Patent Publication Number: US-10777931-B2

Title: Modular electrical connector assembly

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION 
     This application claims the benefit of the filing date under 35 U.S.C. § 119(a)-(d) of Japanese Patent Application No. 2017-243505, filed on Dec. 20, 2017. 
     FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention relates to a connector assembly and, more particularly, to a connector assembly including a first connector and a second connector mated with the first connector. 
     BACKGROUND 
     A connector assembly including a pair of matable connectors each having housings that are identical in shape and accommodating hermaphroditic contacts is disclosed in International Patent Application No. WO2016/063377. In a case in which a connector has a male contact and a mating connector has a female contact, the connector assembly disclosed in WO 2016/063377 does not permit changing the combination of housings and female/male contacts. That is, the connector assembly disclosed in WO 2016/063377 does not apply when the external shape of one connector is determined. 
     A connector on a power supply side, for example, may have a female contact so that a user&#39;s finger or the like cannot accidentally touch the contact. There are applications in which one connector is on a power supply side and an application where one connector identical in external shape is on a power receiving side, yet one of the connectors has a female contact and one has a male contact; the connector assembly disclosed in WO 2016/063377 also cannot be adapted to these applications. Separately designing and manufacturing two types of connectors having housings identical in external shape and accommodating a male contact and a female contact is conceivable, however, the number of types of parts increases, increasing manufacturing cost. 
     SUMMARY 
     A connector assembly comprises a first subassembly having a male contact and a first inner housing accommodating the male contact, a second subassembly having a female contact configured to be mated with the male contact and a second inner housing accommodating the female contact, a first connector, and a second connector matable with the first connector. The first connector has a first outer housing accommodating one of the first subassembly and the second subassembly and capable of accommodating both the first subassembly and the second subassembly. The second connector has a second outer housing accommodating the other of the first subassembly and the second subassembly and capable of accommodating both the first subassembly and the second subassembly. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       The invention will now be described by way of example with reference to the accompanying Figures, of which: 
         FIG. 1A  is a perspective view of a first connector according to an embodiment; 
         FIG. 1B  is a perspective view of a second connector matable with the first connector of  FIG. 1A ; 
         FIG. 2A  is a front view of the first connector of  FIG. 1A ; 
         FIG. 2B  is a side view of the first connector of  FIG. 1A ; 
         FIG. 2C  is a rear view of the first connector of  FIG. 1A ; 
         FIG. 3A  is a sectional side view of the first connector of  FIG. 1A  taken along line A-A of  FIG. 2C ; 
         FIG. 3B  is a sectional side view of the first connector of  FIG. 1A  taken along line B-B of  FIG. 2C ; 
         FIG. 4A  is a front view of the second connector of  FIG. 1B ; 
         FIG. 4B  is a side view of the second connector of  FIG. 1B ; 
         FIG. 4C  is a rear view of the second connector of  FIG. 1B ; 
         FIG. 5A  is a sectional side view of the second connector of  FIG. 1B  taken along line A-A of  FIG. 4C ; 
         FIG. 5B  is a sectional side view of the second connector of  FIG. 1B  taken along line B-B of  FIG. 4C ; 
         FIG. 6A  is a sectional side view of the first connector and the second connector in a mated state; 
         FIG. 6B  is a sectional side view of the first connector and the second connector in the mated state; 
         FIG. 7A  is a perspective view of a first connector according to another embodiment; 
         FIG. 7B  is a perspective view of a second connector matable with the first connector of  FIG. 7A ; 
         FIG. 8A  is a front view of the first connector of  FIG. 7A ; 
         FIG. 8B  is a side view of the first connector of  FIG. 7A ; 
         FIG. 8C  is a rear view of the first connector of  FIG. 7A ; 
         FIG. 9A  is a sectional side view of the first connector of  FIG. 7A  taken along line A-A of  FIG. 8C ; 
         FIG. 9B  is a sectional side view of the first connector of  FIG. 7A  taken along line B-B of  FIG. 8C ; 
         FIG. 10A  is a front view of the second connector of  FIG. 7B ; 
         FIG. 10B  is a side view of the second connector of  FIG. 7B ; 
         FIG. 10C  is a rear view of the second connector of  FIG. 7B ; 
         FIG. 11A  is a sectional side view of the second connector of  FIG. 7B  taken along line A-A of  FIG. 10C ; 
         FIG. 11B  is a sectional side view of the second connector of  FIG. 7B  taken along line B-B of  FIG. 10C ; 
         FIG. 12A  is a sectional side view of the first connector and the second connector in a mated state; and 
         FIG. 12B  is a sectional side view of the first connector and the second connector in the mated state. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE EMBODIMENT(S) 
     Embodiments of the present invention will be described hereinafter in detail with reference to the attached drawings, wherein like reference numerals refer to the like elements. The present invention may, however, be embodied in many different forms and should not be construed as being limited to the embodiments set forth herein; rather, these embodiments are provided so that the disclosure will convey the concept of the invention to those skilled in the art. 
