[0001] This invention relates to electrical connectors and in particular to electrical connectors
having a front loadable locking member to assure the electrical contacts loaded therein
are positively retained.
[0002] In the electrical connector industry it is common to utilize a front loadable locking
member to assure contacts are retained within the connector housing. One particular
example of a connector of this type is disclosed in U.S. Patent 4,708,662. The electrical
connector described therein includes a housing having a cavity for receiving an electrical
contact therein, where extending from the cavity walls are contact retention arms
that act to positively retain in position the contact by fitting behind a shoulder
thereupon, thereby preventing the contact from backing out. A locking member is fitable
upon the front of the housing and includes a first position where contacts may be
loaded into the connector housing by deflecting the arms and a second position where
the arms are backed-up by wedges extending from the locking member to fit behind the
arms. These wedges extend sufficiently forward so that in the first position they
overlap respective arms of the connector housing, thereby preventing the arms from
deflecting behind their retention wedges.
[0003] Electrical connectors of the type described above, perform admirably; however, there
is still a problem that it is occasionally possible to fully insert the secondary
locking member to its second position without having the electrical contacts properly
positioned within the housing. This may occur due to the shallow angles that are typically
involved with the engagement arms and their cooperating wedges. An additional problem,
is that housings are typically manufactured from a soft plastic material and the contacts
are formed from metal so that if the mating plastic parts are forced together, the
retention shoulders on the arms may be deformed. Finally, the deformation is especially
prevalent in high density connectors where the contacts, passageways, and associated
shoulders of the retention arms are relatively small in size. Therefore, it would
be advantageous to provide assurance that the secondary locking member could not be
displaced to its second position unless the retention arms are in the locked position
behind the shoulder of the contact. It would be further advantageous if this provision
could be provided without dramatic changes to the connector assembly as connectors
of this type have received widespread use.
[0004] These and other objects are accomplished by providing an electrical connector comprising
a connector housing and a locking member where the connector housing includes a contact
cavity for receiving an electrical contact that has a retention arm extending from
a wall thereof to a free end that carries a stop shoulder thereupon, the stop shoulder
being formed to cooperate with a shoulder of the contact when inserted therein to
prevent displacement thereof and where the retention arm is deflectable to allow the
contact to be inserted into the cavity and after the contact passes thereby resiles
therebehind, the locking member having a wedge extending therefrom that includes a
backup surface and where the locking member has a first position relative the connector
housing such that the retention arm is deflectable to allow the contact to pass and
a second position where the wedge is located behind the retention arm and prevents
deflection thereof, the connector being characterized in that the wedge includes an
abutment shoulder along the backup surface that is oriented transversely to the direction
of displacement of the locking member such that the abutment shoulder stubs the retention
arm when the retention arm is in a deflected position, thereby preventing the locking
member from achieving the second position unless the retention arm is in an undeflected
position.
[0005] In connectors of the fore going type and other connectors that utilize a locking
member having a first position upon the connector housing and being displaceable to
a second position in order to assure contacts are retained therein, another problem
may be faced. Using the fore going as an example, the locking member may be displaced
into a locking position whenever the arms are in a undeflected position. This undeflected
position is also obtainable when the electrical connector is being transported to
the user prior to loading contacts therein. While the first position is a temporary
position, the second or locked position is meant to be relatively permanent and therefore
the associated latching members are difficult to disengage. It is a time consuming
and difficult procedure that is disruptive to assembly techniques when a connector
housing that is to be loaded with contacts is delivered to an assembly station already
in the second position. Therefore, what is needed is a simple and economical feature
to assure that the locking member is not accidentally displaced from the first to
the second position. It is further required that this be a simple and unintrusive
addition to the components of the connector.
[0006] These and other objects are accomplished by providing an electrical connector comprising
a connector housing having a contact cavity therein for receiving a contact and a
locking member for assuring the contacts are positively retained in the connector
housing, the locking member having a first position upon the housing where the contact
is receivable in the cavity and a second position where the locking member effects
obstruction of the cavity, thereby preventing insertion or assuring retention of the
contact, the connector being characterized in that a resilient tab is provided on
the locking member that interferes with the connector housing, unless deflected, when
moving between the first and second positions.
