Patent Application
20240088611
The disclosure generally relates to an electrical connector, particularly to a miniature coaxial connector with a comb-type terminal lock.
Limited packaging has driven the need for miniature coaxial connectors. The small connector size of these miniature coaxial connectors causes the secondary lock features to have small pushing surface areas, to be difficult to assemble, and to have poor unseat detection feedback. In miniature coaxial connectors having multiple rows of terminals, for example a 6 way connector having a 3 by 2 terminal cavity configuration and a connector position assurance (CPA) device at the top, cavities are not easily moldable without increasing the size of the connector or including additional components, such as additional secondary locks, in the connector. The difficulties of molding these connectors contribute to a higher cost for the final product. In addition, the poor unseat detection feedback may require connector holders or electrical detection to determine if the terminals are properly seated, thereby further increasing production costs.
According to one or more aspects of the present disclosure, an electrical connector includes a connector housing having terminal cavities extending therethrough which are arranged in an array having at least two rows and at least two columns. Each of the terminal cavities configured to receive one electrical terminal of a plurality of electrical terminals. Each terminal cavity defines a flexible primary locking mechanism integrally formed with the connector housing and configured to engage an edge of at least one electrical terminal of the plurality of electrical terminals, thereby inhibiting removal of the plurality of electrical terminals from the terminal cavities. The electrical connector further includes a secondary locking mechanism slidably attached to the connector housing and movable from a pre-staged position to a staged position and defining a plurality of members configured to extend into the terminal cavities and engage the edge of at least two electrical terminals of the plurality of electrical terminals when the secondary locking mechanism is in the staged position, thereby further inhibiting removal of the plurality of electrical terminals from the terminal cavities.
In some aspects of the electrical connector described in the previous paragraph, the plurality of members define ridges that engage the edge of at least one of the plurality of electrical terminals when the secondary locking mechanism is in the staged position.
In some aspects of the electrical connector described in any one of the previous paragraphs, the plurality of members include two outer members and at least one inner member. The at least one inner member engages the edges of twice as many of the plurality of electrical terminals as the two outer members.
In some aspects of the electrical connector described in any one of the previous paragraphs, the plurality of members is sized, shaped, and arranged to allow each of the terminal cavities to receive one electrical terminal of the plurality of electrical terminals when the secondary locking mechanism is in the pre-staged position.
In some aspects of the electrical connector described in any one of the previous paragraphs, a side of the plurality of members is scalloped to allow each of the terminal cavities to receive one electrical terminal of the plurality of electrical terminals when the secondary locking mechanism is in the pre-staged position.
In some aspects of the electrical connector described in any one of the previous paragraphs, interference between at least one of the plurality of members and at least one of the plurality of electrical terminals that is not fully inserted within one of the terminal cavities inhibits the secondary locking mechanism from moving from the pre-staged position to the staged position, thereby indicating an improperly seated terminal.
In some aspects of the electrical connector described in any one of the previous paragraphs, the secondary locking mechanism includes a connector locking mechanism configured to attach the electrical connector to a corresponding mating electrical connector and a terminal position assurance device.
In some aspects of the electrical connector described in any one of the previous paragraphs, each of the least two rows of the array contains a first equal number of terminal cavities and each of the least two columns of the array contains a second equal number of terminal cavities.
In some aspects of the electrical connector described in any one of the previous paragraphs, each electrical terminal of the plurality of electrical terminals has a connection end configured to connect with a corresponding mating terminal and an attachment end connected to an electrical cable and wherein the edge of each electrical terminal of the plurality of electrical terminals is closer to the attachment end than the connection end.
In some aspects of the electrical connector described in any one of the previous paragraphs, each electrical terminal of the plurality of electrical terminals has a generally tubular shape.
According to one or more aspects of the present disclosure, a method of assembling an electrical connector includes:
In some aspects of the method described in the previous paragraph, the method further includes inhibiting the secondary locking mechanism from being moved from the pre-staged position to the staged position due to interference between at least one of the plurality of members and at least one of the plurality of electrical terminals that is not fully inserted within one of the terminal cavities, thereby indicating an improperly seated terminal.
In some aspects of the method described in any one of the previous paragraphs, the method further includes repositioning the at least one of the plurality of electrical terminals that is not fully inserted within one of the terminal cavities such that it is fully seated within the terminal cavity.
In some aspects of the method described in any one of the previous paragraphs, the plurality of members include two outer members and at least one inner member and wherein the at least one inner member engages the edges of twice as many of the plurality of electrical terminals as the two outer members.
