Break-away connector for data and electricity
The system and method for a break-away connector for data and/or electricity. In some cases, the break-way connector has two halves, where one half is inserted into the second half. The half inserted into a mating half may comprise a pair of external housing O-rings. These O-rings provide a way to adjust the force required to separate the two halves. Each half has a tether anchored to a housing that receives an insert. In some cases, an insert is threadedly engaged within a respective housing. The insert may have a plurality of ribs to provide a barrier between a plurality of contacts. The insert may have a set screw style terminal.
1 . A break-away connector, comprising:
a tether configured to be retained by a pair of anchors, the pair of anchors being affixed along opposing sides of an exterior surface of a housing, wherein each end of the tether is over molded to lock the tether in place in the pair of anchors, and wherein the housing is a sleeve housing or a pin housing;
the housing having a threaded end and an insert end, the insert end being configured to receive an insert;
a plurality of O-rings located on an exterior surface of the insert end of the housing; and
the insert having a threaded end and a second end, the insert being configured to receive a set screw style terminal and a plurality of contacts, the insert comprising:
a plurality of ribs extending out from the threaded end;
at the threaded end of the insert, a threaded portion is on an exterior of the insert proximal to the plurality of ribs, wherein the insert threadedly engages within an interior surface of the housing; and
an O-ring located at an end of the threaded portion of the insert that is opposite the plurality of ribs.
2 . The break-away connector according to claim 1 , further comprising a collar at the insert end of the housing.
3 . The break-away connector according to claim 1 , further comprising a pair of wire end caps for securing the tether to the housing via the pair of anchors.
4 . The break-away connector according to claim 1 , wherein a depth for a groove for each of the plurality of O-rings modifies a force required to separate a pair of housings.
5 . The break-away connector according to claim 1 , wherein the plurality of ribs provides a barrier between each of the plurality of contacts when received by the insert.
6 . The break-away connector according to claim 1 , further comprising a bushing and a gripper inserted into the threaded end of the housing, and a gland nut for threading onto the threaded end of the housing.
7 . The break-away connector according to claim 1 , wherein the plurality of contacts are sleeves.
8 . A break-away connector, comprising:
a pair of tethers configured to each be retained by a pair of anchors, each of the pair of anchors being affixed along opposing sides of an exterior surface of a respective housing, wherein each end of the pair of tethers is over molded to lock the pair of tethers in place in each of the pair of anchors, and wherein the respective housing is a sleeve housing or a pin housing;
each housing having a threaded end and an insert end, each insert end being configured to receive an insert;
a plurality of O-rings located on an exterior surface of the insert end of one of a pair of housings; and
each insert having a threaded end and second end, each insert being configured to receive a set screw style terminal and a plurality of contacts, each insert comprising:
a plurality of ribs extending out from the threaded end;
at the threaded end of the insert, a threaded portion is on an exterior of the insert proximal to the plurality of ribs, wherein the insert threadedly engages within an interior surface of the housing; and
an O-ring located at an end of the threaded portion of the insert that is opposite the plurality of ribs.
9 . The break-away connector according to claim 8 , further comprising a collar at the insert end of another of the pair of housings.
10 . The break-away connector according to claim 8 , further comprising a pair of wire end caps for securing each of the pair of tethers to a respective housing via the pair of anchors.
11 . The break-away connector according to claim 8 , wherein a depth for a groove for each of the plurality of O-rings modifies a force required to separate a pair of housings.
12 . The break-away connector according to claim 8 , wherein the plurality of ribs provides a barrier between each of the plurality of contacts when received by a respective insert.
13 . The break-away connector according to claim 8 , further comprising a bushing and a gripper inserted into the threaded end of the housing, and a gland nut for threading onto the threaded end of the housing.
14 . The break-away connector according to claim 8 , wherein a first plurality of contacts are sleeves, and a second plurality of contacts are pins, each being received by a respective insert.
15 . A method of making a break-away connector, comprising:
inserting a tether into a pair of anchors affixed along opposing sides of an exterior surface of a housing, wherein the housing is a sleeve housing or a pin housing;
retaining the tether in the pair of anchors;
over molding each end of the tether to lock the tether in place in the pair of anchors;
inserting a set screw style terminal and a plurality of contacts into an insert;
installing an O-ring to an exterior surface of the insert at an end of the threaded portion of the insert that is opposite the plurality of ribs;
threadedly engaging the insert within an interior of the housing at a insert end of the housing;
installing a pair of O-rings to an exterior surface of the insert end of the housing;
inserting a bushing and a gripper into a threaded end of the housing; and
threading a gland nut onto the threaded end of the housing.
16 . The method of making a break-away connector according to claim 15 , further comprising installing a pair of wire end caps for securing each of the pair of tethers to a respective housing via the pair of anchors.
17 . The method of making a break-away connector according to claim 15 , further comprising selecting a depth for a groove for each of the pair of O-rings.