EP0020834B1

EP0020834B1 - An electrical connector assembly and a latching member for such an assembly

Info

Publication number: EP0020834B1
Application number: EP19790301257
Authority: EP
Inventors: Charles Harry Weidler; Richard Lee Marks
Original assignee: AMP Inc
Current assignee: TE Connectivity Corp
Priority date: 1979-06-28
Filing date: 1979-06-28
Publication date: 1983-11-09
Also published as: DE2966387D1; HK3287A; EP0020834A1

Description

We have disclosed in DE―A1―2,819,868, an electrical connector assembly comprising an insulating housing having a mating face and a wire-receiving face, side walls and end walls extending between these faces, a plurality of terminal-receiving cavities extending through the housing from the wire-receiving face to the mating face, and each containing an electrical terminal having a wire-receiving portion adjacent to the wire-receiving face, the housing having wire-admitting openings to permit wires received in the wire-receiving portions of the terminals to extend from the housing laterally of the cavities; and cover means detachably interengageable with a portion of the housing so as to be in covering relationship with the wire-receiving face thereof; the cover means comprising end parts each comprising a substantially rectangular web from each of two opposite margins of which extends a flange, these flanges extending from the margins of the web in the same direction as one another.
This known connector assembly is intended to be mated with juxtaposed terminal posts extending from a panel. The present invention is intended to provide means for mounting the housing in an opening, in a panel so that the assembly can be disengageably mated with a complementary electrical connector in accordance with common wiring practice. The cover means of the known assembly cannot serve this purpose. Multi-terminal electrical connectors having latch arms formed integrally therewith and by means of which they can be mounted in panels, are known, for example, from FR-A-2,153,752, CH-A5-561,965, US-A-2,891,103, US-A-3,179,738, US-A-3,337,865, US-A-3,514,743 and US-A-3,573,716. However, to provide latch arms formed integrally with a connector according to DE-A1-2,819,868 would be to forgo desirable features of the connector. For example, one important advantage of the connector of DE-A 1-2,819,868 is that wires can be connected to the terminals of the connector by means of automatic or semi-automatic wire insertion machines as disclosed, for example, in US-A-4,137,624.
According to one aspect of the invention, an electrical connector assembly according to the first paragraph of this specification is characterised in that each end part comprises an end wall extending from one of the two adjacent margins of the web in the same direction as the flanges, the web, the flanges and the end wall co-operating to define a pocket for receiving an end of the housing, each flange having a projection directed inwardly of the pocket, a latch arm extending from the end wall in the same direction thereas and having on its side remote from the web a latching shoulder positioned beyond the end wall, the latch arm being flexible transversely of the plane of the end wall and the latching shoulder facing the web, the cover means comprising an extruded central portion covering the central part of the wire-receiving face of the housing and two end pieces in the form of separate mouldings, which constitute said end parts, flanges on the central portion and the flanges on the end parts engaging over projections on the side walls of the housing.
The said central portion can conventiently be cut to length from a plastics extrusion.
According to another aspect of the invention, a moulded thermoplastics latching member for assembly to an elongate, substantially, rectangular, electrical connector housing having a mating face a wire-receiving face and a plurality of terminal-receiving cavities extending between these faces, the latching member comprising a hooked flexible latch arm extending from a body portion of the latching member, is characterised in that the body portion comprises a substantially rectangular web from each of two opposite margins of which extends a flange, the flanges extending from the margins of the web in the same direction as one another, an end wall extending from one of the two adjacent margins of the web in the same direction as the flanges, the web, the flanges and the end wall co-operating to define a substantially rectangular pocket for receiving an end of the housing, each flange having a projection directed inwardly of the pocket, the latch arm extending in the same direction as the end wall and having on its side remote from the web, a latching shoulder, positioned beyond the end wall, the latch arm being flexible transversely of the plane of the end wall and the latching shoulder being substantially parallel to the web.
For a better understanding of the invention reference will now be made by way of example to the accompanying drawings in which:

