Electrical connector having improved strain relief

Abstract: An insulating housing (10) for mounting in a mating female connector housing of an electrical connector, is a two-piece construction comprising a housing member (12) which receives a cover (14) therein. The cover (14) comprises a strain relief member (28) which, is integrally formed as part of the cover (14) and which comprises a plurality of teeth (30). When the cover (14) is mounted in the insulating housing (10), the strain relief member (28) can be pivoted from an unlocked to a locked position, whereupon the plurality of teeth (30) bite into the insulation (32) of insulated wires (24), thereby relieving strain on the insulated wires (24).

Description: This invention relates to an insulating housing having a housing member for receiving a cover having strain relief means for relieving strain on a plurality of insulated conductors which are inserted into the insulating housing. EP-A-0 489 549 discloses an electrical wire connector comprising a one-piece molded female insulating housing, having wire receiving electrical terminals secured therein, and a one-piece molded male insulating housing for mating with the housing. The male housing has a row of wire receiving passageways each intersecting a slot in the male housing. The slot receives the wire receiving part of a respective terminal when the male housing has been fully inserted into the female housing. Wires previously inserted into the wire receiving passages are forced into the wire receiving slots of the terminals 6 during the insertion of the male housing into the female housing. Although the device shown and described in EP-A-0 489 549 has many unique features, it may be desired to provide an electrical connector having improved strain relief. An object of this invention is to provide an electrical connector having improved strain relief for relieving strain on a plurality of insulated conductors which are terminated in the electrical connector. The present invention consists in an insulating housing as defined in claim 1. WO-A-92/02975 and DE-U-86 02 543 suggests the provision of strain relief means at the cover portion of a connector housing. Embodiments of the invention are defined in the subordinate claims. An embodiment of the present invention will now be described by way of example with reference to the accompanying drawings in which: Fig. 1 is an isometric view of an insulating housing having a cover member having strain relief means located in an open position; Fig. 2 is an isometric view showing details of the cover member and strain relief means shown in Fig. 1; Fig. 3 is an isometric bottom view showing further details of the cover member, showing a plurality of teeth; Fig. 4 is an isometric view of the insulating housing shown in Fig. 1, showing insulated wires inserted therein; and Fig. 5 is another isometric view of the insulating housing shown in Figs. 4 and 1 showing the strain relief means pivoted to a locked position. Fig. 1 shows an assembled view of an insulating housing, hereinafter designated insulating housing 10, for mounting in a mating female connector housing (not shown) of an electrical connector (not shown). The electrical connector is of the type shown and described in EP-A-0 489 549 is hereby incorporated by reference and made a part hereof. The insulating housing 10 comprises a housing member 12 and a cover member 14 which is detachably mounted in an opening 16 in housing member 12. The housing member 12 and cover member 14 each comprise a plurality of slots 18 for receiving a plurality of terminals (not shown) which are located in the female connector housing (not shown). The insulating housing 12 comprises a plurality of wire receiving openings 20 each being capable of receiving a conductor 22 of an insulated wire 24. The wire receiving openings 20 are operatively aligned with the terminal receiving slots 18 such that the conductors 22 are operatively aligned in the terminal receiving slots 18 when the insulated wires 24 are inserted into wire receiving openings 20. Thereafter, the insulating housing 10 may be inserted into the female connector housing (not shown) so that the conductors 22 operatively engage the terminals (not shown) in the female connector housing (not shown) in the manner described in European Patent Application No. 91 311 083.9. In this regard, it should be noted that housing member 12 comprises a generally U-shaped shroud 34 for receiving the conductors 22 and also for facilitating guiding the conductors 22 into the wire receiving opening 20. The insulating housing 10 also comprises strain relief means 26 (Figs. 1-3) associated with the cover 14 for securing the plurality of insulated conductors in operative relationship with the plurality of terminal receiving slots 18. The strain relief means also functions to relieve strain on the plurality of insulated conductors 24 so that, for example, the electrical connection between the conductors 22 and the terminals (not shown) in the female connector housing (not shown) will not be interrupted if the insulated conductors 24 are pulled. As best illustrated in Figs. 2 and 3, the strain relief means 26 is integrally formed as part of cover 14 and comprises a strain relief member 28 having a first end 28a and a second end 28b. The first end 28a is pivotally secured to cover 14. As illustrated in Fig. 3, strain relief means 26 comprises a plurality of teeth 30 located on second end 28b of strain relief member 28. The plurality of teeth 30 bite into insulation 32 of insulated wires 24 in order to secure the plurality of conductors 22 securely in the insulating housing 10. As best shown in Figs. 4 and 5, the strain relief member 28 is pivotally secured to cover 14 such that it can pivot from an open position (shown in Fig. 4) to a closed position (shown in Fig. 5). As shown in Figs. 1 and 4, shroud 34 cooperates with strain relief member 28 to define an opening 36 (Fig. 1) when strain relief member 28 is in the open position. The insulated wires 24 may be guided into opening 36 until each conductor 22 is inserted into its respective wire receiving opening 20, whereupon strain relief member 28 may be rotated in the direction of arrow A in Fig. 4 until strain relief member 28 has been fully pivoted to the locked position shown in Fig. 5. In order to retain strain relief member 28 in a locked position, insulating housing 10 comprises locking means for locking strain relief member 28 in the locked position shown in Fig. 5. In the embodiment being described, locking means comprises a plurality of resilient detents 38 (Figs. 1, 4 and 5) located on shroud 34. Locking means also comprises a plurality of notched out portions 40 which cooperate with the resilient detents 38 to retain strain relief member 28 in the locked position. To facilitate moving or pivoting strain relief member 28 from the open position shown in Figs. 1 and 4 to the locked position shown in Fig. 5, the plurality of resilient detents 38 each comprise a beveled surface 38a. As best shown in Figs. 2 and 3, cover 14 comprises a pair of latches 42 which operate to latch or secure cover 14 in housing member 12 when cover 14 is inserted into aperture 16. After cover 14 has been mounted in housing member 12, the insulated wires 24 and conductors 22 may be inserted into opening 36 in the manner described previously herein. Strain relief member 28 may then be pivoted to the locked position shown in Fig. 5, thereby causing the plurality of teeth 30 to bite into insulation 32 of insulated wires 24 which, in turn, causes insulated wires 24 to be firmly secured to insulated housing 10. Once assembled, insulating housing 10 may then be mounted or inserted into the mating female connector housing (not shown), thereby causing conductors 22 to be terminated in the terminals (not shown) of the female connector housing (not shown). The manner of operation, assembly, and mounting of the insulating housing 10 into the female connector housing (not shown) of an electrical connector (not shown) is substantially similar to that described and shown in EP-A-0 489 549 mentioned above. Advantageously then, this insulating housing 10 has improved strain relief means 26 for relieving strain on the insulated wires 24 such that when the insulating housing 10 is mounted into a mating female connector housing (not shown), the electrical connection between the insulating housing 10 and its mating female connector housing will not be interrupted.

