Peripheral seal with sloped ribs

Inventors: Melani Cindric (Middletown, PA); David Swartz (York, PA); Vinayakumar Shettar (Middletown, PA)

Assignee: TE Connectivity Solutions GmbH

H01R13/5202

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Quick Facts

Patent No.: US 12683322
App. No.: 18/544,517
Granted: Jul 14, 2026
Kind: B2

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Abstract

A sealed panel mount electrical connector and a seal for use in an electrical connector. The seal includes a base member and projections. The projections extend from the base member. Each of the axes of the projections extending at an angle of greater than 0 degrees and less than 90 degrees relative to a longitudinal plane of the base member.

Claims (29)

1 . A sealed electrical connector comprising:

a housing having a flange extends laterally around the housing, the flange having a seal receiving recess;

a seal comprising:

a base member;

projections extending from the base member, each of the axes of the projections extending at an angle of greater than 90 degrees and less than 180 degrees relative to a longitudinal plane of the base member;

the seal being received in the seal receiving recess.

2 . The sealed electrical connector as recited in claim 1 , wherein the projections are spaced apart by a distance which allows the projections to deform when the connector is positioned on a panel.

3 . The sealed electrical connector as recited in claim 1 , wherein the base member has an arcuate or curved bottom surface.

4 . The sealed electrical connector as recited in claim 1 , wherein the axis of the each projection of the projections extend at the same angle relative to the plane of the base member.

5 . The sealed electrical connector as recited in claim 1 , wherein one or more of the angles that the axes of the projections extends relative to the longitudinal plane of the base member is between 110 degrees and 120 degrees.

6 . The sealed electrical connector as recited in claim 5 , wherein the projections are ribs.

7 . The sealed electrical connector as recited in claim 6 , wherein the ribs have first panel engaging surfaces which are sloped or inclined relative to the longitudinal plane of the base member at the same angle as the axes of the projections.

8 . The sealed electrical connector as recited in claim 7 , wherein the first panel engaging surfaces have second panel engaging surfaces provided proximate free ends of the ribs.

9 . The sealed electrical connector as recited in claim 8 , wherein the second panel engaging surfaces extend as an angle relative to the first panel engaging surfaces.

10 . The sealed electrical connector as recited in claim 9 , wherein the angle that the second panel engaging surfaces extend from the first panel engaging surfaces is between 30 degrees and 80 degrees.

11 . A sealed panel mount electrical connector comprising:

a dielectric housing, the housing having a forward portion and a rearward portion, a flange extending laterally around the housing between the forward portion and the rearward portion, the flange having a seal receiving recess;

a seal member positioned on the dielectric housing, the seal member comprising:

a base member;

projections extending from the base member, axes of the projections extend at angles of greater than 0 degrees and less than 90 degrees relative to a longitudinal plane of the base member;

the seal member being received in the seal receiving recess.

12 . The sealed panel mount electrical connector as recited in claim 11 , wherein the base member has a retaining lip or projection which extends from an end thereof, the retaining projection is dimensioned to be received in a retaining recess which projects from the seal receiving recess.

13 . The sealed panel mount electrical connector as recited in claim 11 , wherein the base member has an arcuate or curved bottom surface, the arcuate or curved bottom surface provides a space between the arcuate or curved bottom surface and a surface of the flange.

14 . The sealed panel mount electrical connector as recited in claim 13 , wherein latches are provided on the housing, the latches are arranged in opposition to the flange.

15 . The sealed panel mount electrical connector as recited in claim 11 , wherein the angles that the axes of the projections extends relative to the longitudinal plane of the base member is between 110 degrees and 120 degrees.

16 . The sealed panel mount electrical connector as recited in claim 15 , wherein the axis of the each projection of the projections extend at the same angle relative to the plane of the base member.

17 . The sealed panel mount electrical connector as recited in claim 16 , wherein the projections are ribs.

18 . The sealed panel mount electrical connector as recited in claim 17 , wherein the ribs have first panel engaging surfaces which are sloped or inclined relative to the longitudinal plane of the base member at the same angle as the axes of the projections.

19 . The sealed panel mount electrical connector as recited in claim 18 , wherein the first panel engaging surfaces have second panel engaging surfaces provided proximate free ends of the ribs, the second panel engaging surfaces extend as an angle relative to the first panel engaging surfaces.