Electrical connectors – Coupling part including flexing insulation – Hinged or flexed detent on insulation engaging to secure...
Reexamination Certificate
2000-02-04
2001-08-21
Patel, Tulsidas (Department: 2839)
Electrical connectors
Coupling part including flexing insulation
Hinged or flexed detent on insulation engaging to secure...
C439S912000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06276964
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a joint connector.
2. Description of the Related Art
A known joint connector is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,015,199, and is identified by the numeral
1
in
FIGS. 13 and 14
. The prior art joint connector
1
is comprised of a joint housing
3
provided with a joint terminal
2
, and a female connector housing
6
formed with a plurality of cavities
5
. The prior art housings
3
and
6
are settable in a partly engaged state, as shown in FIG.
13
. Female terminal fittings
4
are connected with wires, and are mounted in the selected cavities
5
of the prior art female connector housing
6
while the housings
3
and
6
are in their partly engaged state. The prior art housings
3
and
6
then can be advanced to a fully engaged state, as shown in
FIG. 14
to connect the terminals
2
and
4
.
Wrong terminal fittings
4
may be inserted into the cavities
5
during the assembling operation. Thus an electrical conduction test is performed to determine whether the correct female terminal fittings
4
have been inserted into the respective cavities
5
. A conduction test typically requires a testing probe to be brought into contact with the female terminal fitting
4
. This may be achieved by inserting the test probe through an opening at the side of the female connector housing
6
that has been engaged with the joint housing
3
. Thus, this cumbersome test requires the housings
3
and
6
to be disengaged and then engaged again after the test is completed.
Furthermore, the female terminal fittings
4
are selectively mounted in the respective cavities
6
according to how they are used. However incorrect female terminal fittings
4
may inadvertently be mounted in the cavities
6
during the assembly of the joint connector
1
. If such a situation is found before the housings
3
and
5
are fully engaged, it is necessary to withdraw the female terminal fittings
4
that were inserted erroneously, and then to insert the proper female terminal fitting
4
. This requires the housings
3
and
5
of the above described prior art joint connector
1
to be disengaged to expose the front surface of the female connector housing
5
. A disengaging jig then is inserted through an opening exposed at the front surface of the female connector housing
5
. The disengaging jig is manipulated to deform the locking portion
7
elastically in a departing direction, and the female terminal fitting
4
is withdrawn while the locking portion
7
is disengaged. The proper female terminal fittings
4
then are inserted, and the housings
3
and
5
are engaged again. The above described prior art joint connector
1
necessitates such a cumbersome operation.
In view of the above problem, an object of the present invention is to provide a joint connector having an excellent assembling operability.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The subject invention is directed to a joint connector. The joint connector comprises a connector housing which has a plurality of cavities formed therein. Terminal fittings are provided, and can be inserted at least partly into the respective cavities of the connector housing.
The joint connector further comprises a joint housing that can be engaged with the connector housing. A joint fitting is mounted to the joint housing and is configured for mating with and shorting a plurality of the terminal fittings when the housings are fully engaged.
Insertion openings are formed in an outer wall of the connector housing, and are aligned substantially with the respective cavities of the connector housings. The insertion openings may be disposed and configured to enable the electrical contact of an electrical conducting testing jig to engage the terminal fitting when the electrical conduction testing jig is inserted from outside the outer wall and when the two housings are at least partly engaged. Then, the electrical conduction test can be conducted for the terminal fittings by using the insertion openings provided in the outer wall of the connector housing.
Operability is improved with this embodiment of the subject invention because an electrical conduction test for the female terminal fittings can be conducted while the two housings are partly engaged. Thus, an electrical conduction test can be conducted without disengaging two housings.
Each cavity of the connector housing may be formed with an elastic locking piece for elastically engaging the corresponding terminal fitting and locking the terminal fitting in the cavity.
The insertion openings may be formed in an outer wall of the connector housing in proximity to the elastic locking pieces. Additionally, the insertion openings may be configured to accommodate a jig for disengaging the elastic locking piece from the terminal fitting while the housings are engaged at least partly.
Accordingly, the terminal fitting can be withdrawn by inserting the disengaging jig through the corresponding insertion opening and disengaging the elastic locking piece while the housings are engaged. Thus, operability can be improved.
The housings preferably can be set in a partly engaged state and in a fully engaged state. The terminal fittings and the joint terminal are connected to one another when the housings are in the fully engaged state. The joint housing also is formed with a closing portion for leaving the insertion openings open when the two housings are in the partly engaged state, and for closing the insertion openings when the two housings are in the fully engaged state. Accordingly, operability is satisfactory because the insertion openings are closed by the closing portion if the housings are moved from the partly engaged state to the fully engaged state.
The closing portion preferably is provided with a deformation-restricting portion which can be inserted into a space that would otherwise permit the elastic deformation of the elastic locking pieces. Thus the deformation-restricting portion restricts the elastic deformation of the elastic locking pieces. Accordingly, the female terminal fittings can be locked securely since the elastic deformation of the elastic locking pieces is restricted.
A jig may be provided for checking the electrical conduction of the terminal fittings that are accommodated in the cavities. The jig may be inserted through the insertion openings, and may be brought into electrical contact with the terminal fittings. Then, the electrical conduction test can be conducted for the terminal fittings.
According to the invention, the insertion openings may function as either or both electrical conduction testing openings and/or as disengaging openings for allowing the insertion of a disengaging jig for disengaging the female terminal fittings from the elastic locking pieces.
The joint housing also may have insufficient insertion detecting means for detecting the insufficient insertion of the terminal fittings into the respective cavities. Insufficient insertion may be detected by an engagement of the joint housing with the elastic locking piece that is deflected by the insufficiently inserted terminal fittings.
These and other objects, features and advantages of the present invention will become more apparent upon a reading of the following detailed description and accompanying drawings.
REFERENCES:
patent: 4342495 (1982-08-01), Bennett et al.
patent: 4448471 (1984-05-01), Berry et al.
patent: 5015199 (1991-05-01), Hirano et al.
patent: 5201668 (1993-04-01), Endo et al.
patent: 5403204 (1995-04-01), Chishima et al.
patent: 5769650 (1998-06-01), Aoyama et al.
patent: 6068512 (2000-05-01), Sugie
patent: 6077117 (2000-06-01), Iwahori
Casella Anthony J.
Hespos Gerald E.
Le T.
Patel Tulsidas
Porco Michael J.
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