Electrical connectors – With coupling separator – Including retainer or joiner
Reexamination Certificate
2001-02-07
2001-12-04
Bradley, P. Austin (Department: 2833)
Electrical connectors
With coupling separator
Including retainer or joiner
C439S924100, C439S924200
Reexamination Certificate
active
06325648
ABSTRACT:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
This invention relates generally to electrical connector assemblies and, more specifically, to electrical connector assemblies that permit some terminals to electrically connect or disconnect before other terminals, as well as to electrical connector assemblies having connector position assurance for ensuring the complete connection and preventing the unwanted separation of the electrically connected terminals.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
Some environments for electrical connectors require that one or more terminals within a connector, for instance pilot terminals, electrically connect with like terminals of a mating connector after a set of one or more terminals within the same connector, for instance primary connectors, electrically connect with like terminals of the mating connector. Conversely, the pilot terminals must also be electrically disconnected before the primary terminals. For example, in some connector systems high voltage circuits must be kept separate from and connected before low voltage circuits if mating and unmating of the low voltage circuits acts to energize and deenergize the high voltage circuits. This prevents shock to the assembler, or electrical arcing damage to the terminals. To achieve these results, initial electric contact points of the pilot terminals are often positioned further back from the mating end of the connectors than the initial electric contact points of the primary terminals. The primary terminals thus engage first, and the pilot terminal engage second. In separation, the order is reversed: The pilot terminals disengage first, and the primary terminals disengage second. Such an offset arrangement is exemplified in U.S. Pat. No. 5,913,691, which discloses a connector assembly having a control circuit and a power circuit in the same male connector. The control circuit connections and power circuit connections are physically offset so that electrical connection of the power supply using the control circuit is made only after the power circuit is connected. This ensures that the power supply is switched on only when the power circuits are already electrically engaged.
An alternative conventional arrangement is to make the pilot terminals significantly shorter than the primary terminals. A lever-type connector with longer terminals for electrical power supply and shorter terminals for signal transmission, causing differences in the timing of terminal connection, is illustrated in U.S. Pat. No. 5,531,605.
These prior art connector configurations limit the types of terminals that can be used in the connector. They require specific types of primary terminals wherein the initial electrical contact points are at the front of the terminal mating features, primary terminals that allow specific over-travel of the contact points, or terminals of different lengths. Moreover, these configurations also result in very short delay times between primary and pilot terminal engagement or disengagement, increasing the risks of shock and damage.
Prior art electrical connectors have also been provided with so-called connector position assurance devices (CPA's) to provide visual and tactile assurance that terminals are properly mated, and to prevent unwanted terminal separation. Conventionally, one form of these CPA's comprises a separate locking tab engageable with the mated connectors of the electrical connector assembly only after the connectors are fully mated and which effectively lock the connectors in the mated condition. Only when the CPA is removed can the connectors and their terminals be separated. While such prior art CPA's are effective, they unfortunately comprise small, separate parts that are prone to loss during connector assembly, and further add time and expense to the manufacture and assembly of these connectors.
Prior art lever connectors have also been provided with assist levers, sometimes referred to as LIF (low insertion force) levers, mounted on one connector to receive portions of a second connector during initial mating and often having cam slot structure to draw the two connectors into a fully mated condition with relatively little force.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The invention is an electrical connector assembly comprising a first connector member having a first terminal portion and a second terminal portion, the second terminal portion movable relative to the first terminal portion; and a second connector member having first and second terminal portions adapted for mating engagement with the first and second terminal portions, respectively, of the first connector member. A lever is provided on the first connector member, preferably an assist lever for drawing the first and second connectors into a fully mated condition, the lever defining a first position wherein the lever blocks the second terminal portion of the first connector member from movement into mating engagement with the second terminal portion of the second connector member, and a second position, wherein the second terminal portion of the first connector member is movable into mating engagement with the second terminal portion of the second connector member. In the first position of the lever, the first terminal portions of the first and second connector members are not mateably engaged, whereas in the second position of the lever these first terminal portions are mateably engaged. Accordingly, the second terminal portions cannot be brought into mating engagement prior to mating engagement of the first terminal portions.
According to one feature of this invention, the lever includes an arcuate slot, and the second terminal portion of the first connector has a projection cooperating with the arcuate slot in the first position of the lever to prevent sliding movement of the second terminal portion of the first connector member into mating engagement with the second terminal portion of the second connector member.
Per another feature of this invention, the arcuate slot includes an opening adapted to permit the lever to move out of cooperative engagement with the projection as the lever is moved into its second position.
According to still another feature of this invention, when the second terminal portion of the first connector member is moved into mating engagement with the second terminal portion of the second connector member, the second terminal portion of the first connector member cooperates with the lever to secure the lever in a locked position, such that the first and second connector members cannot be separated until the second terminal portion of the first connector member is moved out of mating engagement with the second terminal portion of the second connector member. Per this feature, the second terminal member includes a projection adapted to engage the lever and prohibit the movement thereof after the second terminal portions are mateably engaged, such that the first and second connector members cannot be separated until the second terminal portion of the first connector member is moved out of mating engagement with the second terminal portion of the second connector member. Per one feature of this invention, this projection is part of the projection that cooperates with the arcuate slot to prevent sliding movement of the second terminal portion of the first connector member into mating engagement with the second terminal portion of the second connector member.
REFERENCES:
patent: 5017147 (1991-05-01), Sugiyama et al.
patent: 5320544 (1994-06-01), Naoto et al.
patent: 5531605 (1996-07-01), Taniuchi et al.
patent: 5913691 (1999-06-01), Clark et al.
Bilezikjian John Peter
Patterson Jeffery Scott
Bradley P. Austin
Harvey James R.
Yazaki North America, Inc.
Young & Basile
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