Abstract:
The invention relates to a connector for motor vehicles. By means of the invention the device for assuring the position of the contacts is prevented from being accidentally displaced from its shipping position to its use position. To this end, the device for assuring the position of the contacts is locked in the shipping position against a stop. On insertion of one or more contacts into its respective cavity, a direct interaction between this contact or these contacts and the device for assuring the position of the contacts causes escape from the stop. The device for assuring the position of the contacts can then be displaced from its shipping position to its use position.

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION 
     This application claims the benefit under 35 U.S.C. §119(a) of patent application Ser. No. 14/53,658, filed in France with the Institut National de la Propriété Industrielle (INPI) on Apr. 23, 2014, the entire disclosure of which is hereby incorporated by reference. 
     TECHNICAL FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
     The invention relates to the field of connectors for motor vehicles. More particularly, the invention relates to a connector for motor vehicles with a contact-carrying case including at least one cavity to receive a contact and a device for assuring the position of the contacts (also called TPA for “Terminal Position Assurance” or PLR for “Primary Lock Retention”). 
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     In this type of connector, the device for assuring the position of the contacts is movable between a shipping position and a use position. More specifically, the device for assuring the position of the contacts should remain in the open position, or shipping position, until the connector is housed in the cavities intended for this purpose of the electrical contacts, generally attached to the end of a cable. When the contacts are correctly positioned in their respective cavities, the device for assuring the position of the contacts should be displaceable into a closed position, or use position. If at least one contact remains incorrectly inserted in its cavity, the primary locking means allowing this contact to be locked in its cavity prevents the displacement of the device for assuring the position of the contacts. The operator in charge of the mounting of the contacts is thus warned of the incorrect insertion of at least one contact. 
     To increase the productivity of the operation of insertion of the contacts into the connector, the connector should be kept with the device for assuring the position of the contacts in the shipping position, until this operation takes place. 
     However, a common problem is, due to the fact that during packaging, shipping or other handling operations, the device for assuring the position of the contacts is accidentally moved into the use position before insertion of the contacts into the connector has been started. An object of the invention is to reduce the risk of encountering this problem. 
     BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     In accordance with an embodiment of the invention, a fuse-carrying connector is provided. In this case, the device for assuring the position of the contact advantageously has a portion extending at least partially in the cavity of an electrical supply contact. Indeed, in this example of a fuse-carrying connector, for this to be functional, such cavities will always necessarily be provided with an electrical supply contact. 
     In accordance with another embodiment, a process for mounting a connector for motor vehicles is provided. The process comprises the provision of a contact-carrying case, including at least one cavity and provided with a device, movable between a shipping position and a use position, for assuring the position of the contacts. In accordance with this process, a contact is inserted in the cavity. The contact then retracts a portion of the device for assuring the position of the contact, extending at least partially in the cavity, thus releasing the device for assuring the position of the contact from an abutment against which it was stopped. After this release of the device for assuring the position of the contact, the device can be made to slide to assure the position of the contact, from the shipping position to the use position. 
     Other characteristics and advantages of the invention will become apparent on reading the detailed description and the attached drawings. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWING 
       The present invention will now be described, by way of example with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: 
         FIG. 1  shows diagrammatically in perspective an example embodiment of a connector in accordance with the invention; 
         FIG. 2  shows diagrammatically in perspective, in exploded manner, the connector of  FIG. 1 ; 
         FIG. 3  shows diagrammatically in section a cavity of the connector of  FIGS. 1 and 2 ; 
         FIG. 4  shows diagrammatically in perspective the device for assuring the position of the contacts of the connector of  FIGS. 1 and 2 ; 
         FIG. 5  shows diagrammatically, in section, a cavity in which a contact is inserted, the device for assuring the position of the contacts being in the shipping position, but displaced by the contact; and 
         FIG. 6  shows in similar manner to  FIG. 5  the device for assuring the position of the contacts  5  in the use position. 
     
    
    
