Abstract:
A self docking instrument panel connector system is provided with a first connector member ( 18 ) attached to an instrument panel assembly ( 12 ). A second connector member ( 20 ) is attached to a body of a vehicle ( 16 ) and is designed to mate with the first connector member ( 18 ). One of the connector members ( 20 ) is adjustably supported to be movable in first and second lateral directions and in a longitudinal direction in order to accommodate for build tolerances and component insertion variances.

Description:
The benifit of provisional application No. 60/055,670, filed Aug. 14, 1997 is claimed. 
    
    
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     1. Field of the Invention 
     The present invention relates to electrical connectors, and more particularly to a self docking instrument panel connector system. 
     2. Background and Summary of the Invention 
     Currently, vehicles are designed such that the body and engine compartment wiring connections must be manually mated to the instrument panel wiring after the instrument panel is installed in the vehicle. The process of manually mating the instrument panel wiring with the body and engine compartment wiring requires additional manpower to perform operations which are not ergonomically friendly. 
     The present invention is directed to a self docking instrument panel connector system whereby the electrical connection from a vehicle&#39;s instrument panel wiring to its body and engine compartment wiring is improved by eliminating the need to manually mate the wiring connectors together. The improved instrument panel connector system has a stationary connector and an adjustable connector. The connector system compensates for build tolerances and component insertion variances automatically. The adjustable connector is capable of moving in three axes as well as being capable of limited rotational movement. The ability of the adjustable connector to move in all three axes as well as having limited rotational movement facilitates an improved mating arrangement between the adjustable connector and the stationary connector as the instrument panel is installed in the vehicle. 
     The present invention provides an electrical connector having a first connector member supporting at least one electrical terminal. A second connector member supports at least one electrical terminal for mating with the at least one electrical terminal supported by the first connector member when one of the first and second connector members is moved longitudinally toward the other. A bracket is provided for supporting the second connector member. The second connector member is supported so as to be laterally movable in two directions relative to said bracket. The bracket is mounted to a mounting surface and capable of being automatically adjustably seated longitudinally relative thereto when the first and second connector members engage each other. 
     Further areas of applicability of the present invention will become apparent from the detailed description provided hereinafter. It should be understood however that the detailed description and specific examples, while indicating preferred embodiments of the invention, are intended for purposes of illustration only, since various changes and modifications within the spirit and scope of the invention will become apparent to those skilled in the art from this detailed description. 
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     The present invention will become more fully understood from the detailed description and the accompanying drawings, wherein: 
     FIG. 1 is an exploded perspective view of a wire harness coupler embodying the present invention; 
     FIG. 2 is an exploded side view of the instrument panel connector system of the present invention; 
     FIG. 3 is a perspective view of the electrical connector according to the principles of the present invention; 
     FIG. 4 is a front view of an outer bracket for use with the present invention; 
     FIG. 5 is an end view of the outer bracket shown in FIG. 4; 
     FIG. 6 is a side view of the outer bracket shown in FIG. 4; 
     FIG. 7 is a front view of a snap lock for enclosing the outer bracket of the present invention; 
     FIG. 8 is a top view of the snap lock shown in FIG. 7; 
     FIG. 9 is a cross-sectional view taken along line  9 — 9  of FIG. 8; 
     FIG. 10 is a front view of an inner bracket of a connector holding assembly; 
     FIG. 11 is a side view of the inner bracket shown in FIG. 10; 
     FIG. 12 is an end view of the inner bracket shown in FIG. 10; 
     FIG. 13 is a perspective view of a 25-way connector assembly; 
     FIG. 14 is a cross-sectional view of a connector holding assembly according to the principles of the present invention; 
     FIG. 15 is a cross-sectional view illustrating the engagement of the stationary or fixed connector with the inner bracket of the adjustable connector assembly; 
     FIG. 16 is a cross-sectional view illustrating the stationary connector engaged with the inner bracket of the adjustable connector assembly; 
     FIG. 17 is a cross-sectional view illustrating the connection of a male and female connector supported by the stationary or fixed connector and one of the inner connectors of the adjustable connector assembly; and 
     FIG. 18 is a cross-sectional view illustrating the stationary or fixed connector engaged with the inner bracket or the adjustable connector assembly and with the prongs of the outer bracket being recessed in the holes of the mounting surface. 
