Locking device for electrical connector

• US 6,398,575 B1
• Filed: 03/01/2001
• Issued: 06/04/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 07/06/1999
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: ABB Schweiz AG (ABB Limited)
• Original Assignee: Entrelec SA
• Inventors: Bresson, René
• Primary Examiner(s): NGUYEN, KHIEM M
• Application Number:
  US09/763,201
• Time in Patent Office: 460 Days
• Field of Search: 439/350, 439/352, 439/357, 439/358
• US Class Current: 439/352
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 13/6273 comprising two latching arms

Abstract

A part of an electrical connector including, a body, at least one elastic arm which has at least one locking hook attached to the body and extending laterally to the body, the elastic arm being flexible from a locking position wherein the arm is unstressed and close to the body to an unlocking position wherein the arm is stressed and bent away from the body, a slide comprising a window through which passes the elastic arm carrying the hook and wherein the slide slides on the body of the connector between a locking position and an unlocking position and a ramp provided between the slide and the elastic arm so that as the slide moves from the locking position to the unlocking position, the slide acts on the elastic arm to bend the arm and the hook away from the body in the unlocking position.

Claims

1. A part of an electrical connector, the part comprising:

a body;

at least one elastic arm which has at least one locking hook attached to the body and extending laterally to the body, the elastic arm being flexible from a locking position wherein the arm is unstressed and close to the body to an unlocking position wherein the arm is stressed and bent away from the body;

a slide comprising a window through which passes the elastic arm carrying the hook, wherein the slide slides on the body of the connector between a locking position and an unlocking position; and

ramp means provided between the slide and the elastic arm so that as the slide moves from the locking position to the unlocking position, the slide acts on the elastic arm to bend the arm and the hook away from the body in the unlocking position.

2. The part of an electrical connector as claimed in claim 1, wherein one edge of the window slides between the elastic arm carrying the hook and the body and the ramp is formed on a face of the elastic arm which is nearest to the body.

3. The part of an electrical connector as claimed in claim 2, wherein a protuberance is provided on the face of the elastic arm which is nearest to the body, between the hook and the ramp.

4. The part of an electrical connector as claimed in claim 1, wherein in the locking position, the elastic arm is housed entirely inside the window, the edge of the window which is nearest to the hook is beveled on the face facing away from the body of the connector and the free end of the elastic arm comprises a complementary surface to the bevel formed on the edge of the window, in such a way that when the edge of the window slides under the hook, the hook moves away from the body of the connector and the elastic arm is bent away from the body of the connector.

5. The part of an electrical connector as claimed in claim 1, comprising two elastic arms each carrying a hook.

6. The part of an electrical connector as claimed in claim 5, wherein the two elastic arms are connected by a base, thus forming a U-shaped stirrup.

7. The part of an electrical connector as claimed in claim 6, wherein the stirrup is formed in two elements assembled together, each element having an elastic arm.

8. The part of an electrical connector as claimed in claim 1, wherein the slide in the locking position does not jam the bending of the elastic arm.

9. The part of an electrical connector as claimed in claim 4, wherein the slide in the locking position does not jam the bending of the elastic arm.

10. A part of an electrical connector, comprising:

a body;

two elastic arms each having at least one locking hook attached to the body and extending laterally to the body and each arm being flexible from a locking position wherein the arm is unstressed and close to the body to an unlocking position wherein the arm is stressed and bent away from the body;

a slide comprising two windows through which each passes an elastic arm carrying an hook, wherein the slide slides on the body of the connector between a locking position and an unlocking position; and

ramp means provided between the slide and the elastic arms so that as the slide moves from the locking position to the unlocking position, the slide acts on both elastic arms to bend both of the arms away from the body in the unlocking position.

11. The part of an electrical connector as claimed in claim 10, wherein one edge of each window slides between the body and the corresponding elastic arm carrying the hook and the ramps are formed on a face of the each elastic arm which is nearest to the body of the connector.

12. The part of an electrical connector as claimed in claim 11, wherein a protuberance is provided on the face of both elastic arm which is nearest to the body of the connector, between the hook and the ramp.

13. The part of an electrical connector as claimed in claim 10, wherein in the locking position, the elastic arms are housed entirely inside their corresponding window, the edge of each window which is nearest to the corresponding hook is beveled on the face facing away from the body of the connector and the free end of each elastic arm comprises a complementary surface to the bevel formed on the edge of the corresponding window in such a way that, when the edge of the window slides under the hook, the hook moves away from the body of the connector and each elastic arm is bent away from the body of the connector.

