Electrical connector with improved latch

• US 7,014,491 B1
• Filed: 02/04/2005
• Issued: 03/21/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 02/04/2005
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Molex Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Molex Incorporated
• Inventors: Simmel, George M.
• Primary Examiner(s): Zarroli, Michael C.
• Application Number:
  US11/051,844
• Time in Patent Office: 410 Days
• Field of Search: 439352-353, 439/258, 439357-358, 439/953
• US Class Current: 439/353
• 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 is provided with a latching system for latching the connector to a mating connector and includes a dielectric housing having a forward mating end. A pair of latch arms are disposed at opposite sides of the housing and each latch arm includes a front latch end for latchingly engaging an appropriate latch on the mating connector. Each latch arm includes a rear engagement end and an intermediate pivot portion between the front and rear ends pivotally mounting the latch arm to the housing. Each latch arm further includes a biasing portion engageable with the housing to pivotally bias the latch arm about the pivot portion toward a latched position. A single actuating bracket is pivotally mounted on the housing and is engageable with the rear engagement ends of both latch arms for pivoting the latch arms against the biasing portions thereof toward an unlatched position. A single manually operable actuator is movably mounted on the housing for pivoting the single actuating bracket into engagement with the two latch arms.

Claims

1. An electrical connector having a latching system for latching the connector to a mating connector, comprising:

a dielectric housing having a forward mating end;

a pair of latch arms at opposite sides of the housing and each latch arm including

a front latch end for latchingly engaging an appropriate latch on the mating connector,

a rear engagement end,

an intermediate pivot portion between the front and rear ends pivotally mounting the latch arm to the housing, and

a biasing portion engageable with the housing to pivotally bias the latch arm about the pivot portion toward a latched position;

a single actuating bracket pivotally mounted on the housing and engageable with the rear engagement ends of both latch arms for pivoting the latch arms against said biasing portions toward an unlatched position; and

a single manually operable actuator movably mounted on the housing for pivoting the single actuating bracket into engagement with the two latch arms.

2. The electrical connector of claim 1 wherein each latch arm is stamped and formed of spring metal material, and said biasing portion comprises a leaf spring portion engageable with the housing.

3. The electrical connector of claim 1 wherein said housing includes a fulcrum portion engageable with the pivot portions of the latch arms.

4. The electrical connector of claim 1 wherein said actuating bracket has a front end engageable with the rear engagement ends of the latch arms, a rear end engageable with the actuator, and an intermediate pivot portion between the front and rear ends pivotally mounted to the housing.

5. The electrical connector of claim 1 wherein said actuating bracket has a front end engageable with the rear engagement ends of the latch arms, a rear end pivotally mounted to the housing, and an intermediate portion between the front and rear ends engageable with the actuator.

6. The electrical connector of claim 1 wherein said actuator comprises a flexible portion integral with the housing.

7. The electrical connector of claim 1 wherein said housing includes a pair of housing halves, said actuating bracket being pivotally mounted to one housing half and said actuator being pivotally mounted on the other housing half.

8. The electrical connector of claim 1 wherein said actuator comprises a flexible portion integral with the other housing half.

9. The electrical connector of claim 8 wherein said actuator comprises an actuating button joined to the other housing half by a living hinge.

10. The electrical connector of claim 7 wherein said latch arms are mounted in a housing insert sandwiched between the two housing halves.

11. The electrical connector of claim 1 wherein said housing includes a pair of housing halves, and said actuating bracket and said actuator both are pivotally mounted to one of the housing halves.

12. The electrical connector of claim 11 wherein said actuator comprises a flexible portion integral with the one housing half.

13. The electrical connector of claim 12 wherein said actuator comprises an actuating button joined to the one housing half by a living hinge.

14. The electrical connector of claim 11 wherein said latch arms are mounted in a housing insert sandwiched between the two housing halves.

15. An electrical connector having a latching system for latching the connector to a mating connector, comprising:

a dielectric housing having a forward mating end and including a pair of housing halves;

a pair of latch arms at opposite sides of the housing and each latch arm including

a front latch end for latchingly engaging an appropriate latch on the mating connector,

a rear engagement end,

an intermediate pivot portion between the front and rear ends pivotally mounting the latch arm to the housing, and

a biasing portion engageable with the housing to pivotally bias the latch arm about the pivot portion toward a latched position;

a single actuating bracket pivotally mounted on one of the housing halves and engageable with the rear engagement ends of both latch arms for pivoting the latch arms against said biasing portions toward an unlatched position; and

a single manually operable actuator movably mounted on one of the housing halves for pivoting the single actuating bracket into engagement with the two latch arms.

16. The electrical connector of claim 15 wherein said latch arms are mounted in a housing insert sandwiched between the two housing halves.

17. The electrical connector of claim 15 wherein said actuating bracket is pivotally mounted to one housing half and said actuator is pivotally mounted on the other housing half.

18. The electrical connector of claim 15 wherein both said actuating bracket and said actuator are pivotally mounted on one of the housing halves.

19. The electrical connector of claim 15 wherein said actuator comprises a flexible portion integral with one of the housing halves.

20. The electrical connector of claim 19 wherein said actuator comprises an actuating button joined to the one housing half by a living hinge.

21. The electrical connector of claim 15 wherein each latch arm is stamped and formed of spring metal material, and said biasing portion comprises a leaf spring portion engageable with the housing.

22. The electrical connector of claim 15 wherein one of said housing portions includes a fulcrum engageable with the pivot portions of the latch arms.

23. The electrical connector of claim 15 wherein said actuating bracket has a front end engageable with the rear engagement ends of the latch arms, a rear end engageable with the actuator, and an intermediate pivot portion between the front and rear ends pivotally mounted to the housing.

24. The electrical connector of claim 15 wherein said actuating bracket has a front end engageable with the rear engagement ends of the latch arms, a rear end pivotally mounted to the housing, and an intermediate portion between the front and rear ends engageable with the actuator.