Improved receptacle housing for connector assembly

Abstract: In a connector assembly (10) a receptacle housing (12) includes a chute (28), receiving and retaining wires (15), which is integrally molded to a wire side (20) of the receptacle housing (12). A strain relief (14) is removably attached to the receptacle housing (12) above the chute (28) to protect the wires (15). Prelatch beams (58) with a bump (61) on each prelatch beam (58) temporary retain the receptacle housing (12) to a module connector (11) when the bump (61) is locked into a respective hole on the module connector (11).

Description: The present invention relates to a connector assembly and, more particularly, to a receptacle housing with improved strain relief and a prelatch feature. Connector assemblies to be placed in the transmission of a vehicle typically include a component interface (module connector) installed into a metal casting and a mating receptacle housing. The receptacle housing has a module side to be secured to the module connector by means known by those skilled in the art, for instance by means of a central jackscrew, and a wire side wherein wires are to be received. Typically, a wire tie is attached to a strain relief (also called "wire shields" or "wire guides") and the strain relief is secured to the receptacle housing by long flexible latches. These latches are usually under stress if the wires are pulled. The stress applied to the latches (permanently or intermittently) may cause damage to the strain relief and, as a result, electrical contact may be lost. To overcome this disadvantage, strain reliefs are usually made of high strength plastics which can stand stress associated deformation. Disadvantageously, these plastics are expensive, and their employment results in high production costs. There is another problem which exists in the art. In production, an assembly line worker may need a temporary retention of the receptacle housing to the module connector. For example, the worker could pick up his torque wrench or switch to another assembly operation. The temporary retention of the receptacle housing to the module connector would save time at vehicle assembly plants and could simplify connector assembly operations for workers. So far, no simple means serving as a prelatch feature for the receptacle housing has been provided. US-A-3 732 527 discloses a strain relief clamp which can be mounted on an electrical connector and includes an arm to which a wire tie can be attached to secure a wire bundle leading from the rear of the connector at a right angle relative to the electrical connector. US-A-5 259 785 discloses an electrical connector assembly in which a wire bundle emerges at a right angle from the rear of a connector. This connector has a wire cover which is mounted on the rear of the connector with the wires being secured together by a tape outside of the wire cover. It is an object of the present invention to provide an improved strain relief for the receptacle housing of an electrical connector assembly. It is another object to provide such a receptacle housing having a wire tie attachment feature as an integral part. The present invention consists in a receptacle housing having a module side and a wire side axially connected by a main body, the wire side including first walls axially extending from the main body and having respective upper edges, characterized by: at least one of the first walls having a recess; a chute integrally molded with the wire side of the receptacle housing and extending from said recess substantially at a right angle to said at least one of the first walls, said chute being arranged to receive a plurality of wires which extend through the recess and are bundled together by a wire tie, and said chute having a pair of side flanges for preventing the wire tie from slipping off the chute; and a wire cover attachable to the first walls and extending over the wire side of the receptacle housing, the arrangement being such that the wires are secured to the chute by the wire tie and not to the wire cover so that the wire cover is not stressed by engagement with the wires. The wire cover may be locked onto the receptacle housing by latching bumps which engage respective retention holes in the receptacle housing. The receptacle housing of the invention is designed to be removably secured to a module connector. To this end, at least one prelatch beam (and preferably two) having a bump on its external surface may be provided for securing the receptacle housing to the module connector by engaging the or each bump with respective holes in the module connector. The or each prelatch beam may be resiliently connected by its one edge to the module side of the receptacle housing between two ribs which protect the prelatch beam from damage. Embodiments of the invention will now be described by way of example with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:- Fig. 1 is a perspective exploded view of the connector assembly of the present invention. Fig. 2 is an enlarged perspective view of a receptacle housing showing a wire