Connector arrangement

• US 20060110957A1
• Filed: 10/11/2005
• Published: 05/25/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 11/25/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Evonik Goldschmidt GmbH (Rag-Stiftung), Yazaki Europe Limited (Yazaki Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Yazaki Europe Limited (Yazaki Corporation)
• Inventors: Lekic, Mario, Lutsch, Harald Michael, Vida, Dragutin
• Granted Patent: US 7,217,150 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 439/131
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 13/6273 comprising two latching arms
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 13/7036 the switch being in series with coupling part, e.g. dead coupling, explosion proof coupling

Abstract

An improved electrical connector. The connector includes a first connector (1) having a housing (5) for receiving first contact elements (9) and a slider (19) slidably disposed on the housing (5) for receiving second contact elements (30); a second connector (3) for receiving first counter contact elements (32) and second counter contact elements (39); and a retainer (20, 36) which allows displacement of the slider (19) such that the second contact elements (30) secured thereto contact the second counter contact elements (39) only when the first and second connectors are completely connected together by a locking device.

Claims

1. Connector arrangement comprising:

a first connector (1), which

has a housing (5), which has a first end (6) and a second end (7), and first accommodation chambers (8) for first contact elements (9) and to which housing (5) first locking means (10) are arranged,

has a slider (19), arranged displaceably on the housing (5) and which forms a receptacle (29) for second contact elements (30),

a second connector (3), which

forms a receptacle (31) for first counter contact elements (32), which are connected to the first contact elements (9) when connecting the first and second connectors (1,3),

has second locking means (33), which engage in the first locking means (10), when the first and second connectors (1, 3) are completely connected,

accommodates second counter contact elements (39),

retaining means (20, 36),

which allow a displacement of the slider (19) such, that the second contact elements (30) arranged thereto contact the second counter contact elements (34) only then, when the first locking means (10) of the housing (5) of the first connector (1) are completely connected to the second locking means (33) on the second connector (3).

2. Connector arrangement according to claim 1, wherein the slider (19) takes up, before connecting the first and second connectors (1, 3), a first position relative to the housing (5), the retaining means (20, 36)

comprise first retaining means (20), arranged on the slider (19),

comprise second retaining means (36), arranged on the second connector (3) and interact with the first retaining means (20) on the slider (19) and therefore, hold in a non displaceable manner the slider (19) relative to the second connector (3), till the slider (19) takes up a second position relative to the housing (5),

the first retaining means (20) on the slider (19) and the second retaining means (36) on the second connector (3) are coming out of engagement, when the first locking means (10) of the housing (5) of the first connector (1) are completely connected to the second locking means (33) on the second connector (3), so that the slider (19) is displaceable from the second position again into the first position and thereby, the second contact elements (30) come to contact the second counter contact elements (34).

3. Connector arrangement according to claim 1, wherein the housing (5) of the first connector (1) forms a first longitudinal axis (2), the first accommodation chambers (8) for the first contact elements (9) extend parallel to the first longitudinal axis (2) and the slider (19) on the housing (5) can be displaced parallel to the first longitudinal axis (2).

4. Connector arrangement according to claim 1, wherein the second connector (3) forms a second longitudinal axis (4) and that the first counter contact elements (32) are aligned parallel to the second longitudinal axis (4).

5. Connector arrangement according to claim 3 wherein the connecting of the first and second connectors (1, 3) is carried out when the first longitudinal axis (2) is aligned to the second longitudinal axis (4).

6. Connector arrangement according to claim 1, wherein the housing (5) of the first connector (1) has adjustment means (15), which disengage the first retaining means (20) on the slider (19) from the second retaining means (36) on the second connector (3).

7. Connector arrangement according to claim 1, wherein the second contact elements (30) and the second counter contact elements (39) serve for closing an electrical control signal circuit.

8. Connector arrangement according to claim 2, wherein the slider (19) is held in the first position.

9. Connector arrangement according to claim 8, wherein the slider (19) is acted upon by at least one spring (28) to take up and maintain the first position.

10. Connector arrangement according to claim 8, wherein the slider (19) in its first position secures the first locking means (10) retaining the first connector (1) with the second connector (3) in the completely connected position, against a displacement out of engagement with the second locking means (33).

11. Connector arrangement according to claim 1, wherein the first locking means (10) are represented by an elastic locking arm with a locking hook (11) and the second locking means (33) are represented by a locking projection, which is engaged behind by the locking hook (11).