GB2138639A

GB2138639A - Electrical Connector Body with Hinge

Info

Publication number: GB2138639A
Application number: GB08407062A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Karl Robert Grzena; Keefe John Jacob O; John Allan Yurtin
Original assignee: Motors Liquidation Co
Current assignee: Motors Liquidation Co
Priority date: 1983-04-21
Filing date: 1984-03-19
Publication date: 1984-10-24
Also published as: DE3415031C2; JPS59203380A; CA1213012A; GB2138639B; GB8407062D0; JPH0131273B2; DE3415031A1

Abstract

A moulded thermoplastic electrical connector body 12 has an integrally hinged part 26 which is moulded in an open position and is movable to a closed position. A hinge arrangement 36 comprises a flexible hinge web 38 for repeated pivoting of the hinged part between the open and closed positions, and a frangible reinforcement web 40 which is transverse to the flexible hinge web. The frangible reinforcement web positions the hinged part in the open position and distorts upon initial closure of the hinged part. In a first embodiment, Fig. 1, the reinforcement web 40 distorts by collapsing under compression; in a second embodiment, Fig. 9, the reinforcement web 134 distorts by stretching under tension. <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION Electrical Connector Body with Hinge This invention relates to moulded thermoplastic connector bodies which have an integrally hinged part.

United States Patent 4,311,355 (Plyler et al) discloses a connector body of the above type in which thermoplastic electrical connector bodies 12 and 14 have respective flaps 36 and 76 that are each integrally connected to a portion of the respective connector body by means of a thin web portion (unnumbered) which acts as a flexible hinge.

The connector bodies are moulded with the flaps in a raised open position, as shown in Figure 1 of the prior patent drawing. In practice, the plug and socket connectors are machine-assembled, which requires that the moulded open position of the hinged flap part remain relatively consistent year-around under varying factory temperature and humidity conditions.

The thin hinge configuration shown in the aforementioned United States patent does not provide sufficient flexibility for easy closing of the hinged part and maintenance of hinge integrity for subsequent openings and closings.

However, the hinge configuration does not provide the very high degree of consistency which is desired for machine assembly, particularly when the connector body is moulded from a moisture-absorbent material such as polyamide (nylon).

By the present invention there is provided a moulded thermoplastic electrical connector body in which an integrally hinged part is moulded in an open position and is movable to a closed position, with a hinge arrangement having a hinge web which integrally connects an end of the hinged part to an adjacent portion of the connector body and which is sufficiently flexible to permit repeated pivoting of the hinged part between the open and the closed position, and in which a reinforcement web which is transverse with respect to the hinge web is integrally connected to the end of the hinged part and to a portion of the connector body to position the hinged part in the open position, the reinforcement web being sufficiently frangible to distort upon initial closure of the hinged part.

In this way there is made availabe a moulded thermoplastic electrical connector body having an improved hinge arrangement that is capable of positioning the open hinge part with a high degree of consistency for year-around machine assembly while providing ease of closing and maintenance of hinge integrity for subsequent openings and closings.

In the drawings: Figure 1 is a longitudinal section of an electrical connector having a plug connector body provided with an improved hinge arrangement in conformity with the present invention; Figure 2 is an end view of the plug connector body substantially on the line 2-2 of Figure 1, in the direction of the arrows; Figure 3 is a fragmentary side view of the plug connector body substantially on the line 3-3 of Figure 2, in the direction of the arrows; Figure 4 is a fragmentary side view of the plug connector body showing a hinged part in a closed position; Figure 5 is an enlarged view of the hinge arrangement substantially on the line 5-5 of Figure 2, in the direction of the arrows; Figure 6 is a front view of a second embodiment of an electrical connector having a plug connector body provided with an improved hinge arrangement in conformity with the present invention;; Figure 7 is a bottom view of the second connector body substantially onthe line 7-7 of Figure 6, in the direction of the arrows; Figure 8 is a front view of the second connector body, showing a hinged part in a closed position; and Figure 9 is an enlarged view of the second hinge arrangement on the line 9-9 of Figure 7, in the direction of the arrows.

