EP2949007A1 - Locking mechanism and connector assembly - Google Patents

Locking mechanism and connector assembly

Info

Publication number
EP2949007A1
EP2949007A1 EP14701128.2A EP14701128A EP2949007A1 EP 2949007 A1 EP2949007 A1 EP 2949007A1 EP 14701128 A EP14701128 A EP 14701128A EP 2949007 A1 EP2949007 A1 EP 2949007A1
Authority
EP
European Patent Office
Prior art keywords
locking
bracket
connector
locking mechanism
locking member
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.)
Granted
Application number
EP14701128.2A
Other languages
German (de)
French (fr)
Other versions
EP2949007B1 (en
Inventor
Shenping Li
Hao Wang
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.)
Tyco Electronics Shanghai Co Ltd
Original Assignee
Tyco Electronics Shanghai Co Ltd
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 Tyco Electronics Shanghai Co Ltd filed Critical Tyco Electronics Shanghai Co Ltd
Publication of EP2949007A1 publication Critical patent/EP2949007A1/en
Application granted granted Critical
Publication of EP2949007B1 publication Critical patent/EP2949007B1/en
Active legal-status Critical Current
Anticipated expiration legal-status Critical

Links

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
    • H01R13/627—Snap or like fastening
    • H01R13/6275—Latching arms not integral with the housing

