Patent Publication Number: US-11381026-B1

Title: Electrical connector protector plate with terminal position assurance

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     This invention relates in general to an electrical connector. More specifically, this invention relates to an electrical connector with a protector plate for male electrical terminals. 
     An electrical connector assembly is typically used to provide simultaneous and reliable connections between multiple electrical terminals. The electrical connector assembly normally includes a first (such as a male) connector assembly and a second (such as a female) connector assembly that support respective pluralities of complementary electrical terminals that are mated when the male and female connector assemblies are mated. An example of such an electrical connector assembly is described in U.S. Pat. No. 10,218,124. 
     The electrical connector assembly described in the &#39;124 patent is configured to accommodate multiple electrical terminals of various sizes, including multiple relatively small electrical terminals. It is desirable to have an electrical connector assembly that helps protect the electrical terminals from damage during assembly and use of the electrical connector assembly. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     The invention relates to a protector plate for use with an electrical connector assembly. The protector plate has a protector body. The protector body has a front plate face and an opposed back plate face. The protector plate includes one or more terminal openings that pass through the protector body. A plurality of staged locks are attached to the protector body for relative rotational movement. The staged locks extend beyond the front plate face. The staged locks also extend beyond the back plate face. 
     Another embodiment of the invention relates to an electrical connector assembly that includes a housing. The electrical connector assembly also includes a protector plate. The protector plate has a protector body. The protector body has a front plate face and an opposed back plate face. One or more terminal openings pass through the protector body. A plurality of staged locks are attached to the protector body for relative rotational movement. The staged locks extend beyond the front plate face. The staged locks also extend beyond the back plate face. The protector plate is movable relative to the housing in a mate direction from a pre-stage position to a pre-lock position. The protector plate is retained in the pre-lock position relative to the housing against further movement in the mate direction by the staged lock. 
     In another embodiment of the invention, an electrical connector assembly includes a first connector assembly and a second connector assembly. The second connector assembly is movable relative to the first connector assembly to engage a release surface on the staged lock. The second connector assembly engages the staged lock to move the staged lock in a release direction to release the protector plate from the stop.
         Various aspects of this invention will become apparent to those skilled in the art from the following detailed description of the preferred embodiments, when read in light of the accompanying drawings.       

    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         FIG. 1  is a perspective view of a prior art electrical connector assembly. 
         FIG. 2  is a perspective view of a first housing of the prior art electrical connector assembly illustrated in  FIG. 1 . 
         FIG. 3  is a perspective view of a second housing of the prior art electrical connector assembly illustrated in  FIG. 1 . 
         FIG. 4  is a side elevational view of a first embodiment of an electrical connector assembly in accordance with this invention. 
         FIG. 5  is a perspective view of a protector plate of the electrical connector assembly illustrated in  FIG. 4 . 
         FIG. 6  is a top plan view of the protector plate illustrated in  FIG. 5 . 
         FIG. 7  is a perspective view of a second terminal position assurance of the electrical connector assembly illustrated in  FIG. 4 . 
         FIG. 8  is a top plan view of the second terminal position assurance illustrated in  FIG. 7 . 
         FIG. 9A  is a cross-sectional view of a first connector assembly of the electrical connector assembly illustrated in  FIG. 4  showing the protector plate in a pre-stage position in a first housing. 
         FIG. 9B  is a cross-sectional view of an electrical terminal installed in the first housing and retained in a terminal cavity by a terminal lock. 
         FIG. 10A  is a cross-sectional view similar to  FIG. 9A  showing the protector plate in a pre-lock position. 
         FIG. 10B  is a cross-sectional view similar to  FIG. 9B , showing a terminal position assurance on the protector plate reinforcing the terminal lock. 
         FIG. 11  is a cross-sectional view similar to  FIG. 10 , showing a second connector assembly inserted into the first connector assembly. 
         FIGS. 12, 13, and 14  are cross-sectional views similar to  FIG. 11  showing various stages of the second connector assembly being mated with the first connector assembly. 
         FIG. 15  is a cross-sectional view similar to  FIG. 14  of a second embodiment of an electrical connector assembly in accordance with this invention. 
         FIG. 16  is a cross-sectional view similar to  FIG. 9A  of a third embodiment of an electrical connector assembly in accordance with this invention. 
