Active cooling of electrical connectors

摘要

An electrical connector having an active cooling system is described herein. The electrical connector can include a conductor having an electrically conductive pin, and a conductor receiver slidably coupled to the conductor. The conductor receiver can include a wall having an electrically conductive material forming a cavity into which the pin is received. The conductor receiver can also include an insulating sleeve mechanically coupled to the wall. The conductor receiver can further include a heat sink mechanically coupled to the insulating sleeve and a channel that collects heat absorbed by the heat sink. The heat collected by the channel can be vented outside the conductor receiver. Alternatively, the wall of the conductor receiver can be coupled to an insulator and have at least one aperture that vents heat from the cavity to the insulator.

主权项

1. An electrical connector, comprising:
a conductor receiver comprising a wall comprising an electrically conductive material forming a cavity; and a connector body mechanically coupled to the conductor receiver, wherein the connector body comprises:
a pin that is electrically conductive, wherein the pin has a distal end and a proximal end, wherein the distal end is disposed within the cavity of the conductor receiver and is mechanically coupled to the wall of the conductor receiver;an electrically insulating sleeve mechanically coupled to and disposed around the proximal end of the pin;a heat sink disposed against an outer surface of the electrically insulating sleeve, wherein the heat sink comprises a body defined by an outer perimeter, wherein the outer perimeter comprises a top surface of the body of the heat sink; anda channel disposed within the body of the heat sink, wherein the channel comprises a top end, a bottom end, and at least one side end disposed between the top end and the bottom end to define a height of the channel, wherein the at least one side wall encompasses the height of the channel, wherein the top end of the channel is exposed at the outer perimeter of the body of the heat sink, wherein the bottom end and each side end of the at least one side end of the channel are disposed within and enclosed by the body of the heat sink, wherein the channel collects heat absorbed by the heat sink from the proximal end of the pin through the electrically insulating sleeve, wherein the heat collected by the channel is ventilated outside the connector body through the top end of the channel.