Electrical connectors – With insulation other than conductor sheath – Metallic connector or contact secured to insulation
Reexamination Certificate
2000-02-22
2001-05-22
Paumen, Gary F. (Department: 2833)
Electrical connectors
With insulation other than conductor sheath
Metallic connector or contact secured to insulation
Reexamination Certificate
active
06234848
ABSTRACT:
The invention starts from a multipole electrical connector according to the introductory part of claim
1
.
Such an electrical connector is known from DE
4131768 A1. The connector consists of a housing and a locking device. Contact portion chambers arranged in the housing are equipped in the direction of insertion with contact portions which are primarily locked by means of resilient fingers formed integrally with the inner walls of the contact portion chambers. Final locking of the contact portions is done by a locking device which can be inserted in an opening of the housing transversely to the direction of insertion of the contact portions. The contact portion chambers end in the region of insertion at a perforated front wall of the housing. Each contact portion chamber is assigned two openings in the front wall. An insertion opening serves to receive counter contact portions, and a release opening allows deflection of the finger by means of a blade-like tool to release the contact portion.
The design of the insertion region is determined by the possible injection moulding techniques with such small constructions. The insertion opening and the release opening are arranged in such a way that no undercuts arise. Consequently the injection moulding tool or its cores are of simple construction. The insertion opening which is adapted to the cross-section of the counter contact portion protects the contact portion in the contact portion chamber visually from incorrect manipulations. The adjacent insertion opening is however due to the basic conditions of injection moulding larger than necessary and unprotected and permanently accessible both before and after assembly and secondary locking of the connector. Consequently there is a risk of damage to the contact portions and the fingers during assembly and also after mounting at the site of installation.
From U.S. Pat No. 4,557,542 is known a non-generic connector of which the contact portions are latched exclusively by means of resilient fingers extending into contact portion chambers. The latching position of the fingers is ensured with a locking strip which can be inserted in the front side of the housing. Here too after assembly of the contact portions on the housing until final mounting of the locking strip, damage to the contact portions or fingers is possible.
It is the object of the invention to design an electrical connector with double locking of the contact portions according to the introductory part of claim
1
in such a way that contact portions can be assembled on the housing variably and the housing is protected against damage in the insertion region and that it is possible to produce it with little expenditure on manufacture and mounting.
This object is achieved with the characteristics indicated in the characterising part of claim
1
. The subject of claim
1
has the advantage that the combination of a locking comb and cover plate into a one-piece prefitted thrust element protects the contact portion chambers and hence also the contact portions from incorrect access. Separation of the cover plate from the housing of insulating material makes it possible to retain the proven secondary locking system and allows assembly of the housing of insulating material from both the front and rear. Coordination of the cover plate and locking comb in one piece ensures a cycle of movement in the correct sequence. Only on reaching the correct secondary locking position is connection to the corresponding counter contact portions possible due to alignment of the contact portions with the insertion openings. Due to coupling of the cover plate to the locking comb, the connector consists only of two component parts. The extraordinarily high tooling costs with such small applications fall. The contact portion chambers can be produced without complications and without undercuts which are elaborate in injection moulding, so that the injection moulding core assembly and its removal from the mould is conceivably simple.
On assembly of contact portions on the housing of insulating material in the mounting position of the thrust element and on introduction of the counter contact portions in the locking position of the thrust element, access to the contact portion chambers is possible only through precisely defined insertion openings. Only orientation of the thrust path transversely to the direction of insertion of the contact portions allows, due to the cover plate resting permanently and directly on the front side of the housing of insulating material, complete protection of the contact portion chambers already after prior mounting of the thrust element.
Within the framework of the increasing reduction in size of all components, exact and almost tolerance-free cooperation of individual elements is necessary. The cover plate and locking comb are connected to each other by transverse webs, which gives the thrust element adequate inherent stability. Within the housing of insulating material a corresponding profile opening receives the transverse webs and locking comb of the thrust element and serves as a guide channel. Consequently the movements of the cover plate on the front side are also defined. Additional guide means at the edges of the cover plate facilitate mounting and increase the precision of fitting. Both the mounting and locking positions of the thrust element are defined by complementary latch means which can be distinguished visually and also audibly.
In the cover plate is formed a longitudinal slot which is aligned with the profile opening in the insertion region, so that a pin of the mating connector can be introduced. The pin serves to secure the primary locking system and can additionally act as means for coding or centring the mating connector. The longitudinal slot moreover comprises inwardly directed edges which thus completely encapsulate the contact portion chambers.
Axial alignment of the connector and mating connector takes place by their complementary outer shapes, so that incorrect insertion is not possible. Within maximum tolerance ranges, however, initial tilting one inside the other is possible, i.e. joining at an angle. Connector systems of this kind can be equipped with individual contact portions which before the majority of contact portions must engage with their counter contact portions, so that a predefined state of connection is created first. To prevent these projecting contact portions from buckling when joined at an angle, recesses are provided at the corresponding insertion openings in the cover plate.
In case of repair, after separation of connector and mating connector the thrust element is completely removed from the profile opening and then the primary locking system of the faulty contact portion is released from the now accessible contact portion chamber with a suitable tool.
The characteristics according to the invention can be embodied both on the connector and its contact portions and on the mating connector and its counter contact portions. A sealed construction of the connector according to the invention with the known sealing concepts is also conceivable.
REFERENCES:
patent: 5468162 (1995-11-01), Oda
patent: 5586918 (1996-12-01), Chemin
patent: 5997364 (1999-12-01), Matusoka et al.
patent: 6080023 (2000-06-01), Meulemeester et al.
patent: 0667652 A1 (1995-08-01), None
patent: 0673084 A1 (1995-09-01), None
patent: 2248350 (1992-04-01), None
Fischer Harald
Koburg Dirk
Sikora Andreas
General Motors Corporation
Jones Richard A.
Paumen Gary F.
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