         FIG. 17  is a cross-sectional view similar to  FIG. 16  showing the electrical connector assembly in a seated position. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
     Referring now to the drawings, there is illustrated in  FIG. 1  a perspective view of a prior art electrical connector assembly, indicated generally at  10 . The prior art electrical connector assembly  10  is similar to the electrical connector assembly with terminal position assurance described and illustrated in the &#39;124 patent, the disclosure of which is hereby incorporated by reference. 
     The prior art electrical connector assembly  10  includes a first housing  12  and a second housing  14  that is configured be moved in an insertion direction  16  relative to the first housing  12  in order to mate with the first housing  12 . The second housing  14  is shown in a seated position relative to the first housing  12  in  FIG. 1 . Referring to  FIG. 2 , a perspective view of the first housing  12  is illustrated. A first terminal position assurance  18  is connected to the first housing  12 . Referring to  FIG. 3 , a perspective view, from below, of the second housing  14  is illustrated. A second terminal position assurance  20  is connected to the second housing  12 . The first terminal position assurance  18  and the second terminal position assurance  20  serve to retain respective pluralities of electrical terminals (not shown) in the first housing  12  and the second housing  14 , respectively. 
     Referring now to  FIG. 4 , there is illustrated a side view of a first embodiment of an electrical connector assembly, indicated generally at  22 , in accordance with this invention. The illustrated electrical connector assembly  22  includes features that are similar to the electrical connector assembly with terminal position assurance described in the &#39;124 patent. However, the invention may be used with any desired electrical connector. 
     The electrical connector assembly  22  includes a first connector assembly  24  and a second connector assembly  26 . The first connector assembly  24  includes a first housing  28  and an attached assist lever  30 . The lever  30  engages the second connector assembly  26  and is operable to pull the second connector assembly  26  in a mate direction  32  relative to the first connector assembly  24  into a mated position. The operation of the assist lever  28  is similar to the lever described in the &#39;124 patent. The first connector assembly  24  is illustrated in the mated position relative to the second connector assembly  26  in  FIG. 4 . 
     Referring now to  FIG. 5 , there is illustrated a perspective view of a protector plate, indicated generally at  34 . A top plan view of the protector plate  34  is illustrated in  FIG. 6 . The illustrated protector plate  34  serves as a both a protector plate and a terminal position assurance for the first connector assembly  24 , as will be described below. The illustrated protector plate  34  includes features that are similar to the first terminal position assurance described in the &#39;124 patent. 
     The illustrated protector plate  34  is molded from plastic, but may be made of any desired material using any desired process. The illustrated protector plate  34  is a single piece, but may be made of more than one piece, if desired. The protector plate  34  includes a protector body  36 . The illustrated protector body  36  is substantially planar, but may have any desired shape. The protector body  36  includes a front plate face  38  and an opposed back plate face  40 . 
     A plurality of towers  42  extend from the front plate face  38  of the protector plate  34 . Each tower  42  includes a respective tower base  44  adjacent to the protector body  36  and a respective tower outer end  46 . The towers  42  are tapered so that the outer end  46  of each tower  42  defines a cross-section, taken perpendicular to the mate direction  32 , that is smaller than the cross-section of the associated tower base  44 . 
     The illustrated towers  42  include forward walls  48   a  and substantially perpendicular cross walls  48   b . The forward walls  48   a  and the cross walls  48   b  extend from the associated tower base  44  to the associated tower outer end  46  of each tower  42 . The forward walls  48   a  and the cross walls  48   b  extend from the front plate face  38  substantially in the mate direction  32 , but at an angle to the mate direction  32  in order to allow for the taper of the towers  42 . The forward walls  48   a  face generally along a first axis  50  that is substantially perpendicular to the mate direction  32 , and the cross walls  48   b  face generally along a second axis  52  that is substantially perpendicular to the mate direction  32  and substantially perpendicular to the first axis  50 . The forward walls  48   a  and the cross walls  48   b  assist in the aligning of the protector plate  34  relative to the second connector assembly  26  during mating of the electrical connector assembly  22 , as will be described below. In the illustrated embodiment, some of the towers  42  have a question mark-shaped cross-section and include both forward walls  48   a  and cross walls  48   b . However, the towers  42  may have any desired shapes. 
     Protector plate locks  54  extend from the back plate face  40  of the protector body  36 . The protector plate locks  54  are resilient arms that engage the first housing  28  to retain the protector plate  34  in position relative to the first housing  28 . The illustrated protector plate  34  includes four protector plate locks  54  (three are visible in  FIG. 5 ), but may include any desired number of locks and any desired retaining structure. 
