FR2546678A1 - ELECTRICAL CONNECTOR - Google Patents

Abstract

THE CONNECTOR ACCORDING TO THE INVENTION INCLUDES FIRST AND SECOND LOCKING ORGANS ASSOCIATED WITH OPPOSITE WALLS OF THE BODY RESPECTIVELY, EACH LOCKING BODY BEING LINKED TO THE BODY BY MEANS OF A RIB FORMING AN INTEGRAL PART THEREFORE AND EXTENDING THEREFORE LOCKING ORGAN AND ASSOCIATED WALL OF THE BODY. ACCORDING TO THE INVENTION, A COMPONENT 21 IS PROVIDED THAT IS SEPARATE FROM THE BODY AND EXTENDING THROUGH THE ENDS OF THE RECEPTION PASSAGES OF THE TERMINALS THROUGH WHICH THE TERMINALS ARE INTRODUCED IN THE BODY, THIS COMPONENT 21 INCLUDING RETAINING LEGS 22 TO RETAIN THE COMPONENT 21 IN POSITION ON THE BODY, THESE RETAINING LEGS 22 COOPERATING WITH THE RIBS OF THE LOCKING COMPONENTS OF THIS BODY SO AS TO RETAIN THE COMPONENT 21 IN POSITION ON THE BODY WHILE AT THE SAME TIME AUTHORIZING A MOVEMENT OF THE LOCKING DEVICES FOR REALIZE THE LOCKING AND UNLOCKING OF THE BODY RELATING TO AN ASSOCIATED ELECTRICAL COMPONENT.

Description

ELECTRICAL CONNECTOR

  The present invention relates to an electrical connector of the type in which the connector body can be locked in engagement with an associated component by means of a pair of locking members on the

  body, these locking members having an ar-

  ticked to the body by which they can be moved relative to the body to effect locking and

unlocking.

  In a known and particularly practical form

  than a connector of the type specified in the pre-

  each locking member extends parallel-

  ment to, but at a distance from a respective end wall of the generally rectangular body of the connector and is hingedly connected to the body by means of a rib forming an integral part of both the body and the locking member The rib is both flexible and elastic and thus allows displacement of

  the locking member relative to the body for reali-

  ser locking and unlocking, but due to the elasticity of the rib, each locking member is biased towards a predetermined rest position

relative to the body.

  The rectangular body comprises a plurality of dassages passing through it, and each housing an electrical terminal of the connector. The terminals are introduced into their passages from a first end.

  open to the body and are accessible at associated terminals

  Ciees 1 ecxtrft Iity opposite the body Frequently, the i connector should be used in an environment in which it is not important that the end of the body through which the terminals are introduced into the body is open However, there is the circumstances in which a cover or an element is required which prevents movement of the terminals relative to the body

  in the sense of a withdrawal and it is therefore a goal of the pre-

  invention to provide a connector of the aforementioned type, further comprising a cover or a retaining element

  terminals in a simple and convenient way.

  A connector according to the invention comprises a

  connector body comprising first and second organ-

  locking pins associated respectively with opposite walls of the body, each locking member being linked to the body by means of a rib forming an integral part thereof, and extending between the locking member and the associated wall of the body and a component separated from the body and extending across the ends of the terminal receiving passages through which the terminals are introduced into the body, this component comprising retaining legs for retaining the component in position on the body, these legs retainer cooperating with the ribs of the locking members of this body so as to retain the component in position on the body while at the same time allowing movement of the

  locking for locking and unlocking

  rusting of the body relative to an electrical component

associated.

  Conveniently, this component which extends across the insertion ends of the passage terminals

  is able to cooperate with the terminals housed in the

  so as to resist displacement in one direction

  withdrawal, terminals relative to the body.

  As a variant, this component is a cover which closes the body at the end of the passages where the terminals

are inserted.

  Preferably, this component is both a

  cover and a terminal retainer.

  Advantageously, the retaining legs of the component

  are elastic and mesh with the ribs

by snap-on assembly.

