Abstract:
An electrical connector including a plurality of electrical terminals; and a housing having the electrical terminals connected thereto. The housing includes a first housing member and a second housing member movably connected to the first housing member. The first housing member includes snap-lock latches which lock the terminals in terminal receiving channels of the first housing member. The terminal receiving channels include a first row of the terminal receiving channels with a first one of the terminal receiving channels and a second one of the terminal receiving channels being separated from each other by a wall of the first housing member, and the first housing member having a substantially open wall area between a third one of the terminal receiving channels and the second terminal receiving channel. The second housing member is adapted to at least partially close the open wall area.

Description:
CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION 
     This application claims priority under 35 U.S.C. §119(e) to U.S. provisional patent application No. 60/720,749 filed Sep. 26, 2005 which is hereby incorporated by reference in its entirety. 
    
    
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     1. Field of the Invention 
     The invention relates to electrical connectors and, more particularly, to an electrical connector housing with a terminal position assurance (TPA) member. 
     2. Brief Description of Prior Developments 
     U.S. Patent Publication No. 2005/0085127 A1 discloses a connector having a housing and a movable front retainer. The front retainer is pushed inward to a full locking position after all the terminals have been inserted into the housing. 
     There is a continuing desire to provide electrical connectors in ever decreasing smaller sizes. However, electrical contacts of electrical connectors still need to be electrically separated or isolated from each other. In addition, a terminal position assurance (TPA) feature is a desired feature in some types of electrical connector to assure full insertion of a contact or terminal into an electrical connector housing to form the electrical connector. Thus, there is a need to provide an electrical connector which has a smaller size than a conventional connector, but still has its electrical terminals separated from each other and has a TPA feature. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     In accordance with one aspect of the present invention, an electrical connector is provided including a plurality of electrical terminals; and a housing having the electrical terminals connected thereto. The housing includes a first housing member and a second housing member movably connected to the first housing member. The first housing member includes snap-lock latches which lock the terminals in terminal receiving channels of the first housing member. The terminal receiving channels include a first row of the terminal receiving channels with a first one of the terminal receiving channels and a second one of the terminal receiving channels being separated from each other by a wall of the first housing member, and the first housing member having a substantially open wall area between a third one of the terminal receiving channels and the second terminal receiving channel. The second housing member is adapted to at least partially close the open wall area. 
     In accordance with one aspect of the present invention, an electrical connector is provided including a plurality of electrical terminals; and a housing having the electrical terminals mounted thereto. The housing comprises a first housing member and a second housing member movably connected to the first housing member. The first housing member comprises terminal receiving areas and snap-lock latches which lock the terminals in the terminal receiving areas. The first and second housing members form a terminal position assurance (TPA) feature. Portions of the first and second housing members form contact lead-in surfaces to apertures into the terminal receiving areas at a front end of the housing. The contact lead-in surfaces of at least one of the portions have a general cross-shape when viewed from the front end. 
     In accordance with another aspect of the invention, an electrical connector is provided comprising a plurality of electrical terminals; and a housing having the electrical terminals connected thereto. The housing comprises a first housing member and a second housing member movably connected to the first housing member. The first housing member comprises terminal receiving areas and snap-lock latches which lock the terminals in the terminal receiving areas. The first and second housing members form a terminal position assurance feature. The terminal receiving areas comprise a first row of the terminal receiving channels with a first one of the terminal receiving channels and a second one of the terminal receiving channels being separated from each other by a wall of the first housing member and the first housing member having a substantially open wall area between a third one of the terminal receiving channels and the second terminal receiving channel. The second housing member is adapted to at least partially close the open wall area. Portions of the first and second housing members form contact lead-in surfaces to apertures into the terminal receiving channels at a front end of the housing. At least one of the portions of the first and second housing members have a general cross-shape when viewed from the front end. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         FIG. 1  is a perspective view of an electrical connector comprising features of the invention; 
         FIG. 2  is an enlarged partial front end view of the connector shown in  FIG. 1 ; 
         FIG. 3  is a partial front end view similar to  FIG. 2  of the first housing member of the connector; 
         FIG. 4  is a perspective view of a portion of the first housing member shown in  FIG. 3 ; 
         FIG. 5  is a perspective view as in  FIG. 4  showing one of the terminals inserted into the first housing member; 
         FIG. 6  is a partial rear end view of the second housing member shown in  FIG. 1 ; 
         FIG. 7  is a perspective cut away view of the second housing member shown in  FIGS. 1 and 6 ; 
         FIG. 8  is a perspective cut away view of the second housing member as in  FIG. 7  showing location of one of the terminals when the second housing member is in a rearward locked position; 
         FIG. 9  is a partial perspective cut away view of the second housing member at a forward unlocked position on the first housing member; 
         FIG. 10  is a partial perspective cut away view as in  FIG. 9  showing the second housing member at a rearward locked position on the first housing member; 
         FIG. 11  is a cross sectional view of the first and second housing members at a locked position without showing the terminals merely for the sake of clarity; and 
         FIG. 12  is a cross sectional view of the first and second housing members similar to  FIG. 11  at another location on the housing showing how the second housing member forms portions of the side walls of the terminal receiving channels. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
     Referring to  FIG. 1 , there is shown a perspective view of an electrical connector  10  incorporating features of the invention. Although the invention will be described with reference to the exemplary embodiment shown in the drawings, it should be understood that the invention can be embodied in many alternate forms of embodiments. In addition, any suitable size, shape or type of elements or materials could be used. 
