Electrical connector having power contacts

• US 8,323,049 B2
• Filed: 01/26/2010
• Issued: 12/04/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 01/30/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: FCI Americas Technology Incorporated (FCI)
• Original Assignee: FCI Americas Technology Incorporated (FCI)
• Inventors: Ngo, Hung Viet
• Primary Examiner(s): Duverne, Jean F
• Application Number:
  US12/694,047
• Publication Number:
  US 20100197166A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,043 Days
• Field of Search: 439/552, 439/638, 439/855, 439/752
• US Class Current: 439/552
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 13/113 co-operating with pins or blades having a rectangular transverse section
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 13/514 composed as a modular blocks or assembly, i.e. composed of co-operating parts provided with contact members or holding contact members between them
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 13/6275 Latching arms not integral with the housing H01R13/6276, H01R13/6277, H01R13/6278 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 13/64 Means for preventing incorrect coupling

Abstract

An electrical power connector is provided that is configured to mate with a complementary electrical connector. The electrical power connector includes a connector housing that retains both electrical signal contacts and electrical power contacts. The electrical power connector includes an engagement assembly that includes 1) at least one polarization member configured to mate with a polarization member of the complementary electrical connector only when the electrical power connector is in a desired orientation relative to the complementary electrical connector, and 2) a securement member configured to releasably engage a securement member of the complementary electrical connector.

Claims

1. An electrical power connector configured to mate with a complementary electrical connector, the electrical power connector comprising:

a connector housing extending between opposing side walls so as to define a contact-retaining void;

a plurality of electrical contacts retained in the contact-retaining void, wherein the electrical contacts define respective mating ends configured to mate with complementary electrical contacts of the complementary electrical connector, and the electrical contacts define respective linearly aligned mounting ends configured to couple to respective electrical cable conductors; and

an engagement assembly including at least one asymmetrically positioned polarization pocket carried by at least one of the side walls and configured to receive a polarization member of the complementary electrical connector only when the electrical power connector is in a desired orientation relative to the complementary electrical connector, and a latch carried by the at least one of the side walls, the latch configured to releasably engage a securement member of the complementary electrical connector.

2. The electrical power connector as recited in claim 1, wherein the polarization pocket is located vertically asymmetrically.

3. The electrical power connector as recited in claim 1, wherein the polarization pocket defines opposing inner and outer ends, and the polarization pocket is open at its inner end to the contact-retaining void.

4. The electrical power connector as recited in claim 3, wherein the polarization pocket is closed at its outer end.

5. The electrical power connector as recited in claim 3, wherein the polarization pocket is open at its outer end.

6. The electrical power connector as recited in claim 5, wherein the latch is positioned such that an engagement finger of the latch protrudes into the polarization pocket.

7. The electrical power connector as recited in claim 1, wherein the polarization pocket is a lower polarization pocket, and the engagement assembly further comprises an upper polarization pocket disposed above the lower polarization pocket.

8. The power connector as recited in claim 7, wherein the latch protrudes into the upper polarization pocket.

9. The electrical power connector as recited in claim 7, wherein the lower polarization pocket is shaped differently than the upper polarization pocket.

10. The electrical power connector as recited in claim 9, wherein the lower polarization pocket has a height that is greater than a height of the upper polarization pocket.

11. The electrical power connector as recited in claim 10, wherein the upper and lower polarization pockets are separated by a divider wall that defines both an upper wall of the lower polarization pocket, and a lower wall of the upper polarization pocket.

12. The electrical connector as recited in claim 1, wherein the electrical contacts comprise header contacts configured to be received in receptacle contacts of the complementary electrical connector.

13. The electrical connector as recited in claim 1, wherein the engagement assembly is carried by both side walls.

14. The electrical power connector as recited in claim 1, wherein the electrical contacts comprise electrical power contacts disposed in the contact-retaining void, the electrical power contacts having mating ends configured to mate with complementary power contacts of the complementary electrical connector.

15. The electrical power connector as recited in claim 14, wherein the electrical contacts further comprise electrical signal contacts disposed in the contact-retaining void, the electrical signal contacts having mating ends configured to mate with complementary signal contacts of the complementary electrical connector.

16. An electrical power connector configured to mate with a complementary electrical connector, the electrical power connector comprising:

a connector housing comprising a top wall and a bottom wall that is spaced from the top wall, the top and bottom walls extending between opposed side walls so as to define a contact-retaining void that is at least partially defined by the top wall and the opposed side walls, one of the opposed side walls defining a latch engagement member configured to be biased outwardly with respect to the contact-retaining void and spaced from the top wall of the connector housing, the other of the opposed side walls defining a polarization member configured to be received in a complementary polarization member and spaced farther from the top wall than the latch engagement member, the opposed side walls disposed at outer ends of the connector housing such that the opposed side walls are spaced further apart than the top and bottom walls; and

a plurality of electrical contacts retained in the contact-retaining void, wherein the electrical contacts define respective mating ends configured to mate with complementary electrical contacts of the complementary electrical connector, and the electrical contacts define respective linearly aligned mounting ends configured to couple to respective electrical cable conductors.

17. The electrical power connector as recited in claim 16, wherein the electrical contacts comprise electrical power contacts disposed in the contact-retaining void, the electrical power contacts having mating ends configured to mate with complementary power contacts of the complementary electrical connector.

18. The electrical power connector as recited in claim 17, wherein the electrical contacts further comprise electrical signal contacts disposed in the contact-retaining void, the electrical signal contacts having mating ends configured to mate with complementary signal contacts of the complementary electrical connector.

19. An electrical power connector configured to mate with a complementary electrical connector, the electrical power connector comprising:

a connector housing that extends along a connector housing axis between opposed side walls so as to define a contact-retaining void, the connector housing further defining at least one polarization pocket at a mating interface of the connector housing;

a securement member supported by the connector housing, the securement member comprising a latch body that is configured to be deflected away from a center of the mating interface when the complementary electrical connector is mated to the electrical power connector; and

a plurality of electrical contacts retained in the contact-retaining void,

wherein the electrical contacts define respective mating ends configured to mate with complementary electrical contacts of the complementary electrical connector and respective linearly aligned mounting ends configured to couple to respective ones of a plurality of electrical cable conductors.

20. The electrical power connector as recited in claim 19, wherein the plurality of electrical contacts comprise electrical power contacts, and respective ones of the electrical cable conductors are connected to the linearly aligned mounting ends of the electrical power contacts.

21. The electrical power connector as recited in claim 20, wherein the plurality of electrical contacts further comprise electrical signal contacts, and respective ones of the electrical cable conductors are connected to the linearly aligned mounting ends of the electrical signal contacts.

22. The electrical power connector as recited in claim 21, wherein respective ones of the mounting ends of the electrical signal contacts are aligned along a first common axis that is oriented perpendicular to the connector housing axis, and respective ones of the mounting ends of the electrical power contacts are aligned along a second common axis that is parallel to the connector housing axis and perpendicular to the first common axis.