  Conveniently, when the ribs are provided with an opening, then the retaining legs extend to

  through the opening of their respective ribs and engages

nice under the rib.

  Preferably, each retaining leg has

  a branch line and passes through the opening of its nerve

  associated frame, the ends of the two parts of the two-legged leg having stops which move out towards the outside in the manner of a spring to engage under the

  rib after passing through the opening.

  Conveniently, the two branches of each

  leg are laterally offset from each other

  be and partially overlap so as to achieve

  a "scissor-like" effect when bent inward

  térieur to allow the passage of the leg through

  an opening of the respective rib.

  An exemplary embodiment of the present invention

  tion is shown in the accompanying schematic drawing in which: Figures 1 and 2 are respectively a partial perspective view and a broken plan view of a connector body of known type; Figure 3 is a plan view of a terminal retainer cover / member for use with the body of Figures 1 and 2 Figure 4 is a bottom view of the member shown in Figure 3; Figure 5 is a view along arrow A of Figure 3;

  Figure 6 is a side view of Figure 5.

  As shown in the figures, the known connector body (11) is molded from synthetic resin and has a rectangular cross section. The body is internally divided by dividing walls (13) in

  a plurality of passages (12) for the terminal housing.

  The passages (12) are open at the top and bottom (as

  seen in Figure 1) and the partition walls (13) are

  tend laterally (in 13 a) on the side of the body in

  its upper part to define channels extending per-

  pendulum to the passages (12) Bollards are inserted

  down in the passages (12) and at the terminals are associated

  of electrical conductors extending perpendicularly

  rement to the longitudinal dimension of the bollard So while the bollard is housed inside the passage (12), its conductor and its connection part to the conductor are housed inside the respective channel

  defined between the dividing wall extensions (13a).

  In practice, a known form of device

  terminal locking device is provided to retain

  terminals inside their passage (12) after their in-

  setting, from the upper ends of the passages.

  The terminals are accessible at the lower ends of the

  passages (12) for the corresponding terminals of a component

  health with which the body (11) is associated For example, the component with which the body (11) is associated may very well be a printed circuit board, in which case the terminals of the passages (12) will engage in conductive paths

  next to an edge of the printed circuit board In varian-

  of course, the component to which the body (11) corresponds can be another body molded from another part of

connector.

  Regardless of the nature of the component to which the body (11) corresponds, it is provided at each end

  of the body (11) a locking member (14) for locking

  ler the body (11) to the associated component Each organ of

  lock (14) is molded in one piece with the res-

  te of the body (11) and comprises a bar type element (15) extending parallel but at a distance from the end wall associated with the body (11) Each bar type element (15) is linked to the corresponding end wall

  of the body by means of a rib (16) forming an integral part

  supporting both the body (11) and the element (15) The rib (16) merges with the element (15) between its upper and lower ends and the rib (16) is

  both flexible and elastic Thus each member of

  click (14) is hingedly connected to the body (11) by the rib (16) and can be moved relative to the

  body (11) by bending the rib (16) The part of the element

  ment (15) which is located below the rib (16) (Cf.

  Figure 1 again) is provided with a through hole (17) at

  inside of which a projection of the associated component is received

  cié The locking member (14) can therefore be moved by bending the rib (16) to remove the locking member from the projection which fits into the opening (17) and thus allow the body to move away from the body. (11) of the associated component However, the intrinsic elasticity of the rib (16) is such that, provided that the hole (17) and the projection of the associated component are correctly aligned, the member (14) will then take a position in

  which the projection is inside the hole (17).

  In order to facilitate the molding of the body (11) com-

  taking the organs (14), the rib (16) of each of the organs (14) is formed with a rectangular opening

(18) centrally arranged.

  The connector body described above and illus-

  tré in Figures 1 and 2, is known and is frequently used without the need for a lid to close -f O the open upper end of the body In addition, in some applications, it is acceptable to rely on the

  locking between each terminal and the wall of its passage

  ge respee-iif (12) to resist movement of the terminal

  relative to the body (it) in the sense of withdrawal.

