CN102187529B - Electrical connector assembly - Google Patents

Abstract

An electrical connector assembly comprising a first connector (102) and a second connector (104) intended to mate with each other. One of the connectors (104) includes a first locking catch (132) and the other of the connectors (102) includes a primary locking pawl carrying a second locking catch (142) (134), the second locking catch is intended to engage the first locking catch (132), so that when the first connector (102) and the second connector (104) are mated, the first connector and the second connector (104) are mated. The second connector is locked. The first connector (102) includes a CPA element (146) that is movable from an initial position to a final position only when the first connector (102) and the second connector (104) are properly mated. The CPA element (146) is adapted to engage the primary locking pawl (134) in a final position to prevent disengagement of the first locking catch (132) from the second locking catch (134).

Description

Electrical Connector Assembly

The invention relates to the field of electrical connectors. For example, the present invention relates to connectors for motor vehicle applications.

Electrical connectors are intended to connect cables, wires or wire harnesses etc. to each other or to electrical or electronic devices. A connector typically includes an insulating housing and conductive terminals.

For some applications, and particularly those in motor vehicles, it is important to ensure that the connectors fit properly and do not pull out when subjected to vibration. Accordingly, an electrical connector assembly may comprise two electrical connectors intended to mate with each other and a locking system for locking the two mated connectors.

Typically, the locking system includes a first stop carried by one connector and a locking pawl with a second stop carried by the other connector. When the connectors are mated, the second stopper of the locking pawl engages with the first stopper so as to lock the mated connector.

Furthermore, it is known to utilize a connection position assurance (CPA) element which is only able to move from an initial position to a final position when the connectors are properly mated.

It is an object of the present invention to provide an electrical connector assembly with a reinforced locking mechanism.

Accordingly, the present invention provides an electrical connector assembly according to claim 1 .

Further features of the invention are presented in the dependent claims 2 to 11 .

Features and advantages of the invention will become apparent on reading the following description of a preferred embodiment of the invention, given entirely by way of example. Described with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:

1 is an exploded perspective view of an electrical connector assembly according to a first embodiment of the present invention;

Fig. 2 is a three-dimensional cross-sectional view of the electrical connector assembly in Fig. 1 when it is in a mating position, wherein the CPA element is in an initial position;

Fig. 3 is a perspective view of the CPA element of the electrical connector assembly in Fig. 1;

Figure 4 is a perspective cutaway view of the electrical connector assembly of Figure 1 in a mated position, with the CPA element in its final position;

Figure 5 is an exploded perspective view of a locking system according to a second embodiment of the present invention;

Figure 6 is a perspective cutaway view of the locking system of Figure 5 with the CPA element in its initial position;

Figure 7 is a cross-sectional view of the locking system of Figure 6 with the CPA element in its final position.

Referring to FIG. 1 , an electrical connector assembly 100 includes a female electrical connector 102 and a male electrical connector 104 intended to mate with each other along a mating direction XX'.

In the following description, orientation terms such as "longitudinal" or "transverse" will refer to the mating axis XX'. Furthermore, terms relating to height such as "top" or "bottom" are understood relative to an axis perpendicular to the mating axis XX', which axis is not necessarily a vertical axis.

The female connector 102 includes a housing 105 and a terminal position assurance (TPA) element 116 .

The housing 105 comprises a housing body 106 which is substantially cylindrical about a mating axis XX' and provided with a top side 108 . The housing 105 also includes a terminal housing 110 positioned at least partially within the housing body 106 and defining a terminal receiving cavity 112 . The housing 105 also includes a housing cover 114 covering the top side 108 .

A terminal position assurance (TPA) element 116 is used to mount on the terminal housing 110 only when the terminal is properly received in the receiving cavity 112 .

The male connector 104 includes a housing 120 of which only a housing body 122 is shown. The housing body 122 is substantially cylindrical about the mating axis XX' and is provided with a top side 124 . Housing 120 also typically includes a terminal housing (not shown) extending within housing body 122 .

The locking system 130 of the connector assembly 100 will now be described.

The male connector 104 includes a first locking catch 132 protruding from the top side 124 .

The female connector 102 also includes a primary locking pawl 134 that is secured to the top side 108 and includes a locking front end 136 (ie, oriented toward the male connector 104 ) and an operable rear end 138 (ie, extending away from the male connector 104 ). ).

