Electrical connectors – With coupling movement-actuating means or retaining means in... – Retaining means
Reexamination Certificate
1999-09-07
2001-12-11
Vu, Hien (Department: 2833)
Electrical connectors
With coupling movement-actuating means or retaining means in...
Retaining means
C439S489000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06328589
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Technical Field of The Invention
The invention concerns an electrical connector, in particular for use between a receptacle (squib) and an electrical control for a restraint system in motor vehicles.
2. Description of Related Art
Such a connector is known from EP 0 591 947 A2, EP 0 591 948 A2, DE 195 00 959 C2 and DE 195 13 358 C1.
A connector according to the generic type has a very limited size (for example 2 to 3 cm long, about 1 cm wide and 0.1 to 1.0 cm high). Thus, the individual components of the connector or the associated receptacle are extremely small. Nevertheless, easy mounting and high reliability are required for applications concerning safety regulations (for example belt tensioner, air bag).
This is particularly true with respect to the engagement of the connector and the receptacle, where it is required that the contact springs of one of the components reliably contact the contact pins of the other component in the assembled condition, while not allowing the connector and the receptacle to become detached accidentally.
This problem is resolve in the prior art in that the connector and the receptacle are contacted and brought into engagement with each other in a first step and a locking member is brought behind catching arms of the connector as a so-called secondary locking in a second step, in order to prevent accidental detachment.
In principle, this constructive solution has proved its worth, but it requires two steps in assembly.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
It is an object of the invention to develop a connector of the type mentioned above in which mounting is made easier without disadvantages with respect to the reliability of contact and the safety of engagement.
In order to solve this problem, the invention starts from the following premise. Contrary to the prior art, the locking member is formed in such manner that it can be arranged in the housing before engagement of the connector and receptacle. The locking member is mounted in such a manner that the catching arms are “blocked” to prevent engagement of the connector and the receptacle in that position.
In order to facilitate the engagement of the connector and the receptacle, the invention further provides for the locking member to be fed temporarily deeper into the housing to such a position in which the catching arms may be moved for engagement with the receptacle.
For that purpose, a goal of the invention is to adapt the locking member and the housing in such a manner that the locking member is situated in an initial (mounted) position which is in a “raised” position against the action of a spring, and such that it may be pushed deeper into the housing against the action of the spring for engagement of the connector and receptacle, and, therefore, moves back (springs back) automatically, because of the spring action, to the initial position after the connector and the receptacle have come into engagement.
In this way it is assured that the catching arms of the housing are secured against accidental detachment from the catching means of the receptacle when the connector and the receptacle are engaged.
The invention comprises an electrical connector, in particular for use between a receptacle (squib) and an electrical control for a restraint system in motor vehicles, having the following features:
a housing for receiving electrical cables and having contact springs connected thereto,
the contact springs serving to receive contact pins of the associated receptacle, and
resilient catching arms on the housing for securing the housing to the receptacle, and
a locking member having a number of locking arms corresponding to the number of catching arms,
The invention in its most general embodiment is characterized in that
the housing has a spring acting on a base part of the locking member, which pushes the locking member from a maximum insertion position in which the catching arms are free to move into a locking position with corresponding catching means on the receptacle to a position in which the locking arms secure the catching arms against accidental detachment.
The fundamental advantage of the connector described above is that the locking member may be mounted in a factory and that this step can be eliminated in mounting, for example in a motor vehicle.
For mounting the mechanic proceeds as follows:
He takes the connector, puts it on the receptacle and pushes a base part of the locking member, for example. The locking arms are pushed deeper into the housing thereby, that is to a position in which they do not hinder a backward movement of the catching arms of the housing.
In that condition the connector is pushed into the receptacle until the contact pins of the receptacle are placed in the contact springs of the connector and the catching arms are engaged behind the corresponding catching means of the receptacle.
Then the mechanic relieves the pressure on the base part of the locking member (by taking off his hand from the connector), which springs back automatically because of the spring described above and moves the locking arms to a position in which they are positioned behind the catching arms of the housing to lock them in the sense of a secondary locking. Now, the receptacle and the connector are connected functionally and are secured against detaching.
All the steps mentioned above can be carried out with one hand and in one operation.
For detaching the connector and the receptacle the mechanic pushes against the base part, for example, and thereby pushes the locking arms against the action of the spring to the maximum insertion position so that the catching arms are “free” and the connector may be detached from the receptacle.
The constructive design described above may be realized both in a bent embodiment, as described in DE 195 00 959 C2, and in an “axial” embodiment, as disclosed by DE 195 13 350 C1, in which the locking member is displaceable in the direction of insertion.
In order to enable a locking function with respect to the catching arms (in the locking position) on the one hand and movement of the catching arms during the process of insertion (insertion position) on the other hand, an embodiment of the invention provides locking arms with a rod-like portion and a widened region at the free end and catching arms having a recess on their surfaces facing the locking arms, respectively, which enables the reception of the associated rod-like portion in the maximum insertion position of the locking member. An alternative embodiment provides the end of the locking arms towards the respective catching arm with an enlargement (thicker).
Here the locking arms may be “T-shaped” —as illustrated in the embodiments.
In the locking position (“raised” position of the locking member) the widened (or enlarged) portion of the locking arms is situated behind the catching arms and prevents movement thereof. On the other hand, in the insertion position each widened or enlarged portion of each locking arm projects downwards beyond the associated catching arm. The catching arms spring “towards the inside” in connecting them to the associated receptacle, because the catching arms have longitudinally grooves on the back, which reach beyond the tapered rod-like portions of the locking arms or because the catching arms and the locking arms are spaced apart.
Another embodiment of the connector arranges the locking arms of the locking member in parallel and spaced apart, with at least one transversal web extending beside the locking arms, which has at least one catching projection or a recess on its outer face, which catches at least one recess or at least one catching projection (detent) of the housing in the locking position of the locking member.
An accidental detachment of the locking member is prevented reliably in this manner.
In analogy to the embodiment according to DE 195 00 959 C2 the connector may have a three-part housing having a housing bottom for receiving the contact springs, a housing top for covering the housing bottom and securing the electrical cables between th
Amphenol-Tuchel Electronics GmbH
Blank Rome Comisky & McCauley LLP
Vu Hien
LandOfFree
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.
Profile ID: LFUS-PAI-O-2586468