EP0729201B1 - Connecteur électrique avec moyens de verrouillage des contacts - Google Patents

Connecteur électrique avec moyens de verrouillage des contacts Download PDF

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Publication number
EP0729201B1
EP0729201B1 EP95102640A EP95102640A EP0729201B1 EP 0729201 B1 EP0729201 B1 EP 0729201B1 EP 95102640 A EP95102640 A EP 95102640A EP 95102640 A EP95102640 A EP 95102640A EP 0729201 B1 EP0729201 B1 EP 0729201B1
Authority
EP
European Patent Office
Prior art keywords
latch
terminal
groove
flanges
mating portion
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
EP95102640A
Other languages
German (de)
English (en)
Other versions
EP0729201A1 (fr
Inventor
Roberto Martucci
Gianni Zuin
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 DE69527504T priority Critical patent/DE69527504T2/de
Priority to EP95102640A priority patent/EP0729201B1/fr
Priority to BR9600784A priority patent/BR9600784A/pt
Priority to JP8060161A priority patent/JP2817036B2/ja
Priority to KR1019960004297A priority patent/KR100240856B1/ko
Priority to CN96102704A priority patent/CN1137693A/zh
Publication of EP0729201A1 publication Critical patent/EP0729201A1/fr
Application granted granted Critical
Publication of EP0729201B1 publication Critical patent/EP0729201B1/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
    • H01R13/42—Securing in a demountable manner
    • H01R13/428—Securing in a demountable manner by resilient locking means on the contact members; by locking means on resilient contact members