Referring to FIG. 2 , the locking front end 136 includes a longitudinal cutout 140 that terminates forwardly in a second locking stop 142 . When the connectors 102, 104 are mated, the first locking catch 132 is seated in the cutout 140 and engages the second locking catch 142 to lock the connectors 102, 104 together and prevent their unintentional disengagement and extraction. The primary locking pawl 134 includes a pivot point 144 between the locking front end 136 and the operable rear end 138, so that the operable rear end 138 can be pushed to lift the locking front end 136, causing the locking catches 132, 142 to disengage, This allows the connectors 102, 104 to be disconnected. The locking pawl 134 is resiliently movable about a pivot point 144 to allow the second locking catch 142 to slide over the first locking catch 132 and be biased against the first locking catch 132 when the first connector is mated with the second connector. Lock block 132 behind.

Preferably, the first locking catch 132 includes an angled top side 132A that is angled so as to draw the primary locking pawl 134 forward so as to ensure that the connectors reach their fully or properly mated position. This pulling action typically requires the locking pawl or lever 134, which is itself relatively rigid, to also be relatively rigidly articulated at the pivot point.

The female connector 102 also includes a connection position assurance (CPA) element 146 .

Referring to FIG. 3 , the CPA element 146 includes a movable base 148 slidably mounted on the mother housing between a rearward initial position of the CPA element 146 ( FIG. 2 ) and a forward final position of the CPA element 146 ( FIG. 4 ). On the body 105 , for example on the housing cover 114 .

The CPA element 146 also includes a longitudinal CPA rod 150 fixed to the movable base 148 and having a front free end 152 .

In the initial position, and when the connector is disengaged, the free end 152 is located in the cutout 140 and is blocked by the second locking catch 142 such that the CPA element 146 cannot move towards its final position.

Referring to FIG. 2, when the connectors are mated, the first locking catch 132 in the notch 140 pushes the free end 152 and moves the free end 152 out of the notch 140 until approximately the height of the upper surface of the second locking catch 142 to allow the CPA element 146 moves towards its final position.

Thus, movement of the CPA element 146 from the initial position to the final position is only possible when the connectors 102 , 104 are properly mated, ie when the first locking catch 132 is seated in the cutout 140 .

Referring to FIG. 4 , in the final position of the CPA element 146 , the free end 152 is engaged with the locking pawl 134 , eg covering its second locking catch 142 .

However, the CPA rod 150 is preferably not made too rigid, eg, no stiffer than the primary locking pawl 134, so that an operator can easily achieve installation of the CPA element 146, which typically requires bending the CPA rod 150. But the result may be that the deformation stress of the CPA rod 150 is less significant when the CPA element is in the final position (Fig. 4). The CPA element 146 then also includes a secondary lock 154 extending over the free end 152 of the CPA rod 150, which includes two transverse flanges 156, 158 protruding from either side of the CPA rod 150 (see FIG. 3).

Referring to FIG. 4 , in the final position of the CPA element 146 , the secondary lock 154 is blocked by the wall 160 of the housing cover 114 .

As shown in FIG. 1 , wall 160 advantageously includes an aperture 162 above locking free end 136 of primary locking pawl 134 to allow cutout 140 to be formed during manufacture of the connector. When the free end 152 of the CPA rod 150 covered the locking stopper 142 of the locking front end 136 of the main locking claw 134 (i.e. when the CPA element 146 was in the final position), since the free end 152 of the CPA rod 150 was also in the notch 140, The aperture 162 is also located above the free end 152 of the CPA rod 150 when the CPA element 146 is in the final position. To force the CPA rod 150 to block the locking stop regardless of its flexibility, the flanges 156 , 158 are blocked by walls 160 on either side of the hole 162 , respectively.

As such, the locking free end 136 of the primary locking pawl 134 cannot be lifted by depressing the operable rear end 138 . As such, the CPA element 146 prevents disengagement of the first locking catch 132 from the second locking catch 142, thereby ensuring that the connectors 102, 104 remain mated.

The CPA element 146 also includes lateral detents 170, 172 for engaging corresponding holes 174, 176 of the housing 105 in the final position to prevent the CPA element 146 from returning inadvertently from the final position to the initial position. .

Alternatively, the CPA lever 150 does not include the secondary lock 154 and is stiffer than the primary locking pawl 134 so as to be able to block the primary locking pawl 134 by itself without being blocked by the wall 160 .

Referring to Figure 5, a locking system 200 according to a second embodiment of the present invention is shown. The second embodiment differs substantially from the first embodiment in the arrangement of the primary locking pawl and the CPA element. In the following, elements similar to those of the above-described embodiment have the same reference numerals.

