Electrical connectors – With insulation other than conductor sheath – Plural-contact coupling part
Reexamination Certificate
2000-08-04
2002-06-25
Paumen, Gary (Department: 2833)
Electrical connectors
With insulation other than conductor sheath
Plural-contact coupling part
C439S404000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06409551
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a press-fit connector having two connector housings which are connected to each other by moving them into a direction in which they approach each other.
2. Description of the Related Art
A conventional press-fit connector of this kind has been proposed (Japanese Patent Application No. H9-223764, which is not prior art).
As shown in
FIGS. 1
to
5
, a press-fit connector
1
comprises an upper connector housing
2
and a lower connector housing
3
. A lower face
2
a
of the upper connector housing
2
and an upper face
3
a
of the lower connector housing
3
are formed as connecting faces which are opposed to each other. A plurality of longitudinally formed terminal accommodation chambers
4
are arranged side-by-side in the upper connector housing
2
. The adjacent terminal accommodation chambers
4
are partitioned by partition walls
5
. The lower face (connecting face)
2
a
of the upper connector housing
2
is formed at its rear portion with an opening
6
, and rear portions of the terminal accommodation chambers
4
are exposed from the opening
6
. As shown in
FIG. 4
, press-fit terminals
7
are respectively accommodated in the terminal accommodation chambers
4
, and one ends of an electric wire W are arranged to be press-fitted to a pair of press-fit blades
7
a
and
7
a
on the rear portion of each of the press-fit terminals
7
. Each of the pair of press-fit blades
7
a
and
7
a
is bent into a substantially U-shape, and tip ends
7
b
and
7
b
of opposite side plates of each of the press-fit terminals
7
project upward from the partition wall
5
.
The lower face (connecting face)
2
a
of the upper connector housing
2
is provided at its front portion with three longitudinally extending front first locking projections
8
which are substantially trapezoidal in shape. The first locking projections
8
are formed on the center portion and left and right sides of the front portion of the lower face
2
a
at certain distances from one another. Front opposite ends of the lower face
2
a
of the upper connector housing
2
are provided with front second locking projections
9
. As shown in
FIG. 2
, each of the front second locking projections
9
comprises a substantially semicircular introducing rib
9
a
which is downwardly projecting, an introducing taper projection
9
b
obliquely formed from a tip end of the introducing rib
9
a,
and a flat projection
9
c
projecting horizontally from a bottom face of the introducing taper projection
9
b.
Rear portions of opposite sides of the upper connector housing
2
are provided with prism rear locking projections
10
.
A plurality of longitudinally formed terminal accommodation chambers
4
are arranged side-by-side in the lower connector housing
3
. A rear portion of the lower face of the lower connector housing
3
is formed into an opening
6
, and rear portions of the terminal accommodation chambers
4
are exposed from the opening
6
. Press-fit terminals (not shown) are respectively accommodated in the terminal accommodation chambers
4
in the same manner as that described above.
A cover
11
is connected to a lower face of the lower connector housing
3
through a hinge (not shown) so that the opening
6
can be closed with the cover
11
. A rear portion of the upper face (connecting face)
3
a
of the lower connector housing
3
is provided with a plurality of partition walls
12
such as to be opposed to the plurality of partition walls
5
of the upper connector housing
2
. Further, electric wire position restricting projections
13
are respectively provided between adjacent partition walls
12
.
The upper face (connecting face)
3
a
of the lower connector housing
3
is provided at its front portion with three front first locking recesses
14
which are substantially trapezoidal in shape. The first locking recesses
14
are formed on the center portion and left and right sides of the front portion of the upper face
3
a
at certain distances from one another. Front opposite ends of the upper face
3
a
of the lower connector housing
3
are provided with front second locking recesses
15
. As shown in
FIG. 3
, each of the front second locking recesses
15
comprises a guide taper recess
15
a
in which the introducing rib
9
a
and the introducing taper projection
9
b
are inserted, and a horizontal recess
15
b
in which the flat projection
9
b
is inserted. Rear portions of the opposite sides of the lower connector housing
3
are provided flexibly rear-locking arms
16
which are respectively provided with rear locking holes
17
.
In the above structure, the press-fit terminals
7
are accommodated in the terminal accommodation chambers
4
of the connector housings
2
and
3
, the one ends of the electric wire W are connected to the press-fit terminals
7
, and the opening
6
of the lower connector housing
3
is closed with the cover
11
. Next, the upper connector housing
2
is set to a coupling jig (not shown) such that the lower face
2
a
of the upper connector housing
2
is directed upward, and the lower connector housing
3
is placed on the set upper connector housing
2
from above such that the upper face
3
a
of the lower connector housing
3
is directed downward. When the lower connector housing
3
is placed, the front first locking projections
8
, the front second locking projections
9
and the rear locking projections
10
of the upper connector housing
2
are substantially positioned on the front first locking recesses
14
, the front second locking recesses
15
, and the rear locking arms
16
of the lower connector housing
3
.
Next, the lower connector housing
3
is pushed downward, the opposed connecting faces of both the connecting housings
2
and
3
are moved in a direction in which they approach each other by this pushing force, and at the connected position, the front first locking projections
8
and the front second locking projections
9
enter the front first locking recesses
14
and the front second locking recesses
15
respectively, and the rear locking projections
10
are locked in the rear locking holes
17
by the rear locking arms
16
which are bent and deformed. With this operation, both the connector housings
2
and
3
are coupled.
As both the connector housings
2
and
3
are moved to the connected positions, both the partition walls
5
and
12
are moved in a direction in which they approach each other, and at the connected position, tip end faces of both the partition walls
5
and
12
are brought into substantially contact with each other. With this movement, the adjacent terminal accommodation chambers
4
are substantially completely partitioned, thereby preventing a short out accident between the adjacent press-fit terminals
7
and
7
.
However, in the conventional press-fit connector
1
, the positioning operation of both the connector housings
2
and
3
are started simultaneously when the locking operation is started during the connecting operation procedure. That is, the positioning operation of the front portions of both the connector housings
2
and
3
are carried out by starting the insertion operation of the front first locking projections
8
and the front second locking projections
9
into the front first locking recesses
14
and the front second locking recesses
15
, respectively, and the positioning operation of the rear portions of both the connector housings
2
and
3
are carried out by starting the engaging operation of the rear locking projections
10
into the rear locking arms
16
which can be bent and deformed. Therefore, both the connector housings
2
and
3
are not positioned until they sufficiently approach each other.
For this reason, if both the connector housings
2
and
3
are moved to the connected position in a state where the lower connector housing
3
is laterally deviated from a proper position, the partition wall
12
of the lower connector housing
3
abuts against the tip ends
7
a
of the sid
Figueroa Felix O.
Finnegan Henderson Farabow Garrett & Dunner L.L.P.
Paumen Gary
Yazaki -Corporation
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