Definitions

  • This invention generally relates to the art of electrical connectors and, particularly, to a latching system or means for holding terminals in passageways of a connector housing.
  • a wide variety of mating electrical connectors employ pairs of interengaging pin and socket terminals for interconnecting a plurality of circuits or wires through the mated connectors.
  • the pin and socket terminals often are called male and female terminals, respectively.
  • the terminals are mounted in a plurality of terminal-receiving passageways in a dielectric housing of the electrical connector.
  • the terminals generally are elongated and are inserted into the passageways along the longitudinal axes of the terminals.
  • Some form of latch means normally are provided to hold the terminals in the passageways against withdrawal therefrom.
  • terminal latch means have consistently presented various problems.
  • the terminals often are provided with outwardly projecting, cantilevered flexible latch arms which snap behind shoulders within the terminal-receiving passageways of the connector housing.
  • the cantilevered latch arms have a tendency to bend, break and/or snag on other parts.
  • the latch arms may be bent or collapsed on a reel of interconnected terminals during shipping, prior to fabricating the connector.
  • the latch arms in order to have any significant latching capabilities, the latch arms must be of a sufficient width which often limits current-carrying capacity of the terminals and, in turn, may cause overheating.
  • US 3764960 discloses a cluster assembly which comprises the features of the preamble of claims 1 and 5.
  • US 3957337 discloses an electrical connector having an insulated housing with a passageway for receiving a contact therein.
  • the contact is provided with a cylindrical portion on which leaf springs are formed, which snap outwardly beyond a portion of the passageway if fully inserted.
  • the housing does not comprise a groove communicating with the passageway in order to guide the leaf springs
  • US 2925577 discloses a terminal socket having a generally cylindric mating portion with an open seam. However, the central portion of the socket is cut and bent to form a pair of locking tabs whereas the latch flange of the present invention projects transversely from the mating portion on each upper side of the seam.
  • US 3753193 discloses a socket terminal for releasably receiving a pin and comprising a channel-shaped contact portion for receiving the pin through an aperture.
  • the channel-shaped contact portion has a substantially rectangular cross section and does not project beyond the mating face of a housing.
  • latch arms In order to avoid those problems wherein the latch means are provided by flexible latch arms on the terminals, latch arms have been provided on the connector housing itself.
  • the housing normally is molded of plastic material, and the latch arms are molded integrally therewith and extend inwardly into the terminal receiving passageways from interior housing walls.
  • These latch arms on the housing have limited strength and durability. They also present problems during manufacture, because the molded plastic material must flow down the entire length of the arms. The arms also take up "real estate" within the connector housing and make it difficult to provide adequate insulation between adjacent terminals.
  • This invention is directed to solving the above myriad of problems by providing a simple and reliable latching system for terminals in an electrical connector of the character described.
  • An object, therefore, of the invention is to provide a new and improved latching system or means for holding terminals in passageways of an electrical connector housing.
  • an electrical connector in the exemplary embodiment of the invention, includes a stamped and formed sheet metal terminal having a generally cylindrical mating portion with an open seam extending longitudinally therealong.
  • a latch flange projects transversely from the mating portion on each opposite side of the seam.
  • a dielectric housing has generally rigid walls defining an elongated terminal receiving passageway for receiving the mating portion of the terminal.
  • An elongated groove in the wall communicates with the passageway for receiving the latch flanges projecting from the mating portion.
  • the groove has side walls converging from a wide mouth end of the groove to a narrow latch end thereof.
  • the side walls are adapted to resiliently compress the mating portion of the terminal as the side walls guide the latch flanges during insertion of the terminal into the housing.
  • the latch end of the groove has an abruptly enlarged latch section into which the latch flanges snappingly interengage to lock the terminal in the passageway.
  • the enlarged latch section of the groove includes a latch shoulder on each opposite side of the groove for engagement by the latch flanges on opposite sides of the seam in the mating portion of the terminal.
  • the latch flanges project from an outside face of the housing to provide access to the latch flanges, as by an appropriate tool, for unlatching the terminal.
  • an electrical connector generally designated 10, which includes a dielectric housing 12 defining a plurality of elongated terminal receiving passageways 14. Only two terminal receiving passageways 14 are shown in the portion of housing 12 in Figure 1, but it should be understood that any number of such passageways can be formed in the dielectric housing in substantially any array thereof.
  • Each passageway includes an entry end 14a opening through a rear terminating face 12a of housing 12, and a latch end 14b opening through a mating face 12b of the housing.
  • An elongated groove 16 communicates with each passageway 14 along the length thereof.
  • the groove converges gradually from a wide mouth end 16a adjacent entry end 14a of the respective passageway, to a narrow latch end 16b adjacent latch end 14b of the respective passageway.
  • Latch end 16b of each groove 16 has an abruptly enlarged latch section 18 which defines a latch shoulder 20 on each opposite side of the groove at narrow latch end 16b of the groove.
  • a plurality of terminals are insertable into passageways 14 in the direction of arrow "All" (Fig. 1).
  • the terminals can be crimped to wires or mounted directly to a printed circuit board (not shown).
  • the terminals are crimped onto insulated wires.
  • Each crimp terminal 22 includes two pairs of crimp arms 24 and 26 for terminating an electrical cable or wire 28.
  • the pair of crimp arms 24 are adapted for crimping onto the outer cladding or covering of the cable to provide strain relief therefore.
  • the pair of crimp arms 26 are adapted for crimping onto the conductive core 30 of the cable to establish conductivity between the terminal and the core.
  • Each terminal 22 is stamped and formed from sheet metal material and includes a generally cylindrical female mating portion 32 with an open seam 34 longitudinally thereof. The seam is established during the forming of the terminal.
  • a latch flange 36 projects transversely or radially outwardly from mating portion 32 on each opposite side of the seam. The latch flanges are flexible due to their location on opposite sides of the seam, in that the cylindrical mating portion can compress and expand due to the open seam.
  • each terminal 32 along with its crimped cable 28, is inserted into its respective passageway 14 in housing 12 in the direction of arrow "All"(Fig. 1) .
  • latch flanges 36 project into and move longitudinally of converging groove 16.
  • latch flanges 36 are guided by the opposite side walls of groove 16 causing the latch flanges to move toward each other, compressing mating portion 32, as the converging groove gets narrower toward latch end 16b of the groove.
  • Figure 2 shows two terminals in their fully inserted positions, and it can be seen clearly how the latch flanges 36 of the left hand terminal are locked behind latch shoulders 20. It also can be seen in Figure 2 that mating portions 32 and latch flanges 36 project beyond mating face 12b of housing 12.Therefore, a tool, such as a pliers, can be used to grasp latch flanges 32 and squeeze the latch flanges together so that the latch flanges again can clear latch shoulders 20. When the latch flanges are clear of the latch shoulders, the respective terminal can be pulled out of its respective passageway 14 opposite the direction of insertion thereof (i.e. opposite the direction of arrow "A" in Figure 1).
  • a tool such as a pliers
  • Figure 1 shows four terminals 22, 22a, 22b, and 22c in different sequential positions of insertion into their respective terminal receiving passageways 14.
  • the right-hand terminal 22 is shown prior to insertion in the direction of arrow "All into its respective passageway 14 at the right hand end of housing 12.
  • latch flanges 36 can easily enter groove 16 because the groove, at its mouth end 16a, is wider than the spacing of latch flanges 36.
  • Terminal 22a in Figure 3 has been inserted partially into its passageway 14 to a point whereat latch flanges 36 of the terminal are first engaging the side walls of converging groove 16. However, the latch flanges have not as yet started to compress the mating portion of the terminal.
  • Terminal 22b in Figure 3 has been inserted to an extent prior to entry of the latch flanges 36 into the abruptly enlarged latch section 18 at the latch end of converging groove 16.
  • the side walls of the groove have biased the latch flanges toward each other which results in compression of the cylindrical mating portion of the terminal thus building up spring energy therein and tending to bias the latch flanges outwardly to their static condition.
  • Terminal 22c in Figure 3 is shown in its fully inserted position within its respective passageway 14. It can be seen the latch flanges 36 have snapped back outwardly into enlarged latch section 18, with the latch flanges positioned behind latch shoulders 20. In this fully inserted position, the terminal cannot be removed from its passageway (i. e. opposite the direction of arrow "A") due to the interengagement between latch flanges 36 and latch shoulders 20.
  • Figure 3 shows how fully inserted terminal 22c projects beyond mating face 12b of housing 12. This affords access to latch flanges 36 by an appropriate tool, such as a pliers. If desired, the latch flanges can be squeezed toward each other in the direction of arrows "B" until the latch flanges are close enough to each other to clear latch shoulders 20. Once clear of the shoulders, the terminal can be pulled back out of its passageway in a direction opposite the described insertion procedure.
  • an appropriate tool such as a pliers.

