Electrical connectors – Coupling part including flexing insulation – Hinged or flexed detent on insulation engaging to secure...
Reexamination Certificate
2000-06-12
2002-01-15
Paumen, Gary (Department: 2833)
Electrical connectors
Coupling part including flexing insulation
Hinged or flexed detent on insulation engaging to secure...
C439S752000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06338654
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an electrical connector having a structure for recognizing an incomplete insertion state of a terminal in the connector housing. A resilient lock arm is disposed in the connector housing for locking the terminal, and a spacer is inserted in the connector housing for additionally locking the terminal inserted in the connector housing. The spacer abuts against the resilient arm when the terminal is incompletely inserted in the connector housing to recognize the incomplete insertion of the terminal.
2. Related Art
Referring to
FIGS. 15 and 16
, there is illustrated a conventional electrical connector
90
having a terminal double locking structure. The structure has a function for recognizing an incomplete insertion state of the terminal in the connector housing.
As illustrated in
FIG. 15
, the terminal double locking connector
90
has a synthetic resin connector housing
91
, a plurality of terminals
92
each connected to an electrical cable and upwardly inserted into the connector housing
91
, and a synthetic resin spacer
97
laterally inserted into the connector housing
91
through openings of the connector housing
91
. The spacer
97
has a pair of first extending bars
94
each engaging with a rear surface of a step
93
formed in a rear part of each terminal
92
. The spacer
97
also has a second extending bar
95
that advances into a housing space in which a resilient lock arm
96
(
FIG. 16
) for each terminal deflects.
The second bar
95
of the spacer
97
has a fore end abutting against a side surface of the lock arm
96
in an incomplete insertion state of the terminal
92
(FIG.
16
). In
FIG. 16
, the lock arm
96
is pushed by a base plate
98
of the terminal
92
to be deflected inward. In this deflected state, a fore end of the second bar
95
abuts against a side surface of the lock arm
96
when the spacer
97
(
FIG. 15
) is inserted. This prevents a further advance of the spacer
97
, recognizing the incomplete insertion of the terminal
92
. In this incomplete insertion state, the first bar
94
also has not locked the rear step
93
of the terminal
92
.
However, in the conventional structure for recognizing the terminal incomplete insertion, some workers try to forcibly push further the spacer
97
to fully advance it even when the bar
95
of the spacer
97
is abutting against the lock arm
96
of the connector housing
91
. Sometimes, this forcible operation has caused the lock arm
96
to deflect in a significantly curved shape in its lateral (width) direction. This has arisen a permanent deformation or damage of the lock arm
96
.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
In view of the above-described disadvantage, an object of the invention is to provide an electrical connector having an improved structure for recognizing an incomplete insertion state of a terminal in a connector housing. A resilient lock arm disposed in the connector housing deflects in the incomplete insertion of the terminal so that a spacer abuts against a side surface of the lock arm to restrict a further advance of the spacer for recognizing the terminal incomplete insertion. The improved structure prevents a permanent deformation and damage of the lock arm even when the spacer is forcibly pushed against the lock arm in the abutting state of the spacer against the lock arm.
For achieving the object, an electrical connector of a first aspect of the invention includes a connector housing, a resilient lock arm disposed in the connector housing for locking a terminal, a spacer sliding in the connector housing for additionally locking the terminal inserted in the connector housing, and a projection formed on the resilient arm. The spacer abuts against a side surface of the lock arm when the resilient lock arm is deflecting in an incomplete insertion state of the terminal in the connector housing for recognizing the incomplete insertion of the terminal. The projection abuts against the terminal in an advance direction of the spacer in the incomplete insertion state of the terminal. The projection may be a flat bar extending in a longitudinal direction of the lock arm. Furthermore, the projection may be sandwiched between a pair of elastic pieces fitted on the terminal.
An electrical connector of a second aspect of the invention includes a connector housing, a resilient lock arm disposed in the connector housing for locking a terminal, a spacer inserted in the connector housing for additionally locking the terminal inserted in the connector housing, a projection formed on the lock arm, and an engagement portion provided in the connector housing. The spacer abuts against the lock arm when the lock arm is deflecting in an incomplete insertion state of the terminal in the connector housing for recognizing the incomplete insertion of the terminal. The projection advances into the engagement portion by the deflection of the lock arm in the incomplete insertion state of the terminal. The projection may be formed on a fore end of the lock arm. The projection may have a shape of a rectangular flat bar. The connector housing may be formed with a guide surface continuous with the engagement portion.
An electrical connector of a third aspect of the invention includes a connector housing, a resilient lock arm disposed in the connector housing for locking a terminal received in the connector housing, and a spacer inserted in the connector housing for additionally locking the terminal inserted in the connector housing. The spacer abuts against one of a pair of side surfaces of the lock arm which is deflected in an incomplete insertion state of the terminal in the connector housing for recognizing the incomplete insertion of the terminal. The connector housing has a wall closely adjacent to the other side wall of the lock arm when the lock arm is deflecting, The wall of the connector housing being positioned in an opposite side of the lock arm to the spacer in the incomplete insertion state of the terminal. The wall of the connector housing may be an embossed wall positioned to have a clearance from the lock arm, and the clearance is smaller than an elastic deflection limit of the lock arm.
Now, operational effects of the present invention will be discussed. As described above, in the first aspect of the invention, when the terminal is incompletely inserted, the lock arm deflected by the terminal abuts against the leading end of the spacer at the side surface of the lock arm. This prevents a further advance of the spacer, recognizing the incomplete insertion of the spacer. At the same time, the projection of the lock arm abuts against the terminal in the spacer insertion direction, preventing the lock arm from deflecting laterally (perpendicular to the normal deflection direction). Thereby, this eliminates a permanent deformation, damage, etc. of the lock arm. The lock arm prevented from deflecting the spacer advancing direction allows a more reliable recognition of the terminal incomplete insertion. The elongated projection has an increased area to abut against the terminal, decentralizing the pushing force exerted by the spacer. This eliminates a permanent deformation, damage, etc. of the terminal and the elongated projection. The lock arm prevented from deflecting is laterally allows a more reliable recognition of the terminal incomplete insertion.
The first aspect of the invention applies an existing shape for the resilient electrical contact piece to abut against the projection of the lock arm. No new abutting portion of the terminal against the projection is required, which is advantageous in time and cost. The resilient contact piece receives resiliently the force acted on the spacer, preventing a permanent deformation, damage, etc. of the projection and the spacer.
In the second aspect of the invention, when the terminal is incompletely inserted, the locking arm deflected by the terminal engages the projection of the lock arm with the engage portion of the connector housing. Thereby, the lock arm is retained
Kashiyama Motohisa
Kimura Tomohiko
Sasaki Yasuhiro
Tsuji Masanori
Armstrong Westerman Hattori McLeland & Naughton LLP
Paumen Gary
Yazaki -Corporation
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