Definitions

  • the present invention relates to a locking mechanism, and particularly to a locking mechanism applied to a heavy duty plug connector and a heavy duty socket connector.
  • a locking mechanism for locking a heavy duty plug connector and a heavy duty socket connector is generally configured as a level-type locking member comprising a rotation arm pivotally connected to a housing of the heavy duty socket connector and locking jaws formed at both ends of the rotation arm.
  • the conventional locking mechanism is pivotally connected to the plug connector or socket connector and cannot be independently separated therefrom.
  • a locking mechanism in the same series can only be connected to a plug connector-socket connector assembly in the same series, and products in different series cannot be mated; therefore, the locking mechanisms in the prior art lack universality in use, interchangeability, mutual mating, replaceability and compatibility, which causes inconvenience to a client's use and increases inventory and costs.
  • Different locking mechanisms have different locking mechanical principles, different locking forces and different reliability. Hence, they cause uncertainty to clients and reduce reliability.
  • a connecting force is generated by an operator's manual pulling, thereby increasing the operator's labor intensity and misoperation risks.
  • All of the aforesaid locking mechanisms are pivotally connected to the plug connector or socket connector and cannot be independently separated therefrom. Hence, this causes inconvenience to the client's maintenance. In some cases, the client has to decide to discard the whole product instead of retaining reusable plug connector and socket connector and only discarding the locking mechanism.
  • the present invention has been made to overcome or alleviate at least one aspect of the above mentioned disadvantages.
  • a locking mechanism for locking a first connector with a second connector comprising: an annular housing having a first side and a second side opposite to the first side; and a locking member received in a slot formed in a side wall of the annular housing and having a first locking portion and a second locking portion, wherein when the first connector is inserted into the annular housing from the first side, a first engagement portion on the first connector is locked with the first locking portion of the locking member; and wherein when the second connector is inserted into the annular housing from the second side, a second engagement portion on the second connector is locked with the second locking portion of the locking member.
  • Fig. l schematically illustrates a first embodiment of a locking mechanism of the present invention
  • Fig.2 schematically illustrates a substantially N-shaped locking bracket of the locking mechanism shown in Fig.1 ;
  • Fig.3 schematically illustrates a view in which the locking mechanism of Fig. l is assembled with a plug connector and a socket connector;
  • Fig.4 schematically illustrates a substantially M or W-shaped locking bracket of the locking mechanism shown in Fig.1;
  • Fig.5 schematically illustrates a second embodiment of a locking mechanism of the present invention
  • Fig.6 schematically illustrates the locking bracket of the locking mechanism shown in Fig.5;
  • Fig.7 schematically illustrates a locking bracket of a third embodiment of the locking mechanism of the present invention
  • Fig.8 schematically illustrates a locking bracket of a fourth embodiment of the locking mechanism of the present invention.
  • Fig.9 schematically illustrates a locking bracket of a fifth embodiment of the locking mechanism of the present invention.
  • Fig. l schematically illustrates a first embodiment of a locking mechanism of the present invention
  • Fig.2 schematically illustrates a locking bracket of the locking mechanism shown in Fig. l
  • a locking mechanism 400 is described in detail hereunder in combination with Fig. l and Fig.2.
  • the locking mechanism 400 comprises a locking bracket receiving housing 402 and a locking bracket 404 received in the locking bracket receiving housing 402.
  • the annular locking bracket receiving housing 402 has a sidewall 406, upper notches 410 provided inwardly from an upper end face 408 of the sidewall 406 and lower notches 414 provided inwardly from a lower end face 412 of the sidewall 406 opposite to the upper end face 408, and a receiving cavity 416 formed inside the sidewall 406 and communicated with the upper notches 410 and lower notches 412.
  • the locking bracket 404 is substantially N-shaped, integrally formed of metal or plastic and comprises a bracket main body 418, elastic bracket retaining arms 420 respectively extending from ends of the bracket main body 418, substantially hook-shaped upper bracket locking arms 422 extending upward from the bracket main body 418, and substantially hook-shaped lower bracket locking arms 424 extending downward, wherein the bracket retaining arm 420 is received in the receiving cavity 416 and compressibly abuts against a wall surface forming the receiving cavity 416, the upper bracket locking arm 422 and the lower bracket locking arm 424 respectively form an inclined acting surface on distal ends thereof, the upper bracket locking arms 422 are located in the upper notches 410, and the lower bracket locking arms 424 are located in the lower notches 412.
  • Fig.3 illustrates a view in which the locking mechanism of Fig.1 is assembled with a plug connector 500 and a socket connector 600.
  • the plug connector 500 comprises a plug housing 502, and two rivets 504 (the two rivets on the side surface inward of the paper surface are not shown) are protruded from each of opposite side surfaces of the plug housing 502.
  • the socket connector 600 comprises a socket housing 602, and two rivets 604 (the two rivets on the side surface inward of the paper surface are not shown) protruding on each of opposite side surfaces of the socket housing 602.
  • the locking mechanism 400 is first connected to the socket connector 600, and then the plug connector 500 is connected to the locking mechanism 400 which is already locked on the socked connector 600.
  • the user usually holds the locking mechanism 400 and aligns it with the socket connector 600 pre-placed on a supporting surface (e.g., a table surface) so that an inside surface of the sidewall 406 of the locking mechanism 400 contacts an outer wall surface of the socket housing 602 of the socket connector 600 adjacent the opening of the socket housing 602; the user applies a downward force so that the locking bracket receiving housing 402 of the locking mechanism 400 is fitted around the socket housing 602 of the socket connector 600; when the user continues to operate downward, the lower bracket locking arms 424 in the locking mechanism 400 respectively abut against the rivets 604 on the socket housing 602.
  • a supporting surface e.g., a table surface
  • the bracket main body 418 moves leftward to force the bracket retaining arms 420 to elastically deform so that the rivets 604 enter into the lower notch 414; then, when the rivets 604 respectively and completely enter the lower notches 414, the bracket retaining arms 420 restore elastically to force the bracket main body 418 to move rightward so that the lower bracket locking arms 424 lock the rivets 604.
