Field of the Invention
[0001] The present invention relates to a swiveling cable connector. More specifically,
the invention relates to a device for connecting two multi-lead cables that are adapted
to carry out a rotary movement relative to each other about an axis substantially
coinciding with the axes of the terminal portions of these cables.
Background of the Invention
[0002] The swiveling cable connector of the invention is envisaged for use with
per se known swimming pool cleaners or robots that travel over the bottom and wall surfaces
of a pool following pre-established paths, in either a spiraling, zigzagging or otherwise
meandering pattern, according to which the maximum probability of full coverage is
ensured. Whatever the pattern used, it always involves some turning to the left or
the right, or even a turn-about movement within the pool. Since these cleaning devices
are supplied with power, as well as control signals, via a water-immersed cable, the
movements of the device produce twists in the cable. Depending upon the sweeping pattern
selected, such twists sometimes mutually cancel out, but at other times, they accumulate
and are liable to produce forces that will not only act upon the entire device and
interfere with its pre-planned course, but also can cause electrical shorts and other
damage. Furthermore, in any case, the cable twists require manual untwisting, which
is a serious nuisance to the operator of the device.
Disclosure of the Invention
[0003] It is thus one of the objects of the present invention to provide an immersible cable
connector that will prevent the formation of cable twists that interfere with the
programmed course of a swimming pool cleaning device.
[0004] The present invention achieves the above objective by providing a water-immersible,
swiveling cable connector, comprising: a first housing member in which is tightly
embedded one end portion of a first multi-lead cable, of two such cables to be connected;
a second housing member fixedly and sealingly attachable to said first housing member;
a plurality of spring-loaded contact plungers, at least indirectly mounted in one
of said housing members, each plunger being conductively connected to one each of
the leads of said embedded first multi-lead cable; a rotor member rotatably accommodated
in the other one of said housing members, in which member is tightly embedded one
end portion of a second multi-lead cable; a plurality of contact surfaces substantially
concentrically arranged and at least indirectly mounted in said rotor member, each
of said surfaces being conductively connected to one each of the leads of said second
multi-lead cable; wherein, upon said first and said second housing members being mutually
connected, said contact plungers are brought into contact with said contact surfaces,
whereby said cable connector enables said first and said second multi-lead cables
to carry out a rotary movement relative to each other about an axis substantially
co-linear with the respective axes of their end portions of said first and second
multi-lead cables, while their respective leads remain in continuous, conductive connection.
Brief Description of the Drawings
[0005] The invention will now be described in connection with certain preferred embodiments
with reference to the following illustrative figures, so that it may be more fully
understood.
[0006] With specific reference now to the figures in detail, it is stressed that the particulars
shown are by way of example and for purposes of illustrative discussion of the preferred
embodiments of the present invention only, and are presented in the cause of providing
what is believed to be the most useful and readily understood description of the principles
and conceptual aspects of the invention. In this regard, no attempt is made to show
structural details of the invention in more detail than is necessary for a fundamental
understanding of the invention, the description taken with the drawings making apparent
to those skilled in the art how the several forms of the invention may be embodied
in practice.
[0007] In the drawings:
Fig. 1 represents the assembly of the connector according to the present invention;
Fig. 2 is a longitudinal cross-sectional view of the sleeve member of the connector;
Fig. 3 is a side view of the sleeve, as seen in direction A of Fig. 2;
Fig. 4 is a cross-sectional view of the body member of the connector, including the
molded-over contact plunger carrier;
Fig. 5 is a cross-sectional view of the contact plunger carrier along the plane represented
in Fig. 4;
Fig. 6 is a cross-sectional view along plane VI-VI of Fig. 5;
Figs. 7 and 8 are perspective views of the contact plunger carrier as seen from both
sides;
Fig. 9 is a cross-sectional view of a contact plunger;
Fig. 10 is a cross-sectional view of the rotor member of the connector, including
the molded-over head element and the tail ring;
Figs. 11 and 12 are perspective views of the head element, as seen from both sides;
Fig. 13 is a perspective view of the tail ring;
Fig. 14 is a top view of the printed circuit board;
Fig. 15 shows the rear side of the printed circuit board with the cable leads attached,
and
Fig. 16 illustrates the front side of the printed circuit board with the cable leads
attached.
Detailed Description of Preferred Embodiments
[0008] Referring now to the drawings, there is shown in Fig. 1 a preferred embodiment of
the swiveling cable connector according to the present invention, which connects the
cable from the power supply and control system located at poolside with the cable
leading to the submerged pool cleaner. Seen in assembly are a first plastic housing
member made in the form of a sleeve 2, attachable by means of a threaded joint to
a second plastic housing or body member 4, and a contact plunger carrier 6 which,
in the injection-molding stage, is embedded within body member 4. In the embodiment
shown, contact plunger carrier 6 carries three spring-loaded contact plungers 8, equal
in number to the number of leads 9 in multi-lead cable 10, which is also embedded
within body member 4. A more detailed description of components 2, 4, 6 and 8 will
be given further below.