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
     With reference to FIGS. 1-18, the present invention will be described in detail. The self docking instrument panel connector system of the present invention allows the connection of the wire harness  10  of the instrument panel  12  to be connected to the body and engine compartment harnesses  14  automatically when the instrument panel  12  is connected to the body of the vehicle  16 . The vehicle body  16  may include the dash panel, side cowls, a cowl top, floor pan reinforcement or many other body parts. The self docking instrument panel connector system includes a stationary or fixed connector  18  which is mounted to the instrument panel assembly  12 . The fixed connector  18  engages an inner bracket  20  of a connector holding assembly  22 . Connector holding assembly  22  includes an outer bracket  24  which supports inner bracket  20 . Outer bracket  24  is mounted to optional mounting bracket  26  or body  16 . The stationary or fixed connector  18  is provided with a pair of mounting portions  34  which can be connected to the instrument panel  12  by a bracket such as instrument panel reinforcement  28 . The stationary or fixed connector  18  can be fastened to reinforcement  28  by screws  30 , bolts, or other means. 
     Inner bracket  20  supports a plurality of inner connector assemblies  32  which include a plurality of female terminals  36 , as shown in FIG. 13, which are connected to respective wires on the wire harnesses  14 . A plurality of male terminals  38  are supported by the outer connector  18 . The male terminals  38  are connected to individual wires  40  of wire harness  10 . The wire harness  10  is connected to a plurality of connectors  42  which are disposed within the instrument panel  12  for delivering electrical signals to and from a plurality of instrument panel actuators and displays. 
     Outer connector  18  is provided with a funnel surface  43 , best seen in FIG. 15, which engages an upper surface  44  of inner bracket  20  and properly centers inner bracket  20  with respect to the seating portion  46  of outer connector  18 . The male terminals  38  supported by the stationary or fixed connector  18  engage with female terminals  36  of a connector assembly  32  as shown in FIGS. 17 and 18. According to a preferred embodiment, inner bracket  20  is provided with three pockets  48  for supporting three connector assemblies  32 . Pockets  48  are defined by outer wall  50  and center walls  52  of the inner bracket  20 . 
     Connector assemblies  32  are provided with a latching mechanism  54 , each having a locking member  56  which engages a locking tab  58  disposed on the outer wall  50  of inner bracket  20 . Inner bracket  20  includes a flanged portion  60  received in a slot  62  of outer bracket  24 . Inner bracket  20  is also provided with a plurality of lateral spring members  64  which extend laterally outward from an upper portion of outer wall  50 . Spring members  64  extend downward toward flange  60 . Flange  60  includes a plurality of openings  66  which receive an end of lateral spring members  64 . Lateral spring members  64  engage an inner surface  68  of outer bracket  24  adjacent to slot  62 . Lateral spring members  64  bias inner bracket  20  to a centered position relative to outer bracket  24 . However, lateral spring members  64  are flexible to enable adjustment of the positioning of inner bracket  20  relative to outer bracket  24  as illustrated in FIG.  14 . Thus, the lateral position of inner bracket  20  is automatically adjustable for aligning itself with outer connector  18  in the x and y lateral directions shown in FIG.  3 . 