  • the user holds the plug connector 500 in a way that its open end aligns with the open end of the socket connector 600 which is placed on the supporting surface (e.g., a table surface) and already mounted with the locking mechanism 400, and then moves the plug connector 500 downwardly.
  • the two rivets 504 of the plug housing 502 respectively act upon the upper bracket locking arms 422.
  • the bracket main body 418 moves rightward to elastically deform the bracket retaining arms 420 so that the rivets 504 respectively enter into the corresponding upper notches 410, and then the bracket retaining arms 420 restore deformation to force the bracket main body 418 leftward so that the upper bracket locking arms 422 lock the rivets 504.
  • the upper bracket locking arms 422 and the lower bracket locking arms 424 are arranged staggeredly so that when the rivets 504 act on the upper bracket locking arms 422 respectively, the upper bracket locking arm 422 is at least partially received in the receiving cavity 416 and the lower bracket locking arm 424 still locks the rivet 604; or when the rivets 604 acts upon the lower bracket locking arms 424 respectively, the lower bracket locking arm 424 is at least partially received in the receiving cavity 416 and the upper bracket locking arm 422 still locks the rivet 504.
  • the locking bracket 404 may further comprise a release hole 426, the locking bracket receiving housing 402 is provided with a release groove 428 corresponding to the release hole 426, the release groove 428 is configured to allow a release element to fix the locking bracket 404 to an unlocked position when the release element is inserted into the release hole 426 through the release groove 428 to move the locking bracket 404.
  • the release groove 428 may be ⁇ , H, T, , ,
  • the release element mating with the release hole 426 may be inserted through the release groove 428 into the release hole 426, and then bring the locking bracket 404 to move leftward or rightward a predetermined distance in the horizontal groove portion and then move upward or downward in the vertical groove portion to be positioned in the vertical groove portion.
  • predetermined distance means that in the event of no movement, the locking mechanism 400 is in a state of locking the plug connector 500 and the socket connector 600; after moving this predetermined distance, the upper bracket locking arms 422 (or the lower bracket locking arms 424) of the locking mechanism 400 can loosen the rivets 504 (or the rivets 604) so that the plug connector 500 (or socket connector 600) can be removed.
  • any release element shaped to be adapted to the upper notch 410 or the lower notch 414 of the locking bracket receiving housing 402, for example, USB, may be inserted into a certain notch so as to horizontally move the locking bracket 404 to remove one of the plug connector 500 and the socket connector 600.
  • the locking mechanism 400 may further comprise a gasket (not shown).
  • the gasket is disposed inside the sidewall 406 of the locking bracket receiving housing 402 to respectively seal the plug connector 500 and the socket connector 600 to the sidewall 406.
  • the locking bracket 404 may also be M or W-shaped, as shown in Fig.4.
  • Fig.5 schematically illustrates a second embodiment of a locking mechanism of the present invention
  • Fig.6 schematically illustrates a locking bracket of the locking mechanism shown in Fig.5.
  • a locking mechanism 700 is described in detail hereunder in combination with Fig.5 and Fig.6.
  • the locking mechanism 700 comprises a locking bracket receiving housing 702, an upper locking bracket 704 and a lower locking bracket 706.
  • the locking bracket receiving housing 702 is annular and has a sidewall 708.
  • Upper notches 712 are provided inwardly from an upper end face 710 of the sidewall 708, and lower notches 716 are provided inwardly from a lower end face 714 of the sidewall 708.
  • an upper receiving cavity 718 communicated with the upper notches 712 and a lower receiving cavity 720 communicated with the lower notches 716 are formed inside the sidewall 708, an upper receiving cavity 718 communicated with the upper notches 712 and a lower receiving cavity 720 communicated with the lower notches 716 are formed.
  • the upper locking bracket 704 has an upper bracket main body 722 and substantially hook-shaped upper bracket locking arms 724 extending outward from the upper bracket main body 722, wherein a resilient element (not shown, e.g., a spring) is received in the upper receiving cavity 718, one end of the resilient element may be pressed by the upper locking bracket 704 so that the other end thereof is pressed against the wall surface forming the upper receiving cavity 718, and the upper bracket locking arm 724 are located in the upper notches 712 respectively.
  • a resilient element not shown, e.g., a spring
  • the lower locking bracket 706 has a lower bracket main body 726 and substantially hook-shaped lower bracket locking arms 728 extending outward from the lower bracket main body 726, wherein another resilient element (not shown, e.g., a spring) is received in the lower receiving cavity 720, one end of the resilient element may be pressed by the lower locking bracket 706 so that the other end thereof is pressed against the wall surface forming the lower receiving cavity 720, and the lower bracket locking arms 728 are located in the lower notches 716 respectively.
  • another resilient element not shown, e.g., a spring
  • the user usually holds the locking mechanism 700 and aligns it with the socket connector 600 pre-placed on a supporting surface (e.g., a table surface) so that the inside surface of the sidewall 708 of the locking mechanism 700 contacts the outer wall surface of the socket housing 602 of the socket connector 600 adjacent the opening of the socket housing 602; the user applies a downward force so that the locking bracket receiving housing 702 of the locking mechanism 700 is fitted around the socket housing 602 of the socket connector 600; when the user continues to operate downward, the lower bracket locking arms 728 of the lower locking bracket 706 respectively abut against the rivets 604 on the socket housing 602.
  • a supporting surface e.g., a table surface
  • the lower bracket main body 726 moves leftward to force the resilient element received in the lower receiving cavity 720 to elastically deform so that the rivets 604 respectively enter into the lower notches 716; then, when the rivets 604 respectively and completely enter the lower notches 716, the resilient element restores elastically to force the lower bracket main body 726 to move rightward so that the lower bracket locking arms 728 lock the rivets 604 respectively. In this procedure, the upper locking bracket 704 remains stationary.
  • the user holds the plug connector 500 in a way that its open end aligns with the open end of the socket connector 600 which is placed on the supporting surface (e.g., a table surface) and already mounted with the locking mechanism 700, and then moves the plug connector 500 downwardly.
