JPH05198330A - Electric connector - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE: To provide an electric connector having an insulating housing having a front mutually fitting end part and a rear terminating end part. CONSTITUTION: A terminal 14 is received to a cavity part so that connection with a complementray terminal of a mating connector is attained. The terminal terminates a conductor projecting from a rear terminating end part of a housing. The rear terminating end part of the housing is formed of a pair of clam shell members 42a and 42b movably installed in a front end part of the housing so as to be movable between an opening condition where the terminal can be substantially completely and easily inserted into the cavity part and a closed condition where the inserted terminal is firmly housed. A complementray mutually engaging holding part is provided at least in one of the clam shell members to hold the terminal 14 by the cavity part 32 when the clam shell members are put in a closed condition. A complementary mutually engaging latch 56 is provided between the clam shell members to fix the clam shell members in a closed condition.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

FIELD OF THE INVENTION This invention relates to electrical connectors and, more particularly, to a separable electrical connector having one or more matable terminals within a housing.

[0002]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION Electrical connectors, in contrast to smaller electronic connectors, are matable with female contact terminals mounted in an insulating housing having one or more matable female terminals. It has a large blade contact. Such connectors are used in a very wide range of application fields and environments, including home appliances, automobiles, computers, and various industries that connect devices to mains power.

Although the two parameters of cost effectiveness and reliability are often of competing nature, the desire to design electrical connectors that are very cost effective and extremely reliable is endless. It seems In other words, it is not difficult to design an electrical connector that is extremely reliable and can withstand repeated connection and disconnection indefinitely if the cost is not limited. Conversely, cheap electrical connectors can be easily designed, but much less can be expected regarding their reliability. The cost of such connectors often takes into account manufacturing and / or assembly requirements. For example, a reliable connector
Although it is possible to design with many rigid, rigid components, manufacturing connectors with such multiple components is expensive.

[0004]

The present invention solves these dilemmas, is very simple and easy to manufacture, allows the terminals to be easily assembled in the housing of the connector, employs minimal components, and It is intended to provide an electrical connector having a reliable and solid connector structure.

Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide a new and improved electrical connector of the above character which is reliable and cost effective.

[0006]

The present invention includes an insulative housing having a front mating end and a rear mating end.
The front mating end is provided with at least one terminal receiving cavity. When the appropriate mating connector is connected to the mating end of the housing, the complementary and connecting terminals of the connector are received in this cavity. The terminal terminates a conductor that projects from the rear termination end of the housing. The rear end of the housing is substantially completely so that movement between the open state, in which the terminals can be easily inserted into the cavity, and the closed state, in which the inserted terminals are securely housed, is made possible. It consists of a pair of clamshell members movably attached to the front end. In the present invention, complementary interengaging retention means are provided between the terminal and at least one of the clamshell members to retain the terminal in the cavity when the clamshell member is in the closed condition. In the preferred embodiment of the invention, complementary interengaging retention means are provided between the terminal and both clamshell members. The holding means has shoulders on both sides of the holding terminal with the terminals sandwiched therebetween so as to engage with the shoulders of the respective clamshell members.

The present invention further comprises complementary interengaging latch means between both clamshell members for securing the clamshell members in the closed condition. In the present invention,
Complementary interengaging latch means is provided between the clamshell members.
A pair of interengaging latches are included, the pair of interengaging latches located at opposite ends of the housing. Further, a plurality of pairs of interengaging latches may be provided between the clamshell members that extend through the interior of the clamshell members end to end when closed. As disclosed herein, the connector houses a plurality of terminals received in a plurality of cavities. Interengaging latches that run through the interior of the clamshell member may be located between the terminals.

In the present invention, the clamshell member is movably attached to the front end of the housing by hinge means. Preferably, it is desirable to make the entire housing as a unitary molded component and the hinge means to be the unitary living hinge of the housing.