[0007] The invention will now be described by way of example with reference to the drawings,
wherein:
Figure 1 is an upper perspective view of an electrical connector according to the
present invention;
Figure 2 is an upper perspective view of the locking member incorporated into the
connector of Figure 1;
Figure 3 is a side sectional view of the electrical connector of Figure 1 with the
locking member in the first position;
Figure 4 is a side sectional view corresponding to that of Figure 3 showing the electrical
connector of Figure 1 with the locking member in a second position;
Figure 5 is another side sectional view of the electrical connector of Figure 1 showing
the locking member in the first position of Figure 3; and
Figure 6 is a detailed view of a locking wedge incorporated into the locking member
of the connector of Figure 1.
[0008] With reference first to Figure 1, an electrical connector according to the present
invention is shown generally at 2. The electrical connector 2 includes a connector
housing 4 and a locking member 6. In this example, the electrical connector 2 is configured
as a relay housing and includes a resilient arm 8 for positively retaining the relay
(not shown). The invention is not to be limited by the configurations described herein.
A plurality of contact receiving passageways 10 are open through the locking member
6 for receiving a mating contact (not shown). The locking member 6 is receivable into
an opening 12 in the connector housing 4 that is defined by outer walls 14 that further
define an upper surface 16 thereof.
[0009] With reference now to Figure 2, the locking member 6 will be described in greater
detail. The locking member 6 includes a supporting plate 18 having openings 20 therein
that are in communication with the contact cavities 10 when the locking member 6 is
mounted upon the connector housing 4. Extending from one side of the support plate
18 is a shroud 22 that is bifurcated such that side portions 24 are freely cantilevered
from a base wall 25. Each side portion 24 includes a tab 26 carried thereupon that
extends outwardly therefrom in an L-like manner. The tab 26 is free from an upper
wall portion 28 opposite the base wall 25, thereby enabling the side portions 24 to
be resiliently deflectable such that displacement of the tabs 26 may be achieved.
Multiple latching arms 30 extend from the opposite side of the support plate 18 and
include a hook portion 32 for engaging catch surfaces upon the connector housing to
define both a first position for the locking member 6 and a second position for the
locking member 6 that are displaced from each other. Further included in the locking
member 6 and extending in the same direction as the locking arms 30 are wedge members
34 that will be described in greater detail below.
[0010] With reference now to Figure 3 and Figure 4, the electrical connector 2 is shown
assembled in the first and second position respectively. As shown in Figure 3, one
of the latch arms 30 is engaged with a first position catch 36 so that the locking
member 6 is prevented from being displaced from the connector housing 4. The locking
member 6 is shown positioned above the opening 12 that is defined by the side walls
14. In this position, the side walls 24 carrying the tabs 26 are in their free position
such that the tabs 26 extend out over the upper surface 16 of the connector housing
4. As can be easily imagined, exertion of a force in the direction of arrow A, without
first deflecting the tabs 26, results in abutment of the tabs 26 with the upper surface
16, thereby preventing the locking member 6 from being further inserted into the opening
12. Ultimately, the second position cannot be achieved as the tabs 26 interfere with
the upper surface 16 of the housing 4. With reference now to Figure 4, the freely
cantilevered side arms 24 may be deflected in a way such that the tabs 26 may be received
within the opening 12 without interference with the side walls 14 or the upper surface
16 carried thereupon. In this instance, another one of the latching arms 30 of the
locking member 6 engage a second lock position catch surface 38 in order to establish
the second position of a connector 2.
[0011] With reference now to Figure 5, the contact retention will be described in detail.
As shown, the locking member 6 is affixed upon the housing 4 in the first position.
The connector housing 4 includes the contact cavities 10 which from a wall thereof
protrudes a cantilevered contact retention arm 40. The retention arm 40 has a free
end 42 carrying a stop shoulder 44 that cooperates with a corresponding shoulder of
an electrical contact to be inserted therein in a manner that is well known. As the
retention arm extends slightly away from the cavity wall 39, a space 46 is defined
therebetween.
