Panel mounted lever connector

Details Panel mounted lever connector Panel mounted lever connector

1998-09-25

2001-02-06

Luebke, Renee (Department: 2833)

Electrical connectors

With coupling separator

Including retainer or joiner

C439S271000, C439S559000

Reexamination Certificate

active

06183275

ABSTRACT:

The present invention relates to a connector attached to a panel.
A connector attached to a door panel of an automobile is shown in the-Laid-Open Publication JP 5-87844. This has a configuration whereby a male connector housing is fitted to an attachment hole of the panel by inserting a hood member of the male connector housing into the attachment hole, the male connector housing being inserted into the hood member from the opposite end so as to clamp the panel between the male connector housing and the hood member. A sealing grommet covers an open end of the attachment hole on the female connector housing, this sealing grommet waterproofing the attachment hole when the two connector housings are fitted together.
The two connector housings are fitted together by means of a nut and bolt. That is, the nut is inserted into the male connector housing and the bolt, to which the grommet has been fitted in a waterproof state, is supported in the female connector housing. The bolt is threaded into the nut and tightened. Fitting resistance occurs when the two connector housings are correctly and reliably fitted together, the fitting resistance being strong particularly when multiple terminals are employed. As a result of this resistance, the connector housings are fitted together with certainty in the correct fitted state.
The tightening and loosening operation of the bolt is performed with a tool such as a torque wrench, this tool fitting together with the hexagonal head of the bolt. Consequently this operation cannot be performed if the tool is not at hand; furthermore, the operation of fitting the tool with the hexagonal head of the bolt becomes troublesome since one has to find a tool that conforms to the size of the hexagonal head of the bolt.
The present invention has been developed after taking the above problem into consideration, and aims to present a connector housing which can be fitted and released without the use of tools.
According to the present invention there is provided a panel mount connector for an aperture in a panel, the connector comprising male and female connector housings, one of said connector housings having a lever clamp which, in use, co-operates with projections of the other of the connector housings, one of the connector housings being further provided with a shoulder and a sealing member abutting the shoulder which, in use, provides a seal between the connector and the panel.
The invention provides a connector assembly which can be fitted together or released by operating the lever clamp by hand. The need for a bolt and the consequent use of a fitting tool such as a wrench is thus eliminated. One advantage of using a lever clamp is that the connector assembly can be fitted to an aperture in a confined space where it would be difficult to wield a wrench accurately.
In a preferred embodiment one of the connector housings is provided with an abutment for engagement with the panel, the other of the connector housings having the sealing member, and the abutment is aligned with the sealing member. With this arrangement, as the housings are drawn together, the plate is clamped between the abutment of one of the housings and the sealing member of the other of the housings. Water is thereby prevented from entering the space between the connector housings and the attachment hole.
The male connector housing preferably includes a snap fit projection which is engageable with an edge of the aperture to latch the housing thereto. In use the male connector housing can be loosely connected to the aperture is and is retained in place while the female connector housing is fitted thereto. In use the snap fit projection may disengage the edge of the aperture as the housings are drawn together, with the snap fit projection being received in a recess of the female connector housing.


REFERENCES:
patent: 3146052 (1964-08-01), Burch et al.
patent: 3292133 (1966-12-01), Burch et al.
patent: 5230635 (1993-07-01), Takenouchi et al.
patent: 5263871 (1993-11-01), Sano
patent: 5393242 (1995-02-01), VanDerStuyf
patent: 5711682 (1998-01-01), Maejima
patent: 5971791 (1999-10-01), Itoh et al.
patent: 4106-714 (1991-10-01), None
patent: 611 867 (1998-01-01), None
patent: 5-87844 (1993-11-01), None

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