[0009]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS A detailed description will be given with reference to the drawings. First, FIG. 1 illustrates an electrical connector, generally designated by the numeral 10, with its mouth fully open for assembly. The connector comprises a one-piece, unitary molded housing, generally designated by the numeral 12, and a housing 12. Freely assembled, generally 1
4 and one or more terminals. Although the connector shown in the drawings is designed to receive and accommodate four terminals 14, it should be understood that the connector can accommodate any number of terminals of any suitable number. In FIG. 1, only one terminal is shown in order to avoid congestion in the figure. Each terminal 14 is a one-piece component formed by stamping and forming a sheet metal material, and has a crimp portion 16 for terminating the lead wire of the power cable 18 at the terminal. Terminal 14 is formed as a female terminal and, when a suitable mating connector (not shown) is connected to connector 10, provides a jaw into which the contact blade terminal of the mating connector is inserted 2.
It has a pair of opposing contact arms 20. Each terminal 14 is also formed to have a pair of shoulders 22 facing rearward (i.e., opposite to the insertion direction) on either side of the terminal.

Referring to FIG. 3 in conjunction with FIG. 1, unitary molded housing 12 has a forward mating end generally indicated at 24 and a rear mating end generally indicated at 26. It can be seen that the power cable 18 projects outward from the rear termination. The housing also releasably secures the connector to a suitable mating connector (not shown) 1
It also has a pair of end lock arms 28. 1 and 3
2 and 4, the front mating end 24 of the housing 12 has a plurality of silos 30 that define a terminal receiving cavity 32. The cavity is open ended, as shown at 34, so that the complementary blade terminals of a suitable mating connector can be inserted therein, thereby inserting the blade terminals into the jaws of the contact arm 20 of the terminal 14. Each cavity 32 has a rear enlarged portion 36 that constitutes a shoulder 38 with which a pair of shoulders 40 (FIG. 1) of the terminal 14 are in contact.

The rear terminating end 26 of the housing 12 is substantially completely a pair of clamshell members 42a and 42a.
b. Clamshell member is housing 1
2 is movably attached to the front end 24 of the terminal 2 and allows the terminal 14 to be freely inserted into the cavity 32 (FIGS. 1 and 2) and a closed state in which the inserted terminal is securely accommodated (FIG. 3). And Fig. 4). In the preferred embodiment shown in the drawings, the housing 12 is unitarily molded from a dielectric material and the clamshell member is movably attached to the front end of the housing by a living hinge portion 44, as best seen in FIG. FIG. 2 also best shows that when the clamshell members 42a and 42b are in the open condition, they provide a totally unobstructed area for inserting the terminal 14 into the cavity 32 as indicated by arrow A. That is, unlike this type of connector in the prior art, there are no partitions or walls in or along the terminal plug-in path that may impede complete freedom of assembly of the terminal.

After the insertion of the terminals is completed, the clamshell members 42a and 42b are moved in the direction of the chain line arrow B to bring them into a closed state for accommodating the inserted terminals. Figure 1
Indicates that each clamshell member has a semi-circular recess that receives the power cable 18.

In the present invention, complementary interengaging retention means is provided between the terminal 14 and the clamshell members 42a and 42b to retain the terminal within the cavity 32 when the clamshell member is in the closed condition. Equip. More specifically, as can be seen in FIGS. 2 and 4, an inner surface or shoulder 48 that engages one of the shoulders 22 on either side of each terminal when the clamshell member is in the closed condition as in FIG. To
Provided on each clamshell member 42a and 42b. Thus, the terminals are interengaged with the terminal shoulders 40 and the shoulders 38 within the cavity 32, and the terminal shoulders 2.
The mutual engagement of 2 with the inner surface of the clamshell member or shoulder 48 secures it inside housing 12.

The present invention also provides complementary interengaging latch means between the clamshell members to hold the clamshell members closed. The latch means is installed at both ends of the clamshell member, and is also installed so as to pass through the inside of the clamshell member from end to end to separate terminals.
More specifically, as best shown in FIGS. 1 and 3, the clamshell member 42b has hook-shaped latch arms 52 integrally molded with each of its opposed ends. The clamshell member 42a has recessed edges 54 at each of its opposing ends such that when the clamshell member is in the closed condition as shown in FIG. 3, the hook portion 52a of each latch arm 52 is It fits snugly behind the recessed edge 54.