  • the two rivets 504 of the plug housing 502 act upon the upper bracket locking arms 724 of the upper locking bracket 704 respectively.
  • the upper bracket main body 722 moves rightward to elastically deform the resilient element received in the upper receiving cavity 718 so that the rivets 504 respectively enter into the corresponding upper notches 712, and then the resilient element restores deformation to force the upper bracket main body 722 to move leftward so that the upper bracket locking arms 724 lock the rivets 504 respectively.
  • the lower locking bracket 706 remains stationary.
  • the upper locking bracket 704 is not integral with the lower locking bracket 706, i.e., the upper locking bracket 704 and the lower locking bracket 706 are not linked with each other, the upper bracket locking arm 724 and the lower bracket locking arm 728 are not necessarily arranged staggeredly.
  • the upper locking bracket 704 and the lower locking bracket 706 are respectively provided with a release hole, and meanwhile the corresponding release grooves are provided on the locking bracket receiving housing 702.
  • any release element shaped to be adapted to the upper notch 712 or the lower notch 716 of the locking bracket receiving housing 702 can be used to release the upper locking bracket 704 or the lower locking bracket 706.
  • the locking mechanism 700 may further comprise a gasket. The gasket is disposed inside the sidewall 708 of the locking bracket receiving housing 702 to obtain the seal between the plug connector 500 and the sidewall 708 and the seal between the socket connector 600 and the sidewall 708.
  • Fig.7 schematically illustrates a locking bracket of a third embodiment of the locking mechanism of the present invention.
  • the locking bracket receiving housing of the locking mechanism is identical with the locking bracket receiving housing in the previously mentioned first and second embodiments, and therefore will not be described here.
  • This embodiment differs from the first embodiment as follows: regarding the situation shown in Fig.3 that each of the plug connector 500 and the socket connector 600 is provided with two rivets 504, 604, the locking bracket 802 of the locking mechanism only has two upper bracket locking arms 804 and two lower bracket locking arms 806, with other structures substantially the same, for example, an elastic bracket retaining arm 808 extends from each of both ends of the locking bracket 802.
  • This embodiment is substantially identical with the first embodiment in respect of the locking and cooperating procedure.
  • the locking bracket receiving housing may further be configured in a form only having two upper notches and two lower notches.
  • Fig.8 schematically illustrates a locking bracket of a fourth embodiment of the locking mechanism of the present invention.
  • the locking bracket receiving housing of the locking mechanism is identical with the locking bracket receiving housing in the previous first, second and third embodiments, and therefore will not be detailed here.
  • each of the plug connector 500 and socket connector 600 is provided with two rivets 504, 604, the upper locking bracket 902 of the locking mechanism only has two upper bracket locking arms 904, the lower locking bracket 906 only has two lower bracket locking arms 908, with other structures substantially the same, for example, a resilient element is received in the upper receiving cavity to provide a resilience restoration force to the upper locking bracket 904, and another resilient element is received in the lower receiving cavity to provide a resilience restoration force to the lower locking bracket 906. Both of the two resilient elements may be a spring.
  • This embodiment is substantially identical with the second embodiment in respect of the locking and cooperating procedure.
  • the locking bracket receiving housing may further be configured in a form only having two upper notches and two lower notches.
  • Fig.9 schematically illustrates a locking bracket of a fifth embodiment of the locking mechanism of the present invention.
  • the locking bracket 104 comprises hook-shaped upper bracket locking arms 122 and hook-shaped lower bracket locking arms 124.
  • the hook-shaped ends of the upper bracket locking arm 122 and the lower bracket locking arm 124 are arranged to face the same side of the locking bracket 104, for example,
  • the hook-shaped ends of the upper bracket locking arm 122 and the lower bracket locking arm 124 are arranged to face the left side of the locking bracket 104, as shown in Fig.9.
  • the upper bracket locking arm 122 and the lower bracket locking arm 124 can be released from the rivets 504, 604 of the plug connector 500 and the socket connector 600 at the same time.
  • the plug connector 500 and the socket connector 600 may be other variations.
  • the rivets 504 of the plug connector 500 are provided on other opposite side surfaces and meanwhile the position of the rivets 604 of the socket connector 600 does not change.
  • the number of rivets 504 of the plug connector 500 is different from the number of rivets 604 on the socket connector 600.
  • the rivets on the plug connector 500 and/or the socket connector 600 may be replaced by other protruded mating portions.
  • a corresponding locking mechanism may be designed as long as the position and number of the rivets or protruded mating portions are known.
  • some locking brackets have bracket retaining arms to provide a resilient restoration force, and some locking brackets need to provide an extra resilient element in the receiving cavity in place of the aforesaid bracket retaining arm. It may be understood that the aforesaid bracket retaining arms all may be replaced by extra resilient elements.
  • locking members which can be disposed in the locking member receiving housing and releasably lock rivets or protruded mating portions are not limited to the above locking brackets, and many current other members can achieve the above function.
  • a structure similar to a lock structure of a car door may be adopted.
  • the number and the position of the upper notches and the lower notches of the locking bracket receiving housing may be correspondingly set according to the number and the position of the rivets on the plug connector and the socket connector.
  • a plurality of upper notches and lower notches provided on the locking bracket receiving housings in the above several embodiments are advantageous in providing better universality.
  • the technical solution of the present invention achieves the following technical effects: 1.
  • the locking mechanism disclosed in the present invention operates simply and can achieve quick connection.
  • the locking mechanism disclosed in the present invention can be conveniently separated from a plug connector and a socket connector, which facilitates a client's use, maintenance and services.
  • the locking mechanism disclosed in the present invention is compatible with current various plug connectors and socket connectors.
  • the locking mechanism disclosed in the present invention requires a special tool to unlock, which can prevent inadvertent unlocking.

