ELECTRIC CONNECTOR

Abstract: An electric connector (1) having an insulating casing (3) defining a number of cavities (6) for housing respective electric terminals (7); a retaining lever (35) carried by the casing (3) and having a first retaining tooth (37) which snaps onto a second retaining tooth (36) carried by a connecting element (1') connectable to the connector (1); and connecting means (34) connecting the retaining lever (35) in oscillating manner to the casing (3) to enable release of the first and second retaining tooth (37, 36) and disconnection of the connector (1) and the connecting element (1'); the connecting means (34) having a beam element (38), which is fitted integrally at opposite ends to an outer wall (11) of the casing (3), carries the retaining lever (35), and extends crosswise to the retaining lever (35).

Description: ELECTRIC CONNECTOR TECHNICAL FIELD The present invention relates to an electric connector, in particular an electric connector of the type comprising an insulating casing defining a number of cavities, each having a longitudinal axis; and a number of electric terminals housed coaxially in respective cavities and retained inside the cavities by snap-on retaining means. BACKGROUND ART Electric connectors of the above type are also known to comprise a retaining lever, which is hinged integrally to an outer wall of the casing by a short thin connecting blade extending crosswise to the retaining lever and the wall, and comprises, on one end, a first retaining tooth which snaps onto a second retaining tooth carried by a connecting element, e.g. a complementary electric connector, fittable to the connector. The retaining lever therefore oscillates about the connecting blade, and is activated manually, at the opposite end to that from which the first tooth extends, to release the first and second tooth and so disconnect the electric connector and respective connecting element. As a result of repeated connection and release of the electric connector and respective connecting element, or in the event of severe accidental pressure on the retaining lever, as when handling the connector during production and assembly, the connecting blade, given its small size, may be so stressed as to be permanently deformed - thus resulting in impaired operation of the retaining lever - or even broken. DISCLOSURE OF INVENTION It is an object of the present invention to provide an electric connector designed to eliminate the aforementioned drawback typically associated with known connectors. According to the present invention, there is provided an electric connector comprising an insulating casing defining at least one cavity for housing a respective electric terminal; at least one retaining lever carried by said casing and having first retaining means which snap onto second retaining means carried by a connecting element connectable to said connector; and connecting means connecting said retaining lever in oscillating manner to said casing to permit release of said first and second retaining means and disconnection of said connector and said connecting element; characterized in that said connecting means comprise a beam element fitted integrally at opposite ends to said casing, carrying said retaining lever, and extending crosswise to the retaining lever. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS A preferred, non-limiting embodiment of the present invention will be described by way of example with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: Figure 1 shows a longitudinal section of an electric connector in accordance with the present invention; Figure 2 shows a larger-scale front view of the Figure 1 electric connector; Figure 3 shows a side view of an electric connecting unit defined by the Figure 1 electric connector and by an identical complementary electric connector; Figure 4 shows an exploded view in perspective of the electric connecting unit in Figure 3. BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION Number 1 in Figures 1 and 2 indicates as a whole a hermaphroditic electric connector connectable, in a longitudinal mating direction A, to an identical complementary electric connector 1 ' (Figures 3 and 4) to form an electric connecting unit 2. More specifically, when assembling unit 2 (Figure 4), connector 1' is positioned facing and rotated 180° about direction A with respect to connector 1. With reference to the accompanying drawings, connector 1 substantially comprises an insulating casing 3 defining two superimposed rows of through cavities 6 having respective longitudinal axes B parallel to direction A; and a number of hermaphroditic electric terminals 7, which are connected to respective electric cables 8, are housed coaxially inside respective cavities 6, and are retained one-way inside cavities 6 by known snap-on retaining means described later on. More specifically, casing 3 is substantially parallelepiped, and is defined by two flat parallel base walls 11, 12, and by two lateral walls 13 connected to walls 11, 12 by respective curved lateral edges. Each wall 13 is divided into two flat longitudinal portions 15, 16 of substantially the same height and defining a step 17. More specifically, portions 15 adjoining wall 11 project with respect to respective portions 16. Wall 11 and portions 15 of walls 13 comprise respective longitudinal end portions 20, 21 projecting frontwards with respect to wall 12 and portions 16 of walls 13, and defining as a whole a U-shaped flange 23 of casing 3. When connecting connectors 1 and 1', flange 23 of each connector 1, 1' slides over wall 12 and portions 16 of walls 13 of the other connector 1', 1 (Figure 3) . Portion 20 of wall 11 comprises a C-shaped cavity 22 extending along a respective front peripheral edge. Casing 3 also comprises an inner transverse wall 25 substantially parallel to walls 11, 12 and extending perpendicularly between mid-portions of walls 13; and a number of inner intermediate walls 26, which are parallel to walls 13, intersect wall 25, and define, with one another and with walls 13 and 25, said two superimposed rows of cavities 6 for housing terminals 7. More specifically, each cavity 6 comes out through a rear opening 27, from which respective electric cable 8 comes out in use, and through a front opening 28 opposite opening 27. With reference to Figure 1, each terminal 7 comprises, integrally, a substantially cylindrical intermediate portion 29 of axis B; a connection portion 30 for connection to respective electric cable 8; and a contact portion 31 which cooperates, in use, with the contact portion of an identical electric terminal not shown. Each terminal 7 is inserted inside respective cavity 6 through respective opening 27 and in an insertion direction parallel to respective axis B, so that respective contact portion 31 projects axially from cavity 6 through respective opening 28. Each cavity 6 has a known retaining tooth 32 carried by one of walls 13, 26 laterally defining cavity 6, and which snaps onto the connection portion 30 of respective terminal 7 to retain the terminal one-way inside cavity 6 and prevent withdrawal of the terminal though opening 27. With reference to the accompanying drawings, connector 1 also comprises a retaining lever 35 and a tooth 36, which are carried respectively by opposite walls 11, 12 of casing 3, and respectively snap onto an identical tooth 36 and an identical retaining lever 35 carried by identical complementary connector 1'. More specifically, retaining lever 35 is elongated in direction A, is connected in oscillating manner to wall 11 of casing 3 by connecting means 34, and comprises an integral tooth 37 projecting towards wall 11 from a front end of lever 35 and which snaps onto tooth 36 of identical complementary connector 1'. According to the present invention, connecting means 34 comprise a beam element 38, which is fitted integrally at opposite ends to respective lateral edges, parallel to direction A, of wall 11, and is fitted integrally with and extends crosswise to retaining lever 35, which is activated manually to release teeth 36 and 37 and so release connectors 1 and 1'. Retaining lever 35 comprises a retaining portion 39 having tooth 37 and projecting from one side of beam element 38; and a manually operated portion 40 projecting from the opposite side of beam element 38. Tooth 37 has a substantially right-triangular profile, and is defined, towards beam element 38, by a surface 41 substantially perpendicular to direction A, and, on the opposite side, by a surface 42 sloping with respect to direction A. In exactly the same way, tooth 36 has a substantially right-triangular profile, and is defined, towards electric cables 8, by a surface 43 substantially perpendicular to direction A, and, on the opposite side, by a surface 44 sloping with respect to direction A. Tooth 36 also comprises an intermediate longitudinal groove 45. As shown in Figure 3, tooth 37 of retaining lever 35 of connector 1 and tooth 36 of connector 1' snap onto each other along respective surfaces 41, 43. Beam element 38 has an arc-shaped longitudinal section with the concavity facing wall 11 of casing 3, and decreases in width from the opposite ends towards a central portion connected to retaining lever 35. The advantages of connector 1 according to the present invention will be clear from the foregoing description. In particular, beam element 38, being highly rigid structurally, is capable of withstanding permanent deformation, and therefore practically unbreakable, as a result of repeated connection and release of connector 1, or in the event of severe accidental pressure on retaining lever 35, as when handling connector 1 during production and assembly. Clearly, changes may be made to connector 1 without, however, departing from the scope of the present invention. In particular, connector 1 may be connected to a different type of connecting element - e.g. a printed circuit board or a terminal board of an electronic device - comprising a tooth similar to tooth 36 and designed to snap onto retaining lever 35.

