Electrical connector latch

• US 7,201,599 B2
• Filed: 03/23/2004
• Issued: 04/10/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 03/23/2004
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Aptiv Technologies AG (Aptiv PLC)
• Original Assignee: FCI Americas Technology Incorporated (FCI)
• Inventors: Holub, Franklin Anthony
• Primary Examiner(s): Nguyen; Truc T.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Leon; Edwin A.
• Application Number:
  US10/806,731
• Publication Number:
  US 20050215106A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,113 Days
• Field of Search: 439350-358, 439/310, 439488-489, 439/372, 439/595, 439/701, 439/752
• US Class Current: 439/357
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 13/506 assembled by snap action of the parts
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 13/5221 having cable sealing means
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 13/6272 comprising a single latching arm
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 13/641 by indicating incorrect coupling; by indicating correct or full engagement
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 13/6456 comprising keying elements at different positions along the periphery of the connector

Abstract

An electrical connector including electrical contacts, a first housing member and a second housing member. The first housing member has contact receiving areas. The electrical contacts are located in the contact receiving areas. The second housing member is connected to the first housing member and comprises a mating electrical connector latch comprising a latch surface at a front end of the latch and a lever arm extending reward from the front end of the latch. The lever arm is adapted to pivot on top of a portion of the second housing member.

Claims

1. An electrical connector adapted to connect to a mating electrical connector comprising:

electrical contacts; and

a first housing member having contact receiving areas, wherein the electrical contacts are located in the contact receiving areas, and a mating electrical connector latch comprising a latch surface at a front end of the latch and a lever arm extending rearward from the front end of the latch; and

a second housing member connected to the first housing member and having a fulcrum rib, and wherein the lever arm is sized and shaped to pivot about and against the fulcrum rib of the second housing member.

2. An electrical connector as in claim 1 further comprising an electrical conductor seal, wherein the second housing member comprises a seal retainer which is connected to the first housing member to retain the seal with the first housing member.

3. An electrical connector as in claim 1 wherein the first housing member comprises a first deflectable arm connecting the latch to the first housing member, wherein the first deflectable arm is connected to the latch at the front end of the latch.

4. An electrical connector as in claim 3 wherein the first housing member comprises a second deflectable arm connecting the latch to the first housing member, wherein the a second deflectable arm is connected to the latch at the front end of the latch.

5. An electrical connector as in claim 4 wherein the first and second deflectable arms are connected to the first housing member proximate a center section of the latch.

6. An electrical connector comprising:

electrical contacts; and

a first housing member having contact receiving areas, wherein the electrical contacts are located in the contact receiving areas, and a mating electrical connector latch comprising a latch surface at a front end of the latch and a lever arm extending rearward from the front end of the latch; and

a second housing member connected to the first housing member and having a fulcrum rib, and wherein the lever arm is adapted to pivot against the fulcrum rib of the second housing member,

wherein a rear end of the latch comprises a finger contact section, and wherein the fulcrum rib contacts a bottom side of the lever between the front end and the rear end.

7. An electrical connector comprising:

electrical contacts; and

a first housing member having contact receiving areas, wherein the electrical contacts are located in the contact receiving areas, and a mating electrical connector latch comprising a latch surface at a front end of the latch and a lever arm extending rearward from the front end of the latch; and

a second housing member connected to the first housing member and having a fulcrum rib, and wherein the lever arm is adapted to pivot against the fulcrum rib of the second housing member,

wherein a rear end of the latch comprises a projection located beneath a ledge of the second housing member.

8. An electrical connector as in claim 7 wherein the ledge of the second housing member and the projection on the rear end of the latch for a latch overstress protection system adapted to limit movement of the second end of the latch in an outward direction.

9. An electrical connector comprising:

electrical contacts; and

a first housing member having contact receiving areas, wherein the electrical contacts are located in the contact receiving areas, wherein the first housing member comprises a mating electrical connector latch comprising a latch surface at a front end of the latch and a lever arm extending rearward from the front end of the latch; and

a second housing member connected to the first housing member and having a fulcrum rib, and wherein the lever arm is adapted to pivot against the fulcrum rib of the second housing member,

wherein the second housing member comprises a grip rib behind a rear end of the latch which has a top surface that is located vertically above the rear end of the latch only when the rear end of the latch is depressed inward.