Landscapes

  • Connector Housings Or Holding Contact Members (AREA)
  • Details Of Connecting Devices For Male And Female Coupling (AREA)

Claims (4)

  1. Connecteur électrique (10), comportant :
    au moins une borne (22) en métal en feuille découpée et formée, ayant une partie d'accouplement (32) et une paire de taquets flexibles de blocage (36) faisant saillie de la partie d'accouplement, et
    un boítier diélectrique (12) ayant un moyen à paroi globalement rigide définissant au moins un passage allongé (14) de réception de borne destiné à recevoir la partie d'accouplement (32) d'une borne respective (22), et au moins une gorge allongée (16) dans le moyen à paroi communiquant avec le passage respectif pour recevoir les taquets de blocage (36), la gorge (16) ayant des parois latérales convergeant depuis une extrémité large à embouchure (16a) de la gorge vers une extrémité étroite (16b) de blocage de celle-ci et conçue pour engager les taquets de blocage et comprimer élastiquement la partie d'accouplement de la borne, l'extrémité de blocage (16b) de la gorge ayant une section de blocage (18) brusquement élargie dans laquelle les taquets de blocage (36) s'enclenchent par encliquetage pour verrouiller la borne (22) dans le passage,
       caractérisé en ce que
       chaque borne (22) comporte une partie d'accouplement généralement cylindrique (32) ayant un joint ouvert longitudinale (34), l'un desdits taquets flexibles (36) de blocage faisant saillie radialement vers l'extérieur de la partie d'accouplement sur chaque côté opposé du joint.
  2. Connecteur électrique selon la revendication 1, dans lequel ladite section élargie (18) de blocage de la gorge (16) comprend un épaulement de blocage (20) sur chacun des côtés opposés de la gorge pour être engagé par les taquets de blocage (36) sur les côtés opposés dudit joint.
  3. Connecteur électrique selon la revendication 1, dans lequel lesdits taquets (36) de blocage font saillie d'une face extérieure (12b) du boítier (12) pour permettre d'accéder aux taquets de blocage pour débloquer la borne.
  4. Connecteur électrique selon la revendication 3, dans lequel ladite extrémité large d'embouchure (16a) de la gorge (16) s'ouvre à une face de terminaison (12a) du boítier (12) et l'extrémité étroite (16b) de blocage de la gorge s'ouvre à une face extérieure (12b) du boítier, et lesdits taquets de blocage (36) font saillie au-delà de la face extérieure pour qu'ils soient accessibles afin de permettre de rapprocher les taquets de blocage l'un de l'autre et de débloquer la borne (22).
EP95102640A 1995-02-24 1995-02-24 Connecteur électrique avec moyens de verrouillage des contacts Expired - Lifetime EP0729201B1 (fr)