     In these figures, the same references are used to designate identical or similar elements. 
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
     The connector and the process described herein address the problem of the device for assuring the position of the contacts being accidentally displaced into the use position before the operation of insertion of the contacts into the connector has been started. This aim is at least partially achieved with a connector of the type described above in which, in the shipping position, the device for assuring the position of the contacts has a portion extending at least partially in the cavity, stopped against an abutment of the case. The device for assuring the position of the contact being completely stopped against this abutment, it cannot be inadvertently displaced from its shipping position towards its use position. In fact, it can only be displaced from its shipping position towards its use position if a contact is introduced into the cavity in which the portion of the device for assuring the position of the contacts at least partially extends. 
     It is known to provide cavities for contacts matching the dimensions of the contacts to limit the play around the contacts and thus make reliable coupling with the complementary contacts of a mating connector or against another. The insertion of a contact into the cavity therefore causes a displacement of the portion extending in the cavity and releases this from the abutment in the case. In other words, the device for assuring the position of the contact is released from this stop due to its interaction with a contact, when this is inserted into the cavity. 
     For example, the device for assuring the position of the contact includes a retractable tooth projecting into the cavity when the device for assuring the position of the contact is in the shipping position. This tooth can also project into the cavity when the device for assuring the position of the contact is in the use position. In this case, the retractable tooth can be housed in an opening or window of the contact when the device for assuring the position of the contact is in the use position. Thus, if the retractable tooth is carried by a flexible arm, this can be in the rest position, i.e. unstressed, whether this be in the shipping position or in the use position of the device for assuring the position of the contact. This avoids any creep over time of the material (plastic) from which the device for assuring the position of the contact is made. 
     The invention is illustrated below by means of a particular example embodiment of a connector  1 . In accordance with this example, the connector  1  described is a fuse-carrying connector. 
     As shown in  FIGS. 1 and 2 , it includes a case  3 , a device  5  for assuring the position of the contacts, also called “Terminal Position Assurance (TPA) or “Primary Lock Retention” (PLR) device and hereinafter referred to as a TPA device, a bus bar  7  (also called a busbar) and secondary locking means  9 . Among the contacts housed in the case  3  is an electrical supply contact  11 , the only one shown in the figures. 
     The case  3 , the TPA device  5  and the secondary locking means  9  are formed of an electrically insulating material (plastic material). The contacts and the bus bar  7  are electrically conductive (e.g. copper alloy). 
     The electrical supply contact  11  is a female contact suitable for coupling with a terminal  13  of the bus bar  7  and for distributing current to the set of fuses (not shown) mounted on the connector  1 . 
     As shown in  FIG. 3 , the contact  11  is housed in a cavity  15  of the case  3 . It includes a cage  17  and a crimping end  19  to which is attached the end of a cable  21 . The contact  11  is made by stamping, punching and bending of a blank. In the cage  17 , over an opening  23 , is placed a spring contact strip  25 . 
     The cavity  15  is essentially defined by four walls at right-angles in pairs. One of them which we shall call a lower wall  27  includes two openings: an upstream opening  29  and a downstream opening  31  separated by a cross-piece  33 . 
     Returning to the TPA device  5 , shown alone in  FIG. 4 . This includes a plate  35  perpendicularly to which extend legs intended to come behind retaining latches (not shown) formed in one piece with the case  3  and assuring the primary locking of the contacts receiving fuse pins. If at least one of these contacts is not correctly positioned in its cavity, the corresponding retaining latch locks one of the legs  37  and prevents the displacement of the TPA device  5 , from its shipping position towards its use position. 
     The TPA device  5  also includes a flexible arm  39  extending perpendicularly to the plate  35 , from this. The flexible arm  39  includes a free end  41  on which is arranged a tooth  43 . The tooth  43  forms a portion of the flexible arm  39 . 
     More precisely, as shown in  FIGS. 3, 5 and 6 , the free end  41  includes a stop surface  45  perpendicular to the longitudinal direction of the flexible arm  39 , i.e. perpendicular to the displacement of the TPA device  5  from its shipping position towards its use position (This displacement takes place in the direction opposite to the insertion direction Di of the electrical supply contact  11  into its cavity  15 ). 
     The free end  41  also includes, adjacent to the stop surface  45 , on the tooth  43 , a sliding surface  47  essentially forming an obtuse angle with the insertion direction Di of the electrical supply contact  11  into its cavity  15 . The tooth  43  extends into the cavity  15 , above the level of the surface of the lower wall  27 . 
     Before the introduction of the contact  11  into the cavity  15 , in the position of the TPA device  5  corresponding to its shipping position, the tooth  43  is housed in the upstream opening  29  and the flexible arm  39  is therefore not bent. It is at rest and cannot be deformed in the course of time. 
     On the introduction of the contact  11  into the cavity  15 , the latter contact interferes with the tooth  43 , more particularly with the sliding surface  47 . Thus, the sliding surface  47  facilitates the introduction of the contact  11  into the cavity  15  and allows the tooth  43  to be retracted on this introduction. 
     Another sliding surface is provided adjacent to the sliding surface  47 , on the tooth  43  to facilitate the displacement of the TPA device  5  from its use position towards its shipping position, e.g. for unmounting. The contact  11  can thus be placed correctly in the cavity  15 . 
     As shown in  FIG. 5 , the cross-piece  33  presents an abutment  49  with an abutment surface  51 , perpendicular to the longitudinal direction of the flexible arm  39  (in the rest position), i.e. perpendicular to the displacement of the device for assuring the position of the contacts five from its shipping position towards its use position. This abutment surface  51  forms a complete stop for the TPA device  5 . 
     On the introduction of the contact  11  into the cavity  15 , the displacement of the tooth  43  out of the cavity  15  by the contact  11  allows the stop surface  45  to escape the abutment surface  51 . This displacement of the tooth  43  causes elastic bending of the flexible arm  39 . It is then the sliding surface  47  which can come into contact with the abutment surface  51  and the TPA device  5  can be easily displaced from its shipping position towards its use position. The free end  41  of the flexible arm  39  therefore presents a sort of complete stop (stop surface  45 ) and a retractable stop (sliding surface  47 ) superimposed the one on the other, the passage from the one to the other taking place by bending of the flexible arm  39  on introduction of the contact  11  into the cavity  15 . 
     Once in the use position of the TPA device  5 , the tooth  43  enters the downstream opening  31  in which it is housed. In addition, a notch  53  allows the flexible arm  39  to pass under the cross-piece  33 , without abutting against this. The flexible arm  39  is therefore not bent. It is at rest and cannot be deformed in the course of time. 
     For unmounting, the TPA device  5  is displaced from its use position to its shipping position. As mentioned above, the other sliding surface, adjacent to the sliding surface  47 , facilitates the displacement of the tooth  43  out of the cavity  15  and under the cross-piece  33 .