Mark Richard Andersen

US Patent:

58399208, Nov 24, 1998

Filed:

Dec 6, 1995

Appl. No.:

8/569407

Inventors:

Garold Michael Yurko - Greensboro NC
John Rudell Bussard - Kernersville NC
Mark Dwayne Andersen - Kernersville NC

Assignee:

The Whitaker Corporation - Wilmington DE

International Classification:

H01R 1340

US Classification:

439587

Abstract:

A seal (10) for use with an electrical connector includes an array of sealing units (20) each including a funnel-shaped section (22), an annular recess (24), an annular projection (26), and a box shaped recess (28). Adjacent to the sealing units are respective relaxation cores (30) for allowing the seal material to flow and fill in the relaxation cores thereby relieving the sealing units of stress and preventing tearing or cutting of the seal as the electrical contact (40) is inserted through the sealing unit (20). An interface angle (22c) is advantageously formed in a steep fashion so that the corners of the electrical contact (40) do not cut or tear the seal material. The funnel-shaped section (22) includes a sealing rib (22d) which is forced by insertion of the contact to flow towards an annular recess (24), and an annular projection (26) is forced to flow toward the box shaped recess (28), thereby further relieving the sealing unit (20) of stresses and preventing cutting or tearing of the seal material as the contact (40) is inserted through the sealing unit.