Abstract:
A connector ( 10 ) is provided that is mountable in cutout ( 82 ) of a panel ( 80 ) and incrementally movable therein. First flanges ( 30 ) of a first layer ( 28 ) pass through recesses ( 84 ) along sides of the cutout ( 82 ) until second flanges ( 38 ) of a second layer ( 36 ) abut the near surface of the panel adjacent the recesses. The connector is then translated laterally to a fully mounted position until stop member ( 44 ) seats in a locking position with respect to an edge ( 96 ) of the cutout, thus maintaining the connector in its fully mounted position with first and second flange layers sandwiching portions of the panel therebetween, and preventing the connector from moving inadvertently to its initially inserted position. Mating connectors ( 10,100 ) mounted on respective panels ( 80,170 ) define an ultra low mated height permitting the panels to be very close together.

Description:
This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Application No. 60/073,133, filed on Jan. 30, 1998. 
    
    
     FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
     This relates to the field of electrical connectors and more particularly to connectors mountable to panels. 
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     Various approaches have been used to mount electrical connectors to panels to extend through a panel cutout such that a mating face is exposed on one side of the panel and the connector extends to another face on the opposite side of the panel, and circuits are completed from one panel side to the other. One technique is to secure the connector to the panel by fasteners that extend through aligned holes of the panel and flanges extending laterally from the sides of the connector and lying adjacent the panel. Another technique is disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,995,947 and 5,002,497 in which the connector is secured to the panel without the use of discrete fasteners, using features of the connector housing or shell to cooperate with the panel. 
     In U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,077,693; 4,352,538 and 5,407,363, connectors include flanges in a first layer that pass through recesses along the cutout periphery until moved past the far panel surface whereupon second flanges or bosses of the housing laterally and axially staggered from the flanges of the first layer abut the near panel surface. The connector is then translated or rotated laterally to a mounted position so that the first flanges are no longer aligned with the recesses through which they past, and the connector is locked in the mounted position such as by a separate key member, or a latch arm integral with the housing cooperating with a panel feature. In U.S. Pat. No. 5,407,363, limited float is available to the connector within the cutout for the connector to adjust its position incrementally during connector mating. 
     It is desired to provide a connector that selfretains to a panel at a cutout thereof, in a manner that permits floating incrementally in at least two dimensions upon mating with a mating connector along the mating face. 
     It is further desired to provide such a connector that is permitted to float incrementally in three dimensions. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention is a connector mounting system of a connector and a panel cutout, with the connector having an insulative housing for being mounted to a panel to extend through the cutout and selfretain to the panel, without fasteners, in a manner permitting incremental movement in at least two dimensions (laterally) and preferably in three dimensions (laterally and axially). The connector of the system provides all panel-associated features in an axially compact, low profile arrangement on an easily moldable one-piece housing. 
     Extending from opposed side walls of the housing are tablike flanges staggered laterally therealong arrayed in a single first layer adjacent the leading end of the housing, that pass through corresponding recesses along the periphery of the panel cutout. Ledges such as arrays of second flanges also extend from each of the opposed side walls as a second layer and are spaced axially rearwardly from the first layer of flanges a distance slightly greater than a panel thickness, and abut the panel adjacent the cutout periphery to stop further axial insertion. Thereafter, the connector is translated laterally until the free end of a resilient beam at one end of the housing resiles from its deflected position after passing a stop surface of the panel along the cutout periphery. The free end has a stop surface aligning with the panel stop surface and is abuttable thereagainst, preventing translation of the connector to its initial position. 
     The cutout is dimensioned to be larger than the housing to permit not only movement of the housing between two lateral positions but also being sufficiently large to permit incremental movement of the housing within the cutout after the stop surface of the resilient beam has become aligned with the corresponding stop surface of the panel. Incremental axial movement of the connector in its mounted position is permitted by the spacing between the flange layers being greater than the panel thickness. 
