Latchable electrical connector

• US 6,113,413 A
• Filed: 06/13/1996
• Issued: 09/05/2000
• Est. Priority Date: 06/13/1996
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Molex Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Molex Incorporated
• Inventors: Morrissey, Shea, Cronin, Brian P., Fogarty, William Gordon
• Primary Examiner(s): Vu, Hien
• Application Number:
  US08/664,053
• Time in Patent Office: 1,545 Days
• Field of Search: 439/350-355, 439/357, 439/358, 439/372
• 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

Abstract

An electrical connector includes a dielectric housing having a forward connecting section for connection with a complementary electrical connector in a mating direction. A pair of latch members extend in the mating direction along respective sides of the connecting section and each member includes a fixed end mounted in the housing and a free end engageable with an appropriate latch on the complementary electrical connector. The latch members are pivotally movable about the fixed ends from latch positions in latching engagement with the latch on the complementary electrical connector to release positions disconnected from the complementary connector. An actuator is pivotally mounted on the housing for pivotal movement from an inoperative position to an actuating position about an axis extending generally transverse to the mating direction. The actuator includes a cam engageable with the latch members for simultaneously moving the latch members from their latch positions to their release positions.

Claims

1. An electrical connector, comprising:

a dielectric housing having a forward connecting section extending outwardly therefrom for connection with a complementary electrical connector in a mating direction;

a pair of latch members extending in said mating direction along respective sides of the connecting section and each member including a fixed end mounted in the housing for engaging and holding the latch members and a free end engageable with means on the complementary electrical connector, the latch members being pivotally movable about said fixed ends from a latch position in latching engagement with the means for engaging and holding on the complementary electrical connector to a release position disconnected from the engaging and holding means on the complementary connector; and

an actuator with an integrally molded push-button pivotally mounted in an opening in a side of the housing for pivotal movement from an inoperative position to an actuating position about an axis extending generally transverse to said mating direction when an external force is placed on the actuator and including a cam portion of said actuator integrally molded with the actuator for engaging the latch members for simultaneously moving the latch members from said latch position to said release position.

2. The electrical connector of claim 1 wherein said push button is integrally molded with a pivot rod located interiorly of the housing.

3. The electrical connector of claim 1 wherein each of said latch members include an engaging section between said fixed end and said free end for engagement by means for engaging on the actuator.

4. The electrical connector of claim 1 wherein said latch members comprise spring members integrally formed with the latch member, adapted to bias the latch members automatically returning the latch members from said release position back to said latch position when the external force is removed from the actuator.

5. The electrical connector of claim 4 wherein said portion of the actuator for engaging the latch members includes cam surfaces for moving the latch members, the cam surfaces being arranged and structured so that the actuator is biased from said actuating position to said inoperative position in response to movement of the latch members from said release position back to said latch position.

6. The electrical connector of claim 5 wherein said cam surfaces engaging the latch members at an angle to the direction of movement of the members.

7. An electrical connector, comprising:

a dielectric housing having a forward connecting section extending outwardly therefrom for connection with a complementary electrical connector in a mating direction;

a pair of latch members extending in said mating direction along respective sides of the connecting section and each member including a fixed end mounted in the housing for engaging and holding the latch members, a free end engageable with means on the complementary electrical connector and an engaging section between the fixed end and the free end, the latch members being pivotally movable about said fixed ends from a latch position in latching engagement with the means on the complementary electrical connector for engaging and holding the latch members to a release position disconnected from the engaging and holding means on the complementary connector, said latch members comprising spring members adapted to be biased for automatically returning from said release position back to said latch position; and

a one-piece, unitarily molded actuator including a push button movably mounted in an opening in a side of the housing, a pivot rod molded integrally with the push button and being placed in the housing for mounting the actuator in the housing for pivotal movement from an inoperative position to an actuating position about an axis defined by the pivot rod extending generally transverse to said mating direction, and a cam portion molded integrally with the push button and located interiorly of the housing for engaging the engaging sections of the latch members to simultaneously move the latch members from said latch position to said release position.

