Water Impermeable, Easy Disconnect Electrical Cable Connector for Deep Sea Applications

The Navy needs robust and cost-effective electrical connectors that are completely water impermeable, even under prolonged exposures to high and varying water pressures. These connectors must be reliable enough for frequent connection and disconnection (even under water), corrosion-resistant, lightweight, safe, and easy to assemble. Williams-Pyro, Inc., proposes to develop a line of easy-to-connect, water-impermeable, wet-mateable electrical connectors. These connectors are designed to fit standard electrical hull fittings (EHFs) on Navy submarines and other deep-sea equipment. Williams-Pyro will deliver suitable prototype systems operating under various submergence pressures; laboratory test results that validate our connector design concepts; and EDMs suitable for operating in submersibles being installed shipboard. To exclude seawater from the connector sockets, we will research and test materials for pins, springs, and hydrophobic dielectrics. We will build prototypes, test their performance, and evaluate their ability to operate on Navy submersibles. We will expand our prototype designs to meet military specifications of complex connectors. As we build the prototypes, we will develop a line of connectors to transition into full-scale shipboard implementation.