[0009] In the space defined by sleeve member 2 and extending between the surface of contact
plunger carrier 6 and the shouldered end 12 of sleeve member 2, there is accommodated
a rotor member 14, which, in this embodiment, is comprised of five different parts:
a rotor core 16; a head element 18; a tail ring 20; a printed circuit board 22 and
a stainless steel bushing 23. The purpose and structure of the PC-board will be explained
further below in conjunction with the enlarged drawings of Figs. 14 to 16. Rotor core
16, made, e.g., of ABS, is over-molded with head element 18 and tail ring 20, which
are advantageously made of a plastic compound containing one of the low-friction plastics
such as Acetal. The Acetal component is required in the structure to reduce the friction
which is liable to result from the relative rotation apt to be produced between sleeve
member 2 and O-ring 24. Stainless steel bushing 23 is needed to provide a smooth and
accurate surface on which a rubber seal 25 can rotate freely.
[0010] While the above over-molding procedure is the preferred manufacturing method, a possible
alternative is also adhesive bonding.
[0011] It will be appreciated that the term "rotor" should be understood as being applicable
in a nominal sense only, as the often complex configuration of the pool cleaner's
path is liable to produce situations in which it is members 2 and 4 that rotate, while
rotor member 14 appears to be stationary.
[0012] Cable 10' is embedded in rotor core 16 during the injection-molding stage, similar
to the embedding of cable 10. Before being embedded, cables 10, 10' are provided with
clasps 17, 17' (Fig. 1) that are crimped onto the cables and, after embedding, secure
the cables against being inadvertently pulled out. Both cables are provided with sheaths
19, 19', made of foamed styrene or the like, which produce sufficient buoyancy to
keep them afloat. Further seen is a first O-ring 24 for sealing the device against
sleeve member 2, and a second O-ring 26 for sealing the device at the joint between
members 2 and 4. Also seen is rubber seal 25 positioned around stainless steel bushing
23 which, while allowing rotor 14 to rotate freely, provides adequate sealing against
water penetration. Further shown is a spacer washer 27 interposed between tail ring
20 and seal 25.
[0013] Fig. 2 is a longitudinal cross-sectional view of sleeve member 2. While the interior
walls of member 2 are mostly provided with the standard draft of 1-2° required to
facilitate the extraction of the mold core, there are three regions that are purely
cylindrical: region I, into which the neck portion of body member 4 fits; region II,
relative to which the head element 18 of rotor member 14 rotates, region III, relative
to which tail ring 20 rotates and region IV where rubber seal 25 is seated. Also seen
is a relatively coarse internal thread 28, which matches external thread 30 of body
member 4 (Fig. 4). A bore 32 at end 12 allows cable 10' to pass (Fig. 1).
[0014] A safety feature for locking the connector joint after assembly is provided along
rim 34 of sleeve member 2, in the form of a series of saw-toothed projections 36 (Fig.
2) engaging two pawl-like projections 38 (Fig. 4) on shoulder 40 of body member 4.
During the final locking together of sleeve member 2 and body member 4, the pawls
can be forced over projections 36 in the locking direction, but they firmly resist
movement in the unlocking direction.
[0015] While a threaded joint is a preferable means of joining sleeve member 2 and body
member 4, these two members could also be joined by bonding, using one of the water-resistant
industrial adhesives.
[0016] Body member 4 is illustrated in greater detail in Fig. 4. Member 4 is an injection-molded
component, advantageously made of polypropylene, which is molded over cable 10 after
its leads 9 have been connected to contact plungers 8, as well as over contact plunger
carrier in which plungers 8 have been inserted.
[0017] Contact plunger carrier 6, shown in Fig. 4 rotated by 90° with respect to Fig. 1,
is shown to better effect in Figs. 5-8. There is seen a stepped, cylindrical body
42 having an integral, flat tongue-like projection 44. Further shown are three holes
46 passing through contact plunger carrier 6, each hole comprising three sections:
a first, relieved section 48; a second, relieved section 50, and a parallel section
52. Contact plungers 8, shown in Fig. 9, are easily introduced into sections 48 and
are firmly seated in sections 52. Also shown are two spaces 54, each having a relatively
narrow access opening 56. During the over-molding stage, these spaces are filled with
the polypropylene of body member 4 (Fig. 4), thus serving for the intimate bonding
of components 4 and 6. The perspective views of Figs. 7 and 8 show carrier 6 from
both sides.
[0018] Contact plunger carrier 6 could, however, also be joined to body member 4 by adhesive
bonding.
