US 12,224,521 B2
Subsea electrical connector
Joseph Allan Nicholson, Barrow in Furness (GB)
Assigned to ONESUBSEA IP UK LIMITED, London (GB)
Appl. No. 18/708,317
Filed by ONESUBSEA IP UK LIMITED, London (GB)
PCT Filed Jan. 26, 2023, PCT No. PCT/US2023/011623
§ 371(c)(1), (2) Date May 8, 2024,
PCT Pub. No. WO2023/146964, PCT Pub. Date Aug. 3, 2023.
Claims priority of provisional application 63/303,360, filed on Jan. 26, 2022.
Prior Publication US 2024/0421530 A1, Dec. 19, 2024
Int. Cl. H01R 13/523 (2006.01); E21B 17/02 (2006.01); H01R 13/627 (2006.01)
CPC H01R 13/523 (2013.01) [H01R 13/6271 (2013.01); E21B 17/028 (2013.01)] 20 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A system, comprising:
a first electrical connector configured to removably couple with a second electrical connector, wherein the first electrical connector comprises:
a housing having an axial opening;
a movable support disposed inside the housing, wherein the movable support comprises a first connector portion having a first electrical path with a first radial contact electrically coupled to a first axial contact;
a stationary support disposed inside the housing, wherein the stationary support comprises a first mating connector portion having a first mating electrical path with a first mating axial contact coupled to a first electrical cable; and
a shuttle pin configured to engage with the second electrical connector through the axial opening in the housing, wherein the shuttle pin is configured to move along a first axial path of travel in a first connection stage, wherein the movable support is configured to move along a second axial path of travel in a second connection stage;
wherein the first connection stage is configured to engage the first radial contact of the first electrical connector with a first mating radial contact of the second electrical connector at a first axial position in response to the first axial path of travel;
wherein the second connection stage is configured to engage the first axial contact with the first mating axial contact over a first axial distance in response to the second axial path of travel.