Electrical connectors – Self aligning contact – Contact mounted in floating nonconductive holder
Reexamination Certificate
1999-04-28
2001-01-16
Sircus, Brian (Department: 2839)
Electrical connectors
Self aligning contact
Contact mounted in floating nonconductive holder
C439S560000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06174185
ABSTRACT:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
This invention generally relates to the art of connector assemblies, such as electric connectors, fiber optic connectors and the like. More particularly, the invention relates to a system for restricting movement of a connector relative to a panel in a given mating direction and releasing the restrictions once a given mating force on the connector is exceeded.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
Electrical and other connector assemblies are used in a wide variety of applications wherein a connector is mounted through an aperture in a chassis such as a panel or the like. It often is desirable to mount the connector so that it has some degree of limited movement or “float” relative to the chassis or panel. For instance, in an automotive application, the chassis or panel and its mounted connector must be assembled in relation to another frame component or a printed circuit board, backplane or the like. By providing some degree of floating movement for the connector, accommodation is made for manufacturing tolerances when the entire system is assembled.
On the other hand, if a connector is mounted in a panel with floating movement relative thereto, it often is difficult to mate a complementary connector with the panel-mounted connector because the panel-mounted connector shifts around due to its floating movement. The present invention is directed to solving this problem by providing a unique system wherein a panel-mounted connector is restricted against movement relative to the panel in a mating direction, and the restriction is released in response to a force greater than a given mating force being exceeded.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
An object, therefore, of the invention is to provide a new and improved connector for mounting through an aperture in a panel, the connector being mateable with a complementary connecting device with a given mating force in a given mating direction.
In the exemplary embodiment of the invention, the connector includes a housing mountable in the aperture in the panel. The housing includes engagement means for restricting movement of the connector relative to the panel in the mating direction. A release means is operatively associated with the engagement means to release the engagement means and allow movement of the connector relative to the panel in the mating direction in response to a force greater than the given mating force.
As disclosed herein, the engagement means is provided by an engaging member movable relative to the housing. The release means is provided by a frangible component joining the engaging member to the housing. The frangible component is breakable in response to a force greater than the given mating force. In the preferred embodiment, the housing is molded of plastic material and the frangible component is provided by an integrally molded, frangible web interconnected between the engaging member and the housing.
Still further, the engaging member is formed by a cantilevered flexible arm having an abutment portion at a free distal end of the arm. The frangible web is interconnected between the free end of the arm and the housing. Preferably, a plurality of the cantilevered flexible arms are provided generally at opposite sides of a mating portion of the housing.
Other objects, features and advantages of the invention will be apparent from the following detailed description taken in connection with the accompanying drawings.
REFERENCES:
patent: 5197896 (1993-03-01), Landis et al.
patent: 5199900 (1993-04-01), Hayes, Sr.
patent: 5391086 (1995-02-01), Woller et al.
patent: 5788522 (1998-08-01), Kameyama
patent: 5800208 (1998-09-01), Ishizuka et al.
Caldwell Stacey E.
Molex Incorporated
Prasad Chandrika
Sircus Brian
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