8. The electrical connector of claim 7 wherein said cam surfaces are arranged and structured so that the actuator is biased from said actuating position to said inoperative position in response to movement of the latch members from said release position back to said latch position.

9. An electrical connector, comprising:

a dielectric housing having a forward connecting section extending outwardly therefrom for connection with a complementary electrical connector in a mating direction;

a spring latch member extending in said mating direction and including a fixed end mounted in the housing for engaging and holding the latch members and a free end engageable with means on the complementary electrical connector, the free end being movable transverse to said mating direction from a latch position to a release position and being spring biased toward the latch position; and

an actuator with an integrally molded push button moveably mounted in an opening in a side of the housing for movement transverse to said mating direction and transverse to the direction of movement of the spring latch member and including a portion of said actuator integrally molded with the actuator for engaging the spring latch member for moving the spring latch member from said latch position to said release position in response to movement of the actuator when an external force is placed on the actuator from an inoperative position to an actuating position, the cam portion of said actuator for engaging being arranged and structured so that the actuator is biased to said inoperative position automatically in response to the latch member being spring biased to said latch position when the external force is removed from the actuator.

10. The electrical connector of claim 9 where said push button is integrally molded with a pivot rod located interiorly of the housing for pivotally mounting the actuator on the housing for movement between said inoperative and actuating positions.

11. An electrical connector, comprising:

a dielectric housing having a forward connecting section extending outwardly therefrom for connection with a complementary electrical connector in a mating direction;

a spring latch member extending in said mating direction and including a fixed end mounted in the housing for engaging and holding the latch members and a free end engageable with means on the complementary electrical connector, the free end being movable transverse to said mating direction from a latch position to a release position and being spring biased toward the latch position; and

an actuator with an integrally molded push button mounted in an opening in a side of the housing for movement transverse to said mating direction and transverse to the direction of movement of the spring latch member and including a cam portion of said actuator integrally molded with the actuator for engaging the spring latch member for moving the spring latch member from said latch position to said release position in response to movement of the actuator when an external force is placed on the actuator from an inoperative position to an actuating position, the portion of said actuator for engaging being arranged and structured so that the actuator is biased to said inoperative position automatically in response to the latch member being spring biased to said latch position when the external force is removed from the actuator.

12. The electrical connector of claim 11 where said push button is integrally molded with a pivot rod located interiorly of the housing for pivotally mounting the actuator on the housing for movement between said inoperative and actuating positions.

13. An electrical connector, comprising:

a dielectric housing having a forward connecting section extending outwardly therefrom for connection with a complementary electrical connector in a mating direction;

a pair of latch members extending in said mating direction along respective sides of the connecting section and each member including a fixed end mounted in the housing for engaging and holding the latch members, a free end engageable with means on the complementary electrical connector and an engaging section between the fixed end and the free end, the latch members being pivotally movable about said fixed ends from a latch position in latching engagement with the means on the complementary electrical connector for engaging and holding the latch members to a release position disconnected from the engaging and holding means on the complementary connector, said latch members comprising spring members adapted to be biased for automatically returning from said release position back to said latch position; and

a one-piece, unitarily molded actuator including a push button movably mounted in an opening in a side of the housing, a pivot rod molded integrally with the push button interiorly of the housing for mounting the actuating on the housing for pivotal movement from an inoperative position to an actuating position about an axis defined by the pivot rod extending generally transverse to said mating direction, and a cam portion molded integrally with the push button and located interiorly of the housing for engaging the engaging sections of the latch members to simultaneously move the latch members from said latch position to said release position, said cam surfaces being arranged and structured so that the actuator is biased from said actuating position to said inoperative position in response to movement of the latch members from said release position back to said latch position, said cam surfaces being further arranged and structured so that they engage the latch members at an angle to the direction of movement of the latch members.