Secondary latch sleeve for connector connections
First Claim
1. A connector system that includes a plurality of connectors for forward insertion into laterally spaced passages of a receiver wherein said passages are spaced at a predetermined passage pitch, wherein each connector includes a housing with a body, said housings each including a primary latch with a front end merging with a front portion of said body and with a latch middle forming a pair of largely rearwardly-facing latch shoulders and with a latch rear end forming a latch handle that can be resiliently depressed to move down said latch shoulders to positions out of line with a pair of largely forwardly-facing receiver shoulders of said receiver, wherein each connector includes a sleeve slideably mounted on the body of the connector to slide longitudinally between forward and rearward positions, with each sleeve forming a wedge part that lies against a lower surface of the corresponding latch handle in the sleeve forward position but not in the sleeve rearward position, wherein:
- said sleeves include couplings that hold at least a pair of connectors together at a pitch equal to said passage pitch so said pair of connectors can be inserted simultaneously into a pair of said passages and simultaneously removed from the pair of passages and so the pair of connectors remain together before and after insertion and removal;
said couplings being slideable in forward and rearward directions relative to each other and relative to said connector housings, to couple and uncouple said connectors from each other to allow one of said pair of connectors to be detached from the other by applying a large rearward force to one coupling to slide it rearward out of engagement with the other, whereby when said pair of connectors both lie in said receiver one of said connectors can be removed by sliding its sleeve rearward and then depressing its latch handle.
1 Assignment
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A plurality of connectors (12, 14) of the type that has a primary latch with a handle (50) that can be depressed so the connector can be pulled out of a receiver passage (20, 22), and a secondary latch with a sleeve (60, 62) that can be slid forward to wedge a part under the handle so it cannot be depressed. The same slidable sleeve is used to normally connect a pair of connectors, while allowing a connector-to-be-serviced of the pair to be disconnected from the other one while said other one continues to lie in a receiver passage and carry signals. The sleeves are identical and each has a tongue and groove (74, 76) at its opposite sides, and also has engaged detents at its opposite sides. The groove is open at its front and rear ends.
99 Citations
8 Claims
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1. A connector system that includes a plurality of connectors for forward insertion into laterally spaced passages of a receiver wherein said passages are spaced at a predetermined passage pitch, wherein each connector includes a housing with a body, said housings each including a primary latch with a front end merging with a front portion of said body and with a latch middle forming a pair of largely rearwardly-facing latch shoulders and with a latch rear end forming a latch handle that can be resiliently depressed to move down said latch shoulders to positions out of line with a pair of largely forwardly-facing receiver shoulders of said receiver, wherein each connector includes a sleeve slideably mounted on the body of the connector to slide longitudinally between forward and rearward positions, with each sleeve forming a wedge part that lies against a lower surface of the corresponding latch handle in the sleeve forward position but not in the sleeve rearward position, wherein:
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said sleeves include couplings that hold at least a pair of connectors together at a pitch equal to said passage pitch so said pair of connectors can be inserted simultaneously into a pair of said passages and simultaneously removed from the pair of passages and so the pair of connectors remain together before and after insertion and removal; said couplings being slideable in forward and rearward directions relative to each other and relative to said connector housings, to couple and uncouple said connectors from each other to allow one of said pair of connectors to be detached from the other by applying a large rearward force to one coupling to slide it rearward out of engagement with the other, whereby when said pair of connectors both lie in said receiver one of said connectors can be removed by sliding its sleeve rearward and then depressing its latch handle. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4)
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5. A system that includes a receiver having a plurality of passages, and a plurality of connectors that each has a housing with a body having a front portion that is insertable in a forward longitudinal direction into one of said passages, comprising:
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first and second sleeves each surrounding one of said housing bodies and slideable in forward and rearward longitudinal directions on a corresponding body, said bodies and sleeves each having detent means that tend to retain the sleeve at each of two longitudinally spaced positions on its body, said first sleeve having laterally opposite sides and having an undercut tongue projection projecting from a first side of the first sleeve, and said second sleeve having laterally opposite sides and having an undercut groove extending along a second side of the second sleeve; said first and second sides of said sleeves lying adjacent to each other and being connected together with said tongue projection lying in said groove; each of said adjacent sides of said sleeve having detents that engage each other to prevent one of said sleeves from moving longitudinally relative to the other unless a large disengagement force is applied that urges one sleeve longitudinally with respect to the other sleeve. - View Dependent Claims (6, 7, 8)
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Specification