The subject invention relates to an electrical connector and, in particular, an electrical connector having a positive mechanical connection.
Electrical connector assemblies are used in a variety of industries including the automotive industry. Each assembly may include two or more connectors, e.g., a male portion and a female portion, a plug and a receptacle, etc., that form an electrical connection when physically engaged together. These assemblies can be equipped with a locking or latching mechanism to limit relative movement of the connectors after physical engagement thereof in order to prevent undesired disruption of the electrical connection. The reliability and verifiability of the lock mechanism are thus important in establishing a long lasting electrical connection that will not readily become disengaged over time or during use of the connector assembly.
Accordingly, it is desirable to provide an electrical connector assembly that reliably and/or verifiably forms a mechanical connection between two electrical connectors.
In one exemplary embodiment of the invention, an electrical connector assembly is provided. The electrical connector assembly includes a first connector having a first electrical conductor and a second connector engagable with the first connector that has a second electrical conductor. The first and second electrical conductors establish an electrical connection through the electrical connector assembly when in contact together. A lock mechanism is arranged to both mechanically lock the first and second connectors together and to enable contact between the first and second conductors when the first and second connectors are in a fully engaged relation.
In another exemplary embodiment of the invention, a method of establishing an electrical connection through an electrical connector assembly is provided. The method includes moving a first connector and a second connector of the electrical connector assembly together to engage the first and second connectors. Contact is prevented between a first conductor of the first connector and a second conductor of the second connector during the moving. The first and second connectors are mechanically locked together with a lock mechanism when the first and second connectors are moved to a fully engaged relation. Contact is enabled between the first and second connectors with the lock mechanism due to the locking. Electrical communication is performed through the electrical connector assembly.
The above features and advantages and other features and advantages of the invention are readily apparent from the following detailed description of the invention when taken in connection with the accompanying drawings.
Other features, advantages and details appear, by way of example only, in the following detailed description of embodiments, the detailed description referring to the drawings in which:
The following description is merely exemplary in nature and is not intended to limit the present disclosure, its application or uses. It should be understood that throughout the drawings, corresponding reference numerals indicate like or corresponding parts and features.
In accordance with an exemplary embodiment of the invention, and with reference to
A lock mechanism 18 is included between the connectors 12 and 14 to mechanically and/or physically latch, lock, fasten, secure, or otherwise prevent relative movement between the connectors 12 and 14 when the connectors 12 and 14 are fully engaged together, that is, moved together into a fully engaged relation. In the illustrated embodiment, the mechanism 18 includes a resilient arm 20 extending from the connector 14 that terminates in a projection, protrusion, or head 22. The projection 22 includes a ramped or angled surface 24 and a locking surface 26. The connector 12 includes a notch, groove, step, shoulder, or recess 28 (generally, “notch”) for receiving the projection 22 when the connectors 12 and 14 are fully engaged. To this end, the arm 20 can be, and/or represents, any suitable hinged, springing, resilient, and/or cantilevered beam, rod, bar, strip, filament, etc. that enables the projection 22 to progressively “climb” a ramped or angled surface 30 of the connector 12 and then drop or snap the projection 22 into the notch 28 when aligned therewith. The resiliency of the arm 20 can also be provided by a separate biasing element, e.g., a spring or resilient material disposed with the arm 20.
The notch 28 has a shoulder 32 that is oriented substantially parallel to the locking surface 26. In this way, relative movement between the connectors 12 and 14 is limited by mating engagement of the surface 26 with the shoulder 32 when the projection 22 is located within the notch 28. It is noted that a user can manually manipulate lock mechanism 18 to release the connectors 12 and 14, e.g., by first lifting the projection 22 out of the notch 28 and then disengaging the connectors 12 and 14 by moving the connectors 12 and 14 apart.
