Connector with detection member

Details Connector with detection member Connector with detection member

2000-05-26

2001-06-19

Sircus, Brian (Department: 2833)

Electrical connectors

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

Retaining means

Reexamination Certificate

active

06247957

ABSTRACT:

TECHNICAL FIELD
The present invention relates to an electrical connector provided with a fitting detecting function.
BACKGROUND TO THE INVENTION
Conventional electrical connectors provided with a fitting detecting member for detecting whether male and female connector housings are in a fitted state include the one described in U.S. Pat. No. 5,628,648. In this kind of connector, as shown in
FIG. 20
of this specification, a see-saw like locking arm
2
provided on a female housing
1
inclines when a fitting operation of two housings
1
and
3
is performed. The locking arm
2
uses a support
2
A as a pivot, an anterior end thereof moving upwards, and a posterior end thereof moving downwards. When the two housings
1
and
3
are correctly fitted together, this locking arm
2
returns to its original position and is latched by a locking member
3
A of the male housing
3
. A detecting member
4
is attached in a unified manner within the locking arm
2
, this detecting member being capable of sliding in an anterior-posterior direction. When the two housings
1
and
3
are not yet fitted together, this detecting member
4
is located at the posterior of the support
2
A. A regulating protrusion
4
A protrudes from an upper face of the detecting member
4
. The regulating protrusion
4
A engages with a supporting member
1
A of the female housing
1
, this supporting member
1
A surrounding the support
2
A. As a result, movement of the detecting member
4
into a movement space
5
of the locking arm
2
to the anterior of the supporting member is prevented.
When the two housings
1
and
3
are being fitted together, the detecting member
4
inclines along with the locking arm
2
, and the locking arm
2
is positioned in the movement space
5
in this inclined state. Consequently, movement of the detecting member
4
in an anterior direction is prevented. When the two housings
1
and
3
are correctly fitted together, the locking arm
2
returns to its original position and leaves the movement space
5
, the detecting member
4
can now be pushed in. As a result, the engagement of the regulating protrusion
4
A with the supporting member
1
A is released and the detecting member
4
can be moved into the movement space
5
, thereby allowing one to detect that the two housings
1
and
3
are correctly fitted together.
When the detecting member
4
is pushed in, an anterior end face of the regulating protrusion
4
A pushed against an upper wall portion
1
B of the supporting member
1
A, the regulating protrusion
4
A enters under the upper wall portion
1
B and this upper wall portion
1
B is simultaneously bent forcefully upwards. In this manner, a pushing force which is large enough to forcefully bend the upper wall portion
1
B upwards is required to move the detecting member
4
. Consequently, the movement operability thereof is poor. The regulating protrusion
4
A and the supporting member
1
A are released by reverse movement.
The present invention has been developed in response to the circumstances described above, and aims to improve the movement operability of the detecting member when the two housings are correctly fitted together.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
According to the invention there is provided a connector comprising first and second housings engageable in a fitting direction, said first housing having a resilient latching arm engageable with a latching formation of said second housing, and said first housing having a detecting member, said latching arm being movable from a rest position into a space during fitting of said housings, and being movable out of said space to said rest position on engagement with said latching formation, and said detecting member being movable into said fitting space on engagement of said latching arm and latching formation, characterised in that said detecting member is movable from a passive position in a direction at right angles to said fitting direction, the detecting member having a resilient locking arm engageable with a side of said latching arm in said rest position, and said first housing having a releasing member engageable with said locking arm during fitting of said housings, to cause said locking arm to bend and thereby be enabled to enter said space.
Such an arrangement allows the locking arm to be bent as the housings are pushed together; accordingly the insertion force of the detecting member can be low.
Preferably the locking arm is engageable with the latching arm until bent by the releasing member, and irrespective of the position of the latching arm. In a preferred embodiment the locking arm is engageable with the latching arm after insertion into the space.
Preferably the latching arm and the locking arm resume an unbent condition when respectively in the rest and passive positions. In this way a permanent set of the arms is avoided, and resilience is maintained.
The detecting member may be guided on the second housing by a peg and slot guide. The detecting member may itself comprise a main body guided on the second housing, and from which said locking member protrudes.


REFERENCES:
patent: 5628648 (1997-05-01), Higgins, Jr. et al.
patent: 5830002 (1998-11-01), Ito et al.
patent: 5910028 (1999-06-01), Tsuji
patent: 6109955 (2000-08-01), Hanazaki et al.
patent: 6126496 (2000-10-01), Shinozaki
patent: 9-283216 (1996-04-01), None
patent: 11-354211 (1998-06-01), None

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