Abstract:
An electrical connector housing, such as an automotive fuse housing, is closed or opened by a standard cover that can be swung open in two directions, or pulled straight off. Cooperating pairs of hinge pins on the housing and resilient cantilever beams on the cover serve as either a releasable latch, or as a hinge, or as a pair of releasable latches, depending on the opening mode desired.

Description:
This invention relates to electrical connector housings in general, and specifically to a housing with a multi functional cover that can be easily attached, closed and opened in one of several different orientations. 
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     Electrical connector housings, especially automotive electrical system fuse housings, need a removable or easily opened cover in order to allow access to change the fuse. Known housings of this type provide for only a single manner and direction of opening. That is, the cover may be swung open about a single axis and in a single direction, or pulled straight off. In different vehicle locations, there may be room or access to allow only one direction of cover opening. This necessitates the use of different housing and cover combinations at differing locations, which increases the inventory of different parts and consequent costs. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     The invention provides a housing and cover combination which, with a single pair of parts, allows the housing cover to swing open in two alternate directions, or to be pulled straight off. In addition, a unique hinge/latch mechanism is disclosed which can serve alternately as either a hinge or as an easily released latch. The two parts are manufactured and assembled in the same fashion regardless of the desired opening direction, so there is maximum consolidation of parts, manufacturing and assembly steps. 
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a housing and cover assembly made according to the invention shows the cover opening in three alternate direction; 
     FIG. 2 is a top plan view of the housing with cover assembly opened to one side, showing the unlatching motion in dotted lines; 
     FIG. 3 is a side view of FIG.  3 ; 
    
    
     DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
     Referring first to FIGS. 1 and 2, an electrical connector housing and cover assembly according to the invention is indicated generally at  10 . Housing  12  is a generally hollow, molded plastic body with a central axis A and a generally rectangular open end  14  lying in a plane generally perpendicular to axis A. At four corners, symmetrically disposed relative to the open end  14 , four generally cylindrical pins  16  are fixed to the housing  12 . The pins  16  define two axes of rotation, B and C, which are parallel to one another, perpendicular to axis A, and located on opposite sides of the open end  14 . The pins  16  form two opposed pairs, which are spaced apart at their inner ends by a distance X 2 , and which also project outwardly from the outer surface of housing  12  on L shaped legs  18 , so as to not overlay any the rest of housing  12 . This conveniently allows the pins  16  to be molded integrally to housing  12 , by and with a single pair of molds that part straight along the central axis A. The outer ends of each opposed pair of pins are spaced apart by a distance XI, and the top edges of the outer ends of each pin  16  are chamfered off slightly, for a purpose described below. 
     Still referring next to FIGS. 1 and 2, cover  20  is also a generally hollow, molded plastic body, with an open end defined by a rectangular lip  22 . Lip  22  is sized to fit closely into and over the open end  14  of housing  12 , but without binding, thereby closing and sealing it. Integrally molded to each side of cover  20  are a pair of co linear, oppositely projecting cantilever beams  24 , each of which terminates in an annular eye  26 . The beams  24  are sufficiently thin (thickness indicated at T) so as to be elastically (reversibly) flexible slightly away from the sides of the cover  20 , and apart from one another. The eyes  26  have a diameter slightly larger than the diameter of the pins  16 , and are located so as to match the location of the outer ends of the opposed pairs of housing pins  16 . More specifically, the opposed pairs of beam eyes  26  are, in an unflexed condition of the beams  24 , spaced apart by a distance Y that is approximately equal to (or slightly less than) the distance X 1  referred to above. Integrally molded between each opposed pair of beams  24  is an outwardly curved web  28 , connected to each. In a free, unstressed state, web  28  is convexly curved relative to cover  20 , as shown in FIG. 2 in solid lines. Web  28  is thin enough to be inwardly and elastically flexible from its free state to a flatter (but still outwardly curved) condition, shown in dotted line. So pushing in on web  28  effectively lengthens it, and applies an outward pressure to the opposed pair of beams  24  that pushes them apart a distance greater than X 1 . The converse is true, as well. That is, the application of an outward pressure on the opposed pair of beams  24  sufficient to push them apart would, in turn, pull the web  28  inwardly to the same location. This interaction of each web  28  and the opposed pair of beams  24  that it interconnects allows the pins  16  and beam eyes  26  to function as described below. In addition, in the embodiment disclosed, each web  28  is strengthened by an integrally molded buttress  30 , which extends from the top edge of web  28  to the top surface of cover  20 . Buttress  30  serves a function described next. 
