Patent Publication Number: US-7223113-B2

Title: Connector and a connector assembly

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
   1. Field of the Invention 
   The invention relates to a connector and to a connector assembly. 
   2. Description of the Related Art 
   U.S. Pat. No. 5,314,345 discloses a connector with first and second housings. A releasing member is provided in the first housing and is movable between a releasing position and a standby area located behind the releasing position. A shorting terminal is provided in the second housing for shorting terminal fittings. A resilient piece is provided in the first housing and engages a locking piece on the releasing member to hold the releasing member in the standby area when the housings are not yet connected. The releasing member is still in the standby area when the housings are partly connected. However, the releasing member is moved to the releasing position to deform the shorting terminal and to release a shorted state of the terminal fittings when the housings are connected properly. Thus, movement of the releasing member to the releasing position indicates that the two housings have reached a properly connected state. 
   The releasing member may not move smoothly to the releasing position if the releasing member is displaced relative to the housing or if the releasing member and the housing are brought forcibly into contact. In such a case, an operator may mistakenly conclude that the housings are connected properly despite the partly connected state thereof and may leave the housings only partly connected. 
   The invention was developed in view of the above problem, and an object thereof is to enable a releasing member to be moved smoothly. 
   SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
   The invention relates to a connector having a housing that is connectable with a mating housing. A shorting terminal is mounted in the mating housing for shorting terminal fittings therein. A releasing member is provided in the housing and is movable between a releasing position and a standby area located behind the releasing position. The releasing member has a locking piece that engages a resilient piece of the housing to hold the releasing member in the standby area when the housing is not yet connected with the mating housing. The releasing member remains in the standby area when the housing is connected partly with the mating housing. However, the mating housing engages the releasing member in the process of connecting the housings and resiliently deforms the releasing member sufficiently to release the interlocked state of the resilient piece and the locking piece. Accordingly, the releasing member is moved to the releasing position and resiliently deforms the shorting terminal away from the terminal fittings when the housing is connected properly with the mating housing. 
   The housing preferably has at least one guiding hole and the releasing member is guided in the guiding hole in a movable range between the standby area and the releasing position. Thus, the releasing member can be moved smoothly without being forced and without being displaced transversely. 
   The resilient piece and/or the locking piece preferably can deform resiliently at an angle to their interlocking directions. Thus, at least one of the resilient piece and the locking piece preferably can deform resiliently to release their interlocked state. The resilient piece and the locking piece then can be separated in directions substantially perpendicular to their deforming directions. 
   The resilient piece and the locking piece conceivably could be made to deform together due to frictional resistance at their interlocked portions when an attempt is made to disengage the resilient piece and the locking piece, and as a result it may not be possible to release the interlocked state. However, the resilient piece and the locking piece of the subject invention separate from each other in the directions at an angle to the deforming directions of the resilient piece and the locking piece. Therefore, there is no likelihood that the resilient piece and the locking piece are resiliently deformed together. 
   The guiding hole preferably is substantially flat and has a larger transverse dimension and a smaller vertical dimension. 
   The releasing member preferably is substantially flush with the rear surface of the housing when the releasing member is in the releasing position. 
   The resilient piece preferably is deformed resiliently and at least one disengaging portion of the housing is fit into at least one locking recess of the mating housing when the housings are connected properly. 
   The resilient piece preferably contacts the mating housing and is stopped at its front end position to restrict approaching movement of the housing toward the mating housing when the housings are connected properly. 
   The locking piece receives pressing forces at angle to the moving directions of the releasing member as the resilient piece is deformed. Thus, the locking piece is deformed resiliently in and the releasing member is moved back relative to the housing. 
   First and second locks preferably are displaced obliquely in and back relative to the resilient piece as the locking piece is deformed relative to a restricting portion at the base end of the resilient piece, thereby releasing the engaged state of the lock and the resilient piece. 
   The invention also relates to a connector assembly comprising the above-described connector and a mating connector. 
   These and other features of the invention will be more apparent upon reading the following detailed description and accompanying drawings. It should be understood that even though embodiments are described separately, single features thereof may be combined to additional embodiments. 

   
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       FIG. 1  is a horizontal section showing a state before a first and second housings are connected in one embodiment of the invention. 
