Lateral insertion connector

Details Lateral insertion connector Lateral insertion connector

1999-07-30

2001-08-21

Bradley, Paula (Department: 2833)

Electrical connectors

Including or for use with tape cable

Including connector housing surrounding cable

C439S460000, C439S733100

Reexamination Certificate

active

06276959

ABSTRACT:

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
This invention generally relates to a connector device for making electrically sound connections by a lateral insertion process.
There exists in the market, and therefore can be considered the state of the art, a plurality of connector types, which specifically function to join, the connector and an assembly of wires having in their ends the corresponding terminals, which lodge into the connector's interior in a single body.
The disposition of a plurality of male and female terminals into the respective connectors provides electrical continuity in complex electric installations such as those used in automobiles, for example.
There are several difficulties appearing when inserting the terminals into the inside of the connectors. First, the terminals need to be kept well positioned in the connector. Second, once the terminals are introduced inside the connector, they should not easily move from where they are correctly placed, which would produce an opening of the corresponding electrical circuit.
The function of the connectors in complex electrical assemblies is multifaceted. In the first place the productivity or economies of placing the terminals inside the connector should be enhanced. Second, the connector should enable a user to check that the operation has been correctly performed. Further, the connector's inside configuration should provide a total certainty that in the moment of the connection among a male and a female connector any extraction of a terminal does not happen. Once the terminals are connected, they should not become dislodged as a consequence of the vehicle's vibration. Once installed, a connector's terminal should not move or come loose, which would have the effect of opening some circuits of the electrical installation.
The present application provides a connector that meets the needs state above, which were not met by the prior art. The inventive design is especially well-suited for lateral insertion or introducing the terminal and the wire inside the connector from the side.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The present invention provides a quick lateral insertion connector. This invention also provides the insurance that, once the terminal is laterally inserted, it cannot move either in the lateral direction in which it has been introduced or upwards or downwards.
The connector includes a special design of the cells disposed inside the connector. The cells have a mainly prismatic configuration and are devoid of upper, lower and lateral bases. A protuberance exists in one of the cell faces cooperating with the specific terminal configuration. In the upper part of each cell the protuberance is integral with the walls of the cell. Tabs extend from the walls of each cell, at an angle of less than 90°. Once the terminal is introduced and fixed in the corresponding recess, the portion of the wire hanging out of the terminal is introduced in the tabs and once this operation is made it becomes impossible to dislodge it from the cell, either laterally or vertically in both directions.
Other details and characteristics of the present invention will be manifest through the reading of the detailed description given below, in which reference is made to the figures. The details are given as an example, referring to a case of a possible practical embodiment, but the invention is not limited to the details outlined. Therefore, the detailed description must be considered from an illustrative point of view and with no limitations whatsoever.


REFERENCES:
patent: 5120235 (1992-06-01), Kashiwa
patent: 5577930 (1996-11-01), Dahlem et al.
patent: 5591045 (1997-01-01), Pepe et al.
patent: 5593321 (1997-01-01), Hotea

Affiliated with

Also associated with

Rating

Lateral insertion connector does not yet have a rating. At this time, there are no reviews or comments for this patent.

If you have personal experience with Lateral insertion connector, we encourage you to share that experience with our LandOfFree.com community. Your opinion is very important and Lateral insertion connector will most certainly appreciate the feedback.

Rate now

Comments { 0 }

Profile ID: LFUS-PAI-O-2521444