Claims: An insulating housing (10) for coupling to a female connector housing having a plurality of electrical terminals, said insulating housing (10) comprising a housing member (12) and a cover (14) for mounting on said housing member (12), said housing member (12) and said cover (14) each having a plurality of slots (18) for receiving said plurality of electrical terminals, characterized in that said housing (10) has strain relief means (26) associated with said cover (14) for securing a plurality of insulated conductors (24) in operative relationship with said plurality of slots (18) and also for relieving strain on said plurality of insulated conductors (24); and in that the cover (14) comprises a generally U-shaped shroud (34) for receiving the conductors (24) and for guiding them into operative relationship with said slots (18), the strain relief means comprising a strain relief member (28) pivoted to the cover (14) and having locking structure (40) for cooperation with complementary locking structure (38) on the U-shaped shroud (34) to retain the strain relief member (28) in a locked pivotal position. An insulating housing (10) as claimed in claim 1, characterized in that the strain relief member (28) has notched out portions (40) for cooperation with resilient detents (38) on the shroud. An insulating housing (10) as claimed in claim 1, characterized in that said strain relief means (26) is integrally formed as part of said cover (14). An insulating housing (10) as claimed in claim 1, 2 or 3, characterized in that said strain relief member (28) has a plurality of teeth (30) for engaging the insulation (32) on said plurality of insulated conductors (24) in order to secure the plurality of insulated conductors (24) in the insulating housing (10). An insulating housing (10) as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that said plurality of insulating conductors (24) each comprise a conductor (22) for engaging said plurality of electrical terminals, and said conductors (22) operatively engage said plurality of electrical terminals when said insulating housing (10) is mounted in said female connector housing. An insulating housing (10) as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that said strain relief member (28) comprises a first end (28a) and a second end (28b), said first end (28a) being pivotally coupled to said cover (14) and said second end (28b) being pivotable from an open position to a closed position; said second end (28b) and said shroud (34) cooperating to define an opening for receiving said insulated conductors (24) when said second end (28b) is in said open position. An insulating housing (10) as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that said housing member (12) comprises a plurality of generally L-shaped latch members which cooperate with said female connector housing to secure said insulating housing (10) in said female connector housing when said housing member (12) is inserted therein.

Inventors: GILISSEN HERMANUS PETRUS JOHAN, SOES LUCAS, GILISSEN, HERMANUS PETRUS JOHANNES, SOES, LUCAS
Applicants: WHITAKER CORP, THE WHITAKER CORPORATION
Application year: 1993
Main classification: H01R13
IPC codes: H01R13, H01R12