In some aspects of the method described in any one of the previous paragraphs, the plurality of members is sized, shaped, and arranged to allow each of the terminal cavities to receive one electrical terminal of the plurality of electrical terminals when the secondary locking mechanism is in the pre-staged position.
In some aspects of the method described in any one of the previous paragraphs, a side of the plurality of members is scalloped to allow each of the terminal cavities to receive one electrical terminal of the plurality of electrical terminals when the secondary locking mechanism is in the pre-staged position.
In some aspects of the method described in any one of the previous paragraphs, the secondary locking mechanism includes a connector locking mechanism configured to attach the electrical connector to a corresponding mating electrical connector and a terminal position assurance device.
In some aspects of the method described in any one of the previous paragraphs, each of the least two rows of the array contains a first equal number of terminal cavities and each of the least two columns of the array contains a second equal number of terminal cavities.
In some aspects of the method described in any one of the previous paragraphs, each electrical terminal of the plurality of electrical terminals has a connection end configured to connect with a corresponding mating terminal and an attachment end connected to an electrical cable and wherein the edge of each electrical terminal of the plurality of electrical terminals is closer to the attachment end than the connection end.
In some aspects of the method described in any one of the previous paragraphs, each electrical terminal of the plurality of electrical terminals has a generally tubular shape.
The present invention will now be described, by way of example with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:
An electrical connector 100 described herein and shown in
The electrical connector 100 includes the connector housing that defines the terminal cavities 110 extending therethrough, as best shown in
The members 118 may define ridges 120 that engage the edge 116 of the electrical terminals 108 when the secondary locking mechanism 102 is in the staged position 106, see
The members 118 includes two outer members 118A and one or more inner members 118B. The inner members 118B engage the edges 116 of twice as many of the electrical terminals 108 as the two outer members 118A.
The members 118 may be sized, shaped, and arranged to allow each of the terminal cavities 110 to receive one electrical terminal 108 when the secondary locking mechanism 102 is in the pre-staged position 104.
A side 122 of the members 118 may be scalloped to allow each of the terminal cavities 110 to receive one electrical terminal 108 when the secondary locking mechanism 102 is in the pre-staged position 104.
Interference between at least one of the members 118 and at least one of the electrical terminals 108 that is not fully inserted within one of the terminal cavities 110 may inhibit the secondary locking mechanism 102 from moving from the pre-staged position 104 to the staged position 106, thereby indicating an improperly seated terminal.
The secondary locking mechanism 102 may include a connector locking mechanism 124 configured to attach the electrical connector to a corresponding mating electrical connector (not shown) and a connector position assurance (CPA) device 126. The integration of the connector locking mechanism 124 into the secondary locking mechanism 102 provides the benefit of blocking the electrical connector 100 from mating with a corresponding mating connector (not shown) because the connector locking mechanism 124 is raised from the connector housing 112 when the secondary locking mechanism 102 is in the pre-staged position 104, thereby. The integration of the connector locking mechanism 124 into the secondary locking mechanism 102 provides the benefit of allowing an equal number of terminal cavities in each row of terminal cavities because the connector locking mechanism 124 does not require elimination of one terminal cavity in the connector housing 112 to be accommodated as was required in previous electrical connector designs.
Each electrical terminal 108 has a connection end 128 configured to connect with a corresponding mating terminal (not shown) and an attachment end 130 connected to an electrical cable 132. The edge 116 of each electrical terminal 108 may be closer to the attachment end 130 than the connection end 128. Each electrical terminal 108 may have a generally tubular shape.
A non-limiting example of a method 200 of assembling an electrical connector is shown in
The method may further contain STEP 212, INHIBIT THE SECONDARY LOCKING MECHANISM FROM BEING MOVED FROM THE PRE-STAGED POSITION TO THE STAGED POSITION, which includes inhibiting the secondary locking mechanism 102 from being moved from the pre-staged position 104 to the staged position 106 due to interference between at least one of the members 118 and at least one of the electrical terminals 108 that is not fully inserted within one of the terminal cavities 110, thereby indicating an improperly seated terminal.
The method may additionally incorporate STEP 214, REPOSITION THE ELECTRICAL TERMINAL THAT IS NOT FULLY INSERTED WITHIN ONE OF THE TERMINAL CAVITIES, which includes repositioning the electrical terminal 108 that is not fully inserted within one of the terminal cavities 110 such that the electrical terminal 108 is fully seated within the terminal cavity 110.
