Abstract:
A hybrid electrical connector includes both signal and power contacts in the same connector housing. The housing includes a plurality of axially extending passageways for receipt of the signal contacts and a plurality of axially extending cavities for receipt of the power contacts. The connector housing further includes a plurality of transversely extending slots extending through the connector housing intersecting with individual power contact cavities. Moreover, the housing includes a protrusion extending across the lower surface thereof. A Y-shaped terminal retaining member is insertable in the slots and is resiliently held in place in the slots. The power terminals include an opening therethrough forming a locking shoulder for receipt of the transversely extending locking member. In addition, the power terminals include notches for mating with the protrusion. The combination of the notches and the protrusion ensure the terminal is properly positioned within the housing.

Description:
[0001]     This Application is a Continuation-In-Part of U.S. application Ser. No. 10/460,884 filed on Jun. 13, 2003, which is incorporated by reference as if fully rewritten herein. 
     
    
       [0002]     The subject invention relates to an improved electrical connector housing and more particularly to an improved secondary retention feature for the retention of electrical terminals within their housing.  
       BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
       [0003]     It is quite common in the electrical connector industry today to require that electrical terminals have redundant retention means within their connector housings. The first or primary means of retaining the electrical terminals within the housing is to have a stamped-out lance from the electrical terminal metal body, which abuts a shoulder within the housing. The redundant or secondary retention means is typically profiled as a plastic movable member, which can be moved into place over the terminal to lock the terminal in place. Some of these members are moved transversely of the axial direction, while some are defined as hinged flaps, which are rotated into place. These flaps include plastic tabs which, when rotated, reside in a groove or gap within the terminal to retain the contact in place.  
         [0004]     In one prior method, as shown for example in U.S. Pat. No. 4,750,893, an electrical connector housing has a hinged flap which rotates into place. The electrical connector has an insulating housing and a plurality of electrical terminals disposed in terminal receiving passageways within the housing. The housing includes an upper retention flap including a retention tab which, when in its locked location, is positioned adjacent to an edge of the terminal to retain the terminal in the passageway. The flap has tabs which reside at an edge of the contact to prevent withdrawal thereof. If more than one row of contacts is present, then two hinged flaps on the outside of each of the two rows are used to retain the terminals in place.  
         [0005]     It is also well known in the industry to provide a hybrid electrical connection system, comprised of both signal and power contacts. See, for example, U.S. Pat. No. 5,785,557 and EP Patent Application 0951102. In particular with hybrid connectors, given the complexity and cost, it is desirable to be able to remove and/or replace contacts within the connector without destroying or damaging the electrical connector or any of the connections thereto.  
         [0006]     The objects of the invention are therefore to improve upon these known connection systems.  
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
       [0007]     The objects of the invention have been accomplished by providing an electrical connector comprising an insulative housing comprising a front portion and a rear portion, the housing having at least one contact receiving cavity extending therethrough. An electrical terminal is located within the cavity, the terminal having a front contact portion, wherein the front contact portion is configured to mate with the front portion in a manner ensuring the electrical terminal is properly located within the insulative housing.  
         [0008]     The front portion of the housing may include a pair of parallel side walls, a top portion and a bottom portion, where the bottom portion includes a mating portion configured to mate with the front contact portion of the electrical terminal. The front contact portion of the electrical terminal includes a pair of parallel contact plates, the contact plates including a mating portion sized and configured to mate with the bottom portion of the housing.  
         [0009]     The mating portion of the housing is a protrusion and the mating portion of the contact plates is a notch. The upper portion of the housing includes a slot arranged perpendicular to the contact receiving cavity, and the electrical terminal includes a mating slot, wherein the slot in the upper portion and the mating slot of the electrical terminal are aligned when the mating portions are in engagement.  
         [0010]     The electrical connector further includes a terminal locking member having resilient fork members comprising a plurality of locking members, the resilient fork members being resiliently biasable into a locked position within the slots. The terminal locking member is Y-shaped.  
         [0011]     The distance separating the front edge of the housing and the front edge of the electrical terminal can vary. In one embodiment this distance is about 0.035 inches when the mating portions are in mating engagement. In another embodiment, the distance separating the front edge of the housing and the front edge of the electrical terminal is about 0.073 inches when the mating portions are in mating engagement.  
         [0012]     In another embodiment of the invention, an electrical connector comprises an insulative housing comprising a front portion and a rear portion, the housing having at least one contact receiving cavity extending therethrough. An electrical terminal is located within the cavity, where the terminal has a front contact portion. A terminal locking member locks the electrical terminal to the insulative housing. A means is provided for ensuring the electrical terminal is positioned properly within the insulative housing prior to the insertion of the terminal locking member.  
