GB2245777A

GB2245777A - Double locking-type electrical connector

Info

Publication number: GB2245777A
Application number: GB9110889A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Katsuhiko Yuasa
Original assignee: AMP Inc
Current assignee: TE Connectivity Corp
Priority date: 1990-05-30
Filing date: 1991-05-20
Publication date: 1992-01-08
Anticipated expiration: 2011-05-20
Also published as: GB2245777B; ES2039140R; GB9110889D0; ES2039140A2; PT97779A; ES2039140B1; JPH0434875A; PT97779B

Abstract

An electrical connector comprises an insulating housing (11) having contact-receiving chambers (10) formed by partitions (18) in which electrical contacts are to be positioned; a locking member (13) having openings (16) formed by partitions (17); and latch means (21; 22, 23) on the housing (11) and the locking member (13) mounting the locking member in a first position on the housing (11) so that the partitions (17, 18) are in alignment thereby permitting smooth insertion of the contacts (30) through the openings (16) and into the contact-receiving chambers (10). The locking member (13) is moved downwardly and inwardly to a second position to push the contacts into the chambers (10) for latching by arms (15), the locking member (13) being latched in this second position by housing latch (23). <IMAGE>

Description

DOUBLE LOCKING-TYPE ELECTRICAL CONNECTOR The present invention relates to a double lockingtype electrical connector and, in particular, to an electrical connector of the type which receives a double-locking member in the back end of the insulated housing which houses the electrical contacts reliably preventing the electrical contacts from coming out of the housing.

There is a well-known double locking-type electrical connector in which a double-locking member is inserted from the back end of the housing as disclosed in Japanese Patent Publication No. 1-43986.

This type inserts a double-locking member from the back end of the housing and the locking action of the electrical contacts is a double locking which makes use of a housing lance and a locking action which makes use of a double-locking member. It is advantageous in that the electric contact-retaining force is reinforced and makes it possible to tell when the contact has not been inserted completely and presses in the electrical contact when it is not completely inserted.

However, in the above-mentioned type of double locking-type electrical connector, the multiple electrical contact housing chambers of the housing are separated and the double-locking member is separated by partitions which are arrayed at the same intervals as the above-mentioned partitions. When the electrical contact is housed in the above-mentioned electrical contact housing chamber, the partition on the abovementioned housing and the partition of the doublelocking member are arrayed on the same flat surface and are at the temporary locking position of the so-called double locking member. The electrical contact is guided by this into the chamber of the housing, is again guided along the chamber of the housing and is housed in the indicated contact housing chamber.Then, both of the above-mentioned partitions shift from a position where they are arrayed on the same flat surface as mentioned above and are positioned so that each of the partitions of the double-locking member fits in between each of the partitions of the housing and is set at the principal locking position of the double-locking member.

However, there were problems in the conventional double locking-type electrical connector described above in that, when the above-mentioned double-locking member was set in the temporary locking position, there was somewhat of a space between the partition of the housing and the partition of the double-locking member.

Therefore, the front end of the electrical contact which was inserted made contact with the end part of the top side of the partition of the housing, the back end of this electrical contact was fitted into the abovementioned space and the electrical contactwas not inserted smoothly. In particular, there were a great number of electrical contacts inserted and the size of the electrical contacts decreased and at the same time the above-mentioned electrical contacts could no longer be inserted smoothly.

It is an object of the present invention to take into consideration these conditions and to provide a double locking-type electrical connector which can have inserted the electrical contacts smoothly in the electrical contact housing chambers of the connector housing in the temporary locking position of the doublelocking member.

The double locking-type electrical connector of the present invention has the following characteristics. In the double locking-type connector which is configured by positioning a double-locking member at the back end of an insulated housing which is equipped with multiple electrical contact housing chambers which are surrounded respectively by partitions with housing lances formed along partition walls, the partitions of the abovementioned insulated housing and the partitions of the above-mentioned double-locking member are arrayed on the same flat surfaces and essentially eliminates the space between the partitions of the double-locking member and the partitions of the insulated housing at the temporary locking position of the above-mentioned double locking member which guide the electrical contacts into the above-mentioned electrical contact housing chambers.

Furthermore, the phrase "essentially eliminates" indicates reducing the space until it no longer adversely affects the electrical contacts being guided smoothly.

The above-mentioned configuration ensures that both partitions of the housing and the double-locking member have the same flat surfaces and that there is basically no space between them when the electrical contacts are inserted in the electrical contact housing chambers. As a result, the electrical contacts are guided by both of the above-mentioned partitions and at the same time they can be housed in the contact housing chambers smoothly without the electrical contacts being hung up between the housing and the double-locking member even if they are pressed into the electrical contact housing chambers.

An example of the present invention is described in detail hereinbelow in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.

FIGURE 1 is a cross-sectional view of the housing of the double locking-type electrical connector and the double-locking member; FIGURE 2 is an exploded perspective view of the double locking-type electrical connector as well as the connector on the other side; FIGURES 3A-3C are cross-sectional views of the connector showing the operation of the connector when an electrical contact is inserted in the contact housing chamber; and FIGURE 4 is an enlarged perspective view of the electrical contact which is used in the connector.