     Referring next to FIG. 2, one of the ways that cover  20  can be attached to housing  12  is by pushing either pair of beam eyes  26  down forcefully over either pair of opposed pins  16 . The force generated by this engagement spreads the beams  24  apart until the eyes  26  snap over the ends of the pins  16 , allowing the beams  24  to return to their free state. As noted above, free state spacing Y of the beams  24  is substantially identical to the outer end spacing XI of the opposed pins  16 , so that the beams  24  can spread apart minimally, and yet still overlap with and be retained to the pins  16  when they snap back. There is a clearance A between the inner surface of each beam  24  and the side of the cover  20  which is slightly less than the beam thickness T. This assures that as the cover  20  slides side to side, neither beam  24  will slip off of its pin  16 . 
     Referring next to FIGS. 2 and 3, when only one pair of beams  24  is attached as described above, the cover  20  is hinged to housing  12  so as to rotate about either axis B or C. To close cover  20  fully, it is simply rotated over and down onto the housing open end  14 , along one of the dotted line arcs shown in FIG. 1, about axis B or C. This automatically brings the other pair of beams  24  into engagement with the other pair of pins  16 , just as described above. Now, however, the other pair of beams  24  and pins  16  acts as a latch, rather than as a hinge. As cover  20  is fully closed, the curved webs  28  do not bind on the housing  12 , fitting instead with some clearance between the inner ends of the pins  16  (within the space X 2 ) and also within the clearance between the L shaped legs  18  and the outer surface of housing  12 . A third option for simultaneously attaching and closing cover  20  is to push it straight down onto housing open end  14 , along the housing central axis A, thereby snapping both pair of beams  24  over both pairs of opposed pins  16 , in one step. 
     Referring again to FIGS. 2 and 3, all three of the closing actions described above can be reversed. By pressing in on either web  28 , the respective beams  24  that it connects are spread apart far enough to pull off of the pins  16 , allowing the cover  20  to be swung up in either direction, about either axis B or C, to open housing  12 . The buttress  30  provides a convenient surface to grasp to apply the pressing force to the web  28 , and to then pull up on to swing cover  20  up and out. Alternately, both buttresses  30  can be pressed inwardly at once, pinching both webs  28  to disengage both pair of beams  24 , allowing cover  20  to be pulled straight off along central axis A. As shown, cover  20  is short enough that an average human hand could squeeze both webs  28  inwardly and toward one another at once. This gives maximum packaging flexibility to the housing  12  and cover assembly  10 . That is, the assembly  10  could be packaged within the vehicle in a location where it could swing open only about axis B, or only about C, or where it was blocked from swinging open in either direction, and could be pulled only straight out. Or, several such assemblies  10  could be mounted in multiple locations that were so limited. Again, only the two parts  12  and  20  are needed to accommodate all three possible situations. 
     Variations of the embodiment disclosed. Most fundamentally, the pins  16  and beams  24 -web  28  structures could be reversed between the housing  12  and cover  20 . This would be less convenient, since the depressed web  28  (and buttress  30 ) could not simultaneously serve as a handle to pull cover  20  up. Or, the pins  16  could be formed at the end of the flexible beams  24 , and the eyes  26  could be rigidly molded to the housing  12 . As disclosed, the webs  28  join the beams  24  at a point inboard of the pins  16  and eyes  26 , which is more efficient, in terms of leverage on the beams  24 , than locating the webs  28  outboard. However, putting the webs  28  outboard would obviate the need to provide clearance for the webs  28  between the opposed pairs of pins  16 . The beams  24  need not originate from a common, integrally molded hinge point, as shown, although that, too, is a convenient design. Any concave, generally circular feature on the beams  24  designed to fit closely over the ends of the pins  16  would function as a rotating half of the hinge mechanism, as do the open eyes  26 , but the open eyes  26  are far easier to mold than a closed ended cap, or the like, would be.