Electrical connectors – With coupling movement-actuating means or retaining means in... – Retaining means
Reexamination Certificate
2003-08-22
2004-12-21
Ta, Tho D. (Department: 2833)
Electrical connectors
With coupling movement-actuating means or retaining means in...
Retaining means
C439S358000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06832928
ABSTRACT:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to a connector assembly used to connect electrical wires to each other, or to connect circuit boards and electrical wires, etc., and a connector used in the same.
BACKGROUND
Connectors are used in a wide variety of applications to connect one set of wires to a second set of wires, or to connect a set of wires to a circuit board, or the like. An existing connector
100
is described in Japanese Utility Model Application Kokai No. S56-5385, and shown in
FIG. 9
(A). The connector
100
has an insulating housing
110
. The housing
110
has four contact passageways
111
in a lower row, and two contact passageways
111
in an upper row. Furthermore, a connecting plate part
113
which connects a pair of housing walls
112
that define the two contact passageways
111
of the upper row is disposed on the facing surfaces of these two housing walls
112
, and a cantilevered latching arm
114
extends rearward (toward the left in
FIG. 9
(A)) from the central portion of the connecting plate part
113
. A latching projection
115
is protrudes from the fixed end portion of the latching arm
114
that is fastened to the connecting plate part
113
so that this latching projection
115
straddles the upper surfaces of the latching arm
114
and connecting plate part
113
. An operating part
116
for releasing the latching arm
114
protrudes from the rear end portion of the latching arm
114
that is located on the opposite end of the latching arm
114
from the fixed end portion (i.e., the free end of the cantilevered latching arm). The upper surface of the latching arm
114
and the upper surface of the connecting plate part
113
are coplanar with the upper surfaces of the housing walls
112
. Electrical contacts (not shown in the figures), that are connected to electrical wires, are accommodated inside the contact passageways
111
of the housing
110
.
The connector
100
is configured to mate with a mating connector not shown in the figures. When the connector
100
mates with the mating connector, electrical contacts connected to electrical wires disposed in the mating connector and the electrical contacts of the connector
100
contact each other, such that the two sets of electrical wires are electrically connected to each other. When the two connectors are mated, the latching projection
115
formed on the latching arm
114
of the connector
100
is latched in a latching part (not shown in the figures) formed in the mating connector, such that both connectors are mated and fastened together. Then, to release the mating of the two connectors, the operating part
116
disposed on the latching arm
114
of the connector
100
is pressed downward, causing the latching arm
114
to be elastically deformed downward such that the latching of the latching projection
115
is released.
Another existing connector
200
, shown in
FIG. 9
(B), has a construction that is basically similar to that of the connector
100
shown in
FIG. 9
(A). However, the manner of attachment of the connecting plate part
213
, latching arm
214
and latching projection
215
to the housing walls
212
differs from the manner of attachment of the connecting plate part
113
, latching arm
114
and latching projection
115
to the housing walls
112
in connector
100
.
Specifically, a connecting plate part
213
which connects a pair of housing walls
212
that define the two contact accommodating compartments
211
of the upper row is disposed on substantially the intermediate portions (with respect to the vertical direction) of the two housing walls
212
. Also, a latching projection
215
protrudes in an upright position from the central portion (in the lengthwise direction) of the upper surface of the connecting plate part
213
. A cantilevered latching arm
214
extends rearward (toward the left in
FIG. 9
(B)) from this latching projection
215
. An operating part
216
for operating the latching arm
214
is formed so that it protrudes from the rear end portion of the latching arm
214
located on the opposite end of the latching arm
214
from the fixed end portion that is fastened to the latching projection
215
(i.e., from the free end of the cantilevered latching arm). Moreover, only the upper surface of the latching arm
214
is coplanar with the upper surfaces of the housing walls
212
.
Yet another existing connector
300
, shown in
FIG. 10
(and described in Japanese Patent Application Kokai No. 2000-77138) can be used to electrically connect electrical wires to each other. The connector
300
comprises an insulating housing
310
. The housing
310
has a plurality of contact passageways
311
in two rows (upper and lower). A pivoting latching arm
312
is disposed above the contact passageways
311
on the housing
310
, and a latching projection
313
is formed on the rear tip end (toward the left in
FIG. 10
) of the latching arm
312
. Moreover, a protective wall
314
, which covers and protects the latching arm
312
from above, is disposed on the housing
310
. Electrical contacts (not shown in the figure) are accommodated inside the contact passageways
311
of the housing
310
and connected to a set of electrical wires.
This connector
300
mates with a mating connector
400
. Mating connector
400
has electrical contacts
411
that are connected to a second set of electrical wires and disposed in the mating connector
400
. When the connector
300
mates with the mating connector
400
the electrical contacts of the connector
300
and the mating connector
400
contact each other, such that the two sets of electrical wires are electrically connected to each other. When the two connectors
300
and
400
are mated, the latching projection
313
formed on the latching arm
312
of the connector
300
is latched on a latching projecting part
412
formed on the mating housing
410
, so that the two connectors
300
and
400
are mated and fastened together.
Since the upper surfaces of the latching arms
114
and
214
of connectors
100
and
200
are coplanar with the upper surfaces of the housing walls
112
and
212
, a low connector height is achieved, However, since these latching arms
114
and
214
have an exposed construction, the latching arms
114
and
214
cannot be protected.
In the case of the connector
300
shown in
FIG. 10
, on the other hand, since a protective wall
314
that covers and protects the latching arm
312
from above is disposed on the housing
310
, the latching arm
312
can be protected. However, since the latching arm
312
is disposed above the contact passageways
311
, a low connector height cannot be achieved.
SUMMARY
According to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention, a connector and connector assembly are provided that have a protected latching arm and low profile or height. This exemplary connector assembly comprises a first connector and a second connector that are mated with each other. The first connector has a plurality of contact passageways that are disposed in a single row, a latching arm which is disposed between two adjacent contact passageways and pivotally connected to the tubular walls defining these contact passageways, and a top wall which also connects tubular walls defining the two contact passageways so that this top wall covers the latching arm. The second connector has mating apertures that receive the tubular walls defining the contact passageways, and a catch, such as a projection, shoulder, or the like, that is latch-engaged with the latching arm.
In one exemplary embodiment of the present invention the latching arm of the first connector has an optional rib that extends in the direction of mating, and the catch of the second connector has a groove that guides the rib.
REFERENCES:
patent: 5827086 (1998-10-01), Fukuda
patent: 6254417 (2001-07-01), Pan
patent: 6609833 (2003-08-01), Miyachi et al.
patent: 56-5385 (1981-01-01), None
patent: 1981-5385 (1981-01-01), None
patent: 2000-77138 (2000-03-01), None
patent: 2000077138 (2000-03-01), None
Snyder Barley
Ta Tho D.
Tyco Electronics AMP K.K.
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