The invention concerns underwater electrical connectors, and more particularly concerns underwater connectors which use bladder assemblies to shield connector contact surfaces from contamination by the high-pressure salt water environment in which the connector is used.
The Inventor has pioneered the use of flexible, fluid-filled bladders with self-sealing ports to protect contact surfaces in underwater connectors. The genesis of this significant development in undersea connector technology is found in the Inventor's U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,643,207; 4,085,993; and 4,606,603. Essentially, these patents teach the use of a flexible, fluid-filled chamber in a connector for pressure equalization between a protective environment internal to the bladder in which connector contact surfaces are disposed, and the high-pressure corrosive sea water environment of the deep ocean in which the connector is deployed. An electrical (or optical) pathway is completed by insertion of a contact-carrying male probe through a reclosable end seal integral with the bladder. When the probe extends through the end seal, a barrier between the interior of the bladder and the outside environment results from the pressure of the end seal material against the probe. When the probe is withdrawn, the barrier must be maintained. The inventor has found that environmental sealing cannot rely solely on the compression of the end seal material, because the material, "forgets" to close, especially when mated to a probe for a long period of time in cold ocean water. This reluctance to close results in the leakage of fluid from the interior of the bladder, and the leakage of outside water into the bladder. Since the connecting surfaces within the bladder (in the form of sockets) are contained within the common chamber formed by the bladder, entry of water into the bladder poses the risk of conductive path formation between multiple sockets.
A significant developmental stage in the progress of the fluid-filled bladder technology was reached with design of a coaxial connector having a long, sturdy male probe in a holder, which supported multiple conductive paths. In addition, in the bladder, the end seal operation was enhanced by use of annular constricting elements for each passage through the end seal. The constrictive elements wiped a probe clean as it entered and held tightly against it while inserted; however, under situations of demating after long mating times and low temperatures, the improved end seal would close slowly, allowing an exchange of fluid for sea water between the bladder and the surrounding ocean environment. Furthermore, addition of the constricting elements resulted in high insertion forces, because the male probe had to struggle mechanically against them to penetrate the passages closed by the end seal. Withdrawal of a probe was resisted by high withdrawal forces produced by the additional constricting elements acting against the probe. If the connector was mated for any length of time, the rubber material of the end seal would be held very tightly against the probe by the constricting elements, thereby causing it to conform on a microscopic basis to the irregularities on the surface of the probe and making withdrawal difficult, at best.
The invention laid out in the description to follow advances the fluid-filled bladder technology for submersible connectors by reducing the high insertion and withdrawal forces at the last stage of technology development.
In addition, the present invention provides multiple, fluid-innerconnecting, dielectric bath chambers which provide intermediate wiping of the movable stopper and the insertable probe, as they move within the fluid filled bladder, thus providing increased environmental isolation in making electrical connections in underwater environments.
The inventor further provides a single dielectric chamber having two wipers.
The invention described is meant for practice primarily in the undersea environment, where the threats of corrosion, pressure, and low temperature significantly affect the operation of connectors. However, the inventor contemplates the use of his invention in other contexts; for example, in explosive environments such as are encountered in granaries, mines, or fuel farms.
The principal objective of the described invention is to provide a new and improved underwater or submersible connector utilizing a dielectric, fluid-filled bladder containing one or more sockets and having an end seal through which a probe or probes are inserted for connection with the sockets, the connector providing an improved, highly reliable barrier against the threats posed by the undersea environment.
A further objective is to provide such a new and improved connector with the ability to be connected with a minimum of insertion force and disconnected with a minimum of extraction force while deployed undersea.
A further improvement of the invented connector is the multiple, interconnected, dielectric bath chambers, with an internal wiper positioned between the chambers, that further restricts the entry of sea water or impurities into the part of the bladder containing the electrical receptacles.
Additionally, the new and improved connector permits the underwater connection of multiple, separate electrical circuits through one, sealed electrical connector.