Landscapes

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

Abstract

A locking mechanism for locking a first connector with a second connector, comprising: an annular housing having a first side and a second side opposite to the first side; and a locking member received in a slot formed in a side wall of the annular housing and having a first locking portion and a second locking portion, wherein when the first connector is inserted into the annular housing from the first side, a first engagement portion on the first connector is locked with the first locking portion of the locking member; and wherein when the second connector is inserted into the annular housing from the second side, a second engagement portion on the second connector is locked with the second locking portion of the locking member.

Description

LOCKING MECHANISM AND CONNECTOR ASSEMBLY
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION
This application claims the benefit of Chinese Patent Application No. 201310025365.5 filed on January 23, 2013 in the State Intellectual Property Office of China, the whole disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a locking mechanism, and particularly to a locking mechanism applied to a heavy duty plug connector and a heavy duty socket connector.
Description of the Related Art
In prior arts, a locking mechanism for locking a heavy duty plug connector and a heavy duty socket connector is generally configured as a level-type locking member comprising a rotation arm pivotally connected to a housing of the heavy duty socket connector and locking jaws formed at both ends of the rotation arm. When the plug connector is fitted on the socket connector, an operator grasps the rotation arm of the locking mechanism to rotate it upward, and protrusions formed on the housing of the plug connector are captured by the locking jaws, so that the plug connector is locked with the socket connector.
The conventional locking mechanism is pivotally connected to the plug connector or socket connector and cannot be independently separated therefrom.
To conclude, the conventional locking mechanism in the prior art has the following technical problems:
1. A locking mechanism in the same series can only be connected to a plug connector-socket connector assembly in the same series, and products in different series cannot be mated; therefore, the locking mechanisms in the prior art lack universality in use, interchangeability, mutual mating, replaceability and compatibility, which causes inconvenience to a client's use and increases inventory and costs. 2. Different locking mechanisms have different locking mechanical principles, different locking forces and different reliability. Hence, they cause uncertainty to clients and reduce reliability.
3. A connecting force is generated by an operator's manual pulling, thereby increasing the operator's labor intensity and misoperation risks.
4. All of the aforesaid locking mechanisms are pivotally connected to the plug connector or socket connector and cannot be independently separated therefrom. Hence, this causes inconvenience to the client's maintenance. In some cases, the client has to decide to discard the whole product instead of retaining reusable plug connector and socket connector and only discarding the locking mechanism.
5. In respect of the function of ensuring IP65 waterproof levels, the locking mechanisms have very simple sealing and undesirable reliability.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The present invention has been made to overcome or alleviate at least one aspect of the above mentioned disadvantages.
According to an aspect of the present invention, there is provided a locking mechanism for locking a first connector with a second connector, comprising: an annular housing having a first side and a second side opposite to the first side; and a locking member received in a slot formed in a side wall of the annular housing and having a first locking portion and a second locking portion, wherein when the first connector is inserted into the annular housing from the first side, a first engagement portion on the first connector is locked with the first locking portion of the locking member; and wherein when the second connector is inserted into the annular housing from the second side, a second engagement portion on the second connector is locked with the second locking portion of the locking member.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
The above and other features of the present invention will become more apparent by describing in detail exemplary embodiments thereof with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:
Fig. l schematically illustrates a first embodiment of a locking mechanism of the present invention;
Fig.2 schematically illustrates a substantially N-shaped locking bracket of the locking mechanism shown in Fig.1 ;
Fig.3 schematically illustrates a view in which the locking mechanism of Fig. l is assembled with a plug connector and a socket connector;
Fig.4 schematically illustrates a substantially M or W-shaped locking bracket of the locking mechanism shown in Fig.1;
Fig.5 schematically illustrates a second embodiment of a locking mechanism of the present invention;
Fig.6 schematically illustrates the locking bracket of the locking mechanism shown in Fig.5;
Fig.7 schematically illustrates a locking bracket of a third embodiment of the locking mechanism of the present invention;
Fig.8 schematically illustrates a locking bracket of a fourth embodiment of the locking mechanism of the present invention; and
Fig.9 schematically illustrates a locking bracket of a fifth embodiment of the locking mechanism of the present invention.
Similar features in different views are designated by similar reference numbers.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS OF THE IVENTION
Exemplary embodiments of the present disclosure will be described hereinafter in detail with reference to the attached drawings, wherein the like reference numerals refer to the like elements. The present disclosure may, however, be embodied in many different forms and should not be construed as being limited to the embodiment set forth herein; rather, these embodiments are provided so that the present disclosure will be thorough and complete, and will fully convey the concept of the disclosure to those skilled in the art. The following detailed description of embodiments will be presented with reference to the figures which form a portion of the description. Specific embodiments are exhibited by the figures in an exemplary manner. The present invention is implemented in these embodiments. The illustrated embodiments are not intended to exhaust all embodiments according to the present invention. It may be understood that other embodiments may be used, and structural or logical modifications may be made without departing the scope of the present invention. For the figures, terms regarding directions, such as "left", "right", "bottom", "front", "rear", "downward" and "upward", are used with reference to orientations of the described figures. Since assemblies of embodiments of the present invention may be presented in multiple orientations and ways, these terms about directions are used for illustration purpose and not for limitation purpose. Therefore, the following specific embodiments are not intended to limit the present invention, and the scope of the present invention will be defined by appended claim set.
Fig. l schematically illustrates a first embodiment of a locking mechanism of the present invention, and Fig.2 schematically illustrates a locking bracket of the locking mechanism shown in Fig. l . A locking mechanism 400 is described in detail hereunder in combination with Fig. l and Fig.2.
The locking mechanism 400 comprises a locking bracket receiving housing 402 and a locking bracket 404 received in the locking bracket receiving housing 402.
Specifically, the annular locking bracket receiving housing 402 has a sidewall 406, upper notches 410 provided inwardly from an upper end face 408 of the sidewall 406 and lower notches 414 provided inwardly from a lower end face 412 of the sidewall 406 opposite to the upper end face 408, and a receiving cavity 416 formed inside the sidewall 406 and communicated with the upper notches 410 and lower notches 412.
The locking bracket 404 is substantially N-shaped, integrally formed of metal or plastic and comprises a bracket main body 418, elastic bracket retaining arms 420 respectively extending from ends of the bracket main body 418, substantially hook-shaped upper bracket locking arms 422 extending upward from the bracket main body 418, and substantially hook-shaped lower bracket locking arms 424 extending downward, wherein the bracket retaining arm 420 is received in the receiving cavity 416 and compressibly abuts against a wall surface forming the receiving cavity 416, the upper bracket locking arm 422 and the lower bracket locking arm 424 respectively form an inclined acting surface on distal ends thereof, the upper bracket locking arms 422 are located in the upper notches 410, and the lower bracket locking arms 424 are located in the lower notches 412.
Referring to Fig.3, Fig.3 illustrates a view in which the locking mechanism of Fig.1 is assembled with a plug connector 500 and a socket connector 600. Specifically, the plug connector 500 comprises a plug housing 502, and two rivets 504 (the two rivets on the side surface inward of the paper surface are not shown) are protruded from each of opposite side surfaces of the plug housing 502. The socket connector 600 comprises a socket housing 602, and two rivets 604 (the two rivets on the side surface inward of the paper surface are not shown) protruding on each of opposite side surfaces of the socket housing 602.