Claims: CLAIMS 1) An electric connector (1) comprising an insulating casing (3) defining at least one cavity (6) for housing a respective electric terminal (7) ; at least one retaining lever (35) carried by said casing (3) and having first retaining means (37) which snap onto second retaining means (36) carried by a connecting element (1') connectable to said connector (1); and connecting means (34) connecting said retaining lever (35) in oscillating manner to said casing (3) to permit release of said first and second retaining means (37, 36) and disconnection of said connector (1) and said connecting element (1'); characterized in that said connecting means (34) comprise a beam element (38) fitted integrally at opposite ends to said casing (3) , carrying said retaining lever (35), and extending crosswise to the retaining lever (35) . 2) A connector as claimed in Claim 1, characterized in that said beam element (38) has a curved arc-shaped longitudinal section with the concavity facing said casing (3) . 3) A connector as claimed in Claim 1 or 2, characterized in that said beam element (38) decreases in width from said opposite ends towards a central portion connected to said retaining lever (35) . 4) A connector as claimed in any one of the foregoing Claims, characterized in that said retaining lever (35) is elongated in a direction parallel to a mating direction (A) of said connector (1) to said connecting element (1'); and in that said opposite ends of said beam element (38) are fitted to respective lateral edges, parallel to said mating direction (A) , of a first outer wall (11) of said casing (3) . 5) A connector as claimed in Claim 4, characterized in that said retaining lever (35) comprises a retaining portion (39) having said first retaining means (37) and projecting from one side of said beam element (38) ; and a manually operated portion (40) projecting from an opposite side of the beam element (38) . 6) A connector as claimed in Claim 5, characterized in that said first retaining means comprise a substantially triangular tooth (37) projecting from one end of said retaining portion (39) towards said casing (3), and which snaps onto another substantially triangular tooth (36) carried by said connecting element (1'). 7) A connector as claimed in Claim 6, characterized by comprising a further substantially triangular tooth (36) projecting from a second outer wall (12) of said casing (3) opposite said first outer wall (11) ; said retaining lever (35) and said further tooth (36) of said connector (1) respectively snapping onto an identical tooth (36) and an identical retaining lever (35) carried by an identical complementary electric connector (1') connectable to said connector (1).

Inventors: BIGOTTO PIER CARLO, BIGOTTO, PIER, CARLO
Applicants: BIGOTTO PIER CARLO, FRAMATOME CONNECTORS INT, BIGOTTO, PIER, CARLO, FRAMATOME CONNECTORS INTERNATIONAL S.A.
Application year: 1999
Main classification: H01R13
IPC codes: H01R13