WO2013092310A1 - Electrical connectors assembly with connector positionning assurance - Google Patents

Electrical connectors assembly with connector positionning assurance Download PDF

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Publication number
WO2013092310A1
WO2013092310A1 PCT/EP2012/075107 EP2012075107W WO2013092310A1 WO 2013092310 A1 WO2013092310 A1 WO 2013092310A1 EP 2012075107 W EP2012075107 W EP 2012075107W WO 2013092310 A1 WO2013092310 A1 WO 2013092310A1
Authority
WO
WIPO (PCT)
Prior art keywords
cpa
connector
housing
longitudinal direction
wall
Prior art date
Application number
PCT/EP2012/075107
Other languages
French (fr)
Inventor
Olivier GOLETTO
Original Assignee
Delphi Connection Systems Holding France
Priority date (The priority date is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the date listed.)
Filing date
Publication date
Application filed by Delphi Connection Systems Holding France filed Critical Delphi Connection Systems Holding France
Publication of WO2013092310A1 publication Critical patent/WO2013092310A1/en

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Classifications

    • H—ELECTRICITY
    • H01—ELECTRIC ELEMENTS
    • H01R—ELECTRICALLY-CONDUCTIVE CONNECTIONS; STRUCTURAL ASSOCIATIONS OF A PLURALITY OF MUTUALLY-INSULATED ELECTRICAL CONNECTING ELEMENTS; COUPLING DEVICES; CURRENT COLLECTORS
    • H01R13/00—Details of coupling devices of the kinds covered by groups H01R12/70 or H01R24/00 - H01R33/00
    • H01R13/64—Means for preventing incorrect coupling
    • H01R13/641—Means for preventing incorrect coupling by indicating incorrect coupling; by indicating correct or full engagement
    • H—ELECTRICITY
    • H01—ELECTRIC ELEMENTS
    • H01R—ELECTRICALLY-CONDUCTIVE CONNECTIONS; STRUCTURAL ASSOCIATIONS OF A PLURALITY OF MUTUALLY-INSULATED ELECTRICAL CONNECTING ELEMENTS; COUPLING DEVICES; CURRENT COLLECTORS
    • H01R13/00—Details of coupling devices of the kinds covered by groups H01R12/70 or H01R24/00 - H01R33/00
    • H01R13/62—Means for facilitating engagement or disengagement of coupling parts or for holding them in engagement
    • H01R13/639—Additional means for holding or locking coupling parts together, after engagement, e.g. separate keylock, retainer strap
    • H—ELECTRICITY
    • H01—ELECTRIC ELEMENTS
    • H01R—ELECTRICALLY-CONDUCTIVE CONNECTIONS; STRUCTURAL ASSOCIATIONS OF A PLURALITY OF MUTUALLY-INSULATED ELECTRICAL CONNECTING ELEMENTS; COUPLING DEVICES; CURRENT COLLECTORS
    • H01R13/00—Details of coupling devices of the kinds covered by groups H01R12/70 or H01R24/00 - H01R33/00
    • H01R13/62—Means for facilitating engagement or disengagement of coupling parts or for holding them in engagement
    • H01R13/627—Snap or like fastening
    • H01R13/6271—Latching means integral with the housing
    • H01R13/6272—Latching means integral with the housing comprising a single latching arm