When the plug connector 500 is connected to the socket connector 600, the locking mechanism 400 is first connected to the socket connector 600, and then the plug connector 500 is connected to the locking mechanism 400 which is already locked on the socked connector 600.
Specifically, the user usually holds the locking mechanism 400 and aligns it with the socket connector 600 pre-placed on a supporting surface (e.g., a table surface) so that an inside surface of the sidewall 406 of the locking mechanism 400 contacts an outer wall surface of the socket housing 602 of the socket connector 600 adjacent the opening of the socket housing 602; the user applies a downward force so that the locking bracket receiving housing 402 of the locking mechanism 400 is fitted around the socket housing 602 of the socket connector 600; when the user continues to operate downward, the lower bracket locking arms 424 in the locking mechanism 400 respectively abut against the rivets 604 on the socket housing 602. Under action of the rivets 604, the bracket main body 418 moves leftward to force the bracket retaining arms 420 to elastically deform so that the rivets 604 enter into the lower notch 414; then, when the rivets 604 respectively and completely enter the lower notches 414, the bracket retaining arms 420 restore elastically to force the bracket main body 418 to move rightward so that the lower bracket locking arms 424 lock the rivets 604.
Then, the user holds the plug connector 500 in a way that its open end aligns with the open end of the socket connector 600 which is placed on the supporting surface (e.g., a table surface) and already mounted with the locking mechanism 400, and then moves the plug connector 500 downwardly. In this way, the two rivets 504 of the plug housing 502 respectively act upon the upper bracket locking arms 422. The bracket main body 418 moves rightward to elastically deform the bracket retaining arms 420 so that the rivets 504 respectively enter into the corresponding upper notches 410, and then the bracket retaining arms 420 restore deformation to force the bracket main body 418 leftward so that the upper bracket locking arms 422 lock the rivets 504.
More specifically, the upper bracket locking arms 422 and the lower bracket locking arms 424 are arranged staggeredly so that when the rivets 504 act on the upper bracket locking arms 422 respectively, the upper bracket locking arm 422 is at least partially received in the receiving cavity 416 and the lower bracket locking arm 424 still locks the rivet 604; or when the rivets 604 acts upon the lower bracket locking arms 424 respectively, the lower bracket locking arm 424 is at least partially received in the receiving cavity 416 and the upper bracket locking arm 422 still locks the rivet 504.
As shown in the figure, the locking bracket 404 may further comprise a release hole 426, the locking bracket receiving housing 402 is provided with a release groove 428 corresponding to the release hole 426, the release groove 428 is configured to allow a release element to fix the locking bracket 404 to an unlocked position when the release element is inserted into the release hole 426 through the release groove 428 to move the locking bracket 404. The release groove 428 may be Π, H, T, , , |-, -| , -γ or -L-shaped, i.e., the release groove 428 at least comprises a substantially L-shaped or an inverted L-shaped groove portion. In other words, it at least comprises a horizontal groove portion for releasing and a vertical groove portion for positioning. As such, the release element mating with the release hole 426 may be inserted through the release groove 428 into the release hole 426, and then bring the locking bracket 404 to move leftward or rightward a predetermined distance in the horizontal groove portion and then move upward or downward in the vertical groove portion to be positioned in the vertical groove portion. It may be understood that the aforesaid "predetermined distance" means that in the event of no movement, the locking mechanism 400 is in a state of locking the plug connector 500 and the socket connector 600; after moving this predetermined distance, the upper bracket locking arms 422 (or the lower bracket locking arms 424) of the locking mechanism 400 can loosen the rivets 504 (or the rivets 604) so that the plug connector 500 (or socket connector 600) can be removed.
As can be appreciated, it is not requisite to provide the locking bracket receiving housing 402 with the release groove 428 while the locking bracket 404 is provided with the release hole 426. Alternatively, any release element shaped to be adapted to the upper notch 410 or the lower notch 414 of the locking bracket receiving housing 402, for example, USB, may be inserted into a certain notch so as to horizontally move the locking bracket 404 to remove one of the plug connector 500 and the socket connector 600.
Preferably, the locking mechanism 400 may further comprise a gasket (not shown). The gasket is disposed inside the sidewall 406 of the locking bracket receiving housing 402 to respectively seal the plug connector 500 and the socket connector 600 to the sidewall 406. Optionally, the locking bracket 404 may also be M or W-shaped, as shown in Fig.4.
Fig.5 schematically illustrates a second embodiment of a locking mechanism of the present invention, and Fig.6 schematically illustrates a locking bracket of the locking mechanism shown in Fig.5. A locking mechanism 700 is described in detail hereunder in combination with Fig.5 and Fig.6.
The locking mechanism 700 comprises a locking bracket receiving housing 702, an upper locking bracket 704 and a lower locking bracket 706. Specifically, the locking bracket receiving housing 702 is annular and has a sidewall 708. Upper notches 712 are provided inwardly from an upper end face 710 of the sidewall 708, and lower notches 716 are provided inwardly from a lower end face 714 of the sidewall 708. Inside the sidewall 708, an upper receiving cavity 718 communicated with the upper notches 712 and a lower receiving cavity 720 communicated with the lower notches 716 are formed.
The upper locking bracket 704 has an upper bracket main body 722 and substantially hook-shaped upper bracket locking arms 724 extending outward from the upper bracket main body 722, wherein a resilient element (not shown, e.g., a spring) is received in the upper receiving cavity 718, one end of the resilient element may be pressed by the upper locking bracket 704 so that the other end thereof is pressed against the wall surface forming the upper receiving cavity 718, and the upper bracket locking arm 724 are located in the upper notches 712 respectively.
The lower locking bracket 706 has a lower bracket main body 726 and substantially hook-shaped lower bracket locking arms 728 extending outward from the lower bracket main body 726, wherein another resilient element (not shown, e.g., a spring) is received in the lower receiving cavity 720, one end of the resilient element may be pressed by the lower locking bracket 706 so that the other end thereof is pressed against the wall surface forming the lower receiving cavity 720, and the lower bracket locking arms 728 are located in the lower notches 716 respectively.
As understood in combination with the plug connector 500 and the socket connector 600 shown in Fig.3, when the plug connector 500 is locked with the socket connector 600 through the locking mechanism 700, the locking mechanism 700 is locked with the socket connector 600 first, and then plug connector 500 is locked on the socket connector 700.
Specifically, the user usually holds the locking mechanism 700 and aligns it with the socket connector 600 pre-placed on a supporting surface (e.g., a table surface) so that the inside surface of the sidewall 708 of the locking mechanism 700 contacts the outer wall surface of the socket housing 602 of the socket connector 600 adjacent the opening of the socket housing 602; the user applies a downward force so that the locking bracket receiving housing 702 of the locking mechanism 700 is fitted around the socket housing 602 of the socket connector 600; when the user continues to operate downward, the lower bracket locking arms 728 of the lower locking bracket 706 respectively abut against the rivets 604 on the socket housing 602. Under action of the rivets 604, the lower bracket main body 726 moves leftward to force the resilient element received in the lower receiving cavity 720 to elastically deform so that the rivets 604 respectively enter into the lower notches 716; then, when the rivets 604 respectively and completely enter the lower notches 716, the resilient element restores elastically to force the lower bracket main body 726 to move rightward so that the lower bracket locking arms 728 lock the rivets 604 respectively. In this procedure, the upper locking bracket 704 remains stationary.
