Panel mounting system for electrical connectors

• US 6,312,285 B1
• Filed: 02/25/1999
• Issued: 11/06/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 02/25/1999
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Molex Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Molex Incorporated
• Inventors: Rutter, Julie Beyers, Comerci, Joseph D., Polgar, Gary E., Berg, Paul Christopher
• Primary Examiner(s): Bradley, Paula
• Assistant Examiner(s): HARVEY, JAMES R
• Application Number:
  US09/257,623
• Time in Patent Office: 985 Days
• Field of Search: 174/48, 174/50, 174/58, 220/3.2, 220/4.02, 220/3.8, 200/295, 200/296, 439/600, 439/607, 439/60, 439/545
• US Class Current: 439/545
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 13/74 Means for mounting coupling parts in openings of a panel

Abstract

A system is provided for mounting an electrical connector in a panel having an opening with at least one locating slot in the opening. A connector includes a housing insertable into the opening in the panel. The housing has at least one outwardly projecting locating flange for passing through the locating slot of the opening as the housing is inserted thereinto. The housing has at least one outwardly projecting stop flange spaced axially and transversely from the locating flange for abutting the panel when the housing is in its inserted position. The housing is movable within the opening in the panel to a latched position. A latch arm projects outwardly from the housing on the same side thereof as the locating flange and the stop flange for engagement with a latch slot at the opening in the panel when the housing is in its latched position.

Claims

1. A system for mounting an electrical connector in a panel, comprising:

a panel having first and second sides and an opening having an edge with at least one locating slot extending outwardly from the opening beyond the edge;

a connector having a housing insertable in a first linear direction from the first side of the panel along an axis to an insertion position into the opening in the panel, the housing having at least one outwardly extending locating flange at one side of the housing for passing through the locating slot of the opening as the housing is inserted thereinto and at least one outwardly extending stop flange spaced axially and transversely from the locating flange at said one side of the housing for abutting the first side of the panel when the locating flange clears the second side of the panel, the housing being movable within the opening in the panel in a second linear direction generally perpendicular to said first linear direction and generally parallel to the panel from said insertion position to a latched position; and

a latch arm projecting from said one side of the connector housing engageable with a latch slot extending outwardly from the opening in the panel beyond the edge of the opening when the housing is in said latched position;

wherein said locating slot comprises said latch slot.

2. The system of claim 1, including at least one said locating flange, at least one said stop flange and at least one said latch arm on each of two opposite sides of the connector housing.

3. The system of claim 1 wherein said latch arm comprises a flexible cantilevered latch arm extending generally parallel to said first linear direction.

4. The system of claim 1, including a plurality of said stop flanges at said one side of the connector housing.

5. The system of claim 1, including a plurality of said locating flanges at said one side of the connector housing for passing through a plurality of said locating slots in the opening in the panel.

6. The system of claim 5, including a plurality of said stop flanges at said one side of the connector housing.

7. A system for mounting an electrical connector in a panel, comprising:

a panel having an opening, with the opening having an edge with at least one locating slot extending outwardly from the opening beyond the edge;

a connector having a housing insertable into the opening in the panel along an axis to an insertion position, the housing having at least one outwardly extending locating flange for passing through the locating slot of the opening as the housing is inserted thereinto and at least one outwardly extending stop flange spaced axially and transversely from the locating flange for abutting the panel when the housing is in the inserted position, the housing being movable within the opening in the panel from the insertion position to a latched position; and

a latch arm projecting from the connector housing and engageable with said locating slot when the housing is in said latched position to lock the housing thereat

wherein said latch arm comprises a flexible cantilevered latch arm extending generally perpendicular to the insertion direction of the connector.

8. The system of claim 7 wherein said latch arm is cantilevered off of said stop flange.

9. A system for mounting an electrical connector in a panel, comprising:

a panel having first and second sides and an opening having an edge with a plurality of locating slots extending outwardly from the opening beyond the edge;

a connector having a housing insertable in a first linear direction from the first side of the panel along an axis to an insertion position into the opening in the panel, the housing having a plurality of locating flanges at one side of the housing for passing through the locating slots of the opening as the housing is inserted thereinto and a plurality of outwardly extending stop flanges spaced axially and transversely from the locating flanges at said one side of the housing for abutting the first side of the panel when the locating flanges clear the second side of the panel, the housing being movable within the opening in the panel in a second linear direction generally perpendicular to said first linear direction and generally parallel to the panel from said insertion position to a latched position; and

a latch arm projecting from said one side of the connector housing engageable with one of said locating slots when the housing is in said latched position.

10. The system of claim 9 wherein said latch arm comprises a flexible cantilevered latch arm extending generally parallel to said first linear direction.

