Patent Publication Number: US-10763619-B1

Title: Locking electrical connector, locking method and device

Description:
TECHNICAL FILED 
     The present disclosure relates to a technical filed of the connector, in particular to a locking electrical connector, locking method and device. 
     BACKGROUND 
     Connectors are widely used and generally include plugs and sockets. The plug is a male head, and an inserted pin is arranged thereon. The socket is used as a female head, and a contact pin is arranged therein. The inserted pin can be inserted into the socket to make electrical contact with the contact pin in the socket to realize electrical conduction between the power source and the electric device. When the plug and the socket are connected, it is easy to separate the two due to external factors, resulting in failure of the electrical connection, which may cause serious consequences. 
     SUMMARY OF THE DISCLOSURE 
     In order to ensure the effectiveness of the electrical connection, the present disclosure provides a locking electrical connector that is capable of locking the connector between the connectors in a relatively reliable and simple manner to better prevent electrical connection failure. 
     A first aspect of the present disclosure provides a locking electrical connector, configured to electrically connect to an outlet connector. The outlet connector having a first housing, the locking electrical connector includes a second housing, an actuating assembly and a locking member. At least one electrical connection point being electrically connectable to the outlet connector is received in the second housing. A locking member is rotatably fixed to the second housing and is driven by the actuating assembly, so as to rotate relative to the second housing, such that the locking member is frictionally locked with the side surface of the first housing, to realize lock of the electrical connection between the locking electrical connector and the outlet connector. 
     A second aspect of the present disclosure provides a locking method for locking an electrical connector, which is for locking electrically connection between a locking electrical connector and an outlet connector, wherein the outlet electrical connector having a first housing, the method including: 
     providing a second housing and an actuating assembly, the second housing having at least one electrical connection point that is electrically connectable to the outlet connector; and 
     providing a locking member, wherein the locking member is rotatably fixed to the second housing and is driven by the actuating assembly, so as to rotate relative to the second housing, such that the locking member is frictionally locked with the side surface of the first housing, to realize lock of the electrical connection between the locking electrical connector and the outlet connector; 
     operating the actuating assembly to rotate the locking member until the locking electrical connector is engageable with the outlet connector and to achieve an electrical connection; 
     operating the actuating assembly to rotate the locking member until the locking member is frictionally locked with the side surface of the first housing. 
     The advantageous effects of the present disclosure are as following: in the present disclosure, the locking member is driven to rotate by the actuating assembly, and during the rotation, the pressure between the locking member and the housing of the outlet connector is gradually increased, so that the frictional force is gradually increased, thereby the locking electrical connector is locked together with the outlet connector, reducing the electrical connection failure caused by accidental disconnection. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         FIG. 1  is a schematic structural view of a locking electrical connector according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. 
         FIG. 2  is a schematic structural view of the locking electrical connector after a part of the housing is taken out according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. 
         FIG. 3  is a schematic structural view of a locking assembly according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. 
         FIG. 4  is a schematic structural view showing the intermediate section unlocked with the first housing according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. 
         FIG. 5  is a schematic structural view showing the intermediate section locked with the first housing according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. 
         FIG. 6  is a schematic structural view showing an edge unlock with the first housing according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. 
         FIG. 7  is a schematic structural view showing an edge lock with the first housing according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE EMBODIMENTS 
     The technical solutions in the embodiments of the present disclosure will be clearly and completely described in the following with reference to the accompanying drawings in the embodiments of the present disclosure. It is obvious that the described embodiments are only a part of the embodiments of the present disclosure, but not all embodiments. All other embodiments obtained by those skilled in the art based on the embodiments of the present disclosure without creative efforts are within the scope of the present disclosure. It should be understood that the accompanying drawings are not intended to limit the present disclosure, but merely providing a reference and description. The connection relationships shown in the accompanying drawings are for convenience of clarity and do not limit the connection. 
