Electrical connectors – With insulation other than conductor sheath – Plural-contact coupling part
Reexamination Certificate
1999-11-17
2001-10-02
Bradley, Paula (Department: 2833)
Electrical connectors
With insulation other than conductor sheath
Plural-contact coupling part
C439S752000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06296530
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention is related to a connector where a there is assembled a wire-harness for an automobile or a terminal portion in a wiring for various electrical equipment, and more particular to a connector for stacking a plurality of connector blocks.
2. Description of Relevant Art
A conventional connector has an upper connector housing, a lower connector housing, and a cover body. There are formed first engagement projections at lower portions on both sides of the upper connector housing. There are formed at upper portions on both sides of the lower connector housing second engagement projections which are each stacked on a first engagement projection.
There are provided standing board portions on both sides of the cover body. There are formed slots to be engaged at standing boards where first and second engagement projections are inserted with being stacked on each other, thereby being engaged with the slots.
In the conventional connector, however, when the upper and lower connector housings are assembled to each other and both housings are engaged with the cover body with the first and second engagement projection being stacked each other, the first and second projections are not perfectly inserted in a slot of the cover body to be engaged, this representing improper engagement. Thus, it is impossible to assemble the first and second connector housings together securely.
In a connector where stacking blocks are stacked onto a lowest block in a multi-level configuration, the connector has a structure in which there are formed engagement portions at the lowest block, the engagement portions each being engaged with each of a plurality of stacking blocks. In this connector, a stacking block which is originally engaged with an engagement portion is engaged with another engagement portion which is to be engaged with yet another stacking block. That is, mistaken assembly occurs.
There is a case in which a worker does not visually detect a defective or mistaken assembly, and this improper condition is easily overlooked.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
An object of the invention is to provide a connector in which a plurality of connector housings are properly assembled with one another by a simple assembly operation, without defective and mistaken assembly occurring.
To achieve the above-noted object, according to the present invention, a connector comprises: a first component which has a first receiving portion; a second component which has a first projection portion to be abuttingly engaged with the first receiving portion and which is to be pivoted about a first abutting portion of the first projection portion and the first receiving portion; a first looking member which is fixed to the second component and which is to form a first track while pivoting the second component; and a first side member which is fixed to the first component and which has on the first track a first portion to be lockingly engaged with the first locking member.
One of the first and second component preferably has a second receiving portion, the connector further comprising: a third component which has a second projection portion to be abuttingly engaged with the second receiving portion and which is to be pivoted about a second abutting portion of the second projection portion and the second receiving portion; a second locking member which is fixed to the third component and which is to form a second track apart from the first track while pivoting the third component; and a second side member which is fixed to one of the first and second components, and which has on the second track a second portion to be lockingly engaged with the second locking member.
The second portion is preferably closer to the second projection portion than the first track.
The second portion is preferably further from the second projection portion than the first track.
The first receiving portion is preferably formed in a step shape.
The first locking member preferably has a projection and the first portion has one of an opening portion and a recessed portion to be lockingly engaged with the projection.
The first portion preferably has a projection and the first locking member has one of an opening portion and a recessed portion to be lockingly engaged with the projection.
According to the invention, the first projection portion of the second component is abuttingly engaged with the first receiving portion of the first component, and the second component is pivoted about the first abutting portion. Further, the first locking member of the second component is lockingly engaged with the first portion. In this condition, the first receiving portion sets a pivot fulcrum of the second component. The first track of the first locking member overlaps with a position of the first portion, and the first locking member and the first portion are reliably assembled to each other.
Further, the third component is provided with a second locking member, the second locking member being apart from the first track of the first locking member. The second portion is formed on the second track of the second locking member. Thus, the first locking member is not mistakenly lockingly engaged with the second portion.
The second component is assembled by pivoting, the positions of the first locking member and the first portion remaining together, with assembly performed surely by an easy operation. Further, there is formed the second portion to be lockingly engaged with the second locking member apart from the first track of the first locking member, and the second and third component each are reliably lockingly engaged with each other without mistake.
In the invention, a projection portion is abuttingly engaged with a receiving portion, and the second and third components each are not out of a position with a lower or mating component. Thus, the components each are pivoted and assembled correctly.
In the invention, the projection of the first locking member is lockingly engaged with one of an opening and a recessed portion, and the first component and the second component are integrally held together.
In the above-mentioned invention, the first or second projection portion has a configuration including a triangular prism shape, a square prism shape, a polygonal prism shape or a semisphere shape. The first or second receiving portion has a configuration including a step shape, recess shape or wall shape extending form the first or second component to outside. The first and second side member may be integrally formed or may be separately formed. The first portion may be closer to the first component than the second portion or may be further from the first component than the second portion.
The projection has a configuration including a semishere shape, all curved surface shapes, a triangular prism shape or a polygonal prism shape. A configuration of the opening or recessed portion includes a triangular shape, a square shape, a polygonal shape or an elliptic shape.
REFERENCES:
patent: 4243288 (1981-01-01), Lucius et al.
patent: 5419722 (1995-05-01), Onoda
patent: 10-021986 (1998-01-01), None
Kazuhara Hitoshi
Yoneda Takahiro
Bradley Paula
Gushi Ross
Oblon & Spivak, McClelland, Maier & Neustadt P.C.
Yazaki -Corporation
LandOfFree
Connector does not yet have a rating. At this time, there are no reviews or comments for this patent.
If you have personal experience with Connector, we encourage you to share that experience with our LandOfFree.com community. Your opinion is very important and Connector will most certainly appreciate the feedback.
Profile ID: LFUS-PAI-O-2611475