CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION
This application claims the benefit of the filing date under 35 U.S.C. ยง 119(a)-(d) of Chinese Patent Application No. 201810040587.7, filed on Jan. 16, 2018, and Chinese Patent Application No. 201820067573.X, filed on Jan. 16, 2018.
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to a connector housing and, more particularly, to a connector housing having a latch.
BACKGROUND
A connector generally comprises a housing and a contact received in the housing. A latch is disposed on the housing. When the connector is mated with a mating connector, a case of the mating connector is locked to the housing of the connector by the latch. An operator must press down a pressing part of the latch to unlock the latch before removing the connector from the mating connector.
The pressing part of the latch generally has a very small size in a width direction of the housing, and therefore, it is difficult for the operator to touch the pressing part of the latch with a finger as the operator cannot see the latch, which increases the difficulty of unlocking the latch.
Moreover, two latches are sometimes required to be provided side by side on the housing of the connector. A distance between the pressing parts of the two latches is larger than a width of a single finger of the operator. Thereby, it is difficult for the operator to press down the pressing parts of the two latches at the same time with a single finger, which also increases the difficulty of unlocking the latches.
SUMMARY
A connector housing adapted to receive a contact comprises a first latch disposed on a top surface of the housing and having a first pressing part and a first extension portion formed on the first pressing part and a second latch disposed on the top surface of the housing and having a second pressing part and a second extension portion formed on the second pressing part. The first latch and the second latch are disposed side by side on the top surface and are adapted to lock to a case of a mating connector. The first latch and the second latch are unlocked by pressing down the first pressing part and the second pressing part. The first extension portion and the second extension portion are disposed adjacent to each other.
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 top view of the connector of FIG. 1;
FIG. 3 is a sectional side view of the connector of FIG. 1;
FIG. 4 is a perspective view of the connector of FIG. 1 mated with a mating connector;
FIG. 5 is a sectional side view of the connector of FIG. 1 mated with the mating connector;
FIG. 6 is a perspective view of a connector according to another embodiment; and
FIG. 7 is a perspective view of a connector according to another embodiment.
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 embodiments 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.
A connector according to an embodiment, as shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, comprises a housing 100 and a contact received in the housing 100. A first latch 1 and a second latch 2 for locking to a case 200 of a mating connector shown in FIGS. 4 and 5 are disposed side by side on a top surface 101 of the housing 100.
As shown in FIGS. 3-5, in an embodiment, the first latch 1 includes a first pressing part 12 and the second latch 2 includes a second pressing part 22. The first latch 1 and the second latch 2 may be unlocked by pressing down the first pressing part 12 and the second pressing part 22.
As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, in an embodiment, the first latch 1 and the second latch 2 are arranged on a left side and a right side of the top surface 101 of the housing 100, respectively. A distance D1 between the first pressing part 12 and the second pressing part 22 is larger than a width of a finger of an operator. The operator thereby cannot press the first pressing part 12 and the second pressing part 22 at the same time with a single finger.
In order to press the first pressing part 12 and the second pressing part 22 at the same time with a single finger, in an embodiment shown in FIGS. 1-5, a first extension portion 12E and a second extension portion 22E adjacent to each other are formed on the first pressing part 12 and the second pressing part 22, respectively. As clearly shown in FIG. 2, the distance D1 between the first pressing part 12 and the second pressing part 22 in the width direction of the housing 100 is larger than the width of the single finger of the operator, but a distance D2 between the first extension portion 12E and the second extension portion 22E in the width direction of the housing 100 is less than the width of the single finger of the operator. In this way, the operator may press the first extension portion 12E and the second extension portion 22E at the same time with a single finger. The first latch 1 and the second latch 2 may be unlocked at the same time by pressing down the first extension portion 12E and the second extension portion 22E with a single finger.
In an embodiment, as shown in FIG. 2, the distance D1 between the first pressing part 12 and the second pressing part 22 is larger than 30 mm and the distance D2 between the first extension portion 12E and the second extension portion 22E is less than 30 mm. Because the width of an adult's thumb is usually about 30 mm, the operator may press the first extension portion 12E and the second extension portion 22E at the same time with the thumb. In another embodiment, the distance D1 between the first pressing part 12 and the second pressing part 22 is larger than 40 mm and the distance D2 between the first extension portion 12E and the second extension portion 22E is less than 20 mm.
As shown in FIGS. 1-5, the first latch 1 includes a first arm 10 and a first elastic support portion 13. The first arm 10 horizontally extends in a longitudinal direction of the housing 100. The first elastic support portion 13 is connected between the first arm 10 and the housing 100 to support the first arm 10 on the housing 100. A front part of the first arm 10 before the first elastic support portion 13 is used as a first latching part 11 and a rear part of the first arm 10 behind the first elastic support portion 13 is used as the first pressing part 12. A first hook 11H for locking a protrusion 210P formed on the case 200 of the mating connector is formed on a front end of the first latching part 11.
As shown in FIGS. 1-5, the second latch 2 includes a second arm 20 and a second elastic support portion 23. The second arm 20 horizontally extends in the longitudinal direction of the housing 100. The second elastic support portion 23 is connected between the second arm 20 and the housing 100 to support the second arm 20 on the housing 100. A front part of the second arm 20 before the second elastic support portion 23 is used as a second latching part 21 and a rear part of the second arm 20 behind the second elastic support portion 23 is used as the second pressing part 21. A second hook 21H for locking a protrusion 220P formed on the case 200 of the mating connector is formed on a front end of the second latching part 21.
As shown in FIGS. 3-5, a first slot 210 and a second slot 220 for mating with the first latching part 11 and the second latching part 21, respectively, are formed in the case 200 of the mating connector. The first protrusion 210P and the second protrusion 220P are formed on bottom surfaces of the first slot 210 and the second slot 220, respectively. As shown in FIGS. 4-5, when the connector and the mating connector are mated with each other, the first latching part 11 and the second latching part 21 are inserted into the first slot 210 and the second slot 220 and respectively locked to the first protrusion 210P and the second protrusion 220P.
A connector according to another embodiment is shown in FIG. 6. The connector includes a housing 100 and a contact received in the housing 100. A first latch 1 and a second latch 2 for locking a case 200 of a mating connector are provided side by side on a top surface 101 of the housing 100. The first latch 1 includes a first pressing part 12 and the second latch 2 includes a second pressing part 22. The first latch 1 and the second latch 2 may be unlocked by pressing down the first pressing part 12 and the second pressing part 22. As shown in FIG. 6, the first pressing part 12 and the second pressing part 22 are connected by a connection portion 30, so that the first latch 1 and the second latch 2 are capable of being unlocked at the same time by pressing down the connection portion 30 with a single finger of an operator.
A connector according to another embodiment is shown in FIG. 7. The connector includes a housing 100 and a contact received in the housing 100. A single latch 1 for locking a case 200 of a mating connector is disposed on a top surface 101 of the housing 100. The latch 1 includes a pressing part 12 and may be unlocked by pressing down the pressing part 12. As shown in FIG. 7, an extension portion 12E extending in a width direction of the housing 100 is formed on one side or both sides of the pressing part 12, so that the latch 1 is capable of being unlocked by pressing down the extension portion 12E with a single finger of an operator.
Patent Grant
10840638
