JPH08250187A - Electric connector with improved terminal latch mechanism - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide an electric connector having a novel latch mechanism for easily and surely holding a terminal on a passage of a connector housing. SOLUTION: An electric connector 10 comprises a terminal 22 having a generally cylindrical engaging portion 32, in which a release seam 34 extends in the longitudinal direction. A flexible latch flange 36 projects in the lateral direction from the engaging portion on both sides of the seam. An insulating housing 12 includes a slender terminal receiving passage 14 for receiving the engaging portion of the terminal. A slit 16 for receiving a latch flange 36 projecting from the engaging portion communicates with the passage 14. The side wall of the slit 16 is converged from a wide opening end 16a of the slit toward the narrow latch end 16b. The side wall of the slit is engaged with the latch flange 36, thereby elastically compressing the engaged portion 32 of the terminal. The latch end 16b of the slit has a abruptly enlarged latch section 18. The latch flange is snapped down rearward of the section 18, so that the terminal can be locked in the passage.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates generally to electrical connectors, and more particularly to a latch mechanism for retaining a terminal in a passage in a connector housing.

[0002]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION Various mating electrical connectors use interengaging pin / socket terminal pairs to interconnect circuits or wires with these connectors. The pin / socket terminals are also referred to as male / female terminals, respectively.

These terminals are mounted in a plurality of terminal receiving passages in the insulating housing of the electrical connector. These terminals are generally elongated and are inserted into the passage along the longitudinal axis of the terminals. Some form of interengaging latch is usually provided to hold the terminal in the passageway against withdrawal.

[0004]

The various types of terminal latching mechanisms generally present various problems. For example, the terminals are often provided with outwardly projecting cantilevered flexible latch arms that snap behind the shoulders in the terminal receiving passages of the connector housing. Cantilevered latch arms tend to bend, fold and / or get caught relative to other parts. For example, the latch arm may bend or collapse on a reel of interconnected terminals during shipping prior to assembling the terminals into a connector. In addition, the width of the latch arms must be large in order to have a large latching performance, which limits the current carrying capacity of the terminals and can thus lead to overheating.

To overcome these problems associated with the flexible latch arm of the terminal, the latch arm is provided on the connector housing itself. In such an arrangement, the housing is usually molded of plastic material, and the latch arm is molded integrally therewith and extends inwardly from the inner wall of the housing to the terminal receiving passage. These latches on the housing have limited strength and durability. Also, these latches present problems during manufacturing. This is because the molded plastic material must flow over the length of the arm. Also, the arm is
It occupies space within the connector housing and its terminal receiving cavity, thus making it difficult to provide sufficient insulation between adjacent terminals.

The present invention is directed to overcoming the above problems by providing a simple and reliable latching mechanism for the terminals in an electrical connector of the character described.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION An object, therefore, of the invention is to provide a new and improved latching mechanism for retaining terminals in a passageway in an electrical connector housing.

[0008]

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION In one embodiment of the present invention, an electrical connector includes a stamped and formed terminal having a generally cylindrical mating portion with an open seam extending longitudinally. . Latch flanges project laterally from the mating portions on each side of the seam. The insulating housing has a generally rigid wall defining an elongated terminal receiving passage for receiving a mating portion of the terminal. An elongated groove in the wall communicates with this passage and receives a latch flange protruding from the mating portion. The sidewalls of the groove converge from the wide mouth end of the groove to its narrow latch end. The sidewalls resiliently compress the mating portion of the terminal as it guides the latch flange during insertion of the terminal into the housing. The latching end of the groove has a rapidly expanding latching portion behind which a latching flange interengages the snap to lock the terminal into the passage.

As described below, the enlarged latching portion of the groove has a latch shoulder on each side of the groove which is engaged by latching flanges on either side of the seam at the mating portion of the terminal. The latch flange projects from the outer surface of the housing and provides access to the latch flange with a suitable tool to unlatch the terminals.

[0010]

The preferred embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings. Referring to FIG. 1 of the accompanying drawings, an electrical connector 10 according to the present invention includes an insulating housing 12 defining a plurality of elongated terminal receiving passages 14. Although only two terminal receiving passages 14 are shown in FIG. 1 in a portion of housing 12, it should be understood that a number of such passages can be formed in the insulating housing in a substantially array. Each passage has an inlet end 14a open through the rear end surface 12a of the housing 12 and a latch end 14b open through the mating surface 12b of the housing.

An elongated groove 16 communicates with each passage 14 along its length. The groove extends from the wide mouth end 16a adjacent the inlet end 14a of each passage to the latch end 14b of each passage.
Gradually converges to a narrow latch end 16b adjacent to.
The latch end 16b of each groove 16 has a rapidly expanding latch section 18 which defines a latch shoulder 20 on each side of the groove at the narrow latch end 16b of the groove.

A plurality of terminals 22 can be inserted into passage 14 in the direction of arrow A (FIG. 1). These terminals can be crimped to the wires or attached directly to a printed circuit board (not shown). In the illustrated embodiment, the terminals are crimped to the insulated wire. Each crimp terminal 22 comprises two pairs of crimp arms 24 and 26 for terminating an electrical cable or wire 28. A pair of crimp arms 24 crimp against the clad or jacket of the cable to form its strain relief. The pair of crimp arms 26 are crimped to the conductive core 30 of the cable,
Establish conduction between the terminals and the core.

Each terminal 22 is stamped and formed of a conductive sheet metal material and includes a generally cylindrical female fitting portion 32 having an open seam 34 in the longitudinal direction. The seam is established during molding of the terminal. Latch flange 36
Project laterally or radially outwardly from the mating portion 32 on both sides of the seam. Latch flanges are flexible in that their location on either side of the seam allows the cylindrical mating portion to be compressed and expanded by the open seam.

