Electrical connectors – With coupling movement-actuating means or retaining means in... – Retaining means
Reexamination Certificate
1999-11-23
2001-04-17
Bradley, Paula (Department: 2833)
Electrical connectors
With coupling movement-actuating means or retaining means in...
Retaining means
C439S484000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06217365
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a connector.
2. Description of the Related Art.
FIGS. 12
to
15
show a pair of mateable prior art connectors
100
,
101
. The connectors also are disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,380,217. The engaging ends of the connectors
100
,
101
are referred to herein as front ends. As shown in
FIG. 13
, an elastic locking portion
102
extends backwardly from the front end of the top surface of the connector
100
, and is elastically deformable upwardly and downwardly. A locking projection
102
A projects from the lower surface of the elastic locking portion
102
in a position toward the front end.
An engaging portion
103
projects from the front side of the top surface of the mating connector
101
. The connectors
100
,
101
are locked into each other by the engagement of the locking projection
102
A with the engaging portion
103
. Further, a pushing portion
102
B is provided on the upper surface of the rear end of the elastic locking portion
102
. By pressing the pushing portion
102
B, a middle part (behind the locking projection
102
A) of the elastic locking portion
102
can be deformed elastically in an upward direction.
During a connecting operation of the prior art connectors
100
,
101
, the engaging portion
103
contacts the locking projection
102
A, and pushes the middle part of the elastic locking portion
102
upwardly in an elastic deformation. This deflected state of the elastic locking portion enables the connection to progress (see FIG.
14
). When the connectors
100
,
101
are properly connected, the engaging portion
103
stops the upward pushing of the locking projection
102
A. As a result the elastic locking portion
102
is restored to its original shape. Thus, the locking projection
102
A and the engaging portion
103
are engaged to lock the connectors
100
,
101
into each other (see FIG.
15
).
To disengage the pair of connectors from their connected state, the pushing portion
102
B is first pushed to elastically deform the elastic locking portion
102
. The connectors
100
,
101
then are urged in directions away from each other while the locking projection
102
A and the engaging portion
103
are disengaged. During this time, a hand pressing the elastic locking portion
102
pulls the connector
100
. Accordingly, the connectors are unlocked by pushing and detached by pulling simultaneously. Since no particular hook convenient to detach the connector
100
is provided in the vicinity of the elastic locking portion
102
, the connector
100
may be detached improperly by pulling a wire w connected with a terminal fitting
104
.
In view of the above problem, an object of the present invention is to provide a connector formed with an elastic locking portion, and which can be disengaged from a mating connector without exerting tension on a wire.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
According to the invention, there is provided a connector, comprising an elastic locking portion to hold the connector and a mating connector in a connected state by engaging an engaging portion of the mating connector. The elastic locking portion is -elastically deformable in at least one direction substantially normal to a connecting or mating direction with the mating connector. A pulling portion is provided at the rear side of the elastic locking portion, which is a side opposed to a mating side of the connector. The pulling portion enables or facilitates the gripping or maneuvring or manipulation of the connector when the elastic locking portion is deformed or displaced elastically out of engagement with the engaging portion, thereby enabling the connector to be detached from the mating connector.
To detach the connected connectors, the elastic locking portion and the engaging portion are disengaged while the elastic locking portion is elastically deformed. In this state, the connectors are pulled in directions away from each other. Since the pulling portion is provided at the rear side of the elastic locking portion, the connectors can be detached by maneuvering the pulling portion. Thus, an undesirable situation where a tension is forcibly exerted on an unillustrated wire connected with a terminal fitting can be avoided.
According to a preferred embodiment of the invention, the projecting height of the pulling portion is higher than that of the elastic locking portion when being elastically deformed to unlock the connectors. Additionally, the projecting height of the pulling portion preferably is higher than that of the elastic locking portion in its natural state where no force is acting thereon. Accordingly, since the projecting height of the pulling portion is set higher than that of the elastic locking portion in the natural state, the direction of an unintended external force on the elastic locking portion can be prevented. Thus, an undesirable situation where the elastic locking portion and the engaging portion are inadvertently disengaged can be avoided.
Further preferably, one or more protection pieces are provided so as to substantially surround at least a portion of the elastic locking portion from sides other than a mating side of the connector with its mating connector. Accordingly, the elastic locking portion is protected from being inadvertently manipulated, displaced or deformed e.g. by an external object hitting the connector from a lateral side or a back side. Most preferably, the protection pieces have substantially the same projecting height as the pulling portion.
According to a further preferred embodiment, the elastic locking portion is formed with a pushing portion for manipulating the elastic locking portion to deflect in the deflection direction. Accordingly, the manipulation of the elastic locking portion is facilitated when disconnecting the connectors.
Preferably, the pushing portion is formed by transversely widening the elastic locking portion.
According to still a further preferred embodiment, the connector comprises a housing main body and one or more covers mountable on a rear side of the housing main body. The elastic locking portion is provided on the housing main body and the pulling portion is provided on the one or more covers.
Preferably, a manipulating or hook portion is provided on a side of the connector substantially opposed to the side on which the pulling portion is provided. Accordingly, when the connectors are to be disengaged, the disengagement can be efficiently performed by exerting forces on both the puling portion and the manipulating portion.
These and other objects, features and advantages of the present invention will become more apparent upon a reading of the following detailed description and accompanying drawings.
REFERENCES:
patent: 5378168 (1995-01-01), Sumida
patent: 5380217 (1995-01-01), Yagi et al.
patent: 5399045 (1995-03-01), Yoneda et al.
patent: 5425650 (1995-06-01), Maeda
patent: 5613881 (1997-03-01), Ichida et al.
patent: 5711684 (1998-01-01), Inoue et al.
patent: 5775932 (1998-07-01), Saito et al.
Bradley Paula
Casella Anthony J.
Hespos Gerald E.
Leon Edwin A.
Porco Michael J.
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