Figure 1 is an enlarged longitudinal sectional view of an electrical plug connector;
Figure 2 is a fragmentary perspective view of mounting means for the connector;
Figure 3 is a plan view showing the plug connector when mounted in the opening in a panel with the aid of the mounting means of Figure 2, which has been assembled to the plug connector;
Figure 4 is a perspective, partially exploded, view showing an assembly comprising an electrical plug connector mated with an electrical socket connector, the plug connector being mounted in an opening in a panel with the aid of mounting means;
Figure 5 is a view taken on the lines V-V of Figure 4;
Figure 6 is a partially exploded fragmentary plan view of Figure 4 shown partly in section; and
Figure 7 is a perspective view of insulating housings of the plug connector and the socket connector of Figures 4 to 6.

As shown in Figure 3, and electrical connector assembly 2 comprises and electrical plug connector having an insulating housing 4 and mounting means in the form of a tripartite cover means 142, 156, described below, mounted over a wire receiving face 10 (Figure 1) of the housing 4.
The housing 4 is in the form of a rectangular body moulded from thermoplastics material, for example a filled nylon, and has a mating face 8, directed oppositely to the wire-receiving face 10, side walls 12 and 14, and end walls 16 which extend between the faces 8 and 10. A plurality of terminal-receiving cavities 18 (Figure 1) extend through the housing 4 between the faces 8 and 10, each cavity 18 having a pin-receiving opening 20 at the mating face 8 and a larger, wire-receiving opening 21 at the wire-receiving face 10. A terminal 22 contained in each cavity 18, one of which cavities is shown in Figure 1, has a wire-receiving portion proximate to the wire-receiving face 10, and comprising a bight 24 from which arms 26 and 28 extend towards the mating face 8. The arm 26 is substantially straight while the arm 28 has, intermediate its ends, and inwardly bowed contact portion 30 part of which extends obliquely towards the arm 26, and part 32 of which extends obliquely away from the arm 26. A contact pin 114 of a mating connector (not shown) is received between the arms 26 and 28.
As shown in Figure 1, each terminal 22 is supported in its cavity 18 by shoulders 34 provided on opposed internal walls 36 of the cavity 18 which walls extend normally of the side walls 12 and 14. Additional shoulders (not shown) may be provided for co-operation with shoulders (not shown) on the contact arm 28 further to support the terminal 22. Each terminal 22 has a locking tang 40 struck from its arm 26 and which extends into an opening 42 in the side wall 12 to restrain withdrawal of the terminal 22 from-its cavity 18. A wire-receiving slot (not shown) in the bight 24 communicates with wire-receiving slots (not shown) in the arms 26 and 28, the cavity 18 being enlarged at the face 10 as shown at 44 to permit, in co-operation with wire admitting slots 56, described below, a wire 3 to be moved into the cavity 18 through the opening 21 and into the slots in the arm 26 and 28 by way of the slot in the bight 24. By virtue of such enlargement of the cavity 18, the side wall 12 has an external rectangular boss 46 presenting a shoulder 48 which faces away from the opening 21.
Spaced ribs 54 on the side wall 14 extend from the wire-receiving face 10 towards the mating face 8, a tapered lip 58 projecting outwardly from each of the ribs 54, at the face 10, presenting a shoulder 57 facing in the direction of the mating face 8. The wire-admitting slots 56 are provided in the side wall 14 between adjacent ribs 54 and communicate with the cavities 18 to permit each wire 3 to extend laterally through one of the slots 56 as shown in Figure 1. Advantageously, the walls of the slots 56 converge towards the face 10 to restrain withdrawal of the wires 3 from the openings 56, and to serve as strain relief means for the wires 3.
