Electric connector

An electric connector comprising an outer casing; a terminal block housed inside the casing and having a number of through cavities arranged in two parallel rows adjacent to the lateral walls of the terminal block; and a number of electric terminals housed inside respective cavities and retained therein by respective primary connecting means and by secondary retaining means consisting of a pair of comb elements having teeth cooperating with respective terminals; the comb elements being integral with the terminal block and connected to it by an elastic hinge.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
The present invention relates to an electric connector, particularly for 
connecting an electronic control system to the electric system of a motor 
vehicle. 
Known connectors of the aforementioned type substantially comprise a 
terminal block made of insulating material and having a number of 
cavities, each housing a terminal; and an outer casing housing the 
terminal block and having retaining means for fitting to the vehicle. 
Connectors of this type as known, for example, from DE-C3-2 354 795, 
EP-B1-0 003 649, DE-A1-2 849 077, and WO-A1-90/06603. 
The cavities on the terminal block are typically arranged in two side by 
side rows, and means are provided for retaining the terminals inside the 
cavities. 
In the embodiment known from DE-C3-2 354 795 (and corresponding U.S. Pat. 
No. 4,082,400), the retaining means consist of a pair of comb elements 
mounted on opposite sides of the body and held in place by the casing. The 
comb elements present a number of teeth engaging through seats formed in 
the body and corresponding with the cavities. The teeth therefore 
penetrate partially inside the cavities, and cooperate with respective 
mating portions of the terminals. 
Known connectors of the type briefly described above present a major 
drawback. 
Should one of the comb elements fail to be inserted at the assembly stage, 
this does not prevent insertion of the terminal block inside the casing, 
and the absence of the comb element goes undetected, especially if 
assembly is performed automatically. The terminals are therefore not 
retained inside the cavities any more, so that, when connected to the 
complementary connector, the insertion load on the terminals may result in 
withdrawal from the cavities. 
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
It is an object of the present invention to provide a connector of the 
aforementioned type, designed to overcome the aforementioned drawbacks 
typically associated with known types. 
According to the present invention, there is provided an electric connector 
comprising: 
an outer casing 
a terminal block housed inside said casing and having a number of through 
cavities arranged in at least one row parallel and adjacent to a lateral 
wall of said terminal block; 
a number of electric terminals housed inside respective said cavities and 
retained therein by respective primary connecting means; and 
secondary means for retaining said terminals inside said cavities; 
said secondary terminal retaining means comprising at least one comb 
element mounted through an opening in said lateral wall of said terminal 
block, and having a number of teeth cooperating with respective said 
terminals; 
characterized by the fact that said comb element is integral with said 
terminal block and connected to the same by an elastic hinge.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
Number 1 in FIG. 1 indicates a connector having a large number of ways and 
particularly designed for connecting an electronic control system to the 
electric system of a motor vehicle. 
Connector 1 substantially consists of a terminal block 2 and an outer 
casing 3 housing block 2. 
Terminal block 2 is substantially in the form of an elongated 
parallelepipedon, and is defined by a pair of lateral walls 4. Block 2 
defines a number of through cavities 5 arranged in two rows parallel and 
adjacent to lateral walls 4, and extending parallel to the shorter side of 
walls 4. Lateral walls 4 define a number of elastic teeth 6 extending 
inside respective cavities 5 and constituting primary connecting means for 
respective known electric terminals 11, one of which is shown 
schematically by the dotted line in FIGS. 1 and 3. 
From one axial end of terminal block 2, there extends longitudinally a 
plate 7 perpendicular to cavities 5 and having a projection 8 at one end, 
with an axial hole 9 for assembly to casing 3 as described later on. 
From the opposite end of terminal block 2, there extends a rib 10 having a 
section substantially in the form of an upside down T with two flat 
lateral wings 10a, and a transverse wall 14 at one end for closing casing 
3. From the side of wall 14 facing cables 12 connected to terminals 11, 
there projects a half shell 16 having a semi-elliptical section and the 
function of which will be explained later on. Transverse wall 14 also 
presents an outer tooth 22 for clicking connector 1 to a terminal board. 
According to the present invention, each lateral wall 4 of terminal block 2 
present a through opening 16 in the form of a longitudinally elongated 
rectangle and communicating with all the cavities 5 adjacent to wall 4. By 
means of a number of thin portions defining an elastic hinge 18, a longer 
side of opening 16 is fitted integral with a comb element 19 having a 
substantially L-shaped cross section 
Each comb element 19 comprises a number of teeth 20 (FIG. 3) penetrating 
inside respective cavities 5 and cooperating with a mating portion of 
terminals 11 for preventing withdrawal of the same as described later on. 