       FIG. 1  is a schematic structural view of a locking electrical connector  100  according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. As shown in  FIG. 1 , the locking electrical connector  100  of  FIG. 1  is a male plug that can be electrically connected to a corresponding outlet connector  200  to realize electrical conduction. The outlet connector  200  is a female socket, and includes a first housing  210  and an inserted pin fixed inside the first housing  210 . The locking electrical connector  100  includes a second housing  110  and a locking assembly  140 . It should be understood that the locking electrical connector  100  can also be a female socket while the outlet connector  200  is connected as a male plug. 
     As shown in  FIG. 2 , the second housing  110  includes a receiving cavity  111 , and the cross-sectional profile of the receiving cavity  111  is substantially the same as the cross-sectional profile of the first housing  210 . An inserted pin  120  is fixed in the receiving cavity  111 , and an insertion opening  112  for inserting the first housing  210  into the receiving cavity  111  is opened and formed at the insertion end. A cable  130  is connected to the tail end of the second housing  110  opposite to insertion end. The cable  130  extends into the second housing  110  and electrically connects the inserted pin. The number and/or position and/or angle of the inserted pin  120  can be set according to different standards. When the first housing  210  is inserted into the second housing  110 , the cable  130  is in electrical contact with pins. 
     As shown in  FIG. 3 , the locking assembly  140  includes an actuating assembly  141  and a locking member  142 . The locking member  142  may include an anti-slip strip disposed on a surface in contact with the first housing  210 . The locking member  142  can be rotatably coupled to the second housing  110  via a rotating shaft, and the locking member  142  can be driven to rotate by the actuating assembly  141 . During the rotation, the pressure between the locking member  142  and the first housing  210  is gradually increased (refer to  FIGS. 4 and 5  at the same time), and the frictional force is accordingly increased. When the frictional force reaches the desired value and the locking electrical connector  100  and/or the outlet connector  200  are difficult to separate the two by pulling, the operation of the actuating assembly  141  can be stopped. When the lock state is required to be released, the actuating assembly  141  is reversed operation, so that the locking member  142  is rotated in the opposite direction and the friction is reduced until the two can be separated. 
     In an embodiment, the actuating assembly  141  includes an actuating member  1411  and a transmission member  1412 . The actuating member  1411  is partially located within the second housing  110 . The transmission member  1412  is configured to move only along the axial direction of the second housing  110 . The portion of the actuating member  1411  that is located outside the second housing  110  can be operated, so as to move the transmission member  1412  axially. In the present embodiment, the portion of the actuating member  1411  located outside the second housing  110  is configured as a locking screw. The periphery of the portion located inside the second housing  110  is provided with threads. One end of the transmission member  1412  is connected with the threads, the locking screw is operated to rotate the actuating member  1411 , and the transmission member  1412  moves along the axial direction of the insertion opening  112  or away from the insertion opening  112 . 
     In order to enable the first housing  210  to be stably locked with the second housing  110 , the number of the locking members  142  may be two, and the two locking members  142  are symmetrically disposed on the left and right. Meanwhile, the two locking members  142  can be simultaneously driven to rotate by the actuating assembly  141  to achieve simultaneous frictional locking with the first housing  210  or simultaneous unlocking with the first housing  210 . 
     The locking member  142  can be made of a material having deformation properties. The locking member  142  may include a locking portion  1421 , a connecting portion  1422 , and a transmission portion  1423 . 
     The locking portion  1421  includes an intermediate section  401 , and a first edge  402  and a second edge  403  connected at both ends of the intermediate section  401 . The first edge  402  and the second edge  403  may be set facing to each other, resulting the locking portion  1421  is substantially C-shaped. The first edge  402  and the second edge  403  may be respectively connected to the connecting portion  1422 . The connecting portion  1422  includes a rotating shaft or a rotating hole. If the locking portion  1421  is substantially C-shaped, the transmission portion  1423  can be substantially connected at the intermediate section  401  of the locking portion  1421 . 
     The transmission portion  1423  is connected to the locking portion  1421  and the actuating assembly  141 , and the connection portion  1422  is connected to the second housing  110 . The transmission member  1412  is provided with a slot  1401 , and the transmission portion  1423  is limited in the slot  1401 . Specifically, a notch  1403  is formed on the slot  1401  close to the direction of the insertion slot  112 . The transmission portion  1423  includes a limiting block  1402  at the end. The limiting block  1402  is received in the slot  1401 , and the transmission portion  1423  can slide in the notch  1403 . When the transmission member  1412  moves axially, the limiting block  1402  moves in the slot  1401  and can not disengaged from the slot  1401 , and the transmission portion  1423  can slide in the notch  1403  and be properly disengaged for a displacement. 
