Electrical Connector Having Improved Releasable Locking Means

• US 20090298320A1
• Filed: 05/24/2005
• Published: 12/03/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 05/24/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Aptiv Technologies Limited (BorgWarner Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: FCI
• Inventors: Schmitt, Gilles, Deubel, Sébastien
• Granted Patent: US 7,841,885 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 439/352
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 13/6275 Latching arms not integral with the housing H01R13/6276, H01R13/6277, H01R13/6278 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 13/639 Additional means for holding or locking coupling parts together, after engagement, e.g. separate keylock, retainer strap
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 439/923 Separation or disconnection aid

Abstract

This connector has snap-fit lock including a partially deformable locking member which is mounted on the housing so as to be axially slideable between an extended locking position and a retracted position; and a biasing spring which axially bias said locking member to its locking position. The locking member has a flexible beam including a tooth member adapted to engage a complementary locking projection of the counterpart connector, and to provide an axial stop therewith. The flexible beam is elastically deflectable on the axial path of the locking member, whereby the snap-fit effect is provided by elastic load, both axial and in flexion, of the flexible beam.

Claims

1. Electrical connector suitable to mate with a counterpart connector along a mating axis (X), and having an insulating housing and snap-fit locking means provided to releasably lock said housing onto a counterpart connector housing in a mated position, said locking means comprising

a partially deformable locking member which is mounted on the housing so as to be axially slideable between an extended locking position and a retracted position, and

biasing means which axially bias said locking member to its locking position, wherein the locking member has a flexible beam including a tooth member adapted to engage a complementary locking projection of the counterpart connector housing, and to provide an axial stop therewith in the locking position of the locking member, said flexible beam being elastically deflectable on the axial path of the locking member, whereby the snap-fit effect is provided by elastic load, both axial and in flexion, of the flexible beam.

2. Electrical connector as claimed in claim 1, wherein the housing has an axial guide rail, and the locking member has a slide member axially displaceable in the guide rail, the flexible beam axially projecting from the slide member in the mating direction (X).

3. Electrical connector as claimed in claim 1, wherein the locking member has an operating portion for releasing the locking member from its locking position, said operating portion projecting from the housing.

4. Electrical connector as claimed in claim 1, wherein the flexible beam has a free end oriented in the mating direction (X), and the tooth member is provided at said free end.

5. Electrical connector as claimed in claim 3 combined together, wherein the operating portion is provided at the free end of the flexible beam.

6. Electrical connector as claimed in claim 1, wherein the tooth member has an abutment face, providing the axial stop in the direction opposed to the mating direction (X) and a wedge effect with the complementary locking projection, when the locking member is in its locking position.

7. Electrical connector as claimed in claim 1, wherein the biasing means are interposed between the housing and the flexible beam.

8. Electrical connecting device including a connector as claimed in claim 1, and a counterpart connector comprising a counterpart housing and a locking projection engageable by the tooth member.

9. Electrical connecting device as claimed in claim 8, wherein the locking projection is rigidly attached to the counterpart housing and substantially non-deformable upon mating of the connecting device.

10. Electrical connecting device as claimed in claim 9, wherein the locking projection of the counterpart connector has, along the mating axis (X), a first and a second reversely inclined faces, defining a crest edge therebetween, and an abutment face which is substantially perpendicular to the mating axis (X).

11. Electrical connecting device as claimed in claim 8, wherein the connector and the counterpart connector have respective terminals arranged in correspondence in the respective housings, such that a pair of corresponding terminals, upon mating of the connectors, come into electrical connection only once the biasing force applied by the biasing means on the locking member becomes greater than the elastic load necessary for the tooth member to engage the complementary locking projection in the complete locking position.