Electrical connector having slide clip attachment

Details Electrical connector having slide clip attachment Electrical connector having slide clip attachment

1999-10-12

2001-03-20

Sircus, Brian (Department: 2839)

Electrical connectors

With supporting means for coupling part

C439S571000

Reexamination Certificate

active

06203364

ABSTRACT:

TECHNICAL FIELD
This invention relates to electrical connectors of the type having male and female connector members with electrical terminals that mate when the connector members are joined, and more particularly to such connectors employing a slide clip-type mounting system for securing the connector assembly to support structure
RELATED PRIOR ART
Electrical connectors of the general type involved with the present invention include matable male and female connector members each with electrical terminals that are coupled when the connector members are joined to establish an electrical connection therebetween. The smaller male connector member plugs into a socket of the female connector member, such that there is a certain amount of overlap of the connector members at the joint. The overlapping regions often include matable locking features that engage to lock the members in the fully assembled condition. Some means are also typically provided for mounting the connector assembly on adjacent support structure, such as on a body panel, support bracket, etc. of a vehicle or the like. In one known mounting system, the male connector is formed with an external channel in which a separate slide clip piece is slidably received. Suitable attachment features, such as a push-in Christmas tree-type fastener, are molded integrally with the clip for mounting the connector assembly on the support structure. A resilient lock arm portion of the clip projects beyond the channel in the direction of the female connector member and carries a locking shoulder adjacent its free end. The locking shoulder engages a locking projection provided on the male connector member to secure the slide clip within the channel. The locking projection is formed along an exposed portion of the male connector body between the channel and the overlap region.
In applications where the connectors are small or comparably short in length, there often is not room enough adjacent the overlap region of the connector members to provide the needed locking projection on the male connector member. Without the locking projection, there is no means for securing such a slide clip to such a male connector member. Such means are provided by the present invention.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
An electrical connector assembly according to the invention includes male and female connector members, which are matable for coupling corresponding electrical terminals. An external slide channel on the male connector member receives a slide clip having attachment features for mounting the connector assembly on adjacent support structure. Mating detent and bump lock projection features are provided on the slide clip and channel which engage when the slide clip is slid into the channel for retaining the slide clip against removal from the channel.
The invention has the advantage of providing mating detent and bump lock projection features on the slide clip and channel which enable clips having attachment features to be used on small connectors and tho se otherwise having insufficient room to accommodate the provision of the usual locking, projection on the male connector member.
According to a preferred embodiment of the invention, the detent features are provided on the slide clip. Such clip can then further be formed with the traditional lock arm feature, providing a universal slide clip device that can be used both on connectors with and without a corresponding traditional locking projection on the male connector member.


REFERENCES:
patent: 5078622 (1992-01-01), Hunt, III et al.
patent: 5636937 (1997-06-01), Zemlicka

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