Arc discharge prevention connector

• US 9,077,110 B2
• Filed: 05/18/2012
• Issued: 07/07/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 05/20/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Yazaki Corporation
• Original Assignee: Yazaki Corporation
• Inventors: Ohmura, Takenori
• Primary Examiner(s): PAUMEN, GARY F
• Application Number:
  US14/113,232
• Publication Number:
  US 20140045362A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,145 Days
• Field of Search: 439/310, 439/372
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2270/32 of electricity
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2270/34 of parts
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 53/16 Connectors, e.g. plugs or sockets, specially adapted for charging electric vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 13/53 Bases or cases for heavy duty; Bases or cases for high voltage with means for preventing corona or arcing
• 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 13/639 Additional means for holding or locking coupling parts together, after engagement, e.g. separate keylock, retainer strap
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 13/707 interlocked with contact members or counterpart
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/70 Energy storage systems for electromobility, e.g. batteries
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/7072 Electromobility specific charging systems or methods for batteries, ultracapacitors, supercapacitors or double-layer capacitors
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 90/14 Plug-in electric vehicles

Abstract

An arc discharge prevention connector includes a cylindrical case, a connector body, a lever, a handle and a release lever. The release lever has an action arm, a provisional latch arm provided on the action arm, and a complete latch arm provided on the provisional latch arm. A provisional latch piece and a complete latch piece are provided on the handle or the connector body. In a state that the provisional latch arm is engaged with the provisional latch piece, the power terminal is in contact with a power terminal of the mating connector and the signal terminal is in non-contact with a signal terminal of the mating connector.

Claims

1. An arc discharge prevention connector, comprising:

a cylindrical case;

a connector body that is slidably accommodated in a front half part of the cylindrical case and has a power terminal and a signal terminal,

a lever rotatably attached to the cylindrical case;

a handle; and

a release lever that prevents a returning operation of the lever in a state that the connector body is fitted with a mating connector by a rotational operation of the lever,

wherein the connector body is moved in the cylindrical case in accordance with the rotational operation of the lever;

wherein the release lever has an action arm extending in an axial direction of the connector body, a provisional latch arm provided on a tip portion of the action arm, and a complete latch arm provided on a tip portion of the provisional latch arm;

wherein a provisional latch piece which is engaged with the provisional latch arm at a half fitted position of the connector body and a complete latch piece which is engaged with the complete latch arm at a completely fitted position of the connector body are provided on either one of the handle and the connector body; and

wherein in a state that the provisional latch arm is engaged with the provisional latch piece, the power terminal is in contact with a power terminal of the mating connector and the signal terminal is in non-contact with a signal terminal of the mating connector.

2. The arc discharge prevention connector according to claim 1, wherein the provisional latch arm is rotatably provided on the tip portion of the action arm via a pin therebetween, the complete latch arm is rotatably provided on the tip portion of the provisional latch arm via a pin therebetween.

3. The arc discharge prevention connector according to claim 1, wherein dimensions of the power terminal and the signal terminal are set to be differentiated so that the power terminal is brought into contact with the power terminal of the mating connector prior to a timing the signal terminal is brought into contact with the signal terminal of the mating connector.

4. An arc discharge prevention connector, comprising:

a case;

a connector body that is slidably accommodated in a front portion of the case and comprising a power terminal and a signal terminal,

a lever rotatably attached to the case;

a handle; and

a release lever comprising an action arm, a provisional latch arm provided on a tip portion of the action arm, and a complete latch arm provided on a tip portion of the provisional latch arm,

wherein the connector body is configured to be moved within the case in accordance with the rotational operation of the lever,

wherein one of the handle and the connector body comprises a provisional latch piece configured to be engaged with the provisional latch arm at a half fitted position of the connector body and a complete latch piece configured to be engaged with the complete latch arm at a completely fitted position of the connector body, and

wherein, in a state that the provisional latch arm is engaged with the provisional latch piece, the power terminal is in contact with a power terminal of a mating connector and the signal terminal is in non-contact with a signal terminal of the mating connector.

5. The arc discharge prevention connector according to claim 4, wherein dimensions of the power terminal and the signal terminal are set so that the power terminal is brought into contact with the power terminal of the mating connector prior to a timing of the signal terminal being brought into contact with the signal terminal of the mating connector.

6. The arc discharge prevention connector according to claim 4, wherein, in a state that the complete latch arm is engaged with the complete latch piece, the power terminal is in contact with the power terminal of the mating connector and the signal terminal is in contact with the signal terminal of the mating connector.