  Thus the load imposed on the terminals during the association of the connector with a corresponding component is admitted by the latching mechanism of the terminal and its respective passage. Conveniently, this snap will have the form of an elastic bar forming an integral part of the terminal which snaps behind a projection on the wall.

  passage (12) when the terminal is correctly positioned-

born inside the passage.

  Consequently, it has become customary to provide the body (it 'without a cover, or a terminal retaining device of any shape. However, we see

  now that there are some apps for them-

  what a cover for the open end of the passages

  is required and there are apps for them-

  which it is not considered satisfactory to rely solely on the locking of the terminal inside its passage to avoid a withdrawal movement of the terminal relative to the body A cover (21), shown in

  Figures 3 to 6, has therefore been designed to adapt without mo-

  specification of these requirements to the existing body.

  The cover (21) not only closes the end

  upper tee of the passages (12) of the body, but at the same time serves as a terminal retaining device resisting movement of the terminals relative to the body (11) in the direction of withdrawal, i.e. upwards in the

figure 1.

  The cover (21) comprises a plate (23), of essentially planar molded synthetic resin, the dimensions of which are such that the plate (23) can cover the upper end of the body (11) At its ends

  opposite the plate (23) is formed with retaining legs

  nude (22) forming an integral part of this plate and

  tending perpendicular to the plane of the plate (23).

  When the plate (23) is in position on the body (11), the legs (22) extend downward between the end walls of the body (11) and their associated locking members (14) Each retaining leg (22) shows a branch in that it comprises a pair of branches (22 a, 22 b) However the branches (22 a, 22 b) of each leg are not co-planar, since each branch (22 a ) is placed at a distance from the branch (22 b) of

  the same pair in the longitudinal direction of the cover (21).

  At its free end, each of the branches (22 a, 22 b) comprises

  has a protrusion (24) in the shape of a beard.

  When the cover (21) is adjusted on the body (11), the legs (22) cooperate with the ribs (16), the projections (24) cooperate with the periphery of the opening (18) of each rib. The mutual offset arrangement branches (22 a, 22 b) of each leg (22) allows

  minimize the total width of the leg (22),

  so much the production of a leg (22) which can cooperate

  rer with the existing opening (18) while simultaneously preserving an appropriate physical strength and flexibility It will be recognized that when the legs (22) are pressed through the openings (18) of the rib

  (16), the branches (22 a, 22 b) of each leg (22) become

  cover each other like "scissors" However, the projections (24) immediately pass through the rib (16) and the branches (22 a, 22 b) straighten out to resume their resting configuration in which they are not

  not stressed, so that the barbs (24) come in

  act under the ribs (16) and put up resistance

  a withdrawal of the legs (22) through the ribs (16).

  A deliberate release can of course be obtained by manually bending the branches (22 a, 22 b) of the legs (22) to allow the withdrawal of the legs passing through

  the openings (18) of the rib (16).

  It is evident from Figures 3 to 6 inclusive, that, in the state of rest of the legs (22), the branches (22 a, 22 b) of each leg do not overlap each other properly speaking, since the outermost face of each branch (22 b) is substantially coplanar with the internal face of the associated branch (22 a) Likewise the internal edge of each branch (22 a) is coplanar with the edge

  internal of the associated branch (22 b).

  It can therefore be seen that the cover (21) constitutes a cover closing the open upper ends of the passages (12) and also closing the open upper face of each of the channels defined by the

  extensions (13 a) of the partition walls.

  In the vicinity of an edge of the plate (23) of the neck

  a circle (21) is provided with a plurality of legs (25) extending downward from the underside of the plate (23) The legs (25) engage in the channels defined between the partition wall extensions (13 a)

  and partially close the open ends of the ca-

  sufficient space to allow the electrical conductors of the terminals to extend to

from the channels.