side. Figs. 3 and 4 are cross-sectional views of wires within the chute. Fig. 5 is an enlarged perspective view of a receptacle housing showing a module side. Fig. 6 is a side view of the receptacle housing showing the wire side. Fig. 7 is another modification of the receptacle housing. Fig. 8 is a perspective view of a wire cover. Fig. 9 is a bottom plan view of the wire cover. Fig. 10 is a cross-sectional view of Fig. 9 taken along lines 10-10 thereof. Fig. 11 is a perspective view of a cover. Fig. 12 is a perspective view of a wire grommet. Fig. 13, 14, 15 are schematic views showing the recommended wire cover removal. Fig. 16 is a perspective of the receptacle housing showing the module side. Fig. 17 is a perspective view of the receptacle housing showing another modification of the module side of the receptacle housing. Fig. 18 is a side view of the receptacle housing. Fig. 19 is a perspective view of the module connection. Fig. 20 is a side view of the module connector. Fig. 21 is a perspective view of another modification of the module connector. Fig. 22 is a side view of the module connector of Fig. 21. Fig. 23 is longitudinal sectional view of the receptacle housing temporary secured to the module connector. With reference to Figs. 1-23, a connector assembly 10 to be placed within the transmission of a vehicle includes a module connector (or component interface) 11 inserted and secured in a metal casting, a receptacle housing 12 removably secured to the module connector 11 by a bolt 13, and a wire cover 14 removably secured to the receptacle housing 12. A wire grommet 17 and a cover 18 are placed within the receptacle housing 12 beneath the wire cover 14. A plurality of wires 15 combined in a wire tie 16 are received in the receptacle housing 12. Referring to Figs. 2-7, the receptacle housing 12 includes a module side 19 and a wire side 20 integrally connected by a main body 21. The wire side 20 includes wire side walls 22 (or first walls) which extend axially from the main body 21. The main body 21 has a cylindrical body 23 with recesses 24, accommodating sealing O-rings (not shown), and a flange 25. The walls 22 extend from the flange 25 at a certain height. Each of the walls 22 has a respective upper edge 26. The height of the walls 22 may be uniform for all walls 22 (as shown in Fig. 2), or may change (as shown in Fig. 7). One of the walls 22, the wall 22', has a recess 27. A chute 28 is integrally molded to the recess 27 at a right angle to the wall 22'. The chute 28 has a pair of side flanges 29. As shown in Figs. 3 and 4, when a plurality of wires 15 are received in the chute 28, the wire tie 16 embraces the chute 28 with the wires 15 in it, and the side flanges 29 prevent the wire tie 16 from slipping off the chute 28. The walls 22 (including the wall 22') form a receiving opening 30. A tower-like cylinder element 31 is positioned longitudinally within the receiving opening 30. The receiving opening 30 also accommodates a wire-carrying body 32 having an upper surface 33. The upper edges 26 of the walls 22, 22' extend above the upper surface 33. As shown more clearly in Fig. 6, the wire-carrying body 32 has two rows of slits 34, 35. The adjacent slits 34, 35 in their respective rows are separated by separating walls 36, 37. Each slit 34, 35 receives a wire 15. Referring to Figs. 11 and 12, a wire grommet 17 is removably secured within the receiving opening 30 on the upper surface 33, and the cover 18 is removably secured within the receiving opening 30 above the wire grommet 17. The wire grommet 17 and the cover 18 have a plurality of respective through apertures 38, 39 in precise registration with slits 34, 35 on the wire-carrying body 32. The wire cover (or wire shield) 14 is removably secured to the wire side 20 of the receptacle housing 12 above the cover 18 and above the upper edges 26 of the walls 22, 22'. Referring to Figs. 8-10, the wire cover 14 includes a front panel 40 which has sides 41, 41' and 42, 42' extending from the front panel 40 substantially at right angles. Latching bumps 43 are provided on the walls 41, 42', 41'. To cooperate with respective latching bumps 43, three retention bumps 44' are provided on the receptacle housing 12. As the wire cover 14 is pushed onto the receptacle housing 12, the walls 41, 41', 42, 42' stretch apart and allow the latching bumps 43 to lock onto the receptacle housing 12 in cooperation with retention bumps 44'. A hole 44 is located adjacent to the retention bump 44' on one of the walls 22. The latching bumps 43 are positioned on internal surfaces of latching ledges 45. Each latching ledge 45 leaves an opening 46 on the front panel 40. The wall 42 has a pair of side latches 47, 47' and a central recess 48 between the side latches 47, 47'. The receptacle housing 12 has a pair of side bumps 49, 49', and the side latches 47, 47' on the wire cover 14 lock onto the side bumps 49, 49'. When the wire cover 14 is secured on the receptacle housing 12, the chute 28 extends through the recess 48. The side latches 47, 47' have "U"-shaped flanges 50, 50'. This feature prevents the side latches 