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
  • H01R13/62—Means for facilitating engagement or disengagement of coupling parts or for holding them in engagement
  • H01R13/629—Additional means for facilitating engagement or disengagement of coupling parts, e.g. aligning or guiding means, levers, gas pressure electrical locking indicators, manufacturing tolerances
• • 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
  • H01R13/62—Means for facilitating engagement or disengagement of coupling parts or for holding them in engagement
  • H01R13/629—Additional means for facilitating engagement or disengagement of coupling parts, e.g. aligning or guiding means, levers, gas pressure electrical locking indicators, manufacturing tolerances
  • H01R13/62933—Comprising exclusively pivoting lever
  • H01R13/62938—Pivoting lever comprising own camming means
• • 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
  • H01R13/62—Means for facilitating engagement or disengagement of coupling parts or for holding them in engagement
  • H01R13/629—Additional means for facilitating engagement or disengagement of coupling parts, e.g. aligning or guiding means, levers, gas pressure electrical locking indicators, manufacturing tolerances
  • H01R13/62933—Comprising exclusively pivoting lever
  • H01R13/62955—Pivoting lever comprising supplementary/additional locking means

Definitions

• Electrical connector provided with a reversible cable guiding hood, and method of assembling such a connector.
• the invention relates to an electrical connector comprising: an insulating casing provided with cavities designed to receive respective contacts connected to cables;
• An operating member movably mounted on the assembly formed of the housing and the cover, adapted to cooperate with engagement with a complementary member arranged on the connector counterpart, to ensure the coupling or uncoupling of the connector and its counterpart .
• the operating member is a lever pivotally mounted on the housing, and can be moved between its standby position and its locking position, for a single direction of mounting the cover on the lever, corresponding to a determined orientation of the cable bundle.
• FIG. 8 of the accompanying drawings there is shown such a connector 101 of the state of the art, essentially comprising an insulating housing 103, in which are formed cells 105 for receiving contacts, a cover 107, and a lever of Maneuver 109 pivotally mounted on the housing 103.
• the cover 107 is provided to guide the wiring harness at the connector output in the direction and direction represented by the Y axis, perpendicular to the coupling axis X connector 101 with its counterpart.
• the lever 109 To mate the connector 101 with its counterpart (not shown), the lever 109 must be rotated about 90 ° about the Z axis, in the direction F shown in FIG.
• the cover 107 can be mounted reversibly on the housing 103, that is to say symmetrically with respect to the median plane XZ of the connector, and thus define two symmetrical orientations of the beam of cables output connector, it is understood that the lever 109 can work for only one of these orientations.
• the lever is provided to be mounted on the housing 103 in two symmetrical positions relative to the same median plane XZ.
• the mounting direction of the lever 109 on the housing 103 determines the mounting direction of the cover 107 on the housing
• the lever / housing subassembly can be suitable for only one of the two beam orientations.
• the object of the invention is to overcome these drawbacks, and for this purpose has a purpose of a connector of the aforementioned type in which the operating member is mounted to move on the hood.
• the operating member is mounted movably on the cover between an engagement waiting position and a locking position corresponding to the complete coupling position of the connector; with its counterpart, and the cover comprises releasable means for stopping the operating member in the locking position;
• the operating member is mounted movably on the cover between an engagement waiting position and a locking position corresponding to the complete coupling position of the connector with the counterpart, and the cover comprises means for holding the operating member in the waiting position;
• the operating member is a lever rotatably mounted on the hood;
• the lever is a U-shaped stirrup, whose lateral branches each comprise a groove forming a cam path for a respective pin integral with the connector counterpart;
• the cover comprises two coaxial journals, formed outwardly projecting from opposite walls, and defining the axis of rotation of the lever;
• the cover and the housing are provided with complementary fixing means, such that the cover can be mounted on the housing in two different orientations, in particular in two opposite directions in the same direction;
