KR970004149B1 - Latching mechanism for shielded data connector - Google Patents

Abstract

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Description

Latching Mechanism for Shielded Data Connectors

1 is a perspective view of the shield data connector of the present invention, showing various parts, respectively, disassembled from each other.

2 is a perspective view of a housing subassembly.

3 is a cross-sectional view of an insulated housing having a lower shield in place.

4 is a perspective view of an assembled data connector showing a slideable retention member or locking ring disassembled from the back of the connector.

5 is a front view of the locking ring.

6 is a sectional view taken along line 6-6 of FIG.

7 is a sectional view taken along line 7-7 of FIG.

8 is a sectional view taken along line 8-8 of FIG. 4 showing the locking ring in its rearmost position.

9 is a cross-sectional view taken along line 8-8 of FIG. 4 showing the locking ring in its foremost position.

* Description of the symbols for the main parts of the drawings *

2: shield data connector 3: shield subassembly

4 insulated housing 5 mating surface

126: latching member 128: web (web)

129: free end 130,132: latching mechanism

152: side 156: groove

170: locking ring 176: guide tab

178: Channel

The present invention relates to an electrical connector for use in the termination of shielded multicore cables, and more particularly to a data connector having a slideable support member for fastening the data connector in a fastened form.

US Patent No. RE32,760, which is incorporated by reference, discloses a local area network (LAN) connector specifically for use in the data communications business. These connectors can be used in closed loop data communication links where computer terminals and other equipment can be interconnected to the system. These connectors are particularly suitable for interconnecting many microcomputers or minicomputers in an office computer network. Connectors of this type have standard interface dimensions and shapes.

US Pat. No. 4,884,981, incorporated by reference, together with the conventional connectors of the type described herein, conveys the need within the local area market for low cost and versatile electrical connectors suitable for use in local area networks. In particular, the electrical connector shown in US Pat. No. 4,884,981 includes a shield subassembly located in a unitary molded housing, the unitary housing having a common interface structure like conventional connectors.

Within the industry, there is also a need to support the electrical connector of US Pat. No. 4,884,981 in a fastened form when engaging other electrical connectors. In particular, the connectors need to be supported in engagement with electrical connectors installed in a patch panel called a panel mounting connector, and a number of electrical connectors are connected to a common panel for cross connection between the various positions. Is located.

In the connector assembly shown in U.S. Patent No. 32,760, it is possible to move laterally between the latching arms and the top of the housing and to prevent pivoting of the latching arms while the locking member is in place. Separate locking members can be used to fill the space between the housing and the latching arms on either side of an integral web forming a).

Another embodiment of a locking mechanism is shown in US Pat. No. 4,711,511. Wherein each latching arm includes a locking bar between the pivot arm and the housing, and also performs a wedge-shaped function to prevent pivoting of the latching arms when the locking bars are in the fully forward position. Can move to species.

It is an object of the present invention to provide an improved shield data connector having a latching mechanism that can be secured in a fastened form.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will be apparent from the following description, the accompanying drawings and the claims.

It is an object of the present invention to provide an electrical connector comprising an insulating housing having a mating surface and a wire connecting surface. The latching members are provided integrally connected to both sides of the housing, and the latching members are integrally connected by forming webs located in between the ends of the latching members. One end of each latching member has a latching mechanism for engaging the mating electrical connector, and the other end of the latching member is free to move up and down during the pivoting movement of the latching members. The locking ring surrounds the insulated housing and can move longitudinally with respect to the insulating housing between the fixed position and the unlocked position. The locking ring has an integral elongated channel suitable for including the free ends of the latching member to suppress the pivoting movement of the latching members when in the fixed position, and the free ends of the latching members are separated from the channels relative to the webs. It can be moved to the release position so that it can rotate freely.

By providing a locking ring with channels including the free ends of the latching members, the locking ring can prevent pivoting of the latching mechanisms when the locking ring is in the fixed position.

First, in FIG. 1, the data connector is shown generally at 2 and includes a shield subassembly 3 and a preformed boot housing 4. The shield subassembly 3 is received in or latched out of the preformed boot housing 4. The shield subassembly 3 and the preformed boot housing 4 are of the type generally shown in US Pat. No. 4,884,981. The shield subassembly 3 generally comprises a housing member 5, a stuffer cap 6, and shield members 7 and 8. 1 to 3, the data connector housing 5 will be described in more detail.

First, in FIG. 2, the housing member 5 generally comprises a terminal support bottom 10 having a plurality of channels 12 for receiving the terminals 13 therein. On both sides of the terminal support bottom 10 are sidewalls 14 having inner grooves 15 and outer ribs 16. The portion 17 extending across the two side walls 14 together with the front edges 18 forms a front mating surface with the housing member 5.

