US 12,476,415 B2
Dry-mate connector system for submersible electronics
Erin Fischell, East Falmouth, MA (US); Sam Fladung, East Falmouth, MA (US); and David R. Fischell, Fairhaven, NJ (US)
Assigned to Acbotics Research, LLC, East Falmouth, MA (US)
Filed by ACBOTICS RESEARCH, LLC, East Falmouth, MA (US)
Filed on Jan. 27, 2023, as Appl. No. 18/160,395.
Claims priority of provisional application 63/310,927, filed on Feb. 16, 2022.
Prior Publication US 2023/0261413 A1, Aug. 17, 2023
Int. Cl. H01R 13/523 (2006.01); H01R 13/443 (2006.01); H01R 13/52 (2006.01); H01R 24/40 (2011.01); H01R 24/64 (2011.01)
CPC H01R 13/523 (2013.01) [H01R 13/443 (2013.01); H01R 13/5202 (2013.01); H01R 24/40 (2013.01); H01R 24/64 (2013.01)] 32 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A dry-mate connector system attachable to a wall of a sealed electronic equipment housing having an external wet side and an internal dry side for connecting the sealed electronic equipment housing to external equipment disposed at the wet side, the dry-mate connector system comprising:
a bulkhead connector having a wet part disposed at the wet side of the electronic equipment housing and a dry part, the wet part of the bulkhead connector being selected from a group consisting of a male bulkhead connector and a female bulkhead connector,
the bulkhead connector including at least one seal O-ring sealing to the wall of the electronic equipment housing at the external wet side thereof, and a wet side COTS (Commercial-Of-The-Shelf) connector internally mounted inside the wet part of the bulkhead connector, wherein the dry part of the bulkhead connector comprises a dry side COTS connectivity to electronic equipment disposed within the sealed electronic equipment housing, the dry side COTS connectivity being selected from a group consisting of a dry side COTS connector and a dry side COTS cable;
an in-line connector disposed at the external wet side of the electronic equipment housing and configured for removable mating with the wet part of the bulkhead connector,
the in-line connector comprising at least one O-ring seal sealing to the wet part of the bulkhead connector, and a COTS cable potted within the in-line connector and including a COTS connector adapted for mating to the wet side COTS connector in the bulkhead connector; and
a dummy plug configured for removable mating with the wet part of the bulkhead connector, the dummy plug comprising at least one O-ring sealing to the wet part of the bulkhead connector.