Pin Type Jack-and-Plug Coupling Device

The present invention relates to electrical coupling or connector devices.

Pin type plug-and-jack connectors or couplings are widely used to join electric wires, conductors, lines, and cables and the like such as used for connecting audio equipment, communication equipment, electrical instruments, and similar apparatus. Prior art connectors can be quickly connected simply by inserting the pin plug into the pin jack. When such connectors are subjected to a mechanical pull, however, the pin plug may disengage from the pin jack because the pin plug is retained in position merely by frictional engagement with the pin jack.

According to the invention, a tightening means is provided for locking an inserted pin plug against removal from a pin jack. The tightening means includes an externally threaded hollow cylinder fixed around the pin jack and an internally threaded hollow cylinder disposed rotatably around but axially captivated on the pin plug. After the pin plug has been inserted in the pin jack, the internally threaded hollow cylinder is rotated to engage the externally threaded hollow cylinder to thereby prevent accidental disengagement of the pin plug. A means is provided to retain the internally threaded hollow cylinder in positively locking engagement with the externally threaded hollow cylinder to prevent loosening therefrom.

Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide an improved connector or coupling device.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a pin type plug-and-jack coupling which can be held together against accidental disengagement.

The invention, together with its various features and advantages, can be understood with reference to the following more detailed description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.

FIG. 1 is a vertical cross-sectional view of a pin type plug-and-jack coupling constructed in accordance with the present invention; and

FIG. 2 is a vertical cross-sectional view showing a pair of modified pin jack connectors.

A pin type plug-and-jack connector or coupling according to the present invention is generally indicated by the numeral 10 in FIG. 1. The connector 10 includes a first mating member or male connector 11 and a second mating member or female connector 12.

The male connector 11 has a sleeve 13 acting as a ground conductor and a coaxial pin plug or pin connecting member 14 supported in the sleeve 13 by an insulating disk 15 mounted fixedly within the sleeve 13. The sleeve 13 has a central annular shoulder 16 that divides the sleeve 13 into a large-diameter portion 17 and a small-diameter portion 18. The sleeve 13 carries a terminal 19 having one end sandwiched between the insulator disk 15 and the annular shoulder 16 and the other end extending through the small-diameter portion 18 outwardly from the sleeve 13. A two wire electrical cable or wire pair (not shown) may be connected so that the ground wire is connected to terminal 19 and the signal or hot wire to the pin plug 14 by soldering, for example.

A hollow cylindrical or nut member 20 is disposed rotatably around the large-diameter portion 17 of the sleeve 13 and has internal threads 21 therein. The nut member 20 has an annular flange 22 remote from the internal threads 21. The annular flange 22 fits loosely over the small-diameter portion 18 of the sleeve 13 and defines an aperture 23 having a diameter smaller than an outside diameter of the portion 17 of the sleeve 13. The small-diameter portion 18 has external threads 24 thereon.

A retainer 25 includes a hollow cylinder 26 having a coaxial hole 27 through which electrical conductors (not shown) may extend. The cylindrical retainer 25 has internal threads 28 therein remote from the hole 27. The internal threads 28 engage the external threads 24 on the small-diameter portion 18. The cylindrical retainer 25 has an outside diameter larger than the diameter of the aperture 23. Thus, the annular flange 22 of the member 20 is axially captivated or trapped between the annular shoulder 16 and the retainer nut 25.

The female connector 12 includes a hollow cylindrical member 29 acting as a ground conductor and fixed at its mounting neck 30 to an insulator base plate 31. The member 29 has external threads 32 thereon near the mounting neck 30, and a coaxial end opening 33 remote from the mounting 30. The external threads 32 are adapted to engage the internal threads 21 in the member 20 of the male connector 11. The portion of the member 29 which is not externally threaded has an outside diameter which is substantially the same as an inside diameter of the large-diameter portion 17 of the sleeve 13. Thus, when the male and female connectors 11 and 12 are matingly engaged or coupled together, the cylindrical member 29 makes electrical contact with the sleeve 13.

Mounted coaxially in the member 29 is a pin jack or pin connecting member 34 having a signal or hot terminal 35 and an insulator bushing 36 surrounding the terminal 35. The terminal 35 includes a bifurcated portion 37 positioned within the member 29 and a terminal extension 38 extending outwardly from the member 29. An insulator spacer 39 is interposed between the pin jack 34 and the annular end flange which bounds the opening 33. The spacer 39 has a central opening 40 concentric with the opening 33, the openings 33 and 40 being receptive therethrough of the pin plug 14 of the male connector 11.

The mounting neck 30 of the member 29 has a distal annular end 41 projecting beyond the base plate 31. A terminal 42 has an attachment ring 43 placed around the distal annular end 41 and pressed against the base plate 31 with the annular end 41 staked or deformed radially outwardly. A two wire electrical cable or wire pair (not shown) may, for example, have the ground wire connected with the terminal 42 and the signal or hot wire connected to the terminal extension 38 of the hot terminal 35.

In order to join the male and female connectors 11 and 12 together in mating engagement, the pin plug 14 is first inserted through the openings 33 and 40 into the bifurcated portion 37 of the pin jack 34. The large-diameter portion 17 of the sleeve 13 should then fit partly over the non-threaded portion of the cylindrical member 29. Thus, the pin plug 14 and the pin jack 34 are electrically connected, and the sleeve 13 and the cylindrical member 29 are electrically connected. The nut member 20 is then urged toward the member 29 and turned around the sleeve 13 until the internal threads 21 engage the external threads 32 of the cylindrical member 29. As the nut member 20 is then further rotated, it is advanced toward the cylindrical member 29 by progressive inter-engagement between the internal and external threads 21 and 32. When the nut member 20 is fully threaded onto the cylindrical member 29, the large-diameter portion 17 of the sleeve 13 fits fully over the non-threaded portion of the member 29 and the sleeve 13 is prevented from removal by the annular flange 22 of the nut member 20 which lockingly engages the annular shoulder 16 of the sleeve 13. The male and female connectors 11 and 12 are then mechanically and electrically coupled together positively. To prevent loosening of the nut member 20, the retainer nut 25 is turned around the small-diameter portion 18 of the sleeve 13 until the front end of the retainer nut 25 abuts against the annular flange 22 of the nut member 20, thereby fastening the annular flange 22 against the annular shoulder 16 in a lock-nut fashion.

According to a modified pin jack connector 12a, an insulator base plate 45 has a hollow cylindrical member 46 integral therewith, the member 46 having external threads 47 thereon. The base plate 45 supports a pin jack 48 extending through the cylindrical member 46 transversely of the base plate 45, with a cylindrical member 49 between the cylindrical member 46 and the pin jack 48.

It is noted that the female connectors 12 or 12a can also be used with a conventional pin plug connector having no tightening nut. For connection in such a case, the pin plug of a conventional male connector is inserted into the female connector 12 or 12a with its sleeve fitting over the non-threaded portion of the cylindrical member 29 or 49.

It is to be understood that various changes and modifications may be made by those skilled in the art without departing from the scope of the appended claims.