FR3078447A1 - CONNECTOR WITH CONNECTION ASSIST LEVER LATCH - Google Patents

Abstract

The invention relates to a connector (1) with lever (5) for connection assistance. The lever (5) carries a connection insurance device (10) which can be locked only if the lever (5) is in the position in which it is brought during a total coupling of the connector which carries it with a counter -Connector. This connection insurance device (10) is movable between several positions: a locking position (8c) in which it holds the lever (5) in the total coupling position, and an unlocking position (8a) in which it releases the lever (5) from this total coupling position.

Description

DP-323843

Connector with locking assistance lever at connection

The invention relates to the field of connectors, and in particular that of automotive connectors.

Connectors are used to transmit signals or electrical energy between cables, devices (calculator, lighting, etc.) or motors. In particular, the electrical connectors include more or less electrical contacts, or even more or less large. On the one hand, the multiplication of electrical and electronic functions in vehicles, and on the other hand the trend towards miniaturization of connectors for reasons of space and weight in particular, leads to the design of increasingly smaller connectors dimensions, in which contacts are also getting smaller and smaller.

However, we want to keep, on these small connectors, the functionality of modern connectors such as those provided by the coupling assistance levers, by locking devices of these levers, etc.,

Thus, connectors are known with a lever which can be blocked by an elastic tab formed integrally with the connector housing and providing a surface that an operator can press to release the movement of the lever. A connector of this type is described, for example, in the document FR3005798A1.

The lever can also be blocked by a sliding lock on the lever to be housed behind the elastic tab keeping the lever in the closed position. A connector of this type is described, for example, in the document EP2675021A2.

The invention aims to propose a solution facilitating the locking and unlocking of the lever.

To this end, a connector is proposed comprising a housing, a connection assistance lever and a lock.

The connection assistance lever has at least one lever arm articulated on the housing, around an axis of rotation, between at least one open position, in which a counter connector can be coupled to the connector in a direction d coupling perpendicular to the axis of rotation of the lever, and a closed position, in which the connector and the counter connector are coupled together.

The lock is slidably mounted on the lever between

- a neutral position, in which the lever can be rotated between its open position and its closed position,

a locking position, in which it can only be moved if the lever is in the closed position, and in which it cooperates with the housing to keep the lever in the closed position, and

- An unlocking position in which the lock interacts with respective locking means of the lever and of the housing, to release the rotation of the lever from its closed position.

Thus, thanks to the invention, by manipulating the lock, an operator can more simply lock or unlock the lever. This manipulation only requires being able to access the lock, which is particularly advantageous in environments in which there is little space and / or on connectors of small dimensions. Indeed, for example, it is not necessary, thanks to the invention, to be able to access an elastic tab, generally disposed under and / or behind the lever, and retaining the lever in the closed position on the case, for the press and unlock the lever.

The connector according to the invention optionally includes one or other of the following characteristics, considered in isolation or in combination with one or more others:

- The lock can be moved successively, in the same direction, between its locked position, its neutral position and its unlocked position;

- The lever has two arms, each articulated by one end on the housing around an axis of rotation, the other end of each arm being connected to a handle, and the lock is slidably mounted on the handle between the locking position and the unlocking position, the locking and unlocking positions being located essentially at each of the ends of the handle, considered in the longitudinal direction, joining the two arms;

- the lever has a safety stop preventing the bolt from moving from its neutral position to its locking position, when the lever is not in the closed position;

- The lock comprises an elastically deformable trigger guard, cooperating with the safety stop of the lever;

- The housing includes a ramp with which the elastically deformable trigger guard cooperates, when the lever is moved towards its closed position, to deform the trigger guard, thus letting the trigger guard escape the safety stop, and authorizing the displacement of the lock from its neutral position. towards the locking position;

- The lever comprises a ramp cooperating with the trigger guard to deform the latter and thus allow the return of the lock to its neutral position;

- The lock comprises an unlocking ramp cooperating with an elastically deformable locking tab, this locking tab having come integrally with the housing and retaining the lever in the closed position, this unlocking ramp deforming the locking tab to allow the lever to 'escape the locking tab;

- the lock in the locked position at least partially masks the locking tab so that access to it is insufficient to be deformed manually;

- The lock and the housing each respectively have a ramp cooperating with one another to move the lock from its unlocking position to its neutral position when the unlocked lever is tilted from its closed position to its open position;

- the trigger guard has two branches, one end of each branch being connected to another, thus taking a "V" shape, a pin adapted to interact with the housing in the closed position of the lever being located essentially at the junction of the two branches.

