Patent Publication Number: US-8113880-B2

Title: Electrical connector

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     The invention relates to electrical connectors for receiving contact terminals and mating with a complementary connector in order to connect the contact terminals. 
     More precisely, the invention relates to an electrical connector comprising:
         an insulating housing, for receiving at least one electrical contact terminal connected to a cable, wherein at least one terminal accommodating chamber is formed, said insulating housing comprising a front face intended to mate with a counterpart connector, and a rear wall provided with a rear slot for introducing each terminal in the respective chamber:   a sealing deformable material facing the rear wall, and   a means for pressing the sealing deformable material against the rear wall.       

     Such an electrical connector is known from EP 0 948 090 A1. In this document, the sealing deformable material is made of gel of silicon or low-hardness rubber and is pierced by two slots, each for letting pass a raw of cables. The pressing means comprises a grid covering the sealing deformable material and able to slide frontward to press the sealing deformable material against the rear wall. The grid comprises frontward projections forcibly inserted into corresponding slits provided with in the sealing deformable material, so that it is deformed laterally in order to cover the slots and comes into contact with each wire. 
     The known electrical connector requires applying a great force on the grid in order to ensure that the projections enter the slits. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention aims at eliminating the drawbacks found in the above-mentioned conventional electrical connector. 
     Accordingly, there is provided an electrical connector according to claim  1 . 
     According to the invention, the sealing deformable material is efficiently pressed against the rear wall by use of lever arm effect. This allows to get rid of the projections and slits, as the force pressing the sealing deformable material against the rear wall is strong enough to ensure sufficient deformation for a good sealing effect. 
     Different embodiments of the device may comprise any of the features, individually or in any technically feasible combination, corresponding to claims  1 - 11 . 
     Now, description will be given below in detail of an electrical connector according to the invention with reference to  FIGS. 1 to 10 . 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         FIG. 1  is a perspective view of an electrical connector according to a first embodiment of the invention, without sealing deformable material and flat cable; 
         FIG. 2  is a view similar to  FIG. 1 , with sealing deformable material; 
         FIG. 3  is a view similar to  FIG. 2 , with a locking ring; 
         FIGS. 4 to 6  are section views of the electrical connector of  FIG. 3  in operation; 
         FIG. 7  is a perspective view of the electrical connector of  FIG. 1  in a closed and locked position; 
         FIG. 8  is a perspective view of an electrical connector according to a second embodiment of the invention; 
         FIG. 9  is a section view of the electrical connector of  FIG. 8 ; and 
         FIG. 10  is a perspective view of the electrical connector of  FIG. 8  in a half closed position. 
     
    
    
     DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
     The connector  10  shown on  FIG. 1  is of a type used in an automotive application, and is intended to mate with a counterpart connector (not shown). 
     The mating direction is referenced as XX′ axis, which is oriented from the connector  10  towards the counterpart. 
     The orientation or position terms used in the present description refer to this mating axis XX′. In particular, the terms “forward” or “front” are read as oriented with regard to the mating direction. 
     The electrical connector  10  comprises a housing  12  formed of insulating material in a substantially rectangular cylinder shape extending along the XX′ axis. 
     The insulating housing  12  comprises a rectangular front face  14  intended to mate with the counterpart connector (not shown). 
     The housing  12  further comprises a rectangular rear wall  16  opposed to the front face  14 . The rear wall  16  is provided with a slot-shaped rear opening  18  extending along its length, through which for instance a flat cable is intended to be inserted. 
     In the invention, flat cable means generally any kind of cable formed by a plurality of parallel electrical wires fixed together in an insulating ribbon. The electrical wires can be flat (in the case of strip wires) or have any other cross sectional area (i.e. circular). Further, instead of a flat cable, independent wires (either insulated or not) or a combination of a flat cable and independent wires, may be inserted through the opening  18 . 
     The housing  12  further comprises a peripheral wall  20  extending rearward from and surrounding the rear wall  16 . The peripheral wall  20  includes two opposed short side walls  20 A and two opposed long side walls  20 B. The two long side walls  20 B are parallel to the slot  18  and have a height lower than the height of the two short side walls. Each short side wall  20 A carries two outer stop lugs, a front stop lug  22 A and a rear stop lug  22 B. Each long side wall  20 B carries a half jaw  24  intended to cover each side of the inserted flat cable. The half jaws  24  are symmetrically disposed. 
     Each half jaw  24  comprises a rectangular top wall  26 , two lateral walls  28 , and three projecting portions  30 ,  32 ,  34 , the side walls  28  and the projecting portions  30 ,  32 ,  34  extending perpendicular to the top wall  26 . The top wall  26  is integral with and extends the long side wall  20 B. 
     Each half jaw  24  is connected to the housing  12  by a hinge  36 , which extends along an axis parallel to the slot  18 . In the illustrated example, the hinge  36  is formed, in an open position, by a substantially right angle bending, between the top wall  26  and the long side wall  20 B. In the open position, the half jaws  24  allows access to the rear slot  18 . 
     Each lateral wall  28  extends along a respective side of the top wall  26  starting off from the hinge  36 . The housing  12 , the peripheral wall  20 , the hinge  36  and the half jaws  24  are preferably integral with each other, and obtained by molding a single piece. 
     All projecting portions  30 ,  32 ,  34  extend from a side wall  28  to the other, and are parallel to the hinge  36 . The first projecting portion  30  is located at a free end of the top wall  26  opposed to the hinge  36 , whereas the second projecting wall  32  is located at its base, i.e. near the hinge  36 . This second projecting portion  32  forms a flap able to rotate around the hinge  36 . The third projecting wall  34  is located halfway between the two others. Each projecting portion  30 ,  32 ,  34  has a side opposite the top wall  26  provided with notches  38  for letting pass wires. 
     For each half jaw  24 , a lateral wall  28  carries on its outside surface a hook  40  having the shape of a handle perpendicular to the top wall  26 , whereas the other side wall  28  carries on its outside surface a lug  42 , for receiving the hook  40  of the other half jaw  24 . 
     Each half jaw  24  further comprises a centering pin  44  extending along the lateral wall  28 , and defines a pin hole  46  for receiving the centering pin  44  of the other half jaw  24 . 
     Referring now to  FIGS. 2 ,  3  and  4 , a flat cable  48  is inserted through the rear slot  18  by an end carrying electrical contact terminals  50  (see  FIG. 4 ). The flat cable  48  includes parallel electrical wires  48 A, leading each to one electrical contact terminal  50  ( FIG. 4 ), fixed together with a ribbon  48 B of elastomer. The contact terminals  50  are received in chambers  52  provided in the housing  12  ( FIG. 4 ). The front face  14  leads to the electrical contact terminals  50  in order to be accessed by the counterpart connector (not shown). 
     Sealing deformable material in the form of two slabs of gel  54  is intended to ensure sealing in order to prevent water, dust or the like from entering the housing  12  through the slot  18 . Each slab of gel  54  is disposed against the rear wall  16 , along and on one side of the slot  18 . In order to avoid that the slabs of gel  54  move and obstruct the slot  18  before the flat cable is inserted, the electrical connector  10  comprises a means  56  for maintaining the slabs of gel  54  adjacent to the slot  18 . The maintaining means  56  includes five lugs  58  as shown on  FIG. 1 , extending from the rear wall  16  in the vicinity of the slot  18 . Two maintaining lugs  58  are located on the lower side of the slot  18 , whereas three maintaining lugs  58  are located on the upper side of the slot  18 , the lugs  58  being staggered on either side of the slot  18 . The slabs of gel  54  extend in the space delimitated between the maintaining lugs  58  and the peripheral wall  20 , which holds laterally the slabs of gel  54 . Each slab of gel  54  has a longitudinal dimension l slightly superior to the height of the peripheral wall  20 . The gel is obtained from silicon or elastomer. For instance, the gel is the one referenced GT-6201 of Dow Corning® 
     Referring now to  FIGS. 3-7 , a locking ring  60  having a substantial cylinder shape surrounds the housing  12 . The locking ring  60  is located before the hinge  36  and is able to slide rearward on the housing  12 . Its frontward movement is blocked by the front stop  22 A (see  FIG. 1 ). 
     Referring now to  FIGS. 4 to 7 , operation of the electrical connector  10  is explained. 
     Starting from their open position, the two half jaws  24  are pivoted around the hinge  36 , towards each other. Each flap  32  rotates towards the other, and presses the corresponding gel slab  54  against the rear wall  16 . The gel slab  54  is then deformed and comes into contact with the flat cable ( FIG. 4 ). 
     A first locking occurs when the hooks  40  engage the corresponding lug  42  of the other half jaw  24 . In this closed position ( FIG. 5 ), the flaps  32  join each other, the flat cable  48  being interposed in between, and extend parallel to the rear wall  16  at a distance d lower than the original gel slab  36  longitudinal dimension l, in order to ensure that the gel slab  54  is compressed against the rear wall  16  and the flat cable  48 . 
     There is no clearance between the flat cable  48  and each flap  32  in closed position. Thus, the gel slabs  54  are firmly hold longitudinally: they cannot move rearward. Moreover, absence of clearance avoids vibrations of the flat cable relative to the connector  10  that could otherwise occur. 
     Then, the locking ring  60  is slid rearward in order to engage the rear stop lug  22 B. In this locked position, the locking ring  60  covers the hinge  36  and a part of the top wall  26 . Its frontward movement is blocked by the rear stop lug  22 B. The locking ring prevents unwanted separation of the two half jaws  24 . 
     Referring now to  FIGS. 8 and 9 , an electrical connector according to a second embodiment of the invention is shown. In this embodiment, the means for maintaining the slabs of gel  54  is formed by two inner ribs  62  each facing an end of the slot  18 . The ribs  62  have a width corresponding to the width of the slot  18 . 
     Moreover, the electrical connector comprises two outside lugs  64  each located on an outside surface of a respective short side wall  20 A. 
     Referring now to  FIG. 10 , each outside lug  64  forms a stop cooperating with one of the hooks  40  in order to prevent reopening of the half jaws  24  when they are in a half closed position. In the half closed position, the flaps  32  do not press the slabs of gel  54 , so that the flat cable  48  can be inserted in the slot  18 . Keeping the electrical connector in the half closed position is useful to provide customers, who generally insert themselves the flat cable, with a compact electrical connector.