HARSH ENVIRONMENT CONNECTOR WITH SEAL CLOSURE ASSISTING DEVICE

摘要

An underwater rolling seal connector assembly has releasably mateable plug and receptacle units with one or more rolling seals mounted in front faces of receptacle and plug units. The rolling seals are rotatable back and forth between a closed position sealing one or more chambers within the respective units which contain one or more contacts and an open position in which bores through the seals are open to allow contacts in one unit to pass through the seal openings and engage contact in the other unit. Actuators automatically rotate the rolling seals into the open position during mating and back into the closed position on de-mating. At least one actuator assisting device is located in at least one of the units and associated with the rolling seal in that unit to bias the seal back to the closed position during de-mating.