Electrical connector including variable resistance to reduce arcing

Electrical connectors (40, 104) including contact terminals that can be unmated without previously disconnecting power include main contacts (12, 112) and auxiliary contacts (16, 130) that are shunted by a positive temperature coefficient (PTC) resistor (6, 140) located between the main and auxiliar...

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Main Authors HERRMANN, JR. HENRY O, MATTHEWS RANDY THOMAS, TEUTSCHLAENDER HORST, COPPER CHARLES DUDLEY, KRAUSE NORBERT, PATTERSON JEREMY, NOVOTNY LARRY GEORGE
Format Patent
LanguageEnglish
Published 09.12.2003
Edition7
Subjects
BASIC ELECTRIC ELEMENTS
CURRENT COLLECTORS
ELECTRICITY
LINE CONNECTORS
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Summary:Electrical connectors (40, 104) including contact terminals that can be unmated without previously disconnecting power include main contacts (12, 112) and auxiliary contacts (16, 130) that are shunted by a positive temperature coefficient (PTC) resistor (6, 140) located between the main and auxiliary contact. The main contact (12, 112) will be disconnected first and the auxiliary contact (16, 130) can be longer than the main contact (12, 112). Arcing will not occur at the mating end of the main contact (12, 112), because the current will be shunted to the still connected longer auxiliary contact (16, 130). I R heating will increase the resistance in the PTC resistor (6, 140), so when the auxiliary contact (16, 130) is disconnected, current will be below the arcing threshold. Multiple latches (54A,B) and (60A,B) or (180) and (196) permit only discontinuous mating and unmating or two state mating and unmating of electrical connectors, so that the connectors can be disconnected without arcing for a range of currents.
Bibliography:Application Number: US20010022635