     The electrical connector  10  generally comprises a housing  12  and electrical contacts or terminals  14  (see  FIG. 5 ) located inside the housing. The terminals  14  are preferably female terminals, such as disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 6,056,604 and 6,247,975 for example which are hereby incorporated by reference in their entireties. However, any suitable terminal(s) could be provided. The connector could also comprise additional components or members. The connector  10  is adapted to removably connect electrical wires or conductors (not shown) to a mating electrical connector (not shown). The front end  16  of the connector  10  is adapted to mate with the mating electrical connector. A similar connector and mating connector are described in U.S. patent application Ser. No. 10/806,731 (US 2005/0215106 A1) which is hereby incorporated by reference in its entirety. 
     Referring also to  FIG. 2 , the housing  12  generally comprises a first housing member  18  and a second housing member  20 . The first housing member  12  forms a majority of the housing. The second housing member  20  forms a terminal position assurance (TPA) member as well as part of the housing. As further described below, the second housing member  20  is movably mounted to the first housing member  18  at the front end  16  between a forward unlocked position and a rearward locked position.  FIG. 1  shows the second housing member  20  in its rearward locked position. The terminals  14  are attached to the wires (not shown) and then inserted into the first housing member  18  through the rear end of the first housing member  18 . The second housing member  20  is then moved from its forward unlocked position to its rearward locked position to thereby assure that the terminals  14  are locked inside the housing  10 . 
     Referring also to  FIGS. 3 and 4 , the first housing member  18  is preferably a one-piece molded plastic member. However, in alternate embodiments the first housing member could be comprised of multiple members, any suitable material(s) and/or could be formed by any suitable forming process. The first housing member  18  comprises a plurality of terminal receiving channels  22 . The rear ends of the channels  22  are relatively open such that the terminals  14  can be inserted into the channels  22  through the rear end of the first housing member  18 . 
     The first housing member  18  includes terminal locking fingers  24  which extend into each of the channels  22 . Each terminal locking fingers  24  comprises a forward projecting cantilevered deflectable section with a front facing latch surface  26 . The first housing member  18  includes overtravel protection sections  28  for each of the terminal locking fingers  24 . The overtravel protection sections  28  are located outward from the terminal locking fingers  24  and spaced from the terminal locking fingers  24  by a gap  30 . Open slots  32  are provided in the first housing member  18  between adjacent ones of the terminal locking fingers  24 . The slots  32  also partially open alternating adjacent ones of the channels  22  to each other. 
     The terminal locking fingers  24  are adapted to resiliently deflect into the gaps  30  during insertion of the terminals  14  into the channels  22 . As seen with reference to  FIG. 5 , the fingers  24  subsequently snap back to their home undeflected positions after the terminals are inserted with the latch surfaces  26  latched behind a portion of the terminals. This prevents the terminals  14  from inadvertently being pushed or pulled out of the rear end of the channels  22 . 
     The front end of the first housing member  18  includes forward stop sections  34 . The forward stop sections  34  have a general plus sign or cross (+) shape except at the lateral ends where the forward stop sections  34  have one-half general plus sign (+) or cross shapes. The full plus sign (+) shaped forward stop sections  34  are located at the front of four of the channels  22 . The one-half plus sign (+) shaped forward stop sections  34  are located at the front of two of the channels  22 ; the two channels at each lateral end of the rows. As seen with reference to  FIG. 5 , the back sides  36  of the forward stop sections  34  form stop surfaces to limit forward movement of the terminals  14  in the channels  22 . The back sides of the forward stop sections  34  are only located on two of the sides of each channel. The front sides  38  of the forward stop sections  34  comprise sloped surfaces as lead-ins for the male contacts of the mating electrical connector (not shown) into the channels  22  and terminals  14 . 