• the cover defines with the housing a cable outlet oriented substantially orthogonal to the coupling direction of the connector and its counterpart;
• the cover and the housing are provided with complementary slide elements, so that the mounting of the cover on the housing is made by engagement and relative sliding in a direction substantially orthogonal to the coupling direction of the connector and its counterpart;
• the complementary slide elements are provided to allow mounting of the cover on the housing in two opposite directions.
• the invention also relates to a method of assembling a connector as described above.
• FIGS. 1 and 2 are perspective views, in two different directions, of a connector according to the invention and its connector counterpart, pending commitment;
• Figures 3 and 4 are views similar to Figures 1 and 2 respectively, the connector and its counterpart being in the engagement position;
• FIG. 5 is a perspective view of the connector of the preceding figures, showing the cover equipped with the lever separated from the housing;
• Figure 6 is a perspective view of the connector cover of the preceding figures, alone.
• FIG. 7 is a perspective view of the connector lever of the previous figures, alone.
• a connector 1 according to the invention, the type provided for connecting a cable harness to a motor vehicle computer.
• the connector is shown wired.
• FIGS. 1 to 4 also show a computer base portion 2 forming a counterpart to the connector 1.
• the connector 1 and the base 2 are shown in the mating standby position. while in Figures 3 and 4 they are shown in the coupled and locked position.
• FIGS. 1 to 5 show a system of axes X, Y, Z defining the orientation of the connector 1 and in which:
• the axis X represents the coupling direction of the connector 1 on the base 2, oriented from the connector towards the base;
• the Y and Z axes are orthogonal axes corresponding to principal directions of the geometry of the connector, the Z axis being the transverse axis.
• axial shall be understood as being along the X axis, which is supposed to be oriented from back to front.
• the complementary base portion 2 of the connector 1 comprises a skirt 4 of generally parallelepipedal shape, internally defining a cavity 6 for receiving the connector 1. This has not been shown on FIG. Figures, but male contacts (pins or tongues) protrude axially inside the cavity 6.
• Each pin 8 has a cylindrical base 8A, and an enlarged head 8B, having a shape of truncated disc, coaxial with the base 8A.
• the connector 1 essentially comprises an insulating housing 13, in which a plurality of cells 15 for receiving a contact, a cover 17, and an operating member 19 are formed. to couple or uncouple the connector 1 and its counterpart 2.
• the connector 1 also comprises an interfacial lip seal 21, fitted on a peripheral section of the casing 13, and designed to provide a peripheral seal between the outer walls of the casing 13 and the inner walls of the skirt 4.
• the housing 13 is formed essentially of a front block 25 of generally parallelepipedal shape complementary to the skirt 4, and of a rear skirt 27.
• the casing 13 as a whole has a parallelepipedal overall shape, the walls of the rear skirt 27 being substantially in line with the walls of the front block 25.
• the front block 25 is pierced with axial passages defining the cells 15, the latter emerging forwards on a coupling face 29 of the connector, and rearwards in the space delimited internally by the skirt 27.
• the housing is made of a molded plastic part.
• the rear skirt 27 is formed with a rail 33 extending along the rear edge, and in the extension
• Each stop block 35 is spaced from the respective end of the rail 33 by defining a notch 37 forming a detent.
• FIGS. 1 to 5 also schematically show (in phantom) a bundle of cables 40 joining together the 0 unitary cables to which each of the electrical contacts engaged in the cells of the housing 13 are connected.
• the cover 17 consists, in the example shown, of a molded plastic part having two lateral walls 51, a transverse wall 53 connecting the two lateral walls 51, and a rear wall 55.
• the cover 17 On the opposite side to the transverse wall 53, the cover 17 has an opening 57 constituting an outlet for the cable bundle 40, when the cover 17 is mounted on the housing 13. As can be seen in FIGS. 1 to 4, when the cover is mounted on the housing 13, the opening 57 is oriented along the Y axis, so that the cover 17 forms a guide for the cables in this direction.
• the side walls 51 are formed on their inner faces with parallel slides 59. These slides 59 are adapted to slidably receive the respective rails 33 and abutment blocks 35 so as to form together a sliding connection permitting the engagement. sliding cover 17 on the housing 13 in the direction Y.