The terminals 13 comprise an insulation displacement wire barrel 32, a blade portion 34, an elastic contact 36 and a common connection foot 38. The elastic contact 36 is bent in reverse and is spaced apart on the terminal support bottom 10. The resilient contacts 36 are arranged on the front mating surface of the housing member 5 and are overlapped and interconnected with the same terminals, and the two resilient contacts of the mating connectors are in contact with each other so that each resilient contact is in the blade portion 34 of the respective terminals. Inclined towards them. The stuffer lid 6 comprises side ribs 52 positioned on the side, wire receiving grooves 54 and a bottom surface 56 with stuffer cylinders 58 therein. The stuffer cylinders 58 have an inner diameter that is larger than the outer diameter of the pressure-contacting wire barrels 32 of the terminals 13 as well shown in FIG. 1.

Also in FIG. 1, the shield member 7 comprises a plate member 72 having continuous shield members 90 extending therefrom through the stepped portion 92, wherein the two shield members 90 Grooves 94 are formed between them. The plate member 72 also includes two locking lances 77 for securing the shield subassembly in the boot housing 4. The shield member 7 shown in FIG. 3 includes a semicylindrical shield tail 76 extending from the back wall 78. Again in FIG. 1, the shield member 7 comprises integral side walls 80 with windows 84 stamped therefrom (only one window can be seen in FIG. 1). The front edges of the side walls are formed by two 45 ° slopes 82.

Shield member 8 is shown to include a plate member 102 having integral shield portions 110 extending from its front edge, with two shield members 110 forming grooves 112 therebetween. do. Shield member 8 also includes a back wall 114, which has semi-cylindrical shield tail 116 extending therefrom. The plate member 102 also includes tabs 104 and 108 extending from the locking lances 106 and the side edges thereof.

In FIG. 9, the preformed boot housing 4 comprises a central body portion 122, a flexible wire receiving portion 124 and two latching members 126. The two latching members 126 are integrally molded to the central body portion 122 and pivot about the central body portion about the integral hinges 128. As shown in FIG. 1, the latching members 126 are hermaphrodite. The front edge of one of the latching members includes a T-shaped bar 130, while the other latching member includes a C-shaped groove 132. The two preformed boot housings 4 have one boot housing rotated 180 ° with respect to the axial centerline with respect to the other boot housing, such that the T-shaped bar 130 engages the C-shaped groove 132 of the mating housing. The C-shaped groove 132 may be coupled to each other by being coupled to the T-shaped bar 130 of the mating housing. In order to secure the two connectors in place, the latching members 126 on the connector are moved so that the T-shaped bar and the C-shaped groove move toward each other, and the movement of the two housings toward each other results in the respective T-shaped bar and C The male grooves are arranged so as to overlap and fasten with respect to the others.

In FIG. 9, the preformed boot housing 4 also includes a front passageway 134 having top and bottom surfaces 136 and sidewalls 138, each sidewall 138 having a hole 140. Include. The top and bottom surfaces 136 and sidewalls 138 terminate at the rear edge 142 and are connected with the cable receiving hole 146 through a cavity 144. In FIG. 4, the preformed boot housing 4 comprises side walls 152 and end walls 154. (Only one is shown in FIG. 4). End walls 154 include longitudinal grooves 156 having therein an integral latch 158 with a latching surface 160 facing forward. The longitudinal groove 156 also includes a detent 162 that is integrally formed therein and spaced in front of the latch 158.

5 and 6, the connector assembly also includes a slideable support member or locking ring 170 having side walls 172 and end walls 174. As shown in FIG. The side walls 172 may be slip engaged with the side walls 152 of the preformed boot housing 4, and the end walls 174 may be slip engaged with the end walls 154 of the boot housing 4. Can be. As shown in FIG. 5, the end walls 174 include locking lugs 176 on their inner surface that can be received in the grooves 156 and guide the support member along a longitudinal path. The latch 158 is shaped with an inclined surface that increases in height from the rear to the front, resulting in the locking surface 160 with the locking lug 176 facing forward as the locking lugs 176 pass through the latches 158. Is interlocked about.

Locking ring 160 also includes channels 178 that form a locking space that includes the free ends of the latching members. Each channel 178 has an inclined surface 180 that converges from front to back and ends in the narrow groove 182. Narrow groove 182 defines support steps 183 extending across locking ring 170 and are also suitable for receiving free ends of latching members. Thus, in the fixed position of FIG. 9, the free ends of the latching members are sandwiched between the inclined surface 180 and the stepped portion, so that pivoting movement of the latching members relative to the hinges 128 is prevented.