Priority Applications (6)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
DE69527504T DE69527504T2 (de) 1995-02-24 1995-02-24 Elektrischer Verbinder mit Kontaktverriegelungsvorrichtung
EP95102640A EP0729201B1 (fr) 1995-02-24 1995-02-24 Connecteur électrique avec moyens de verrouillage des contacts
BR9600784A BR9600784A (pt) 1995-02-24 1996-02-22 Conector elétrico
JP8060161A JP2817036B2 (ja) 1995-02-24 1996-02-22 改良された端子ラッチ機構を有する電気コネクタ
KR1019960004297A KR100240856B1 (ko) 1995-02-24 1996-02-23 개선된 단자 래칭 시스템을 구비한 전기 커넥터
CN96102704A CN1137693A (zh) 1995-02-24 1996-02-23 端子锁定系统改进的电气接插件

Applications Claiming Priority (1)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
EP95102640A EP0729201B1 (fr) 1995-02-24 1995-02-24 Connecteur électrique avec moyens de verrouillage des contacts

Publications (2)

Publication Number Publication Date
EP0729201A1 EP0729201A1 (fr) 1996-08-28
EP0729201B1 true EP0729201B1 (fr) 2002-07-24

Family

ID=8219008

Family Applications (1)

Application Number Title Priority Date Filing Date
EP95102640A Expired - Lifetime EP0729201B1 (fr) 1995-02-24 1995-02-24 Connecteur électrique avec moyens de verrouillage des contacts

Country Status (6)

Country Link
EP (1) EP0729201B1 (fr)
JP (1) JP2817036B2 (fr)
KR (1) KR100240856B1 (fr)
CN (1) CN1137693A (fr)
BR (1) BR9600784A (fr)
DE (1) DE69527504T2 (fr)

Families Citing this family (5)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
JPH11167951A (ja) * 1997-12-05 1999-06-22 Amp Japan Ltd 電気コネクタ及びそれに使用されるコンタクト
DE19822466B4 (de) * 1998-05-19 2009-07-30 BSH Bosch und Siemens Hausgeräte GmbH Steckeranordnung mit Steckergehäuse und Rundsteckstift
DE102014009208B4 (de) * 2013-06-21 2018-08-09 Lear Corporation Elektrische anschlussanordnung
JP7164322B2 (ja) * 2018-05-18 2022-11-01 キヤノンプレシジョン株式会社 ケーブルの固定構造およびケーブルの固定方法
CN109217027B (zh) * 2018-08-21 2021-03-30 苏州佳世达电通有限公司 电子设备系统及其应用的连接组件

Family Cites Families (8)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US2925577A (en) * 1958-06-10 1960-02-16 Royal Mcbee Corp Terminal block connector assembly
AU463608B2 (en) * 1971-04-27 1975-07-16 Amp Incorporated Socket terminal
US3764960A (en) * 1972-05-25 1973-10-09 Prod Inc Van Cluster assembly and connector clip therefor
US3957337A (en) * 1975-02-21 1976-05-18 Litton Systems, Inc. Miniature electrical connector having contact centering means
JPS5222595U (fr) * 1975-08-07 1977-02-17
JPS5643988Y2 (fr) * 1978-08-14 1981-10-14
JPS6328543Y2 (fr) * 1979-04-18 1988-08-01
JPS5784578A (en) * 1980-11-17 1982-05-26 Japan Aviation Electron Socket connector

Also Published As

Publication number Publication date
JPH08250187A (ja) 1996-09-27
KR960032805A (ko) 1996-09-17
JP2817036B2 (ja) 1998-10-27
EP0729201A1 (fr) 1996-08-28
BR9600784A (pt) 1997-12-23
CN1137693A (zh) 1996-12-11
DE69527504D1 (de) 2002-08-29
KR100240856B1 (ko) 2000-01-15
DE69527504T2 (de) 2003-01-23

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