Other characteristics and advantages of the invention will appear on reading the detailed description which follows as well as in the accompanying drawings. In these drawings:

- Figure 1 shows schematically in perspective a connector according to the invention with the lever in the open position;

FIG. 2 schematically represents in perspective the connector of FIG. 1 with the lever in the closed position and the latch in the neutral position;

- Figure 3 shows schematically in perspective part of the connector of Figure 1 with the lever in the closed position and the latch in the locked position;

- Figures 4 and 5 schematically show in perspective, from two different viewing angles, the connector lock of Figures 1 to 3;

- Figures 6 and 7 schematically show in perspective, from two different viewing angles, the top (and therefore the upper face) of the connector of Figures 1 to 3;

- Figures 8a, 8b and 8c schematically show in perspective three positions of the lock on the lever;

- Figures 9 and 10 show schematically respectively, on the one hand in perspective and, on the other hand, in perspective and in partial section, the lever in the almost closed position and the latch in the neutral position;

- Figures 11 and 12 schematically show in perspective and in partial section, according to two different cutting planes, the lever in the closed position and the latch between the neutral position and the locking position;

- Figures 13 and 14 schematically show in perspective and in partial section, according to two different cutting planes, the lever in the closed position and the latch in the locked position;

- Figures 15 and 16 show schematically in perspective and in partial section, according to two different cutting planes, the lever in the closed position and the latch in the unlocked position;

- Figure 17 shows schematically in perspective and in partial section the interaction between the lock and the lever when the lock is in the unlocked position;

- Figures 18 to 21 show schematically in perspective the passage of the lock from the unlocking position to the neutral position, when the lever is tilted from its closed position to its open position.

In the different figures, similar or identical elements have the same references.

An example of connector 1 according to the invention is shown in Figures 1 and 2. It is a connector 1 used for automotive connector applications. This connector 1 has a coupling face 2 with a counter connector (not shown) and a wire guide passage 3. The coupling face 2 is provided with contacts (not shown) electrically connected to wires or cables (not shown) coming out of connector 1 through the wire guide passage 3. These contacts are intended to be connected with contacts of the counter connector, by bringing connector 1 and the counter connector towards each other, then by fitting one into the other, in a coupling direction D.

The connector 1 comprises a housing 4 and a lever 5. The lever 5 is mounted in rotation on the housing 4 around an axis of rotation A parallel to the coupling face 2 and perpendicular to the coupling direction D with the against connector. In a manner known to those skilled in the art, the lever 5 comprises teeth intended to cooperate with a rack of the counter connector to assist the fitting of the connector 1 with the counter connector and the coupling of the respective contacts of the connector 1 and of the counter connector.

The lever 5 has two lever arms 6 and a handle 7 connecting the two lever arms 6 to form a "U". Each lever arm 6 is thus connected, by one of its ends, to the housing 4 on which it is mounted in rotation and, by the other of its ends, to the handle 7. The handle 7 has an upper surface 8 , parallel to the axis of rotation A of the lever 5 and oriented in the opposite direction to that directed towards the housing 4. The handle 7 also has two grooves 9 parallel to each other and to the upper surface 8. Each groove 9 has a first longitudinal end 9a open and a second end, longitudinally opposite the first end 9a, closed by a wall 9b forming a stop.