     Outer bracket  24  includes a plurality of prongs  70  which are each provided with a plurality of crush ribs  72  along a radial surface thereof. Prongs  70  are provided with a pointed tip  74  having a seat portion  76 . The pointed tip  74  of prongs  70  are inserted into holes  78  of a mounting surface  80 . During the assembly of the instrument panel  12  to the vehicle body  16 , there are many tolerances which must be accounted for during connection of the stationary or fixed connector  18  to inner bracket  20  of connector holding assembly  22 . These tolerances exist in all three dimensions (x,y,z), and therefore require that the inner bracket  20  be movable in all three directions (x,y,z). Therefore, the inner bracket  20  is adjustable relative to outer bracket  24  in two lateral dimensions (x,y) due to the flange  60  being movable in slot  62  of outer bracket  24 . In addition, prongs  70  are capable of being adjustably seated in holes  78  (in the z direction) of mounting surface  80 , as illustrated in FIG.  18 . In particular, when prongs  70  are pushed or forced into holes  78  of mounting surface  80 , the crush ribs  72  are shaved away from prongs  70 . Alternatively, crush ribs  72  can merely deform upon insertion through holes  78 . The ability of the prongs  70  to be adjustably seated in holes  78  of mounting surface  80  allow the inner bracket  20  to move in the longitudinal (z) direction when the instrument panel  12  is assembled to the vehicle body  16 , and outer connector  18  has been fully mated with inner bracket  20 . 
     Outer bracket  24  includes a main bracket portion  24   a  (illustrated in FIGS. 4-6) and a snap lock bracket portion  24   b  (illustrated in FIGS.  7 - 9 ). Main bracket portion  24   a  is provided with a pair of latch fingers  82  which are received in finger receptors  84  of snap lock bracket portion  24   b . Latch fingers  82  are provided with a slot  86  which is engaged by locking tab  88  disposed within finger receptor  84 . Snap lock bracket portion  24   b  also includes a plurality of guide teeth  90  which are received in tooth receptor portions  92  of main bracket portion  24   a . Because snap lock bracket portion  24   b  is removable from main bracket  24   a  of outer bracket  24 , inner bracket  20  can be removed from outer bracket  24  for maintenance. 
     During assembly of an instrument panel  12  into a vehicle, the connector holding assembly  22  is mounted to the dash panel  16  or another mounting surface provided with holes for receiving prongs  70  of outer bracket  24 . Inner bracket  20  is provided with a plurality of connector assemblies  32 , as needed, and wire harnesses  14  is connected to the connector assemblies  32 . Stationary or fixed connector  18  is mounted to the instrument panel assembly  12  and is provided with a plurality of terminals attached to various wires of wire harness  10 . As the instrument panel  12  is brought toward dash panel  16 , funnel surface  43  of stationary or fixed connector  18  engages the upper surface  44  of the outer wall  50  of inner bracket  20 . If the stationery or fixed connector  18  and inner bracket  20  are not properly aligned, funnel surface  43  will guide inner bracket  20  to a properly aligned position whereby lateral spring members  64  allow lateral adjustment of inner bracket  20  relative to outer bracket  24  in the x and y lateral directions. 
     As the stationary or fixed connector  18  is brought into complete contact with inner bracket  20 , lateral spring members  64  are fully received within spring recess portions  98  of stationary or fixed connector  18 , as shown in FIG.  16 . As the instrument panel  12  is fully assembled to dash panel  16 , the variances in the longitudinal (z direction) positioning of stationary or fixed connector  18  relative to inner bracket  20  can be compensated by prongs  70  of outer bracket  24  being adjustably seated longitudinally in holes  78  of mounting surface  80 . Thus, the connector holding assembly  22  enables movement of inner bracket  20  in two lateral directions (x and y) relative to outer bracket  24 . 
     In addition, the ability of prongs  70  to be adjustably seated, allows the instrument panel connector system to be adjustable in the longitudinal (z) direction. 
     The invention being thus described, it will be obvious that the same may be varied in many ways. Such variations are not to be regarded as a departure from the spirit and scope of the invention, and all such modifications as would be obvious to one skilled in the art are intended to be included within the scope of the following claims.