SPRING LATCHING CONNECTORS

摘要

A spring latching connector includes a housing having a bore therethrough, a piston slidably received in said bore, a circular groove formed in one of said bore and piston and a circular coil spring disposed in said groove for latching said piston and housing together. The groove is sized and shaped for controlling, in combination with a spring configuration, disconnect and connect forces of the spring latching connection.

主权项

1. A spring latching connector comprising:
a housing having a bore therethrough and two open ends; a piston located in said bore and having a tapered insertion end; a housing groove formed in said housing bore and a piston groove formed on an exterior of said piston, the housing bore and piston being axially abutted by a canted coil spring to eliminate axial play; the canted coil spring, disposed in the housing and piston grooves for latching said piston and housing together, comprising a plurality of coils each with a major axis, a minor axis, and a coil wire diameter sized for cooperating with the housing groove and piston groove, the housing and piston grooves being sized and shaped for controlling, in combination with a spring configuration, a connect force to connect said piston to said housing and a disconnect force to remove said piston from said housing ; and opposing surfaces in the housing and piston grooves simultaneously contacting and positioning a point of spring to piston contact to create an axial load on the canted coil spring for enabling the canted coil spring to maintain the axially abutted relationship between the housing bore and piston.