The connector 12 has a first conductor 34 and the connector 14 has a second conductor 36, such that contact between the first and second conductors 34 and 36 establishes an electrical connection between the connectors 12 and 14. The conductors 34 and/or 36 can be arranged as blades, wires, etc., or other structures made from or including electrically conductive materials, e.g., metal. Advantageously, the conductors 34 and 36 are prevented from contacting until the connectors 12 and 14 are fully engaged and locked by the lock mechanism 18. In other words, the lock mechanism 18 is arranged to both enable contact to be made between the conductors 34 and 36, and to physically lock the connectors 12 and 14 together when the connectors 12 and 14 are moved into a fully engaged relation. In this way, electrical inspection of the connection formed through the assembly 10 also verifies that the connectors 12 and 14 are fully engaged and locked together.
Specifically with respect to the illustrated embodiment, the lock mechanism 18 enables electrical connection through the connector assembly 10 by actuating a contactor device 38. In the illustrated embodiment, actuation of the contactor device 38 is accomplished by the projection 22 depressing a plunger 40 or other actuator when the projection 22 is snapped or driven into the notch 28, e.g., due to the resiliency and/or spring-like nature of the arm 20. The plunger 40 in turn presses a lever 42, thereby causing the lever 42 to rotate about a hinge or pivot section 44. The rotation of the lever 42 is generally identified by an arrow 46. Actuation of the lever 42, e.g., rotation of the lever 42 about the hinge section 44, results in a corresponding actuation of a finger 48 of the contactor device 38. For example, rotation of the finger 48 due to actuation of the lever 42 in the illustrated embodiment is represented by an arrow 50. The rotation or other actuation of the finger 48 causes the contactor device 38, namely the finger 48 of the contactor device 38, to release the conductor 36. The conductor 36 can be resilient, spring-like, or otherwise arranged to move into contact with the conductor 34 when released by the contactor device 38, as indicated by an arrow 52. The resilient movement can also be provided by a separate biasing element, e.g., a spring or resilient material disposed with the conductor 34. Dashed lines are included to represent the conductor 36, the plunger 40, and the lever 42 when in the actuated configuration.
The assembly 10 (and other assemblies discussed herein below) is generally applicable to any industry in which electrical connections must be made between pairs of electrical components. The assembly 10 (and other embodiments disclosed herein) imparts particular benefits to electrical connector assemblies that are subject to constant vibration or long periods of loading, positioned in locations that are difficult to access, etc., such as the automotive industry. Accordingly,
It is of course to be understood that the lock mechanisms and/or contactor devices of electrical connector assemblies can take forms other than that illustrated in
An assembly 84 is depicted in
An assembly 140 is depicted in
When the connectors 174 and 176 are moved together, but before the projection 170 is located within the notch 172, the projection 170 will cause the arm 168 to press against a lever 188. Actuation of the lever 188 displaces the first conductor 178 from the intermediate conductor 182 at the interface 184. Thus, even if contact is made at the interface 186, e.g., by the second conductor 180 engaging a stub 190 of the intermediate conductor 182, the actuation of the lever 188 by the lock mechanism 166 will disrupt contact at the first interface 184. Contact between the first and second conductors 178 and 180 is thus not possible until contact is separately made at both the interfaces 184 and 186, which only occurs after the projection 170 engages the notch 172, thereby releasing the lever 188 to return to its initial position and establish contact at the first interface 184.
It is again to be appreciated that the illustrated embodiments represent various non-limiting examples that include a lock mechanism that both locks together two connectors of an electrical connector assembly and enables contact between two conductors thereof in order to establish an electrical connection through the assembly. It is noted that features of the various illustrated embodiments can be combined together or interchanged, or otherwise utilized with non-illustrated features, whether piecemeal or in combination, to form yet further embodiments without departing from the intended scope of the invention.
While the invention has been described with reference to exemplary embodiments, it will be understood by those skilled in the art that various changes may be made and equivalents may be substituted for elements thereof without departing from the scope of the invention. In addition, many modifications may be made to adapt a particular situation or material to the teachings of the invention without departing from the essential scope thereof. Therefore, it is intended that the invention not be limited to the particular embodiments disclosed, but that the invention will include all embodiments falling within the scope of the application.
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Number | Date | Country | |
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20150037999 A1 | Feb 2015 | US |