Hermaphroditic connector systems

1. A hermaphroditic coupling comprising a first and a second connector, each connector ( 1 , 100 ) comprising an outer sleeve ( 2 , 101 ) and an insert housing ( 4 , 102 ), the outer sleeve ( 2 , 101 ) having an engagement member ( 6 , 103 ) and the insert housing ( 4 , 102 ) comprising a substantially cylindrical base portion ( 14 , 104 ) and a single upstanding portion ( 16 , 105 ) having a co-operable engagement member ( 18 , 106 ), the outer sleeve being rotatable about the insert housing, and wherein rotation of the outer sleeve effects an axial movement of the insert housing such that, in use, the rotation of the outer sleeve of the first connector effects a movement of the upstanding portion ( 16 , 105 ) of the insert housing ( 4 , 102 ) of the first connector so as to mate with and form a cylindrical inner sleeve ( 107 ) with a corresponding upstanding portion of the second connector, the engagement member ( 6 , 103 ) being adapted to engage in use with the co-operable engagement member ( 18 , 106 ) of the second connector to which the connector is to be mated.

2. The coupling as claimed in claim 1 wherein the outer sleeve engagement member ( 6 , 103 ) is an inwardly projecting lip member adapted to receive and engage with a co-operable outwardly projecting lip member ( 4 , 106 ) of the insert housing.

3. The coupling as claimed in claim 2 wherein the outwardly projecting lip member ( 4 , 106 ) extends at least partially about a perimeter of the upstanding portion ( 16 , 105 ).

4. The coupling as claimed in claim 3 wherein the outwardly projecting lip member ( 106 ) comprises two or more portions, each portion extending partially about a perimeter of the upstanding portion.

5. The coupling as claimed in claim 1 wherein the connector ( 1 ) includes a cam in the form of a pin ( 20 ) on the insert housing ( 4 ) which engages with a slot ( 8 ) on the outer sleeve ( 2 ).

6. The coupling as claimed in claim 5 wherein the slot extends through two lateral dimensions of the sleeve such that relative rotation of the housing with respect to the outer sleeve causes linear movement between the housing and the outer sleeve or vice versa.

7. The coupling as claimed in claim 1 wherein on presentation of the first connector to the second connector, a relative rotation of the outer sleeves causes the co-operable engagement members of the insert housings to be moved about the engagement members of each connector, and effects a movement of the inner housings into mutual contact.

8. The coupling as claimed in claim 1 wherein the co-operable engagement members ( 106 ) and engagement members ( 103 ) are helically dimensioned, a rotation of an outer sleeve ( 101 ) effecting an engagement of the co-operable engagement member of a first connector with the engagement member of a second connector and the drawing of the insert housings ( 102 ) into mutual contact.

9. The coupling as claimed in claim 8 wherein the co-operable engagement member forms a helically arranged flange surface extending circumferentially about an outer surface of the upstanding portion.

10. The coupling as claimed in claim 9 wherein the engagement member ( 103 ) of the outer sleeve forms a retention region adjacent to a presentation surface ( 116 ) of the outer sleeve, and wherein, in use, the presentation of a first connector to a second connector and subsequent relative rotation of the two connectors effects a mating of the two insert housings so as to form a cylindrical sleeve ( 107 ), the mating been achieved by the engagement of the respective flange surfaces within the retention region of the opposing connector, the engagement of the respective flange surfaces effecting an axial movement of the presentation surfaces of each connector so as to abut one another, thereby forming a mated connector coupling.

11. The coupling as claimed in claim 1 wherein the insert housing is threadably engageable with its respective outer sleeve.

12. The coupling as claimed in any preceding claim 11 wherein a relative rotation of the outer sleeve of the first connector with respect to that of the second connector effects an axial movement of the two insert housings toward one another.

13. The coupling as claimed in claim 11 wherein a rotation of the outer sleeve effects a rotation of the co-operable engagement member relative to the engagement member of the opposing connector thereby unthreading an insert housing from its insert sleeve, and drawing opposing insert housings into mutual contact.

14. The coupling as claimed in claim 1 wherein the insert housing is adapted to receive an insert member.

15. A connector insert member ( 220 ) having a body with an hermaphroditic profiled end portion ( 820 ), the end portion adapted, in use, to mate with a corresponding end portion of a second insert member, the end portion comprising at least one upstanding lug ( 280 ) located on a perimeter of the end portion and at least one recess ( 300 ) also formed on the perimeter of the end portion, said at least one upstanding lug being dimensioned so as to be engageable with a corresponding recess portion formed on the second insert member, the engagement of opposing lugs and recesses forming a mated assembly, and wherein the at least one lug comprises a presentation surface ( 400 ) which, when in a mated position, is presented to and abuts against a corresponding presentation surface ( 415 ) of the recess ( 300 ), each lug further comprising an engagement surface ( 284 ) which, when in a mated position, abuts against a recess engagement surface( 302 ), the abutment of the two presentation surfaces and two engagement surfaces of opposing lugs and recesses in a mated position forming an interference fit between opposing insert members,

wherein the end portion comprises at least two tugs and two recesses; and wherein the body comprises a plurality of bores ( 320 ) extending therethrough, the bores adapted to receive one or more of the following:

a) optical fibre ferrules

b) electrical connector.

16. The connector insert member as claimed in claim 15 wherein a central region of the body ( 240 ) which accommodates the bores is recessed from the profiled end to form a recess ( 340 ).

17. The connector insert member of claim 16 wherein the recess is adapted to receive a protective window.

18. The connector insert member of claim 15 wherein at least one of the bores is provided with a keyhole effect entry port ( 940 , 945 ), the keyhole effect adapted to co-operate with a peripheral lug ( 955 ) located on a fibre ferrule ( 950 ) so as to effect only one possible entry position of the ferrule into the bore.

19. The connector insert member as claimed in claim 15 further comprising a plurality of lobes ( 880 ) extending radially outwardly from the body ( 240 ) of the insert member.

20. The connector insert member as claimed in claim 19 wherein the plurality of lobes are asymmetrically arranged circumferentially about the body of the insert member.

21. The connector insert member as claimed in claim 15 being adapted to be received within an insert housing ( 102 ) of a connector assembly.

22. The connector insert member as claimed in claim 21 wherein the lobes ( 880 ) on the insert member are adapted to co-operate with channels ( 885 ) formed within the insert housing ( 102 ), the cooperation of the lobes and channels effecting alignment of the insert member within the insert housing.

23. The connector insert member as claimed in claim 21 when integrally formed within the insert housing of a connector assembly.

24. A coupling as claimed in claim 1 further comprising an insert member ( 220 ) having a body with an hermaphroditic profiled end portion ( 820 ), the end portion adapted, in use, to mate with a corresponding end portion of a second insert member, the end portion comprising at least one upstanding lug ( 280 ) located on a perimeter of the end portion and at least one recess ( 300 ) also formed on the perimeter of the end portion, said at least one upstanding lug being dimensioned so as to be engageable with a corresponding recess portion formed on the second insert member, the engagement of opposing lugs and recesses forming a mated assembly.