With reference now to the drawings, in Figures 1 to 5 there is shown an electrical connector 10 comprising a plug connector body 1 2 made of a moulded dielectric thermoplastic material, specificaily polyamide (nylon).

The connector body 12 has a plurality of terminal cavities 14 into which terminals 16 are inserted through enlarged openings 1 8 at the ends of the respective terminal cavities. Each terminal 1 6 is retained in its respective cavity by a pair of latch tangs 20, which engage an internal annular cavity shoulder as shown in Figure 1.

Each terminal 1 6 is attached to an insulated electrical lead 22 so that a seal sleeve 24 is also clamped on the end of the electrical lead. The seal sleeve 24 seals the enlarged opening 18 at the end of the terminal cavity.

The connector body 1 2 also includes an integrally hinged flap 26 which is moulded in an open position shown in solid lines in Figures 1, 2, 3 and 5. The terminals 16 are inserted into the cavities 1 4 when the flap is in the open position.

After theterminais 1 6 have been inserted and retained by the latch tangs 20, the flap 26 is moved to a closed position shown in phantom in Figure 1 and in solid lines in Figure 4. When the flap 26 is closed, a notched end plate 28 of the flap blocks the seal sleeves 24, and provides a secondary or redundant terminal lock which prevents the terminals 1 6 from being pulled out of the cavities 14 by the electrical leads 22.

The flap 26 also has side plates 30, each of which has a rectangular hole 32 which cooperates with a nib 34 of the connector body to retain the flap 26 in the closed position.

The present invention is concerned particularly with an improved hinge arrangement, indicated generally at 36, which integrally attaches the flap 26 to the connector body 12.

The hinge arrangement 36 comprises a hinge web 38 and a pair of spaced reinforcing webs 40.

The hinge web 38 integrally connects an end 42 of the flap 26 to a flange 44 of the connector body 12, as best seen in Figure 5. The spaced reinforcing webs 40 are transverse to the hinge web 38, so as to resist its flexure. The reinforcing webs 40 are located at the opposite ends of the hinge web 38 to facilitate moulding. Each reinforcement web 40 is integrally connected to the end 42 of the flap 26, the hinge web 38, the flange 44 and adjacent portions of the connector body 12.

The hinge web 38 is flexible enough to maintain its integrity upon initial closing of the flap 26 so that the flap 26 can be re-opened and re-closed to permit replacement of terminals. In the case of a polyamide (nylon) connector, this places a practical limit of about 0.5 mm (0.020") on the thickness of the hinge web 38, since a thicker hinge web would tend to become brittle and fracture in cold dry conditions. On the other hand, the hinge web 38 tends to absorb moisture and become more flexible in warm humid conditions, and consequently the hinge web 38 alone is not adequate to provide a high degree of consistency in positioning the open flap for year-around machine assembly. In conformity with the present invention, however, such positioning is provided by the provision of reinforcing webs 40 which are transverse to the hinge web 38 to resist its flexure.

The sole function of the reinforcing webs 40 is to position the flap 26 for machine assembly operations. Integrity of the reinforcing webs 40 after the machine assembly operations have been completed is not necessary. Consequently the reinforcing webs 40 are frangible to reduce closing-force requirements. In this first embodiment, the reinforcing webs 40 distort and collapse under compression upon initial closure of the flap 26, as indicated by a crease line 46 in Figure 4. With polyamide (nylon), a web thickness of about 0.25 mm (0.10 in.) is sufficient for consistent positioning of the flap 26 in the open position for machine assembly operations while at the same time being sufficiently frangible to distort upon initial closure of the flap 26.

With reference now to Figures 6 to 9, another embodiment of an electrical connector 100 is shown which comprises a connector body 112 moulded from a dielectric thermoplastic material, in this case polypropylene.