     A connector assembly according to an embodiment is shown in  FIGS. 1A and 1B  and includes a first connector  10  and a second connector  20  matable with the first connector  10 . The first connector  10 , shown in  FIG. 1A , includes a plug housing  11  and a plurality of male contacts  12 . The second connector  20 , shown in  FIG. 1B , includes a receptacle housing  21  and a plurality of female contacts  22  shown in  FIGS. 5A and 5B . The plug housing  11  and the receptacle housing  21  may each also be referred to as an outer housing, and either may be a first outer housing or a second outer housing of the connector assembly. 
     When the first connector  10  and the second connector  20  are mated with each other, as shown in  FIGS. 1A and 1B , a protrusion  212  disposed on a mating portion  211  of the second connector  20  and a key groove  112  disposed in a mating opening  111  of the first connector  10  are aligned with each other. After the alignment, mating of the mating portion  211  of the second connector  20  and the mating opening  111  of the first connector  10  is completed. Thereupon, a distal end of the male contact  12  of the first connector  10  is mated with the female contact  22  of the second connector  20 , and the male contact  12  and the female contact  22  are electrically connected. 
     As shown in  FIG. 1B , a flange portion  213  is provided at a rear end portion of the receptacle housing  21  of the second connector  20 . An external thread  214 , shown in  FIG. 4B , configured to be screwed into an internal thread  291 , shown in  FIGS. 5A and 5B , of a nut  29  is provided between the flange portion  213  and the mating portion  211 . A panel is held between the flange portion  213  and the nut  29 , and the second connector  20  is secured to the panel. A washer  30 , shown in  FIG. 4B , preventing looseness of the nut  29  is positioned between the nut  29  and the panel. 
     The first connector  10  is shown in  FIGS. 2A-2C, 3A, and 3B . As shown in  FIGS. 3A and 3B , a subassembly  18  having the male contacts  12  and an inner housing  13  accommodating the male contacts  12  are accommodated in the plug housing  11 . The subassembly  18  has a seal member  14  for waterproofing. The seal member  14  is disposed between a front housing  131  and a rear housing  132  of the inner housing  13 . The subassembly  18  may also be referred to as a first subassembly, the inner housing  13  may be referred to as a first inner housing, and the seal member  14  may be referred to as a first seal member. 
     As shown in  FIGS. 3A and 3B , a coil spring  15  and an O-ring  16  are also positioned inside the plug housing  11 . The coil spring  15  is adapted to lock the mating portion  211  of the second connector  20  mated with the first connector  10 . The O-ring  16  is interposed between an inner wall face  113  of the plug housing  11  and an external wall face of the receptacle housing  21 , the mating portion  211  of the second connector  20 , and forms a waterproof seal between the first connector  10  and the second connector  20 . 
     The subassembly  18 , as shown in  FIGS. 3A and 3B , includes the male contacts  12 , the inner housing  13 , and the seal member  14  accommodated in the plug housing  11  through the rear of the plug housing  11 . A retaining member  17  having the shape of a ring is press-fitted into a rear end portion of the plug housing  11  to secure the subassembly  18  in the plug housing  11 . 
     The second connector  20  is shown in  FIGS. 4A-4C, 5A, and 5B . As shown in  FIGS. 5A and 5B , a subassembly  28  having the female contacts  22  and an inner housing  23  accommodating the female contacts  22  is accommodated in the receptacle housing  21 . The subassembly  28  has a seal member  24  for waterproofing. The seal member  24  is disposed between a front housing  231  and a rear housing  232  of the inner housing  23 . The subassembly  28  may also be referred to as a second subassembly, the inner housing  23  may also be referred to as a second inner housing, and the seal member  24  may also be referred to as a second seal member. 