  A plurality of projections (26) also extend

  down from the underside of the plate

  that (23) up to the passages (12) of the body (11) and

  come into abutment with the upper ends of the

  nes housed in the passages (12) The coming into contact Jo of the projections (26) with the terminals when the cover (21)

  is correctly engaged on the body (11) pockets a displacement

  cementing of the terminals with respect to the body in the direction of withdrawal (upwards) Furthermore, in the event that a terminal has not been completely introduced in its respective passage before the adjustment of the cover (21),

  adjusting the cover (21) on the body (11)

  place this terminal towards its correct position inside the passage (12), due to the engagement of the projection (26)

appropriate with the terminal.

  It is understood that it is not essential that the cover retaining legs pass through the

  rib openings (16) Alternatively, it would be

  sand to mold the cover (21) so that the legs (22) which form an integral part of this cover, have branches passing on one or the other side of the rib to engage under the rib In addition, the offset configuration of the branches of each leg, although it is

  practical, is not absolutely essential since again

  calf other branch provisions may be approxi-

  However, it must be recognized that whatever the nature of the engagement between the retaining legs of the

  cover (21) and the ribs (16), the locking members

  lage (14) must still be able to function, that is to say must still be able to move so as to achieve the locking and unlocking of the body (11) and cover (21) combined relative to the component to which

is associated the body (11).

  The cover (21) fulfills the function of cover

  key and terminal retainer It will be recognized that when a cover is not required, a terminal retainer may be provided for example in the form of a bar or a bar which passes through open upper ends of the passages (12) and which is again fixed to the body (11) by means of the retaining legs (22) Likewise, if a cover but not a terminal retaining element is required, the projections

  (26) can then be removed from the plate (23).

  When the component fixed to the body (11) by the legs (22) fulfills a terminal retaining function, it will be recognized that the presence of the component which can of course be easily verified by visual inspection of the connector, gives an assurance that the terminals of the bodies are correctly positioned since when it fills

  a terminal retainer function, the com-

  cannot be locked on the body (11) by means of the legs (22) unless the terminals are moved to their correct position inside the passages

(12).

Claims (7)

CLAIMS -   1 electrical connector comprising a body of   connector comprising first and second ver-   rusting associated respectively with opposite walls a-> body, each locking member being connected to the body by means of a rib forming an integral part thereof and extending between the locking member and the associated wall of the body characterized in that there is provided a component (21) separated from the body (11) and extending across the ends of the terminal receiving passages (12) through which the terminals are introduced into the body, this component (21 ) comprising retaining legs (22) for retaining the component (21) in position on the body (11), these retaining legs (22) cooperating with the ribs (16) of the locking members (14, 15, 16) of this body so as to retain the component (21) in position on the body (11) while at the same time allowing movement of the locking members (14,15,16) to achieve the locking and unlocking of the body (11 )   relative to an associated electrical component.   2 connector according to claim 1, character-   risé in that the component (21), which extends across the insertion ends of the terminals of the passages (12),   is able to cooperate with the terminals housed in the   so as to resist displacement in one direction   withdrawal, terminals relative to the body (11).   3 connector according to claim 1, character-   in that the component (21) is a cover which closes the body at the end of the passages (12) o the terminals are inserted.   4 connector according to claim 1, character-   laughed in that the component (21) is both a cover   and a terminal retainer.   A connector according to any of claims 1 to 4, characterized in that the component retaining legs (22) are elastic and engage with   the ribs (16) by a snap-on assembly. he   6 Connector according to any one of the res-   dications 1 to 5, characterized in that the ribs (16) are provided with an opening (18) and in that the retaining legs (22) extend through the opening (18) of their respective ribs ( 16) and undertake under the rib (16).   7 connector according to claim 6, character-   in that each retaining leg (22) has a   branch and passes through the opening (18) of its associated rib (16), the ends of the two parts (22 a, 22 b) of the leg (22) with two branches having stops (24) which move apart outwards in the way of a spring to engage under the rib (16) after   passage through the opening (18).   8 connector according to claim 7, character-   laughed in that the two branches (22 a, 22 b) of each leg (22) are offset laterally with respect to each other and partially overlap so as to achieve a "scissor" effect when they are bent inward to allow leg (22) to pass through a   opening (18) of the respective rib (14).