     The connector and panel cutout preferably are polarized to assure that panel mounting occurs only when the connector is in a single desired orientation to assure that the stop surface cooperates with the panel stop surface; polarization may be by shaping the tablike flanges and the panel tabs between the recesses, so that the tablike flanges only pass by the tabs when the connector is in the desired orientation. The ledges or second layer of flanges is preferably an array of elongate tablike flanges sufficiently long to abut the second panel surface outwardly of the outermost cutout extent; optionally, the flanges may be continuous along each housing side to assuredly abut the second panel surfaces of all the panel tabs along the respective side. 
     In one particular application, a pair of matable connectors are each mounted to a respective panel as described above, where the panels are moved toward each other and whereupon the connectors mate. Each connector is float mounted to incrementally adjust position to become mutually aligned, and to assure that their contacts will thereafter become electrically engaged without damage. One connector preferably has blade-like contacts and the other has receptacle contacts complementary to the blade-like contacts. 
     Embodiments of the present invention will now be described by way of example with reference to the accompanying drawings. 
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     FIG. 1 is an isometric view of a first connector spaced from the cutout of a panel; 
     FIG. 2 is an isometric view similar to FIG. 1 with the connector partially inserted into the cutout; 
     FIG. 3 is an isometric view showing the first connector fully inserted into the cutout and locked in place; 
     FIGS. 4 and 5 are plan and elevation views of the connector of FIGS. 1 to  3 ; 
     FIGS. 6 and 7 are enlarged cross-section views showing the latch of the connector of FIGS. 1 to  3  before and after latching with the panel; 
     FIG. 8 is an isometric view of a contact of the connector of FIGS. 1 to  5 ; 
     FIG. 9 is a cross-sectional view of the housing of the connector of FIGS. 1 to  7 ; 
     FIGS. 10 and 11 are isometric views of a second connector matable with the connector of FIGS. 1 to  9 , spaced from and mounted to a panel cutout therefor, respectively; 
     FIGS. 12 and 13 are enlarged cross-sectional views of the latch of the connector of FIGS. 10 and 11 before and after latching with a locking tab of the panel; 
     FIG. 14 is an isometric view of a contact of the connector of FIGS. 10 and 11; 
     FIG. 15 is an isometric view of the rear face of the connector of FIGS. 10 and 11; and 
     FIG. 16 is cross-sectional view of portions of the connectors of FIGS. 1 to  15  prior to being mated, showing the contacts of the connectors prior to engagement. 
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
     Connector  10  of FIGS. 1 to  9  includes a housing  12  that defines a mating face  14  at a leading end  16 , and a rearward face  18 . Mating face  14  includes a shroud  20  surrounding a plurality of contacts  22  retained within housing  12 , the contacts including blade-like contact sections  24  exposed within cavity  26  recessed from leading end  16 . In FIGS. 1 to  7 , several contact positions are shown without contacts therein, to illustrate detail of the cavities. A first layer  28  of tablike flanges  30  is defined proximate the leading end  16 , extending laterally from opposed sides  32 , 34 ; and a second layer  36  of elongate tablike second flanges or ledges  38  is defined spaced rearwardly a selected distance or gap  40  from first layer  28  and proximate rearward face  18 . Gap  40  is preferably slightly greater than the thickness of panel  80  to facilitate translation and also to permit incremental axial movement of the connector during mating, and is more clearly seen in FIG.  7 . Second flanges  38  preferably are longer than first flanges  30 , as best seen in FIG.  4 . 
     Panel  80  has a cutout  82 , recesses  84  alternating with tabs  86  along opposed sides  88 , 90  about the periphery of the cutout. Recesses  84  include angled sides  92 , and complement the shape of first flanges  30  of connector  10  that are chamfered at corners  42 ; the angled recess sides and chamfers are seen to be along the same sides of the recesses and flanges on each side, with one side of the connector and the cutout being a mirror image of the other side thereof for polarization requiring that the connector be inserted when in only one orientation. 
