EP0718921B1 - Terminal locking means with a grid for connector - Google Patents

Abstract

The connector comprises a body made of insulating material (14) pierced by two rows of holes (24) which receive the terminals (13). The parallel side walls of the body are cut in order to form stepped retaining pawls (32). The front retaining plate (17) is applied against the front face of the connector body. The front plate is pierced by holes allowing the passage of the terminal parts of the contacts. A locking grid (16) formed of a single piece of the contacts. A locking grid (16) formed of a single piece with two side flanks fitting over the main body.

Description

The present invention relates to electrical connectors intended to be connected to a complementary connector by plugging. It relates more particularly to electrical connectors of the type having a body of insulating material with rectangular section, pierced with at least two rows of passages parallel to the direction of insertion intended to receive contact terminals, and whose two side walls parallel to the rows are cut to form lugs whose elasticity tends to bring them to a projecting position inside the passage where they retain terminals.

In miniature connectors which are more and more used in electronics, and in particular in the automobile field, the latches have a very small thickness and are fragile. They may allow the contacts to escape either by bending or by breaking.

Connectors have already been proposed, further comprising a part, often called a grid, which covers the front end part of the body and prevents the latches from bending and releasing the contacts when this grid is in place. The grid is generally designed so that it can only be inserted if all the terminals are fully pushed in and locked. Otherwise, the grid abuts against the tabs bent outwards.

The invention aims in particular to provide a connector comprising a grid ensuring a locking which can be described as secondary, by blocking the latches. The locking is also much more energetic than that due to the elasticity of the latches (which can be described as "primary"), the mounting of which is simplified by temporarily holding the terminals until the grid is fully in place. , and the components of which can be produced by molding.

• une plaque de retenue avant destinée à s'appliquer contre une face terminale avant du corps, percée de trous destinés chacun à livrer passage à une partie terminale en saillie d'une borne et à constituer une butée pour un épaulement de la borne, munie de doigts de retenue élastique sur le corps ; et
• une grille de verrouillage, d'une seule pièce, ayant : deux flancs latéraux d'écartement tel qu'ils encadrent les deux faces du corps parallèles aux rangées et interdisent le soulèvement des linguets à partir de la position où ils sont en saillie dans les passages ; et des pattes d'accrochage sur les deux faces du corps orthogonales aux rangées, destinées à maintenir le fond de la grille, percé de trous de passage desdites parties terminales dans le prolongement de ceux du fond de la plaque contre la plaque de retenue.

For this purpose, the invention proposes a connector of the above type, having moreover:

• a front retaining plate intended to be applied against a front end face of the body, pierced with holes each intended to provide passage to a terminal portion projecting from a terminal and to constitute a stop for a shoulder of the terminal, provided with elastic retaining fingers on the body; and
• a locking grid, in one piece, having: two lateral flanks of spacing such that they frame the two faces of the body parallel to the rows and prohibit the lifting of the latches from the position where they protrude in the passages; and hooking tabs on the two faces of the body orthogonal to the rows, intended to hold the bottom of the grid, pierced with through holes for said end portions in line with those of the bottom of the plate against the retaining plate.

Because the latches are relatively fragile, it is advantageous to constitute the body so that it comprises, between adjacent rows of passages, a partition in which are cut pairs of latches, so that each terminal is retained by two latches. The partition or each partition then preferably has a central slot between the pairs of latches and the grid has a projection intended to engage in each slot and to prevent the latches of the same couple from approaching.

To facilitate the mounting of the terminals, the locking grid may also include provisional holding lugs longer than the latching lugs and intended to retain the grid in an advanced position where it allows the latching to be raised, but provides axial guidance terminals, these being held on the one hand by the through holes of the grid and on the other hand by the holes in the plate.

The connector is especially usable with male contact terminals, including the front end part, in the form of tongue, protrudes from the grid to engage in cage type terminals of a complementary connector.

