Plug connector provided with means for lateral locking

• US 7,207,825 B2
• Filed: 07/30/2003
• Issued: 04/24/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 08/06/2002
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: FCI
• Original Assignee: FCI
• Inventors: Leroyer, Serge, Le Gallic, Herve, Sejourne, Damien
• Primary Examiner(s): Paumen; Gary F.
• Application Number:
  US10/523,375
• Publication Number:
  US 20060105610A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,364 Days
• Field of Search: 439/357, 439/354, 439/353, 439/358
• US Class Current: 439/357
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 13/6275 Latching arms not integral with the housing H01R13/6276, H01R13/6277, H01R13/6278 take precedence

Abstract

Connector (1) fitted to the end of a cable and provided with lateral locking means (7) provided so as to interact with a receptacle of a complementary device with which the plug connector is connected. The locking means comprise a tongue (13) exhibiting a stump (12) passing from a lateral slot (10) of the connector. The tongue is retained in a base (4) of the connector by means of piercing means (38, 39) which are themselves retained in the base. In addition to this, the locking means comprise anchoring means in order to be retained in a cover (16) surrounding this base.

Claims

1. A plug connector, comprising a base and contacts retained in this base, the connector comprising centring feet elements extending from a front face of the base, these centring feet elements comprising elastic locking means to interact with receptacles in a complementary device to the connector, characterised in that the locking means comprises a tongue, exhibiting a locking projection and a piercing means on each side of the tongue, the piercing means interacting with a wall of the base, wherein the locking means is formed from a flat member, and wherein the tongue is provided with the locking projection exhibits a twist of 90°

in such a way as to present a lock orthogonal to a plane of the flat member.

2. The plug connector according to claim 1, characterised in that the piercing means are symmetrical to one another in accordance with an axis of symmetry merged with a principle axis of extension of the tongue exhibiting the locking projection.

3. The plug connector according to claim 1, characterised in that, during the locking and unlocking of the connector, the tongue is subjected to forces exercised in a normal direction to a thickness of the tongue.

4. The plug connector according to claim 1, characterised in that the locking means comprise an elbow curve in such a manner as to present the two piercing means in two distinct planes, and in order to present a lock in a plane normal with these two distinct planes.

6. The plug connector according to claim 1, characterised in that the locking means are cut from a metallic sheet.

7. The plug connector according to claim 1, characterised in that the locking means comprise two anchoring means to interact respectively with a lower cover and an upper cover of the connector, these covers surrounding the base.

8. The plug connector according to claim 7, characterised in that the lower and upper covers surrounding the base are symmetrical to one another.

9. The plug connector according to claim 1, characterised in that the locking means are inserted from a rear face in the base, with the strands of a cable being capable of being connected to the contacts at the level of this rear face.

5. A plug connector comprising a base and contacts retained in this base, the connector comprising centring feet elements extending from a front face of the base, these centring feet elements comprising elastic locking means to interact with receptacles in a complementary device to the connector, characterised in that the locking means comprises a tongue, exhibiting a locking projection and a piercing means on each side of the tongue, the piercing means interacting with two walls of the base, wherein the connector comprises a centring and reinforcement strip curved into a U shape in order to surround the tongue exhibiting the locking projection, this strip being provided with retention means such as to interact with a wall of the cavity exhibiting the tongue.

10. Connector comprising a base and contacts retained in said base, said base further comprising a centering feet element made an integral part of the base and extending from a front face of the base, said centering feet element accommodating a locking means comprising:

a tongue extending along a major axis and having a locking projection;

and piercing means adapted to interact with a wall of the base,

wherein said centering feet element is provided with a lateral slot extending in a plane substantially orthogonal to the front face, and wherein said locking projection protrudes from said lateral slot.

11. Connector according to claim 10 wherein the piercing means are symmetrical to one another in respect to the major axis of the tongue.

12. Connector according to claim 10 wherein the locking means extends in a major plane and wherein the tongue comprises a twist of about 90 degrees so as the locking projection extends in a plane orthogonal to said major plane.

13. Connector according to claim 10 wherein the locking means comprises an elbow curve so as the two piercing means extends into two distinct planes.

14. Connector according to claim 10 further comprising a U shape strip surrounding the tongue, said strip comprising retention means adapted to interact with a wall of the base.

15. Connector according to claim 10 wherein the locking means is made of metal.

16. Connector according to claim 10 wherein the locking means comprises anchoring means adapted to interact respectively with a lower cover and an upper cover surrounding the base of the connector.

17. Connector according to claim 16 wherein the lower and upper covers are symmetrical to one another.