet ring in said disengaged position.

7. The connector of claim 1 , wherein said ratchet ring is rotationally fixed to said connector body.

8. The connector of claim 1 , wherein said first sleeve is axially stationary with respect to said connector body.

9. A connector comprising:
a connector body;
a first sleeve rotatably coupled to said connector body;
a second sleeve defining an interior space in which said first sleeve is positioned, said second sleeve being movable axially with respect to said connector body between an engaged position and a disengaged position, said second sleeve having a plurality of teeth extending from a surface thereof;
a ratchet ring positioned on said connector body, said ratchet ring having a plurality of teeth corresponding to said plurality of teeth of said second sleeve, said ratchet ring radially positioned between the second sleeve and the connector body, and said ratchet ring axially positioned between said first sleeve and said second sleeve; and
a biasing member biasing said second sleeve to said engaged position,
wherein said teeth of said ratchet ring engage said teeth of said second sleeve when said second sleeve is in said engaged position thereby preventing rotation of said first and second sleeves with respect to the connector body in one rotational direction and said first and second sleeves are rotatable with respect to said connector body in an opposite rotational direction,
wherein to move said second sleeve from said engaged position to said disengaged position, in which the first and second sleeves are rotatable with respect to the connector body in both rotational directions, said second sleeve is moved away from said ratchet ring to separate said teeth of said second sleeve from said teeth of said ratchet ring.

10. A connector according to claim 9 , wherein said teeth of said ratchet ring and said teeth of said second sleeve form a one-way ratchet such that in said engaged position said second sleeve is rotatable with respect to said connector body in said one rotational direction.

11. The connector of claim 9 , wherein an outer surface of the second sleeve includes a gripping surface for grasping by a user of the connector.

12. The connector of claim 9 , wherein the first and second sleeves are rotationally keyed to each other such that neither of the sleeves can rotate with respect to the other sleeve in either the engaged position or the disengaged position of the second sleeve.

13. The connector of claim 9 , wherein said second sleeve is proximal to said ratchet ring in said engaged position and distal to said ratchet ring in said disengaged position.

14. The connector of claim 9 , wherein said ratchet ring is rotationally fixed to said connector body.

15. The connector of claim 9 , wherein said first sleeve is axially stationary with respect to said connector body.

16. A connector comprising:
a connector body;
a first sleeve rotatably coupled to said connector body;
a second sleeve defining an interior space in which said first sleeve is positioned, said second sleeve being movable axially with respect to said connector body between an engaged position and a disengaged position, said second sleeve having a plurality of teeth extending from a surface thereof;
a ratchet ring arranged on said connector body such that the ratchet ring is axially fixed and non-rotatable with respect to said connector body, said ratchet ring having a plurality of teeth corresponding to said plurality of teeth of said second sleeve, said ratchet ring radially positioned between the second sleeve and the connector body, and said ratchet ring axially positioned between said first sleeve and said second sleeve; and
a biasing member biasing said second sleeve to said engaged position,
wherein said teeth of said ratchet ring engage said teeth of said second sleeve when said second sleeve is in said engaged position, and said teeth of second sleeve being spaced from said teeth of said ratchet ring when said second sleeve is in said disengaged position,
wherein each tooth of the second sleeve and the ratchet ring includes a straight edge extending parallel to the longitudinal axis and a sloped edge that intersects the straight edge, and, in said engaged position of said second sleeve, the sloped edges of mating teeth are configured to rotate past each other in one rotational direction of the second sleeve while the straight edges of mating teeth are configured to bear on each other to prevent rotation in an opposite rotational direction of the second sleeve.

17. The connector of claim 16 , wherein an outer surface of the second sleeve includes a gripping surface for grasping by a user of the connector.

18. A connector according to claim 16 , wherein said teeth of said ratchet ring and said teeth of said second sleeve form a one-way ratchet such that said second sleeve is rotatable with respect to said connector body in only a single direction.

19. The connector of claim 16 , wherein the first and second sleeves are rotationally keyed to each other such that neither of the sleeves can rotate with respect to the other sleeve in either the engaged position or the disengaged position of the second sleeve.

Assignees

• Itt Mfg Entpr Llc

Inventors

• Hyzin Peter J

Classifications

• H01R13/533

  Bases, cases made for use in extreme conditions, e.g. high temperature, radiation, vibration, corrosive environment, pressure (H01R13/52 takes precedence) · CPC title

• F16L37/10 Primary

  using a rotary external sleeve or ring on one part · CPC title

• H01R13/622

  Screw-ring or screw-casing (H01R13/623 takes precedence) · CPC title

• Y10T403/602

  by separate spring · CPC title

• H02G3/0691

  Fixing tubing to casing by auxiliary means co-operating with indentations of the tubing, e.g. with tubing-convolutions · CPC title