• la figure 1 montre le connecteur complet en coupe suivant la ligne I-I de la figure 2, c'est-à-dire en coupe suivant le plan médian d'une rangée de passages ;
• la figure 2 est une vue en coupe suivant la ligne II-II de la figure 1 ;
• la figure 2A est une vue à grande échelle d'un fragment de la figure 2, montrant une borne de contact en place ;
• la figure 3 est une vue en coupe suivant la ligne III-III de la figure 2 ;
• la figure 4 montre la grille de verrouillage du connecteur, vue depuis le bas de la figure 5, c'est-à-dire depuis l'arrière ;
• les figures 5 et 6 sont respectivement des vues en coupe suivant les lignes V-V et VI-VI de la figure 4 ;
• la figure 7 est une vue d'arrière de la plaque de butée du connecteur de la figure 1 ;
• les figures 8 et 9 sont respectivement des vues en coupe suivant la ligne VIII-VIII de la figure 7 et IX-IX de la figure 8.

The above arrangements as well as others will appear better on reading the following description of a particular embodiment of the invention, given by way of nonlimiting example. The description refers to the accompanying drawings, in which:

• Figure 1 shows the complete connector in section along line II of Figure 2, that is to say in section along the median plane of a row of passages;
• Figure 2 is a sectional view along line II-II of Figure 1;
• Figure 2A is an enlarged view of a fragment of Figure 2 showing a contact terminal in place;
• Figure 3 is a sectional view along line III-III of Figure 2;
• Figure 4 shows the connector locking grid, seen from the bottom of Figure 5, that is to say from the rear;
• Figures 5 and 6 are respectively sectional views along lines VV and VI-VI of Figure 4;
• Figure 7 is a rear view of the stop plate of the connector of Figure 1;
• Figures 8 and 9 are respectively sectional views along line VIII-VIII of Figure 7 and IX-IX of Figure 8.

The connector 10 shown in Figures 1 and 2 is intended to be coupled by plugging in a complementary connector, the size of which is shown schematically in phantom. This additional connector 12 is for example of the type described in patent application EP-A-0 718 920 filed on the same day as the present application under the title "Connector with secondary terminal locking grid". It will subsequently be assumed that the connector 12 is intended to receive female contact terminals in the form of a cage, while the connector 10 is intended to receive contacts 13 in the form of a tab (Figure 2A). But this provision is by no means exclusive.

The connector 10 can be viewed as comprising a body 14 made of insulating material (generally filled plastics material) produced by molding, a locking grid 16, a retaining plate 17. This body, in one piece, has a central core and an envelope projecting forward and backward. The forward projecting part receives the additional connector. For certain applications the connector could have a grommet and a plate intended to maintain in compression the grommet. The connector can also include sealing means, not described because they can have a conventional constitution and are not directly concerned by the invention.

The core of the body 14 of the connector 10 shown is pierced with only two rows of passages 24 extending parallel to the direction of insertion, this number not being limiting. These passages have a substantially constant rectangular section over their entire length. They emerge through the front face of the body's nucleus.

In each of the walls of the core of the body parallel to the rows are cut lugs 32 having a notch 34 directed inwards, projecting in the passage when the latch is relaxed. At the rear the notch has a slope allowing the insertion of the terminal 13. At the front it has an abrupt face intended to prevent the withdrawal of the terminal 13 once the notch is engaged in a locking window 36 of terminal.

The two faces of the core of the body parallel to the rows each have an external attachment bar 38, directed towards the envelope, intended to retain the holding plate 17, as will be seen below. The faces orthogonal to the rows also have a projecting transverse external bar 40, intended for the attachment of the grid 16. The ends of these bars connect the core to the casing.

The function of the retaining plate 17 (FIGS. 7-9) is in particular to retain the terminals until the grid 16 is in place. It is in one piece, made of insulating molded material. It can be viewed as having a bottom intended to bear against the front face of the core of the body 14 and four elastic fingers 42, each provided with a terminal lug facing inward. The pins are intended to hang on a respective bar 38. In the bottom are arranged stepped holes. The tier is intended to serve as a support for the transition zone between the cage and the tongue of a corresponding terminal. The plate thus limits the forward movement of the terminals 13, when these fingers are hooked.

