GB2027288A

GB2027288A - Electrical connectors

Info

Publication number: GB2027288A
Application number: GB7922329A
Authority: GB
Original assignee: Labinal SA; Precision Mecanique Labinal SA
Current assignee: Safran Electrical and Power SAS; Precision Mecanique Labinal SA
Priority date: 1978-07-25
Filing date: 1979-06-27
Publication date: 1980-02-13
Also published as: ES243987Y; FR2432229B1; DE2924541A1; DE7917470U1; IT1119299B; DE2924541C2; ES243987U; IT7968350A0; FR2432229A1; GB2027288B

Abstract

A housing for housing female electrical contacts comprises a body with a series of passages 2, 3 open on one side and a cover 32 therefor. Each passage 2, 3 has a cavity 24, 27 in its bottom for receiving a tab of the contact and two abutments 25, 26 on the opposite wall, for cooperating with the ends of the contact. The body, towards the rear, comprises plates 34, 35, 36 separating the passages 2, 3 and having lateral extensions directed from the side opposite the cover 32 whereby the terminal ends of the contacts which are connected to the electrical conductors are protected irrespective of whether the conductor extends axially of or transversely to the contact. <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION Housing members for electrical connectors The present invention relates to a housing member suitable for containing female electrical connectors of the type made from an electrically conductive metal strip which is suitably folded so as to provide means for being connected to an electrical conductor or lead at one end and a conduit suitable for receiving a male electrical connector of flat section at the other end, said male connector being fixed in a complementary housing member.

Generally, these female electrical connectors, in the parts thereof intended for receiving the corresponding male connector, are folded to U-shape so as to present a base and two wings, the free ends of which are folded inwardly in the direction of the base, the male connector being resiliently gripped between the base and the free ends of the wings.

In such female electrical connectors, the means for the connection with the electrical conductor are of two types, the first type being such that the conductor or lead extends axially in relation to the connector and the second type, called a "flag", is made in such a way that the conductor extends perpendicularly in relation to the axis of the conduit.

Finally since the electrical connectors or leads have to be mounted in the passages or conduits of a housing member, they each generally comprise a lug or tab projecting at the external surface of the base of the U, which tab is adapted to be engaged in a corresponding cavity of the said conduits and forms a retaining member.

It is apparent that the housing members suitable for containing such female connectors have to be made as a function of the type of connector, according to whether the connection means are axial or of "flag" type, and according to whether the base of the U does or does not comprise a resilient tab, etc.

The present invention seeks to provide a housing member which overcomes these disadvantages and which is capable of accommodating all the female connectors of this type.

The housing member according to the invention, is suitable for containing female electrical connectors of the type formed from a metallic strip which is suitably folded so as to provide means at one end for its connection to an electrical conductor and a conduit at the other end suitable for receiving a male connector of flat section, the said conduit being formed from a part of "U" section, of which the ends of the wings are folded in the direction of the base, the said housing member comprising a series of passages each suitable for receiving such a female connector, the passages being open on one of the sides of the housing body, which body comprises a cover articulated on one of its edges so as to conceal the openings and provided with locking means on the body, each passage comprising a cavity on its bottom, while it comprises on the wall opposite the bottom two stops which are arranged so that one cooperates with the free end of the connector adjacent the conduit and the other co-operates with the end of the connector adjacent the connection means, the body comprising separation plates for the passages towards the rear and which each have a lateral extension directed from the side opposite to the cover.

Because of this arrangement, the passages or conduits can have positioned therein female connectors of different types and of which the connection means may at will be extended axially of the said connectors or laterally.

Further, in accordance with one constructional feature, the cover is articulated along the edge of the body opposite to that part of the latter which comprises the plates.

The invention is now to be described in greater detail by reference to one particular constructional form which is given simply by way of example and is illustrated in the accompanying drawings, wherein: Figure 1 is a perspective view of a housing member according to the invention; Figure 2 is an elevation of the housing shown in Fig. 1, the cover being folded back into the extension of the housing; Figure 3 is a sectional view on the line Ill-Ill of Fig. 2; Figure 4 is a sectional view on the line IV-IV of Fig. 2, the cover being closed; and Figure 5 is a section on the line V-V of Fig.

2.

The housing member which is shown in the figures is formed by a body 1 which has two passages 2 and 3, each of which is suitable for receiving a female electrical connector, such as the connector 5 (Fig. 3) or the connector 6 (Fig. 4).

