The present invention generally relates to a connector position assurance (CPA) locking mechanism used to securely hold together a connector apparatus which has a male connector assembly and a female connector assembly. The connector position assurance (CPA) locking mechanism is inserted into one of the connector assemblies to lock the male connector assembly and female connector assembly together as an additional locking assurance.
To ensure that the connector position assurance (CPA) locking mechanism is available to connect to the female connector assembly, the CPA locking mechanism can be engaged, in a pre-lock position, to the female connector assembly prior to transport of the female connector assembly.
The male connector assembly and female connector assembly are engaged together, and the engagement thereof is assured when the CPA locking mechanism is placed at a full-lock position. The CPA locking mechanism can also be referred to as a CPA device.
Additional features, advantages, and embodiments of the invention are set forth or are apparent from consideration of the following detailed description, drawings and claims. Moreover, it is to be understood that both the foregoing summary of the invention and the following detailed description are exemplary and are intended to provide further explanation without limiting the scope of the invention as claimed.
The male connector assembly 100 has an opening 102 for accommodating the female connector assembly 200. The opening 102 can be referred to as the male connector opening 102. The female connector assembly 200 has an opening 202 for accommodating the CPA device 300. The opening 202 can be referred to as the female connector opening 202. The female connector assembly 200 includes a locking component 204. An aperture 220 is formed by the locking component 204, as shown in
On the female connector assembly 200, the locking component 204 includes at least a front portion 216 and two side portions 218, as shown in
As shown in
As shown in
Also,
In the pre-lock position shown in
The arrangement shown in
As shown in
The latch 104 engages the locking component 204 in order to hold the male connector assembly 100 to the female connector assembly 200. In particular, the latch 104 engages the front portion 216 of the locking component 204 in order to hold the male connector assembly 100 to the female connector assembly 200. The male connector assembly 100 has a housing 122. The housing 122 forms the male connector opening 102. The latch 104 is on the interior of the housing 122, inside the male connector opening 102. The female connector assembly 200 has a housing 222. The housing 222 forms the female connector opening 202.
The teeth 312 engage the locking component 204 in order to hold the CPA device 300 to the female connector assembly 200 in the pre-lock position. In particular, the teeth 312 engage the front edge 216A of the front portion 216 of the locking component 204 in order to hold the CPA device 300 to the female connector assembly 200 in the pre-lock position.
The first curved upper region 302 engages the locking component 204 in order to hold the male connector assembly 100 to the female connector assembly 200 in the full-lock position. In particular, the first curved upper region 302 engages the front edge 216A of the front portion 216 of the locking component 204 in order to hold the male connector assembly 100 to the female connector assembly 200 in the full-lock position.
As shown in
In the full-lock position as shown in
The CPA device 300 includes first curved upper region 302, second curved upper region 304, a pair of teeth 312, and other components as described herein. Although
The CPA device 300 includes a two-component locking system having an upper component 308 and a lower component 320.
The upper component 308 can also be referred to as a flexible beam. The upper component 308 is able to flex downward toward the lower component 320, for example. The upper component 308 extends forward from the second curved upper region 304 toward the front 316 of the CPA device 300. The upper component 308 has a front end 310 and side edges 324.
The lower component 320 extends forward from the back 322 toward the front 316 of the CPA device 300. The lower component 320 forms an aperture 314. Edges of the lower component 320 are curved upward. The edges of the lower component 320 are referred to by reference numeral 318.
As shown in
When the CPA device 300 is being moved from the pre-lock position to the full-lock position, the front portion 204 forces the first curved upper region 302 to move downward towards aperture 314 or into aperture 314.
The front end 310 of the upper component 308 has a surface that has rounded, smooth edges, as shown in
The CPA device 300, with the above-described features and structural arrangements, allows the CPA device 300 to be in the pre-lock position and the full-lock position when inserted into the female connector opening 202 of the female connector assembly 200. The full-lock position of the CPA device 300 assures the full engagement, and subsequent locking, of the female connector assembly 200 to the male connector assembly 100.
A method for assembling the connector apparatus 1 shall now be described. With reference to
Next, the male connector assembly 100 is connected to the female connector assembly 200, by inserting the female connector assembly 200 into the male connector opening 102 of the male connector assembly 100.
Last, the CPA device 300 is moved from the pre-lock position to the full-lock position as described herein. The first curved upper region 302 will travel under the front portion 216 of the locking component 204 of the female connector assembly 200. When the first curved upper region 302 travels beyond the front portion 216 of the locking component 204, as shown in FIG. 10, this is the full-lock position. In the full-lock position, the first curved upper region 302 is directly contacting the front edge 216A, and the latch 104 is at the rear edge 216B, as shown in
Although the foregoing description is directed to the preferred embodiments of the invention, it is noted that other variations and modifications will be apparent to those skilled in the art, and may be made without departing from the spirit or scope of the invention. Moreover, features described in connection with one embodiment of the invention may be used in conjunction with other embodiments, even if not explicitly stated above.
This patent application claims priority to U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 62/213,314, filed Sep. 2, 2015, which is hereby incorporated herein by reference in its entirety.
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Number | Date | Country | |
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Parent | 16724049 | Dec 2019 | US |
Child | 16996056 | US | |
Parent | 15243008 | Aug 2016 | US |
Child | 16724049 | US |