Referring to FIG. 6, the main locking pawl 200 includes a locking lever 202 with a rear end 204 (visible on FIG. Top side 108 , the locking front end 206 includes a cutout 140 and a second locking stop 142 .

To lift the front locking end 206 , the primary locking pawl 200 includes a lifting lever 208 having a front end 210 secured to the locking front end 206 and an operable rear free end 212 . The lift lever 208 includes a pivot protrusion 214 for cooperating with the top side 124 of the male housing 122 when the connectors are mated. In this way, the locking front 206 can only be lifted when the connectors are mated.

The primary locking pawl 200 also includes two transverse blocking flanges 216, (only one side is visible in the figure), each extending from the locking bar 202 on a respective side.

Referring to FIG. 5 , the CPA element 220 includes only the movable base 148 and the CPA rod 150 . However, the movable base 148 also comprises two transverse guide flanges 222 , 224 on both sides.

Referring to FIG. 7, each lateral guide flange 222, 224 can be slidably installed in a corresponding lateral guide groove 226 (only one side can be seen on the figure) provided in the housing cover 114, so that the CPA element 220 can be moved from the The initial position leads to the final position.

The lateral blocking flange 216 is continuously positioned in front of the lateral guide grooves 226, 228 so that when the CPA element 220 moves from the initial position (FIG. 6) to the final position (FIG. 7), the lateral guide flange 222 moves from the lateral guide groove 226. Partially extending forward and covering the lateral blocking flange 216 of the primary locking pawl 200 in front of the pivot point corresponding to the pivot protrusion 214 . In the final position, the lateral guide flanges 222 , 224 of the CPA element 220 are blocked upwards by the wall 160 of the housing 105 . Therefore, when the operable rear free end 212 of the lifting lever 208 is actuated, the main locking pawl 200 can no longer pivot, thereby preventing the disengagement of the first locking catch 132 from the second locking catch 142, which would result in Unintentional disconnection of connectors.

In the second embodiment, by virtue of the free end 152 of the CPA rod 150 being hooked and blocked by the second locking catch 142, the CPA element 220 is prevented from returning unintentionally from the final position to the initial position.

In the embodiments described above, the CPA element can be moved manually from its initial position to its final position in the same direction as the mating direction, which is particularly suitable from an ergonomic point of view.

Claims (5)

1. An electrical connector assembly, the electrical connector assembly comprising: a first connector (102) and a second connector (104), the first connector and the second connector being intended to mate with each other along a mating direction, wherein one of said connectors comprises a first locking catch (132) and the other of said connectors comprises a primary locking pawl (134; 200) carrying a second locking catch (142) ), the second locking catch is intended to engage with the first locking catch (132) when the first connector (102) is mated with the second connector (104), so that the second one connector and the second connector are locked, Wherein, the first connector (102) includes a connection position guarantee element (146), and the connection position guarantee element can move from an initial position to a final position, Wherein, the connection position guarantee element (146) also includes: a movable base (148) mounted on the housing (105) of said first connector (102); and A connection position assurance lever (150) fixed to said movable base (148) and intended only when said first connector (102) is mated with said second connector (104) only allowing the connection position securing element (146) to move from the initial position to the final position, Wherein said connected position securing lever (150) has a free end (152) which engages said main locking pawl (134) in said final position of said connected position securing element (146) in order to prevent all the first locking catch is disengaged from the second locking catch, The electrical connector assembly is characterized in that the connection position ensuring element further includes an auxiliary locking piece (154), and the auxiliary locking piece extends above the free end (152) of the connection position ensuring rod (150), and includes two transverse flanges (156, 158) protruding from both sides of said connection position securing bar (150). 2. The electrical connector assembly according to claim 1, wherein the connection position securing element is manually movable from its initial position to its final position in the same direction as the mating direction. 3. The electrical connector assembly according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the auxiliary locking member (154) is fixed to the free end (152) and secures the locking element (146) in the connected position. The final position is blocked by a wall (160) of the first or second connector so as to prevent disengagement of the first locking catch (132) from the second locking catch (142). 4. The electrical connector assembly of claim 3, Wherein, the wall (160) includes a hole (162), and when the connection position guarantee element (146) is in the final position, the hole (162) is located on the side of the connection position guarantee rod (150). above the free end (152); and Wherein, each flange (156, 158) is blocked on a corresponding side of the hole (162) when the connection position securing element (146) is in the final position. 5. The electrical connector assembly according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the connection position securing lever is harder than the main locking pawl so as to be able to block the main locking pawl by itself.

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