EP0654855B1 - Connecteur électrique avec moyens de rétention améliorés - Google Patents

Connecteur électrique avec moyens de rétention améliorés Download PDF

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Publication number
EP0654855B1
EP0654855B1 EP19930117133 EP93117133A EP0654855B1 EP 0654855 B1 EP0654855 B1 EP 0654855B1 EP 19930117133 EP19930117133 EP 19930117133 EP 93117133 A EP93117133 A EP 93117133A EP 0654855 B1 EP0654855 B1 EP 0654855B1
Authority
EP
European Patent Office
Prior art keywords
terminal
latch
passageway
electrical connector
pair
Prior art date
Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
Expired - Lifetime
Application number
EP19930117133
Other languages
German (de)
English (en)
Other versions
EP0654855A1 (fr
Inventor
Uwe Schwarz
Current Assignee (The listed assignees may be inaccurate. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation or warranty as to the accuracy of the list.)
Molex LLC
Original Assignee
Molex LLC
Priority date (The priority date is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the date listed.)
Filing date
Publication date
Application filed by Molex LLC filed Critical Molex LLC
Priority to DE1993618840 priority Critical patent/DE69318840T2/de
Priority to EP19930117133 priority patent/EP0654855B1/fr
Publication of EP0654855A1 publication Critical patent/EP0654855A1/fr
Application granted granted Critical
Publication of EP0654855B1 publication Critical patent/EP0654855B1/fr
Anticipated expiration legal-status Critical
Expired - Lifetime legal-status Critical Current

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Classifications

    • H—ELECTRICITY
    • H01—ELECTRIC ELEMENTS
    • H01R—ELECTRICALLY-CONDUCTIVE CONNECTIONS; STRUCTURAL ASSOCIATIONS OF A PLURALITY OF MUTUALLY-INSULATED ELECTRICAL CONNECTING ELEMENTS; COUPLING DEVICES; CURRENT COLLECTORS
    • H01R13/00—Details of coupling devices of the kinds covered by groups H01R12/70 or H01R24/00 - H01R33/00
    • H01R13/40—Securing contact members in or to a base or case; Insulating of contact members
    • H01R13/405—Securing in non-demountable manner, e.g. moulding, riveting
    • H01R13/415—Securing in non-demountable manner, e.g. moulding, riveting by permanent deformation of contact member