[0019] Fig. 9 illustrates one of the three contact plungers 8. Shown is outer sleeve 60,
ending in a pin 62, to which one of the leads 9 of cable 10 is soldered. Inside sleeve
60 is disposed another sleeve 64, which accommodates plunger 66 and a helical spring
68. Spring 68 exerts a biasing force on plunger 66, in the direction of its head 70.
Further seen is the short portion 72 of sleeve 60, which is of a slightly larger diameter
than the general diameter of the sleeve. Portion 72 of each contact plunger serves
as a stop for the insertion of plunger 8 into section 52 of holes 46 in plunger carrier
6 (Fig. 6).
[0020] Rotor member 14 is shown, to an enlarged scale, in Fig. 10, and includes rotor core
16, head element 18, tail ring 20, and stainless steel bushing 23. Also shown are
cable leads 9', schematically shown to be connected to printed circuit board 22. Further
shown are the conductive surfaces of circuit board 22, which are in continuous contact
with plunger heads 70: central disk 82, an intermediate ring 84, and an outer ring
86, all represented to better effect in Figs. 14-16.
[0021] Figs. 11 and 12 are perspective views of head element 18, as seen from both sides.
Fig. 11 also shows recess 74, in which printed circuit board 22 is seated, and three
lugs 76, whereby board 22 is immobilized, as can be seen in Figs. 14-16. Teeth 78
(Fig. 12) serve to anchor head element 18 within rotor core 14, while grooves 79 merely
reduce the cross-section of the Teflon® molding.
[0022] Fig. 13 represents tail ring 20, which includes teeth 21 for anchoring.
[0023] Printed circuit board 22 is depicted in Fig. 14, showing the base 80 and the three
conductive surfaces of the front side of the board: a central disc 82, an intermediate
ring 84, and an outer ring 86. Also seen are three circumferential notches 88, serving,
in conjunction with lugs 76 (Fig. 11) to define the location of printed circuit board
22. Small holes 90 are routinely used in printed circuit technology to provide a conductive
connection between the front and rear surfaces of the board, the connection in this
particular case comprising the three leads 9'.
[0024] Fig. 15 shows the rear side of printed circuit board 22. Seen are thin metal leads
92, connecting the rear side of the board with the conductive surfaces of its front
side via holes 90. Conductively connected to these metal leads 92 are cable shoes
94, to which are soldered the ends of leads 9' of cable 10' (Fig. 1).
[0025] Fig. 16 shows the front side of the printed circuit board 22, with leads 9' attached.
[0026] It will be appreciated that conductive surfaces 82, 84 and 86 need not necessarily
be parts of a printed circuit board, but may be fabricated by other commercial methods.
[0027] It will be evident to those skilled in the art that the invention is not limited
to the details of the foregoing illustrated embodiments and that the present invention
may be embodied in other specific forms without departing from the spirit or essential
attributes thereof. The present embodiments are therefore to be considered in all
respects as illustrative and not restrictive, the scope of the invention being indicated
by the appended claims rather than by the foregoing description, and all changes which
come within the meaning and range of equivalency of the claims are therefore intended
to be embraced therein.
1. A water-immersible, swiveling cable connector, comprising:
a first housing member in which is tightly embedded one end portion of a first multi-lead
cable, of two such cables to be connected;
a second housing member fixedly and sealingly attachable to said first housing member;
a plurality of spring-loaded contact plungers, at least indirectly mounted in one
of said housing members, each plunger being conductively connected to one each of
the leads of said embedded first multi-lead cable;
a rotor member rotatably accommodated in the other one of said housing members, in
which member is tightly embedded one end portion of a second multi-lead cable;
a plurality of contact surfaces substantially concentrically arranged and at least
indirectly mounted in said rotor member, each of said surfaces being conductively
connected to one each of the leads of said second multi-lead cable;
wherein, upon said first and said second housing members being mutually connected,
said contact plungers are brought into contact with said contact surfaces, whereby
said cable connector enables said first and said second multi-lead cables to carry
out a rotary movement relative to each other about an axis substantially co-linear
with the respective axes of their end portions of said first and second multi-lead
cables, while their respective leads remain in continuous, conductive connection.
2. The connector as claimed in claim 1, wherein said contact surfaces are mounted on
a head element attached to, or integral with, said core member.
3. The connector as claimed in claim 1, wherein said contact surfaces are a central disc,
an intermediate ring and an outer ring of a printed circuit board.
4. The connector as claimed in claim 1, wherein said contact plungers are mounted in
a contact plunger carrier attached to, or integral with, said one housing member.
5. The connector as claimed in claim 1, wherein said rotor member further comprises a
tail ring attached to, or integral with, said core member.
6. The connector as claimed in claim 1, wherein said first and second housing members
are joinable by means of a threaded joint.
7. The connector as claimed in claims 2 and 5, wherein said head element and said tail
ring are joined to said rotor core by over-molding.
8. The connector as claimed in claim 4, wherein said contact plunger carrier is joined
to said housing member by over-molding.