         [0013]     The front portion of the housing includes a protrusion sized and configured to mate with a notch in the front contact portion of the electrical terminal, and the mating between the protrusion and the notch forms the positioning means. The housing includes a slot positioned transversely to the cavity and the electrical terminal includes a slot sized and configured to receive the terminal locking member. The slots come into alignment as the positioning means ensures the electrical terminal is properly located in the insulative housing. The terminal locking member includes resilient fork members having locking members and being resiliently biasable into a locking position within the slot of the housing, with a portion of the terminal locking members engaging a portion of the electrical terminal.  
         [0014]     In yet another embodiment of the invention, an electrical connector comprises an insulative housing including a back portion and a front portion having an upper wall, a lower wall and a pair of the walls defining a front edge in a plane; the insulative housing further including a cavity extending therethrough and a slot arranged transverse to the cavity. An electrical terminal is located within the cavity, the terminal having a crimp portion and a front contact portion comprising a pair of parallel side walls and an intermediate member extending therebetween, the electrical terminal further including a slot intermediate the front contact portion and the crimp portion. A terminal locking member has resilient fork members being resiliently biasable into a locked position within the slots, the fork members having locking members affixing the terminal locking member to the housing and the electrical terminal. The insulative housing further includes a protrusion in the lower wall and the electrical terminal further includes a notch in each of the parallel side walls, the notches being sized and configured to receive the protrusion thereby ensuring the electrical terminal is properly positioned within the insulative housing.  
         [0015]     The slots align as the notches receive the protrusion. The parallel side walls and the intermediate portion of the electrical terminal define a front edge located in a plane, the plane of the electrical terminal being spaced apart from the front edge of the insulative housing. The spacing distance can vary; in one case it is equal to about 0.073 inches and in another case the distance is equal to about 0.035 inches. The terminal locking member may be Y-shaped.  
         [0016]     The slot of the electrical terminal is located in the intermediate portion connecting the pair of parallel side walls. The terminal locking member further includes a leg portion extending through the slot of the electrical terminal. The pair of parallel side walls of the housing are positioned adjacent the pair of parallel side walls of the electrical terminal and the upper wall of the housing is positioned adjacent the intermediate portion of the electrical terminal.  
         [0017]     The housing prevents the full insertion of the wrong type of terminal into the housing. Thus, this modification prevents improper assembly of the connector. Moreover, the modified housing is configured to prevent reception of a terminal locking member when an improper terminal has been inserted into the housing.  
         [0018]     The front portion of the modified housing includes an integral protrusion formed in the lower surface. In addition, the front portion of the modified terminal includes a pair of parallel contact plates each including a notch to receive the protrusion. The engagement between the notches and the protrusion ensures the terminal is properly positioned within the housing. 
     
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0019]      FIG. 1  is a perspective view showing the hybrid electrical connector of the present invention;  
         [0020]      FIG. 2  is a rear perspective view of the connector of  FIG. 1 ;  
         [0021]      FIG. 3  is a fragmentary cross-sectional view through the cavity for the power terminal of the present invention;  
         [0022]      FIG. 4  is a perspective view of the terminal locking mechanism shown in  FIGS. 3 and 4 ;  
         [0023]      FIG. 5  is a fragmentary perspective view showing the terminal locking member of the power terminal cavities poised for receipt in its perspective slot;  
         [0024]      FIG. 6  is a view similar to that of  FIG. 3 , showing the terminal locking member in full position;  
         [0025]      FIG. 7  is a front plan view of two of the power terminal cavities;  
         [0026]      FIG. 8  is a cross-sectional view through lines  8 - 8  of  FIG. 7 ;  
         [0027]      FIG. 9  is a cut-away perspective view through the power contact and associated cavity, similar to that shown in  FIG. 8 ;  
         [0028]      FIG. 10  is a perspective view similar to that of  FIG. 9 , showing the power terminal staggered further rearwardly;  
         [0029]      FIG. 11  is a perspective view of a second embodiment of a power terminal with a side wall removed for illustrative purposes;  
         [0030]      FIG. 12  is a perspective view of an incorrectly assembled power terminal with a side wall removed for illustrative purposes; and  
         [0031]      FIG. 13  is a rear perspective view of the power terminal depicted in  FIG. 12 .  
