1. Field of the Invention
The present invention generally relates to a wire harness connector provided in an automotive vehicle or the like, and more particularly, to a contact extraction tool for removing a contact retained in a housing of the connector therefrom.
2. Description of Related Art
In some electrical connector designs, the contact terminals are inserted into terminal receiving bores in the insulation body or block after the connector member has been otherwise completely fabricated or assembled, and locking means is provided between the individual contact terminals and their respective bore walls for retaining the terminals in their operative positions in the insulation body.
For example, U.S. Pat. No. 6,247,966 B1 (the '966 patent) assigned to Tyco Electronics Corp. discloses such an electrical connector with exposed molded latches. With reference to the description of the '966 patent along with the FIGS. 2-3 of the '966 patent, contact terminals 10 located in receiving cavities 30 in a molded housing 20 are held in place by primary latching members that comprise molded deflectable cantilever latches 50. During insertion and removal of the contact terminals 10, the latches 50 are deflected resiliently and outwardly. If for any reason, such as for repair or replacement of the contact terminal, the contact terminal is to be removed from its corresponding receiving cavity. Therefore, it is necessary to employ a tool which can be inserted into a suitable clearance between the contact terminal 10 and the housing 20 to disengage the deflectable cantilever latch 50 and thereby permit manual withdrawal of the contact terminal 10 from the housing 20 by pulling on the wire attached to the contact terminal 20.
An object of the present invention is to provide a contact extraction tool that is adapted to easily remove a conductive contact from a connector housing and prevent excessive deflection of a flexible latch of the connector housing so that the flexible latch is not damaged during the removal of the contact.
In order to achieve the object set forth, a contact extraction tool in accordance with the preferred embodiment of the present invention comprises an aligning member for aligning and positioning the contact extraction tool to a connector housing. The connector housing comprises cavities defined therein and cantilevered flexible latches retaining the contacts in corresponding cavities. Each latch forms an inwardly projecting lug for receipt in a corresponding latching window located along one side of the contact. The contact extraction tool further comprise an ejecting member having a driving slope for allowing deflecting the latch to release the lug from the latching window and disengage the contact and the latch.
Other objects, advantages and novel features of the invention will become more apparent from the following detailed description when taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.
Reference will now be made in detail to the preferred embodiment of the present invention.
Referring now to
The wire harness connector 1 comprises a connector housing 20 retaining a plurality of conductive contacts 10 therein. Each contact 10 has a mating socket 12 located one end with a latching window 14 located along one side of the contact 10. The housing 20 has a mating face 200 for mating with a complementary header (not shown). The housing 20 defines two rows of cavities 22 into which the contacts 10 are inserted through a rear face toward the mating face 200 of the housing 20. Each of the cavities 22 has an open cavity entrance 220 located at a distal end of the cavity 22 on the mating face 200. For the wire harness connector 1 depicted herein, two rows of cavities 22 are formed with two rows of cavity entrances 220. Each cavity entrance 220 is dimensioned and positioned for receipt of a header pin (not shown) when the wire harness connector 1 is mated to the complementary header. Openings 222 are formed adjacent each cavity entrance 220 between the cavity 22 and an external side face of the connector housing 20. The housing 20 has a generally rectangular cross section with laterally extending opposite housing sides forming external side faces which are interrupted by slots 24 defining cantilevered flexible latches 26 that form a portion of the external side faces. Each of the flexible latches 26 serving as a retention means can secure a corresponding contact 10 in a corresponding cavity 22. An inwardly projecting latching lug 260 has a shape suitable for receipt in the latching window 14 and is located on each latch 26 between a fixed rear end and a forward end of the latch 26.
Referring to
With reference to
While the present invention has been described with reference to a specific embodiment, the description is illustrative of the invention and is not to be construed as limiting the invention. Various modifications to the present invention can be made to the preferred embodiment by those skilled in the art without departing from the true spirit and scope of the invention as defined by the appended claims.
Number | Name | Date | Kind |
---|---|---|---|
3110093 | Johnson | Nov 1963 | A |
3380141 | Rofer | Apr 1968 | A |
3451117 | Cameron | Jun 1969 | A |
3461533 | Anhalt | Aug 1969 | A |
3588983 | Hoy | Jun 1971 | A |
3676912 | Anhalt et al. | Jul 1972 | A |
3896535 | Tucci | Jul 1975 | A |
4414736 | Fieberg et al. | Nov 1983 | A |
4494305 | Safai | Jan 1985 | A |
4864719 | Rudy et al. | Sep 1989 | A |
5040289 | Flaynik | Aug 1991 | A |
5327641 | Olsson | Jul 1994 | A |
5735039 | Shuey et al. | Apr 1998 | A |
6247966 | Klein et al. | Jun 2001 | B1 |
6634096 | Yamamoto et al. | Oct 2003 | B1 |
20060270256 | Huss | Nov 2006 | A1 |
20070011857 | Francis et al. | Jan 2007 | A1 |
Number | Date | Country | |
---|---|---|---|
20060270256 A1 | Nov 2006 | US |