Connector assembly with latching arrangement

Abstract: An electrical connector assembly having a latching arrangement including a pair of latch arms (42, 44) pivotally connected to the sides of the plug connector body (25) for pivotable movement about a common transverse axis (X-X) extending through the sides. The pivotable arms have latching shoulders (50) on their forward ends that engage catches (92) formed on the inside of a mating receptacle connector (24).

Description: BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION The present invention relates generally to an electrical connector assembly and, more particularly, to an improved latching arrangement for an electrical connector assembly. It is common practice in the electrical connector art to provide on all plastic connectors, integral latching arrangements. Such latching arrangements allow positive locking together of the mating plug and receptacle connectors thereby assuring that electrical continuity is maintained under varying conditions of vibration and separating forces which would otherwise result in the loss of electrical continuity. Typically, the latching arrangement includes integral, molded-in levers that are pivotable about legs that extend laterally outwardly from the opposite sides of the housing of one of the connector halves. Such levers have latch shoulders which are engageable with catches on the outside of the mating connector half when the two halves are engaged. While such latching arrangements are generally satisfactory, they have the disadvantage that they extend outwardly from the opposite sides of the housing of the connector. As a result, the connector has a relatively large profile which may be objectionable if space is at a premium in the environment in which the connector is intended to be utilized. Also, the connector does not have a clutter-free outside. U.S. patent 4,431,244 discloses a latching arrangement for an electrical connector assembly in which latch arms are formed by cuffing slots in the upper and lower walls of the connector housing. The latch arms are pivotally mounted on the housing by integral live hinge pivots that extend laterally from the sides of the arms so that the arms are pivotable about transverse axes passing laterally through the upper and lower walls of the housing. While such an arrangement provides a low profile connector, the catches on the mating connector are formed on the outer wall of the connector housing. This is undesirable for some applications in which the mating connector must be mounted in an apparatus such that the exterior of the connector is inaccessible for receiving the latch arms from the first connector. Further, the latch arms operate independently of each other, rather than simultaneously with a single actuating motion of the user in one direction. U.S. patent 4,984,998 discloses a latching arrangement for an electrical connector assembly in which latch arms are formed on the upper wall of the plug connector, while a hood is provided on the mating receptacle connector in which there are formed catches that are engaged by the latch arms. While the catches are formed on the interior of the receptacle housing, because they are formed on a hood forming part of the housing, and the latch arms of the plug are pivotable above the upper wall of the plug housing, the overall connector assembly has a relatively high profile, which is not desirable for some applications. DE 19942 880 A1 shows a lever fitting type connector that, by rotating a lever around a seating located in the hood of the female connector, a male connector can be inserted and fitted into a fitting hood portion of a female connector portion, while a lock arm disposed on the lever end can be engaged with a lock portion formed in the fitting hood portion. The lock arm is composed of a flexible arm portion and a lock-arm-side securing projection formed in the flexible arm portion, whereas the lock portion is composed of a reduced thickness plate portion formed in the inner wall of the fitting hood portion and a fitting-hood-portion-side securing projection at least part of which is projected from the reduced thickness portion and also which can be engaged with the lock-arm-side securing projection. It is a major object of the present invention to provide an improved latching rangement for an electrical connector which has a low profile, where the receptacle connector can be mounted in an environment where the exterior of the connector housing is inaccessible, and where a single activating beam is associated with the latch arm(s) which allows the arm(s) to be unlatched with a single motion by the user from one side of the connector body. In case of a pair of latch arms this should be done simultaneously rather than activation from opposite sides as in most prior art latching arrangements for electrical connectors. SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention is related to a connector assembly according to claim 1. According to a principal aspect of the present invention, there is provided an electrical connector in which two latch arms are pivotally connected to the sides of the connector body for pivotable movement about a transverse axis extending through such sides. Each latch arm has a forward end formed with a latch shoulder that engages a corresponding catch formed within the interior of the mating connector housing so that such housing may have an uninterrupted rectangular outer configuration. This allows the mating connector to be mounted in a matching rectangular recess in an apparatus where the exterior of the housing is inaccessible. An actuating handle is connected to the rear ends of the latch arms, which handle allows the arms to be simultaneously actuated with a pushing motion in one direction by the user against the handle. The connector has a relatively low profile which is advantageous when the connector is used in applications in which there are substantial space constraints. Other aspects and advantages of the invention will become more apparent from the following description taken in connection with the accompanying drawings. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS Fig. 1 is a perspective view of the mating plug and receptacle connectors of the electrical connector assembly of the present invention, shown in unmated condition. Fig 2 is a side view of the plug connector shown in Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is a top view of the plug connector. Fig. 4 is a front view of the plug connector. Fig. 5 is a rear view of the plug connector. Fig. 6 is a bottom view of the receptacle connector shown in Fig. 1. Fig. 7 is a front view of the receptacle connector. Fig. 8 is a rear view of the receptacle connector. Fig. 9 is a sectional view taken along line 9-9 of Fig. 7. Fig. 10 is a partial vertical sectional view showing the plug and receptacle connectors in mated condition, with one latch arm engaged with a catch on the receptacle connector. DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS Referring now to the drawings in detail, there is shown in Fig. 1 the connector assembly of the present invention, generally designated 20. Front and rear directions are indicated by arrows F, R, up and down directions are indicated by arrows U, D, and transverse, or lateral direction are indicated by arrows L. The connector assembly comprises a plug connector 22 and a mating receptacle connector 24. The plug connector 22 comprises a connector body or housing 25 of rectangular cross-section having a front face 26, rear face 28, upper surface 30, lower surface 32, and opposite sides 34 and 36. A plurality of contact passages 38 extend through the body 25 from the front face 26 to the rear face. Three of such passages are shown by way of example only. The contact passages are adapted to receive socket contacts, not shown. The latch device 40 for the plug connector 22 comprises a pair of latch arms 42 and 44 pivotally mounted to the opposite sides 34 and 36, respectively, of the connector body 25. The latch arms 42 and 44 are identical. Hence, only the arm 42 will be described herein in detail. Fig. 2 shows that the latch arm 42 extends generally diagonally, at forward and downward inclines at the side 34 of the connector body. The forward end 46 of the arm 42 is positioned adjacent to the front face 26 of the connector body and the lower surface 32 thereof. Preferably, the forward end 46 of the latch arm is at a level near or above the lower surface 32 of the connector body. The forward end 46 of the arm is formed with a tapered, forwardly facing surface 48. A rearwardly facing latch shoulder 50 is provided on the bottom 51 of the latch arm behind the tapered surface 48. The rear end 52 of the latch arm is adjacent to the upper surface 30 and rear face 28 of the connector body. Preferably, the rear end of the arm 42 is positioned above the upper surface 30 as seen in Fig. 2. An intermediate part 54 of the latch arm 42 is pivotally connected to the side 34 of the connector body by a live hinge pivot 56. Fig. 1 shows that the two latch arms 42 and 44 are pivotable about a common transverse axis X-X extending through the opposite sides 34 and 36 of the connector body so that the latch arms are pivotally movable in planes that are parallel to each other and parallel to the sides 34 and 36 of the plug connector body. The axis X-X extends through the sides of the body generally midway between the upper surface 30 and lower surface 32. An actuating element or handle 60 extends transversely of the connector body above the upper surface 30 thereof, with its ends integrally joined to the rear ends 52 of the latch arms 42 and 44. It will be appreciated that by downward pressing of the handle 60 by the user against a biasing force, the latch arms will be caused to simultaneously pivot about the common axis X-X causing the forward ends of the arms to be raised. The latch arm 42 extends at a forward and downward incline both when the beam is not pushed downward and when it is pushed downward against the body upper surface 30. Reference is now made to Figs. 1 and 6-9 of the drawings which show the mating receptacle connector 24. The receptacle connector comprises a connector body 70 (Fig. 9) having a generally rectangular cross-section and containing a plurality of contact passages 72 that extend from the rear face 74 to the front face 76 of the body. The number of contact passages 72 corresponds to the number of contact passages in the plug connector. The passages 72 would contain pin contacts, not shown. A rectangular-shaped recess 78 is formed in the rearward end of the receptacle body 70 with the recess opening rearwardly and configured to receive the forward mating end 80 (Fig. 10) of the plug connector 22, including the forward ends 46 of the latch arms 42 and 44. The recess 78 is formed by an upper wall 82 (Fig. 7), side walls 84 and 86, and inwardly extending flanges 88 and 90 as best seen in Fig. 7. Catches 92 and 94 are formed on the upper surfaces of the flanges 88 and 90 adjacent to the side walls 84 and 86, respectively, of the receptacle body between the front and rear faces of the body. The catches 92 and 94 are identical. Hence, only the catch 92 will be described in detail. As best seen in Fig. 10, the catch 92 has a rearwardly facing inclined ramp 96 and a forwardly facing shoulder 98. The catch 92 is positioned within the receptacle body so that when the forward mating end 80 of the plug connector is initially pushed into the recess 78 in the receptacle connector body, the tapered riding