The connector body 112 has a terminal cavity 114 into which a shorting terminal (not shown) is inserted through a socket portion 116 at one end of the connector body.

The connector body 112 also includes an integrally hinged flap 1 20 for attaching the connector body to a flat cable (not shown). The flap 120 is moulded in an open position as shown in Figures 6, 7 and 9. The flat cable is laid against the side 122 of the connector body 112, which has V-shaped projections 124 for locating the flat cable. The flap 120 is then moved to a closed position shown in Figure 8. Tlap 1 20 has a latch 126 which co-operates with a nib 128 of the connector body to retain the flap 120 in the closed position. When closed, the flap 1 20 clamps the flat cable against the side 122 of the connector body 112.

The flap 120 is integrally attached to the connector body 112 by a second form of improved hinge arrangement, indicated generally at 130, in conformity with the present invention.

The hinge arrangement 130 comprises a hinge web 132 and a single reinforcing web 134. The hinge web 132 integrally connects an end 136 of the flap 120 to a flange 138 of the connector body 112, as is best seen in Figures 6 and 9. The single reinforcing web 134 is transverse to the hinge web 132, so as to resist its flexure, and it is located at the end of the hinge web 132 to facilitate axial moulding. The reinforcement web 134 is integrally connected to the end 136 of the flap 120, the hinge web 1 32 and the flange 138 of the connector body 112.

The hinge web 132 is flexible enough to maintain its integrity upon initial closing of the flap 120, so that the flap 1 20 can be re-opened and re-closed. In the case of a polypropylene connector, this also places a practical upper limit of about 0.5 mm (0.020") on the thickness of the hinge web 132, to provide closing force requirements within ordinary manual capabilities.

As in the first embodiment, the hinge web 1 32 alone is not adequate to provide a high degree of consistency in positioning the open flap for yeararound machine assembly, and such positioning is provided by the reinforcing web 134 which is transverse to the hinge web 1 32 to resist its flexure.

As in the first embodiment, the reinforcing web 134 is frangible to reduce closing-force requirements, and in this second embodiment the reinforcing web 1 34 distorts and stretches under tension upon initial closure of the flap 26 as indicated in Figure 8. With polypropylene and a single reinforcing web, a web thickness from about 0.2 mm (0.008") to about 0.4 mm (0.016") is sufficient for consistent positioning of the flap 120 in the open position for machine assembly operations, while at the same time being sufficiently frangible to distort upon initial closure of the flap 120.

Claims

1. A moulded thermoplastic electrical connector body in which an integrally hinged part is moulded in an open position and is movable to a closed position, with a hinge arrangement having a hinge web which integrally connects an end of the hinged part to an adjacent portion of the connector body and which is sufficiently flexible to permit repeated pivoting of the hinged part between the open and the closed position, and in which a reinforcement web which is transverse with respect to the hinge web is integrally connected to the end of the hinged part and to a portion of the connector body to position the hinged part in the open position, the reinforcement web being sufficiently frangible to distort upon initial closure of the hinged part.

2. A moulded thermoplastic electrical connector body according to claim 1, moulded from a moisture-absorbent material such as polyamide (nylon).

3. A moulded thermoplastic electrical connector body according to claim 1 or 2, in which a pair of spaced reinforcement webs as aforesaid are integrally connected to the end of the hinged part and to a portion of the connector body to position the hinged part in the open position, and are arranged to collapse under compression upon initial closure of the hinged part.

4. A moulded thermoplastic electrical connector body according to claim 1 or 2, in which a single reinforcement web as aforesaid is integrally connected to the end of the hinged part and to a portion of the connector body to position the hinged part in the open position, and is arranged to distort and stretch under tension upon initial closure of the hinged part.

5. A moulded thermoplastic electrical connector body substantially as hereinbefore particularly described and as shown in Figures 1 to 5 of the accompanying drawings.

6. A moulded thermoplastic electrical connector body substantially as hereinbefore particularly described and as shown in Figures 6 to 9 of the accompanying drawings.