[0012] The wedges 34 that extend from the locking member 6 are described in detail with
reference also to Figure 6. The wedge 34 includes a backup surface 48 that may be
inclined to correspond to the angle at which the retention arm 40 extends from the
wall 39. Opposite the backup surface 48 is a support surface 50 that corresponds to
the cavity wall 39. The wedge further includes a free end 52 that is configured to
fit within the space 46. The backup surface 48 is truncated in such a manner that
an abutment shoulder 54 is provided that is generally transverse to the wedge 34.
The truncation further defines the free end 52 as a nose portion 56 that when the
locking member 6 is in the second position, as shown in Figure 5, the nose 56 overlaps
the free end 42 of the retention arm such that it is not possible for the retention
arm 40 to be displaced behind the wedge 34. This assures that the free end 42 will
either interfere with the abutment shoulder 54 if it is not returned to its original
and natural position or the wedge 34 will fit between the retention arm 40 in the
wall 39 thereby maintaining the retention arm 40 in engagement with the contact in
the contact cavity 10. The stop shoulder 54 provides for clean stubbing or abutment
with the free end 42 of the retention arm 40 that prevents further insertion of the
locking member 6 without the possibility that the gradual backup surface 48 would
interact with the free end 42 to deform the arm 40 or the stop shoulder 44.
1. An electrical connector (2) comprising a connector housing (4) and a locking member
(6) where the connector housing (4) includes a contact cavity (10) for receiving an
electrical contact where a retention arm (40) extending from a wall thereof to a free
end (42) and that carries a stop (44) thereupon, the stop (44) being formed to co-operate
with the contact to prevent extraction thereof, where the retention arm (40) is deflectable
to allow the contact to be inserted into the cavity (10) and after the contact passes
resiles therebehind, the locking member (6) having a wedge (34) extending therefrom
that includes a backup surface (48) and where the locking member (6) has a first position
relative the connector housing (4) such that the retention arm (40) is deflectable
to allow the contact to pass and a second position where the wedge (34) is located
behind the retention arm (40) and prevents deflection thereof, the connector being
characterized in that the wedge (34) includes an abutment shoulder (54) along the
backup surface (48) that is oriented transversely to the direction of displacement
of the locking member (6) such that the abutment shoulder (54) stubs the retention
arm (40) when the retention arm (40) is in a deflected position, thereby preventing
the locking member (6) from achieving the second position unless the retention arm
(40) is in an undeflected position.
2. The electrical connector of claim 1, further characterized in that the locking member
(6) is telescopically disposed on the connector housing (4), where the locking member
includes a plurality of latch arms (30) at least one of which engages a first shoulder
(36) in the first position and a second shoulder (38) in the second position.
3. The electrical connector of claim 1 or 2, further characterized in that the wedge
(34) further including a nose (56) extending beyond the abutment shoulder (54) such
that in the first position the nose 56 is in an overlapping relation with the free
end (42) of the retention arm (40).
4. The electrical connector of claim 1, 2 or 3, further characterized in that the connector
includes a deflectable tab (24) including an abutment (26) that prevents movement
of the locking member (6) from the first position to the second position unless deflected.
5. The electrical connector of claim 4, further characterized in that the deflectable
tab 24 is attached to the locking member (6) and the abutment (26) interfering with
an upper surface (16) of the housing (4) unless deflected.
6. An electrical connector (2) comprising a connector housing (4) having a contact cavity
(10) therein for receiving a contact and a locking member (6) for assuring the contacts
are positively retained in the connector housing (4), the locking member (6) having
a first position upon the housing (4) where the contact is receivable in the cavity
and a second position where the locking member (6) effects obstruction of the cavity,
thereby preventing insertion or assuring retention of the contact, the connector being
characterized in that a resilient tab (24) is provided on the locking member (6) that
interferes with the connector housing (4), unless deflected, when moving between the
first and second positions.