     
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT  
       [0032]     With reference first to  FIG. 1 , a connector is shown at  2  as a hybrid electrical connector, having a housing  4  with a plurality of contact cavities  6  for receipt of power contacts, and a plurality of contact receiving cavities  8  for receipt of signal contacts. The housing  4  further includes polarizing lugs at  10  and mounting apertures at  12 . With reference still to  FIG. 1 , the power terminal receiving cavities include terminal locking members  14  snapped in place to retain the terminals in the individual passageways  6 , as will be described further herein. As shown in  FIG. 2 , a rear perspective view of the connector housing  4  is shown, where the power terminal receiving cavities  6  are shown in greater detail, as will be described herein. Finally, the connector housing  4  includes a plurality of locking inserts  16  to lock the signal contacts in place, which are further described in U.S. patent application Ser. No. 10/460,900 incorporated herein by reference.  
         [0033]     With reference to  FIGS. 2 and 3 , the detail of the power cavities  6  will be described in greater detail. As shown in  FIG. 2 , each of the cavities  6  include an enlarged opening portion  20  having rib portions  22  positioned opposite the enlarged portions  20 . The rib portion is positioned centrally so as to define two slot portions at  24 , which flank the rib  22 . As shown best in  FIG. 3 , the central rib  22  terminates in a forwardly facing shoulder at  26 , as will be described herein. As also shown best in  FIG. 3 , the housing  4  includes a slot at  28 , which extends transversely of the longitudinal axis of the cavity  6  and intersects with the cavity to communicate therewith. It should be noted that a rear surface  36  defining the cavity  28  is proximate to the forwardly facing shoulder  26 . Slot  28  extends through top surface  30  of housing  4  and through inner surface  32  of housing  4 .  
         [0034]     With respect now to  FIG. 4 , terminal locking member  14  is shown in greater detail. Terminal locking member  14  is Y-shaped in configuration, including two resilient fork members  40  and a lower leg portion  42 . Each of the fork members  40  are resiliently biasable inwardly and include locking members at  44 . The locking members  44  are defined by upper and lower surfaces  44   a  and  44   b , which are spaced apart slightly greater than the distance between surfaces  30  and  32  of the housing member  4  ( FIG. 3 ). The terminal locking member  14  further includes gripping area  46  for removal of the terminal locking member  14 , as described herein.  
         [0035]     With respect now to  FIG. 8 , an electrical terminal  50  is shown as a power terminal, generally comprised of a front contact portion  52 , a crimp barrel  54 , and a strain relief member at  56 . The front contact portion  52  is generally comprised of a contact having a U-shaped cross-section, generally comprised of side-by-side parallel contact plates  58  (only one of which is shown in  FIG. 8 ) connected together by way of a bight portion  60 . As shown in  FIG. 8 , the terminal  50  also includes an opening  62 , which extends through the bight portion  60  and partially into the side-by-side contact plates  58 , thereby defining a retaining and locking shoulder  64  on the terminal  50 . With the above elements as described, the assembly and application of the connector will now be described in detail.  
         [0036]     With respect first to  FIGS. 2 and 8 , it should be appreciated that the conductors for the power are terminated to contacts in a conventional manner, that is, by stripping the end of the insulation, then placing the bared conductors in the crimp barrel portion  54  of the terminals and crimping the conductors to the crimp barrel, at the same time applying the strain relief  56  around the insulation of the wire. As shown in  FIG. 2 , the connector is designed to accommodate  10  power conductors, and therefore  10  such terminals would be prepared. It is also evident from  FIG. 2  that some of the cavities  6  for receiving the power terminals are inverted relative to each other, and that the enlarged opening portion  20  is to receive the crimp barrel strain relief and conductor therein.  
         [0037]     Therefore, the terminals  50 , when prepared, are inserted such that the side-by-side contact plates are positioned in the slots  24 , with the contact plates flanking the rib  22  and are slidably received therein, with the bight portion  60  positioned on a lower surface of the enlarged opening  20 . Thus, when the terminals  50  are fully positioned in their cavities  6 , a front edge of the contact plates  58  abut the corresponding shoulder  34  of housing  4  to locate the terminals therein. When in this position, and as shown in  FIG. 5 , the retaining members  14  can be received transversely into the slot  28 , which then causes leg  42  to communicate within the cavity  6  and lock terminals  50  in place, as to be described.  
         [0038]     It should also be appreciated from  FIGS. 7 and 8  that, when terminal  50  is fully positioned as described above, and as retaining member  14  is fully positioned as shown in  FIG. 8 , the yoke members  40  of retaining member  14  project into the portion of opening  62 , which extends into the opposed contact plates  58 , while the leg portion  42  extends between the side-by-side contact plates and is positioned adjacent to the forwardly facing surface  26  of rib  22 . Thus, as shown in  FIG. 8 , the power terminals are fixedly held in place in their corresponding cavities  6  by the retaining members  14 .  