     Wherein, as shown in  FIG. 4 , the inner surface  411  of the intermediate section  401  is an inclined surface in the non-locking state, that is, not parallel to the corresponding surface  211  of the second housing  210 . As shown in  FIG. 5 , when the locking member  142  is rotated to frictionally lock with the first housing  210 , the inner surface  411  of the intermediate section  401  becomes a surface parallel to the corresponding surface  211  of the first housing  210 , such that the inner surface  411  of the intermediate section  401  is substantially frictionally integrally locked with the first housing  210  when locked, and the contact area is larger, so that the locking force is greater. 
     As shown in  FIGS. 4 and 5 , a portion of the inner side wall of the second housing  110  faces towards a direction of the insertion opening  112  and gradually protrudes towards a center of the inner cavity of the second housing  110  to form a first slope  113 . The surface of the first slope  113  may be a flat plane or a curved surface. According to the quantity the locking member  142 , the same quantity r of first slopes  113  are provided, and the first slope  113  may be parallel to the rotation axis of the locking member  142 . Therefore, the surface of the first slope  113  may serve as a movement rail of the locking member  142  and/or the actuating assembly  141 , such that the locking member  142  can be easily rotated, and the first slope  113  can cause the end of the transmission member  1412  of the actuating assembly  141  to give the transmission portion  1423  a pressure F 1  obliquely to the first housing  210 , so that the intermediate section  401  is then pressed against the first housing  210  and is reliably frictionally locked with the first housing  210 . Preferably, when the locking member  142  is frictionally locked with the first housing  210 , the first slope  113  can give a pressure F 2  to the transmission member  1412  or directly to the transmission portion  1423 , such that one end of the transmission portion  1423  which is away from the insertion opening  112  is frictionally locked with the first housing  210 . Thus, not only the locking portion  1421  can be frictionally locked with the first housing  210 , but also the end of the transmission member  1412  which is away from the insertion opening  112  can be frictionally locked with the first housing  210 . Since the locking point is increased, the locking force is increased, and the locking electrical connector  100  and the outlet connector  200  are more difficult to separate. 
     The inner surface  412  of the transmission portion  1423  is an inclined plane. When the locking member  142  is rotated to an angle that is frictional locked with the first housing  210 , the inner surface  412  of the transmission portion  1423  gradually tends to be pressed in parallel with the corresponding surface of the first housing  210 . At this moment, all the inner surface  412  of the transmission portion  1423  is substantially frictionally locked with the first housing  210 , and the locking area can be further increased. 
     As shown in  FIGS. 6 and 7 , a second slope  1103  is formed on the top wall  1101  and/or the bottom wall  1102  of the second housing  110  corresponding to the first edge  402  and/or the second edge  403 , and the second slope  1103  may be formed by the central portion of the top wall  1101  and/or the bottom portion  1102  recessing toward both sides. When the locking member  142  is rotated in the locking direction, the first edge  402  and/or the second edge  403  gradually approach the center of the receiving cavity. The surface of the second slope  1103  provides a movement rail for movement of the first edge  402  and/or the second edge  403 , the first edge  402  and/or the second edge  403  are gradually deformed under the pressing of the second slope  1103 , such that the pressure between the first edge  402  and/or the second edge  403  and the first housing  210  gradually increases, and the friction gradually increased. Therefore, the locking area is increased and the locking pressure is enhanced, and the locking effect is further improved. 
     The electrical connector  100  can be applied to an electrical connection of a device. The device can be an appliance (e.g., a household appliance) and a converter (e.g., a data converter). 
     The above description is only the preferred embodiment of the present disclosure, and is not intended to limit the present disclosure. Any modifications, equivalent substitutions and improvements made within the spirit and principles of the present disclosure should be included in the scope of the present disclosure.