This invention relates in general to an electrical connector. More specifically, this invention relates to an electrical connector with a protector plate for male electrical terminals.
An electrical connector assembly is typically used to provide simultaneous and reliable connections between multiple electrical terminals. The electrical connector assembly normally includes a first (such as a male) connector assembly and a second (such as a female) connector assembly that support respective pluralities of complementary electrical terminals that are mated when the male and female connector assemblies are mated. An example of such an electrical connector assembly is described in U.S. Pat. No. 10,218,124.
The electrical connector assembly described in the '124 patent is configured to accommodate multiple electrical terminals of various sizes, including multiple relatively small electrical terminals. It is desirable to have an electrical connector assembly that helps protect the electrical terminals from damage during assembly and use of the electrical connector assembly.
The invention relates to a protector plate for use with an electrical connector assembly. The protector plate has a protector body. The protector body has a front plate face and an opposed back plate face. The protector plate includes one or more terminal openings that pass through the protector body. A plurality of staged locks are attached to the protector body for relative rotational movement. The staged locks extend beyond the front plate face. The staged locks also extend beyond the back plate face.
Another embodiment of the invention relates to an electrical connector assembly that includes a housing. The electrical connector assembly also includes a protector plate. The protector plate has a protector body. The protector body has a front plate face and an opposed back plate face. One or more terminal openings pass through the protector body. A plurality of staged locks are attached to the protector body for relative rotational movement. The staged locks extend beyond the front plate face. The staged locks also extend beyond the back plate face. The protector plate is movable relative to the housing in a mate direction from a pre-stage position to a pre-lock position. The protector plate is retained in the pre-lock position relative to the housing against further movement in the mate direction by the staged lock.
In another embodiment of the invention, an electrical connector assembly includes a first connector assembly and a second connector assembly. The second connector assembly is movable relative to the first connector assembly to engage a release surface on the staged lock. The second connector assembly engages the staged lock to move the staged lock in a release direction to release the protector plate from the stop.
Referring now to the drawings, there is illustrated in
The prior art electrical connector assembly 10 includes a first housing 12 and a second housing 14 that is configured be moved in an insertion direction 16 relative to the first housing 12 in order to mate with the first housing 12. The second housing 14 is shown in a seated position relative to the first housing 12 in
Referring now to
The electrical connector assembly 22 includes a first connector assembly 24 and a second connector assembly 26. The first connector assembly 24 includes a first housing 28 and an attached assist lever 30. The lever 30 engages the second connector assembly 26 and is operable to pull the second connector assembly 26 in a mate direction 32 relative to the first connector assembly 24 into a mated position. The operation of the assist lever 28 is similar to the lever described in the '124 patent. The first connector assembly 24 is illustrated in the mated position relative to the second connector assembly 26 in
Referring now to
The illustrated protector plate 34 is molded from plastic, but may be made of any desired material using any desired process. The illustrated protector plate 34 is a single piece, but may be made of more than one piece, if desired. The protector plate 34 includes a protector body 36. The illustrated protector body 36 is substantially planar, but may have any desired shape. The protector body 36 includes a front plate face 38 and an opposed back plate face 40.
A plurality of towers 42 extend from the front plate face 38 of the protector plate 34. Each tower 42 includes a respective tower base 44 adjacent to the protector body 36 and a respective tower outer end 46. The towers 42 are tapered so that the outer end 46 of each tower 42 defines a cross-section, taken perpendicular to the mate direction 32, that is smaller than the cross-section of the associated tower base 44.
The illustrated towers 42 include forward walls 48a and substantially perpendicular cross walls 48b. The forward walls 48a and the cross walls 48b extend from the associated tower base 44 to the associated tower outer end 46 of each tower 42. The forward walls 48a and the cross walls 48b extend from the front plate face 38 substantially in the mate direction 32, but at an angle to the mate direction 32 in order to allow for the taper of the towers 42. The forward walls 48a face generally along a first axis 50 that is substantially perpendicular to the mate direction 32, and the cross walls 48b face generally along a second axis 52 that is substantially perpendicular to the mate direction 32 and substantially perpendicular to the first axis 50. The forward walls 48a and the cross walls 48b assist in the aligning of the protector plate 34 relative to the second connector assembly 26 during mating of the electrical connector assembly 22, as will be described below. In the illustrated embodiment, some of the towers 42 have a question mark-shaped cross-section and include both forward walls 48a and cross walls 48b. However, the towers 42 may have any desired shapes.
Protector plate locks 54 extend from the back plate face 40 of the protector body 36. The protector plate locks 54 are resilient arms that engage the first housing 28 to retain the protector plate 34 in position relative to the first housing 28. The illustrated protector plate 34 includes four protector plate locks 54 (three are visible in
The protector plate 34 includes a plurality of staged locks, indicated generally at 56. The illustrated protector plate 34 includes four staged locks 56, but may include any desired number. Each of the staged locks 56 extends from the protector body 36 and is molded as part of the protector plate 34. The staged locks 56 extend beyond the front plate face 38 and beyond the back plate face 40. The staged locks 56 will be described in detail below.