10. An electrical connector housing adapted to connect to a housing of a mating electrical connector comprising:

a first housing member comprising a pivotable mating electrical connector latch, the latch having a first end with a latching surface and an opposite second end; and

a second housing member connected to the first housing member and having a fulcrum rib, the pivotable mating electrical connector latch having a lever arm adapted to pivot against the fulcrum rib of the second housing, the second housing member comprising a latch overstress protection section comprising a portion of the second housing member being sized and shaped to be contacted by the second end of the latch to limit pivotal movement of the second end of the latch in an outward direction.

11. An electrical connector housing as in claim 10 wherein the latch is located on top of the fulcrum rib and is adapted to pivot on the fulcrum rib to move the latching surface inward and outward.

12. An electrical connector as in claim 10 wherein the second end of the latch comprises a finger contact section.

13. An electrical connector as in claim 10 wherein the second end of the latch comprises a projection located beneath the latch overstress protection section of the second housing member.

14. An electrical connector as in claim 10 further comprising an electrical conductor seal, wherein the second housing member comprises a seal retainer which is connected to the first housing member to retain the seal with the first housing member.

15. An electrical connector as in claim 10 wherein the second housing member comprises a grip rib behind the second end of the latch which has a top surface that is located vertically above the second end of the latch only when the second end of the latch is depressed inward.

16. An electrical connector housing as an claim 10 wherein the first housing member comprises a first deflectable arm connecting the latch to the first housing member, wherein the first deflectable arm is connected to the latch at the first end of the latch.

17. An electrical connector as in claim 16 wherein the first housing member comprises a second deflectable arm connecting the latch to the first housing member, wherein the second deflectable arm is connected to the latch at the first end of the latch.

18. An electrical connector as in claim 17 wherein the first and second deflectable arms are connected to the first housing member proximate a center section of the latch.

19. An electrical connector housing comprising:

a main housing having a movable mating electrical connector latch, the latch comprising a front end with a latching surface and an opposite rear end with a finger contact section; and

a seal retainer adapted to be connected to the main housing to retain a seal inside the main housing and having a fulcrum rib, the movable mating electrical connector latch having a lever arm adapted to pivot against the fulcrum rib of the seal retainer, the seal retainer comprising a grip rib behind the rear end of the latch which has a top surface that is located vertically above the rear end of the latch only when the rear end of the latch is depressed inward.

20. An electrical connector housing as in claim 19 wherein the first housing member comprises two deflectable arms connecting the latch to the first housing member, wherein the deflectable arms are connected to the latch at the front end of the latch and connected to the first housing member proximate a middle section of the latch.

21. An electrical connector comprising:

electrical contacts;

a first housing member having contact receiving areas, wherein the electrical contacts are located in the contact receiving areas, and a mating electrical connector latch comprising a latch surface at a front end of the latch and a lever arm extending rearward from the front end of the latch;

a seal on the first housing member; and

a seal retainer housing member connected to the first housing member and retaining the seal on the first housing member, the seal retainer housing member having a fulcrum rib and the lever arm is adapted to pivot against the fulcrum rib of the seal retainer housing member,

and wherein the lever arm comprises a user contact surface at a rear end of the lever arm which is located directly above the seal retainer housing member.

22. An electrical connector as in claim 21 wherein the mating electrical connector latch comprises two deflectable arms fixedly attached to the first housing member at two spaced points.

23. An electrical connector as in claim 22 wherein the two deflectable arms comprise front ends connected to the front end of the latch and rear ends connected to the two spaced points.

24. An electrical connector comprising:

electrical contacts; and

a first housing member having contact receiving areas, wherein the electrical contacts are located in the contact receiving areas, and a mating electrical connector latch comprising a latch surface at a front end of the latch and a lever arm extending rearward from the front end of the latch; and

a second housing member connected to the first housing member, the second housing member having a fulcrum rib and the lever arm is adapted to pivot against the fulcrum rib of the second housing member,

wherein the lever arm comprises a user contact surface at a rear end of the lever arm, wherein the mating electrical connector latch comprises two deflectable arms wherein the two deflectable arms comprise front ends connected to the front end of the latch and rear ends fixedly attached to the first housing member at two spaced points, wherein the rear ends connect the latch to the first housing member.