The complementary interengaging latch means between the clamshell members also has a plurality of pairs of hook-shaped latch arms 56 integrally formed therewith that project from the inside of the clamshell member 42a. The shape of the latch arms 56 is best seen in FIG. 2, but FIG. 1 shows that each latch arm pair is located between the terminal receiving cavity 34 and the terminal 14. The clamshell member 42b has a plurality of pairs of latch holes 58, the shape of which is best seen in FIGS. The latch holes are arranged so that when the clamshell member is closed as shown in FIG. 4, the hook portions 56a of the latch arms 56 are fitted into the latch holes 58. Therefore, when the clamshell member is in the closed condition, a highly reliable complementary interengaging latch means is provided not only at the ends of the clamshell member but also along the length of the clamshell member inside the housing. It turns out that we can provide. The latch arm 56 extends between the terminals 14 to separate them, as shown in FIG.

In addition, the clamshell member 42b has a number of divider walls 60, as best seen in FIGS. 1 and 2, to completely separate the terminals. The partition wall is installed so as to be directly adjacent to the latch arm between the inserted terminals.

[0017]

From the above description, a very simple housing 12 is provided that is unitarily molded in one piece, so that the region surrounding the terminal is completely open, as shown in FIG. It can be seen that the terminal 14 can be inserted without the need. Moreover, when the clamshell member is closed to accommodate the terminals, the clamshell member is firmly interengaged substantially along the length of the connector, providing a very robust and reliable construction. All of the features described above for receiving and securing within a housing are provided without the use of any external components other than a one-piece, unitary housing.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of an electric connector of the present invention in an open state or an assembled state.

2 is a vertical sectional view taken along the line 2-2 in FIG.

FIG. 3 is a perspective view of the electric connector in a closed state or a state after assembly.

FIG. 4 is a vertical sectional view taken along line 4-4 in FIG.

[Explanation of symbols]

 10 Electrical Connector 12 Insulating Housing 14 Terminal 24 Front Fitting End 26 Rear Fitting End 32 Terminal Receiving Cavity 42a, 42b Clamshell Member 56 Complementary Interengaging Latch Means (Latch Arm) 58 Complementary Interengaging Latch Means (latch hole)

 ─────────────────────────────────────────────────── ——————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————— Photoens respectively respectively adopt the steps respectively, testimonials, information and information provided by the author of this report, “The Inventor Robert Delos, Naperville New Market Drive, Illinois, USA” 10555 (72) Inventor David M. Sukolsky, Naperville, Illinois, USA 2234

Claims (6)

[Claims] 1. A front mating end 24 and a rear terminating end 2
An electrical connector 10 comprising an insulative housing 12 having a front mating end 24 having a plurality of terminal receiving cavities 32, and a suitable mating connector being connected to the mating ends of the housing. Receiving a terminal in each cavity for connection to a complementary terminal on a mating connector, terminating a wire projecting from the terminal rear terminating end 26 of the housing, and housing rear terminating Movable to the front mating end 24 of the housing so that the portion 26 can move between an open state in which the terminal can be freely inserted into the cavity 32 and a closed state in which the inserted terminal is securely received. Formed by a pair of electrically attached clamshell members 42a, 42b,
Including complementary interengaging latch means 56, 58 for securing the clamshell member in the closed condition, the latching means passing through the interior of the housing across the interior of the housing when the clamshell member is in the closed condition. , The terminals are separated from each other, and the latch means is provided on one clamshell member 42a
Has a flexible latch arm 56 projecting from the inside and a hole 58 formed in the surface of the other clamshell member 42b, and the latch arm is fitted and fixed in this hole. And electrical connector. 2. Providing complementary interengaging retention means 60 between the terminal and at least one of the clamshell members for retaining the terminal in the cavity when the clamshell member is in the closed state. The electrical connector according to claim 1, wherein: 3. The electrical connector of claim 2 wherein said complementary interengaging retainer means 60 is provided between the terminal and both clamshell members. 4. The complementary interengaging retention means 60 comprises shoulders 48 engageable with respective shoulders of the clamshell member at positions on opposite sides of the terminal.
The electrical connector according to claim 3. 5. The electrical connector of claim 1 including hinge means 44 for movably attaching the clamshell members 42a, 42b to the front mating ends of the housing. 6. The electrical connector of claim 5 wherein said housing comprises a unitary molded component and said hinge means 44 comprises a unitary living hinge portion of this component.