An electrical connector having terminals similar to the terminals 22 and being similarly supported in a housing is described in detail in DE-A-2819868.
As shown in Figures 2 and 3, the cover means comprises an extruded central portion in the form of a cover 142 for the central part of the face 10 of the housing 4 and a pair of separate, moulded, cover end pieces 156. The cover 142 is of uniform cross-section throughout its length and comprises a web 144, having a shorter flange 146 extending normally from one margin of the web 144 and a longer flange having a portion 150 extending in the same direction from the opposite margin of the web 144 normally thereof, and an inwardly directed portion 152 from the inner edge of which extends, normally of the portion 152, a tongue 154 parallel to the portion 150. The flange 146 terminates in an upstanding rib 148.
Each end piece 156, which is shaped in rotational symmetry with the other end piece 156, comprises a web 158 from opposite margins of which extend flanges 160 and 170, shaped exactly to match the flanges 146 and 150, respectively, of the cover 142, an end wall 164 extending from an adjacent margin of the web 158 to define in co-operation with the web 158 and the flanges 160 and 170, a pocket for receiving one end of the housing 4. On the internal surface of the web 158 is a boss 166 adapted to enter the housing 4 at its wire-receiving end, to stabilize the end piece 156 on the housing 4. Each end piece 156 has a latch arm 168 with a latching end 169 having a latching shoulder 167, the arm 168 extending from the wall 164 between end portions 162 and 162' and having abutment faces 163 and 163', respectively. The flange 170 is displaceable so that an inwardly directed projection 171 thereof can be snapped over the boss 46 of housing 4, by virtue of a slot 165.
As shown in Figure 3, the cover 142 and the end pieces 156 can be employed to mount the housing 4 in the opening 92 of the panel 90.
The end pieces 156 can be used in conjunction with a cover 142 of any desired length, to accommodate a connector housing 4 of corresponding length. A cover 142 can conveniently be cut to the desired length from a plastics extrusion (not shown).
The housing 4 may, for example, be mounted on the panel 90 with the mating face thereof against one side of the panel to mate the terminals of the housing with mating terminals (not shown) projecting from the one side of the panel. In this case a hole is made in the panel to receive each latch arm, the latch arms being longer than the latch arms described above and, the end portions of the cover member or of the end pieces, also being made suitably longer.
Reference will now be made to Figures 4 to 7. Mounting means in the form of end pieces 202 are intended for assembly either to a plug connector housing 204 or to a socket connector housing 206 each of which is best seen in Figure 7, for the purpose of mounting the housing 204 or 206 in an opening 208 in a panel 210, having opposite sides 212 and 214.
The housing 204, which has been moulded from thermoplastics material, has a mating face 216, a wire-receiving face 218, side walls 220 and 222 and end walls 224 extending between the faces 216 and 218. A plurality of terminal-receiving cavities 226 extends through the housing 204 between the faces 216 and 218. Terminals 228, which are identical with the terminals 22 described above, are similarly received and supported in the cavities 226 of the housing, the terminals 228 having wire-receiving portions 230 near the face 218 and receptacles 232 for receiving pins 290 of mating terminals 289 in cavities 291 in the housing 206, which terminals are identical with the terminals 104 described above. The terminals 289 have wire receiving portions 293.
Wires 234 are electrically connected to the portions 230 in the same way as the wires 3 are connected to the wire-receiving portions of the terminals 22, as described above, the wires 234 extending through slots 236 in the wall 222.