As Figure 2 shows, the connector of the present invention is made up of an insulated housing 11 which is equipped with multiple electrical contact housing chambers 10 (most of them are omitted in the drawing), double-locking member 13 which is fitted to the back end of insulated housing 11 (the side which is opposite the surface which fits into the other insulated housing 11) and wire protector 14 which protects multiple wires 40 which are positioned between double-locking member 13 and latches onto insulated housing 11 and extends from insulated housing 11. Each of the electrical contact housing chambers 10 is partitioned off by each of the partitions 18 and a lance 15 which retains electrical contact 30 (the first locking) is formed along partition 18. The above-mentioned double-locking member 13 is equipped with openings 16 through which are inserted electrical contacts 30. Each of the openings 16 are partitioned to form an arc shape from partitions 17. In addition, the above-mentioned double-locking member 13 moves in the direction (the direction which intersects with arrow A in Figure 1) which intersects with the axis of the above-mentioned electrical contacts then it can move in an axial direction (the direction of arrow A in Figure 1) relative to the electrical contacts 30 which are disposed in the above-mentioned insulated housing 11 and retains (the second locking) electrical contacts 30 therein as indicated in Figure 3C.

The electrical contact 30 used in the practical example is formed as indicated in Figure 4. It is equipped with a wire barrel 31 which is used to crimp and retain wire 40 securely, a double-locking barrel 33 which engages with the double-locking member 13, main spring 35 and auxiliary spring 36 which are used to engage the contact pin 12a on the other connector 12 which is inserted in the front end opening 34 and stabilizers 37 which stabilize the position of the electrical contact and to prevent electrical contact 30 from becoming misaligned.

Next, Figure 1 and Figures 3A through 3C illustrate how the above-mentioned electrical contacts 30 are inserted into the above-mentioned insulated housing 11 through the above-mentioned double-locking member.

First, the four locking parts on the double-locking member 13 are inserted in the temporary locking holes 21 on each end of the corresponding insulated housing 11 as a standard step which enables electrical contacts 30 to be inserted in the contact housing chambers 10. The first locking member 22 on the double-locking member 13 locks onto the locking pawl 23 of the insulated housing 11 and the double-locking member 13 is set at the temporary locking position. In this position, the partitions 18 of the insulated housing 11 and the partitions 17 of the double-locking member 13 are arrayed on the same flat surface and the electrical contacts 30 which are inserted through the openings 16 of the double-locking member 13 can be guided smoothly in the direction of arrow A.In the present invention, the partitions 18 of the insulated housing 11 also extend longer in the direction of double-locking member 13 than the conventional one. This makes the spaces between the corresponding partitions 17 and 18 in the temporary locking position extremely small. As a result, electrical contacts 30 can be inserted quite smoothly without any problems arising such as the front end making contact with the end part of the partitions 18 of the insulated housing 11 and the back end of the electrical contacts 30 becoming caught between both partitions 17 and 18 when the electrical contacts 30 are inserted. Length B of the partitions 17 of the double locking member 13 is reduced by approximately 50% compared to the conventional unit. This makes it possible to upgrade the operability when the doublelocking member 13 is used.When there is a so-called "incompletely inserted electrical contact" as when insertion of the electrical contact 30 is stopped halfway in the condition indicated in Figure 3A, the end surfaces of both partitions 17 and 18 make contact with each other since partition 17 makes contact with the double-locking barrel.of the electrical contact 30 even if the double-locking member 13 is pushed in the direction of the arrow A and the double-locking member 13 is not inserted into housing 11 any further.

Next, when the double-locking barrel 33 of the electrical contact 30 passes through the partition 18 of the double-locking member 13, the double-locking member 13 is lowered only to the extent which corresponds to the thickness of this partition 18 relative to the insulated housing, as indicated in Figure 3B.

Then, when the double-locking member 13 is pushed in the direction indicated by arrow A, the upper surface of the partitions 17 of the double-locking member 13 brushes against the lower surface of the partitions 18 of the insulated housing 11 as the double-locking member 13 is moved within the insulated housing 11. When this double-locking member 13 is shifted, the front end of the partitions 17 pushes the back end of the doublelocking barrel 33 of the electrical contacts 30 and the electrical contacts 30 which are completely inserted in electrical contact housing chambers 10 as indicated in Figure 3C. At this time, the locking pawl 23 of the insulated housing 11 locks onto a second locking 24 of the double-locking member 13 and the double-locking member is locked at the principal locking position.

The double locking-type electrical connector of the present invention is not limited to the practical example described above and a variety of modifications of it are possible. For example, the partitions of the insulated housing are not extended in the direction of the double locking member farther than the conventional unit and the partitions of the double-locking member may be extended in the direction of the insulated housing.

If the double locking-type electrical connector of the present invention is used, the space between both the partitions in the. insulated housing and the doublelocking member is essentially eliminated so that the electrical contacts can be inserted quite smoothly in the electrical contact housing chambers in the temporary locking position of the double-locking member.

Claims

CLAIMS:

1. An electrical connector comprising: an insulated housing having contact-receiving chambers formed by first partitions in which electrical contacts are to be disposed; a locking member having openings formed by second partitions; and latch means on said housing and said locking member mounting said locking member in a first position on said housing so that said first partitions and said second partitions are in alignment thereby permitting smooth insertion of the contacts through the openings and into the contact-receiving chambers.

2. An electrical connector as claimed in claim 1, wherein housing lances extend from said first partitions for engagement with the contacts when the are fully positioned in the contact-receiving chambers.

3. An electrical connector as claimed in claim 1 or 2, wherein said latch means and additional latch means move said locking member downwardly and inwardly to a second position upon an inward force being applied to said locking member so that an upper surface of the bottom walls of the second partitions move along the bottom surface of the bottom walls of the first partitions causing said bottom walls of the second partitions to engage a locking barrel of the contacts with said additional latch means latching said locking member at said second position.

4. An electrical connector constructed substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the accompanying drawings