     The protector plate  34  includes a plurality of staged locks, indicated generally at  56 . The illustrated protector plate  34  includes four staged locks  56 , but may include any desired number. Each of the staged locks  56  extends from the protector body  36  and is molded as part of the protector plate  34 . The staged locks  56  extend beyond the front plate face  38  and beyond the back plate face  40 . The staged locks  56  will be described in detail below. 
     Referring now to  FIG. 7 , there is illustrated a perspective view of a second terminal position assurance, indicated generally at  58 . A top plan view of the second terminal position assurance  58  is illustrated in  FIG. 8 . The second terminal position assurance  58  is attached to a second housing  60  (shown in  FIG. 4 ) as part of the second connector assembly  26  and serves as a terminal position assurance for the second connector assembly  26 . The illustrated second terminal position assurance  58  includes features that are similar to the second terminal position assurance described in the &#39;124 patent. 
     The illustrated second terminal position assurance  58  is molded from plastic, but may be made of any desired material using any desired process. The illustrated second terminal position assurance  58  is a single piece, but may be made of more than one piece, if desired. The second terminal position assurance  58  includes a second terminal position assurance body  62 . The illustrated second terminal position assurance body  62  is substantially planar, but may have any desired shape. The second terminal position assurance  58  includes a front face  64  and an opposed back face  66 . 
     A plurality of tower openings  68  extend through the second terminal position assurance body  62 . The tower openings  68  are sized and positioned to accommodate the towers  42  on the protector plate  34  when the first connector assembly  24  is mated with the second connector assembly  26 . 
     Second terminal position assurance locks  70  extend from the back face  66  of the second terminal position assurance body  62 . The second terminal position assurance locks  70  are resilient arms that engage the second housing  60  to retain the second terminal position assurance  58  in position relative to the second housing  60 . The illustrated second terminal position assurance  58  includes four second terminal position assurance locks  70  (three are visible in  FIG. 7 ), but may include any desired number of locks, and may include any desired retaining structure. 
     The second terminal position assurance  58  also includes a plurality of lock openings  72 . The lock openings  72  extend through the second terminal position assurance body  62 . The illustrated second terminal position assurance  58  includes four lock openings  72 , but may include any desired number. Each of the lock openings  72  is provided to accommodate one of the staged locks  56  when the first connector assembly  24  is mated with the second connector assembly  26 , as described below. 
     Referring now to  FIG. 9A , there is illustrated a cross-sectional view of the first connector assembly  24  shown with the protector plate  34  in a pre-stage position. In  FIG. 9A , the protector body  36  and the staged locks  56  are the only parts of the protector plate  34  illustrated so that the operation of the staged locks  56  may be clearly shown. In order to put the first connector assembly  24  in the pre-stage position, the protector plate  34  is positioned with the back plate face  40  facing the first housing  28 , and the protector plate  34  is moved in the mate direction  32  relative to the first housing  28 . 
       FIG. 9B  illustrates an enlarged, cross-sectional view of a portion of the first connector assembly  24  in the pre-stage position. The first housing  28  includes a plurality of terminal cavities  74 . Each terminal cavity  74  is adapted to accommodate an electrical terminal  76  (one is shown in  FIG. 9B ) and includes a respective terminal lock  78  that is adapted to retain the electrical terminal  76  in the respective terminal cavity  74 . When the protector plate  34  is located in the pre-stage position, the electrical terminal  76  may be inserted into the terminal cavity  74 , and the terminal lock  78  is operable to retain the electrical terminal  76  in the terminal cavity  74 . Additionally, when the protector plate  34  is located in the pre-stage position, the terminal lock  78  is operable to allow the electrical terminal  76  to be removed from the terminal cavity  74 , as is known in the art. 
     As shown, when the electrical terminal  76  is installed in the terminal cavity  74 , it extends parallel to the mate direction  32  from the terminal cavity  74 . The electrical terminal  76  extends past the back plate face  40 , through a terminal opening  80  in the protector body  36 , and beyond the front place face  38 . The illustrated protector plate  34  includes a plurality of terminal openings  80  to accommodate each of the terminal cavities  74 . 
     Referring now to  FIG. 10A , there is illustrated a cross-sectional view similar to  FIG. 9A , with the protector plate  34  shown moved relative to the first housing  28  to a pre-lock position. In order to put the first connector assembly  24  in the pre-lock position, the protector plate  34  is moved from the pre-stage position in the mate direction  32  relative to the first housing  28 . The protector plate  34  may be moved to the pre-lock position by an assembler pushing the protector plate  34  in the mate direction  32 . The assembler may be a human technician, an automated machine, or any other desired mechanism. 