In more detail, each comb element 19 comprises a wall 1, a longitudinal 
side of which is connected to the side of opening 16 by means of elastic 
hinge 18; and a wall 24 extending perpendicularly from the opposite side 
of wall 21 and outwards of block 2. Teeth 20 extend parallel to wall 24, 
from the joining edge of walls 21 and 24. 
In FIG. 1, terminal block 2 is shown in the molding position, wherein walls 
21 of comb elements 19 slope substantially 45.degree. outwards of block 2. 
As walls 21 are he same shape as respective openings 16, elements 19 may 
be turned about elastic hinges 18, so that walls 21 close openings 16, and 
walls 24 extend laterally, perpendicular to walls 4 and coplanar with 
plate 7 and lateral wings 10a of T-section rib 10. In this position (FIG. 
3), teeth 20 of comb elements 19 penetrate inside respective cavities 5, 
cooperate with respective mating portions of terminals 11 for preventing 
axial withdrawal of the same from cavities 5. 
Outer casing 3 of the connector is elongated in shape, with a substantially 
U-shaped cross section, and is defined laterally by a pair of parallel, 
substantially fl at walls 26, by a top wall 27, and by an end wall 28 
having a hook-shaped elastic outer element 29 for connection to the 
terminal board 
End wall 28 also presents a through hole 30 for securing terminal block 2 
inside casing 3 by means of a screw 31. On the end opposite end wall 28, 
casing 3 presents an opening 23 for longitudinally inserting terminal 
block 2, and, on the side opposite top wall 27, is open for connecting 
terminals 11 to the terminal board of the electronic control system. 
The inside surfaces of lateral walls 26 present respective grooves 32 
communicating with end opening 23 of casing 3, and designed to receive the 
lateral edges of plate 7, walls 24 of elements 19 and lateral wings 10a of 
rib 10. 
In the opposite direction to end wall 28, top wall 27 extends in the form 
of a half shell 33 similar and complementary to half shell 16 of terminal 
block 2. In use, half shells 16 and 33 define a sleeve for the passage of 
cables 12. 
Close to half shell 33, top wall 27 defines a pair of projections 34 by 
which to manually grip connector 1. Connector 1 also comprises a 
substantially funnel-shaped, elliptical-section sleeve 35 for protecting 
cables 12 and comprising a first portion 36 fitted over half shells 33 and 
16, and a second smaller-section portion 37 cooperating elastically with 
cables 12. 
Finally, connector 1 comprises a substantially rectangular peripheral seal 
38 fitted about terminal block 2, between this and the inner walls of 
casing 3, and axially contacting plate 7, walls 24 and lateral wings 10a 
of rib 10. 
Connector 1 is assembled as follows. 
Terminal block 2, complete with terminals 11, is inserted longitudinally 
inside casing 3, which is only possible by first turning both comb 
elements 19, from the molding position in FIG. 1, inwards of terminal 
block 2, as shown in FIG. 3. In this position, as already stated, 
terminals 11 are locked inside respective cavities 5; and plate 7, walls 
24 of elements 19 and lateral wings 10a of rib 10 are coplanar and thus 
insertable inside grooves 32 in lateral walls 26 of casing 3. 
Terminal block 2 is inserted longitudinally inside casing 3 until plate 7 
cooperates with end wall 28 of casing 3, and transverse wall 14 of block 2 
closes the end opening of casing 3 by fitting between and flush with 
lateral walls 26. Terminal block 2 is locked axially inside casing 3 by 
means of screw 31. 
The connector is connected to the terminal board of the electronic control 
system in known manner, which is therefore not described in detail. 
Suffice it to say that connection is made by connecting tooth 22 and 
elastic elements 29 to respective mating elements on the terminal board; 
terminals 11 cooperate with respective electric terminals on the terminal 
board, and seal 38 is compressed between plate 7, walls 24 and rib 10, on 
the one hand, and a rectangular, peripheral contact surface on the 
terminal board, on the other, thus providing for effective sealing. 
The advantages of the connector according to the present invention will be 
clear from the foregoing description. In particular, it provides for 
foolproof assembly of the secondary terminal retaining means (comb 
elements 19), which, unless correctly assembled, prevent assembly of the 
connector and insertion of block 2 inside casing 3, by cooperating with 
lateral walls 26. 
Also, the fact that, once the connector as assembled, wall 14 is fitted 
between walls 26, flush with as opposed to frontally contacting the edge 
of the same, provides for particularly effective sealing when the 
connector is mounted vertically on the vehicle, with the cables downwards. 
In this case, any condensate runs off downwards along walls 26, instead of 
penetrating between walls 26 and wall 14. 
To those skilled in the art it will be clear that changes may he made to 
connector 1 as described and illustrated herein without, however, 
departing from the scope of the present invention. For example, terminals 
11 may be of any type, and, consequently, primary connecting teeth 6 and 
comb elements 19 of any shape.