Then, the user holds the plug connector 500 in a way that its open end aligns with the open end of the socket connector 600 which is placed on the supporting surface (e.g., a table surface) and already mounted with the locking mechanism 700, and then moves the plug connector 500 downwardly. In this way, the two rivets 504 of the plug housing 502 act upon the upper bracket locking arms 724 of the upper locking bracket 704 respectively. The upper bracket main body 722 moves rightward to elastically deform the resilient element received in the upper receiving cavity 718 so that the rivets 504 respectively enter into the corresponding upper notches 712, and then the resilient element restores deformation to force the upper bracket main body 722 to move leftward so that the upper bracket locking arms 724 lock the rivets 504 respectively. In this procedure, the lower locking bracket 706 remains stationary.
Different from the previous first embodiment, in this embodiment, since the upper locking bracket 704 is not integral with the lower locking bracket 706, i.e., the upper locking bracket 704 and the lower locking bracket 706 are not linked with each other, the upper bracket locking arm 724 and the lower bracket locking arm 728 are not necessarily arranged staggeredly.
It may be appreciated that in this second embodiment, as in the first embodiment, the upper locking bracket 704 and the lower locking bracket 706 are respectively provided with a release hole, and meanwhile the corresponding release grooves are provided on the locking bracket receiving housing 702. Likewise, any release element shaped to be adapted to the upper notch 712 or the lower notch 716 of the locking bracket receiving housing 702 can be used to release the upper locking bracket 704 or the lower locking bracket 706. No detailed description will be given herein. Besides, the locking mechanism 700 may further comprise a gasket. The gasket is disposed inside the sidewall 708 of the locking bracket receiving housing 702 to obtain the seal between the plug connector 500 and the sidewall 708 and the seal between the socket connector 600 and the sidewall 708.
Fig.7 schematically illustrates a locking bracket of a third embodiment of the locking mechanism of the present invention.
In this embodiment, the locking bracket receiving housing of the locking mechanism is identical with the locking bracket receiving housing in the previously mentioned first and second embodiments, and therefore will not be described here. This embodiment differs from the first embodiment as follows: regarding the situation shown in Fig.3 that each of the plug connector 500 and the socket connector 600 is provided with two rivets 504, 604, the locking bracket 802 of the locking mechanism only has two upper bracket locking arms 804 and two lower bracket locking arms 806, with other structures substantially the same, for example, an elastic bracket retaining arm 808 extends from each of both ends of the locking bracket 802. This embodiment is substantially identical with the first embodiment in respect of the locking and cooperating procedure.
Alternatively, to adapt for the locking bracket 802 with a simpler structure, the locking bracket receiving housing may further be configured in a form only having two upper notches and two lower notches.
Fig.8 schematically illustrates a locking bracket of a fourth embodiment of the locking mechanism of the present invention. In this embodiment, the locking bracket receiving housing of the locking mechanism is identical with the locking bracket receiving housing in the previous first, second and third embodiments, and therefore will not be detailed here.
This embodiment differs from the second embodiment as follows: regarding the situation shown in Fig.3 that each of the plug connector 500 and socket connector 600 is provided with two rivets 504, 604, the upper locking bracket 902 of the locking mechanism only has two upper bracket locking arms 904, the lower locking bracket 906 only has two lower bracket locking arms 908, with other structures substantially the same, for example, a resilient element is received in the upper receiving cavity to provide a resilience restoration force to the upper locking bracket 904, and another resilient element is received in the lower receiving cavity to provide a resilience restoration force to the lower locking bracket 906. Both of the two resilient elements may be a spring. This embodiment is substantially identical with the second embodiment in respect of the locking and cooperating procedure.
Alternatively, to adapt for the upper locking bracket 902 and the lower locking bracket 906 with a simpler structure, the locking bracket receiving housing may further be configured in a form only having two upper notches and two lower notches.
Fig.9 schematically illustrates a locking bracket of a fifth embodiment of the locking mechanism of the present invention.
As shown in Fig.9, the locking bracket 104 comprises hook-shaped upper bracket locking arms 122 and hook-shaped lower bracket locking arms 124. The hook-shaped ends of the upper bracket locking arm 122 and the lower bracket locking arm 124 are arranged to face the same side of the locking bracket 104, for example, The hook-shaped ends of the upper bracket locking arm 122 and the lower bracket locking arm 124 are arranged to face the left side of the locking bracket 104, as shown in Fig.9. With the configuration of Fig.9, the upper bracket locking arm 122 and the lower bracket locking arm 124 can be released from the rivets 504, 604 of the plug connector 500 and the socket connector 600 at the same time.
Those skilled in the art may understand the above embodiments are all described on the basis of specific plug connector 500 and the socket connector 600. In fact, the plug connector 500 and the socket connector 600 may be other variations. For instance, the rivets 504 of the plug connector 500 are provided on other opposite side surfaces and meanwhile the position of the rivets 604 of the socket connector 600 does not change. Again for example, the number of rivets 504 of the plug connector 500 is different from the number of rivets 604 on the socket connector 600. Alternatively, the rivets on the plug connector 500 and/or the socket connector 600 may be replaced by other protruded mating portions. According to the essence of the present invention, a corresponding locking mechanism may be designed as long as the position and number of the rivets or protruded mating portions are known.
In the above embodiments, some locking brackets have bracket retaining arms to provide a resilient restoration force, and some locking brackets need to provide an extra resilient element in the receiving cavity in place of the aforesaid bracket retaining arm. It may be understood that the aforesaid bracket retaining arms all may be replaced by extra resilient elements.
It may be appreciated that locking members which can be disposed in the locking member receiving housing and releasably lock rivets or protruded mating portions are not limited to the above locking brackets, and many current other members can achieve the above function. For example, a structure similar to a lock structure of a car door may be adopted.
It may also be appreciated that the number and the position of the upper notches and the lower notches of the locking bracket receiving housing may be correspondingly set according to the number and the position of the rivets on the plug connector and the socket connector. A plurality of upper notches and lower notches provided on the locking bracket receiving housings in the above several embodiments are advantageous in providing better universality.
The technical solution of the present invention achieves the following technical effects: 1. The locking mechanism disclosed in the present invention operates simply and can achieve quick connection.
2. The locking mechanism disclosed in the present invention can be conveniently separated from a plug connector and a socket connector, which facilitates a client's use, maintenance and services.
3. When the locking mechanism damages, only the locking mechanism needs to be replaced, which substantially saves maintenance manpower costs and material costs.
4. The locking mechanism disclosed in the present invention is compatible with current various plug connectors and socket connectors.
5. The locking mechanism disclosed in the present invention requires a special tool to unlock, which can prevent inadvertent unlocking.
It should be appreciated for those skilled in this art that the above embodiments are intended to be illustrated, and not restrictive. For example, many modifications may be made to the above embodiments by those skilled in this art, and various features described in different embodiments may be freely combined with each other without conflicting in configuration or principle, so that more kinds of locking mechanism can be achieved with overcoming the technical problem of the present invention.
Although several exemplary embodiments have been shown and described, it would be appreciated by those skilled in the art that various changes or modifications may be made in these embodiments without departing from the principles and spirit of the disclosure, the scope of which is defined in the claims and their equivalents. As used herein, an element recited in the singular and proceeded with the word "a" or "an" should be understood as not excluding plural of said elements or steps, unless such exclusion is explicitly stated. Furthermore, references to "one embodiment" of the present invention are not intended to be interpreted as excluding the existence of additional embodiments that also incorporate the recited features. Moreover, unless explicitly stated to the contrary, embodiments "comprising" or "having" an element or a plurality of elements having a particular property may include additional such elements not having that property.