Definitions

  • This invention relates to an electrical connector according to the preamble of claims 1, 7 and 12 as well as to a method of assembling such an electrical connector according to claim 9.
  • a wide variety of electrical connectors include dielectric housings within which are secured a plurality of metallic contact terminals by mechanical means.
  • terminals usually were retained within connector housings by molding the housing around the terminals, potting the terminals within the housing or force fitting the terminals in passageways for permanent retention.
  • small terminals most often have been stamped and formed from thin sheet metal material, with the terminals including locking lances or fingers which protrude at an appropriate angle laterally to engage behind stop surfaces within the housing passageway to secure the terminals against withdrawal.
  • the locking fingers are resilient and deflect inwardly toward the terminal during insertion of the terminal into a passageway in the connector housing, and then the locking fingers spring back and engage behind the stop surfaces.
  • Another typical terminal retention means employs locking fingers on the plastic housing extending into the terminal-receiving passageway.
  • the locking fingers on the housing initially are deflected by the terminal during insertion and then spring back and engage behind stop surface means on the terminal upon full insertion.
  • US-A-3 500 299 avoids these problems by an electrical connecting device which comprises a plug casting having a hole for receiving a stamped metal pin structure.
  • the pin structure comprises fixed shoulder means on one end and a bendable locking lug on the opposite end which is bendable onto a shoulder of the plug casting.
  • An object, therefore, of this invention is to provide an improved terminal retention means or system wherein conventional stamped and formed terminals are very simply secured tightly within their connector housing passageways by deformable locking fingers.
  • an electrical connector is disclosed with a dielectric housing having at least one terminal-receiving passageway defining a terminal-insertion axis.
  • the housing includes at least a pair of latch shoulders in the passageway.
  • a terminal is insertable along the axis into the passageway.
  • the terminal includes at least a pair of latch arms for latching behind the latch shoulders to prevent removal of the terminal from the passageway.
  • the latch arms of the terminal be a deformable member which are permanently deformable from a first, insertion position to a second, latching position.
  • the latch arms are juxtaposed along the terminal to permit insertion of the terminal into the passageway.
  • the latch arms are deformed transversely from the first position into engagement with the latch shoulders to prevent removal of the terminal from the passageway.
  • the terminal is stamped and formed from sheet metal material and includes a mating end, a terminating end and an intermediate body portion therebetween.
  • the body portion is generally box-shaped as defined by a plurality of side walls.
  • the latch arms are on one of the side walls and are generally planar portions of the terminal. The latch arms are deformable in a direction generally parallel to the plane of the arms.
  • the invention also contemplates a method of assembling an electrical connector which includes terminals having latch arms permanently deformable into engagement with latch shoulders within terminal-receiving passageways of the connector housing to prevent removal of the terminals from the passageways.
  • a terminal generally designated 10 to incorporate the concepts of the invention.
  • the terminal includes a mating end, generally designated 12, a terminating end, generally designated 14, and an intermediate body portion, generally designated 16, between the ends.
  • Mating end 12 of terminal 10 is a female mating end for receiving a male terminal blade.
  • the mating end includes a pair of bifurcated terminal arms 12a which are flared apart to define an entry mouth 12b into which a flat terminal blade is insertable.
  • the blade is of a thickness to spread terminal arms 12a and establish good contact with the arms in a contacting area 12c.
  • Terminating end 14 of terminal 10 includes a pair of contact arms 14a which can be spread apart, as at 14b, to provide some relative flexibility therebetween. Terminating arms 14a are adapted to form solder tails for insertion into an appropriate hole in a printed circuit board for soldered electrical connection to circuit trace means on the board and/or in the hole.
  • Intermediate body portion 16 of terminal 10 is box-shaped as defined by opposite pairs of side walls 16a and 16b.
  • the box-shaped body portion defines a generally rectangular cavity therewithin and can be used as a contact in e.g. a fuse box for an automotive application.
  • a contact e.g. a fuse box for an automotive application.
  • terminal 10 is not intended to be limiting, because the broader concepts of the invention have applicability for a wide range of terminal shapes or configurations.
  • terminal 10 include at least one pair of latch arms 20 which are permanently deformable into latching condition within a connector housing, as described hereinafter.
  • a pair of latch arms 20 are stamped and formed out of one or both walls 16a on one or both opposite sides of body portion 16 of terminal 10.
  • the latch arms have necked-down base areas 20a about which the arms primarily are deformed.
  • the latch arms comprise generally planar portions generally coplanar with side walls 16a.
  • the latch arms are permanently deformable in a direction generally parallel to the planes of the arms, as indicated by arrows "A" in Figure 1.
  • latch arms or locking fingers of previous stamped and formed metal terminals have been flexible or resilient about the bases or roots of the arms in a direction generally perpendicular to the planes of the arms. Therefore, the arms flex in one direction and spring back to their initial or latching positions. This is in contrast to the concepts of the invention wherein latch arms 20 are intended to be deformed 'permanently". In other words, it is not intended for the latch arms to spring back to any initial or insertion positions.
  • the invention contemplates an electrical connector which includes a dielectric housing, generally designated 22, having at least one terminal-receiving passageway 24 defining a terminal-insertion axis 26 (Fig. 3).
  • the dielectric housing may include a plurality of terminal-receiving passages 24, the following description will refer to the one illustrated passageway 24 in conjunction with one of the terminals 10.
  • each passageway 24 includes a pair of stop shoulders 28 on one or both opposite sides of the passageway, latch shoulders 30 on opposite sides of the passageway and tool-receiving recesses 32 on opposite sides of the passageway, all for purposes described below.
  • stop shoulders 28 engage ledges 34 (Fig. 1) of terminal 10
  • terminal 10 in inserted into passageway 24 in the direction of arrows "B".
  • the terminals are inserted by an insertion and deforming tool 40 which has a triangulated end as seen best at 42 in Figure 6.
  • the tool also has a central recessed area 44 as seen best in Figure 5.
  • the terminal is engaged by triangulated end 42 of the tool as seen in Figure 6, whereby the terminal is inserted in the direction of arrows "B” until ledges 34 on the terminal engage stop shoulders 28 within the housing passageway as seen best in Figure 5. This defines the fully inserted position of the terminal.
  • Tool 40 then is forced further against latch arms 20 in the direction of arrow "C" as illustrated in Figure 7.
  • the triangulated configuration at end 42 of the tool is effective to permanently deform the latch arms by spreading the latch arms apart in the direction of arrows "D".
  • the latch arms are deformed outwardly such that the distal ends of the latch arms seat tightly against latch shoulders 30 of housing 22 within passageway 24.
  • recess 44 (Fig. 5) within the end of the tool accommodates terminating arms 14a of the terminal.
  • recesses 32 on opposite sides of passageway 24 accommodate the full width of tool 40 to ensure that there is adequate area on the triangulated end portions of the tool to engage and deform the thin metal latch arms 20 of the terminal.
  • the latch arms remain permanently deformed in engagement with latch shoulders 30.

