Quick release shock/vibration connector assembly

• US 6,517,372 B1
• Filed: 12/26/2001
• Issued: 02/11/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 12/26/2001
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Hon Hai Precision Industry Co., Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Hon Hai Precision Industry Co., Ltd.
• Inventors: Jones, Dennis B.
• Primary Examiner(s): PAUMEN, GARY F
• Application Number:
  US10/033,613
• Time in Patent Office: 412 Days
• Field of Search: 439/346, 439/357, 439/358, 439/352, 439/159, 439/160, 439/157
• US Class Current: 439/346
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 13/6273 comprising two latching arms
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 13/635 by mechanical pressure, e.g. spring force
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 2107/00 Four or more poles
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 4/26 Connections in which at least one of the connecting parts has projections which bite into or engage the other connecting part in order to improve the contact H01R4/188, H01R4/203, H01R4/5075 take precedence; using shape memory materials H01R4/01

Abstract

An electrical connector assembly (20) includes a male connector (30) and a female connector (40). The male connector includes a dielectric housing (50) with first latches (54), a plurality of contacts (60), a pair of levers (90) and a pair of springs (98). The levers are rotatably mounted in the housing, biased outwards by the springs. The female connector includes a female housing (70) having second latches (76) and a plurality of terminals (80). Each terminal has a mating portion in the shape of a tuning fork, with locking bosses (84) formed on ends of the tines (85). The male contacts each have dimples (64) defined in their mating portions. When the connectors are mated, the locking bosses of the terminals lock with the dimples of the contacts, forward walls of the female housing push against the levers, compressing the springs, storing a force to unmate the connectors, and the first and second latches lock together.

Claims

1. An electrical connector assembly for use in a high shock/vibration environment, comprising:

a male connector comprising;

an insulative male housing having a first latch on at least one side thereof; and

a plurality of contacts mounted within the male housing, each contact having a male mating portion in the shape of a rod with at least one dimple defined in at least one side of the male mating portion; and

a female connector for mating with the male connector, comprising;

an insulative female housing having a second latch on at least one side thereof, the second latch being engagable with the first latch; and

a plurality of terminals mounted within the female housing, each terminal having a female mating portion in the shape of a tuning fork, comprising a pair of parallel tines engagable with the rod-shaped male mating portion of a corresponding contact of the male connector, the rod-shaped male mating portion fitting between the pair of tines of the female mating portion, the pair of tines having at least one locking boss protruding from at least one of the pair of tines, corresponding in position with the at least one dimple and engagable with the dimple;

wherein, when the male and female connectors are mated together, the first latch engages with the second latch, holding the male and female housings together, and, at the same time, the at least one locking boss of each terminal engages with the at least one corresponding dimple of each corresponding contact, holding the male mating portion of each contact in reliable engagement with the female mating portion of a corresponding terminal and preventing relative movement in the longitudinal direction of each terminal and each contact, and preventing relative movement in a lateral direction defined perpendicular to a plane defined by the two tines of each female mating portion;

wherein the at least one locking boss is on the male contacts and the corresponding at least one dimple is in the female terminals;

wherein the at least one locking boss protruding from at least one of the pair of tines is a pair of locking bosses protruding inwardly from each tine of the female mating portion, and the at least one dimple in at least one side is a pair of dimples and a pair of transitions in the sides of the male mating portion, and the pair of transitions and the pair of dimples engage with the two pairs of locking bosses in each mating contact and terminal;

wherein the first latch on at least one side of the male housing is a pair of first latches, one on each side of the male housing, and the second latch on at least one side of the female housing is a pair of second latches, one on each side of the female housing;

further comprising at least a lever and a spring assembled to the male housing and at least a wall forming a part of the female housing, the lever comprising an axle, a spring seat, and a push knob, the axle being rotatably engagable with the male housing and allowing the lever to rotate about the axle, the spring having two ends and the spring seat being engagable with one end of the spring, a second end of the spring being engagable with the male housing, wherein, during mating of the female and male connectors, the wall of the female housing pushes against the push knob, causing the spring to compress between the spring seat and the male housing, and the spring is held in compression during mating of the connectors by engagement of,the first and second latches, and when the first and second latches are released from engagement with each other, the force of the compressed spring is great enough to overcome the mating forces between the plurality of contacts and the plurality of terminals, causing the male and female connectors to unmate;

wherein the at least a lever and a spring are a pair of levers and a pair of springs, and the at least one wall of the female housing is two walls;

wherein the male housing comprises a body at a front thereof, the body having a plurality of channels into which the male mating portions of the contacts protrude;

wherein the female housing has a barrel portion at a front thereof into which the female mating portions of the terminals protrude and the barrel portion includes the two walls of the female housing, and when the male and female connectors mate, the barrel portion of the female housing slides over the body of the male housing and the two walls of the barrel portion each push against a push knob of a corresponding lever assembled in the male housing, each lever compressing a corresponding one of the two springs.