Electrical connectors – With indicating or identifying provision – Connection indicating provision
Reexamination Certificate
2003-03-03
2004-09-21
Bradley, P. Austin (Department: 2833)
Electrical connectors
With indicating or identifying provision
Connection indicating provision
C439S352000, C439S157000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06793522
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to a connector having an operable member.
2. Description of the Related Art
U.S. Pat. No. 5,330,411 shows a connector with a rotatable lever. The lever is formed with a cam groove that is engageable with a cam pin of a mating connector. The two connectors can be engaged lightly to fit the cam pin into the entry of the cam groove. The lever then is rotated, and the cam action between the cam groove and the cam pin pulls the two connectors toward each other and into connection.
A considerable operation force is required to rotate the lever. Thus, an operator may end the rotation partway without completely rotating the lever to a proper connection position, and the connectors may be left partly connected.
Consideration has been given to providing a detector on the main body of the connector to detect proper operation of the lever. The detector stays at a standby position when the lever is mounted partly, but is displaced to a detecting position when the lever reaches a connection position. Thus, an operator can determine whether the lever has reached the connected state. Accordingly, the operator has to rotate the lever to the connecting position and then displace the detector to the detecting position. However, these operations cannot be performed quickly if the operable portion of the lever is spaced from the detector.
The present invention was developed in view of the above problem and an object thereof is to enable two connectors to be connected to a proper connection position with good operability.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The invention relates to a connector with a connector main body. The connector also has an operable member with arms that are movably supported on the connector main body. Each arm is formed with a cam means for engaging a mating cam means on a mating connector. The two connectors can be fit lightly together so that the cam means engages the mating cam means. The operable member then is moved from an initial position towards a connection position. As a result, a cam action is generated between the cam means and the mating cam means to pull the connectors together. A detector is mounted in the operable member and usually is held at a standby position. However, the detector can be displaced to a detecting position when the operable member reaches the connection position to detect a properly connected state of the two connectors.
The arms of the operable member preferably are bridged by an operable portion, and the operable member can be moved from the initial position to the connection position by holding the operable portion. The detector comprises a displacing portion for displacing the detector from the standby position to the detecting position when the operable member reaches the connection position. The displacing portion preferably is near the operable portion. Thus, an operator can displace the detector to the detecting position by holding the displacing portion near the operable portion, thereby presenting good operability.
The operable member preferably comprises a lever rotatably supported on the connector main body. The lever has an operable portion and two arms that project from opposite ends of the operable portion. The arms are supported rotatably on the connector main body. Each arm has a cam groove for engaging a corresponding cam pin of a mating connector. The two connectors are fit lightly together so that the cam pins enter the cam grooves. The lever then is rotated to generate a cam action between the cam grooves and the cam pins. Thus, the connectors are pulled toward each other and connected by the cam action. A detector is mounted in the lever. The detector normally is held at a standby position, but can be displaced to a detecting position to detect a properly connected state of the two connectors when the lever reaches the connection position. The detector comprises a displacing portion near the operable portion of the lever. The displacing portion is configured to displace the detector from the standby position to the detecting position. Displacement of the detector can proceed quickly after complete rotation of the lever because the displacing portion is near the operable portion of the lever, thereby presenting good operability.
Legs may project from the displacing portion of the detector. Each leg preferably has a lock, and the connector main body has lock receiving portions for receiving the locks. The locks and the lock receiving portions may engage to lock the operable member when the detector reaches the detecting position.
The lock receiving portions preferably are at side surfaces of the connector main body and correspond to the lock on each leg. Thus, stronger engagement can be realized as compared to a case where the lock receiving portion engages a lock only at one position.
An arcuate surface may be on each side surface of the connector main body and may be substantially concentric with the center of rotation of the lever. The lock is held substantially in sliding contact with the arcuate surface to hold the detector at the standby position as the lever is rotated.
The lock receiving portion may be a radially inwardly directed recess at an end of the arcuate surface.
The lever is at the connection position when the locks align with the lock receiving portions at the ends of the arcuate surfaces. Thus, the locks disengage from the arcuate surfaces and can be displaced to the detecting position when the lever reaches the connection position. The displacement by the displacing portion first becomes possible at this stage, and the locks are displaced into the lock receiving portions at the ends of the arcuate surfaces. Rotation of the lever is hindered when the locks are received by the lock receiving portions. Therefore, the lever is locked securely by the connector main body so as not to rotate.
The detector is mounted so that the legs are at the inner sides of the corresponding arms of the lever. Each arm has a long radially aligned engaging window. Each lock bulges out and fits into the engaging window from inside. Accordingly, the position of the detector can be judged easily merely by seeing the positions of the locks in the engaging windows. Thus, an operator can determine whether the detector is at the standby position or the detecting position.
The displacing portion preferably is at a rear side with respect to an operating direction of the operable member. Accordingly, the operator can rotate the lever by holding the displacing portion and displacing the detector to the detecting position when the lever reaches the connection position. As a result, rotation of the lever can be followed directly by the displacement of the detector without any interruption, thereby presenting good operation efficiency.
The arms of the lever may be coupled to each other by the detector. Thus, the legs are held in engagement with the arms, and the displacing portion bridges the arms to enable the operable member to be operated above the connector main body. In this embodiment, the displacing portion also serves as the operable portion. The width of the arms can be shortened along the rotating direction of the lever because the lever operable portion is not provided between the arms. As a result, the interference of the lever and the connector main body can be avoided at the initial and connection positions of the lever.
The detector is exposed to the outside by a window in at least one arm.
These and other objects, features and advantages of the present invention will become more apparent upon reading of the following detailed description of preferred embodiments and accompanying drawings. It should be understood that even though embodiments are separately described, single features thereof may be combined to additional embodiments.
REFERENCES:
patent: 5330411 (1994-07-01), Fujitani et al.
patent: 5928010 (1999-07-01), Katsuma et al.
patent: 6319050 (2001-11-01), Miyazaki et al.
patent: 6328582 (2001-12-01), Fukamachi
patent: 2003/0166351 (2003-09-01), Shi
Bradley P. Austin
Casella Anthony J.
Figueroa Felix O.
Hespos Gerald E.
Sumitomo Wiring Systems Ltd.
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