       FIG. 2  is a vertical section showing the state before the housings are connected. 
       FIG. 3  is a horizontal section showing a state at the start of a connecting operation of the first and second housings. 
       FIG. 4  is a horizontal section showing a process of connecting the first and second housings. 
       FIG. 5  is a horizontal section showing the process of connecting the first and second housings. 
       FIG. 6  is a horizontal section showing a state where the first and second housings are properly connected. 
       FIG. 7  is a horizontal section showing the first and second housings properly connected and a shorted state of male terminal fittings is released. 
       FIG. 8  is a vertical section showing the housings properly connected and the shorted state of the male terminal fittings released. 
       FIG. 9  is a front view of a main body of the first housing. 
       FIG. 10  is a rear view of a cover of the first housing. 
       FIG. 11  is a front view of the releasing member. 
       FIG. 12  is a plan view of the releasing member. 
       FIG. 13  is a side view of the releasing member. 
   

   DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
   A connector assembly in accordance with the invention includes first and second housings that are identified respectively by the numerals  10  and  40  in  FIGS. 1 to 13 . Mating ends of the first and second housings  10 ,  40  are referred to herein as the front. 
   The first housing  10  includes a main body  11  made of a synthetic resin and upper and lower covers  12 A and  12 B that are mounted on the main body  11 . A connecting projection  13  projects forward from the upper end of the main body  11 , and female terminal fittings  14  are accommodated in the connecting projection  13  from behind. Wire connecting portions  15  extend down from rear ends of the female terminal fittings  14  are connected with wires  16 . The female terminal fittings  14  are covered by the upper and lower covers  12 A,  12 B mounted on the rear surface of the main body  11 . An accommodating recess  17  is formed in the rear of the upper cover  12 A. 
   Left and right resilient pieces  18  cantilever forward from upper positions on the main body  11  at opposite left and right sides of the connecting projection  13  and deformation spaces  19  are defined between the resilient pieces  18  and the connecting projection  13 . The resilient pieces  18  are resiliently deformable in transverse directions towards and away from the connecting projection  13  and substantially normal to a connecting direction CD of the two housings  10 ,  40  with the rear ends of the resilient pieces  18  as supports. A window  20  penetrates each resilient piece  18  at a position near the supporting point of resilient deformation and a notch  21  is formed in the front end of each resilient piece  18  before the window  20 . A restricting portion  22  is formed on each resilient piece  18  behind the window  20  and a disengaging portion  23  projects out from the outer side of the resilient piece  18  at a position between the window  20  and the notch  21 . 
   Left and right guiding holes  24  penetrate the main body  11  and the upper cover  12 A of the first housing  10  in forward and backward directions FBD. The guiding holes  24  are substantially flat and have a larger transverse dimension than a vertical dimension. The guiding holes  24  of the cover  12  communicate with the accommodating recess  17 , and the lower peripheral edges of the guiding holes  24  of the main body  11  are substantially flush and continuous with the upper surface of the connecting projection  13 . Communication holes  25  are formed in the main body  11  and the cover  12 A and extend down from ends of the respective guiding holes  24 . The communication holes  25  communicate with the deformation spaces  19  between the connecting projection  13  and the resilient pieces  18  and also communicate with the accommodating recess  17 . 
   The first housing  10  has a releasing member  26  made e.g. of a synthetic resin. The releasing member  26  has a plate-shaped pressing portion  27  to be accommodated in the accommodating recess  17 . Left and right substantially flat unlocking pieces  28  are cantilevered forward from upper-end positions of the pressing portion  27 , and left and right locking pieces  29  are cantilevered forward from the left and right edges of the pressing portion  27 . The unlocking pieces  28  are inserted into the guiding holes  24  from behind, and are held in sliding contact with inner surfaces of the guiding holes  24  to prevent vertical and transverse displacements of the unlocking pieces  28 . Further, the locking pieces  29  are inserted into the communication holes  25  from behind, and the front ends of the locking pieces  29  are in the deformation spaces  19 . A first lock  31  projects laterally out from the front end of each locking piece  29 . The first lock  31  has a slanted surface  31   a  inclined with respect to moving directions MD of the releasing member  26  relative to the housing  10 . Further, a second lock  32  projects laterally out at a position on the locking piece  29  behind the first lock  31 . 