A lock 10 is slidably mounted on the handle 7 in a translation direction T, parallel to the axis of rotation A of the lever 5. The lock 10 can be moved on the handle 7 between a neutral position, a locking position and a unlocking position, the locking and unlocking positions being located essentially at each of the ends of the handle 7, considered in its longitudinal direction. In other words, in the exemplary embodiment described here, the connector 1 is relatively narrow and the handle 7 is relatively short (in the direction of translation T of the lock), which leaves little room for directly manipulating the handle 7. The lock 10 then makes it possible, at the same time to provide the functionalities related to the securing of the coupling of the connector 1 and the counterconnector (so-called “CPA” function, acronym of “Connector Position Assurance”, that is to say position assurance - correct - of the connector), and to provide means suitable for manipulating (indirectly) the lever 5. Such a characteristic is particularly advantageous for connectors of small dimensions.

The latch 10 comprises two series of pins 11 (see Figures 4 and 5). As shown in FIG. 4, a first series comprises four pins 11. As shown in FIG. 5, a second series comprises two pins 11. The respective pins 11 of each series are aligned and inserted in one of the two grooves 9 of the handle 7 (see Figures 1 and 2). Thus, the pins 11 and the grooves 9 participate in maintaining the latch 10 on the handle 7 and guide the movement (that is to say the translation in the direction of translation T) of the latch 10 on the handle 7. On mounting , the pins 11 of the latch 10 are each respectively inserted into a groove 9 of the handle 7, at the open ends 9a of these grooves 9.

The latch 10 comprises an elastically deformable bridge 12. The trigger guard 12 has two branches 13 connected together towards the middle of the trigger guard 12 to form a "V" (see FIGS. 4 and 5). One end of each branch 13 is thus connected to the other towards the middle of the trigger guard 12. The other end of each branch 13 is connected to the rest of the body of the lock 10. Towards the middle of the trigger guard 12, the latter is provided a heel 14 and a slider 15. The slider 15 is adapted to interact with the lever 5 and block the movement of the latch 10 on the handle 7 in the locked, neutral or unlocked position (see FIGS. 10, 12 14 and 16). The cursor 15 includes an unlocking ramp 16 adapted to cooperate with a flexible locking tab 17 made integrally with the housing (as explained below in more detail - see also Figures 6 and 7). The locking tab 17 retains the lever 5 in the closed position. The unlocking ramp 16 makes it possible to deform the locking tab 17 to allow the lever 5 to escape from the locking tab 17 and to be moved towards its open position. The heel 14 is adapted to interact with the housing 4 in the closed position of the lever 5, in order to deform the trigger guard 12 (see below in relation to FIGS. 9 and 11 in particular)

As shown in FIG. 3, for example, the latch 10 also includes two notches 18 separated by a wall 19 essentially perpendicular to the direction of translation T of the latch 10 on the handle 7, to facilitate handling and movement of the latch 10 on the handle 7. In particular, an operator can grasp the wall 19 between the thumb and the index finger to actuate the latch 10 parallel to the direction of translation T of the latch 10 on the handle 7. Likewise, the latch 10 has two pressure surfaces 20, each respectively on either side of the wall 19, allowing an operator grasping the wall 19, for example between the thumb and forefinger, to push on the lever 5 to rotate it from its open position to its closed position. The latch 10 also comprises a gripping surface 21 essentially oriented in a direction opposite, or approximately opposite, to the pressure surfaces 20 (see for example Figures 9, 11, 13 and 15). An operator can thus apply pressure or traction with the fingertips on this pressure surface 21 to pivot the lever 5 from its closed position to its open position. It can thus be noted that the rotational movements of the lever 5 are essentially done by manipulation (with the fingertips for example) at the bolt 10. As explained in a complementary manner below, the bolt 10 allows not only operate the lever 5, but also to lock it in, or unlock it from, its closed position.

The housing 4 comprises an upper face 22 provided with a ramp for repositioning the lock 23, a ramp for activating the lock 24 and the locking tab 17 mentioned above (see FIGS. 6 and 7).

The locking tab 17 is flexible and forms a bridge linked to the housing 4 at each of its ends. The locking tab 17 can be deformed by bending in approach of the axis of rotation A of the lever 5 as explained below. The locking tab 17 includes a locking notch 25 and an unlocking ramp 26.

