Electrical connectors – With coupling movement-actuating means or retaining means in... – Retaining means
Reexamination Certificate
2002-03-01
2002-12-17
Patel, Tulsidas (Department: 2839)
Electrical connectors
With coupling movement-actuating means or retaining means in...
Retaining means
Reexamination Certificate
active
06494733
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a connector.
2. Description of the Related Art
A known connector is identified by the numeral
100
in
FIG. 18
, and has a lock arm
101
with a locking projection
101
A. The connector
100
also has a housing
102
that is formed separately from the lock arm
101
. Insufficient connection preventing portions
103
are formed on the housing
102
, and stroke guides
104
project from opposite sides of the lock arm
101
at locations near the insufficient connection preventing portions
103
. A biasing member (not shown) urges the lock arm
101
forwardly and into a position where the stroke guides
104
are forward of the insufficient connection preventing portions
103
.
The connector
100
can be mated with a mating connector
105
. During this connection, the front surface
106
of the mating connector
105
engages the locking projection
101
A and pushes the lock arm
101
rearward or to the right in FIG.
18
. The stroke guides
104
move onto the insufficient connection preventing portions
103
and are guided around the rear of the insufficient connection preventing portions
103
as the connectors
100
,
105
reach their proper connection positions. The stroke guides
104
then move forward below the insufficient connection preventing portion
103
and return to their usual position (see arrow A in FIG.
18
). At this stage, the locking projection
101
A of the lock arm
101
engages a locking portion
105
A of the mating connector
105
to lock the two connectors
100
,
105
together.
The biasing member pushes the lock arm
101
forward if the two connectors
100
,
105
are not connected completely and if the locking projection
101
A and the locking portion
105
A are not engaged with each other. Thus, the connectors
100
,
105
are biased away from each other and are detached. In this way, the insufficiently connected state where the locking projection
101
A is not engaged with the mating connector
105
can be prevented.
The lock arm
101
may be deformed mistakenly if the rear upper end of the lock arm
101
is pressed down in the direction of arrow F in FIG.
18
. In such a case, the stroke guides
104
may move under the insufficient connection preventing portions
103
. Accordingly, the front surface
106
will not contact the locking projection
101
A during the connecting operation. Therefore, the biasing force of the biasing member does not act, and the two connectors
100
,
105
are left insufficiently connected.
In view of the above situation, an object of the present invention is to provide a connector with improved operability, which can securely prevent insufficient connection with a mating connector.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The invention relates to a connector with a housing for accommodating at least one terminal fitting. A resiliently deformable lock arm is formed separately from the housing and is adapted to lock the connector and a mating connector together. At least one biasing member is provided for biasing the lock arm toward a usual or front position along a connection direction with the mating connector. An insufficient connection preventing portion and a press-preventing portion are provided on the housing. The press-preventing portion prevents the lock arm from being pressed when the lock arm is at the usual position. Accordingly, the connectors cannot be connected by mistakenly pressing the lock arm and causing the lock arm to undergo a resilient deformation. Thus, insufficient connection can be prevented more securely.
The insufficient connection preventing portion preferably projects from the housing toward the lock arm.
A stroke guide preferably is provided on the lock arm and moves onto the insufficient connection preventing portion as the lock arm is pressed and moved back by a mating connector during a connecting operation.
The biasing member biases the lock arm toward the usual position in the housing and may be a metallic spring, such as a coil spring or a leaf spring or a spring made of rubber or a synthetic resin. Preferably, the stroke guide comprises at least one guide surface for contacting at least one corresponding guide surface of the insufficient connection preventing portion.
The lock arm may be disposed in a mounting groove in the housing and the press-preventing portion may bridge the opposite lateral edges of the mounting groove. Accordingly, the press-preventing portion strengthens the housing.
Front-stop means may be provided on the lock arm to contact corresponding stop means in the connector for locating the lock arm in the usual position.
A jig may be insertable between the press-preventing portion and the lock arm for detaching the connector from the mating connector. The press-preventing portion may act as a fulcrum for the jig for deflecting the lock arm when the connector is to be detached from the mating connector.
Side walls may be provided on the housing at positions slightly spaced from the lock arm to substantially surround side surfaces of the lock arm.
These and other objects, features and advantages of the invention will become more apparent upon reading of the following detailed description. It should be understood that even though embodiments are described separately, single features thereof may be combined to additional embodiments.
REFERENCES:
patent: 5876244 (1999-03-01), Tabata
patent: 5984705 (1999-11-01), Miyazaki et al.
patent: 6247957 (2001-06-01), Hasegawa
patent: 6280225 (2001-08-01), Nishide et al.
patent: 6319041 (2001-11-01), Nishide et al.
patent: 6332804 (2001-12-01), Kurimoto et al.
patent: 6358081 (2002-03-01), Saka et al.
Okutani Koji
Saka Yukinori
Casella Anthony J.
Dinh Phuong K
Hespos Gerald E.
Patel Tulsidas
Sumitomo Wiring Systems Ltd.
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