Electrical connector

Abstract: The connector (12) (see Fig. 1) includes a housing (22) extending in an axial direction between a rear conductor entry end (28) and a forward mating end (30). A plurality of terminal receiving recesses (36) extend between the ends (22, 28) of the housing (22). A plurality of electrical terminals (38) are slidably insertable into the recesses (36) from the conductor entry end (28). A terminal lock (24) is supported for movement on the housing between a terminal load position in which the terminal lock does not obstruct the recesses (36) and a lock position in which the terminal lock (24) engages terminals (38) in the recesses. The terminal lock (14) includes a forward camming blade (74) disposed adjacent the forward end (30) of the housing for permitting mating of the mating end of the housing with a further connector (14) (see Fig. 1) only when the terminal lock is in the lock position.

Description: The present invention relates to electrical connectors and more particularly to improved electrical connectors including a terminal lock movable between a terminal load position and a terminal lock position. Electrical connectors including various terminal retention arrangements for retaining terminals in the connector are known. Examples of electrical connectors are disclosed in US-A-4,284,320 issued August 18, 1981 to Nix et al.; US-A-4,698,030 issued October 6, 1987 to Ryll et al.; and US-A-4,714,437 issued December 22, 1987 to Dyki. Disadvantages of the known electrical connectors include their complexity and the resulting difficulty and time required for assembly. An object of the present invention is to provide an improved electrical connector. US-A-3,023,394 discloses a connector assembly in which a first connector is provided with a number of terminals with widened ends which are insertable into slots in a second, complementary connector. The connectors are interlocked by rotating one connector relative to the other so that the widened portions of the terminals underly walls in the second connector so preventing their withdrawal. The first connector is provided with a central cylindrical key member rotatably mounted in the first connector provided with a slot, for example L-shaped. The second connector has a fixed central key shaped to be insertable in the key slot in the first connector. The key and key slot provide that only matching first and second connectors can be pushed together to put the terminals into the slots. Once in place the rotatable key member allows the first and second connector to rotate relative to each other to lock the terminals against being withdrawn as described above. US-A-4,698,030 discloses a multicontact electrical connector which comprises a connector housing having first and second sections in which one part is movable relative to the other in a perpendicular direction to the housing axis. The terminal receiving cavities extend through the movable part and through the relatively fixed part. When the movable part is in one position, the terminals can be inserted into the cavities. When the movable part is moved to another position, a shoulder is formed in each cavity which prevents removal of the terminals from the cavities. The two parts are each plastic moldings and can be assembled to each other in a simple assembly operation. Such a connector provides for positive locking of the terminals in the cavities of the housing and assurance that not only are retained in the cavities, but that the terminals have been fully inserted since the second housing section cannot be rotated to the terminal retaining position unless the terminals are fully inserted. Two such connectors may be mateably engaged to each other to form a connector assembly. US-A-4,698,030 discloses an electrical connector according to the preamble of claim 1 and an electrical connection assembly according to the preamble of claim 9. First and second aspects of the invention are characterised by the characterizing portions of claims 1 and 9, respectively. Some ways of carrying out the present invention will now be described in detail by way of example with reference to drawings which show different embodiments. In the drawings; FIG. 1 is an exploded perspective view of an electrical connection assembly constructed in accordance with the present invention and including an electrical connector of the present invention; FIG. 2 is an exploded perspective view of a first electrical connector of the electrical connector assembly of Fig. 1; FIG. 3 is a perspective view of an electrical terminal terminated with a conductor of an electrical connector of Fig. 1; FIG. 4 is a sectional view of the first electrical connector taken along the line 4-4 of Fig. 1 after the insertion of the terminals with terminated conductors and mating with a second electrical connector of the electrical connection assembly of Fig. 1; FIG. 5 is a sectional view taken along line 5-5 of Fig. 4; FIG. 6 is a fragmentary sectional view taken along line 6-6 of Fig. 4; FIG. 7 is a sectional view taken along line 7-7 of Fig. 6; FIG. 8 is a perspective view of an alternative electrical connection assembly constructed in accordance with the present invention and including an electrical connector of the present invention; FIG. 9 is an exploded perspective view of a first electrical connector of the alternative electrical connector assembly of Fig. 8; FIG. 10 is an elevational view taken along line 10-10 of Fig. 9 illustrating a partial assembly of the first electrical connector prior to assembly of a lock member and prior to insertion of the terminals; FIGS. 11 and 12 are sectional views taken along line 11-11 of Fig. 8 illustrating a terminal lock in a terminal load position and in a lock position, respectively; and FIG. 13 is a fragmentary sectional view taken along line 13-13 of Fig. 9. Having reference now to the