         [0039]     For example, if a strain is placed on the conductors towards the right as viewed in  FIG. 8 , the locking surface  64  of opening  62  would cause an abutment against the retaining member  14 . Retaining member  14  is held fixed against surface  36 , and even leg portion  42  is backed up by forwardly facing surface  26  of rib member  22 .  
         [0040]     It should also be appreciated from  FIG. 7  that the retaining members  14  extend in alternate directions, such that one retaining member extends with the leg portion  42  extending downwardly, whereas an adjacent or alternate cavity has a retaining member  14 , with the leg portion  42  extending upwardly. This is consistent with the alternate staggering of the contact cavity  6  as shown in  FIG. 2 . It should also be appreciated from  FIG. 7  that the portions  46  of the retaining members  14  are exterior to surface  30 , such that a common gripping tool, such as standard hook-nose tweezers, can be used for extracting the retaining members  14 .  
         [0041]     With reference now to  FIGS. 9 and 10 , it should be appreciated that various cavities are staggered, from the front face  38  to a front edge of the contact plate  58 . For example, as shown in  FIG. 9 , the front edge of the contact plate  58  is positioned a distance X 1  from the front faced  38  of the housing  4 . With respect now to  FIG. 10 , other power cavities can be configured as shown at  106 , with a shoulder such as  134  positioned further inwardly than shoulder  34 , such that the front edge of contact plate  58  is positioned a distance X 2  from the front edge  38  of housing  4 , to perform a last-mate, first-break sequencing of the power terminals. Contacts  50  are modified slightly in the length of the contact plate  58  to accommodate this difference.  
         [0042]     In the preferred embodiment, the dimensions X 1  and x 2  are on the order of 0.035 inches and 0.073 inches, respectively.  
         [0043]      FIG. 11  depicts an alternative embodiment of a mate-first, break-last (MFBL) connector generally indicated by numeral  202 . With respect to the description of MFBL connector  202 , only the differences distinguishing MFBL connector  202  from the previous MFBL connector  2  ( FIG. 10 ) will be discussed. In  FIG. 11 , connector  202  has been illustrated with the side wall of housing  204  removed in order to better illustrate the internal configuration of connector  202 .  
         [0044]     Connector  202  includes a modified housing  204  and modified terminal  250 . Modified housing  204  includes a lower surface  270  with an integral protrusion  272  formed therein. In the present embodiment, integral protrusion  272  extends upward from lower surface  270 . Protrusion  272  extends across housing  204  from the internal surface of one wall to the internal surface of the opposing wall.  
         [0045]     With reference still to  FIG. 11 , modified terminal  250  includes a modified front contact portion  252  comprising a pair of modified parallel contact plates  258 . Terminal  250  is similar to terminal  50  described in detail above and depicted in  FIG. 8 , with the exception that plates  252  each include a notch  280 . In the present embodiment, notch  280  is positioned in the front, lower corner of parallel contact plates  258 .  
         [0046]     In the present embodiment of the invention, the notches  280  are sized and configured to receive the integral protrusions  272  formed in the lower surface  270  of housing  204 . The engagement between protrusion  272  and notches  280  ensures modified terminal  252  is located properly within housing  204  after insertion. With protrusion  272  received within notch  280 , slot  228  of modified housing  204  should be in alignment with opening  262  of terminal  250 . Accordingly, terminal locking member  14  may be inserted into both slot  228  and opening  262  in the manner described above thereby locking terminal  250  within housing  204 .  
         [0047]      FIGS. 12 and 13  depict an incorrectly assembled connector generally indicated by numeral  202 . Connector  202  includes a standard terminal  50 , of the type described above and depicted in  FIG. 8 , inserted into MFBL modified housing  204 .  
         [0048]     It should be noted that the contact plates  58  of standard terminal  50  do not include notches such as those present within modified contact plate  258  (See  FIG. 11 ). As seen specifically in  FIG. 13 , the lack of notches in contact plate  58  prevents terminal  50  from being fully inserted into modified housing  204 , that is, into the wrong housing. Accordingly, slot  228  does not align with opening  62  of terminal  50 . The misalignment between opening  62  and slot  28  prevents terminal locking members  14  from being inserted into housing  204 .  
         [0049]     It should be apparent that the inclusion of protrusion  270  in modified housing  204  and notches  280  in the corresponding terminal  250  ensures proper alignment between these components in the final assembly. Moreover, protrusion  270  prevents insertion of a standard terminal  50  during assembly. Accordingly, the modified housing  204  and terminal  250  reduces mistakes in assembling a MFBL connector by preventing usage of a standard terminal with a MFBL housing.