Electrical connector having improved releasable locking means
First Claim
1. An electrical connector suitable to mate with a counterpart connector along a mating axis (X), and having an insulating housing and snap-fit locking means provided to releasably lock said housing onto a counterpart connector housing in a mated position, said locking means comprisinga partially deformable locking member which is mounted on the housing so as to be axially slideable between an extended locking position and a retracted position, andbiasing means which axially bias said locking member to its locking position, wherein the locking member has a flexible beam including a tooth member adapted to engage a complementary locking projection of the counterpart connector housing, and to provide an axial stop therewith in the locking position of the locking member, said flexible beam being elastically deflectable on the axial path of the locking member, wherein the tooth member is configured to come into contact with the locking projection at a first stage of mating of the electrical connector to the counterpart connector to thereby compress the biasing means as the mating is continued.
6 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
This connector has snap-fit lock including a partially deformable locking member which is mounted on the housing so as to be axially slideable between an extended locking position and a retracted position; and a biasing spring which axially bias said locking member to its locking position. The locking member has a flexible beam including a tooth member adapted to engage a complementary locking projection of the counterpart connector, and to provide an axial stop therewith. The flexible beam is elastically deflectable on the axial path of the locking member, whereby the snap-fit effect is provided by elastic load, both axial and in flexion, of the flexible beam.
21 Citations
12 Claims
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1. An electrical connector suitable to mate with a counterpart connector along a mating axis (X), and having an insulating housing and snap-fit locking means provided to releasably lock said housing onto a counterpart connector housing in a mated position, said locking means comprising
a partially deformable locking member which is mounted on the housing so as to be axially slideable between an extended locking position and a retracted position, and biasing means which axially bias said locking member to its locking position, wherein the locking member has a flexible beam including a tooth member adapted to engage a complementary locking projection of the counterpart connector housing, and to provide an axial stop therewith in the locking position of the locking member, said flexible beam being elastically deflectable on the axial path of the locking member, wherein the tooth member is configured to come into contact with the locking projection at a first stage of mating of the electrical connector to the counterpart connector to thereby compress the biasing means as the mating is continued.
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12. An electrical connector suitable to mate with a counterpart connector along a mating axis (X), and having an insulating housing and a snap-fit lock provided to releasably lock the insulating housing onto a counterpart connector housing of the counterpart connector in a mated position, wherein the lock comprises:
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a partially deformable locking member which is mounted on the insulating housing so as to be axially slideable between an extended locking position and a retracted position; and a spring axially biasing the locking member to the extended locking position, wherein the locking member has a flexible beam including a tooth member adapted to engage a complementary locking projection of the counterpart connector housing, and to provide an axial stop therewith in the extended locking position of the locking member, wherein the flexible beam is elastically deflectable on an axial path of the locking member, wherein the tooth member is configured to come into contact with the locking projection at a first stage of mating of the electrical connector to the counterpart connector to thereby compress the spring as the mating of the electrical connector to the counterpart connector is continued past the first stage.
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Specification