Repair method for dual lock multi-row electrical connector...

Electrical connectors – Coupling part including flexing insulation – Hinged or flexed detent on insulation engaging to secure...

Reexamination Certificate

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Details

C439S752000

Reexamination Certificate

active

06171146

ABSTRACT:

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to electrical connector systems, particularly to electrical connector Systems utilizing female terminal retainers. More particularly, the present invention relates to a connector system featuring a high density terminal distribution wherein each pair of female terminals is held in position, respectively, by a flexible locking arm associated with the female terminal retainer.
2. Description of the Related Art
Electrical connector systems are known to include female terminal retainers including a plurality of rows and columns of cavities each for receiving a female terminal therein. However, in these prior art devices, each terminal includes its own lock mechanism to retain the female terminal and its associated cavity. As a result, the distance between rows of terminals carried in the retainers has heretofore been substantially large and greater than 2.54 mm.
The present invention provides alternatives to and advantages over the prior art.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The present invention is an electical connector system including a female terminal retainer. The female terminal retainer preferably has a block like configuration, including a front face, an opposite rear face and a plurality of terminal cavities extending therethrough from the rear face to the front face arranged in a plurality of rows and a plurality of columns. Each terminal cavity is constructed and arranged to receive a portion of an electrical terminal.
In this regard, a female terminal configured to cooperate with the female terminal retainer is characterized by a first portion having a cylindrical sidewall of a first cross-section, wherein the cylindrical sidewall defines a cylindrical cavity for receiving therein a male terminal at its forward, open end. The female terminal further is characterized by a second portion having a reduced cross-section distally located with respect to the forward end, wherein an annular terminal abutment is formed at the interface between the two dissimilar cross-sections of the first and second portions.
In order to retain the female terminals in their respective terminal cavities, flexible locking fingers are provided which extend from the front face of the female terminal retainer, wherein each locking finger is positioned to straddle two mutually adjacent terminal cavities. Each flexible locking finger includes a pair of spaced apart locking shoulders at the terminal portion thereof. Each locking shoulder has an intrusive surface which is disposed into a portion of a respective terminal cavity which includes the shoulder terminus.
Accordingly, provided is a primary terminal lock system, wherein when a female terminal is inserted into its respective terminal cavity commencing at the rear face, the cylindrical sidewall of the first portion pushes upon the intrusive surface with attendant resilient deformation of the locking finger until the second portion is reached, whereupon the locking finger resiliently relaxes and the terminus of the locking shoulder now interferingly engages the terminal abutment, thereby preventing rearward withdrawal of the female terminal through the rear face of the female terminal retainer.
In the preferred embodiment, the plurality of rows and columns of terminal cavities are composed of first, second, third, and forth rows, each row having a plurality of columns (as for example sixteen). The female terminal retainer includes first, second and third sets of locking fingers. The first set of locking fingers is characterized by each locking finger thereof straddling a pair of mutually adjacent terminal cavities at every second columnar position of the first row. The second set of locking fingers is characterized by each locking finger thereof straddling a pair of terminal cavities of the second and third rows having the same columnar position. The third set of locking fingers is characterized, by each locking finger thereof straddling a pair of mutually adjacent terminal cavities of every second columnar position of the fourth row.
The female terminal retainer is received into a female connector housing having a plurality of cavities, each being aligned with a respective terminal cavity. A plurality of access ports are provided in the female connector housing, wherein each access port straddles a respective pair of terminal cavities which are, in turn, straddled by a locking finger.
Another feature of the present invention is a secondary terminal lock system in the form of a U-shaped secondary lock member, which is slidably placed across the front face of the female terminal retainer so that the two mutually parallel lock arms thereof interferingly engage simultaneously the terminal abutment of the female tenninals at all four of the rows and at all columnar positions of each row.
Another feature of the present invention is a first connector half (including the female terminal retainer and the female connector housing), a second connector half carrying male terminals for engagement with the female terminals, and a slide assist system for seating the second connector half into the first connector half. A pair of slide assist members slidably mounted in the first connector half have inclined grooves which receive bosses of the second connector half. A slide assist lever is pivotally mounted to the first connector half, wherein pivoting thereof causes the slide assist members to slide and the bosses to advance in the grooves, thereby causing the second connector half to become fully seated into the first connector half.
Yet another feature of the present invention is pre-staging. At a first pre-stage, a resilient locking arm of each of the slide assist members interferingly abut a respective perimeter of a slot of the first connector half, thereby preventing the slide assist lever from pivoting out of its first (pre-staged) position. A second pre-stage is defined when the second connector half is intermediately inserted into the first connector half such that a pair of nibs on the second connector half become engaged on lips of the first connector half, whereupon the second connector half is heldably received into the first connector half. At the second pre-stage, tabs of the second connector half press upon the locking arms, causing the locking arms to flex out of interfering abutment with the slot perimeter, whereby the slide assist lever may now be pivoted.
The repair method according to the present invention provides for removal and replacement of female terminals after prior assembly. Firstly, the secondary terminal lock system is disabled by the secondary lock member being slidably removed from the front face of the female retainer. A repair tool having a rod is grasped and the rod is inserted into a selected access port until the rod engages a concave ramp on a selected locking finger. As the rod is further inserted, the concave ramp causes the locking finger to resiliently flex so that the locking shoulders thereof move out from their respective terminal cavities and away from the pair of terminals, whereupon the locking shoulders no longer interferingly engage the terminal abutments. Now, either or both of the female terminals may now be rearwardly slid out from the respective terminal cavities.
Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide a high terminal density electrical connector.
It is an additional object of the present invention to provide a high terminal density electrical connector, wherein each pair of terminals is locked in position by a respective resilient locking finger.
It is a further object of the present invention to provide a high terminal density electrical connector, wherein each pair of terminals is locked in position by a respective resilient locking finger, and wherein all the terminals are locked in position collectively by a secondary lock member.
It is another object of the present invention to provide first and second connector halves which are pro-staged relative to each other, wherein each pair of terminals of the firs

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