In Figure 1, the lever 5 is in the open position. The latch 10 is in the neutral position. An operator can grip the latch 10 to tilt the lever 5. If the connector 1 and the counter connector are in the pre-coupling position, partly engaged one inside the other, the teeth of the lever 5 can interact with counter connector racks. Thus, the rotation of the lever 5 by an operator assists and facilitates the complete coupling of the connector 1 and counter connector, and in particular the insertion of the male contacts (also called “tabs”), in the female contacts (also called “clips” ”), To ensure electrical continuity between the cables or wires at the ends of which the connector 1 and the counter connector are connected.

In Figure 2, the lever 5 is in the closed position. The latch 10 is still in the neutral position. It can be noted that notches 27 are provided in the latch 10 for the free passage of the repositioning ramp 23 of the latch 10 and of the locking tab 17, during the rotation of the lever 5 from its open position to its closed position ( see figure 8b). As illustrated in FIGS. 9 and 10, if the lever 5 is not completely in the closed position, the heel 14 does not interact with the activation ramp of the lock 24, the trigger guard 12 is not deformed and the cursor 15 remains blocked on a first slot 28 formed on the handle 7. The first slot 28 has a surface perpendicular to the direction of translation T of the latch 10. Similarly, the cursor 15 has a surface perpendicular to the direction of translation T of the latch 10, adapted to come into abutment against that of the first slot 28. Thus, the lever 5 comprises a safety stop (the surface perpendicular to the direction of translation T of the first slot 28) preventing the displacement of the latch 10 from its neutral position towards its locked position, when the lever 5 is not in the closed position. The latch 10 is locked in the neutral position. The lock 10 therefore cooperates with the housing 4 (the activation ramp 24) to prevent the lever 5 from being moved from its closed position to its open position. In other words, the lock 10 can only be moved to the locked position if the lever 5 is in the fully closed position. Otherwise, the lever 5 can be tilted again to its open position. The connection of connector 1 with a counter connector is not secure. On the other hand, as illustrated by FIGS. 11 and 12, if the lever 5 is pushed completely into the closed position by an operator, the lever 5 is pushed against the activation ramp 24. The heel 14 comes to bear on the ramp activation 24 and slides on it thanks to the pressure of the operator on the lever 5. It will be noted that the ramp for activating the lock 24 is located near one end of the locking tab 17 linked to the housing 4 At this level, the locking tab is little or not deformable (this propensity not to be deformed is reinforced by the fact that at this level, the locking tab 17 is also supported on the part of the housing 4 corresponding to the wire guide passage 3; the orientation of this part of the housing 4 is favorable to a blocking effect of the movement of the lever 5, or at least to the obstruction of in this movement, towards its fully closed position). It is therefore the trigger guard 12 which has greater flexibility, which deforms. The heel 14 is raised by the ramp for activating the lock 24. The trigger guard 12 is deformed. The trigger guard 12 has flattened thus allowing the cursor 15 to come out of the first slot. The lock 10 can then be moved to its locking position to lock the lever 5 in the closed position and secure the connection of the connector 1 with a counter connector.

In Figure 3, the lever is in the closed position, and the latch 10 is in the locked position.

To be able to move the latch 10 from the neutral position (Figs. 2, 8b, 20 and 21) to the latching position (Figures. 3, 8c, 13, 14 and 18), the operator was able, at first , freely slide the lock 10 into the locked position. In a second step, the heel 14 is lowered along a lateral face 24b of the activation ramp 24 (see FIGS. 13), with a "downstream" effect (known as "draw-in effect" in English). In this locking position, the trigger guard 12 is no longer constrained and has returned to its initial shape. The cursor 15 has come back down and has entered a second slot 29 (see FIG. 14). In addition, in this position of the lock 10, the latter is in abutment on the one hand on the wall 9b, at the closed end of each groove 9 and on the other hand, on a portion of the lateral surface of the tab. locking 17. Furthermore, the heel 14 is also blocked behind the lateral face 24b of the activation ramp 24 (see FIGS. 13). Thus, the latch 10 is blocked in translation.

