Electrical connectors – With coupling movement-actuating means or retaining means in... – Retaining means
Reexamination Certificate
1999-02-01
2001-01-09
Stephan, Steven L. (Department: 2839)
Electrical connectors
With coupling movement-actuating means or retaining means in...
Retaining means
C439S350000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06171130
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to a half-fitting prevention connector, used for electrically connecting wire harnesses in an automobile together, in which the condition of half-fitting between a pair of male and female connectors is detected through resiliency (urging force) of resilient members.
There have heretofore been known various types of half-fitting prevention connectors in which the condition of half-fitting between a pair of male and female connectors can be detected. One such example is disclosed in Unexamined Japanese Utility Model Publication No. 5-81967.
FIG. 5
is a partly-broken, exploded perspective view of the related half-fitting prevention connector.
This related half-fitting prevention connector
51
comprises a pair of male and female connectors
54
and
55
having male terminals
52
and female terminals
53
mounted therein, respectively. Springs (resilient members)
56
, acting in an anti-fitting direction, are mounted on the female connector
55
, and lock mechanisms
57
are provided at the male and female connectors
54
and
55
.
The male connector
54
has a box-shaped body with open front and rear sides, which is formed by a top plate
58
, a bottom plate
59
and side plates
60
, and the plurality of male terminals
52
are received in this male connector. The male connector can be fitted into the female connector
55
, and the male terminals
52
can be fitted respectively into the female terminals
53
, received in the female connector
55
, to be electrically connected thereto.
A notch is formed in a central portion of each of the opposite side plates
60
, and a retaining piece portion
61
, serving as part of the lock mechanism
57
, is formed integrally with the side plate
60
, and extends forwardly in this notch. A distal end of the retaining piece portion
61
is disposed slightly rearwardly of a front edge of the side plate
60
, and is so elastic as to be slightly bent (elastically deformed) outwardly. An inwardly-projecting retaining claw
62
is formed on an inner face of the front end portion of the retaining piece portion
61
.
Spring receiving portions
63
are formed respectively at opposite sides of the female connector
55
, and each spring receiving portion
63
receives the associated spring
56
, and supports a rear end thereof. A spring guide rod
64
is provided within the spring receiving portion
63
, and extends forwardly. A movable cover (slide member)
65
of a tubular shape with open front and rear sides, is mounted on the outer periphery of the female connector
55
for sliding movement in forward and backward directions. Spring receiving portions
66
are formed respectively at opposite sides of the movable cover
65
, and cover the spring receiving portions
63
, respectively. The front end of each spring
56
acts on the front end of the associated spring receiving portion
66
to urge the same forward. A retaining hole
70
, serving as part of the lock mechanism
57
, is formed in each of opposite side plates of the female connector
55
.
Slots
67
, formed through a top plate the movable cover
65
, and projections
68
, formed on a top plate of the female connector
55
, serve to limit the forward movement of the movable cover
65
under the influence of the springs
56
.
In the half-fitting prevention connector
51
of the above construction, when the pair of male and female connectors
54
and
55
are mated with each other at their front ends, and are pressed against each other, the front portion of the female connector
55
is first fitted into the front portion of the male connector
54
, and then each retaining claw
62
slides over the side plate
69
of the female connector
55
while flexing the retaining piece portion
61
outwardly. As a result, the distal end of the retaining piece portion
61
and the retaining claw
62
abut against the front end surface of the associated spring receiving portion
66
, so that the movable cover
65
is moved rearward while compressing the spring
56
.
At this time, when the pair of male and female connectors
54
and
55
are pressed relative to each other, each spring
56
is further compressed, and each retaining claw
62
is retainingly engaged in the associated retaining hole
70
, so that the flexed retaining piece portion
61
is restored into its original condition, and also the front end of the retaining piece portion
61
is disengaged from the front end surface of the spring receiving portion
66
. Then, when the above pressing force is reduced or removed, the movable cover
65
is returned into its original position by the urging force of the springs
56
, and the male and female connectors
54
and
55
are completely fitted together. At the same time, the male terminals
52
are completely connected to the female terminals
53
, respectively. The outer faces of the side plates
60
are held in contact with the inner faces of the spring receiving portions
66
, respectively, and therefore each retaining piece portion
61
can not be flexed outwardly. Therefore, each retaining claw
62
will not be disengaged from the associated retaining hole
70
, and the male and female connectors
54
and
55
are completely locked relative to each other by the lock mechanisms
57
.
However, if the pressing force for fitting purposes is reduced or removed in a condition of half-fitting between the pair of male and female connector, that is, before the retaining claw
62
of each lock mechanism
57
is retainingly engaged in the associated retaining hole
70
, the male connector
54
is pushed back by the urging force of the springs
56
, and therefore the connector is prevented from remaining in such a half-fitted condition.
In the above related half-fitting prevention connector
51
, however, the pair of retaining piece portions
61
are provided respectively at the right and left sides, and therefore depending on the mounting positions of the male and female connectors
54
and
55
and on the fitting direction, there were encountered problems that the right and left forces failed to be uniformly applied when the male and female connectors were forcibly fitted together in a tilted manner, that the timing of engagement of the retaining claw
62
of one of the retaining piece portions
61
in the retaining hole
70
is different from the timing of engagement of the other retaining claw
62
in the retaining hole
70
, and that only one of the retaining claws
62
was fitted into the retaining hole
70
, and in these cases the connector remained in a half-fitted condition.
The male connector
54
is, in many cases, fixedly mounted on a vehicle body, and therefore is usually made of a rigid synthetic resin, such as a glass-containing resin, exhibiting little elasticity, and each time the pair of male and female connectors
54
and
55
are fitted and connected together, each retaining piece portion
61
is flexed outwardly. Furthermore, the distal end of the retaining piece portion
61
is pressed against the front end surface of the spring receiving portion
66
to compress the spring
56
, and therefore when the connector is repeatedly operated, the retaining piece portions
61
are subjected to fatigue failure, and this problem must be overcome in order to achieve the high reliability of the connector.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
With the above problems in view, it is an object of this invention to provide a half-fitting prevention connector in which the condition of half-fitting between a pair of male and female connectors can be positively detected during the fitting and connecting operation, and half-fitting detection mechanisms will not be subjected to fatigue failure, and the fitting operation can be carried out positively and easily.
In order to achieve the above object, there is provided a connector for preventing a half-fitting thereof comprising: a first connector housing; a second connector housing for engaging with the first connector housing; a slide cover provided so as to cover an outer periphery of the second connector
Kashiyama Motohisa
Yoshida Haruki
Byrd Eugene G.
Stephan Steven L.
Sughrue Mion Zinn Macpeak & Seas, PLLC
Yazaki -Corporation
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