Definitions

  • the present invention relates to electrical connectors and electrical connector assemblies.
  • the present invention is related to an electrical connectors assembly comprising a first connector and a second connector suitable to mate with each other along a longitudinal direction.
  • the first connector classically comprises a housing adapted to receive wires having a thickness, and a Connector Position Assurance (CPA) element mounted on a top of the housing, the CPA element being movable, along a moving path, from an initial position to a final position only when the first connector and the second connector are mated.
  • the housing typically comprises a housing wall surrounding a front end of the CPA element and leaving a rear end of the CPA element outside the housing.
  • WO 2010/032088 describes an example of such a connectors assembly provided with a CPA element.
  • such an electrical connectors assembly is such that the rear end of the CPA element comprises a CPA wall extending along the longitudinal direction and a transversal direction perpendicular to the longitudinal direction and a vertical direction, and having a CPA top surface.
  • a distance between the CPA top surface and the housing wall is less than the thickness of a wire when the CPA element is in its initial position .
  • the housing wall comprises a housing top surface extending toward the rear end of the CPA element and wherein the CPA top surface extends from the rear end of the CPA element toward the housing wall.
  • the housing top surface is in surface contact with the CPA top surface.
  • the housing top surface is located below the CPA top surface along the vertical direction
  • the CPA wall further comprises CPA lateral surfaces extending in the vertical direction and the longitudinal direction,
  • the section of the CPA wall taken perpendicularly to the longitudinal direction, has the general shape of a vertically inverted X U' ,
  • the CPA element is manually movable from its initial position to its final position in the longitudinal direction
  • the front end of the CPA element in the longitudinal direction further comprises a CPA lever adapted to allow a movement of the CPA element from the initial position to the final position only when the first direction and the second connector are mated,
  • the CPA wall and the housing wall are adapted to prevent access to the CPA lever.
  • an electrical connector suitable to be mated with a second connector along a longitudinal direction, comprising a housing adapted to receive wires having a thickness, and a CPA element mounted on top of the housing and movable, along a moving path, from an initial position to a final position only when the electrical connector is mated with the second connector.
  • the housing further comprises a housing wall surrounding a front end of the CPA element and leaving a rear end of the CPA element outside the housing.
  • the rear end of the CPA element comprises a CPA wall extending along the longitudinal direction and a transversal direction perpendicular to the longitudinal direction and a vertical direction, and having a CPA top surface .
  • a distance between the CPA top surface and the housing wall is less than the thickness of a wire when the CPA element is in its initial position.
  • FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a connectors assembly according to the present invention
  • FIG. 2a and 2b are perspective views of the electrical connectors assembly, respectively before and after assembly, according to the present invention, the CPA element being masked
  • FIG. 3 is a perspective view of the CPA element according to the present invention.
  • FIG. 4a and 4b are perspective views of the electrical connectors assembly, respectively before and after assembly, according to the present invention, a part of the housing wall being masked to show a flexible lever,
  • FIG. 5a and 5b are sectional views of the electrical connectors assembly of Figs. 4a and 4b,
  • FIG. 6a and 6b are perspective views of the electrical connectors assembly, respectively before and after assembly, according to the present invention .
  • Fig. 1 shows an electrical connectors assembly, comprising a first electrical connector 1 and a second electrical connector 2 adapted to mate with each other along a longitudinal direction X.
  • the electrical connector 1 is made of at least two main parts :
  • TPA Terminal Positioning Assurance
  • the housing 110 forms most of the electrical connector 1.
  • the TPA element 120 is placed at a front portion of the housing 110 and is movable and lockable with respect thereto from a pre-assembled to an assembled position by a sliding movement along the longitudinal direction X, or mating direction X.
  • a cable 3 is connected to the first connector 1 and comprises one or more terminals 31.