     Connector  10  includes a stop member such as latch  44  disposed on the leading end of a resilient beam  46  extending from end  48  of housing  12 , with the beam coplanar with second layer  36  of second flanges  38 . Latch  44  is an embossment projecting from the forward surface of beam  46 . Shown extending beside beam  46  from end  48  are flaps  50 , also generally coplanar with second flange layer  36 , that will close off the exposed cutout portion when the connector is moved to its fully mounted position. Extending from opposite end  52  of housing  12  is seen a short flange  54 , again coplanar with second flange layer  36 . It may be seen that first flanges  30  adjacent opposite housing end  52  also extend beyond end  52  to define a gap  56  with respect to short flange  54 , with gap  56  being of equal dimension to gap  40 . 
     Referring to FIG. 2, leading end  16  of connector  10  has been inserted through cutout  82  from the second panel side to the first panel side, with first flanges  30  passing through recesses  84  of the panel cutout. Flaps  50  are hidden behind the panel adjacent to end  96  thereof, and second flanges  38  are similarly hidden. It is seen that first flanges  30  have the corner edges thereof chamfered to facilitate insertion through the recesses. 
     When connector  10  has been pushed fully such that first flanges  30  have passed completely through recesses  84  and second flanges  38  and flaps  50  are now adjacent the surface of the second side of panel  80 , connector  10  is then urged laterally toward end  94  of cutout  82  from a first lateral position to a second or fully mounted lateral position as shown in FIG.  3 . First flanges  30  pass atop adjacent ones of tabs  86  adjacent to the first panel side and also to the panel adjacent to end  94 , and the periphery of the panel cutout is disposed in gaps  40  and  56 . 
     When connector  10  has been translated to its fully mounted lateral position, the stop surface of latch  44  seats adjacent to end  96  of cutout  82  (end  96  defining a locking edge) when beam  46  resiles, as illustrated in FIGS. 6 and 7. With latch  44  in its seated position, any substantial inadvertent movement of connector  10  laterally toward its first lateral position is prevented. However, it is seen that latch  44  may be delatched from the panel by deflection of beam  46 , to enable unmounting of the connector from the panel for service and repair. 
     In FIG. 4, it is seen that respective ones of second flanges  38  are located between first flanges  30 , and short flange  54  is located between the first flanges  30  at connector end  52 . Such arrangement facilitates molding the insulative connector housing in a two-draw mold for minimized production costs. In FIG. 5, lower corner edges of first flanges  30  and upper corner edges of second flanges  38  are seen to be chamfered to facilitate translation of the connector from the first lateral position to the second lateral position, as portions of the panel are received into gaps  40  and  56 . Shown in phantom are conductor wires  58  extending from rear face  18  of connector  10 . 
     A contact  22  is shown in FIG. 8 and a contact-receiving cavity  60  is seen in FIG.  9 . Contact  22  has a planar or blade-like contact section  24 , a body section  62  with retention tabs  64 , and a connecting section  66  that is adapted to be crimped onto a stripped end of a conductor wire  58  (FIG.  5 ). Retention tabs  64  will seat atop a forwardly facing ledge  68  along the contact-receiving cavity  60  during insertion from rear face  18 . A post portion  70  is seen extending from the forward end of contact section  24 , to seat within a rearwardly facing recess  72  of lip  74  of the housing extending from a side wall of the shroud  20  proximate leading end  16 , to stabilize the contact during mating and unmating, and to resist forward movement of the contact during unmating. Extending into housing  12  from rear face  18  is a cavity portion  76  that extends longitudinally from contact-receiving cavity  60 , as seen in FIGS. 4 and 9, for receipt thereinto of wire-connecting section  66  after being crimped onto a stripped end of a wire  58  (FIG.  5 ). 
