Electrical connector system with pre-staged feature
First Claim
1. An electrical connector system including a first and a second connector housing, the first connector housing made from a die cast metal, and wherein the first connector housing includes a base portion having a plurality of through holes formed therein and a shroud extending from the base portion and surrounding the plurality of through holes, the shroud defining a socket, the second connector housing including projections extending from the second connector housing in the mating direction of the connector housings and receivable in the socket, the projections having a plurality of female terminals, the first connector housing being connected to an electronic device having a plurality of electrical terminal pins extending through the through holes of the first connector housing for engaging the female terminals of the projections, and including an insert pre-stage locking member formed separate and distinct from the die cast first connector housing, the pre-stage locking member and the first connector housing having mutually engageable snap lock connecting features for mounting the pre-stage locking member with a snap fitted connection on the first connector housing in preparation for coupling with the second connector housing, said pre-stage locking member further having at least one elongated flexible locking finger extending in the mating direction of the connector housings presenting a locking shoulder extending at an angle to the mating direction of the connectors, and at least one associated locking shoulder provided on said second connector housing operative to couple the first and second connector housings in a pre-staged position, the first and second electrical connector housings further including alignment features to properly align the connectors and to prevent damage to the electrical terminal pins during mating of the connectors to a final position, and wherein the first and second connector housings include primary lock elements engageable upon movement of the connector housings to a final position in which the electrical terminal pins are fully engaged with the female terminals to lock the connector housings in the final position.
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Accused Products
Abstract
An electrical connector system including a first and second connector housing wherein the first connector housing made from a die cast metal. The first connector housing includes a base portion having a plurality of through holes formed therein and a shroud extending from the base portion and surrounding the plurality of through holes. The shroud forming a socket to receive projections extending from the second connector housing in the mating direction of the connector housings, and wherein the first connector housing is connected to an electronic device having a plurality of electrical terminal pins extending through the through holes for engaging female terminals carried in the projections of the second connector housing. An insert member is snap fitted into the first connector housing and includes an elongated flexible locking finger extending in the mating direction of the connector housings and having a locking shoulder extending generally perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of locking finger for lockable engagement with a lock shoulder on the second connector housing so that the first and second connector housings may be temporarily connected together in a pre-staged position. The first and second connector housings having a primary lock mechanism that may be engaged, after the connector housings are coupled together in the pre-states position, to coupled the first and second connector housings in a final fixed position wherein the electrical terminal to pins are fully engaged with the female terminals.
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Citations
10 Claims
- 1. An electrical connector system including a first and a second connector housing, the first connector housing made from a die cast metal, and wherein the first connector housing includes a base portion having a plurality of through holes formed therein and a shroud extending from the base portion and surrounding the plurality of through holes, the shroud defining a socket, the second connector housing including projections extending from the second connector housing in the mating direction of the connector housings and receivable in the socket, the projections having a plurality of female terminals, the first connector housing being connected to an electronic device having a plurality of electrical terminal pins extending through the through holes of the first connector housing for engaging the female terminals of the projections, and including an insert pre-stage locking member formed separate and distinct from the die cast first connector housing, the pre-stage locking member and the first connector housing having mutually engageable snap lock connecting features for mounting the pre-stage locking member with a snap fitted connection on the first connector housing in preparation for coupling with the second connector housing, said pre-stage locking member further having at least one elongated flexible locking finger extending in the mating direction of the connector housings presenting a locking shoulder extending at an angle to the mating direction of the connectors, and at least one associated locking shoulder provided on said second connector housing operative to couple the first and second connector housings in a pre-staged position, the first and second electrical connector housings further including alignment features to properly align the connectors and to prevent damage to the electrical terminal pins during mating of the connectors to a final position, and wherein the first and second connector housings include primary lock elements engageable upon movement of the connector housings to a final position in which the electrical terminal pins are fully engaged with the female terminals to lock the connector housings in the final position.
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10. An electrical connector system including a first and second connector housing, the first connector housing made from a die cast metal, and wherein the first connector housing includes a base portion having a plurality of through holes formed therein and a shroud extending from the base portion and surrounding the plurality of through holes, the shroud defining a socket to receive a male portion extending from the second connector housing in the mating direction of the connector housings, and including an insert pre-stage locking member formed of plastics material separate and distinct from the die cast first connector features mutually engageable with associated snap lock connecting features of said first connector housing for securing the pre-stage locking member with a snap fitted connection to the first connector housing in preparation for coupling with the second connector housing, the pre-stage locking member further having at least one elongated flexible locking finger extending in the mating direction of the connector housings presenting a locking shoulder extending at an angle to the mating direction of the connectors for lockable engagement with an associated pre-stage locking member provided on the second connector housing operative to connect the first and second connector housing in the pre-staged position, and wherein the first and second connector housings include primary lock elements engageable upon movement of the connector housings to a final position in which the electrical terminal pins are fully engaged with the female terminals.
Specification