  • the TPA element 120 Before the cable 3 is assembled to the first connector 1, the TPA element 120 is normally retained with respect to the housing 110 in the pre-assembled position.
  • the TPA element 120 provides a function by which, if a terminal 31 is not fully inserted into its corresponding pathway of the housing 110, the TPA element 120 is prevented from being moved from its pre- assembled position to its assembled position (Terminal Positioning Assurance function) .
  • This security enables to provide a correct control of the quality of the wiring process, and to correct it before the harness is sent to the end user for connection with the second electrical connector 2.
  • the first connector 1 may also comprise other parts such as rear grid and various seals.
  • the connectors assembly further comprises a locking system enabling to lock the first connector 1 and the second connector 2 to one another, once mated. This locking system will now be described.
  • the second connector 2 comprises a peg 201 having the general shape of a trapezoidal prism comprising an inclined face 202 facing the first connector 1, and an opposite vertical face 203 facing the rear end of the second connector 2. It can further comprise a protecting peg 204 at the rear of peg 201.
  • the housing 110 of the first connector 1 bears on its top a flexible lever 170, extending approximately from the middle of said housing 110 toward a front end of the first connector 1.
  • the flexible lever 170 comprises a longitudinal slit 172 having two lateral sides 173 and ending with a shoulder 171 at its forward end along the longitudinal axis X.
  • the inclined face 202 of the peg 201 deflects the flexible lever 170 in the vertical direction Z and slides below said flexible lever 170. If the TPA element 120 is in its assembled position and if nothing interferes with the mating of the first connector 1 and the second connector 2, the first connector 1 and the second connector 2 can be fully mated along the longitudinal direction X.
  • the peg 201 reaches the longitudinal slit 172 and penetrates into the longitudinal slit 172 from the bottom, enabling the flexible lever 170 to retrieve its undeflected position.
  • the connectors assembly further comprises a connector position assurance element (CPA) element 130 borne by the first connector 1, as shown on Fig. 1 and detailed on Fig. 3.
  • the CPA element 130 is mounted on top of the housing 110 along the vertical direction Z.
  • the CPA element 130 is movable along a moving path 131 directed along the longitudinal direction X from an initial position 132 (Fig. 4a) to a final position shown on Fig. 4b.
  • the CPA element 130 provides a connection assurance function as it can only be moved when the first connector 1 and the second connector 2 are fully mated.
  • Both lateral sides 173 of the longitudinal slit 172 have the shape of a step, i.e. each can be divided in an upper lateral face 173a and a lower face 173b that is closer to the centre of the longitudinal slit 172 than said upper lateral face 173a.
  • Each lateral side 173 thus comprises the horizontal face 173c extending along the longitudinal direction X and located around the middle of the vertical extension of said lateral side 173.
  • the lateral side 173 further comprises two lateral locking stops 174 extending from the upper lateral face 173a of said longitudinal slit 172 toward the centre of the longitudinal slit 172.
  • the CPA element 130 has a vertical symmetry plane 135 comprising the longitudinal direction X.
  • the CPA element 130 comprises a mobile base 140 slidably mounted on the housing 110 of the first connector 1.
  • the CPA element 130 further comprises a longitudinal CPA lever 150 extending along the longitudinal direction X from the mobile base 140 toward a front end of the first connector 1.
  • the CPA lever 150 has a front head 151 on its front end comprising two lateral flanges 152 which extend on both sides of the front head 151 along the transversal direction Y.
  • the CPA lever 150 is located inside the longitudinal slit 172 and the two lateral flanges 152 rest on the two horizontal faces 173c of the lateral sides 173.
  • Fig. 5a shows a sectional view of the first connector 1 when the second connector 2 is not mated and the CPA element 130 is in its initial position 132.
  • the CPA element 130 cannot be moved to its final position since the lateral flanges 152 of the CPA lever 150 abut on the lateral locking stop 174 of the longitudinal slit 170.
  • the front head 151 of the CPA lever 150 further comprises a bottom nose 154 extending below the front head 151 and having an inclined front face 155 facing the second connector 2. As it was described further above, when the first connector 1 and the second connector 2 are mated, the peg 201 is located inside the longitudinal slit 170.
