Divided connector

Details Divided connector Divided connector

2001-12-19

2003-03-18

Bradley, P. Austin (Department: 2833)

Electrical connectors

With coupling movement-actuating means or retaining means in...

Retaining means

C439S695000, C439S686000, C439S598000

Reexamination Certificate

active

06533602

ABSTRACT:

TECHNICAL FIELD
The present invention relates to a divided electrical connector.
BACKGROUND TO THE INVENTION
FIG. 10
of this specification shows a divided connector described in JP 5-94967. This divided connector is provided with: a sub connector housing
101
capable of housing male terminal fittings
100
; and a frame
102
which houses the sub connector housing
101
. Locking members
103
and lock receiving members
106
, these mutually engaging to lock the sub connector housing
101
and the frame
102
together, are formed on the sub connector housing
101
and the frame
102
. The locking members
103
protrude as a pair from upper and lower sides of outer wall faces
101
A of the sub connector housing
101
. Grooves
105
are formed in inner wall faces
102
A of the frame
102
at locations corresponding to the locking members
103
. Innermost ends of the grooves
105
extend as far as the inner wall faces
102
A, and are perpendicular thereto. These innermost ends form the lock receiving members
106
.
After the sub connector housing
101
and the frame
102
have been joined together, they may need to be separated for maintenance or the like. In that case, a releasing jig, such as a miniature screwdriver, is inserted from the opening direction of the grooves
105
(the direction of the arrow A in
FIG. 10
) and a tip of the jig is inserted between the locking members
103
and the lock receiving members. The tip of the jig moves the inner wall faces
102
A and the outer wall faces
101
A in a direction of mutual separation, releasing the lock.
When the releasing jig performs the releasing operation, the lock receiving member
106
is sometimes scraped by the tip of the releasing jig, causing this lock receiving member
106
to be damaged. This weakens the engaging force between the locking members
103
and the lock receiving members
106
.
The present invention has taken the above problem into consideration, and aims to present a divided connector wherein the engaging force of the lock is not weakened when the sub connector housing and the frame are separated by the jig.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
According to the invention there is provided a connector comprising a sub connector body adapted to receive terminal fittings of electric wires, and a peripheral frame for the sub connector body, said body and frame having a latch comprising a resilient arm on one of said body and frame, and an abutment on the other of said body and frame, said abutment being engageable with said arm to maintain said body and frame in a predetermined relative position; characterized in that said latch is releasable by engagement of a tool with a first region thereof, a second region of said latch comprising engagement surfaces of said arm and abutment.
Preferably the second region extends on either side of the first region, and in a preferred embodiment these regions are co-planar. The regions are preferably provided on the resilient arm. In the preferred embodiment a guide channel is provided for the latch releasing tool, preferably in said abutment, and preferably in the form of a groove.


REFERENCES:
patent: 5122077 (1992-06-01), Maejima et al.
patent: 5320564 (1994-06-01), Anderson
patent: 5683272 (1997-11-01), Abe et al.
patent: 5-94967 (1993-12-01), None

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