     Second connector  100  of FIGS. 10 to  15  is matable with connector  10  of FIGS. 1 to  9 . Second connector  100  is a receptacle connector having an insulative housing  102  having a mating face  104  complementary to mating face  14  of receptacle connector  10 , wherein a plug portion  106  of housing  102  is receivable into cavity  26  of housing  12  while a shroud-receiving cavity  108  surrounds plug portion  106  for receipt thereinto of shroud  20  of housing  12 . Provided at leading end  110  is a first layer  112  of first tablike flanges  114  spaced by a gap  116  from a second layer  118  of second flanges or ledge  120 ,  124  similarly to connector  10  of FIGS. 1 to  9 . Second flange layer  118  is seen to comprise an end flange  120  at second housing end  122  and a single second flange  124  extending continuously along each housing side and terminating in a flap section  126  adjacent first housing end  128  that close off the otherwise exposed portion of the panel cutout upon full mounting of connector  100  (see FIG.  11 ). 
     Second connector  100  also includes a latch  130  extending from a leading surface of beam  132  at first housing end  128 . Panel  170  includes a cutout  172  having alternating recesses  174  and tabs  176  disposed along each side from first end  178  to second end  180 . Panel  170  also includes a locking tab  182  struck outwardly from the panel adjacent first end  178  and having a free end  184  that will cooperate with latch  130  upon mounting of connector  100  in cutout  172  as is demonstrated in FIGS. 11 to  13 . Locking tab  182  is struck out of the plane of the panel and beyond second panel surface  186 , thereby enabling latch  130  to be recessed below first panel surface  188 , as seen in FIG.  13 . This arrangement permits connector  100  to define an ultra low profile extending from second panel surface  188 , allowing panel  170  to be positioned very closely to panel  80  when the connectors are mated. 
     Housing  102  contains a plurality of female contacts  134  (FIGS. 12 to  16 ) with blade-engaging contact sections  136  disposed in respective cavities  138  recessed from blade-receiving entrances  140  extending rearwardly from mating face  104 , within a plug portion  106  complementary with cavity  24  of shroud  20  of connector  10 . In FIGS. 12 to  15 , several contact positions are shown without contacts therein to reveal details of the cavities. Blade-engaging contact section  136  is seen to be proximate to a free end  142  of an elongate spring arm  144 , and positioned to be aligned with the blade-receiving entrance to be assuredly engaged by a mating blade-like contact section during connector mating (see FIG.  16 ). Preferably free end  142  of the spring arm  144  is retained in a pocket  146  at the leading end of the cavity adjacent the blade-receiving entrance and spring biased toward the entrance and against a lip  148 , thus assuring precise positioning of the contact section in alignment with the entrance. 
     Body section  150  of contact  134  is disposed within cavity  138  and retained therein by a retention lance  152  seated atop a ledge  154  (FIG.  16 ), and includes a stabilizing portion  156 . A connecting section  158  is adapted to be crimped onto the stripped end of a conductor wire (not shown), while a strain relief section  160  is adapted to be crimped onto the insulation jacket of the wire. The connecting section  158  and the strain relief section  160  are oriented orthogonal to the direction of mating of the connectors and are seated in recesses  162  parallel to rear face  164 , so that the wires will exit the connector orthogonal to rear face  164 . Exits  166  of the recesses may be narrow to grip the wire and maintain it in position along the recess. 
     Referring to FIG. 16, it is seen that upon mating of connectors  10  and  100 , their respective panels  80 , 170  will be spaced apart only a distance equal to the height of the first layers of flanges. It is preferred that the leading ends of the shroud  20  and plug portion  106 , and the entrances to the shroud-receiving cavity  108  and cavity  26 , are generously chamfered to facilitate blind mating. The connectors therefor define an ultra low mated profile. Preferably the panel cutouts are dimensioned to be 1.4 mm greater than the distance between the latching surface of latches  44 ,  130  and the opposed end of housings  12 , 102  thus permitting incremental translational adjustment by each connector upon mating. Similarly, it is preferred that the cutout be about 1.4 mm wider than the widths of the housings, and that the gaps between the first and second flange layers of the housings be about 0.3 mm greater than the panel thicknesses. The housings may be made for example from a thermoplastic resin such as polybutylene terephthalate to be provided with durability. 
     Variations and modifications to the present invention may be devised that are within the spirit of the invention and the scope of the claims.