     The inner housing  23  and the seal member  24 , shown in  FIGS. 5A and 5B , are identical in shape and identical in dimensions with the inner housing  13  and the seal member  14  of the subassembly  18  shown in  FIGS. 3A and 3B . The subassembly  18  of the first connector  10  and the subassembly  28  of the second connector  20  are different from each other only in that they have contacts different in shape; the male contacts  12  and the female contacts  22 . 
     As shown in  FIGS. 5A and 5B , the subassembly  28  including the female contacts  22 , the inner housing  23 , and the seal member  24  is inserted into the receptacle housing  21  through the rear of the receptacle housing  21 . A retaining member  27  having the shape of a ring is press-fitted into a rear end portion of the receptacle housing  21  to secure the subassembly  28  in the receptacle housing  21 . An O-ring  31  forming a waterproof seal between the second connector  20  and the panel is positioned at the flange portion  213  of the receptacle housing  21 . 
     The first connector  10  and the second connector  20  are shown in a mated state in  FIGS. 6A and 6B . Once the first connector  10  and the second connector  20  are mated together, as shown in  FIG. 6B , the distal end portion of the male contact  12  of the first connector  10  and the female contact  22  of the second connector  20  are mated together and are electrically connected together. The mating portion  211  of the second connector  20  has its groove  215  engaged with the coil spring  15  inside the plug housing  11 . A seal is made between the first connector  10  and the second connector  20  with the O-ring  16 . 
     A connector assembly according to another embodiment is shown in  FIGS. 7A and 7B  and includes a first connector  50  and a second connector  60  matable with the first connector  50 . 
     The first connector  50 , as shown in  FIG. 7A , includes a plug housing  51  and a plurality of female contacts  52  shown in  FIG. 9B . In comparison with the first connector  10  shown in  FIG. 1A , the plug housings  51 ,  11  in both the first connectors  50 ,  10  are housings identical in shape and identical in dimensions. However, while the first connector  10  shown in  FIG. 1A  has the male contacts  12 , the first connector  50  shown in  FIG. 7A  has the female contacts  52 . The female contact  52  is a contact identical with the female contact  22  of the second connector  20  shown in  FIG. 1B . 
     The second connector  60 , shown in  FIG. 7B , includes a receptacle housing  61  and a plurality of male contacts  62  shown in  FIGS. 11A and 11B . In comparison with the second connector  20  shown in  FIG. 1B , the receptacle housings  61 ,  21  in both the second connectors  60 ,  20  are housings identical in shape and identical in dimensions. The second connector  60  shown in  FIG. 7B  is also identical with the second connector  20  shown in  FIG. 1B  in that a panel is held between a flange portion  613  of the second connector  60  and a nut  69  screwed on an external thread  614  shown in  FIG. 10B . A washer  70 , shown in  FIG. 10B , preventing looseness of the nut  69  is positioned between the nut  69  and the panel. The second connector  60  is also identical with the second connector  20  in that an O-ring  71 , shown in  FIGS. 11A and 11B , forming a waterproof seal between the second connector  60  and the panel is positioned at the flange portion  613  of the receptacle housing  61 . However, while the second connector  20  has the female contacts  22 , the second connector  60  has the male contacts  62 . The male contact  62  is identical with the male contact  12  of the first connector  10  shown in  FIG. 1A . 
     The plug housing  51  and the receptacle housing  61  may each also be referred to as an outer housing, and either may be a first outer housing or a second outer housing of the connector assembly. 
     Mating of the first connector  50  and the second connector  60  is identical with the mating of the first connector  10  and the second connector  20 , except that the female contacts  52  and the male contacts  62  have an opposite relationship. When the first connector  50  and the second connector  60  shown in  FIGS. 7A and 7B  are mated together, a protrusion  612  provided on a mating portion  611  of the second connector  60  and a key groove  512  provided in a mating opening  511  of the first connector  50  are aligned with each other. After the alignment, mating of the mating portion  611  of the second connector  60  and the mating opening  511  of the first connector  50  is completed. A distal end of the male contact  62  of the second connector  20  is mated with the female contact  52  of the first connector  50 , and the female contact  52  and the male contact  62  are electrically connected together. 
     The first connector  50  is shown in  FIGS. 8A-8C, 9A, and 9B . As shown in  FIGS. 9A and 9B , a subassembly  58  having the female contacts  52  and an inner housing  53  accommodating the female contacts  52  is disposed in the plug housing  51 . The subassembly  58  has a seal member  54  for waterproofing. The seal member  54  is disposed between a front housing  531  and a rear housing  532  of the inner housing  53 . The subassembly  58  may be referred to as a second subassembly and the inner housing  53  may be referred to as a second inner housing. 