  • the front head 151 of the CPA element 130 will thus move outside the longitudinal slit 170, more precisely above said longitudinal slit 170, and the lateral flanges 152 will be located above the locking stop 174.
  • the lateral flanges 152 will thus not abut on the lateral locking stop 173 and the CPA element 130 will be able to move forward to its final position.
  • the bottom nose 154 When going to its final position, the bottom nose 154 will thus pass over the peg 201, the shoulder 171 and will rest in a recess 175 located on a front end of the shoulder 171.
  • the CPA lever 150 come back to its rest position inside the longitudinal slit 172 with its lateral flanges 152 resting on the horizontal faces 173c of the longitudinal slit 172.
  • the CPA lever 150 is thus not under mechanical strain which increases its durability.
  • the CPA element 130 is prevented from going back from the final position to the initial position 132 by the lateral locking stop 174. Since the bottom nose 154 is now interacting with the vertical face 203 of the peg 201, the lever 150 will not be deflected and the CPA element 130 is firmly locked in the final position.
  • the CPA element 130 further comprises lateral pawls 190 extending from the mobile base 140 and adapted to engage into corresponding apertures 191 of the housing 110, so as to prevent the CPA element 130 from being unintentionally extracted from the housing 110.
  • Lateral pawls 190 can also slightly maintain the CPA element 130 in its initial position 132 and its final position. To this aim, lateral pawls 190 can each possess two recesses 192 adapted to cooperate with a corresponding peg 193 located on the inside of a housing wall 180 of the housing 110, that will be further described hereafter.
  • the housing 110 of the first connector 1 further comprises the housing wall 180 having a housing top surface 181.
  • the housing wall 180 fully surrounds the flexible lever 170 in the vertical direction Z and the transversal direction Y, but not in the longitudinal direction X.
  • the housing wall 180 thus surrounds the front end of the CPA element 130 comprising a part of the CPA lever 150 and it leaves a rear end of the CPA element 130 outside the housing 110, said rear end comprising the mobile base 140.
  • the mobile base 140 further comprises a CPA wall 141 having a CPA top surface 142 and a CPA bottom surface 143.
  • the CPA wall 141 extends on top of the CPA element 130, along the symmetry plane 135 of said CPA element 130, from the mobile base 140 toward the front of the first connector 1.
  • the CPA wall 141 and the housing wall 180 meet in an overlapping region where the CPA bottom surface 143 is in surface contact with the housing top surface 181.
  • the CPA wall 141 is thus located above the housing wall 180 in the overlapping region and slides on the housing top surface 181 when the CPA element 130 moves along its moving path 131.
  • the minimal distance between the CPA top surface 142 and the housing top surface 181 is less than the thickness of a wire for every position of the CPA element 130 along its moving path 131, in particular when said CPA element 130 is in its initial position 132.
  • Wires thus cannot obstruct the moving path 131 of the CPA element 130 and cannot interfere with the movement of the CPA element 130 from its initial position 132 to its final position .
  • the thickness of the CPA wall 141 is small, for example the distance between the CPA top surface 142 and the CPA bottom surface 143 is less than the thickness of a wire. Further, the overlapping region is always present, for every location of the CPA element 130 along its moving path 131.
  • the vertical position of the CPA wall 141 and the housing wall 180 can be exchanged, the housing wall 180 being located above the CPA wall 141.
  • the CPA wall 141 can further comprises CPA lateral walls 145 extending from the transversal extremities of the CPA wall 141 along the longitudinal direction X and toward the bottom of the CPA element 130.
  • CPA lateral walls 145 further protect the moving path 131 of the CPA element 130 from the intrusion of wires.
  • a section of the CPA wall 141, taken perpendicular to the longitudinal direction X, can thus have the general shape of a vertically inverted X U' where the two vertical branches are constituted by the CPA lateral walls 145.
  • the CPA element 130 is manually movable from its initial position 132 to its final position .
  • the mobile base 140 can further comprise an opening adapted to permit the entry of a tool, for instance a screw driver. This tool can be used by the user to unlock the first connector 1 and the second connector 2 as the user needs to deflect the flexible lever 170 toward the top in order to release the peg 201 from the shoulder 171 and to allow the second connector 2 to move freely along the longitudinal direction X with respect to the first connector 1.
  • a tool for instance a screw driver