A lip 238 extending across the wall 220 at the wire-receiving face 218 presents a shoulder 240 facing in the direction of the mating face 216, lips 242 provided on the wall 222, between the slots 236, presenting shoulders 244 facing in the same direction as the shoulder 240.
As seen in plan view in Figure 6, each end piece 202 is subtantially L-shaped, having first and second arms 246 and 248, respectively, having internal surfaces 250 and 252 which meet to define a pocket to receive one side of the wire-receiving end of the housing 204. As best seen in Figure 6, a latch arm 270 has a barb 276 presenting an outwardly extending latching-shoulder 278, and being formed on the free end of a cranked shaft 274 connected at 272 to a wall 268 of an outer recess 249 in the arm 248. The arm 246 has two identical flanges 258, one on each of two opposite sides of the surface 250 and being arranged in rotational symmetry, each flange 258 having an inwardly projecting lip 260 and being dimensioned to engage over one of the lips 238 and 242 of the housing 204, when the end piece 202 has been assembled thereto, so that shoulders 261 of the lips 260 bear against the shoulders 240 and 244 of the lips 238 and 242. The arm 248 is divided into two portions 249 for the same purpose as the portions 162 and 162' of the end pieces 1 56 described above.
The portions 249 are, however, identical, being arranged in rotational symmetry, each portion 249 having an abutment face 264 from which projects a key 266. A rectangular boss 254 is provided on the surface 250.
In order to mount the housing 204 in the opening 208 in the panel 210, an end piece 202 is pushed onto each end of the terminal receiving end of the housing 204, as will be apparent from Figures 4 and 6, so that the flanges 258 are cammed outwardly by engagement with the lips 238 and 242 and then snap there over, the bosses 254 being snugly received in the cavities 226 to stabilize the end pieces 202 with respect to the housing 204. The housing 204 with the end pieces 202 thereon, is then moved through the opening 208 in the panel 210 from its side 212, with the mating face 216 of the housing 204 leading, the latch arms 270 being cammed towards one another by the walls of the opening 208 until the barbs 276 thereof pass these walls.
The housing 204 is stabilized in the opening 208 by virtue of the abutment of the faces 264 against the side 212 of the panel 210 and the engagement of the keys 266 in the opening 208 (as shown in Figure 5), the shoulders 278 of the latch arms 270 bearing against the opposite side 214 of the panel 210.
The socket connector housing 206 has a mating face 216', a wire-receiving face 218', side walls 220' and 222' and end walls 224'. A recess 207' in the housing 206 is dimensioned to receive the plug housing 204, as best seen in Figure 5. The housing 206 has a latch member 292 (Figure 5) for engaging complementary ribs 286 on the wall 220 of the housing 204 as shown in Figure 5, a handle 285 being provided on the side wall 220' between slots 284 therein, for disengaging the member 292 from the ribs 286. Wires 234' extend through slots 236' in the wall 222'.
As shown in Figure 5, the wire-receiving face 218' of the housing 206 is enclosed by a cover member 288 having flanges 295 clipped over lips 238' and 242' at the wire-receiving face 218'. An identical cover member (not shown) may be employed to enclose the wire-receiving face 218 of the housing 204, between the end pieces 202. The cover member 288 may be made by plastics extrusion as in the case of the cover member 142.
The end pieces 202 may be similarly assembled to the housing 206 for mounting it in a hole in a panel.
Since each end piece 202 is symmetrical about a plane perpendicular to, and bisecting, the surface 252, i.e. a plane parallel to the side walls 220 and 222 and bisecting the wire-receiving and the mating faces 218 and 216, the end piece 202 can be assembled to either end of the housing 204 or 206.

