Electrical connector having a mating indicator

• US 5,507,665 A
• Filed: 08/30/1994
• Issued: 04/16/1996
• Est. Priority Date: 10/22/1993
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: The Whitaker Corporation (Meggitt PLC)
• Original Assignee: The Whitaker Corporation (Meggitt PLC)
• Inventors: Oda, Kenzo
• Primary Examiner(s): Paumen, Gary F.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Vu, Hien D.
• Application Number:
  US08/297,737
• Time in Patent Office: 595 Days
• Field of Search: 434/347, 434/352, 434/354, 434/488, 434/489, 434/357, 434/372
• US Class Current: 439/489
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 13/641 by indicating incorrect coupling; by indicating correct or full engagement

Abstract

A female connector housing (10) is equipped with a rotating arm (20) which is flat with the housing (10) when the connection is complete, and is raised when the connection is incomplete. When a male connector housing (30) is inserted in the female connector housing (10), its protrusion (31) is pressed against the bottom surface (24) of the rotating arm (20) moving the rotating arm (20) away from the female connector housing (10). When the connection is accomplished, the rotating arm (20) returns to its original position against the female connector housing (10). Designated FIG. 2.

Claims

1. An electrical connector having housings and an indicator to show if the housings are completely connected, comprising:

a female housing having latching means, a rotating arm attached to said female housing and pivotable around an axis; and

a male housing having complementary latching means for latching with said female housing and a protrusion for engaging said rotating arm;

whereby when said male and female connectors are apart, the rotating arm is in a first position, the first position being substantially flush with said female housing, and as said male housing is inserted, said protrusion pushes said rotating arm into a second position, the second position being defined by said rotating arm being disposed substantially normal with respect to a longitudinal mating axis of said female housing, and when the housings are completely connected and said latching means have secured said housings together, said protrusion allows said arm to return to said first position thereby indicating complete connection of said housings.

2. The connector of claim 1, wherein said rotating arm is spring biased.

3. The connector of claim 1, wherein said rotating arm has axes on either side, said female housing having bearing surfaces, and said axes are disposed in said bearings.

4. The connector of claim 1, wherein said latching means on said male housing includes a cantilevered arm having a lug thereon.

5. The connector of claim 4, wherein said latching means on said female housing includes a latching slot for receiving said lug.

6. The connector of claim 1, wherein the rotating arm is pivotable about a pivot end having a surface, the protrusion cooperates with the surface of the pivot end for pivotal movement of the rotating arm when the housings are mated together.

7. The connector of claim 6, wherein the rotating arm is spring loaded such that said rotating arm returns to the first position, the first position being substantially parallel with the female housing on which the rotating arm is mounted.

8. The connector of claim 6, wherein the latch means on the male housing includes a latch arm and the latch means on the female housing includes a slot.

9. The connector of claim 1, wherein the first position has the rotating arm substantially flush with the female housing, the second position has the rotating arm extending beyond the female housing, and following complete mating, the rotating arm returns to the first position, substantially flush with the housing.

10. An electrical connector having a pair of matable housings integrally provided with a latch arm on one of the housings for latching with a complementary latching element on the other of the housings, further comprising:

a rotating arm pivotably mounted on one of said housings in the direction of mating of said matable housings and having a pivot end with a surface; and

a protrusion formed on the other housing to cooperate with the surface of the rotating arm near the pivot end for pivotal movement of said rotating arm when said matable housings are mated with each other;

said rotating arm having a first position when said housing are apart, said first position being substantially flush with the one of said housings, and during mating of said housings, said protrusion pushes said rotating arm into a second position which is substantially normal to a mating axis of said housings, and when said housings are completely connected, said protrusion allows said rotating arm to return to said first position thereby indicating complete connection.

11. An electrical connector of claim 10, wherein said rotating arm is spring loaded so that said rotating arm is substantially parallel with said housing on which said rotating arm is mounted.

12. An electrical connector of claim 10, wherein said rotating arm and said latch arm are formed on different one of said matable housings.