47, 47' from popping off when a lateral force is applied. A central through hollow 51 is located in the wire cover 14 to allow the tower-like cylindrical element 31 on the receptacle housing 12 through and to receive a head and a flange of the bolt 13. Being locked onto the wire side 20 of the receptacle housing 12, the wire cover can be removed by means of a screwdriver. As shown in Figs. 13, 14, 15, the screwdriver 52 is inserted into the opening 46 until its tip 53 hits the retention bump 44'. Then, leaning on the front panel 40, the screwdriver 52 is leveraged, and the tip 53 pries the latching bump 43 of the respective retention bump 44'. Since the wires 15, combined by the wire tie 16, are attached to the receptacle housing 12 and the wires are tightly clamped in place, the wire cover 14 is not under stress. Therefore, the wire cover can be made of less expensive plastic. Referring to Figs. 16-23, the module side 19 of the receptacle housing 12 includes module side walls 54, 54' and 55, 55' (or second walls). Ribs 56 extend the full length of the walls 54, 54', 55, 55' along their external surface 57. The ribs 56 are substantially parallel to each other and may be positioned on the walls 54,54', 55, 55' as shown in Figs. 16, 17, i.e. a pair of ribs 56 can be spaced apart on one of these walls, (for instance, the wall 54), or two pairs of ribs 56 can be located on opposite walls (for instance, the walls 54 and 54'). In its preferred embodiment, the receptacle housing 12 includes a single prelatch beam 58 located on the wall 54 between ribs 56 (as shown in Fig. 16) or two prelatch beams 58 and 58' positioned on the walls 54 and 54', respectively (as shown in Fig. 17). Each prelatch beam 58, 58' is lodged between respective ribs 56. Further discussion will be cited for a single prelatch beam 58; however, it will be appreciated by those skilled in the art, that this discussion may be equally applied to the embodiment having two prelatch beams 58, 58'. The prelatch beam 58 has a joint edge 59 and an opposite edge 60. The prelatch beam 58 is resiliently connected to the external surface 57 of the wall 54 at its joint edge 59 adjacent to the cylindrical body 23 of the main body 21. A bump 61 is located on the prelatch beam 58 adjacent to and substantially in the center of the opposite edge 60. The ribs 56 extend above the external surface 57 of the wall 54 higher than external surface 64 of the prelatch beam 58. As shown in Fig. 18, the prelatch beam 58 is positioned between two respective ribs 56, such that sides 62, 62' of the prelatch beam 58 are spaced apart from the respective ribs 56 at a distance 64 which is smaller than the smallest wire gauge used. The ribs 56 and the chosen distance 64 protects the prelatch beam 58 from the wire 15 to enter and cause the prelatch beam 58 to be broken off. Referring to Figs. 19-22, the module connector 11 includes a plurality of keyways 65 located on its internal surface 66. Keyways 65 are positioned in precise registration with respective ribs 56 of the receptacle housing 12. The keyways 65 are substantially parallel to each other, and may be positioned such that one of internal walls 67 includes a pair of keyways 65 (Figs. 19, 20) or two opposite parallel walls 67, 67' each includes a pair of keyways 65 (Figs. 21, 22). The positioning of keyways 65 is made in compliance with the chosen type of the receptacle housing 12. The internal walls 67, 67' have a respective edge 68, 68'. In one of preferred embodiments (Fig. 19), a hole 69 is located on internal surface 66 of the internal wall 67 adjacent to the edge 68. In another preferred embodiment (Fig. 21), holes 69, 69' are located on the internal surface of the internal walls, 67, 67' adjacent to the edges 68, 68', respectively. When the module side 19 of the receptacle housing 12 mates with the module connector 11, the ribs 56 are received in the respective keyways 65, the prelatch beam 58 is resiliently received between the wall 54 of the receptacle housing 12 and the internal wall 67 of the module connector 11; and the bump 61 is received in the hole 69, thereby providing a temporary retention of the receptacle housing 12 to the module connector 11. Referring to Fig. 23, the receptacle housing 12 is retained to the module connector 11 by two prelatch beams 58, 58'. The bump 61 on the opposite edge 60 of the prelatch beam 58 enters into the hole 69; the bump 61' on the opposite edge 60' at the prelatch beam 58' enters into the hole 69'. The assembly line worker can temporarily secure the receptacle housing 12 to the module connector 11 which is installed in a casting 70, if the worker needs to release the receptacle housing 12 for some reason, for example, to pick up a torque wrench, thereby saving time at the vehicle assembly plant and simplifying the connector assembly operation. Since the wire tie attachment feature is an integral part of the receptacle housing, the present invention provides no stress on the wire cover; therefore, less expensive plastic may be used. Right angle configuration provides optimum strain relief/vibration protection.