In addition, during the movement of the lock 10 in its locking position, on the one hand an edge 30 of the handle 7 is placed behind the locking notch 25 (see FIG. 17) and on the other hand, a first tooth 31 of the latch 10 is placed behind the repositioning ramp 23 of the latch 10 (see FIGS. 3 and 8c). In other words, the latch 10 cooperates with the repositioning ramp 23 of the housing 4 to keep the lever 5 in the closed position. The lever 5 is thus blocked and can no longer be inadvertently pivoted from its closed position to its open position.

In its locking position, the lock 10 masks the part of the locking tab 17 at which the locking notch 25 is located. Thus, the locking notch 25 is protected and it is difficult to manually deform the locking tab. 17 to release the edge 30 of the locking notch 25. This forms a means of further securing the locking of the lever 5 and of preventing it from being pivoted towards its open position and that the connector 1 is not disconnected from the counterconnector .

To disconnect the connector 1 from the counter connector, the latch 10 must be moved to its unlocking position, opposite (parallel to the direction of translation T) from its locking position, along the handle 7. In this movement, the latch 10 is successively moved in the same direction between its locking position, its neutral position and finally its unlocking position.

This movement is made possible by the fact that the first 28 and second 29 slots, as well as the cursor 15 have beveled surfaces, or ramps, with an angle relative to the direction of translation T, sufficiently small for these surfaces to slide. one on the other (see figure 16 in particular). By sliding on each other, the surfaces carried by the trigger guard 12 are raised. During this movement, the trigger guard 12 therefore deforms and lifts the cursor 15 so that it passes over the first 28 and second 29 slots. In other words, the lever 5 has a ramp (the bevelled surface of the second slot 29) cooperating with the cursor 15 of the trigger guard 12 to deform the latter and thus allow the latch 10 to return to its neutral position.

During the movement of the bolt 10 from the locking position to the unlocking position, a stud 32 formed integrally with the bolt 10 interacts with the unlocking ramp 26, which deforms the locking tab 17 so that the edge 30 of the handle 7 escapes the locking notch 25 (see Figures 17). In other words, during this movement, the lock 10 slides in the unlocked position, in which the lock 10 interacts with respective locking means of the lever 5 (the edge 30) and of the housing 4 (the locking notch 25). , to release the rotation of the lever 5 from its closed position. The lock 10 therefore comprises an unlocking ramp (bevelled surface of the stud 32) cooperating with the unlocking ramp 26 located on the unlocking tab 17 which retains the lever 5 in the closed position. This unlocking ramp deforms the unlocking tab 17 to allow the lever 5 to escape therefrom.

This interaction is designated by the arrow F in FIG. 17. However, this movement requires exerting a certain force on the latch 10 in order to overcome the force necessary for the elastic deformation of the trigger guard 12 and the locking tab 17, as well as friction due to the sliding of the respective surfaces of the latch 10, the lever 5 and the locking tab 17, one on the other. The passage of the cursor 15 in the slots 28, 29 produces a sensation and a sound effect which indicates or confirms to the operator that he is in the process of unlocking the lever 5.

If the movement of the lock 10 is not sufficient and the cursor 15 remains at the first slot 28, the interference between the pad 32 and the unlocking ramp 26 is insufficient and the edge 30 of the handle remains blocked behind the locking notch 25. Thus, the lever cannot be returned to its open position.

At the end of the unlocking stroke, when the latch 10 is in the unlocking position, the lever 5 can again be manipulated to pivot from its closed position to its open position. To do this, the operator grips the lock 10 (for example at the level of the gripping surface 21) and switches the lever 5. In this movement of the lever 5, the repositioning ramp of the lock 23 then moves the lock 10 towards its neutral position, for possible future manipulation of the lever 5 from its open position to its closed position. This sequence is illustrated by Figures 18 to 21. In Figure 18, the lever 5 is just released from its locked position and the latch 10 is in the unlocked position. A second tooth 33 of the latch 10 is placed against the repositioning ramp 23. In FIG. 19, the lever 5 is tilted a little more towards its open position and the second tooth 33 slides against the repositioning ramp 23 causing the latch 10 towards its neutral position. In FIGS. 20 and 21, the lever 5 is further tilted towards its open position and the second tooth 33 by sliding against the repositioning ramp 23 has completely driven the lock 10 towards its neutral position. The lever 5 can be returned to the open position or to its closed position, the latch 10 has returned to its neutral position which allows the lever 5 to return to its closed position. This particularly advantageous arrangement when the connector 1 is small and / or when it is in a congested environment, eliminates the need to manually translate the lock so that it returns to the neutral position. It suffices to tilt the lever 5 to its open position.

