Lock assurance mechanism for connector

• US 5,203,719 A
• Filed: 12/03/1991
• Issued: 04/20/1993
• Est. Priority Date: 12/14/1990
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Yazaki Corporation
• Original Assignee: Yazaki Corporation
• Inventors: Kozono, Seiji
• Primary Examiner(s): Schwartz, Larry I.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Vu, Hien D.
• Application Number:
  US07/801,925
• Time in Patent Office: 504 Days
• Field of Search: 439/345, 439/347, 439/350, 439/351-358, 439/489
• US Class Current: 439/489
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 13/6272 comprising a single latching arm
• 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: H01R 13/641 by indicating incorrect coupling; by indicating correct or full engagement

Abstract

A lock assurance mechanism for a connector having a pair of housings. A lock assurance member is attached to one housing having a lock arm in such a manner that the lock assurance member is movable back and forth relative to the housing, the lock assurance member having a flexible retaining lever with a retaining pin at a free end thereof. A guide wall having a guide holder for supporting the retaining pin is formed upright on the housing. A back-and-forth movement limitation piece for limiting back and forth movement of the retaining pin is provided on the other housing. When the housings are fitted together to engage the lock arm with a lock retaining portion, the retaining pin abutted against the back-and-forth movement limitation piece is disengaged from the guide holder to allow the displacement of the flexible retaining lever; and subsequently by moving the lock assurance member, the retaining pin is brought into engagement with a rear surface of the back-and-forth movement limitation piece, thereby completely retaining the flexible retaining lever relative to the former housing.

Claims

1. A lock assurance mechanism for a connector including a first housing with at least one terminal therein, a second housing adapted to be fitted to the first housing with at least one terminal mounted therein adapted to mate with the terminal of the first housing, a lock arm formed on an outer wall of said first housing through a fulcrum and displaceable about said fulcrum, and a lock retaining portion provided on said second housing for engagement with said lock arm, said first and second housings being locked together through said lock arm and said lock retaining portion upon fitting of said two housing relative to each other so that the terminals of the respective housings are in mating engagement, comprising:

a lock assurance member attached to said first housing and movable back and forth relative to said first housing, said lock assurance member having a flexible retaining lever which extends along said lock arm and has a retaining pin at a free end thereof;

a guide wall formed upright on said first housing and having a guide holder for supporting said retaining pin on the underside thereof; and

a back-and-forth movement limitation piece provided on said second housing for limiting back and forth movement of said retaining pin;

wherein

when said first and second housings are fitted together to engage said lock arm with said lock retaining portion, said retaining pin which is abutted against said back-and-forth movement limitation piece is subsequently disengaged from said guide holder to allow the displacement of said flexible retaining lever; and

subsequently by moving said lock assurance member forward, said retaining pin is brought into engagement with a rear surface of said back-and-forth movement limitation piece, thereby completely retaining said flexible retaining lever relative to said first housing.

2. The lock assurance mechanism according to claim 1, in which said lock assurance member includes a slide plate slidable along said guide wall of said first housing, and said flexible retaining lever extending from said slide plate via a fulcrum, there being provided retaining means between said slide plate and said first housing.

3. The lock assurance mechanism according to claim 2, in which a passage prevention piece is provided on said lock arm, an entry prevention piece being provided on said slide plate, and said entry prevention piece abutting against said passage prevention piece when said first and second housings are incompletely fitted together.

4. A connector comprising:

a first housing with at least one terminal therein;

a second housing adapted to be fitted to the first housing with at least one terminal mounted therein adapted to mate with the terminal of the first housing, said housings being relatively movable in a first direction with respect to one another toward a completely fitted position where said second housing is completely fitted to said first housing so that the terminals of the respective housings are in mating engagement;

locking means for maintaining said housings in said completely fitted position;

a lock assurance member attached to said first housing and movable in said first direction relative to said first housing, said lock assurance member having a body and at least one flexible retaining lever extending in said first direction from said body, said flexible retaining lever having a retaining pin at a distal end thereof;

at least one guide holder formed on said first housing, said guide holder having a first surface portion extending in said first direction and a second surface portion inclined with respect to said first direction; and

at least one back-and-forth movement limitation piece formed on said second housing, said movement limitation piece having first and second tapered ends apart from each other a predetermined distance in said first direction;

wherein

during the movement of said housings relative to each other in said first direction toward said completely fitted position, said first tapered end and said first surface portion form a first retaining portion retaining said retaining pin therein to prevent said lock assurance member from being moved relative to said second housing, and

at said completely fitted position of said housings, said second tapered end and said first surface portion form a second retaining portion, and said first tapered end and said first surface portion allow said retaining pin to be slidingly moved along said second surface portion toward said second retaining portion, to thereby allow said lock assurance member to be moved in said first direction relative to said second housing and retain said retaining pin in said second retaining portion.