drawings and first to Fig. 1, there is shown an exploded perspective view of an electrical connection assembly designated as a whole by the reference character 10 and constructed in accordance with principles of the present invention. Electrical connection assembly 10 includes an electrical connector 12 illustrated in exploded perspective view in Fig. 2 and a mating second electrical connector 14. A flange 16, a flange seal 18 and a retaining ring 20 and a second identical connector 12 are illustrated with the electrical connector assembly 10 for a particular application, although it should be understood that the electrical connector assembly 10 can be used for various different applications. Referring to Fig. 2, the first electrical connector 12 includes a housing 22, a terminal lock member 24 and a cap or cover 26. The terminal lock member 24 is captured within a recess 27 in the housing 22 by the cover 26 and is supported for rotational movement in the housing 22 between a terminal load position shown in Fig. 5 and a terminal lock position shown in Fig. 4. Mating engagement of the connectors 12 and 14 is prevented unless the terminal lock member 24 is correctly positioned in the terminal lock position as shown in Fig. 4. The housing 22 extends in an axial direction between a rear conductor entry end 28 and a forward mating end 30. Preferably, the electrical connector housing 22 is an integral, one-piece formed of a strong, flexible electrically insulating material. A plastics or similar material forms the housing 22 by conventional injection molding technique. For accurate keying alignment with the mating connector 14, housing 22 includes a pair of rails 32 and a pair of latch protuberances 34. Rails 32 are received in corresponding grooves of the mating connector 14 and latch protuberances 34 are received by latch arms 35 of connector 14. Referring also to FIG. 5 a plurality of terminal receiving recesses 36 extend between the opposite ends 28 and 30 of the housing 22. The terminal receiving recesses 36 are arrayed at approximately 120 degree intervals around and are spaced from the central longitudinal axis of housing 22. A plurality of terminals 38 are slideably inserted into the terminal receiving recesses 36 past the terminal lock member 24 positioned in the terminal load position as shown in FIG. 5. Crimp terminals such as illustrated in FIG. 3 can be used for terminals 38, although various different terminal types can be employed. Terminals 38 include a first pair of opposed terminal locking windows 40 and an axially spaced apart second pair of opposed terminal locking windows 42 formed in a cylindrical pin-receiving terminal portion 44. A pair of opposed, resilient contact beams 46 are formed in the terminal portion 44 for effective electrical connection with a mating pin 48 of the mating second connector 14 as shown in FIG. 4. An associated conductor 50 is terminated by each of the terminals 38 prior to insertion into the electrical connector 12 by crimping wings 51 and strain relief wings 53. Housing 22 includes a plurality of spaced-apart resilient retaining arms 52 inwardly extending within the terminal receiving recesses 36. Each retaining arm 52 has a free end locking finger 54 for movement within one of the opposed terminal locking windows 40 as shown in FIG. 4 for orienting, positioning and retaining the terminals 38 within the housing recesses 36. A rearward sleeve portion 55 of the housing 22 extends axially outwardly from a recessed terminal entry wall 56 defining a cavity 58 for receiving a conductor entry seal (not shown). A forward sleeve portion 60 of the housing 22 extends axially outwardly from a recessed forward housing wall 62 defining the cavity 27 for receiving the terminal lock member 24. Sleeve 60 includes a plurality of spaced apart apertures 66 for receiving a plurality of corresponding fastening tabs 68 of the connector cover 26. The cooperating fastening structures 66 and 68 are arrayed at approximately 120 degree intervals each spaced approximately 60 degrees from the terminal receiving recesses 36. A plurality of spaced apart apertures 70 extend through the cover 26 for receiving the pin terminals 48 of the mating second connector 14. A generally centrally located aperture 72 in the cover 26 receives an axially outwardly extending positioning, camming blade 74 of the terminal lock member 24. A recessed bearing surface 76 in the housing wall 62 provides low friction engagement with a tapered proximal end portion 78 of the terminal lock 24. A plurality of axially aligned pairs of terminal locking projections 80 extend radially at spaced locations along the terminal lock 24 for locking engagement with each of the terminals 38 in the terminal lock position. The terminal locking projections 80 are arrayed at approximately 60 degree intervals around the perimeter of the terminal lock member 24 spaced from the central longitudinal axis of housing 22. In the terminal load position shown in FIG. 5, the terminal locking projections 80 are spaced from the terminal receiving recesses 36 to permit the unobstructed sliding insertion of terminals 38 within the connector 12. The terminal locking projections 80 are received within terminal locking windows 40 and 42 for retaining the terminals 38 when the terminal lock member 24 is moved to the terminal lock position of FIG. 4. Referring to FIGS. 2 and 4, the terminal lock member 24 includes a plurality of spaced apart pairs of recesses 77 and 79. A plurality of spaced apart protuberances 81 formed on the connector cover 26 are alternately received within the apertures 77 and 79 for positioning the terminal lock member 24 with respect to the housing 22 in the terminal load position as shown in FIG. 5. A plurality of keyways 82 with opposed camming surface portions or lead-in chamfers 84 are formed within a recessed housing portion 86 of