Abstract

The present invention relates to an electrical connectors assembly comprising a first connector (1) and a second connector (2) adapted to mate with each other along a longitudinal direction (X). The first connector (1) comprises a housing (110) and a Connector Position Assurance (CPA) element (130) mounted on top of the housing (110). The housing (110) further comprises a housing wall surrounding a front end of the CPA element (130) and leaving a rear end of the CPA element (130) outside the housing (110). The rear end of the CPA element (130) comprises a CPA wall extending along the longitudinal direction (X) and a transversal direction (Y) perpendicular to the longitudinal direction (X), and having a CPA top surface. A distance between the CPA top surface and the housing wall is less than the thickness of a wire when the CPA element (130) is in its initial position.

Description

ELECTRICAL CONNECTORS ASSEMBLY WITH CONNECTOR POSITIONNING
ASSURANCE .
The present invention relates to electrical connectors and electrical connector assemblies.
In particular, the present invention is related to an electrical connectors assembly comprising a first connector and a second connector suitable to mate with each other along a longitudinal direction. The first connector classically comprises a housing adapted to receive wires having a thickness, and a Connector Position Assurance (CPA) element mounted on a top of the housing, the CPA element being movable, along a moving path, from an initial position to a final position only when the first connector and the second connector are mated. The housing typically comprises a housing wall surrounding a front end of the CPA element and leaving a rear end of the CPA element outside the housing.
WO 2010/032088 describes an example of such a connectors assembly provided with a CPA element.
Connecting the two connectors of the assembly must sometimes be done in a packed environment and blindly by the operator. Therefore, anything which may ease the connection for the operator would be beneficial. This is because if the operator does not manage to activate the CPA element, he will consider that the connectors are misassembled, and there is a risk that unnecessary checking steps be performed. The present invention has notably for object to mitigate those drawbacks.
To this aim, according to the invention, such an electrical connectors assembly is such that the rear end of the CPA element comprises a CPA wall extending along the longitudinal direction and a transversal direction perpendicular to the longitudinal direction and a vertical direction, and having a CPA top surface. A distance between the CPA top surface and the housing wall is less than the thickness of a wire when the CPA element is in its initial position .
With these features, one reduces the risk that an external wire would intrude in the path of CPA element and prevent it from being moved from its initial to its final position.
In some embodiments, one might also use one or more of the following features :
- the housing wall comprises a housing top surface extending toward the rear end of the CPA element and wherein the CPA top surface extends from the rear end of the CPA element toward the housing wall.
- the housing top surface is in surface contact with the CPA top surface.
- the housing top surface is located below the CPA top surface along the vertical direction,
- the CPA wall further comprises CPA lateral surfaces extending in the vertical direction and the longitudinal direction,
- the section of the CPA wall, taken perpendicularly to the longitudinal direction, has the general shape of a vertically inverted XU' ,
- the CPA element is manually movable from its initial position to its final position in the longitudinal direction,
- the front end of the CPA element in the longitudinal direction further comprises a CPA lever adapted to allow a movement of the CPA element from the initial position to the final position only when the first direction and the second connector are mated,
- the CPA wall and the housing wall are adapted to prevent access to the CPA lever.
Another aspect of the invention is an electrical connector suitable to be mated with a second connector along a longitudinal direction, comprising a housing adapted to receive wires having a thickness, and a CPA element mounted on top of the housing and movable, along a moving path, from an initial position to a final position only when the electrical connector is mated with the second connector.
The housing further comprises a housing wall surrounding a front end of the CPA element and leaving a rear end of the CPA element outside the housing. Moreover, the rear end of the CPA element comprises a CPA wall extending along the longitudinal direction and a transversal direction perpendicular to the longitudinal direction and a vertical direction, and having a CPA top surface .
In addition, a distance between the CPA top surface and the housing wall is less than the thickness of a wire when the CPA element is in its initial position. Other characteristics and advantages of the invention will readily appear from the following description of one of its embodiments, provided as a non-limitative example, and of the accompanying drawings . On the drawings:
- Fig. 1 is a perspective view of a connectors assembly according to the present invention,
- Figs. 2a and 2b are perspective views of the electrical connectors assembly, respectively before and after assembly, according to the present invention, the CPA element being masked,
- Fig. 3 is a perspective view of the CPA element according to the present invention,
- Figs. 4a and 4b are perspective views of the electrical connectors assembly, respectively before and after assembly, according to the present invention, a part of the housing wall being masked to show a flexible lever,
- Figs. 5a and 5b are sectional views of the electrical connectors assembly of Figs. 4a and 4b,
and
- Figs. 6a and 6b are perspective views of the electrical connectors assembly, respectively before and after assembly, according to the present invention .
On the different Figures, the same reference signs designate like or similar elements.
Fig. 1 shows an electrical connectors assembly, comprising a first electrical connector 1 and a second electrical connector 2 adapted to mate with each other along a longitudinal direction X.
The present description is given by reference to electrical connectors. However, it is believed that it could be applied to other types of connectors, notably to optical or electro-optical connectors.
