Patent Publication Number: US-10790599-B2

Title: Connector

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION 
     This application claims the benefit of the filing date under 35 U.S.C. § 119(a)-(d) of Chinese Patent Application No. 201820719244.9, filed on May 15, 2018. 
     FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention relates to a connector and, more particularly, to a connector with an insulation body and a contact received in the insulation body. 
     BACKGROUND 
     A connector for connecting a wire generally includes an insulation housing and a contact received in the insulation housing. The contact is usually crimped on a conductor of the wire to electrically connect the conductor of the wire. However, it is time-consuming to crimp the contact onto the conductor of the wire, and it is difficult to replace the wire after the contact is crimped on the conductor of the wire. 
     SUMMARY 
     A connector comprises a connector module including an insulation body in which a chamber and a wire hole are formed, a contact received in the chamber, and an elastic clip disposed in the chamber. The elastic clip is adapted to press a conductor of a wire inserted into the chamber through the wire hole against the contact. The conductor of the wire electrically contacts the contact. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       The invention will now be described by way of example with reference to the accompanying Figures, of which: 
         FIG. 1  is a perspective view of a connector according to an embodiment; 
         FIG. 2  is a perspective view of the connector without a cover; 
         FIG. 3  is a perspective view of the connector with a wire inserted into the connector; 
         FIG. 4  is an exploded perspective view of the connector with the wire inserted; 
         FIG. 5  is a perspective view of the connector with the wire inserted and without the cover; 
         FIG. 6  is a perspective view of the connector with an external tool inserted; and 
         FIG. 7  is a side view of the connector without the cover and with the external tool inserted. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE EMBODIMENT(S) 
     Exemplary embodiments of the present disclosure will be described hereinafter in detail with reference to the attached drawings, wherein like reference numerals refer to like elements. The present disclosure may, however, be embodied in many different forms and should not be construed as being limited to the embodiment set forth herein; rather, these embodiments are provided so that the present disclosure will convey the concept of the disclosure to those skilled in the art. 
     In the following detailed description, for purposes of explanation, numerous specific details are set forth in order to provide a thorough understanding of the disclosed embodiments. It will be apparent, however, that one or more embodiments may be practiced without these specific details. In other instances, well-known structures and devices are schematically shown in order to simplify the drawing. 
     As shown in the embodiment of  FIGS. 1 and 2 , the connector comprises at least one connector module  100 . Each connector module  100  comprises an insulation body  110 , a contact  130 , and an elastic clip  140 . A chamber  112  is formed in the insulation body  110 , and a wire hole  117  is formed in the wall of the chamber  112  of the insulation body  110 . The contact  130  is received in the chamber  112  of the insulation body  110 . The elastic clip  140  is provided in the chamber  112 . 
     As shown in  FIGS. 3 and 5 , a wire  300  can be inserted into the connector. The elastic clip  140  is adapted to press a conductor  310  of the wire  300 , which is inserted into the chamber  112  through the wire hole  117 , against the contact  130 , so that the conductor  310  of the wire  300  electrically contacts the contact  130 . 
     As shown in the embodiments of  FIGS. 6-7 , a tool hole  118 , through which an external tool  400  is inserted into the chamber  112 , is formed in the insulation body  110 . The elastic clip  140  may be pushed by the inserted external tool  400  to a releasing position to release the wire  300  and allow the wire  300  to be pulled out from the connector. In this way, it is convenient to replace the wire  300 . 
     As shown in  FIGS. 2 and 5 , the contact  130  has a stationary fixed arm  131 ,  132  and the elastic clip  140  has a movable elastic arm  141 ,  142 . The conductor  310  of the wire  300  is adapted to be clamped and held between the elastic arm  141 ,  142  and the fixed arm  131 ,  132 . 
     The fixed arm  131 ,  132  of the contact  130  has a first fixed arm  131  and a second fixed arm  132 . As shown in the embodiment of  FIGS. 2 and 5 , an angle between the first fixed arm  131  and the second fixed arm  132  of the contact  130  is substantially equal to 90 degrees, so that the contact  130  is configured to have an L-shape. 
     The elastic arm  141 ,  142  of the elastic clip  140  has a first elastic arm  141  and a second elastic arm  142 . As shown in the embodiment of  FIGS. 2 and 5 , an angle between the first elastic arm  141  and the second elastic arm  142  of the elastic clip  140  is less than 90 degrees, so that the elastic clip  140  is configured to have a symmetrical V-shape. 
     As shown in  FIGS. 2 and 5 , the wire hole  117  includes a first wire hole  117  and a second wire hole  117 ′. A first wire  300  inserted through the first wire hole  117  is clamped and held between the first elastic arm  141  and the first fixed arm  131 , a second wire  300 ′ inserted through the second wire hole  117 ′ is clamped and held between the second elastic arm  142  and the second fixed arm  132 . 
     As shown in the embodiment of  FIGS. 6 and 7 , the tool hole  118  includes a first tool hole  118  and a second tool hole  118 ′. The first elastic arm  141  of the elastic clip  140  is pushed by the external tool  400  inserted through the first tool hole  118  to a releasing position to release the first wire  300  and allow the first wire  300  to be pulled out from the connector. The second elastic arm  142  of the elastic clip  140  is pushed by the external tool  400  inserted through the second tool hole  118 ′ to a releasing position to release the second wire  300 ′ and allow the second wire  300 ′ to be pulled out from the connector. 