surface 48 on the forward end 46 of the latch arm 42 will initially slide up over the ramp 96 on the catch 92. When the plug and receptacle connectors are fully mated, the latch shoulder 50 on the forward end of the latch arm snaps behind the shoulder 98 on the catch to firmly lock the plug and receptacle connectors together. As will be appreciated, the latch arm 44 on the opposite side of the plug body 25 cooperates with the catch 94 in the receptacle connector body in the same manner. As shown in Fig. 1, a pair of polarizing grooves 100 are formed in the upper surface 30 of the plug body 25 that slidably receive a pair of matching ribs 102 (Fig. 7) formed on the bottom of the upper wall 82 of the receptacle connector body for polarization of the plug and receptacle connectors. That is, the matching grooves 100 and ribs 102 ensure that the plug and receptacle connectors can be mated in only one position. While the latching arrangement of the present invention has been described and shown as including two latch arms 42 and 44 on the plug connector, it is possible that a single latch arm could be mounted on the plug connector in a central region thereof. However, it is preferred that the plug connector have two latch arms to provide positive latching on opposite sides of the mating connectors, that ensures reliability of the latching connection. Because the catches 92 and 94 in the receptacle connector 24 are formed on the interior of the receptacle body, the body may have a clean rectangular outer configuration allowing it to be mounted in a matching rectangular recess in an apparatus where it is to be used. There is no necessity for the exterior of the receptacle connector 24 except for the front face thereof to be accessible for engagement with latching arms as in most prior art latching arrangements for electrical connectors. The use of the single actuating handle 60 to pivot the two latch arms 42 and 44 ensures that the arms will be simultaneously pivoted to effectively disconnect the latching arrangement. Furthermore, because the latch arms are mounted close to the opposite sides of the plug body, and the rear ends of the arms and the actuating handle 60 are disposed only a relatively short distance above the rear surface of the plug body, the plug connector has a relatively low profile. Also, because the latch arms can be actuated by pressing in only a single direction on the actuating beam, it is not necessary for the user to grip the opposite sides of the plug connector to unlatch the same from the receptacle connector. Thus, by the design of the plug and receptacle connectors of the present invention, the assembly can be used in very confined environments.

Claims: A connector assembly (20) which includes a plug connector (22) having a plug body (25) with a front end (80) and at least one contact-receiving passage (38), and a receptacle connector (24) having a receptacle with a rearwardly-opening recess (78) that receives said plug body front end, and a receptacle body (70) having at least one contact holding passage (72), characterized by : said recess (78) has laterally opposite side walls (84, 86) and has a catch (92, 94) at each of said side walls (84, 86); each catch (92, 94) having a largely forwardly-facing catch shoulder (98); said plug connector (22) includes a latch device (40) with latch arms (42, 44) pivotally mounted on said body about a pivot axis (X-X), said latch arms each having rear and front ends (52, 46) and each latch arm having a length extending between its rear and front ends, said latch arm front ends (46) each having a largely rearwardly-facing arm shoulder (50), said pivot axis lying between said latch arm rear ends (52) and said latch arm front ends (46); said latch device (40) further comprising a handle (60) connected to said latch arms rear ends (52); said arm and catch shoulders (50, 98) are shaped so that each arm shoulder (50) can be disengaged from a catch shoulder (98) by sliding along the catch shoulder when the latch arm (42, 44) pivots about said axis (X-X); said latch arm rear ends (52) and said handle (60), when plug (22) and receptacle (24) are engaged; lying rearward of and out of said recess (78), and said latch arm front ends (46) lying fully in said recess (78), said handle (60) being moveable primarily perpendicular to the length of said latch arms to pivot said latch arms from lock positions wherein said arm shoulders (50) engage said catch shoulders (98) to unlock positions wherein said arm shoulders (50) are disengaged from said catch shoulders (98). The connector assembly described in claim 1 wherein: said handle (60) is movable primarly up and down to move said arm shoulders (50) respectively down and up to respectively engage and disengage said catch shoulders (98); said plug connector (22) has an upper surface (30), and said handle (60) lies closely above said upper surface with said latch arms (42,44) extending at downward and forward inclines both when said arm element shoulders (50) lie against said catch shoulders (98) and when said latch arm shoulders (50) lie above said catch shoulder (98), and downward movement of said handle (60) causes said handle to hit said plug connector upper surface (30), so said connectors can be released by merely pushing down said beam against said upper surface (30). The connector assembly described in claim 1 wherein: said body (25) has an upper surface(30); in both said locked and said unlocked position, said latch arms (42, 44) extend at downward and forward inclines, and said handle (60) always lies close over said body upper surface.

Inventors: HYZIN PETER JOSEPH, HYZIN, PETER JOSEPH
Applicants: ITT MFG ENTERPRISES INC, ITT MANUFACTURING ENTERPRISES, INC.
Application year: 2001
Main classification: H01R13
IPC codes: H01R13