14. The part of an electrical connector as claimed in claim 10, wherein the two elastic arms are connected by a base, thus forming a U-shaped stirrup.

15. The part of an electrical connector as claimed in claim 10, wherein the stirrup is formed in two elements assembled together, each element having an elastic arm.

16. The part of an electrical connector as claimed in claim 10, wherein the slide in the locking position does not jam the bending of the elastic arms.

17. The part of an electrical connector as claimed in claim 13, wherein the slide in the locking position does no t jam the bending of the elastic arms.

18. An electrical connector, comprising:

a first part, either male or female, comprising;

a body;

at least one elastic arm which has at least one locking hook attached to the body and extending laterally to the body, the elastic arm being flexible from a locking position wherein the arm is unstressed and close to the body, to an unlocking position wherein the arm is stressed and bent away from the body;

a slide comprising a window through which passes the elastic arm carrying the hook, wherein the slide slides on the body of the connector between a locking position and an unlocking position; and

ramp means provided between the slide and the elastic arm so that as the slide moves from the locking position to the unlocking position, the slide acts on the elastic arm to bend the arm and the hook away from the body in the unlocking position; and

a second part, comprising a body with a hook catch for the locking hook of the first part.

19. The electrical connector as claimed in claim 18, wherein one edge of the window slides between the elastic arm carrying the hook and the body of the first part and the ramp is formed on a face of the elastic arm which is nearest to the body of the first part.

20. The electrical connector as claimed in claim 19, wherein a protuberance is provided on the face of the elastic arm which is nearest to the body of the first part, between the hook and the ramp.

21. The electrical connector as claimed in claim 18, wherein in the locking position, the elastic arm is housed entirely inside the window, the edge of the window which is nearest to the hook is beveled on the face facing away from the body of the first part and the free end of the elastic arm comprises a complementary surface to the bevel formed on the edge of the window in such a way that, when the edge of the window slides under the hook, the hook moves away from the body of the first part and the elastic arm is bent away from the body of the first part.

22. The electrical connector as claimed in claim 18, comprising two elastic arms each carrying a hook.

23. The electrical connector as claimed in claim 22, wherein the two elastic arms are connected by a base, thus forming a U-shaped stirrup.

24. The electrical connector as claimed in claim 23, wherein the stirrup is formed in two elements assembled together, each element having an elastic arm.

25. The electrical connector as claimed in claim 18, wherein the slide in the locking position does not jam the bending of the elastic arm.

26. An electrical connector, comprising:

a first part, either male or female, comprising;

a body;

two elastic arms each having at least one locking hook attached to the body and extending laterally to the body and each arm being flexible from a locking position wherein the arm is unstressed and close to the body, to an unlocking position wherein the arm is stressed and bent away from the body;

a slide comprising two windows through each passes an elastic arm carrying an hook, wherein the slide slides on the body of the connector between a locking position and an unlocking position; and

ramp means provided between the slide and the elastic arms so that as the slide moves from the locking position to the unlocking position, the slide acts on both elastic arms to bend the both arms away from the body in the unlocking position; and

a second part, comprising a body with two hook catches for the two locking hooks of the first part.

27. The electrical connector as claimed in claim 26, wherein one edge of each window slides between the body and the corresponding elastic arm carrying the hook and the ramps are formed on a face of the each elastic arm which is nearest to the body of the first part.

28. The electrical connector as claimed in claim 27, wherein a protuberance is provided on the face of both elastic arm which is nearest to the body of the first part, between the hook and the ramp.

29. The electrical connector as claimed in claim 26, wherein in the locking position, the elastic arms are housed entirely inside their corresponding window, the edge of each window which is nearest to the corresponding hook is beveled on the face facing away from the body of the first part and the free end of each elastic arm comprises a complementary surface to the bevel formed on the edge of the corresponding window, in such a way that when the edge of the window slides under the hook, the hook moves away from the body of the first part and each elastic arm is bent away from the body of the connector.

30. The electrical connector as claimed in claim 26, wherein the two elastic arms are connected by a base, thus forming a U-shaped stirrup.

31. The electrical connector as claimed in claim 30, wherein the stirrup is formed in two elements assembled together, each element having an elastic arm.

32. The electrical connector as claimed in claim 26, wherein the slide in the locking position does not jam the bending of the elastic arms.

33. The electrical connector as claimed in claim 29, wherein the slide in the locking position does not jam the bending of the elastic arms.