     Referring also to  FIGS. 6 and 7 , the second housing member or TPA member  20  is preferably a one-piece molded plastic member. However, in alternate embodiments the second housing member could be comprised of multiple members, any suitable material(s) and/or could be formed by any suitable forming process. The second housing member  20  comprises a front end  40  and rearward extending sections  42 . The front end  40  includes general box shaped openings  44  with columns  46  located between the openings  44 . The columns  46  have front faces with sloped lead-in surfaces as lead-ins for the male contacts of the mating electrical connector (not shown) into the channels  22  and terminals  14 . The front faces of the second housing member  20  also includes top and bottom sloped surfaces at the top and bottoms of the openings  44 . When the second housing member  20  is moved to its locked position as seen in  FIG. 1 , the sloped surfaces of the two housing members  18 ,  20  combine to form square or rectangular funnel shapes into the channels  22  at the front of the connector. Pogo style electrical testing holes  48  are located above and below the openings  44  to allow an electrical testing probe (not shown) to be inserted into the housing to test the terminals  14 . As seen with reference to  FIG. 8 , the rear side of the front end  40  forms stop surfaces for limiting forward movement of the terminals  14  in the channels  22  when the second housing member  20  is located at its locked position, but only on two sides of each channel  22 . 
     The rearward extending sections  42  include rearward extending cantilevered channel separator wall sections  50  and rearward extending cantilevered blocking sections  52 . The wall sections  50  are adapted to be located in the slots  32  of the first housing member  18 . The wall sections  50  can slide in the slots  32 . When the second housing member  20  is at its locked position, the wall sections  50  cooperate with the first housing member  18  to separate at least some of the adjacent channels  22  from each other. By allowing portions of the second housing member  20  to be used to separate at least some of the channels  22  from each other (rather than only the first housing member) the overall size of the connector  10  can be reduced. In the embodiment shown, the lateral side walls of the channels  22  are provided either by the first housing member  18  and alternatingly by portions of the first housing member  18  and the wall sections  50  of the second housing member  20 . Alternatively, the wall sections of the second housing member could form the alternating channels walls entirely. 
     Referring also to  FIGS. 9-12 , when the second housing member  20  is initially inserted into the first housing member  18 , the blocking sections  52  are located in the areas just forward of the gaps  30 ; partially covered by the overtravel protection sections  28 . When the second housing member  20  is moved to it locked position, the blocking sections  52  slide into the gaps  30 . If any of the terminals  14  are not fully inserted into the channels  22 , their respective locking finger  24  will prevent insertion of the blocking section  52  into the gap. This can signal the installer that there is a terminal which is not fully inserted. 
     When the blocking sections  52  are moved into the gaps  30 , the blocking sections prevent or block outward deflection of the locking fingers  24 . Because the locking fingers  24  are prevented from deflecting outward by the blocking sections  52 , the locking fingers  24  cannot be inadvertently moved and they positively prevent the terminals  14  from being pushed or pulled out of the rear ends of the channels. Thus, the blocking sections  52  provide locking finger reinforcement. 
     With the embodiment shown in the drawings, the first housing member or terminal block  18  defines two partial, right angle walls of each cavity leading into the channels  22  and the terminals  14 . The TPA member  20  defines the rest of the cavity leading into the channels  22  and the terminals  14 ; including the other two partial, right angle walls of each cavity. The two partial, right angle walls of the first housing member  18  help prevent the terminals  14  from popping out of the front end of the first housing member  18  prior to insertion of the TPA member  20 . Once the TPA member  20  is inserted, the two members  18 ,  20  define a 360° contact stop surface at the front of the channels  22 . In addition, the TPA member  20  defines a portion of each alternating channel wall. By putting portions of the channel walls on the TPA member  20 , there is more space in the first housing member for insertion of the terminals  14  and wider flexible locking fingers  24 . More space in the first housing member for insertion of the terminals  14  allows larger terminals or less likelihood of clearance problems when inserting the terminals. Wider flexible locking fingers  24  can provide stronger finger which are less likely to fail, and can latch with the terminals better, such as due to an increased area of contact between the terminal and the locking finger. 
     It should be understood that the foregoing description is only illustrative of the invention. Various alternatives and modifications can be devised by those skilled in the art without departing from the invention. Accordingly, the present invention is intended to embrace all such alternatives, modifications and variances which fall within the scope of the appended claims.