   A releasing member  26  is movable forward and back relative to the first housing  10  along a moving direction MD that is substantially parallel with the connecting direction CD of the two housings  10 ,  40 . A releasing position RP is defined at the front of the movable range and a standby area is defined in the movable range behind the releasing position RP. The releasing member  26  is held at a standby position SP in the standby area before the first housing  10  is connected with the second housing  40 . 
   The second housing  40  is made e.g. of a synthetic resin and a connecting recess  41  extends into the front surface of the second housing  40 . Long narrow left and right male terminal fittings  42  project forward in the connecting recess  41 . A shorting terminal  43  is provided in the connecting recess  41  above the male terminal fittings  42  for shorting the male terminal fittings  42 . The shorting terminal  43  is held resiliently in contact with both male terminal fittings  42  when the first and second housings  10 ,  40  are not connected or partly connected, thereby holding both male terminal fittings  42  shorted and electrically connected. Further, locking recesses  44  are formed in the lateral inner wall surfaces of the connecting recess  41 . 
   The releasing member  26  is mounted at the standby position SP in the first housing  10 , as shown in  FIG. 1 . In this state, the unlocking pieces  28  are in the guiding holes  24 , as shown in  FIG. 2 , to prevent the releasing member  26  from moving vertically and transversely relative to the first housing  10  in directions substantially normal to a moving direction MD of the releasing member  26 . The first and second locks  31 ,  32  are engaged respectively with the restricting portions  22  from the front and rear, respectively. Thus, the releasing member  26  is prevented from moving forward and back parallel with the moving directions MD of the releasing member  26  through the guiding holes  24  and parallel with the connecting direction CD of the housings  10 ,  40 . At this time, the first locks  31  are in the windows  20 . Further, the pressing portion  27  is outside the accommodating recess  17  and behind the cover  12 , and a distance between the rear surface of the releasing member  26  (pressing portion  27 ) and the rear surface of the first housing  10  (cover  12 ) is e.g. about 3.0 mm. 
   The first housing  10  is brought closer to the second housing  40  in the connecting direction CD so that the connecting projection  13  fits lightly into the connecting recess  41 . Also, the disengaging portions  23  of the resilient pieces  18  contact the opening edges of the connecting recess  41 , as shown in  FIG. 3 . At this time, a distance between the rear surface of the first housing  10  and the front surface of the second housing  40  is e.g. about 7.98 mm. 
   Fingers can be placed on the rear surface of the pressing portion  27  of the releasing member  26  in this state to push the first housing  10  towards the second housing  40 . However, inner walls of the connecting recess  41  interfere with the disengaging portions  23  and deform the resilient pieces  18  inwardly, as shown in  FIG. 4 . As a result, the disengaging portions  23  press the first locks  31  obliquely back from the outer sides. The locking pieces  29  receive these pressing forces obliquely from outer front sides. Thus, the locking pieces  29  deform in and move back relative to the first housing  10 . As a result, the first and second locks  31 ,  32  displace obliquely in and to the back relative to the restricting portions  22  at the base ends of the resilient pieces  18 , and the locks  31 ,  32  disengage from the restricting portions  22 . The releasing member  26  then can be moved forward relative to the first housing  10 . A distance between the rear surface of the first housing  10  and the front surface of the second housing  40  is e.g. about 6.58 mm, and a distance between the rear surface of the releasing member  26  and the rear surface of the first housing  10  is e.g. about 3.38 mm. At this time, the releasing member  26  is in the standby area. 
   The first housing  10  and the releasing member  26  can be pushed further in this state along the connecting direction CD. Thus, the releasing member  26  is displaced forward relative to the first housing  10  and the locking pieces  29  deform further inwardly. As a result, the slanted surfaces  31   a  push the disengaging portions  23  forward, as shown in  FIG. 5 , so that the first housing  10  and the releasing member  26  approach the second housing  40 . Even at this point, the releasing member  26  still is in the standby area. In a state shown in  FIG. 5 , a distance between the rear surface of the releasing member  26  and the rear surface of the first housing  10  is e.g. about 2.41 mm. 
