The invention relates generally to electrical connectors, and more particularly to electrical connectors that form an environmental seal around an electrical or fiber optic connection.
Push-pull electrical connectors may provide a quick method for establishing a communicative and/or power connection between systems and devices. Generally, push-pull type connectors only move along an axial direction and are not required to be twisted or rotated. In some known electrical connectors, the connectors include a plug and a header configured to receive and engage the plug in order to establish the connection. One common method of engaging the plug and header is for the plug to engage and rotate about external threads on the header surface. However, push-pull type connectors are generally not constructed to be twisted or rotated. Thus, the push-pull connectors must be adapted in order to engage the external threads. One concern in adapting or reconfiguring the push-pull connector is that the electrical connection may be vulnerable to damage or otherwise negatively affected by the surrounding environment.
One known push-pull type connector that is configured to engage external threads uses a spring basket and a movable sleeve having a cavity configured to hold the spring basket therein. The spring basket is configured to engage the external threads of a header and includes a plurality of tines that are biased to extend in an axial direction parallel to the header surface. The tines are separated from each other and include internal threads on the inner surface and external ridges that protrude radially outward from the outer surface. When the connector initially engages the header, the sleeve continues to slide over the spring basket until the sleeve engages the ridges of the tines. The tines are then deflected or compressed into the external threads of the header. The sleeve then continues to move forward over the tines. Once a front end of the sleeve has moved over the ridges, the tines move within the cavity and are allowed to move into the original, uncompressed position away from the external threads. As such, the tines are not utilized in forming an environmental seal.
Thus, there is a need for a push-pull electrical connector that forms an environmental seal. Furthermore, there is a need for a push-pull connector that may grip and form an environmental seal around headers having external threads.