Granted Patent B2

US 12,731,931 · App. 18/122,003 · Granted Sep 8, 2026

Inventor: John E. Benham (Torrington, CT)

Assignee: WINCHESTER INTERCONNECT CORPORATION

H01R13/20

Abstract

Claims (62)

1 . A breakaway power connector, comprising:

a panel mount connector; and

a plug connector configured to mate with the panel mount connector, wherein

the plug connector and the panel mount connector are configured such that when the plug connector is fully mated with the panel mount connector i) the minimum lateral force needed to laterally unmate the plug connector from the panel mount connector is X pounds (lbs) and ii) the minimum axial pull force needed to axially unmate the plug connector from the panel mount connector is Y pounds (lbs),

X<Y, and

the panel mount connector comprises an insulator housing that comprises:

a curved outer wall having a first height;

a curved inner wall having a second height that is less than the first height; and

a slanted surface that extends from a top of the curved outer wall to a top of the curved inner wall, wherein

the curved outer wall surrounds the curved inner wall.

2 . The breakaway connector of claim 1 , wherein

X≤(Y/2).

3 . The breakaway connector of claim 1 , wherein

X is about 12, and

Y is about 25.

4 . The breakaway connector of claim 1 , wherein

the plug connector has a first female power contact,

the panel mount connector has a first male power contact configured to mate with the first female power contact,

the diameter of the first male power contact is about 0.15 inches, and

when the plug connector is fully mated with the panel mount connector the first male power contact engages with the first female power contact by not more than about 0.110 inches.

5 . The breakaway connector of claim 1 , wherein

the inner wall defines a cavity, and

disposed within the cavity defined by the inner wall are a plurality of male power contacts comprising a first male power contact and a second male power contact.

6 . The breakaway connector of claim 1 , wherein the plug connector comprises:

a curved handle; and

an insulator housing at an end of the curved handle.

7 . The breakaway connector of claim 6 , wherein the insulator housing houses a plurality of female power contacts connected to a power cable housed within the curved handle and the purality of female power contacts comprises a first female power contact and a second female power contact.

8 . The breakaway connector of claim 7 , wherein

the panel mount connector comprises a first boss and a second boss, and

the plug connector comprises a first recess configured to receive the first boss and a second recess configured to receive the second boss.

9 . The breakaway connector of claim 8 , wherein

the first recess is curved and partially surrounds the first female power contact, and

the second recess is curved and partially surrounds the second female power contact.

10 . The breakaway connector of claim 9 , wherein

the panel mount connector comprises a third boss and a fourth boss,

the insulator housing comprises a first groove on the outer surface of the insulator housing for receiving the third boss, and

the insulator housing further comprises a second groove on the outer surface of the insulator housing for receiving the fourth boss.

11 . The breakaway connector of claim 10 , wherein

disposed within a cavity defined by the inner wall are a plurality of male power contacts comprising a first male power contact and a second male power contact.

12 . The breakaway connector of claim 11 , wherein

the first boss is curved and partially surrounds the first male power contact, and

the second boss is curved and partially surrounds the second male power contact.

13 . The breakaway connector of claim 11 , wherein

the height of the inner wall is between 0.12 and 0.17 inches,

the height of the outer wall is between 0.25 and 0.35, and

the inner wall is separated from the outer wall to create a 30 to 50 degree lead-in geometry.

14 . The breakaway connector of claim 13 , wherein

a point at which the slanted surface meets an upper point of the inner wall functions as a pivot point around which the plug connector rotates when a lateral force is applied to the plug connector.

15 . A panel mount connector for mating with a plug connector, the panel mount connector comprising:

an insulator housing comprising a generally circular outer wall that surrounds a corresponding inner wall and a slanted surface that extends from a top of outer wall to a top of the inner wall, wherein

the insulator housing defines a cavity,

a plurality of male power contacts are disposed within the cavity, the plurality of male power contacts comprising a first male power contact and a second male power contact,

the height of the inner wall is between 0.12 and 0.17 inches,

the height of outer wall is between 0.25 and 0.35,

the inner wall is separated from the outer wall to create a 30 to 50 degree lead-in geometry, and

a point at which the slanted surface meets an upper point of the inner wall functions as a pivot point around which the plug connector rotates when a lateral force is applied to the plug connector.

16 . The panel mount connector of claim 15 , further comprising:

a first curved boss disposed in the cavity, wherein the first curved boss partially surrounds the first male power contact, and

a second curved boss disposed in the cavity, wherein the second curved boss partially surrounds the second male power contact.

17 . The panel mount connector of claim 16 , wherein

the diameter of the first male power contact is about 0.15 inches and the diameter of the second male power contact is about 0.15 inches, and

when the plug connector is fully mated with the panel mount connector, the first male power contact engages with a first female power contact of the plug connector by not more than about 0.110 inches, and the second male power contact engages with a second female power contact of the plug connector by not more than about 0.110 inches.

Assignments (1)

Continuity (1)

References Cited (16)