     The staged locks  56  include a foot  82  that engages a stop  84  on the first housing  28  when the protector plate is moved to the pre-lock position. The foot  82  engages the stop  84  to prevent further movement of the protector plate  34  in the mate direction  32 . When the protector plate  34  is moved to the pre-lock position, the protector plate locks  54  engage the first housing  28  to prevent the protector plate  34  from being moved opposite the mate direction  32  relative to the first housing  28 . 
     Referring to  FIG. 10B , there is illustrated a view similar to  FIG. 9B , with the protector plate  34  moved to the pre-lock position. As shown, the protector plate  34  includes a plurality of secondary locks  86  that extend from the back plate face  40  of the protector body  36 . When the protector plate  34  is in the pre-lock position, the secondary locks  86  are located adjacent the terminal lock  78  on the opposite side from the terminal cavity  74 . As a result, the secondary locks  86  act as a reinforcement for the terminal lock  78  and prevent the terminal lock  78  from being operable. Thus, the electrical terminal  76  cannot be removed from the terminal cavity  74 . As a result, when the protector plate  34  is located in the pre-lock position, the electrical terminal  76  is retained in the terminal cavity  74 . 
     Referring now to  FIG. 11 , there is illustrated a cross-sectional view similar to  FIG. 10 , wherein the second connector assembly  26  is shown inserted into the first connector assembly  24 . The first connector assembly  24  and the second connector assembly  26  can be mated similarly to the prior art electrical connector assembly  10 . The second connector assembly  26  may be manually positioned adjacent to the first connector assembly  24  and moved in the mate direction  32 . 
     Similar to the prior art electrical connector  10 , when the first connector assembly  24  and the second connector assembly  26  are initially brought into contact, the towers  42  on the protector plate  34  pass through the tower openings  68  on the second terminal position assurance  58  and enter respective tower guides (not shown) on the second housing  60 . During this initial contact, the forward walls  48   a  and the cross walls  48   b  engage complementary walls in the tower guides. This helps to properly position the second connector assembly  26  relative to the first connector assembly  24  before the electrical terminal  76  has engaged any part of the second connector assembly  26 . 
     As illustrated in  FIG. 11 , the second connector assembly  26  is shown moved in the mate direction  32  so that it engages the protector plate  34 . As previously described, the staged locks  56  extend beyond the front plate face  38  of the protector plate  34 . As the second connector assembly  26  is moved in the mate direction  32 , the second terminal position assurance  58  engages a release surface  90  on the staged lock  56 . The release surface  90  is at an angle relative to the mate direction  32 . Each staged lock  56  is resiliently attached to the protector body  36  and is able to be rotated relative to the protector body  36  generally about a respective lock axis  92 . When the second terminal position assurance  58  engages the release surface  90 , the movement of the second terminal position assurance  58  in the mate direction  32  causes the staged lock  56  to be rotated in a release direction, indicated by the arrow  94 . 
     The second terminal position assurance  58  continues to be moved in the mate direction  32  and the staged lock  56  continues to be rotated in the release direction  94  until the second terminal position assurance  58  engages a shoulder  96  on the staged lock  56 . The shoulder  96  is located adjacent to the release surface  90  and is substantially perpendicular to the mate direction  32 . As shown, the foot  82  on the staged lock  56  has been moved in the release direction  94  and is no longer engaged with the stop  84 . The protector plate  34  is now illustrated in a release position. Further movement of the second connector assembly  26  in the mate direction  32  will push against the shoulder  96  and will move the protector plate  34  in the mate direction  32 . 
     Referring to  FIG. 12 , there is illustrated a cross-sectional view similar to  FIG. 11 , with the second connector assembly  26  shown moved further in the mate direction  32 . The first housing  28  includes a respective foot switch  98  for each staged lock  56 . The foot switch  98  includes a surface that is sloped relative to the mate direction  32  that engages the foot  82  when the protector plate  34  is moved in the mate direction  32 . The foot switch  98  causes the staged lock  56  to be rotated further in the release direction  94 . This causes the shoulder  96  to be moved in the release direction  94  until the second terminal position assurance  58  no longer engages the shoulder  96 . The second connector assembly  26  is then able to be moved in the mate direction  32  relative to the protector plate  34  and the end of each of the staged locks  56  is moved into one of the lock openings  72  on the second terminal position assurance  58 . 