In assembly, as described above, each terminal 22 is inserted into each passage 14 of the housing 12 in the direction of arrow A (FIG. 1) together with the crimped cable 28. As the terminal is inserted into the passageway, a radially outwardly projecting latch flange 36 projects into the groove 16 and moves longitudinally thereof. As the terminal moves toward its fully inserted position, the latch flange 36 engages the groove 1
Guided by both side walls of 6, the groove has its latch end 16b
Due to the narrowing towards, the latch flanges are forced towards each other to compress the mating portion 32. The latch flange 36 has a latch shoulder 2 at the latch end of the groove.
Above zero, the latch flange engages the snap behind the latch shoulder and prevents removal of the terminal in the opposite direction of arrow A.

FIG. 2 shows the two terminals in the fully inserted position, with the latch flange 36 of the left terminal being the latch shoulder 2.
It clearly shows how it is locked behind 0.
Further, in FIG. 2, the fitting portion 32 and the latch flange 3 are
It will also be apparent that 6 projects beyond the mating surface 12b of the housing 12. Therefore, a tool such as a pliers can be used to grip the latch flange 32 and tighten the latch flange so that the latch flange again crosses the latch shoulder 20. When the latch flange passes over the latch shoulder portion 20, each terminal is inserted into each passage 1 in the direction opposite to its insertion direction (that is, in the direction opposite to the arrow A in FIG. 1).
4 can be pulled out.

FIG. 3 shows four terminals 22, 22a, 22b.
And 22c are shown in different sequential insertion positions into each terminal receiving passage 14. The terminal 22 on the right side is the housing 12
The state before being inserted in the direction of arrow A into the passage 14 at the right end of is shown. When inserting the terminal into the passage, the groove end 16
Since a is wider than the interval of the latch flange 36, the latch flange 36 can be easily inserted into the groove 16.

In FIG. 3, the terminal 22a has a passage 1
4 partially reached to the point where the terminal latch flange 36 engages the sidewall of the groove 16. However, the latch flange has not yet begun to compress the mating portion of the terminal.

In FIG. 3, the terminal 22b has been inserted until the latch flange 36 has entered the abruptly expanding latch section 18 of the latch end of the groove 16. In essence, the side walls of the groove bias the latch flanges toward each other,
This compresses the cylindrical mating portions of the terminals, establishing spring energy and tending to bias the latch flanges outward into their static state.

In FIG. 3, the terminal 22c corresponds to each passage 14
Is shown in the fully inserted position. Latch flange 36
Obviously, is snapped outwardly into the enlarged latch section 18 and located behind the latch shoulder 20. In this fully inserted position, the latch flange 36
Due to the mutual engagement between the and the latch shoulder 20, the terminal cannot be removed from its passage (ie in the direction opposite arrow A).

Further, FIG. 3 shows the terminal 22 fully inserted.
It shows whether or not c protrudes beyond the fitting surface 12b of the housing 12. This allows the latch flange 36 to be manipulated by a suitable tool such as pliers. If desired, the latch flanges can be tightened towards each other in the direction of arrow B to bring the latch flanges closer together enough to clear the latch shoulder 20. Once over the shoulder, the terminal can be withdrawn from the passage in the opposite direction of its insertion.

[0021]

As is apparent from the above description, the present invention provides a simple and reliable latching mechanism for a terminal in an electrical connector and for retaining the terminal in a passage in an electrical connector housing. And a new and improved latching mechanism has been provided.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a partial perspective view of a partial cutaway view of an electrical connector with one of the two terminals fully received in a connector housing and the other terminal about to be inserted into the housing.

FIG. 2 is similar to FIG. 1, but shows both terminals fully inserted into the housing.

FIG. 3 is an enlarged cross-sectional view passing through the cam grooves along the four terminal receiving passages of the connector housing, showing the sequential insertion positions of the terminals.

[Explanation of symbols]

 10 electrical connector 12 insulating housing 14 terminal receiving passage 14a inlet end 14b latch end 16 groove 16a wide mouth end of groove 16b narrow latch end of groove 20 latch shoulder 22 terminal 24, 26 crimp arm 28 electric cable or wire 30 conductive core 32 cylindrical female fitting portion 36 latch flange

Claims (5)

[Claims] 1. At least one elongated terminal receiving passage 1
And an elongated groove 16 communicates with the passage along its length, which groove extends from the wide mouth end 16a adjacent the terminal inlet end 14a of the passage. Narrow latch end 1 away from terminal inlet end
6b, the latch end of the groove has a rapidly expanding latch section 18, and further the inlet end 14a.
A terminal 22 which is inserted longitudinally into the passage 14 via a fitting part 32 which fits into a complementary terminal which is inserted into the passage, and from which fitting part the groove 16 is fitted. Electrical connector 10 including a latch flange 36 projecting inwardly and latchingly interengaged with the latch section 18 of the groove. 2. The mating portion 32 of the terminal 22 has a longitudinally open seam 34 to provide flexibility to the flange, and one of the latch flanges 36 is provided on each side of the seam. The electrical connector according to claim 1, which is provided. 3. The electrical connector of claim 2, wherein the terminal 22 is stamped and formed of a conductive material and the mating portion 32 comprises a generally cylindrical female portion. 4. The enlarged latch section 18 of the groove 16
The electrical connector of claim 2, wherein each has a latch shoulder 20 on each side of the groove to form a locking surface for the latch flange 36. 5. The latch flange 36 is provided on the terminal 2
An electrical connector as claimed in claim 1 projecting from an outer surface 12b of the housing 12 so as to be accessible to the latch flange for unlatching the two.