The following description of the connectors assembly uses words such as "front", "rear", "top", "bottom", ... "Front" and "rear" refer to the orientation along the longitudinal mating direction X, "front" being closest to the mating connector. "Top" and "bottom" refer to the orientation along a vertical direction Z which is perpendicular to the longitudinal direction X. Moreover, a transversal direction Y is defined as being perpendicular to either the longitudinal direction X and the vertical direction Z.
The electrical connector 1 is made of at least two main parts :
- the housing 110 and
- the Terminal Positioning Assurance (TPA) element 120.
These parts are plastic moulded parts and are produced separately .
The housing 110 forms most of the electrical connector 1. The TPA element 120 is placed at a front portion of the housing 110 and is movable and lockable with respect thereto from a pre-assembled to an assembled position by a sliding movement along the longitudinal direction X, or mating direction X.
A cable 3 is connected to the first connector 1 and comprises one or more terminals 31. Before the cable 3 is assembled to the first connector 1, the TPA element 120 is normally retained with respect to the housing 110 in the pre-assembled position. The TPA element 120 provides a function by which, if a terminal 31 is not fully inserted into its corresponding pathway of the housing 110, the TPA element 120 is prevented from being moved from its pre- assembled position to its assembled position (Terminal Positioning Assurance function) .
This security enables to provide a correct control of the quality of the wiring process, and to correct it before the harness is sent to the end user for connection with the second electrical connector 2.
The first connector 1 may also comprise other parts such as rear grid and various seals.
The connectors assembly further comprises a locking system enabling to lock the first connector 1 and the second connector 2 to one another, once mated. This locking system will now be described.
The second connector 2 comprises a peg 201 having the general shape of a trapezoidal prism comprising an inclined face 202 facing the first connector 1, and an opposite vertical face 203 facing the rear end of the second connector 2. It can further comprise a protecting peg 204 at the rear of peg 201.
As it can be seen on Fig. 2a, the housing 110 of the first connector 1 bears on its top a flexible lever 170, extending approximately from the middle of said housing 110 toward a front end of the first connector 1. The flexible lever 170 comprises a longitudinal slit 172 having two lateral sides 173 and ending with a shoulder 171 at its forward end along the longitudinal axis X.
Upon the mating of the first connector 1 and the second connector 2, shown on Fig. 2b, the inclined face 202 of the peg 201 deflects the flexible lever 170 in the vertical direction Z and slides below said flexible lever 170. If the TPA element 120 is in its assembled position and if nothing interferes with the mating of the first connector 1 and the second connector 2, the first connector 1 and the second connector 2 can be fully mated along the longitudinal direction X. The peg 201 reaches the longitudinal slit 172 and penetrates into the longitudinal slit 172 from the bottom, enabling the flexible lever 170 to retrieve its undeflected position.
The cooperation of the shoulder 171 of the flexible lever 170 and the vertical face 203 of the peg 201 prevents the peg 201 from being extracted from the longitudinal slit 172 by movements along the longitudinal direction X. Since the mating of the housing 110 of the first connector 1 and the housing of the second connector 2 prevents movements along the vertical direction Z and the transversal direction Y, the first connector 1 and the second connector 2 are locked together .
To unlock the first connector 1 and the second connector 2, the user needs to deflect the flexible lever 170 toward the top in order to release the peg 201 from the shoulder 171 and to allow the second connector 2 to move freely along the longitudinal direction X with respect to the first connector 1. The connectors assembly further comprises a connector position assurance element (CPA) element 130 borne by the first connector 1, as shown on Fig. 1 and detailed on Fig. 3. The CPA element 130 is mounted on top of the housing 110 along the vertical direction Z. The CPA element 130 is movable along a moving path 131 directed along the longitudinal direction X from an initial position 132 (Fig. 4a) to a final position shown on Fig. 4b. The CPA element 130 provides a connection assurance function as it can only be moved when the first connector 1 and the second connector 2 are fully mated.
This function is permitted by a specific geometry that will now be described in more detail. Both lateral sides 173 of the longitudinal slit 172 have the shape of a step, i.e. each can be divided in an upper lateral face 173a and a lower face 173b that is closer to the centre of the longitudinal slit 172 than said upper lateral face 173a. Each lateral side 173 thus comprises the horizontal face 173c extending along the longitudinal direction X and located around the middle of the vertical extension of said lateral side 173. The lateral side 173 further comprises two lateral locking stops 174 extending from the upper lateral face 173a of said longitudinal slit 172 toward the centre of the longitudinal slit 172. Each lateral locking stop 174 fully crosses the horizontal face 173c along the transversal direction Y, thus at the location of the lateral locking stop 174, the lateral sides 173 do not have the shape of a step anymore but are just composed of a single lateral face . The CPA element 130 has a vertical symmetry plane 135 comprising the longitudinal direction X. The CPA element 130 comprises a mobile base 140 slidably mounted on the housing 110 of the first connector 1. The CPA element 130 further comprises a longitudinal CPA lever 150 extending along the longitudinal direction X from the mobile base 140 toward a front end of the first connector 1.
The CPA lever 150 has a front head 151 on its front end comprising two lateral flanges 152 which extend on both sides of the front head 151 along the transversal direction Y. When the CPA element 130 is assembled with the housing 110 of the first connector 1, the CPA lever 150 is located inside the longitudinal slit 172 and the two lateral flanges 152 rest on the two horizontal faces 173c of the lateral sides 173. Fig. 5a shows a sectional view of the first connector 1 when the second connector 2 is not mated and the CPA element 130 is in its initial position 132. When the first connector 1 and the second connector 2 are not mated, the CPA element 130 cannot be moved to its final position since the lateral flanges 152 of the CPA lever 150 abut on the lateral locking stop 174 of the longitudinal slit 170.