The connector 5 is formed by a metal strip which is suitably folded so as to provide, at one end, two lugs 7 which are suitable for gripping a sheath of an electrical conductor and two lugs 9 suitable for gripping the said conductor, the connector being extended by a part of "U" shape section 1 0, having a base 11 and two wings 12 and 1 3 which are folded over in the direction of the base so as to form a conduit 1 4 suitable for receiving a corresponding flat male connector.

On the bottom of the base, the connector 5 has an externally projecting lug or tab 1 5.

The female connector 6 is of the type known as the "flag" type and comprises, at one end, two lugs 1 9 intended for gripping the sheath 20 of an electrical conductor and two lugs 21 intended for gripping the said conductor, the said lugs extending in a direction perpendicularly in relation to a conduit 22 of the said connector, which is formed in the same manner as that of the connector 5 and is intended for receiving a corresponding male connector of flat section.

The passage 2 comprises on its bottom a cavity 24 suitable for receiving the tab 15, while the internal wall of the said passage 2 opposite to the said bottom is provided with two abutments 25 and 26, which are separated by a space corresponding to the length of the conduit of the connector 5.

The passage 3 also comprises on its bottom a cavity 27, while the wall 28 opposite to the said bottom is provided with two abutments 29 and 30 which are separated by a space corresponding substantially to the length of the conduit of the connector 6.

Articulated on the end of the body adjacent the abutments 26 and 30 and along a thin strip 31 is a cover 32, which comprises two resilient lugs 33. The body and the cover are made from one piece of moulded synthetic plastics material and the said body is extended on the side opposite its end provided with the cover by three small plates 34, 35 and 36 which extend parallel to one another and which are lengthened laterally from the side opposite to the side adjacent the cover.

Provided on the plates 34 and 36 are projections 37, with which the lugs 33 cooperate in order to ensure the locking of the cover in the closed position.

The body 1 is also provided with small resilient bars 40, which permit the locking thereof on another housing member provided with corresponding coupling members and which support the male connectors suitable for co-operating with the female connectors 5 and 6.

In the constructional form as shown in the figures, the connector 5 is narrower than the connector 6 and the bottom of the passage or conduit 2 comprises a projection 41 against which the said connector 5 is adapted to bear, while the cover 32 is provided on its internal face with a projection 42 which abuts against the said connector. In this way, the latter is centred in relation to the connector 6.

As will be seen from the different figures, the connector 5 is provided with a lugs 15, whereas the connector 6 does not comprise this element; however the passage 3 is provided with a cavity 27 so that it is possible also to position in this passage a connector provided with such a lug.

Because of the plates 34, 35 and 36 by which the body is lengthened and which extend laterally, the axial connecting means, namely the lugs 7 and 8, are perfectly protected. Likewise, the connecting means of "flag" type 19 and 21 are also perfectly protected.

It will thus be understood that such a housing member is able to receive different types of female electrical connectors, and can be adapted to different requirements.

Obviously, the invention is not limited to the embodiment which has just been described and illustrated and numerous modifications as regards details may be incorporated therein without thereby departing from the scope of the invention.

Claims

1. A housing member, suitable for containing female electrical connectors of the type made from a metallic strip which is suitably folded to provide, at one end, means for its connection to an electrical conductor, and, at its other end a conduit suitable for receiving a male connector of flat section, the said conduit being formed from a U-section part, of which the ends of the sides are folded in the direction of the base, the said housing member comprising a body having a series of passages each adapted to receive such a female connector, the passages being open on one of the sides of the body, and a cover articulated on one of its edges for concealing the openings, and provided with locking means on the body, wherein each passage comprises a cavity on its bottom and two abutments on the wall opposite to the bottom, which abutments are so disposed that one cooperates with the free end of the connector adjacent the conduit and the other with the end of the connector adjacent the connection means, the body comprising, towards the rear, plates for separating the passages and which each have a lateral extension directed from the side opposite to the cover.

2. A housing member according to claim 1, wherein the cover is articulated along that side of the body which is opposite to the part of the latter comprising the plates.

3. A housing member according to claim 1, substantially as described herein.

4. A housing member substantially as shown in the accompanying drawings and described herein with reference thereto.

5. A housing member according to any one of the preceding claims in combination with at least one female electrical connector.