Connector and a connector assembly
First Claim
1. A connector, comprising:
- an outer housing, at least one receiving portion in the inner surface of the outer housing;
a resilient member at least partly accommodated in the outer housing; and
an inner housing at least partly accommodated in the outer housing so that the resilient member is sandwiched between a portion of the inner housing and a portion of the outer housing, the inner housing being configured to be pushed towards the portion of the outer housing and being supported by the resilient member for floating substantially in connecting directions towards and away from the portion of the outer housing, at least one latch on the outer surface of the inner housing, the latch and the receiving portion contacting each other for rigidly mounting the inner housing in the outer housing before mating the connector, and the latch and the receiving portion being separated from each other by a movement of the inner housing during mating of the connector for canceling the rigidly mounted state of the inner housing.
1 Assignment
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A female connector (F) is provided with an outer housing (10) in the form of a bottomed tube, a spring member (50) to be accommodated in the outer housing (10), and an inner housing (30) to be accommodated in the outer housing (10) to sandwich the spring member (50) between the inner housing (30) and a back wall (12) of the outer housing (10) and adapted to hold female terminal fittings (80). The inner housing (30) is pushed by a male connector (M) to move toward the back wall (12) and is floating-supported between the back wall (12) and the male connector (M) via the spring member (50) to move in connecting directions when the male connector (M) is fitted into the outer housing (10) to be locked therein. Upon an occurrence of vibration, the inner housing (30) is capable of moving while following movements of the outer housing (10).
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Citations
14 Claims
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1. A connector, comprising:
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an outer housing, at least one receiving portion in the inner surface of the outer housing;
a resilient member at least partly accommodated in the outer housing; and
an inner housing at least partly accommodated in the outer housing so that the resilient member is sandwiched between a portion of the inner housing and a portion of the outer housing, the inner housing being configured to be pushed towards the portion of the outer housing and being supported by the resilient member for floating substantially in connecting directions towards and away from the portion of the outer housing, at least one latch on the outer surface of the inner housing, the latch and the receiving portion contacting each other for rigidly mounting the inner housing in the outer housing before mating the connector, and the latch and the receiving portion being separated from each other by a movement of the inner housing during mating of the connector for canceling the rigidly mounted state of the inner housing. - View Dependent Claims (2, 4)
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3. (canceled)
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5. A connector, comprising:
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an outer housing;
a resilient member at least partly accommodated in the outer housing, the resilient member having at least three resilient supports arranged at substantially even internals around a periphery of the resilient member; and
an inner housing at least partly accommodated in the outer housing so that the resilient member is sandwiched between a portion of the inner housing and a portion of the outer housing, the inner housing being configured to be pushed towards the portion of the outer housing and being supported by the resilient member for floating substantially in connecting directions towards and away from the portion of the outer housing, wherein the resilient supports of the resilient member press the portion of the inner housing away from the portion of the outer housing.
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6. A connector comprising:
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an outer housing, wherein the outer housing is made of a synthetic resin and includes a resiliently deformable lock arm, a reinforcing plate being mounted to the lock arm to cover at least part of a surface of the lock arm;
a resilient member at least partly accommodated in the outer housing; and
an inner housing at least partly accommodated in the outer housing so that the resilient member is sandwiched between a portion of the inner housing and a portion of the outer housing, the inner housing being configured to be pushed towards the portion of the outer housing and being supported by the resilient member for floating substantially in connecting directions towards and away from the portion of the outer housing. - View Dependent Claims (7)
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8. A connector assembly, comprising:
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a first connector having an outer housing with an open front end and a rear wall, an inner housing accommodated in the outer housing for movement between front and rear positions in the outer housing, a resilient member sandwiched between a rear portion of the inner housing and the rear wall of the outer housing, the resilient member being configured for biasing the inner housing towards the front position in the outer housing, at least one receiving portion on an inner surface of the outer housing, at least one latch on the outer surface of the inner housing, the latch and the receiving portion contacting each other for rigid but releasable mounting of the inner housing in front position in the outer housing; and
a second connector with a receptacle having a surrounding wall insertable along a connecting direction into a space between the outer and inner housings, the second connector pushing the inner housing towards the rear position in the outer housing so that the latch separates from the receiving portion for canceling the rigid mounting of the inner housing and so that the resilient member permits float of the inner housing along the connecting direction. - View Dependent Claims (9, 10, 11, 12, 13)
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14. (canceled)
Specification