     As shown in  FIGS. 2 and 5-7 , the first wire hole  117  and the first tool hole  118  are located at a first outer side wall of the insulation body  110 , and the second wire hole  117 ′ and the second tool hole  118 ′ are located at a second outer side wall of the insulation body  110  adjacent to and perpendicular to the first outer side wall. 
     As shown in  FIGS. 1-3 and 6 , in some embodiments, the connector further comprises an elastic seal  120  adapted to seal both the wire hole  117  and the tool hole  118 . The elastic seal  120  includes a first elastic seal  120  adapted to seal both the first wire hole  117  and the first tool hole  118  and a second elastic seal  120 ′ adapted to seal both the second wire hole  117 ′ and the second tool hole  118 ′. 
     As shown in  FIG. 1 , a recess  111  is formed on an outer wall of the insulation body  110 . The elastic seal  120  is adapted to be embedded in the recess  111 . A hole  121   a  to be aligned to the wire hole  117  is formed in the elastic seal  120 , as shown in  FIG. 2 , and the wire  300  is adapted to pass through the hole  121   a  with interference fit. An outer port of the tool hole  118  is located in the recess  111  and is adapted to be covered and sealed by the elastic seal  120  embedded in the recess  111 . In this way, the elastic seal  120  may seal the wire hole  117  and the tool hole  118 . 
     Each elastic seal  120 , as shown in  FIG. 2 , has a first part  121  corresponding to the wire hole  117 , a second part  122  corresponding to the tool hole  118 , and a neck-like part connected between the first part  121  and the second part  122 . In the shown embodiment, the first part  121  and the wire hole  117  are configured to have a circular shape, and the second part  122  and the tool hole  118  are configured to have a rectangular shape. 
     As shown in  FIGS. 2, 5, and 7 , in some embodiments, the insulation body  110  of each connector module  100  has a closed bottom and a top opening, and both the contact  130  and the elastic clip  140  are assembled into the chamber  112  through the top opening. 
     As shown in  FIG. 4 , a post  116  is formed on an outer wall of the bottom of the insulation body  110 . An installation hole  115  is formed in an end wall of the top opening of the insulation body  110 . The post  116  is adapted to be fitted into the installation hole  115 . As shown in  FIGS. 1-6 , in an embodiment, the connector comprises a plurality of connector modules  100 . The plurality of connector modules  100  may be assembled together by fitting the post  116  of one connector module  100  into the installation hole  115  of another connector module  100 . 
     The connector, as shown in  FIGS. 1 and 4 , further comprises a cover  200 . The cover  200  is adapted to be mounted on the top opening of the insulation body  110  of an outermost connector module  100  of the connector, so as to cover the top opening of the outermost connector module  100 . A post  216  corresponding to the installation hole  115  of the connector module is formed on the cover  200 . The post  216  on the cover  200  is adapted to be fitted into the installation hole  115  of the outermost connector module  100 , so as to mount the cover  200  on the top opening of the outermost connector module  100 . 
     The connector, as shown in  FIG. 4 , further comprises elastic gaskets  150 . An elastic gasket  150  is provided between any two adjacent connector modules  100  to seal a mating interface between the two adjacent connector modules  100 ; the mating interface between the bottom wall of one of the two adjacent connector modules  100  and the top opening of the other of the two adjacent connector modules  100  is sealed by the elastic gaskets  150 . Similarly, an elastic gasket  150  is provided between the cover  200  and the outmost connector module  100  to seal a mating interface between the cover  200  and the top opening of the outmost connector module  100 . A wall recess  113  is formed on the end wall of the top opening of the insulation body  110  of the connector module  100 , and the elastic gasket  150  is fitted in the wall recess  113  with interference fit. 
     As shown in  FIG. 2 , a positioning convex part  114  is formed in the chamber  112 . A positioning slot is defined between the positioning convex part  114  and an inner side wall of the chamber  112 . A base part  143  of the elastic clip  140  is held in the positioning slot. 
     As shown in the embodiment of  FIG. 2 , the positioning convex part  114  is triangular and has a first blocking side  114   a  facing the first elastic arm  141  and a second blocking side  114   b  facing the second elastic arm  142 . The first blocking side  114   a  is configured to limit an elastic deformation of the first elastic arm  141  and prevent excessive deformation of the first elastic arm  141 , the second blocking side  114   b  is configured to limit an elastic deformation of the second elastic arm  142  and prevent excessive deformation of the second elastic arm  142 . In this way, when the first elastic arm  141  or the second elastic arm  142  are pushed by the inserted external tool  400 , the first elastic arm  141  or the second elastic arm  142  will be pressed against the first blocking side  114   a  or the second blocking side  114   b  by the inserted external tool  400 . 
     As shown in  FIGS. 2 and 4 , each connector module  100  is formed with a plurality of installation holes  115  and a plurality of posts  116  corresponding to the plurality of installation holes  115 , respectively. One of the plurality of installation holes  115  is formed in the positioning convex part  114 , a hole  155  corresponding to the installation hole  115  of the positioning convex part  114  is formed in the elastic gasket  150 . The post  116  of the insulation body  100  and the post  216  of the cover  200  are adapted to pass through the hole  155  of the elastic gasket  150  with interference fit. 
     It should be appreciated for those skilled in this art that the above embodiments are intended to be illustrated, and not restrictive. For example, many modifications may be made to the above embodiments by those skilled in this art, and various features described in different embodiments may be freely combined with each other without conflicting in configuration or principle. Although several exemplary embodiments have been shown and described, it would be appreciated by those skilled in the art that various changes or modifications may be made in these embodiments without departing from the principles and spirit of the disclosure, the scope of which is defined in the claims and their equivalents.