Socket with a lock

Details Socket with a lock Socket with a lock

1990-05-03

1991-08-20

Bradley, Paula A.

Electrical connectors

Electromagnetic or electrostatic shield

Multi-part shield body

439353, 439 95, H01R 13639, H01R 13648

Patent

active

050410229

DESCRIPTION:

BRIEF SUMMARY
TECHNICAL FIELD

The present invention relates to a socket with a lock which is locked to the mating plug when the plug is put in the socket.


TECHNICAL BACKGROUND

A conventional round, small connector socket disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,637,669 has an electromagnetic shield and relatively firmly holds the mating plug put therein, but since no locking mechanism is provided, the plug may sometimes come out of the socket when the plug cable is pulled inadvertently. In U.S. Pat. No. 4,548,455 (reissued as U.S. Pat. No. 32,864) there is disclosed a connector plug with a lock which is capable of preventing easy disengagement from the socket, but no proposal has been made of a socket with a lock which is suitable for use with an electromagnetically shielded connector plug with a lock.


DISCLOSURE OF THE INVENTION

An object of the present invention is to provide a socket with a lock which prevents easy, accidental unlocking therefrom of the mating plug and which is suitable for use with an electromagnetically shielded connector plug with a lock.
According to the present invention, a plurality of socket contacts are held in a body of a resin material, the body has an annular groove cut therein outside the contacts, and a ring-shaped metal cover is inserted in the annular groove along its outer peripheral surface. The cover has an engaging edge for locking use and inwardly protruding lugs.
When a plug with a lock is inserted into the socket with a lock, a projection on an elastic tongue of the plug is engaged with the engaging edge of the cover, by which the plug is locked to the socket. Even if a plug with no lock is put in the socket, it is sufficiently retained by the inwardly protruding lugs.


BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a sectional view illustrating an embodiment of the present invention; and
FIG. 2 is its exploded perspective view.


BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION

FIGS. 1 and 2 illustrate an embodiment of the present invention. A body 11 made of a resin material has a plurality of contact receiving holes 12 bored therethrough in the front-to-back direction, and each contact receiving hole 12 has disposed therein a socket contact 13. In the front of the body 11 there is cut an annular groove 14 outside the socket contacts 13, defining a columnar portion 11a of the body. The columnar portion 11a has a guide groove 10 cut in its outer peripheral surface and extending in its axial direction. The guide groove 10 guides a slidable support piece of the mating plug with a lock (not shown) when it is coupled with the socket of the present invention.
A metallic ring-shaped cover 15 is inserted into the annular groove 14 along its inner peripheral surface. The cover 15 is formed by cutting and stamping sheet metal and then rolling it into a ring-like form so that its two ends are opposite each other with a gap 15a defined therebetween, and in this example the angular position of the gap 15a is spaced apart from the guide groove 10. In this example the front marginal edge of the cover 15 is not tapered, and hence the cover has about the same outer diameter in its entirety. The outer diameter of the cover is a little smaller than the outer diameter of the annular groove 14 to such an extent that the cover does not play in the annular groove 14. Between the inner peripheral surface of the cover 15 and the outer peripheral surface of the columnar portion 11 there is defined a gap 14a (FIG. 1) into which a cylindrical metal cover of the mating plug (not shown) is inserted. The cover 15 has an engaging edge 16 for locking use, which lies above the groove 10. In this example a slot 16a of about the same width as the guide groove 10 is cut into the cover 15 to a predetermined depth from its rear edge to form the engaging edge 16 at the forward end of the slot 16a. When the mating plug with a lock is inserted into the socket of the present invention, a projection of an elastic tongue of the mating plug is engaged with the engaging edge 16 and at the same time a slidable support piece (not shown)

REFERENCES:
patent: 4493525 (1985-01-01), Hall et al.
patent: 4548455 (1985-10-01), Ezure
patent: 4637669 (1987-01-01), Tajima
patent: 4842555 (1989-06-01), Cosmos et al.
patent: 4894026 (1990-01-01), Dixon et al.
patent: 4936795 (1990-06-01), Kawai et al.
patent: 4938714 (1990-07-01), Kawai et al.
patent: 4946400 (1990-08-01), Kawai et al.

Affiliated with

Also associated with

Rating

Socket with a lock does not yet have a rating. At this time, there are no reviews or comments for this patent.

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

Rate now

Comments { 0 }

Profile ID: LFUS-PAI-O-1005131