the mating connector 14 as illustrated in FIGS. 6 and 7. Lock camming blade 74 is received in camming engagement with diametrically opposed ones of the camming surface portions or lead-in chamfers 84 for cam guided insertion of the blade 74 within one of the keyways 82 causing rotation of the terminal lock member 24 to the lock position. With the terminals 38 fully inserted within the housing recesses 36, the terminal lock 24 is moved into locking position by the cooperating cam actuating structure 74 and 84 of the connectors 12 and 14. Otherwise, if the terminals 38 are not properly positioned so that the terminal locking windows 40 and 42 are not aligned for receiving the locking projections 80, the terminal lock 24 is not moved to the lock position and mating insertion of the mating pins 48 with the terminals 38 is prevented. Referring now to FIGS. 8-13, there is illustrated an alternative electrical connector assembly designated as a whole by the reference character 100 and constructed in accordance with the present invention. Connector assembly 100 includes a first electrical connector 102 shown in exploded perspective view in FIG. 9 and a mating second electrical connector 103. Referring to FIG. 9, the first electrical connector 102 includes a housing 104, a housing body member 104A and a terminal lock member 106. Housing 104 and the housing body member 104A alternatively can be formed as an integral, one-piece member by conventional injection molding technique. The terminal lock member 106 is supported for rotational movement on the housing 104A between a terminal load position shown in FIGS. 8 and 11 and a terminal lock position shown in FIG. 12. First electrical connector 102 includes a wire seal and strain relief member 108 and a plurality of terminals 110 each terminated with a conductor 112. Terminals 110 include a cylindrical pin-receiving terminal portion 116 for mating engagement with terminal pins 118 of the second electrical connector 103. It should be understood that various different terminal types can be employed. The housing 104 and housing body 104A extend in an axial direction between a rear terminal entry end 120 and a forward mating end 122. The rear terminal entry end 120 of housing 104 includes a plurality of spaced apart recessed portions 123 defining tab portions 124 having an aperture 126 between the recessed portions 123. A plurality of spaced apart protuberances 128 formed on the wire seal and strain relief member 108 are received in the apertures 126 to secure the housing body 104A with the housing shell 104. A plurality of terminal receiving apertures 130 in seal member 108 are aligned with a plurality of terminal receiving recesses 132 extending between the opposite ends 120 and 122 of the housing body 104A. The terminal receiving recesses 132 are arrayed at approximately 120 degree intervals around and are spaced from the central longitudinal axis of housing 104. The terminals 110 are slideably inserted into the terminal receiving recesses 132 with the terminal lock member 106 positioned in the terminal load position shown in FIGS. 8 and 11. Terminal lock member 106 includes a cap plate 134 having an outwardly extending detent projection 136 alternately received within one of a pair of apertures 140 and 142 within the housing body 104A shown in FIG. 10 for positioning the terminal lock member 106 with respect to the housing 104 in the terminal load and lock positions. Terminal lock member 106 includes an outwardly extending plate portion 144 received within a corresponding housing aperture 146, an axially extending elongated member 148 having a tapered retainer nose portion 150 and a radially extending terminal locking member 152. As illustrated in FIG. 13, elongated member 148 includes a recessed base portion 154 for providing snap fit engagement of the tapered nose portion 150 within a corresponding housing body aperture 156. The radially extending terminal locking member 152 is received for rotational movement within a corresponding shaped housing body passageway 158 best shown in FIGS. 11 and 12. Terminal locking member 152 includes a plurality of terminal engaging portions 160 for retaining the terminals 110 within the housing body 104A. In the terminal load position shown in FIG. 11 the terminal engaging portions 160 are spaced apart from the terminal receiving recesses 132 to permit the unobstructed sliding insertion of the terminals 110. A plurality of apertures 162 in the terminal lock cap plate 134 are aligned for receiving the mating terminal pins 118 of the mating second connector 103 with the terminal lock member 106 moved to the terminal lock position. A flat wall portion 164 of the terminal lock cap plate 134 corresponds to a similar flat wall portion 166 of the mating connector 103. Housing 104 includes a flat wall portion 168 adapted to be received in keying alignment with the corresponding flat wall portion 166 of the mating connector 103 after the terminal lock member 106 is moved to the terminal lock position. If the terminal lock member 106 is not in the terminal lock position mating of the connectors 102 and 103 is prevented. Although each of the electrical connectors 12, 14, 102 and 103 is illustrated with three terminals, it should be understood that electrical connectors having various numbers of terminals can be constructed in accordance with the principles of the present invention. There has been described with reference to the drawings, an improved electrical connector that is simple and inexpensive to make and to assemble; which is adapted to effectively retain and securely position terminals within the connector; which includes a terminal lock movable between a terminal load position and a terminal lock position for permitting mating only in the terminal lock position; and which overcomes disadvantages of similar connectors used in the past.