Referring now to
The illustrated second terminal position assurance 58 is molded from plastic, but may be made of any desired material using any desired process. The illustrated second terminal position assurance 58 is a single piece, but may be made of more than one piece, if desired. The second terminal position assurance 58 includes a second terminal position assurance body 62. The illustrated second terminal position assurance body 62 is substantially planar, but may have any desired shape. The second terminal position assurance 58 includes a front face 64 and an opposed back face 66.
A plurality of tower openings 68 extend through the second terminal position assurance body 62. The tower openings 68 are sized and positioned to accommodate the towers 42 on the protector plate 34 when the first connector assembly 24 is mated with the second connector assembly 26.
Second terminal position assurance locks 70 extend from the back face 66 of the second terminal position assurance body 62. The second terminal position assurance locks 70 are resilient arms that engage the second housing 60 to retain the second terminal position assurance 58 in position relative to the second housing 60. The illustrated second terminal position assurance 58 includes four second terminal position assurance locks 70 (three are visible in
The second terminal position assurance 58 also includes a plurality of lock openings 72. The lock openings 72 extend through the second terminal position assurance body 62. The illustrated second terminal position assurance 58 includes four lock openings 72, but may include any desired number. Each of the lock openings 72 is provided to accommodate one of the staged locks 56 when the first connector assembly 24 is mated with the second connector assembly 26, as described below.
Referring now to
As shown, when the electrical terminal 76 is installed in the terminal cavity 74, it extends parallel to the mate direction 32 from the terminal cavity 74. The electrical terminal 76 extends past the back plate face 40, through a terminal opening 80 in the protector body 36, and beyond the front place face 38. The illustrated protector plate 34 includes a plurality of terminal openings 80 to accommodate each of the terminal cavities 74.
Referring now to
The staged locks 56 include a foot 82 that engages a stop 84 on the first housing 28 when the protector plate is moved to the pre-lock position. The foot 82 engages the stop 84 to prevent further movement of the protector plate 34 in the mate direction 32. When the protector plate 34 is moved to the pre-lock position, the protector plate locks 54 engage the first housing 28 to prevent the protector plate 34 from being moved opposite the mate direction 32 relative to the first housing 28.
Referring to
Referring now to
Similar to the prior art electrical connector 10, when the first connector assembly 24 and the second connector assembly 26 are initially brought into contact, the towers 42 on the protector plate 34 pass through the tower openings 68 on the second terminal position assurance 58 and enter respective tower guides (not shown) on the second housing 60. During this initial contact, the forward walls 48a and the cross walls 48b engage complementary walls in the tower guides. This helps to properly position the second connector assembly 26 relative to the first connector assembly 24 before the electrical terminal 76 has engaged any part of the second connector assembly 26.
As illustrated in
The second terminal position assurance 58 continues to be moved in the mate direction 32 and the staged lock 56 continues to be rotated in the release direction 94 until the second terminal position assurance 58 engages a shoulder 96 on the staged lock 56. The shoulder 96 is located adjacent to the release surface 90 and is substantially perpendicular to the mate direction 32. As shown, the foot 82 on the staged lock 56 has been moved in the release direction 94 and is no longer engaged with the stop 84. The protector plate 34 is now illustrated in a release position. Further movement of the second connector assembly 26 in the mate direction 32 will push against the shoulder 96 and will move the protector plate 34 in the mate direction 32.
Referring to
Referring to
Referring to
The second connector assembly 26 may be moved opposite the mate direction 32 relative to the first connector assembly 24 in order to unmate the electrical connector assembly 22. The staged lock 56 includes a chin 102 that is located opposite the mate direction 32 from a pull-out surface 104 on the second connector assembly 26. In the illustrated embodiment, the pull-out surface 104 is angled relative to the mate direction 32. When the second connector assembly 26 is moved opposite the mate direction 32, the pull-out surface 104 engages the chin 102, and the staged lock 56 is rotated in the release direction 94. The second connector assembly 26 can continue to be moved opposite the mate direction 32, while the protector plate 34 remains in the seated position. When the second connector assembly 26 is moved opposite the mate direction 32 past the shoulder 96, the staged lock 56 can rebound to the neutral position. This allows the second connector assembly 26 to be unmated from the first connector assembly 24 while leaving the protector plate 34 in the seated position shown in
Referring now to
When the second connector assembly 126 is moved opposite the mate direction 132, the pull-out surface 204 engages a chin 202, and the staged lock 156 is pulled along with the second connector assembly 126 opposite the mate direction 132. This allows the second connector assembly 126 to be unmated from the first connector assembly 124, while pulling a protector plate 134 to the pre-stage position, similar to that shown in
Referring now to
The view illustrated in
The protector plate 234 may be moved from the pre-stage position illustrated in
The principle and mode of operation of this invention have been explained and illustrated in its preferred embodiments. However, it must be understood that this invention may be practiced otherwise than as specifically explained and illustrated without departing from its spirit or scope.
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