     As shown in  FIGS. 9A and 9B , a coil spring  55  and an O-ring  56  are also positioned inside the plug housing  51 . The coil spring  55  is adapted to lock the mating portion  611  of the second connector  60  mated with the first connector  50 . The O-ring  56  is interposed between an inner wall face  513  of the plug housing  51  and an external wall face of the receptacle housing  61 , the mating portion  611  of the second connector  60 , and forms a waterproof seal between the first connector  50  and the second connector  60 . The subassembly  58  including the female contacts  52 , the inner housing  53 , and the seal member  54  is inserted into the plug housing  51  through the rear of the plug housing  51 . A retaining member  57  having the shape of a ring is press-fitted into a rear end portion of the plug housing  51  to secure the subassembly  58  in the plug housing  51 . 
     The second connector  60  is shown in  FIGS. 10A-10C, 11A, and 11B . As shown in  FIGS. 11A and 11B , a subassembly  68  having the male contacts  62  and an inner housing  63  accommodating the male contacts  62  is accommodated in the receptacle housing  61 . The subassembly  68  has a seal member  64  for waterproofing. The seal member  64  is disposed between a front housing  631  and a rear housing  632  of the inner housing  63 . The subassembly  68  may be referred to as a first subassembly and the inner housing  63  may be referred to as a first inner housing. 
     The inner housing  63  is identical in shape and identical in dimensions with the inner housing  53  of the subassembly  58  of the first connector  50 . The seal member  64  is also identical in shape and identical in dimensions with the seal member  54 . The first subassembly  58  and the second subassembly  68  are different from each other only in that they have contacts different in shape; the female contact  52  and the male contact  62 . 
     The subassembly  68  including the male contacts  62 , the inner housing  63 , and the seal member  64  is inserted into the receptacle housing  61  through the rear of the receptacle housing  61 . As shown in  FIGS. 11A and 11B , a retaining member  67  having the shape of a ring is press-fitted into a rear end portion of the receptacle housing  61  to secure the subassembly  68  in the receptacle housing  61 . 
     The inner housings  53 ,  63  constituting the subassemblies  58 ,  68  are identical with each other and the seal members  54 ,  64  are also identical with each other. Furthermore, these inner housings  53 ,  63  are also identical with the inner housings  13 ,  23  in the embodiment of  FIGS. 1A-6B . The seal members  54 ,  64  are also identical with the seal members  14 ,  24  in the embodiment of  FIGS. 1A-6B . Likewise, the female contact  52  of the subassembly  58  is identical with the female contact  22  of the subassembly  28 , and the male contact  62  of the subassembly  68  is identical with the male contact  12  of the subassembly  18 . The subassembly  18  is identical with the subassembly  68  and the subassembly  28  is identical with the subassembly  58 . In other words, the subassembly  28  is accommodated in the receptacle housing  21  in the embodiment of  FIGS. 1A-6B , but accommodated in the plug housing  51  in the embodiment of  FIGS. 7A-12B . Similarly, the subassembly  18  is accommodated in the plug housing  11  in the embodiment of  FIGS. 1A-6B , but accommodated in the receptacle housing  61  in the embodiment of  FIGS. 7A-12B . In the connector assembly described herein, a connector can be configured as a connector provided with a male contact or as a connector provided with a female contact regardless of whether the connector has a plug housing or a receptacle housing. 
     The first connector  50  and the second connector  60  are shown in a mated state in  FIGS. 12A and 12B . When the first connector  50  and the second connector  60  are mated together, as shown in  FIG. 12B , the female contact  52  of the first connector  50  is mated with the distal end portion of the male contact  62  of the second connector  60 , and the female contact  52  and the male contact  62  are electrically connected together. The mating portion  611  of the second connector  60  has its groove  615  engaged with the coil spring  55  inside the plug housing  51 . A seal is made between the first connector  50  and the second connector  60  with the O-ring  56 . 
     Though the combination of a plug housing and a receptacle housing is described herein in the embodiments of the connector assemblies, the present invention does not intend to limit the shapes of the housings defining the respective external shapes of the first connector and the second connector, and the housings are only required to have shapes mated with each other.