Claims: An electrical connector (12) releasably mateable with a complementary connector comprising: a housing (22) extending in an axial direction between a rear conductor entry end (28) and a forward mating end (30); a plurality of terminal receiving recesses (36) extending between the ends of said housing (22); a plurality of electrical terminals (38) slidably insertable into said recesses (36) from said conductor entry end (28); and a terminal lock (24) supported for movement on said housing (22) between a terminal load position in which said terminal lock (24) does not obstruct said recesses and a terminal lock position in which said terminal lock (24) engages the terminals in said recesses (36); characterized in that said terminal lock (24) includes a forward portion (74) disposed adjacent said forward mating end (30) of said housing (22) configured to be engageable with a complementary portion (82) of said complementary connector (14) only when the terminal lock (24) is in said terminal lock position whereby mating of said mating end (30) of said housing (22) with said complementary connector (14) can occur only when said terminal lock (24) is in said terminal lock position. An electrical connector as claimed in claim 1 wherein said terminal lock (24) is mounted for rotation around the axis of said housing (22). An electrical connector as claimed in claim 2 wherein said terminal lock (24) includes radially extending projections (80) engageable with said terminals (38) in said recesses (36). An electrical connector as claimed in claim 3, said housing (22) and said terminals (38) including resilient primary locking means for releasably detaining said terminals (38) in predetermined positions in said recesses (36). An electrical connector as claimed in claim 3, said terminal lock (24) including a pair of said projections (80) engageable with each said terminal (38) at axial spaced locations along the length of said terminal (38). An electrical connector as claimed in any preceding claim, said forward portion (74) of said terminal lock (24) including a cam actuating structure (74) for rotating said terminal lock (24) from the terminal load position to the lock position. An electrical connector as claimed in any preceding claim, said housing (22) including a body and a cap (26) attached to said body at the forward end (60) of said housing (22), said terminal lock (24) being captured between said body (22) and cap (26), and said forward portion (74) of said terminal lock (24) extending through said cap (26). An electrical connector as claimed in any preceding claim, said housing (104) and said terminal lock (106) having co-operating snap fastening structures (150, 156) for attaching said terminal lock (106) to said housing (104). An electrical connection assembly (100) comprising in combination: first and second electrical connectors (102, 103) releasably mateable with one another; each of said connectors (102, 103) including a housing (104) supporting a plurality of electrical terminals (110); said first connector (102) includes a terminal lock (106) movable relative to said housing of said first connector (102) between a released position and a locked position in which said terminal lock (106) engages said terminals of said first connector (102); characterized in that said terminal lock (106) includes a terminal lock portion (164) on its outside circumferential surface engageable with a receiving portion (166) on the internal circumferential surface of said housing of said second connector (103) during mating between said first and second connectors (102, 103) said receiving portion (166) and said terminal lock portion (164) preventing mating of said connectors (102, 103) unless said terminal lock (106) is in said lock position. An electrical connection assembly as claimed in claim 9, said lock portion (164) and said receiving portion (166) comprising cam means for moving said terminal lock (106) to said lock position before mating of said connectors (102, 103). An electrical connection assembly as claimed in claim 9 or 10, said terminal lock (106) being rotatable with respect to said first connector housing (102). An electrical connection assembly as claimed in claim 11, said lock portion (164) being located at the axis of rotation of said terminal lock (106). An electrical connection assembly as claimed in claim 12, said terminal lock (106) including radial projections (160) engageable with said terminals (110) of said first connector (102) in the lock position of said terminal lock (106). An electrical connection assembly as claimed in claim 13 wherein two said radial projections are engageable with each of said terminals (110) of said first connector (102).

Inventors: GARDNER MICHAEL J, GEIB LAWRENCE E, GARDNER, MICHAEL J., GEIB, LAWRENCE E.
Applicants: MOLEX INC, MOLEX INCORPORATED
Application year: 1989
Main classification: H01R13
IPC codes: H01R13