     Referring to  FIG. 13 , there is illustrated a cross-sectional view similar to  FIG. 12 , with the second connector assembly  26  shown moved further in the mate direction  32 . As shown, the second connector assembly  26  is moved in the mate direction  32  until the front face  64  of the second terminal position assurance  58  has engaged the front plate face  38  of the protector plate  34 . At this point, further movement of the second connector assembly  26  in the mate direction  32  will push the protector plate  34  in the mate direction  32 . 
     Referring to  FIG. 14 , there is illustrated a cross-sectional view similar to  FIG. 13 , with the second connector assembly  26  shown moved further in the mate direction  32  to a seated position. As shown, the protector plate  34  has been moved in the mate direction  32  relative to the first housing  28 . The foot  82  has been moved past the foot switch  98 , and the resilient staged lock  56  rebounds opposite the release direction  94  into a foot recess  100 . Referring back to  FIG. 4 , in the illustrated embodiment the foot recess  100  is located outside the first housing  28 . This allows the assembler to visually confirm that the protector plate  34  has been pushed to all the way to the seated position. Once the protector plate  34  is in the seated position, the staged lock  56  rebounds to a neutral position where there is no stress on the staged lock  56 . 
     The second connector assembly  26  may be moved opposite the mate direction  32  relative to the first connector assembly  24  in order to unmate the electrical connector assembly  22 . The staged lock  56  includes a chin  102  that is located opposite the mate direction  32  from a pull-out surface  104  on the second connector assembly  26 . In the illustrated embodiment, the pull-out surface  104  is angled relative to the mate direction  32 . When the second connector assembly  26  is moved opposite the mate direction  32 , the pull-out surface  104  engages the chin  102 , and the staged lock  56  is rotated in the release direction  94 . The second connector assembly  26  can continue to be moved opposite the mate direction  32 , while the protector plate  34  remains in the seated position. When the second connector assembly  26  is moved opposite the mate direction  32  past the shoulder  96 , the staged lock  56  can rebound to the neutral position. This allows the second connector assembly  26  to be unmated from the first connector assembly  24  while leaving the protector plate  34  in the seated position shown in  FIG. 14 . 
     Referring now to  FIG. 15 , there is illustrated a second embodiment of an electrical connector assembly, indicated generally at  122 , in accordance with the invention. The illustrated electrical connector assembly  122  is substantially the same as the previously-described electrical connector assembly  22 , and similar features are identified by the same element number increased by 100. The view illustrated in  FIG. 15  is similar to  FIG. 14 , with a first connector assembly  124  and a second connector assembly  126  shown in a mated position. The second connector assembly  126  includes a pull-out surface  204  that is generally perpendicular to a mate direction  132 . 
     When the second connector assembly  126  is moved opposite the mate direction  132 , the pull-out surface  204  engages a chin  202 , and the staged lock  156  is pulled along with the second connector assembly  126  opposite the mate direction  132 . This allows the second connector assembly  126  to be unmated from the first connector assembly  124 , while pulling a protector plate  134  to the pre-stage position, similar to that shown in  FIG. 9A . 
     Referring now to  FIG. 16 , there is illustrated a third embodiment of an electrical connector assembly, indicated generally at  222 , in accordance with the invention. The illustrated electrical connector assembly  222  includes many features similar to the previously-described electrical connector assembly  22 , and similar features are identified by the same element number increased by  200 . 
     The view illustrated in  FIG. 16  is similar to  FIG. 9A , with a protector plate  234  shown in a pre-stage position in a first connector assembly  224 . The first connector assembly  223  includes a terminal position assurance  306 . The terminal position assurance  306  is similar to the first terminal position assurance described in the &#39;124 patent, and will not be described in detail here. The terminal position assurance  306  includes lock openings  308  that accommodate staged locks  256  on a protector plate  234 . The protector plate  234  differs from the previously described protector plate  34  in that it does not include secondary locks. 
     The protector plate  234  may be moved from the pre-stage position illustrated in  FIG. 16  to a seated position illustrated in  FIG. 17  in a manner similar to that previously described in reference to  FIGS. 9A-14 . When the protector plate  234  is in the seated position, a back plate face  240  on the protector plate  234  is engaged with the terminal position assurance  306  in the first connector assembly  224 , while a front place face  238  is engaged with a second terminal position assurance  258  on a second connector assembly  226 . 
     The principle and mode of operation of this invention have been explained and illustrated in its preferred embodiments. However, it must be understood that this invention may be practiced otherwise than as specifically explained and illustrated without departing from its spirit or scope.