In order for the CPA element 130 to be able to reach its final position, the lateral flange 152 have to be able to pass said lateral locking stop 174. The front head 151 of the CPA lever 150 further comprises a bottom nose 154 extending below the front head 151 and having an inclined front face 155 facing the second connector 2. As it was described further above, when the first connector 1 and the second connector 2 are mated, the peg 201 is located inside the longitudinal slit 170.
Referring to Fig. 5b, when the CPA element 130 is moved along its moving path 131, the interaction of the front face 155 of the CPA element 130 with the inclined face 202 of the peg 201 deflects the CPA lever 150 toward the top.
The front head 151 of the CPA element 130 will thus move outside the longitudinal slit 170, more precisely above said longitudinal slit 170, and the lateral flanges 152 will be located above the locking stop 174. The lateral flanges 152 will thus not abut on the lateral locking stop 173 and the CPA element 130 will be able to move forward to its final position. When going to its final position, the bottom nose 154 will thus pass over the peg 201, the shoulder 171 and will rest in a recess 175 located on a front end of the shoulder 171.
Once the CPA element 130 is in its final position, the CPA lever 150 come back to its rest position inside the longitudinal slit 172 with its lateral flanges 152 resting on the horizontal faces 173c of the longitudinal slit 172. The CPA lever 150 is thus not under mechanical strain which increases its durability.
The CPA element 130 is prevented from going back from the final position to the initial position 132 by the lateral locking stop 174. Since the bottom nose 154 is now interacting with the vertical face 203 of the peg 201, the lever 150 will not be deflected and the CPA element 130 is firmly locked in the final position.
The CPA element 130 further comprises lateral pawls 190 extending from the mobile base 140 and adapted to engage into corresponding apertures 191 of the housing 110, so as to prevent the CPA element 130 from being unintentionally extracted from the housing 110.
Lateral pawls 190 can also slightly maintain the CPA element 130 in its initial position 132 and its final position. To this aim, lateral pawls 190 can each possess two recesses 192 adapted to cooperate with a corresponding peg 193 located on the inside of a housing wall 180 of the housing 110, that will be further described hereafter.
The cooperation of the recesses 192 and the pegs 193 add a small resistance to the departure of the CPA element 130 from its initial position 132 and its final position. Under many operational conditions, the connectors assembly can be surrounded by wires that can even be in contact with said connectors assembly. To prevent jamming of the system, several geometrical particularities of the first connector 1 and the CPA element 130 will now be described. As it can be seen on Fig.s 6a and 6b, the housing 110 of the first connector 1 further comprises the housing wall 180 having a housing top surface 181. The housing wall 180 fully surrounds the flexible lever 170 in the vertical direction Z and the transversal direction Y, but not in the longitudinal direction X. The housing wall 180 thus surrounds the front end of the CPA element 130 comprising a part of the CPA lever 150 and it leaves a rear end of the CPA element 130 outside the housing 110, said rear end comprising the mobile base 140.
The mobile base 140 further comprises a CPA wall 141 having a CPA top surface 142 and a CPA bottom surface 143. The CPA wall 141 extends on top of the CPA element 130, along the symmetry plane 135 of said CPA element 130, from the mobile base 140 toward the front of the first connector 1.
As the housing wall 180 extends toward the rear of the first connector 1, the CPA wall 141 and the housing wall 180 meet in an overlapping region where the CPA bottom surface 143 is in surface contact with the housing top surface 181.
The CPA wall 141 is thus located above the housing wall 180 in the overlapping region and slides on the housing top surface 181 when the CPA element 130 moves along its moving path 131.
The minimal distance between the CPA top surface 142 and the housing top surface 181 is less than the thickness of a wire for every position of the CPA element 130 along its moving path 131, in particular when said CPA element 130 is in its initial position 132.
Wires thus cannot obstruct the moving path 131 of the CPA element 130 and cannot interfere with the movement of the CPA element 130 from its initial position 132 to its final position .
In order to ensure that said distance is less than the thickness of a wire, the thickness of the CPA wall 141 is small, for example the distance between the CPA top surface 142 and the CPA bottom surface 143 is less than the thickness of a wire. Further, the overlapping region is always present, for every location of the CPA element 130 along its moving path 131.
In some embodiment of the invention, the vertical position of the CPA wall 141 and the housing wall 180 can be exchanged, the housing wall 180 being located above the CPA wall 141.
The CPA wall 141 can further comprises CPA lateral walls 145 extending from the transversal extremities of the CPA wall 141 along the longitudinal direction X and toward the bottom of the CPA element 130.
CPA lateral walls 145 further protect the moving path 131 of the CPA element 130 from the intrusion of wires.
A section of the CPA wall 141, taken perpendicular to the longitudinal direction X, can thus have the general shape of a vertically inverted XU' where the two vertical branches are constituted by the CPA lateral walls 145.
In the above described embodiments, the CPA element 130 is manually movable from its initial position 132 to its final position . The mobile base 140 can further comprise an opening adapted to permit the entry of a tool, for instance a screw driver. This tool can be used by the user to unlock the first connector 1 and the second connector 2 as the user needs to deflect the flexible lever 170 toward the top in order to release the peg 201 from the shoulder 171 and to allow the second connector 2 to move freely along the longitudinal direction X with respect to the first connector 1.