• Each of the side walls 51 is further provided at the level of. the slide 59, a tab 61 resiliently flexible, directed in the o direction of the slide 59.
• the tab 61 is provided with a lug 63 projecting inwardly of the cover 17, provided to engage in the one of the two notches 37, so as to lock by elastic engagement the cover 17 on the housing 13 in its operative position shown in Figures 1 to 4. In this functional position, the side walls 51 and 53 transverse extend substantially in the extension of the walls corresponding case.
• the cover 17 is further provided with two coaxial pins 65 which protrude outwards, each from a respective side wall 51.
• the journals 65 have a cruciform cross section inscribed in a circle.
• the axis of the trunnion 65 is oriented orthogonally with respect to the general plane of the side walls 51 and the beam exit direction, defined by the opening 57.
• the axis of the trunnions 65 thus corresponds to the Z axis connected to the connector 1.
• the cover 17 On its rear wall 55, the cover 17 is provided with a locking lug 66 provided with a lug 67, flexible in displacement and designed to cooperate with the elastic engagement with a corresponding portion of the lever 19.
• the wall 55 is further provided of studs 69 forming a stop for the lever 19.
• the lever 19 will now be described in greater detail with reference to FIGS. 1 to 5 and 7.
• the lever 19 has the shape of a U-shaped stirrup having two lateral branches.
• the flanges 72 are formed with coaxial holes 75 designed to engage the trunnions 65 of the cover 17 and define with them the pivot connection allowing the lever 19 to rotate on the cover 17.
• the flanges 72 are furthermore formed with parallel curved grooves 78, adapted to receive the respective pins 8 of the skirt 4, thus defining cam paths for these pins 8.
• the grooves 78 open on the edges of the flange 72 by means of entrances flared 79 engagement pions 8.
• lever 19, the cover 17, and the housing 13 present a general symmetry with respect to their median plane XY.
• the cover 17 can be mounted and fixed on the housing 13 in any one of the two directions along Y.
• the mounting of the cover 17 on the housing 13 is achieved by engagement of the rails 59 on the rails 33 and the stop blocks 35, either from the left side, as shown in Figure 5, or from the right side.
• the stroke of the lever 19 between its waiting position and its position of locking corresponds to a travel range of approximately 90 °.
• the connector of the invention has a lever articulated on the cover and not on the housing.
• the pins are formed on the cover and not on the housing, which greatly simplifies the molding of the housing, without being penalizing for the manufacture of the cover, the latter remaining a piece of low complexity.
• this arrangement reduces the length of the rear skirt of the housing in the X direction, which significantly increases the speed of filling the mold of the housing, and thus shorten the manufacturing cycle of the housing.
• the essential parts of the connector described above, namely the housing 13, the cover 17, and the lever 19, are made separately of molded plastic.
• the housing 13 is equipped with the seal 21, and possibly other parts that have not been shown, such as a key double-locking contacts, a seal type "grommet” or “grommet” generally placed in the rear skirt 27, and a grommet compression grid, generally placed and engaged in the skirt 27 at the rear of the grommet.
• lever 19 is mounted on the cover 17 in its waiting position shown in particular in FIG. 5.
• the user engages the cover on the rails 33 and slides the cover 17 to its locking position on the housing.
• the mounting direction of the cover on the housing is chosen at the end of the assembly line, depending on the orientation of the beam output connector.
• hood / lever regardless of the orientation (left or right output) to be given to the harness at the output of the connector.

Landscapes

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

Applications Claiming Priority (2)

Publications (1)

Family

ID=34955501

Family Applications (1)

Country Status (7)

Families Citing this family (3)

Family Cites Families (5)

• 2005
  • 2005-01-21 FR FR0500679A patent/FR2881278A1/fr not_active Withdrawn
• 2006
  • 2006-01-18 US US11/795,630 patent/US20080153356A1/en not_active Abandoned
  • 2006-01-18 WO PCT/EP2006/000409 patent/WO2006077093A1/fr active Application Filing
  • 2006-01-18 CN CNA2006800028320A patent/CN101107752A/zh active Pending
  • 2006-01-18 JP JP2007551606A patent/JP2009524177A/ja not_active Withdrawn
  • 2006-01-18 KR KR1020077018969A patent/KR20070090276A/ko not_active Application Discontinuation
  • 2006-01-18 EP EP06703654A patent/EP1844529A1/de not_active Withdrawn

Non-Patent Citations (1)

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