Connector

Details Connector Connector

2003-04-01

2004-04-06

Nasri, Javaid H. (Department: 2839)

Electrical connectors

With coupling movement-actuating means or retaining means in...

Retaining means

Reexamination Certificate

active

06716053

ABSTRACT:

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The invention relates to an inertial locking connector. More specifically, the invention relates to an inertial locking connector wherein an angle of inclination of mating corresponds to the number of poles in the connector to prevent incomplete mating.
DESCRIPTION OF THE PRIOR ART
An example of a conventional inertial locking connector is shown in FIG.
6
and disclosed in Japanese Utility Model Application Kokoku No. S58-41745. The connector shown in
FIG. 6
has a male housing
100
and a female housing
200
that face each other and are formed to be mated with each other. The male housing
100
and the female housing
200
accommodate electrical contacts (not shown).
The male housing
100
has locking arms
102
that extend rearward from a base part
101
. The base part
101
has an inclined surface at a front end (the right end in
FIG. 6
) of an upper surface of the male housing
100
(with respect to a direction of mating). Operating parts
103
project from upper surfaces of the locking arms
102
proximate rear end portions (with respect to the direction of mating) corresponding to free end portions of the locking arms
102
. Locking projections
104
project from substantially central portions (with respect to the direction of mating) of the upper surfaces of the locking arms
102
. The locking projections
104
have inclined surfaces
104
a
that have a steep gradient on a front surface (with respect to the direction of mating) and inclined surfaces
104
b
that have a shallow gradient on a rear surface (with respect to the direction of mating). The inclined surfaces
104
a
,
104
b
converge to form a point
104
c.
A male housing accommodating recess
203
is formed on a front part (the left end in
FIG. 6
) of the female housing
200
(with respect to the direction of mating). Locking parts
202
are formed on the front part (with respect to the direction of mating) of an upper wall
201
of the male housing accommodating recess
203
. The locking parts
202
are formed to face an inside of the male housing accommodating recess
203
. Inclined guiding surfaces
202
a
are formed on the front parts (with respect to the direction of mating) of the locking parts
202
for guiding the locking projections
104
. Abutting step parts, which have a steeper inclination than the inclined guiding surfaces
202
a
, are formed on rear end portions of the locking parts
202
below the inclined guiding surfaces
202
a
. When the male housing
100
and female housing
200
are mated, the locking projections
104
bend the locking arms
102
downward while riding over the locking parts
202
and engage with the locking parts
202
.
Another example of a conventional inertial locking connector is shown in FIG.
7
and disclosed in Japanese Japanese Utility Model Registration No. 2522319. The connector shown in
FIG. 7
has a male housing
301
and a female housing (only a mating hood
401
of the female housing is shown) that face each other and are formed to be mated with each other. The male housing
301
and the female housing accommodate electrical contacts (not shown).
Locking arms
302
are arranged on an upper surface of the male housing
301
so that the locking arms
302
extend rearward from a front end (left end in FIG.
7
(A)) with respect to a direction of mating. Operating parts
303
project from rear end portions (with respect to the direction of mating) of upper surfaces of the locking arms
302
corresponding to free end portions of the locking arms
302
. Locking projections
304
project from substantially central portions (with respect to the direction of mating) of the upper surfaces of the locking arms
302
.
Locking parts
402
project downward and are arranged on a front end (right end in FIG.
7
(A)) of the mating hood
401
of the female housing with respect to the direction of mating. When the male housing
301
and the female housing are mated, the locking projections
304
bend the locking arms
302
downward while riding over the locking parts
402
. The upper surfaces of the locking projections
304
are constructed as overriding sliding contact surfaces
304
b
. The overriding sliding contact surfaces
304
b
are inclined with respect to the direction of mating in a free state of the locking arms
302
. The angle of inclination of the overriding sliding contact surfaces
304
b
substantially coincides with the maximum flexing angle of the locking arms
302
. Contact surfaces
304
a
are formed on the front ends of the overriding sliding contact surfaces
304
b
with respect to the direction of mating. The contact surfaces
304
a
are inclined with respect to the direction of mating in the free state of the locking arms
302
. The angle of inclination of the sliding contact surfaces
304
a
is greater than the angle of inclination of the overriding sliding contact surfaces
304
b.
When the male housing
301
and the female housing are mated, the contact surfaces
304
a
first contact the lower end edges of the front surfaces of the locking parts
402
. As the male housing
301
advances in the direction of mating, the front end edges of the overriding sliding contact surfaces
304
b
ride over the lower end edges of the front surfaces of the locking parts
402
, as shown in FIG.
7
(A), so that the locking arms
302
reach a maximum flexing angle. In this state, the overriding sliding contact surfaces
304
b
are in a substantially horizontal position along the direction of mating. As the male housing
301
is inserted further into the female housing, the overriding sliding contact surfaces
304
b
slide along the bottom surfaces of the locking parts
402
. The maximum flexing angle of the locking arms
302
is maintained until the rear end edges of the overriding sliding contact surfaces
304
b
reach the lower end edges of the rear surfaces of the locking parts
402
. As the male housing
301
is inserted still further, the rear end edges of the overriding sliding contact surfaces
304
b
advance beyond the locking parts
402
and the locking arms
302
return to their original state to lock the locking projections
304
on the locking parts
402
.
The relationship between the insertion stroke and the housing insertion force in the above-described series of mating operations is shown in FIG.
7
(B). Specifically, the housing insertion force reaches its peak value (a) when the front end edges of the overriding sliding contact surfaces
304
b
ride over the lower end edges of the front surfaces of the locking parts
402
so that the locking arms
302
reach the maximum flexing angle shown in FIG.
7
(A). The peak value (a) is determined by the angle of inclination of the contact surfaces
304
a
. The angle of inclination is the angle formed by a direction perpendicular to the direction of mating and the contact surfaces
304
a
. In instances where the angle of inclination is small, the peak value (a) of the housing insertion force is large. In cases where the angle of inclination is large, the peak value (a) of the housing insertion force is small.
When the overriding sliding contact surfaces
304
b
begin to slide along the bottom surfaces of the locking parts
402
, the housing insertion force drops as indicated at (b) in FIG.
7
(B). This housing insertion force is maintained until the rear end edges of the overriding sliding contact surfaces
304
b
reach the lower end edges of the rear surfaces of the locking parts
402
. When the rear end edges of the overriding sliding contact surfaces
304
b
leave the locking parts
402
, the housing insertion force becomes zero in a single stroke as indicated at (c) in FIG.
7
(B), and the locking projections
304
are instantly locked on the locking parts
402
.
Since the housing insertion force has an initial maximum peak value (a) that then decreases until the locked state (c) is reached, this type of connector is called an inertial locking type connector. Specifically, during mating of the connectors, an worker must initially apply some degree of housing insertion force. Th

Affiliated with

Also associated with

Rating

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.

Rate now

Comments { 0 }

Profile ID: LFUS-PAI-O-3239576