Landscapes

  • Connector Housings Or Holding Contact Members (AREA)

Claims (13)

  1. Connecteur électrique comprenant un boítier diélectrique (22) comportant un conduit (24) de réception de borne définissant un axe (26) d'introduction de borne, le boítier comprenant un épaulement (30) de verrouillage situé dans le conduit, une borne (10) pouvant être introduite le long dudit axe dans le conduit, et la borne comprenant des moyens (20) de verrouillage qui sont déformables en permanence d'une première position d'introduction pour permettre l'introduction de la borne (10) dans le conduit (24) à une seconde position de verrouillage dans laquelle les moyens (20) de verrouillage sont déformés transversalement à l'axe (26) de la première position, en coopération avec l'épaulement (30) de verrouillage pour empêcher un retrait de la borne du conduit,
       caractérisé en ce que :
       le boítier diélectrique (22) comporte, globalement sur les côtés opposés du conduit (24), au moins une paire desdits épaulements (30) de verrouillage, et en ce que les moyens (20) de verrouillage comprennent au moins une paire de bras déformables de verrouillage pouvant se déployer en coopération de verrouillage avec la paire desdits épaulements (30) de verrouillage respectifs.
  2. Connecteur électrique selon la revendication 1, dans lequel ladite borne (10) est un élément estampé et formé de matière métallique en feuille, ledit bras (20) de verrouillage étant une partie globalement plane de la borne et étant déformable dans une direction globalement parallèle au plan du bras.
  3. Connecteur électrique selon la revendication 1, dans lequel ladite borne (10) comprend une extrémité (12) d'accouplement, une extrémité (14) de raccordement et, entre elles, une partie corps intermédiaire (16), le bras de verrouillage étant situé sur la partie corps.
  4. Connecteur électrique selon la revendication 4, dans lequel ladite partie corps (16) a globalement une forme de boíte comme définie par plusieurs parois latérales (16a, 16b), le bras de verrouillage étant situé sur l'une des parois latérales (16a).
  5. Connecteur électrique selon la revendication 1, dans lequel ladite borne (10) est un élément estampé, de matière métallique en feuille, ledit bras (20) de verrouillage étant un composant en porte-à-faux, globalement plan, déformable dans une direction globalement parallèle au plan du bras.
  6. Connecteur électrique selon la revendication 1, comprenant des moyens complémentaires (28, 34) de butée de coopération mutuelle entre le bras (20) de verrouillage et le boítier (22) dans le conduit (24) pour définir une position complètement introduite de la borne.
  7. Connecteur électrique, comprenant :
       un boítier diélectrique (22) comportant un conduit (24) de réception de borne définissant un axe (26) d'introduction de borne, le boítier comprenant un moyen (28) formant épaulement de butée situé dans le conduit et un épaulement (30) de verrouillage et une borne (10) pouvant être introduite le long dudit axe dans le conduit, la borne étant estampée et formée de matière métallique en feuille et comprenant une extrémité (12) d'accouplement, une extrémité (14) de raccordement et, entre les extrémités, une partie corps intermédiaire (16),
       caractérisé en ce que :
       le boítier diélectrique (22) comporte, sur les côtés opposés du conduit (24), au moins une paire desdits épaulements (30) de verrouillage, la partie corps a globalement une forme de boíte définie par plusieurs parois latérales (16a, 16b), au moins l'une des parois latérales (16a) comprend une paire de bras (20) de verrouillage qui sont déformables en permanence de premières positions d'introduction pour permettre l'introduction de la borne dans le conduit à de secondes positions de verrouillage dans lesquelles les bras (20) de verrouillage sont déformés transversalement à l'axe des premières positions en coopération avec les épaulements (30) de verrouillage respectifs pour empêcher un retrait de la borne (10) du conduit (24), la borne comprenant un moyen (34) formant rebord pouvant coopérer avec ledit moyen (28) formant épaulement de butée pour définir une position complètement introduite de la borne.
  8. Connecteur électrique selon la revendication 7, dans lequel lesdits bras (20) de verrouillage sont des parties globalement planes de la borne et sont déformables dans des directions globalement parallèles aux plans respectifs des bras.
  9. Procédé d'assemblage d'un connecteur électrique comprenant les étapes :
    de formation, dans un boítier diélectrique (22), d'un conduit (24) de réception de borne et d'au moins une paire d'épaulements (30) de verrouillage globalement sur les côtés opposés du conduit (24) ;
    de réalisation d'une borne (10) pouvant être introduite dans le conduit (24) et comprenant au moins une paire de bras déformables (20) de verrouillage ;
    d'introduction de la borne (10) dans le conduit (24) de réception de borne ; et
    de déformation en permanence des bras (20) de verrouillage en coopération avec les épaulements (30) de verrouillage respectifs pour empêcher un retrait de la borne du conduit.
  10. Procédé selon la revendication 9, dans lequel l'étape de déformation en permanence des bras (20) de verrouillage comprend les étapes :
       de poussée d'un moyen (40) de déformation qui comporte une extrémité (42) en triangle contre chaque paire de bras (20) de verrouillage pour déformer en permanence les bras (20) de verrouillage en déployant les bras (20) de verrouillage en coopération de verrouillage avec la paire respective desdits épaulements (30) de verrouillage.
  11. Procédé selon la revendication 10 ou 9, comprenant l'estampage et formage de ladite borne (10) à partir de matière métallique en feuille, ledit bras (20) de verrouillage étant une partie globalement plane de la borne, et ladite étape de déformation comprend la déformation du bras de verrouillage dans une direction globalement parallèle au plan du bras.
  12. Connecteur électrique comprenant un boítier diélectrique (22) comportant un conduit (24) de réception de borne, le boítier comprenant, dans le conduit, un moyen (30) formant surface de verrouillage, une borne (10) pouvant être introduite dans le conduit, et la borne comprenant des moyens (20) de verrouillage qui sont déformables en permanence en coopération avec le moyen (30) formant surface de verrouillage pour empêcher un retrait de la borne (10) du conduit (24), caractérisé en ce que :
       le boítier diélectrique (22) comporte, globalement sur les côtés opposés du conduit (24), au moins une paire desdits moyens (30) formant surfaces de verrouillage, et en ce que les moyens de verrouillage comprennent au moins une paire de bras déformables (20) de verrouillage pouvant se déployer en coopération de verrouillage avec la paire respective desdits moyens (30) formant surfaces de verrouillage.
  13. Connecteur électrique selon la revendication 12, dans lequel ladite borne (10) est un élément découpé et formé de matière métallique en feuille, ledit bras (20) de verrouillage étant une partie globalement plane de la borne et étant déformable dans une direction globalement parallèle au plan du bras.
EP19930117133 1993-10-22 1993-10-22 Connecteur électrique avec moyens de rétention améliorés Expired - Lifetime EP0654855B1 (fr)