The connector is assembled by placing the terminals 13 in each channel 12 as shown in FIG. 2 and inserting short bars 60 into each groove 23. The short bars contact the common connecting bridge 38 on the terminals that are commonly connected to the other terminals when the data connector is not coupled. Next, the multi-core cable 180 (FIG. 1) enters through the cable receiving hole 146 of the boot housing 4, and the boot housing 4 is moved over the multi-core cable 180 again. The shield cable is stripped to find the shielding braid 184 and the respective leads 186 of the multicore cable. Each lead is placed in the grooves 54 of the stuffer lid 6, and the stuffer lid 7 is inserted into the housing such that the ribs 52 are aligned with the grooves 15 in the housing. The stuffer lid inserts wires into the respective terminals 13 such that the leads are terminated in the barrel portion 32 of the terminal 13.

Next, the shield members 7 and 8 have grooves 84 of the shield member 7 superimposed on the outer ribs 20 and the side tabs 104 of the shield member 8 are stamped of the shield member 7. It is assembled around the insulating housing 5 to secure it in place in the windows 86. This places the shield extensions 76 and 116 superimposed on the braid 184 surrounding the conductor. The foldable ferrule 190 (FIG. 1) is pressed in place, as a result of which the shield members 7 and 8 are electrically interconnected to the shield braid 184 and the shield subassembly 3 is shielded. The multi-core cable 18 can be held mechanically. The boot housing 4 inserted first can be moved forward until the windows 140 of the housing 4 are fixed with the tabs 77 as shown in FIG.

The slideable support member or the locking ring 170 may be assembled to the boot housing 4 at any time before and after the shield subassembly 3 is assembled. As shown in FIG. 7, the locking ring 170 has positions as shown in FIG. 7 and locations adjacent to the latch 158 with the resistant member 176 facing forward as shown in FIG. 4. You may move between locations passing through the earth 162. The movement of the locking ring 170 with respect to the positions shown in FIG. 7 corresponds to the movement of the locking ring 170 with respect to the positions shown in FIGS. 8 and 9. When the locking ring 170 is in the position shown in FIG. 8, the upper and lower latching members 126 are freely pivoted relative to their integral hinge member 128 for engagement and disengagement of the mating electrical connectors. can do. However, when the locking ring 170 is moved to the position shown in FIGS. 7 (virtual line) and 9, the free ends of the latching members 126 are located in the grooves 182 of the locking ring 170. do. The inclined surface 180 also helps the free end 12 of the latching member 126 to align with the groove 182.

Locking ring 170 is supported in place by engaging locking lugs 176 with associated stops 162. Thus, when the locking ring 170 is in the position shown in FIG. 9, the two latching members 126 do not pivot about the integral web 128, resulting in the two connectors being engaged. Stay engaged.

While the form of the devices described so far constitutes a preferred embodiment of the invention, the invention is not limited to such precisely shaped devices, and changes may be made without departing from the scope of the invention as defined in the appended claims.

Claims (6)

An insulating housing 4 having a mating surface and a wire connecting surface; The latching members 126 are integrally connected to both sides of the insulating housing 4, and the latching members 126 are formed by the forming webs 128, which are located between the ends of the latching members 126. 4) integrally connected to 4), one end of each latching member 126 has a latching mechanism 130, 132 for engagement with a state connector, one end of the latching mechanism 126 for engagement with a mating connector, Opposite free ends (129) of the latching members (126) can move freely up and down during the pivoting movement of the latching members (126); It surrounds the periphery of the insulating housing 4 and can move vertically between the fixed position and the released position with respect to the insulating housing 4, and can be in the fixed position to prevent pivoting of the latching members 126. Have integral elongated channels 178 suitable for containing the free ends 129 of the latching members 126, the free ends 129 of the latching members 126 spaced apart from the channels 178. And a locking ring (170) capable of moving to an unlocked position to freely rotate relative to the webs (128). 2. The electrical connector of claim 1 wherein the channels (178) are gradually narrowed from front to back. 3. The electrical connector of claim 2 wherein the channels (178) in the locking ring (170) are formed by upper and lower surfaces (180), the upper surfaces converging from front to back. 4. The electrical connector of claim 3 wherein the channels (178) comprise narrow grooves (182) suitable for engaging the free ends (129) of the latching members (126). The guide tabs 176 of claim 1, wherein the insulating housing 4 includes grooves 156 formed in the side surface 152, and the locking ring 170 is adapted to fit the grooves 156. Including electrical connectors. 6. The electrical connector according to claim 5, wherein the guide groove (156) has stoppers therein which can cooperate with guide tabs (176) to define the fixed position and the unlocked position.