Connector assembly

• US 10,644,429 B2
• Filed: 01/02/2019
• Issued: 05/05/2020
• Est. Priority Date: 02/19/2018
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: JST Manufacturing Company Limited
• Original Assignee: JST Manufacturing Company Limited
• Inventors: Masada, Shinya, Katsumoto, Saki
• Primary Examiner(s): Gilman, Alexander
• Application Number:
  US16/238,039
• Publication Number:
  US 20190260149A1
• Time in Patent Office: 489 Days
• Field of Search: 439572
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 13/11 Resilient sockets carrying separate resilient parts H01R13/15
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 13/4362 comprising a temporary and a final locking position
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 13/502 composed of different pieces H01R13/514 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 13/518 for holding or embracing several coupling parts, e.g. frames
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 13/629 Additional means for facilitating engagement or disengagement of coupling parts, e.g. aligning or guiding means, levers, gas pressure electrical locking indicators, manufacturing tolerances separate tools or apparatus H01R43/26

Abstract

A connector assembly includes a housing which includes a box portion storing path to store a box portion formed in a vertically or horizontally asymmetric shape and a slot formed perpendicular to an extending direction of a box storing path and a retainer which includes a box portion opening to which the box portion is inserted in a case where the retainer is inserted into the slot and located at a temporary locking position. When a terminal is inserted into the box portion storing path from the box portion opening, the box portion opening is shaped to prevent the insertion when the terminal is rotated about the insertion axis of the terminal from an appropriate position.

Claims

1. A connector assembly, comprising:

a terminal which includes a box portion of which at least a cross-sectional shape is partially in a vertically or horizontally asymmetrical shape to receive a mating contact therein;

a housing which includes a box portion storing path to store the box portion and a slot formed to be perpendicular to an extending direction of the box portion storing path and at least one groove; and

a retainer which includes a main body, an upper arm, and a box portion opening, and allows the box portion to pass through in a case where the retainer is inserted into the slot and is at a predetermined position in the slot,

wherein the box portion opening is formed, when the terminal is inserted into the box portion storing path of the housing from the box portion opening of the retainer, to be a shape to prevent the insertion when the terminal is rotated about an insertion axis of the terminal from an appropriate position,

wherein the upper arm extends away from the main body and has a projection protruding toward the main body, the projection being locked to the one groove when the retainer is at the predetermined position in the slot.

2. The connector assembly according to claim 1,

wherein the box portion opening of the retainer is in a shape corresponding to a cross-sectional shape of the box portion of the vertically or horizontally asymmetric shape, and

when the terminal is inserted into the box portion storing path of the housing from the box portion opening of the retainer, and when the terminal is rotated about the insertion axis of the terminal from an appropriate position, a cross-sectional shape of the box portion of the terminal and a shape of the box portion opening are not matched, and the insertion is prevented.

3. The connector assembly according to claim 1,

wherein a projection protruding toward an outer side is provided in one surface of the box portion, and a surface facing the surface where the projection is provided is a flat shape, and

one side of the box portion opening of the retainer is in a recessed shape to receive the projection, and a side facing the one side is in a flat shape.

4. The connector assembly according to claim 1,

wherein the terminal includes a transition portion in a rear portion in an insertion direction of the terminal, the transition portion having a cross-sectional shape smaller than a cross-sectional shape of the box portion,

the retainer includes a transition portion opening which is connected to the box portion opening, the transition portion opening in a direction perpendicular to an insertion direction of the retainer being smaller than the box portion opening,

when the retainer is at the predetermined position in the slot at which the box portion opening and the box portion storing path are on a straight line, and the terminal takes an appropriate posture about the insertion axis, the terminal is able to be inserted into the box portion storing path from a crimping portion storing path through the box portion opening, and

when the retainer is moved from the predetermined position to a final locking position, the transition portion of the terminal is stored in the transition portion opening, and the box portion is not removed.

5. The connector assembly according to claim 4,

wherein, in the housing, a plurality of the box portion storing paths are disposed in the insertion direction of the retainer,

in the retainer, the box portion opening and the transition portion opening are formed by the same number of box portion storing paths in the insertion direction of the retainer formed in the housing in the insertion direction, and

each box portion opening is connected to the transition portion opening to receive the transition portion of an adjacent another terminal.