WO2017004627A2

WO2017004627A2 - Connector

Info

Publication number: WO2017004627A2
Application number: PCT/ZA2016/050018
Authority: WO
Inventors: Marius Christo BOTHA
Original assignee: Detnet South Africa (Pty) Ltd
Priority date: 2015-06-30
Filing date: 2016-06-10
Publication date: 2017-01-05
Also published as: AR105121A1; WO2017004627A3

Abstract

A detonator connector which has a body with insulation displacement contacts and an electrical circuit, on a substrate inside the body, in electrical connection with the insulation displacement contacts.

Description

CONNECTOR

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

[0001] This invention relates to a connector which is used to establish an electrical connection between a detonator and a harness in a blasting system. [0002] One type of blasting configuration calls for an electric circuit to be positioned between a detonator and a harness which is connected to a blasting machine. It is possible to include the electric circuit in the detonator but for a number of reasons it is desirable to be able to locate the electric circuit at the harness, i.e. remote from the detonator.

[0003] An object of the present invention is to provide a connector which allows for the incorporation of an electric circuit in order to meet the aforementioned requirement.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

[0004] The invention provides a connector which includes a body, a recessed formation in the body, a substrate which carries an electrical circuit positioned in the recessed formation, and an assembly which overlies and contacts the substrate, the assembly including at least two insulation displacement contacts which are in electrical engagement with the electrical circuit, and a closure which is movable to cover at least the insulation displacement contacts and which is releasably engageable with the body.

[0005] The closure may include a resilient clip structure which is engageable with complementary retaining formations on the body. [0006] The assembly and the substrate may include respective formations which interengage and which thereby position the substrate correctly relative to the assembly when the assembly overlies and is in contact with the substrate.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS [0007] The invention is further described by way of example with reference to the accompanying drawings in which:

Figure 1 is a perspective view of a connector according to the invention in a closed state and with a branch line extending from the connector,

Figure 2 shows the connector of Figure 1 in an open configuration,

Figure 3 illustrates in perspective a body of the connector with a branch line and a trunk line or harness connected to the body,

Figure 4 is a plan view of the body with the harness removed,

Figure 5 in a perspective view from above of the body,

Figure 6 shows in perspective an assembly and a substrate, which are used in the connector of the invention, in an exploded configuration, and

Figure 7 shows the assembly and substrate of Figure 6 engaged with each other prior to being connected to the body.

DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0008] Figure 1 of the accompanying drawings illustrates in perspective a connector 10 according to the invention.

[0009] The connector includes a body 12 and a closure 14. The body and the closure are made from an appropriate plastics material in an injection moulding process. A branch line 16 extends from the connector to a detonator, not shown. The closure 14 is coupled to the body via a hinge 18 which allows for pivotal movement of the closure relative to the body. The closure can be held captive to the body by means of resilient clips 22 and 24 respectively on opposing sides of the closure 14, close to an exit point for the branch line 16. [0010] Figure 2 shows the connector 10 in an open configuration. The closure 14 has been pivoted upwardly from the body 12 through an angle of about 1 30°. The hinge 18 includes a hinge pin 28 which is clipped into a hinge section 30 on the body. The hinge section 30 is shown in more detail in Figure 3.

[001 1] The branch line 16 extends through a locating formation 34 in the body to an assembly 36 which includes a number of insulation displacement contacts 38A to 38D.

[0012] Figure 3 is an enlarged view of the body 2 as shown in Figure 2, but with the inclusion of a trunk line 40. The trunk line has two insulated electrical conductors 40A and 40B respectively. These are electrically connected, as is known in the art, to the insulation displacement contacts 38D and 38B respectively. The branch line 16 also has two insulated electrical conductors 16A and 16B respectively (see the plan view in Figure 4) and these are connected to the insulation displacement contacts 38C and 38A respectively.

[0013] Figure 5 is a perspective view of the body 12 with the branch line 16 and the harness removed. Additionally, the assembly 36, referred to in connection with Figure 2, is absent. The body is formed with a recessed formation 44 which is designed to accommodate the assembly 36. In plan the recessed formation 44 is substantially rectangular in outline. It is surrounded by a wall 46 in which are formed a number of slots 48. These slots are shaped and positioned to act as frictional formations which respectively engage with the conductors 40A and 40B of the trunk line, and with the conductors 16A and 16B of the branch line - see Figure 3 and Figure 4.

[0014] Four small openings or holes 50A, 50B, 50C and 50D respectively are formed through the wall 46 immediately above shoulders 52A, 52B, 52C and 52D respectively (see Figure 7).

[0015] Figure 6 illustrates in an exploded configuration and in perspective the assembly 36 and a substrate 62 which are designed to be located in the recessed formation 44 and to be engaged with the body 12. The assembly 36 includes a support structure 64 which is moulded from an electrically insulating plastics material. Four outwardly extending projections 66A, 66B, 66C and 66D are located at extremities of the structure 64. The insulation displacement contacts 38A to 38D are engaged with the support structure 64. The structure precisely positions the insulation displacement contacts in required locations and ensures that the contacts are adequately supported mechanically and electrically.

[0016] Figure 6 also illustrates an upper surface 62A of the substrate 62 which embodies a printed circuit board 64 with four conductive pads 70A, 70B, 70C and 70D, and two resistors 72 and 74 respectively, at defined locations on the upper surface 62A. The pads 70A and 70B are connected by tracks 76 to the resistor 72A, and the pads 70C and 70D are similarly connected to the resistor 74.

[0017] Figure 7 shows the assembly 36 engaged with and overlying the substrate 62. The conductive pads 70A to 70D are respectively brought into electrical engagement with the undersides of the insulation displacement contacts 38A to 38D.

[0018] The nature of the electrical circuit carried by the printed circuit board on the substrate can vary according to requirement. The electrical circuit may include a simple resistor- capacitor timer circuit and thus embody only a few components. Alternatively, according to requirement, the substrate can carry a multitude of components which may be in discrete or integrated form. The invention is not limited in this respect. However, an understanding of the nature of the circuit, is not necessary for an understanding of the principles of the invention.

[0019] Once the assembly has been combined with the substrate as shown in Figure 7 the combination is inserted into the recessed formation 44. When the combination is pushed home into the recessed formation the sections 66A to 66D are resiliently deformed to a slight degree to allow passage of the combination until the shoulders 52A to 52D are brought into contact with corresponding surfaces on the combination. At this point the various projections 66A to 66D slip into engagement with the respective retaining openings 50A to 50D. The closure is thereby coupled to the body and the connector is then ready for use.

[0020] The connector is used in a conventional way in that, as is shown for example in Figures 3 and 4, the conductors in the branch line 16 and in the trunk line 40 are electrically connected to the respective insulation contacts, in a conventional manner, during the establishment of a blasting system. The electrical circuit which is carried by the substrate which is contained within the connector is then automatically connected in the desired manner to the conductors in the blasting system.

Claims

1 . A connector which includes a body, a recessed formation in the body, a substrate which carries an electrical circuit positioned in the recessed formation, and an assembly which overlies and contacts the substrate, the assembly including at least two insulation displacement contacts which are in electrical engagement with the electrical circuit, and a closure which is movable to cover at least the insulation displacement contacts and which is releasably engageable with the body.

2. A connector according to claim 1 wherein the closure includes a resilient clip structure which is engageable with complementary retaining formations on the body.

3. A connector according to claim 1 or 2 wherein the assembly and the substrate include respective formations which interengage and which thereby position the substrate correctly relative to the assembly when the assembly overlies and is in contact with the substrate.