Electrical connectors – With coupling movement-actuating means or retaining means in... – Retaining means
Reexamination Certificate
1999-01-27
2001-02-13
Stephan, Steven L. (Department: 2839)
Electrical connectors
With coupling movement-actuating means or retaining means in...
Retaining means
Reexamination Certificate
active
06186819
ABSTRACT:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention generally relates to an electrical connector system, and, more particularly, to an improved latching system for an electrical connector which also provides connector position assurance when connecting two halves of an electrical connector.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
An electrical connector typically includes a pair of connector housing halves constructed from a dielectric material. The housing halves are usually identified as a plug half (or male half) and a socket half (or female half), with the two halves having complementary inter-engaging terminals for completing an electrical circuit when the housing halves are fully and properly mated. Electrical connectors normally require a secure mechanical and electrical engagement between the connector halves. Some prior art connector housings are relatively easy to separate or unmate, thereby disconnecting the electrical circuit. Obviously, inadvertent separation of a connector may cause malfunction of the equipment, and associated inconvenience, safety concerns, or the like.
To prevent unintentional separation of connector halves, a latching means is often included with the connector housing for holding the male and female connector halves in the engaged position. The latching means may also include a locking means to retain the connector in the latched position and to provide assurance to a person assembling the connector that the connector has been properly assembled, latched, and locked, and that the electrical connection is therefore complete. Such locking and indicating mechanisms are known in the art as connector position assurance (“CPA”) devices. The CPA device may be separate from the latching mechanism, or may be integrated as part of the latch. Typically, the primary function of a CPA device is to indicate that the connector halves are fully mated and latched. A secondary function is often to prevent the latching mechanisms from inadvertently unlatching, thereby permitting the connector halves to separate.
Latching and CPA mechanisms have been accomplished in a wide variety of ways in the prior art. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 5,759,058, assigned to the same assignee as in the present application, discloses an electrical connector having two connector halves, with a latching mechanism and a CPA device. The latching mechanism includes a flexible arm on a first connector half and a shoulder on a second connector half. As the connector halves are assembled, the flexible arm engages with the shoulder for latching the connector halves together. Following latching of the connector halves, a CPA device may then be slid forward and snapped into a forward position. In this position, the CPA device prevents the flexible latching arm from disengaging from the shoulder, and the connector halves may not be unlatched. Further, if the connector halves are not properly mated, the CPA device is not able to slide into its proper forward position, thereby giving an indication of improper assembly of the connector halves.
While the foregoing latch and CPA mechanisms function effectively for the intended applications, the components can be relatively bulky. The components are typically molded from plastic, and, thus, must be sufficiently thick to perform their intended function without cracking or breaking. Further, the latching mechanism is typically molded integrally with the connector housing, thereby complicating the molding process for the housing. Accordingly, it is desirable to provide a connector latching and CPA mechanism whose functional components are not molded integrally with the connector housing. It is further desirable to provide a CPA and latching mechanism whose functional components enable a lower profile and more compact construction than those of the prior art, without sacrificing strength and functionality. The latching mechanism and CPA device of the present invention provide these and other benefits, and overcome the shortcomings associated with the prior art.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
In the preferred form of the invention, a connector includes a first housing half and a second housing half, with one of the connector halves being a socket half, and the other connector half being a plug half. A latching mechanism is provided so that as the connector halves are assembled, they are latched in the assembled position. A CPA device is also provided so that following latching of the connector halves in the assembled condition, the CPA device may be slid forward to lock the latching mechanism to prevent the connector from being inadvertently unlatched. If the connector halves are not properly assembled, it is not possible to slide the CPA device into the forward position. Further, for disassembling the connector, the CPA device may be manually slid back from the locked position to the unlocked position, and the latch manually unlatched so that the connector halves may be unmated.
Also in a preferred form of the invention, the functional components of the latching mechanism and CPA device are fabricated from a resilient metal such as stainless steel. The use of resilient metal for the components takes advantage of the greater elastic memory of metal relative to plastic, and also takes advantage of the greater strength of metal relative to plastic. Accordingly, the functional components may be constructed much thinner and more compact than those in the prior art. This allows a low profile latch and CPA mechanism, and also allows the connector housing to be made more compact than in the prior art.
The latching mechanism of the present invention includes a resilient metal latch member which is constructed separately, and then installed into one half of the connector housing. The latch member is retained in a latch pocket formed integrally with the connector housing. The latch member includes a forwardly-extending latch arm, comprised of a pair of parallel bars, with a folded crossbeam connecting the distal ends of the bars. The parallel bars and crossbeam create an open area or aperture in the latch arm, so that a raised stop located on the other connector half may enter the aperture and be retained by the crossbeam. The latch member also includes a centrally located forwardly-extending spring arm which biases the latch arm against the lower surface of the connector housing, but which enables the latch member to be pivoted about a fulcrum point. A finger lever is provided proximally on the latch member, and may be pressed down manually for raising the crossbeam, and thereby unlatching the latch member.
The present invention also includes a CPA device for locking the latch mechanism in the latched position. The CPA device is also constructed from resilient metal, and is retained within the latch pocket in a pair of opposed parallel grooves located in the sidewalls of the latch pocket. The grooves enable the CPA device to be slid forward to engage and lock the latch member. The CPA device includes a centrally located flexible arm having a distal securing member. The proximal portion of the CPA device includes a main body, an upwardly extending push area, and a pair of sidewardly extending wings for engaging with the grooves of the latch pocket. Following mating and latching of the connector halves, the CPA device is pushed forward so that the distal securing member rides over the raised stop and the crossbeam on the latch member, and then snaps down in front of the crossbeam so that the CPA device is secured in the forward position. The CPA device also includes a pair of raised bumps on the main body. If the finger lever of the latch member is pressed downward, projections extending downward from the proximal end of the latch member contact the raised bumps, thereby stopping the downward movement. This prevents the cross beam from being raised so that unlatching of the connector is prevented.
Thus, the present invention provides a low profile, compact, high strength, and ergonomic latching and CPA mechanism for use with an electrical connector or the like. Further, while the preferred
Byrd Eugene G.
Cardell Corporation
Jones Tullar & Cooper PC
Stephan Steven L.
LandOfFree
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