Electrical connectors – With insulation other than conductor sheath – Plural-contact coupling part
Reexamination Certificate
1998-12-10
2001-07-03
Patel, Tulsidas (Department: 2839)
Electrical connectors
With insulation other than conductor sheath
Plural-contact coupling part
C439S850000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06254436
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to an electrical connector for use with an automotive lamp unit. More particularly, the invention relates to an electrical connector having a reduced outer width so as to be received within a lamp unit of reduced depth.
Conventionally, a detachable electrical connector is employed for electrically connecting an automotive lamp to a power supply.
FIG. 6
is a cross-sectional view of an example of an automotive lamp unit employing an electrical connector, specifically, an example of an automotive headlamp of the type having a discharge bulb. In this drawing, a headlamp
5
includes a discharge bulb
54
mounted on a reflector
55
disposed within a lamp chamber
53
defined by a lamp body
51
and a lens
52
. A lighting circuit module
6
′ for activating the discharge bulb
54
is accommodated in a lower region of the lamp chamber
53
in a gap-like chamber
57
defined by the bottom
511
of the lamp body
51
and an extension member
56
extending from the reflector
55
to the open side of the lamp. This lighting circuit module
6
′ incorporates circuit elements such as a starter circuit for controlling the lighting of the discharge bulb
54
, a stabilizing circuit and a control circuit (not shown). The lighting circuit module
6
′ is electrically connected to the discharge bulb
54
by a shielded cable
9
. The lighting circuit module
6
′ is provided with an external terminal block (to be described later) to which an electrical connector
7
is detachably connected. The electrical connector
7
is electrically connected to a second connector
91
secured to a cover
10
detachably mounted to the rear of the lamp body
51
via insulated wires
37
. The second connector
91
can be connected to a further electrical connector which is in turn electrically connected to the battery of the automobile.
FIG. 7
is a perspective view showing the structure of the electrical connector
7
. Two flat external terminals
62
,
63
project from the side wall of the case
61
of the lighting circuit module
6
′ parallel to one another with their respective flat portions
64
lying substantially in parallel planes. The terminals
62
,
63
are arranged generally parallel to the bottom
511
of the lamp body
51
.
The electrical connector
7
includes a connector housing
8
formed from an insulating material. The connector housing
8
is constituted by two angular sleeves
81
,
82
which are integrally arranged parallel to one another. Two electrically conductive electrical terminals
31
,
32
are inserted into the respective angular sleeves
81
,
82
through respective ones of the openings so as to be secured therein.
The aforementioned electrical terminals
31
,
32
have conventionally been so-called flag-type terminals, as shown in FIG.
8
. Each of the electrical terminals
31
,
32
includes a planar connecting portion
33
to be electrically connected to a flat portion
64
of the corresponding one of the external terminals
62
,
63
of the lighting circuit module
6
′. The planar connecting portion
33
includes a rectangular flat portion
34
and a bent portion
35
formed by bending both side edges thereof inward into a J-like shape. By inserting each of the external terminals
62
,
63
into the space between the flat portion
34
and the bent portions
35
, the flat portion
34
and the bent portions
35
of the planar connecting portion
33
are brought into contact with the flat portion
64
of the external terminals
62
,
63
, respectively, for making electrical connection. Moreover, one end of each wire
37
is connected to one end
36
in a longitudinal direction of the planar connecting portion
33
for electrical connection. The insulated wires
37
extend from the connector housing
8
in the same direction.
In the aforementioned conventional electrical connector, the flat portions
64
of the pair of external terminals
62
,
63
projecting from the lighting circuit module
6
′ are disposed so as to face each other, while extending perpendicular with respect to the bottom of the lamp body
51
. Likewise, the planar connecting portions
33
of the pair of electrical terminals
31
,
32
of the electrical connector
7
are disposed to face with each other. Accordingly, it is difficult to reduce the width of the electrical connector
7
(the length in the direction of height of the lighting circuit module
6
′ is hereinafter referred to as the width of the connector
7
), that is, the width across the distance between facing electrical terminals, owing to the gap therebetween. In order to connect the aforementioned electrical connector
7
to the external terminals
62
,
63
of the lighting circuit module
6
′ within the headlamp
5
, the chamber defined between the bottom of the lamp body
51
and the extension member
56
must have a relatively great height. As a result, the height of the headlamp
5
cannot be sufficiently reduced, thus increasing the overall size of the lamp and restricting the design of the headlamp
5
.
In order to solve the aforementioned problem, it is possible to rotate the external terminals
62
,
63
of the lighting circuit module 90 degrees with respect to those of the aforementioned structure such that the pair of external terminals
62
,
63
face with each other in the transverse direction of the headlamp
5
, and a pair of electrical terminals
31
,
32
of the electrical connector
7
face each other in the transverse direction. In this case, the restriction on the width of the electrical connector
7
due to the distances between the external terminals
62
and
63
and distance between the electrical terminals
31
and
32
can be relaxed somewhat, thus reducing the height of the headlamp
5
to some extent. In such a case, however, the width of the connector housing
8
cannot be made less than the length of the shorter side of the planar connecting portions
33
of the electrical terminals
31
,
32
. Therefore, the width of the electrical connector
7
cannot be reduced as much as desired, nor can the height of the headlamp
5
be sufficiently reduced. Moreover, as the electrical terminals
31
,
32
of the electrical connector
7
are exposed outside the connector housing
8
, short-circuiting of the electrical terminals can easily occur, and safety problems, such as electric shock, cannot be entirely avoided.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
It is an object of the present invention to provide an electrical connector having sufficient safety and reliability, and yet which allows a decrease in the headlamp height by reducing the width of the connector.
According to the present invention, an electrical connector includes a connector housing formed from an insulating member and a plurality of electrically conductive electrical terminals each having a planar connecting portion inserted into the connector housing. Each of the planar connecting portions of the electrical terminals are disposed in the same plane. The insulated wires connected to the electrical terminals extend outward from the connector from the same side of the connector housing and in a direction parallel to the plane of the terminals. The connector housing includes a main body having sleeves for receiving respective electrical terminals through openings formed in a base portion of the main body, a lid for covering the openings of the main body, and a hinge portion connecting the lid and to the main body. The hinge is formed on the side of the main body opposite the side from which the insulated wires exit the housing.
The invention further provides a lighting circuit device employing the above connector, including a molded lighting circuit module case, and a pair of terminals extending outward from a side surface of the case. These terminals, which are also generally planar and lie in the same plane, make electrical contact with respective ones of the terminals of the electrical connector.
Still further, the invention provides an automotive lamp employing the
Nitta Kazuto
Tsukamoto Hironori
Yoneyama Masatoshi
Koito Manufacturing Co. Ltd.
Patel Tulsidas
Sughrue Mion Zinn Macpeak & Seas, PLLC
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