Claims

1. Electrical connectors assembly comprising a first connector (1) and a second connector (2) adapted to mate with each other along a longitudinal direction (X) ,
wherein the first connector (1) comprises
- a housing (110) adapted to receive wires having a thickness, and
- a Connector Position Assurance (CPA) element (130) mounted on top of the housing (110) and movable, along a moving path (131), from an initial position to a final position, only when the first connector (1) and the second connector (2) are mated,
wherein the housing (110) further comprises a housing wall (180) surrounding a front end of the CPA element (130) and leaving a rear end of the CPA element (130) outside the housing (110) ,
wherein the rear end of the CPA element (130) comprises a CPA wall (141) extending along the longitudinal direction (X) and a transversal direction (Y) perpendicular to the longitudinal direction (X) , and having a CPA top surface (142), and
wherein a distance between the CPA top surface (142) and the housing wall (180) is less than the thickness of a wire when the CPA element (130) is in its initial position.
2. Electrical connectors assembly of claim 1, wherein the housing wall (180) comprises a housing top surface (181) extending toward the rear end of the CPA element (130) and wherein the CPA top surface (142) extends from the rear end of the CPA element (130) toward the housing wall (110) .
3. Electrical connectors assembly of claim 2, wherein the housing top surface (181) is in surface contact with the CPA top surface (142) .
4. Electrical connectors assembly of claim 2 or 3, wherein the housing top surface (181) is located below the CPA top surface (142) along a vertical direction (Y) , perpendicular to the longitudinal direction (X) and transversal direction (Y) .
5. Electrical connectors assembly of any of claims 1 to 4, wherein the front end of the CPA element (130) in the longitudinal direction (X) further comprises a CPA lever adapted to allow a movement of the CPA element (130) from the initial position to the final position, only when the first connector (1) and the second connector (2) are mated.
6. Electrical connectors assembly of any of claims 1 to 5, wherein the CPA element (130) comprises a rear end comprising a CPA wall (141) .
7. Electrical connectors assembly of claim 6, wherein the CPA wall (141) comprises CPA lateral surfaces (145) extending in the vertical direction (Z) and the longitudinal direction (X) .
8. Electrical connectors assembly of claim 6 or 7, wherein a section of the CPA wall (141), taken perpendicularly to the longitudinal direction (X) , has the general shape of a vertically inverted XU' .
9. Electrical connectors assembly of any of claims 6 to 8, wherein the CPA wall (141) and the housing wall (180) are adapted to prevent access to the CPA lever (150) .
10. The electrical connectors assembly of any of claims 1 to 8, wherein the CPA element (130) is manually movable from its initial position to its final position in the longitudinal direction (X) .
11. Electrical connector (1), suitable to be mated with a second connector (2) along a longitudinal direction (X) , comprising :
- a housing (110), suitable to receive wires having a thickness, and
- a CPA element (130) mounted on top of the housing (110) and movable along a moving path (131), from an initial position to a final position, only when the electrical connector (1) is mated with the second connector (2 ) ,
wherein the housing (110) further comprises a housing wall (180) surrounding a front end of the CPA element (130) and leaving a rear end of the CPA element (130) outside the housing (110) ,
wherein the rear end of the CPA element (130) comprises a CPA wall (141) extending along the longitudinal direction (X) and a transversal direction (Y) , perpendicular to the longitudinal direction (X) and a vertical direction (Z) , and having a CPA top surface (142), and
wherein a distance between the CPA top surface (142) and the housing wall (180) is less than the thickness of a wire, when the CPA element (130) is in its initial position .
PCT/EP2012/075107 2011-12-23 2012-12-11 Electrical connectors assembly with connector positionning assurance WO2013092310A1 (en)

Applications Claiming Priority (2)

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IBPCT/IB2011/003335 2011-12-23
IB2011003335 2011-12-23

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CN113557640A (en) * 2019-02-01 2021-10-26 赫斯曼汽车有限公司 Plug connection system with locking element
CN113557640B (en) * 2019-02-01 2023-09-29 赫斯曼汽车有限公司 Plug connection system with locking element
WO2023007007A1 (en) * 2021-07-30 2023-02-02 Hirschmann Automotive Gmbh Stress-free and movement-independent locking element for a plug connection

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