The members 118 may define ridges 120 that engage the edge 116 of at least one electrical terminal 108 when the secondary locking mechanism 102 is in the staged position 106.
The members 118 include two outer members 118A and one or more inner members 118B. The inner members 118B engage the edges 116 of twice as many of the electrical terminals 108 as the two outer members 118A.
The members 118 are sized, shaped, and arranged to allow each of the terminal cavities 110 to receive one electrical terminal 108 when the secondary locking mechanism 102 is in the pre-staged position 104.
A side 122 of the members 118 are scalloped to allow each of the terminal cavities 110 to receive one electrical terminal 108 when the secondary locking mechanism 102 is in the pre-staged position 104.
The secondary locking mechanism 102 includes a connector locking mechanism 124 configured to attach the electrical connector to a corresponding mating electrical connector (not shown) and a terminal position assurance device 126.
Each of the least two rows of the array may contain a first equal number of terminal cavities and each of the least two columns of the array contains a second equal number of terminal cavities.
Each electrical terminal 108 has a connection end 128 configured to connect with a corresponding mating terminal (not shown) and an attachment end 130 connected to an electrical cable 132. The edge 116 of each electrical terminal 108 may be closer to the attachment end 130 than the connection end 128.
Each electrical terminal 108 has a generally tubular shape.
The secondary locking mechanism 102 additionally provides the benefit of a more accessible and larger pushing surface 134 than other electrical connectors of a comparable size. The secondary locking mechanism 102 also reduces the number of components in the electrical connector 100 compared to an electrical connector having two separate secondary locking mechanisms attached to the connector housing, such as the electrical connector shown in U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2022/0006235 A1.
While the illustrated examples show a miniature coaxial connector, alternative embodiments may be envisioned that could be applied to single core terminals and housings in addition to other coaxial connectors.
While this invention has been described in terms of the preferred embodiments thereof, it is not intended to be so limited, but rather only to the extent set forth in the claims that follow. For example, the above-described embodiments (and/or aspects thereof) may be used in combination with each other. In addition, many modifications may be made to configure a particular situation or material to the teachings of the invention without departing from its scope. Dimensions, types of materials, orientations of the various components, and the number and positions of the various components described herein are intended to define parameters of certain embodiments and are by no means limiting and are merely prototypical embodiments.
Many other embodiments and modifications within the spirit and scope of the claims will be apparent to those of skill in the art upon reviewing the above description. The scope of the invention should, therefore, be determined with reference to the following claims, along with the full scope of equivalents to which such claims are entitled.
As used herein, ‘one or more’ includes a function being performed by one element, a function being performed by more than one element, e.g., in a distributed fashion, several functions being performed by one element, several functions being performed by several elements, or any combination of the above.
It will also be understood that, although the terms first, second, etc. are, in some instances, used herein to describe various elements, these elements should not be limited by these terms. These terms are only used to distinguish one element from another. For example, a first contact could be termed a second contact, and, similarly, a second contact could be termed a first contact, without departing from the scope of the various described embodiments. The first contact and the second contact are both contacts, but they are not the same contact.
The terminology used in the description of the various described embodiments herein is for the purpose of describing particular embodiments only and is not intended to be limiting. As used in the description of the various described embodiments and the appended claims, the singular forms “a”, “an” and “the” are intended to include the plural forms as well, unless the context clearly indicates otherwise. It will also be understood that the term “and/or” as used herein refers to and encompasses all possible combinations of one or more of the associated listed items. It will be further understood that the terms “includes,” “including,” “comprises,” and/or “comprising,” when used in this specification, specify the presence of stated features, integers, steps, operations, elements, and/or components, but do not preclude the presence or addition of one or more other features, integers, steps, operations, elements, components, and/or groups thereof.
As used herein, the term “if” is, optionally, construed to mean “when” or “upon” or “in response to determining” or “in response to detecting,” depending on the context. Similarly, the phrase “if it is determined” or “if [a stated condition or event] is detected” is, optionally, construed to mean “upon determining” or “in response to determining” or “upon detecting [the stated condition or event]” or “in response to detecting [the stated condition or event],” depending on the context.
Additionally, while terms of ordinance or orientation may be used herein these elements should not be limited by these terms. All terms of ordinance or orientation, unless stated otherwise, are used for purposes distinguishing one element from another, and do not denote any particular order, order of operations, direction or orientation unless stated otherwise.
This application claims benefit of priority to U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 63/405,916 filed on Sep. 13, 2022, the entire disclosure of which is hereby incorporated by reference.
| Number | Date | Country | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 63405916 | Sep 2022 | US |