Priority Applications (2)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
DE1993618840 DE69318840T2 (de) 1993-10-22 1993-10-22 Elektrischer Verbinder mit verbesserten Anschlusshaltemitteln
EP19930117133 EP0654855B1 (fr) 1993-10-22 1993-10-22 Connecteur électrique avec moyens de rétention améliorés

Applications Claiming Priority (1)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
EP19930117133 EP0654855B1 (fr) 1993-10-22 1993-10-22 Connecteur électrique avec moyens de rétention améliorés

Publications (2)

Publication Number Publication Date
EP0654855A1 EP0654855A1 (fr) 1995-05-24
EP0654855B1 true EP0654855B1 (fr) 1998-05-27

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ID=8213363

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EP19930117133 Expired - Lifetime EP0654855B1 (fr) 1993-10-22 1993-10-22 Connecteur électrique avec moyens de rétention améliorés

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EP (1) EP0654855B1 (fr)
DE (1) DE69318840T2 (fr)

Families Citing this family (2)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
DE102010033173B4 (de) * 2010-08-03 2012-05-24 Phoenix Contact Gmbh & Co. Kg Kontaktelement zur Anordnung in einer Anschlussbuchse
US9065192B2 (en) * 2013-09-19 2015-06-23 Tyco Electronics Corporation Power terminal connector

Family Cites Families (3)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
GB1034599A (en) * 1964-05-29 1966-06-29 Cherry Electrical Prod Housing for an electrical device
US3500299A (en) * 1968-02-29 1970-03-10 Conalco Metals Inc Electrical plug and pin structure
JPH0548236U (ja) * 1991-11-30 1993-06-25 日本電気データ機器株式会社 コネクタ

Also Published As

Publication number Publication date
EP0654855A1 (fr) 1995-05-24
DE69318840D1 (de) 1998-07-02
DE69318840T2 (de) 1998-09-24

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