Claims: A receptacle housing (12) having a module side (19) and a wire side (20) axially connected by a main body (21), the wire side (20) including first walls (22,22') axially extending from the main body (21) and having respective upper edges (26), characterized by: at least one of the first walls (22') having a recess (27); a chute (28) integrally molded with the wire side of the receptacle housing and extending from said recess substantially at a right angle to said at least one of the first walls (22'), said chute (28) being arranged to receive a plurality of wires (15) which extend through the recess and are bundled together by a wire tie (16), and said chute (28) having a pair of side flanges (29) for preventing the wire tie (16) from slipping off the chute (28); and a wire cover (14) attachable to the first walls (22,22') and extending over the wire side (20) of the receptacle housing, the arrangement being such that the wires are secured to the chute (28) by the wire tie (16) and not to the wire cover so that the wire cover (14) is not stressed by engagement with the wires (15). The receptacle housing (12) of claim 1, wherein the first walls (22,22') form a receiving opening (30), having a wire-carrying body (32) within the opening, the respective upper edges (26) of the first walls (22,22') extending above an upper surface (33) of the wire carrying body (32), and the wire-carrying body (32) including a plurality of slits (34,35), each for receiving a respective one of said plurality of wires (15). The receptacle housing (12) of claim 2, including a wire grommet (17) removably secured within the receiving opening (30) on the upper surface (33) of the wire-carrying body (32) and a grommet cover (18) removably secured within the receiving opening (30) above the wire grommet (17), the wire grommet (17) and the grommet cover (18) each having a plurality of through apertures (38,39), each of which is in precise registration with said slits (34,35) on the wire-carrying body (32), and each of said plurality of through apertures (38,39) being arranged to receive a respective one of said plurality of wires (15). The receptacle housing (12) of claim 1, 2 or 3, wherein the others of said first walls (22) include retention bumps (44'), and the wire cover (14) is removably secured to the receptacle housing (12) above the respective upper edges (26) of the first walls (22), by having side walls (41,41') with latching bumps (43), cooperating with said retention bumps (44') on said first walls (22) of the receptacle housing (12). The receptacle housing (12) of any preceding claim, wherein the wire cover (14) includes a pair of side latches and a central recess (48) between said side latches at the first side wall, the chute being received in the central recess, said pair of side latches (47,47') locking onto a pair of side bumps (49,49') on said one of the first walls of the receptacle housing and each side latch (47,47') having a respective "U"-shaped flange (50,50') to prevent said side latches (47,47') from popping off when a lateral force is applied. The receptacle housing (12) of any preceding claim, wherein the module side (19) includes second walls (54,54', 55,55') axially extending from the main body (21) in a direction opposite to the first walls (22,22') and at least one prelatch beam (58,58') is located on at least one of said second walls, said at least one prelatch beam having an external and an internal surface, and a bump (61,61') located thereon. The receptacle housing of claim 6, wherein a plurality of spaced apart substantially parallel ribs (56) are located on said second walls (54,54', 55,55') and said at least one prelatch beam (58,58') is located between two of the ribs on said at least one second wall.

Inventors: GRZYBOWSKI RICHARD WAYNE, MYER JOHN MARK, GRZYBOWSKI, RICHARD WAYNE, MYER, JOHN MARK
Applicants: WHITAKER CORP, THE WHITAKER CORPORATION
Application year: 1995
Main classification: H01R13
IPC codes: H01R13