11. The system of claim 9, including a plurality of said locating flanges, a plurality of said stop flanges and one of said latch arms on each of two opposite sides of the connector housing.

12. The system of claim 9 wherein said latch arm comprises a flexible cantilevered latch arm extending generally parallel to said second linear direction.

13. The system of claim 12 wherein said latch arm is cantilevered off of one of said stop flanges.

14. The system of claim 9 wherein said latch arm comprises a flexible cantilevered latch arm extending from one of said stop flanges.

15. The system of claim 14 wherein said flexible cantilevered latch arm includes a latch projection for engagement in said one locating slot.

16. The system of claim 9 wherein said latch arm comprises a flexible latch bar extending between a pair of said stop flanges.

17. The system of claim 16 wherein said flexible latch bar includes a latch projection for engagement in said one locating slot.

18. A system for mounting an electrical connector in a panel, comprising:

a panel having first and second sides and an opening having an edge with at least one locating slot extending outwardly from the opening beyond the edge;

a connector having a housing insertable in a first linear direction from the first side of the panel along an axis to an insertion position into the opening in the panel, the housing having at least one outwardly extending locating flange at one side of the housing for passing through the locating slot of the opening as the housing is inserted thereinto and at least one outwardly extending stop flange spaced axially and transversely from the locating flange at said one side of the housing for abutting the first side of the panel when the locating flange clears the second side of the panel, the housing being movable within the opening in the panel in a second linear direction generally perpendicular to said first linear direction and generally parallel to the panel from said insertion position to a latched position; and

a latch arm projecting from said one side of the connector housing engageable with a latch slot extending outwardly from the opening in the panel beyond the edge of the opening when the housing is in said latched position.

19. The system of claim 18 wherein said latch arm is cantilevered off of said stop flange.

20. A system for mounting an electrical connector in a panel, comprising:

a panel having first and second sides and an opening having an edge with at least one locating slot extending outwardly from the opening beyond the edge;

a connector having a housing insertable in a first linear direction from the first side of the panel along an axis to an insertion position into the opening in the panel, the housing having at least one outwardly extending locating flange at one side of the housing for passing through the locating slot of the opening as the housing is inserted thereinto and at least one outwardly extending stop flange spaced axially and transversely from the locating flange at said one side of the housing for abutting the first side of the panel when the locating flange clears the second side of the panel, the housing being movable within the opening in the panel in a second linear direction generally perpendicular to said first linear direction and generally parallel to the panel from said insertion position to a latched position; and

a latch arm projecting from said one side of the connector housing engageable with a latch slot extending outwardly from the opening in the panel beyond the edge of the opening when the housing is in said latched position

wherein said latch arm comprises a flexible cantilevered latch arm extending generally parallel to said second linear direction.

21. The system of claim 20 wherein said flexible cantilevered latch arm includes a latch projection for engagement in said latch slot.

22. A system for mounting an electrical connector in a panel, comprising:

a panel having first and second sides and an opening having an edge with at least one locating slot extending outwardly from the opening beyond the edge;

a connector having a housing insertable in a first linear direction from the first side of the panel along an axis to an insertion position into the opening in the panel, the housing having at least one outwardly extending locating flange at one side of the housing for passing through the locating slot of the opening as the housing is inserted thereinto and at least one outwardly extending stop flange spaced axially and transversely from the locating flange at said one side of the housing for abutting the first side of the panel when the locating flange clears the second side of the panel, the housing being movable within the opening in the panel in a second linear direction generally perpendicular to said first linear direction and generally parallel to the panel from said insertion position to a latched position; and

a latch arm projecting from said one side of the connector housing engageable with a latch slot extending outwardly from the opening in the panel beyond the edge in the opening when the housing is in said latched position

wherein the connector includes at least a pair of said stop flanges, and wherein said latch arm comprises a flexible latch bar extending between the pair of stop flanges.

23. The system of claim 22 wherein said flexible latch bar includes a latch projection for engagement in said latch slot.

24. A system for mounting an electrical connector in a panel, comprising:

a panel having an opening, with the opening having an edge with at least one locating slot extending outwardly from the opening beyond the edge;

a connector having a housing insertable into the opening in the panel along an axis to an insertion position, the housing having at least one outwardly extending locating flange for passing through the locating slot of the opening as the housing is inserted thereinto and at least one outwardly extending stop flange spaced axially and transversely from the locating flange for abutting the panel when the housing is in the inserted position, the housing being movable within the opening in the panel from the insertion position to a latched position; and

a latch arm projecting from the connector housing and engageable with said locating slot when the housing is in said latched position to lock the housing thereat

wherein said latch arm comprises a flexible cantilevered latch arm extending from said stop flange.

25. The system of claim 24 wherein said flexible cantilevered latch arm includes a latch projection engageable in said locating slot.