Claims

WHAT IS CLAIMED IS:
1. A locking mechanism for locking a first connector (500) with a second connector (600), comprising:
an annular housing (402) having a first side and a second side opposite to the first side; and
a locking member (404) received in a slot (416) formed in a side wall (406) of the annular housing (402) and having a first locking portion (422) and a second locking portion (424),
wherein when the first connector (500) is inserted into the annular housing (402) from the first side, a first engagement portion (504) on the first connector (500) is locked with the first locking portion (422) of the locking member (404); and
wherein when the second connector (600) is inserted into the annular housing (402) from the second side, a second engagement portion (604) on the second connector (600) is locked with the second locking portion (424) of the locking member (404).
2. The locking mechanism according to claim 1, wherein the locking member is configured to be movable between a locking position and an unlocking position,
when the locking member is in the locking position, the first and second locking portions are locked with the first and second engagement portions, respectively,
when the locking member is in the unlocking position, the first and second locking portions are separated from the first and second engagement portions, respectively.
3. The locking mechanism according to claim 1, wherein the locking member is configured to be movable between a locking position, a first unlocking position and a second unlocking position,
when the locking member is in the locking position, the first and second locking portions are locked with the first and second engagement portions, respectively,
when the locking member is in the first unlocking position, the first locking portion is separated from the first engagement portion, when the locking member is in the second unlocking position, the second locking portion is separated from the second engagement portion.
4. The locking mechanism according to claim 2 or 3,
wherein the locking member is elastically held in the side wall of the annular housing by means of an elastic element.
5. The locking mechanism according to claim 4,
wherein when there is no an external force exerted on the locking member, the locking member is held at the locking position under the elastic force of the elastic element; and
wherein when there is an external force exerted on the locking member, the locking member can be moved from the locking position to the unlocking position.
6. The locking mechanism according to claim 5,
wherein the elastic element is configured to be separated from or integrally formed with the locking member.
7. The locking mechanism according to claim 5,
wherein the first and second locking portions each is configured as a hook-shaped member; and
wherein the first and second engagement portion each is configured as a pillar protrusion.
8. The locking mechanism according to claim 7,
wherein the annular housing is formed with a first notch and a second notch at the first and second sides, respectively, the first and second engagement portions are configured to be received in the first and second notches, respectively; and
wherein when the locking member is in the locking position, the first and second locking portions are received in the first and second notches, respectively.
9. The locking mechanism according to claim 5,
wherein the first and second locking portions each is formed with a guide slope thereon to guide the first or second engagement portion to engage with the first or second locking portions.
10. The locking mechanism according to claim 5,
wherein a release hole is formed in the locking member, and a respective release groove is formed in the annular housing; and
wherein the locking member can be moved from the locking position to the unlocking position by a tool inserted through the release hole and the release groove.
11. The locking mechanism according to claim 5, wherein the locking member is configured to be one piece.
12. The locking mechanism according to claim 5,
wherein the locking member is configured to be composed of two separate pieces; and when the locking member is in the locking position, the two separate pieces are engaged with the annular housing.
13. The locking mechanism according to claim 1, further comprising:
a sealing gasket provided on the inner wall of the annular housing to seal an interface among the first connector, the second connector and the inner wall of the annular housing.
14. A connector assembly, comprising:
a first connector having a first engagement portion formed on a housing thereof;
a second connector having a second engagement portion formed on a housing thereof; and
a locking mechanism according to any one of claims 1-13.
EP14701128.2A 2013-01-23 2014-01-09 Locking mechanism and connector assembly Active EP2949007B1 (en)

Applications Claiming Priority (2)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
CN201310025365.5A CN103944005B (en) 2013-01-23 2013-01-23 A kind of locking mechanism
PCT/IB2014/058158 WO2014115051A1 (en) 2013-01-23 2014-01-09 Locking mechanism and connector assembly

Publications (2)

Publication Number Publication Date
EP2949007A1 true EP2949007A1 (en) 2015-12-02
EP2949007B1 EP2949007B1 (en) 2017-03-15

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Application Number Title Priority Date Filing Date
EP14701128.2A Active EP2949007B1 (en) 2013-01-23 2014-01-09 Locking mechanism and connector assembly

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EP (1) EP2949007B1 (en)
JP (1) JP6270874B2 (en)
CN (1) CN103944005B (en)
WO (1) WO2014115051A1 (en)

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CN105071113B (en) * 2015-09-10 2018-01-23 魏德米勒电联接（上海）有限公司 Sealing protection covering device and the connector using sealing protection covering device
US10116090B2 (en) * 2017-03-17 2018-10-30 Hosiden Corporation Female connector and connection structure of female connector and male connector
US10468805B2 (en) * 2018-03-23 2019-11-05 Te Connectivity Corporation Connector position assurance member

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Also Published As

Publication number Publication date
WO2014115051A1 (en) 2014-07-31
EP2949007B1 (en) 2017-03-15
JP6270874B2 (en) 2018-01-31
CN103944005A (en) 2014-07-23
CN103944005B (en) 2016-07-06
JP2016508660A (en) 2016-03-22

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