Self-cleaning filament connector

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9620888-B2
Application number	US-201615216849-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jul 22, 2016
Priority date	Mar 12, 2013
Publication date	Apr 11, 2017
Grant date	Apr 11, 2017

Abstract

A debris exclusion and removal system for connectors which have a filament barrier configuration designed to clean connectors as they are mated together.

First claim

We claim:

1. A debris exclusion and removal apparatus comprising:
a first housing including an open end and a first columnar array of filaments extending across the open end of the first housing;
a first connector positioned within the first housing;
a second housing including an open end and a second columnar array of filaments extending across the open end of the second housing;
a second connector positioned within the second housing; and
an alignment system to arrange the first columnar array of filaments at a non-zero angle with respect to the second columnar array of filaments when the first housing is coupled to the second housing.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein a spacing between the second columnar array of filaments maintains an interior of the second housing in a clean state.

3. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein a spacing between the first columnar array of filaments maintains an interior of the first housing in a clean state.

4. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein one of the first connector or the second connector includes an electrical connector having one or more pins that are cleaned by the first and second columnar arrays of filaments.

5. The apparatus of claim 4 , further including an actuation system to force the one or more pins of the electrical connector through the first and second columnar arrays of filaments after the first housing is coupled to the second housing.

6. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein one of the first connector or the second connector includes a fluid connector having one or more male mating surfaces that are cleaned by the first and second columnar arrays of filaments.

7. The apparatus of claim 6 , further including an actuation system to force the one or more male mating surfaces through the first and second columnar arrays of filaments after the first housing is coupled to the second housing.

Assignees

• The Us Adminstrator Of The Nat Aeronautics And Space Administration
• Nasa

Inventors

• Townsend Iii Ivan I
• Mueller Robert P
• Dokos Adam G

Classifications

• H01R13/5219

  Sealing means between coupling parts, e.g. interfacial seal · CPC title

• H01R13/6392

  for extension cord · CPC title

• F16L55/115

  Caps {(F16L55/1286 takes precedence)} · CPC title

• H01R13/447

  Shutter or cover plate · CPC title

• H01R13/5213 Primary

  Covers · CPC title