Electrical connectors – Having circuit interrupting provision effected by mating or...
Reexamination Certificate
2000-05-19
2001-06-05
Bradley, Paula (Department: 2833)
Electrical connectors
Having circuit interrupting provision effected by mating or...
C439S489000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06241542
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a connector provided with a shorting terminal.
2. Description of the Related Art
Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 10-64642 relates to an electrical connector used in an automotive air-bag circuit, and, typical of such prior art connectors, is provided with a shorting terminal. The prior art connector of Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 10-64642 also is illustrated in
FIG. 10
of this application. More particularly, the prior art connector of
FIG. 10
includes a female housing
1
. A plurality of female terminal fittings
2
are accommodated in a side-by-side array in the female housing
1
, and a shorting terminal
3
is accommodated in an accommodating chamber
7
in the housing
1
. The shorting terminal
3
is held in contact with the female terminal fittings
2
to short them to each other.
A prior art mating male housing
4
is provided with tab-shaped male terminal fittings
5
that are engageable with the female terminal fittings
2
. Additionally, the prior art male housing
4
is provided with a shorted state clearing rib
6
that can be inserted between the female terminal fittings
2
and the shorting terminal
3
. The shorting terminal
3
shorts the female terminal fittings
2
before the housings
1
and
2
are connected. However the clearing rib
6
is inserted between the shorting terminal
3
and the female terminal fittings
2
and elastically deforms the shorting terminal
3
when the male and female terminal fittings
2
and
5
are connected. As a result the shorted state of the female terminal fittings
2
is cleared.
Since the clearing rib
6
projects from an engaging surface of the male housing
4
, it may be struck and broken by external contact. Additionally, the relatively thin width of the clearing rib
6
creates a potential for an error during molding. For example, there have been cases where the plastic material did not sufficiently fill the mold cavity for the thin clearing rib
6
. As a result, the clearing rib
6
was not sufficiently long to reach the shorting terminal
3
even when the housings
1
,
4
were completely connected with each other. Consequently, the shorted state of the female terminal fittings
2
by the shorting terminal
3
may be not cleared even though the housings
1
,
4
are properly connected with each other.
The above-described problem can be avoided by increasing the thickness of the clearing rib
6
. However, a larger clearing rib
6
increases the elastic deformation of the shorting terminal
3
. Therefore, the height of the accommodating chamber
7
needs to be increased to ensure such an increased degree of deformation, resulting in a larger connector. It has been difficult to deal with this problem.
The present invention was developed in view of the above problems, and an object of the invention is to provide a connector capable of clearing a shorted state of a shorting terminal without using a clearing rib.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The subject invention is directed to a connector assembly, comprising male and female connector housings that are connectable with each other. One of the connector housings comprises a plurality of terminal fittings and a shorting terminal for shorting the terminal fittings. The shorted state of the terminal fittings is cleared when the male and female connector housings are connected with each other. A movable element is provided integrally with the shorting terminal and is movable between a shorting position where the shorting terminal is in contact with the terminal fittings and a clearing position where the shorting terminal is not in contact with the terminal fittings. The movable element preferably is movable substantially along a connection direction of the connector housings. Additionally, the movable element preferably is provided with a spring means which is contracted elastically to accumulate a biasing force for moving the movable element toward the clearing position when pushed by a pushing portion in the other connector housing. A restricting means may further be provided for substantially constantly holding the movable element in the shorting position. The holding state then may be cleared as the connector housings are connected with each other.
The movable element is held in the shorting position by the restricting means while the connector housings are being connected, even though the pushing portion pushes the spring means. The holding state of the restricting means is cleared when the connector housings are properly connected, and the movable element then is moved to the clearing position by an elastic restoring force of the spring means. As a result, the shorted state of the terminal fittings by the shorting terminal is cleared automatically.
The shorted state of the terminal fittings is cleared by the movement of the movable element in which the shorting terminal is provided. Consequently, it is not necessary to provide the mating connector housing with a shorted state clearing rib. Thus, a variety of problems resulting from the provision of the rib can be avoided. Further, the movable element can be moved automatically to the clearing position as the connector housings are properly connected with each other.
According to a further preferred embodiment, the one connector housing comprises an elastically deformable lock arm for holding the connector housings in locked engagement with each other. The lock arm engages a locking portion in the other connector housing when the connector housings are connected with each other. The lock arm preferably is constructed to hold the movable element in the shorting position by engaging the movable element while the lock arm is elastically deformed and moving over the locking portion. The lock arm is restored to its original shape and engages the locking portion when the connector housings are properly connected with each other. This restoration of the lock arm to its original shape causes the lock arm to disengage from the movable element. Thus, the movable element is made free to move, and is automatically moved to the clearing position by an elastic restoring force of the elastically contracted spring means.
The lock arm preferably is deformable into a deformation permitting space and the movable element preferably is located at least partly in the deformation permitting space when the movable element is in its clearing position. Thus the movable element restricts elastic deformation of the lock arm.
At least one of the lock arm and the locking portion preferably are formed with at least one slanted disengagement portion for assisting the disengagement of the lock arm and the locking portion.
The movable element may be provided with a substantially elastically deformable holding arm. The holding arm engages an engaging portion on the one connector housing when the movable element is in its shorting position. The holding arm is deformed elastically upon contact with a contact portion of the other connector housing, and thus is disengaged from the engaging portion.
The movable element preferably moves automatically from its shorting position, where the shorting terminal shorts the terminal fittings, to the clearing position, where the shorting terminal are not in electrical contact with the terminal fittings, as the connector housings are properly connected with each other.
According to still a further preferred embodiment, the connector housing is shaped such that the movable element can be displaced from its clearing position to its shorting position against the restoring force of the spring means.
Preferably, the connector housing comprises a cutout or window to allow for an operation of the movable element.
These and other objects, features and advantages of the present invention will become apparent upon a reading of the following detailed description and accompanying drawings.
REFERENCES:
patent: 4894019 (1990-01-01), Howard
patent: 5346405 (1994-09-01), Mosser, III et al.
patent: 5672073 (1997-09-01), Matsu
Ito Osamu
Kawase Hajime
Nishide Satoru
Yoneda Takahiro
Bradley Paula
Casella Anthony J.
Hespos Gerald E.
Porco Michael J.
Sumitomo Wiring Systems Ltd.
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