Electrical connectors – With coupling movement-actuating means or retaining means in... – Retaining means
Reexamination Certificate
2002-07-12
2003-12-02
Prasad, Chandrika (Department: 2839)
Electrical connectors
With coupling movement-actuating means or retaining means in...
Retaining means
C439S310000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06655978
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The invention relates to a male connector having a terminal for being connected to a female connector having a terminal. The female connector includes a female connector housing with a first longitudinal axis and with a receiving chamber which is enclosed by a wall. The receiving chamber is open towards an end face of the female connector housing and, at the end remote from the open end face has a closed bottom. The female connector housing is associated with first terminals which project into the receiving chamber from the bottom so as to extend parallel to the first longitudinal axis. On the outer face of the wall enclosing the receiving chamber, there is projectingly arranged an engaging lug which comprises a stop face rising from the end face to the bottom so as to extend away from the outer face and which, towards the bottom, is provided with an engaging face extending towards the outer face.
EP 0 896 396 A2 describes a connecting assembly which comprises a female connector and a male connector. The female connector comprises a female connector housing and a receiving chamber enclosed by a wall. The receiving chamber opens to-wards an end face of the female connector housing and, at the end remote therefrom, is closed by a bottom. The female connector comprises a first longitudinal axis which defines a connecting direction. The female connector housing is associated with first terminals which are aligned so as to extend parallel to the first longitudinal axis and which project from the bottom into the receiving chamber. On the outer face of the wall enclosing the receiving chamber, there is projectingly arranged an engaging lug. The male connector is associated with a resiliently deflectable locking arm which can be locked by a slide when it is in the locking position, thus preventing a deflection of the locking arm from the untensioned position. The slide is associated with pressure springs which, at their ends not supported on the slide, are connected to one another by a cross arm. The locking arm comprises an inclined face which, while the male connector is inserted into the female connector, stops against the engaging lug, with the slide being in a position in which its locking face is not in contact with the locking arm. For this purpose, the locking arm is held by retaining means in a temporary position. When the male connector is inserted into the female connector, not only the locking arm with its hook-like projection stops against the engaging lug, but also the cross arm connecting the two pressure springs to one another comes to rest against the end face of the female connector. When the male connector is introduced further, the springs are pretensioned. The hook-like locking element of the locking arm slides over the engaging lug. At this stage, the locking arm has reached a position in which its locking face is able to engage behind the engaging lug. In the process, the effect of the pressure springs is also released, i.e. the retaining means release the slide, so that the latter, due to the effect of the springs, is displaced away from the engaging lug, as a result of which the locking face of the slide moves across the locking arm and se-cures same in its engaged position against being deflected. The retaining means, too, are returned into their original position, so that the load on the springs is also released. For releasing purposes, the slide has to be displaced in the direction opposed to the releasing direction of the male connector at the female connector, so that the locking arm is re-leased. To ensure a sufficiently large contact face for supporting the pressure springs, the female connector housing is provided with ribs which are arranged on the line of extension of the pressure springs, i.e. they extend parallel relative to one another in the connecting direction; they start from the end face of the female connector and extend as far as the engaging lug.
For releasing purposes, the slide is first displaced towards the female connector until the locking arm is released. The pressure springs are partially pretensioned and the retaining means secure the slide in said position. In this position, an unlocking portion of the slide can be acted upon, i.e. pressure can be exerted on same, as a result of which said portion acts on a locking arm projection positioned underneath. As the locking arm is suspended rocker-like, the hook-like projection is disengaged from the engaging lug at the female connector. If the male connector is now pulled, it can be separated from the female connector. This involves a complicated type of handling and especially in those cases where a safe mode of operation is required, there is a need for additional measures in the form of providing the ribs at the female connector in order to achieve secure support for the pressure springs which load the slide. Furthermore, handling is disadvantageous in that when releasing the male connector from the female connector, the slide first has to be moved against the releasing direction in order to transfer same into a position wherein, via the actuating portion associated with the slide, a force is applied to the locking arm in the sense of releasing same from the engaging lug of the female connector. At the same time, it is necessary to pull the male connector in order to release same from the female connector.
DE 198 28 968 A1 concerns a connector assembly having a female connector and a male connector, wherein the female connector is associated with a leaf-spring-like retaining element which, at the same time, serves as a short circuit bridge for the contacts of the female connector. The retaining element comprises two engaging arms which each come into contact with a projection of the male connector and, in the course of connection, undergo deformation, so that the projections are able to move across a kink in the engaging arm, thus permitting renewed resilience, so that the male connector is secured in the female connector. Furthermore, there are provided terminal arms which, in the unconnected condition of the male connector and female connector, are connected to the terminals of the female connector and form part of the retaining element which is produced from metal and is thus electrically conducting. In the unconnected condition, there thus occurs short-circuiting between the terminals via the terminal arms. When the male connector is inserted, said terminal arms are moved out of contact with the terminals of the female connector.
DE 100 52 970 A1 describes a connector assembly which comprises a female connector and a male connector, wherein the male connector is associated with a slide which is formed so as to be integral with a pressure spring and which, in the course of being connected, is first pretensioned and generates a sliding-out force for as long as the final state of connection has not yet been achieved. Furthermore, in the connected condition, the slide acts as a retaining element. The resilient portion provided in the form of a pressure spring comprises a leaf-spring-like portion which is bent like a snake.
EP 1 089 393 A1 concerns a female connector which is provided with a receiving chamber enclosed by a wall and into which a male connector can be inserted. To achieve a waterproof assembly, the male connector, on its portion entering the receiving chamber of the female connector, is provided with a seal which establishes contact with the inner face of the receiving chamber. The cross-section of the male connector portion entering the receiving chamber of the female connector is tapered as compared to the male connector portion which is set back relative thereto.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
It is the object of the invention to provide a male connector for a standard female connector, i.e. a female connector comprising only one engaging lug. The male connector is easy to handle and, as long as the final connection has not yet taken place, generates a force which releases the male connector from the female connector.
The objective is achieved
Krivohlavec Dalibor
Lutsch Harald Michael
Resman Ranko
Prasad Chandrika
Yazaki Europe Ltd.
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