Electrical connector for a removable tailgate

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9923294-B1
Application number	US-201715412569-A
Country	US
Kind code	B1
Filing date	Jan 23, 2017
Priority date	Jan 23, 2017
Publication date	Mar 20, 2018
Grant date	Mar 20, 2018

Abstract

Systems and apparatus are disclosed for an electrical connector for a removable tailgate. An example connector for a vehicle tailgate includes a body, a hyperboloid socket and dielectric oil. The example body defines a chamber and a split line extending from the chamber. The split line facilitates penetration of a hyperboloid pin into the chamber. The example hyperboloid socket is disposed in the chamber and aligned with the split line. The example dielectric oil partially fills the chamber to coat the hyperboloid pin to provide corrosion resistance for the hyperboloid pin.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A connecting assembly comprising:
a first connector including: a first body defining a first chamber and a first split line extending from the first chamber; a hyperboloid socket aligned with the first split line; and first dielectric oil partially filling the first chamber;
a bushing including: a second body defining a second chamber and a second split line through the second body and the second chamber; and second dielectric oil partially filling the second chamber; and
a second connector including a hyperboloid pin, wherein when the second connector is engaged with the bushing and the first connector, the hyperboloid pin is to:
penetrate the bushing through the second split line;
penetrate into the first chamber through the first split line; and
engage the hyperboloid socket to provide an electrical connection

between a tailgate and a vehicle, the hyperboloid pin to be coated by the first and second dielectric oil.

2. The connecting assembly of claim 1 including an inner pivot body affixed to a body of the vehicle and an outer pivot body affixed to the tailgate.

3. The connecting assembly of claim 2 , wherein the first connector is partially disposed within the inner pivot body and the second connector is partially disposed within the outer pivot body.

4. The connecting assembly of claim 2 , wherein the busing is disposed within the inner pivot body.

5. The connecting assembly of claim 2 , wherein when the second connector is engaged with the bushing and the first connector, the inner pivot body is at least partially disposed within the outer pivot body.

6. The connecting assembly of claim 2 , including an intermediate pivot body, and wherein when the second connector is engaged with the bushing and the first connector, the inner pivot body is at least partially disposed within the intermediate pivot body, and the intermediate pivot body is at least partially disposed within the outer pivot body.

7. A connecting assembly comprising:
a connector including:
a first body defining a first split line extending from a first chamber;
a hyperboloid socket aligned with the first split line; and
first dielectric oil within the first chamber; and

a replaceable bushing including:
a second body defining a second split line through the second body and a second chamber, the first and second split line being in alignment; and
second dielectric oil within the second chamber.

Assignees

• Ford Global Tech Llc

Inventors

• Maranville Clay Wesley

Classifications

• B60R16/02

  electric {constitutive elements} · CPC title

• H01R2201/26

  for vehicles · CPC title

• H01R13/08 Primary

  Resiliently-mounted rigid pins or blades · CPC title

• B62D33/023

  Sideboard or tailgate structures {(vehicle side panels in general B62D25/02)} · CPC title

• B60J5/10 Primary

  arranged at the vehicle rear (B60J5/04 takes precedence {; bonnets or lids B62D25/10; tail gates for pick-up trucks B62D33/0273; counterbalancing E05F; springs, e.g. pneumatic F16F}) · CPC title