Connector equipped with a locking part and method of implementing the connector

{
  "publication_number": "US10516236B2",
  "country": "US",
  "kind": "B2",
  "title": "Connector equipped with a locking part and method of implementing the connector",
  "abstract": "Connector (1) comprising at least one female part (2) and at least one male part (3) engaging in the female part, and locking means (4) preventing any extraction of the male part from the female part, characterized in that the locking means comprise at least one removable locking part (4) arranged as an interface between the male part (3) and the female part (2), and the male and female parts comprise means of retention (24, 35) by mutual cooperation, the mutual disengaging of the retention means being rendered possible only after the withdrawal of the locking part.",
  "claims": [
    "1. A connector comprising: at least one female part and at least one male part engaging in the female part, and locking means preventing inadvertent dissociation of the male part from the female part, wherein the locking means comprise at least one removable locking part arranged as an interface between the male part and the female part, and the male and female parts comprise means of retention by mutual cooperation, a mutual disengaging of the means of retention being rendered possible only after a withdrawal of the removable locking part, wherein the means of retention by mutual cooperation comprise at least one bushing with respect to an internal wall of an interior seat of the female part receiving the male part, the at least one bushing being retractable into a thickness of the internal wall, and a peripheral groove devised in a body of the male part, the at least one bushing being designed to cooperate with the peripheral groove.",
    "2. The connector as claimed in claim 1, wherein the removable locking part is sandwiched between the male and female parts, the removable locking part being detachable from the connector by traction.",
    "3. The connector as claimed in claim 1, wherein the removable locking part is mounted around the male part, has an annular shape, is flexible, and has a partially open circumference.",
    "4. The connector as claimed in claim 1, wherein the removable locking part comprises a hollow internal cross section of geometry and dimension adapted to an external geometry and to a dimension of a portion of a body of the male part to which the removable locking part is attached.",
    "5. The connector as claimed in claim 1, wherein the removable locking part is of annular shape and comprises a means of grasping, the means of grasping being a tab projecting radially outwardly from an annular circumference.",
    "6. The connector as claimed in claim 1, wherein the removable locking part braces between the male part and the female part to arrange an exterior space between the male part and the female part when the male part is in the female part.",
    "7. The connector as claimed in claim 1, wherein the female and male parts comprise means of mutual electrical connection.",
    "8. The connector as claimed in claim 1, wherein the female part and the male part cooperate for their assembly by thrusting, and for their disassembly by thrusting and traction.",
    "9. The connector as claimed in claim 1, wherein a projecting element is in a form of a bushing lodged in the internal wall of the female part and having an interior generatrix whose cross section narrows from a near side of an entrance of an interior seat toward an opposite bottom.",
    "10. The connector as claimed in claim 1, wherein the at least one bushing is made of a flexible material, the at least one bushing being able to be moved away when the body of the male part is introduced between a position partially emerging from the internal wall of the female part and a position retracted into the internal wall of the female part.",
    "11. The connector as claimed in claim 1, wherein the peripheral groove of the male part comprises a ring disposed around said peripheral groove and free in translation over a width of the peripheral groove.",
    "12. The connector as claimed in claim 1, wherein the female part comprises a seat to receive the male part, comprising an entrance from which the male part is designed to be introduced, a free space being reserved between the male part and an end of the seat opposite the entrance of the seat when the male part is in assembled position and maintained in the seat.",
    "13. A method of implementing a connector as claimed in claim 1, comprising: positioning the removable locking part on the male part before the male part is introduced into the female part; and introducing the male part into the female part until the means of retention mutually cooperate to retain the male and female parts.",
    "14. The method of claim 13, further comprising disassembling the male and female parts by withdrawing the removable locking part from the connector, disengaging the means of retention, and extracting the male part from the female part by traction.",
    "15. A method of implementing a connector comprising a female part and a male part engaging in the female part, and locking means preventing inadvertent dissociation of the male part from the female part, wherein the locking means comprise a removable locking part arranged as an interface between the male part and the female part, and the male and female parts comprise means of retention by mutual cooperation, a mutual disengaging of the means of retention being rendered possible only after a withdrawal of the removable locking part, the method comprising: positioning the removable locking part on the male part before the male part is introduced into the female part; and introducing the male part into the female part until the means of retention mutually cooperate to retain the male and female parts."
  ],
  "description_excerpt": "The invention concerns a connector comprising a female part and a male part engaging in the female part, and equipped with locking means preventing any extraction of the male part from the female part.\n\nThe invention concerns a connector for ensuring a mechanical and possibly an electrical connection. One application is for example the field of aeronautics, but without being limited to this.\n\nOne of the usual solutions employed in connectors, particularly electrical ones, is to make two parts cooperate mechanically, one of them being male and the other female, the parts being designed so that the electrical connection is effective after engagement of the male part in the female part. This solution is quick to put in place, the mechanical cooperation giving rise to the electrical connection. In order to ensure that the male part is properly engaged and that it cannot be extracted in untimely manner, the connector may furthermore comprise locking means, which need to be acted upon when a mechanical and thus electrical disconnection is required.\n\nIn certain applications, it is desirable to be able to easily ascertain that the locking means are effective.\n\nThus, the purpose of the invention is to provide a connector whose locking means may be visually identifiable when the male and female parts are cooperating to ensure a mechanical and possibly electrical connection if the connector is an electrical one, in order to guarantee the locked position of the connector, and which furthermore are simple and quick to put in place.",
  "cpc": [
    "H01R 13/639",
    "F16B 21/186",
    "H01R 13/187",
    "H01R 13/6277",
    "H01R 13/6278",
    "H01R 2101/00",
    "H01R 4/54"
  ],
  "ipc": [
    "F16B 21/18",
    "H01R 101/00",
    "H01R 13/627",
    "H01R 13/639",
    "H01R 4/00"
  ],
  "assignees": [
    "Zodiac Interconnect UK Ltd"
  ],
  "inventors": [
    "Matthieu COMBEROUSSE"
  ],
  "filing_date": "2016-01-20",
  "publication_date": "2019-12-24",
  "grant_date": "2019-12-24",
  "priority_date": "2015-01-20",
  "application_number": "US-201615545255-A",
  "family_id": "55310797",
  "cited_by_count": 0,
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}