Electrical connectors – With coupling movement-actuating means or retaining means in... – Retaining means
Reexamination Certificate
2000-05-10
2001-07-10
Bradley, Paula (Department: 2833)
Electrical connectors
With coupling movement-actuating means or retaining means in...
Retaining means
C439S034000, C439S076200, C439S378000, C439S595000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06257918
ABSTRACT:
FIELD OF INVENTION
The present invention relates to a connector, for example, which is used for a wire harness of an automotive vehicle, and particularly to a connector in which the operability for a harnessing is improved.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
It has long been known to use connectors for wire harnesses of an automotive vehicle. Typically these connectors are of a type where a plug housing, supporting therein a female contact terminating the wire material and a cap housing, mounted on a printed circuit board and supporting a male contact, are fitted by fastening a bolt.
However, in this kind of conventional connector, a screw portion of a screwing bolt protrudes out of an outer portion of a plug housing. The protruding bolt frequently gets caught in the wire material, thereby significantly reducing the efficiency of the harnessing operation.
Further, in conventional products, there is provided means for locking the female contact terminating the wire material at two stages (an initial lock and a final lock). However, there is a disadvantage that when the bolt is fastened without operating this means, the bolt and the nut may serve the connector components as they are. Once the connector is fastened in this manner, the connection between the male and female contacts is poor.
An object of the present invention is to solve the disadvantage of the conventional water-proof contact mentioned above.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
In order to achieve the object mentioned above, in accordance with the present invention, there is provided a connector comprising a plug housing assembly supporting a plurality of female contacts thereon, and a cap housing assembly fitted to the plug housing assembly and mounting a plurality of male contacts electrically connected to the female contacts respectively thereon, in which the plug housing assembly has a bolt rotatably passing through the plug housing assembly and a locking plate for holding the male contacts within the plug housing assembly, wherein the cap housing assembly has a cavity receiving the plug housing assembly and a nut portion provided on a bottom portion of the cavity and meshed with the bolt, wherein a nut receiving recess receiving the nut portion when both housing assemblies are fitted to each other is provided in the plug housing assembly, a screw portion of the bolt is exposed within the nut receiving recess without protruding outward from the plug housing assembly, and wherein the locking plate depressibly protrudes an actuator for operating the locking plate on a circumferential surface of the plug housing assembly.
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Bradley Paula
Hoffman & Baron LLP
Nguyen Truc
Thomas & Betts International Inc.
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