Electrical connector

Details Electrical connector Electrical connector

1999-10-15

2001-01-30

Vu, Hien (Department: 2833)

Electrical connectors

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

Retaining means

C439S352000

Reexamination Certificate

active

06179641

ABSTRACT:

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to electrical connectors and, more particularly, to a push-pull type electrical connector.
2. Description of the Related Art
FIG. 8
shows part of a conventional push-pull type electrical connector. A connector
50
comprises a housing body
51
having a front tubular section
52
. A sleeve
54
is biased forwardly by a coil spring
53
along the tubular section
52
. Circumferential projections
55
and
56
are provided at the front end and an end portion of the tubular section
52
. A circumferential projection
57
is provided on the inside middle portion of the sleeve
54
to determine the most forward position of the sleeve
54
which is biased by the coil spring
53
and define an annular space
59
between the sleeve
54
and the tubular section
52
. A circumferential recess
58
is provided on the inside front end of the sleeve
54
at a position corresponding to the circumferential projection
55
of the tubular section
52
.
Another connector
60
comprises a housing body
61
having an outer tubular section
62
to form an annular receiving space
63
for receiving the tubular section
52
of the connector
50
while the outer tubular section
62
enters the annular space
59
. The outer tubular section
62
has a pair of axial slits and a circumferential slit
64
to form a cantilevered flexible arm
65
which has an inward projection
66
at the front free end.
When the connector
60
is plugged into the connector
50
in the direction of an arrow in
FIG. 8
, the outer tubular section
62
enters the annular space
59
of the connector
50
. The inward projection
66
of the flexible arm
65
is pushed outwardly by the circumferential projection
55
to flex the flexible arm
65
, which pushes rearwardly the sleeve
54
at the shoulder of the circumferential recess
58
against the bias of the coil spring
53
. When the inward projection
66
passes over and engages with the circumferential projection
55
, the flexible arm
65
returns to the normal position. Then, the sleeve
54
returns to the front position so that even if the flexible arm
65
receives an external force in the radial direction, it cannot be flexed outwardly owing to the sleeve
54
, thus locking the plugging of the connectors.
To separate the connectors, the sleeve
54
is pulled rearwardly against the coil spring
53
while the other connector
60
is pulled out of the connector
50
.
However, the conventional connectors are too long in the plugging direction and difficult to handle. The flexible arm
65
of the other connector
60
must be sufficiently flexible to provide a predetermined amount of flexure. In order to assure engagement between the connectors
50
and
60
, the engaging projections
55
and
66
must be large. In order that the inward projection
66
passes the circumferential projection
55
, the flexible arm
65
must be long, leading to the long connectors
60
and
50
.
Upon plugging, the sleeve
54
of the connector
50
must retreat to a large extent, which means that the operator cannot work by holding both the connectors
50
and
60
because if the operator holds the sleeve
54
, the sleeve cannot retreat.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
Accordingly, it is an object of the invention to provide an electrical connector which is compact and easy to handle.
The invention relates to an electrical connector system comprising a first connector comprising a first housing having a front tubular receiving section; a second connector comprising a second housing having a front tubular fitting section for fitting into the receiving section; an engaging device for engaging the fitting section with the receiving section; and a releasing device for releasing the engaging device.
According to the invention, the engaging device comprises a circumferential groove provided in the fitting section of the second connector; a resiliently expandable member provided on the circumferential groove; a pressure portion provided on a front inside of the receiving section of the first connector for abutment with the resiliently expandable member upon plugging operation; and an engaging groove provided in an inside of the receiving section of the first connector for engagement with the resiliently expandable member.
The release device comprises a spring provided in either the first housing or the second housing; a sleeve biased by the spring for sliding along either the receiving section or the fitting section; a release projection provided on an inside front end of the sleeve; and a tapered face provided on at least one of the release projection and the resiliently expandable member for permitting the release projection to ride on the resiliently expandable member when the sleeve is moved rearwardly.
Upon plugging, the pressure portion of the first connector compresses the resiliently expandable member of the second connector so that the second connector can pass the pressure portion of the first connector. When the resiliently expandable member reaches the engaging groove, it returns to the original form so that the connectors are connected via the resiliently expandable member.
To release the connection of the connectors, the sleeve is moved rearwardly so that the release projection rides on and compresses the resiliently expandable member. Consequently, the resiliently expandable member is released from the engaging groove so that the connectors can be separated.
According to the invention, it is preferred that the second connector further comprises a regulation piece extending to the circumferential groove for preventing excessive expansion of the resiliently expandable member, thereby assuring stable operation of the resiliently expandable member.
According to an embodiment of the invention, the resiliently expandable member is a C-shaped ring having a slit at a position in the circular direction.
According to another embodiment of the invention, the second connector further comprises a projecting piece for engagement with a notch of the C-shaped ring to prevent the C-shaped ring from shifting in the circumferential direction. For example, the regulation piece is placed at the slit to control deformation of the C-shaped ring.


REFERENCES:
patent: 4927374 (1990-05-01), Batty
patent: 5176533 (1993-01-01), Sakurai et al.
patent: 5195904 (1993-03-01), Cyvoct
patent: 5997333 (1999-12-01), Konda et al.

Affiliated with

Also associated with

Rating

Electrical 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 Electrical connector, we encourage you to share that experience with our LandOfFree.com community. Your opinion is very important and Electrical connector will most certainly appreciate the feedback.

Rate now

Comments { 0 }

Profile ID: LFUS-PAI-O-2539193