   The resilient pieces  18  are deformed resiliently out when the two housings  10 ,  40  reach a properly connected state and the disengaging portions  23  are fit into the locking recess  44 , as shown in  FIG. 6 . Thus, the front ends of the resilient pieces  18  contact the back surface of the fitting recess  41  and stop at their front positions to restrict approaching movements of the first and second housings  10 ,  40 . At this time, a distance between the rear surface of the first housing  10  and the front surface of the second housing  40  is e.g. about 5.50 mm and a distance between the rear surface of the releasing member  26  and that of the first housing  10  is e.g. about 1.50 mm. 
   The rear surface of the releasing member  26  can be pushed in this state. As a result, the releasing member  26  approaches the second housing  40  and moves forward relative to the first housing  10 . The locking pieces  29  deform resiliently out when the releasing member  26  reaches the releasing position RP. Thus, the first locks  31  are fit into the notches  21 , and the second locks  32  are fit into the windows  20 , as shown in  FIG. 7 . As a result, the first and second locks  31 ,  32  engage the disengaging portions  23  from front and rear to prevent the releasing member  26  from being moved in forward and backward directions FBD relative to the first housing  10 . Further, the pressing portion  27  of the releasing member  26  is accommodated in the accommodating recess  17 , and the rear surface of the releasing member  26  becomes substantially flush with the rear surface of the first housing  10 . The unlocking pieces  28  resiliently deform the shorting terminal  43  up and away from the male terminal fittings  42 , as shown in  FIG. 8 , when the releasing member  26  reaches the releasing position RP, and the shorted state of the left and right terminal fittings  42  is released by the resilient deformation of the shorting terminal  43 . 
   As described above, the releasing member  26  is provided in the first housing  10  for movement between the releasing position RP and the standby area located behind the releasing position RP, and the shorting terminal  43  for shorting the male terminal fittings  42  is provided in the second housing  40 . The resilient pieces  18  in the first housing  10  engage the locking pieces  29  on the releasing member  26  to hold the releasing member  26  in the standby area. The releasing member  26  is still in the standby area when the first and second housings  10 ,  40  are partly connected. However, the releasing member  26  is moved to the releasing position RP to deform the shorting terminal  43  and to release the shorted state of the male terminal fittings  42  when the first and second housings  10 ,  40  are connected properly. 
   The first housing  10  is formed with the guiding holes  24  and the releasing member  26  is slid in the guiding holes  24  in the movable range between the standby area and the releasing position RP. The resilient pieces  18  engage the second housing  40  and resiliently deform in the process of connecting the first and second housings  10 ,  40  while the locking pieces  29  and the second housing  40  are not in contact. Thus, the interlocked state of the resilient pieces  18  and the locking pieces  29  is released. The releasing member  26  is guided by the guiding holes  24  in the first housing  10  and hence is moved smoothly without being displaced or being forced. 
   The resilient pieces  18  and the locking pieces  29  could be resiliently deformable in resilient deformation directions RDD that are perpendicular to their interlocking directions for disengagement from each other. However, in such a connector, the resilient pieces  18  and the locking pieces  29  are deformed together due to frictional resistance at interlocked portions of these pieces  18 ,  29  when an attempt is made to disengage the resilient pieces  18  and the locking pieces  29 . As a result, it may not be possible to release the interlocked state. 
   However, in the subject invention, the resilient pieces  18  and the locking pieces  29  separate in the separating directions SD substantially perpendicular to the deforming directions RDD thereof upon disengaging the resilient pieces  18  and the locking pieces  29 . Therefore, there is no likelihood that the resilient pieces  18  and the locking pieces  29  are resiliently deformed together. 
   The invention is not limited to the above described and illustrated embodiment. For example, the following embodiments are also embraced by the technical scope of the present invention as defined by the claims. Beside the following embodiments, various changes can be made without departing from the scope and spirit of the present invention as defined by the claims. 
   Both the resilient pieces and the locking pieces deform and disengage from each other in the foregoing embodiment. However, only the resilient pieces or the locking pieces may deform upon disengaging the resilient pieces and the locking pieces from each other according to the invention. 
   The resilient pieces and the locking pieces separate in directions substantially perpendicular to the deforming directions thereof upon being disengaged from each other in the foregoing embodiment. However, they may not separate in directions substantially perpendicular to the deforming directions thereof upon being disengaged from each other according to the invention.