It can be noted that when the lever 5 is tilted from the open position to the closed position, the edge 30 of the handle 7 is blocked by the locking notch 25 after deformation and relaxation of the locking tab 17, but before displacement of the lock 10 from the neutral position to the locked position. To switch the lever 5 from the closed position to the open position, the latch 10 must be moved to its unlocking position, which releases the edge 30 of the handle 7 of the locking notch 25. Then, only after, successively, the lever 5 is tilted and the latch 10 is returned to its neutral position.

Claims (9)

claims 1. Connector comprising - a housing (4), - a connection assistance lever (5) having at least one lever arm (6) articulated on the housing (4), around an axis of rotation (A), between at least one open position, in which a counter connector can be coupled to the connector (1) in a coupling direction (D) perpendicular to the axis of rotation (A) of the lever (5), and a closed position, in which the connector (1) and the counter connector are coupled together, - a lock (10) slidably mounted on the lever (5) between a neutral position in which the lever (5) can be rotated between its open position and its closed position, and - a locking position in which it can only be moved if the lever (5) is in the closed position, and in which it cooperates with the housing (4) to keep the lever (5) in the closed position, characterized by the fact that the lock (10) also slides in an unlocked position in which the lock (10) interacts with respective locking means of the lever (5) and of the housing (4), to release the rotation of the lever (5) from its closed position. 2. Connector according to claim 1, in which the lock (10) can be successively moved in the same direction between its locked position, its neutral position and its unlocked position. 3. Connector according to claim 2, wherein the lever (5) comprises two arms (6), each articulated by one end on the housing (4) around an axis of rotation (A), the other end of each arm (6) being connected to a handle (7), and in which the latch (10) is slidably mounted on the handle (7) between the locked position and the unlocked position, the locked and unlocked positions being located essentially at each end of the handle (7), considered in the longitudinal direction, joining the two arms (6). 4. Connector according to one of the preceding claims, in which the lever (5) comprises a safety stop (28) preventing the displacement of the latch (10) from its neutral position to its locking position, when the lever (5) is not in the closed position, the lock (10) comprises an elastically deformable bridge (12), cooperating with the safety stop (28) of the lever (5), the housing (4) comprises a ramp (24) with which the elastically deformable trigger guard (12) cooperates, when the lever (5) is moved towards its closed position, to deform the trigger guard (12), thus letting the trigger guard (12) escape the safety stop (28), and authorize the displacement of the latch (10) from its neutral position to the locking position. 5. Connector according to the preceding claim, wherein the trigger guard (12) has two branches, (13), one end of each branch (13) being connected to another, to thus take a V-shape, a heel ( 14) adapted to interact with the housing (4) in the closed position of the lever (5) being located essentially at the junction of the two branches (13). 6. Connector according to one of claims 4 and 5, wherein the lever (5) has a ramp cooperating with the trigger guard (12) to deform the latter and thus allow the return of the lock to its neutral position. 7. Connector according to one of the preceding claims, in which the latch (10) comprises an unlocking ramp cooperating with an unlocking tab (17) elastically deformable and retaining the lever (5) in the closed position, this deforming unlocking ramp an unlocking tab (17) to allow the lever (5) to escape therefrom. 8. The connector of claim 7, wherein the latch (10) in the locked position, at least partially masks the release tab (17), so that access to it is insufficient for it to be deformed manually. 9. Connector according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the latch (10) and the housing (4) each respectively comprise means (23, 33) cooperating with each other to move the latch (10) from its unlocked position to its neutral position, when the unlocked lever (5) is tilted from its closed position to its open position.