Claims

1. An electrical connector assembly comprising an electrical connector including an insulating housing (4, 204 or 206) having a mating face (8, 216 or 216') and a wire-receiving face (10, 218 or 218'), side walls (12 and 14; or 220 and 222 or 220' and 222') and end walls (16 or 224) extending between these faces (8, 216, or 216' and 10, 218 or 218') a plurality of terminal-receiving cavities (18, 226 or 291) extending through the housing (4, 204 or 206) from the wire-receiving face (10, 218 or 218') to the mating face (8, 216 or 216'), and each containing an electrical terminal (22, 228 or 289) having a wire-receiving portion (24, 230 or 293) adjacent to the wire-receiving face (10, 218 or 218'), the housing (4, 204 or 206) having wire admitting openings (56 or 236) to permit wires (3, 234 or 234') received in the wire-receiving portions (24, 230 or 293) of the terminals (22, 228 or 289) to extend from the housing (4, 204, 206) laterally of the cavities (18, 226 and 291); and cover means (142, 156 or 202) detachably interengageable with a portion (48, 238 or 239) of the housing (4, 204 or 206) so as to be in covering relationship with the wire-receiving face (10, 218 or 218') thereof; the cover means (142, 156 or 202) comprising end parts (156 or 202) each comprising a substantially rectangular web (158 or 250) from each of two opposite margins of which extends a flange (160 and 170 or 258) these flanges extending from the margins of the web (158 or 250) in the same direction as one another; characterised in that each end part (156 or 202) comprises an end wall (164 or 252) extending from one of the two adjacent margins of the web (158 or 250) in the same direction as the flanges (160 and 170 or 258), the web (158 or 250), the flanges (160 and 170, or 258) and the end wall (164 or 252) co-operating to define a pocket for receiving an end of the housing (4, 204 or 206), each flange having a projection (161 and 171 or 260) directed inwardly of the pocket, a latch arm (168 or 270) extending from the end wall (164 or 252) in the same direction thereas and having on its side remote from the web (168 or 250) a latching shoulder (167 or 278) positioned beyond the end wall (164 or 252), the latch arm being flexible transversely of the plane of the end wall and the latching shoulder (167 or 278) facing the web (158 or 250), the cover means comprising an extruded central portion (142 or 288) covering the central part of the wire-receiving face (10, 218 or 218') of the housing (4, 204 or 206) and two end pieces (156 or 202) in the form of separate mouldings, which constitute said end parts, flanges (146, 150 or 295) on the central portion (142 or 288) and the flanges (160 and 170 or 258) on the end parts (156 or 202) engaging over projections (46 and 58 or 238 and 242) on the side walls (12 and 14; or 220 and 222; or 220' and 222') of the housing (4, 204 or 206).

2. An assembly according to Claim 1, characterised in that each end piece (202) is formed symmetrically about a plane parallel to the side walls (220 and 222 and 220' and 222') and bisecting the wire-receiving and the mating faces (218 and 216 or 218' and 216') of the housing (204 or 206).

3. A moulded thermoplastics latching member (156 or 202) for assembly to an elongate, substantially rectangular, electrical connector housing (4, 204 or 206) having a mating face (8, 216 or 216') and a wire-receiving face (10, 218, 218') and a plurality of terminal-receiving cavities (18, 226 or 291) extending between these faces, the latching member (156 or 202) comprising a hooked flexible latch arm (168 or 270) extending from a body portion (158, 164 or 250, 252, 258) of the latching member (156 or 202), characterised in that the body portion comprises a substantially rectangular web (158 or 250) from each of two opposite margins of which extends a flange (160, 170, or 258) extending from the margins of the web (158 or 250) in the same direction as one another, an end wall (164 or 252) extending from one of the two adjacent margins of the web (158 or 250) in the same direction as the flanges (160 and 170 or 258), the web (158 or 250), the flanges (160 and 170 or 258) and the end wall (164 or 252) co-operating to define a substantially rectangular pocket for receiving an end of the housing (4, 204 or 206), each flange having a projection (161, 171 or 260) directed inwardly of the pocket, the latch arm (168 or 270) extending in the same direction as the end wall (164 or 252) and having on its side remote from the web (158 or 250), a latching shoulder (167 or 278), positioned beyond the end wall (164 or 252), the latch arm (168 or 270) being flexible transversely of the plane of the end wall (164 or 252), and the latching shoulder (167 or 278) being substantially parallel to the web (158 or 250).

4. A latching member according to Claim 3, characterised in that a pair of elongate end portions (162' or 248) project from the end wall (164 or 252) on either side of the latch arm (168 or 270) each end portion (162 and 162' or 248) terminating in an abutment surface (162 or 264) facing towards the latching shoulder (167 or 278) of the latch arm (168 or 270), but being spaced therefrom and lying between the end wall (164 or 252) and the latching shoulder (167 or 278).

5. A latching member according to Claim 3, characterised in that the flanges (258) are identical with one another but are arranged in rotational symmetry, the elongate end portions (248) also being identical with one another and being arranged in rotational symmetry.

6. A latching member according to Claim 4 or 5, characterised in that each elongate end portion (248) has a key (266) extending from its abutment surface (264).