The plate shown has a longitudinal rib 44 at the entrance to each hole. This rib is intended to engage in a notch in the corresponding terminal and to authorize the insertion of the terminal only in an orientation where it can lock.

The grid 16 (Figures 1-6) has a bottom which, when the connector 10 is assembled, bears on the plate and presses it against the core of the body 14. This bottom is pierced with holes located in the extension of those of the bottom of the plate. The grid 16 comprises, to retain it in place, elastic tabs 46 for hooking on the bars 40, four in number in the embodiment shown. It has two sides 50 parallel to the rows of passages, intended to be inserted between the core of the body and the fingers 42 and to prohibit the bending of the lugs 32 towards the outside.

The core of the body of the embodiment shown has two opposite latches for each terminal. For this, a partition 52 is placed between two adjacent rows of terminals. This partition is cut to form additional latches 32a. In the partition 52 is also cut a central slot 54. The grid 16 has a projection 56 parallel to the sides, intended to pass through a notch 58 of the plate 17 and to engage in the slot 54 to prevent the latches 32a from bending and to release the corresponding terminals.

The grid 16 further comprises two legs 48 for temporary retention for the assembly of the connector. These additional legs 48 are located in the middle of the interval between two legs 46. They are longer than the legs 46. Thus, when the grid is partially depressed so that only the terminal lugs of the additional legs have exceeded the bar 40, the grid 16 lets the latches move apart under the pressure of the terminals during their introduction.

The connector is assembled as follows.

The plate 17 is inserted into the body until its fingers 42 are hooked on the bars 38. Then the grid 16 is pushed in, from above in FIG. 1, but only until the beaks of the additional legs 48 have passed the bar 40. The terminals are then put in place, pushing them in until the lugs of the latches 32 and 32a are engaged in the windows of the terminals (FIG. 2a). The grid in the advanced position ensures the centering of the contacts. The elasticity of the latches is then sufficient to temporarily hold the terminals in place. Once all the terminals have been fully pushed in, the grid 16 is brought into the position where it is shown in FIG. 1, so as to block the latches. If one of the terminals is not fully pushed in, the corresponding latches protrude and prevent the grid from being brought into the final locking position.

It can be seen on examining the figures that each of the components can be produced in a simple manner by molding. Because the retaining plate 17 is separate from the body, the latter can be removed from the mold easily, despite the fact that the casing is connected to the central core in four locations.

The invention is not limited to the particular mode of embodiment which has been described by way of example. Many variations are possible. The number of rows may be greater than 2. The terminals may have a shape different from that shown, adapting accordingly the shape of the holes in the retaining plate 17 and in the grids 16.

Claims (6)

1. A connector apt to be coupled to a complementary connector by plugging, having:

   a body of rectangular cross-section (14) made of insulating material and formed with at least two rows of passages (24) parallel to the plugging direction and intended to receive terminals (13), the two side walls of the body which are parallel to the rows being cut out to form detents (32) whose resilience tends to bring them projecting into the passages;

   a single part front retaining plate (17) arranged for bearing against a front end face of the body, formed with holes each allowing a projecting end portion of a terminal to pass through and constituting an abutment for a shoulder on the terminal, provided with resilient retaining fingers (42) for engaging the body; and

   a locking grid (16) made as a single part and having: two side flanks (50) that are spaced apart to straddle those two faces of the body that are parallel to the rows and to prevent the detents from flexing away from the positions in which they project into the passages; and resilient tabs (46) for latching on those two faces of the body that are orthogonal to the rows, for holding the end wall of the grid against the front retaining plate, the end wall being formed with holes (13) in alignment of those of the bottom of the plate (17) for the end portions.
2. Connector according to claim 1, characterized in that the grid further comprises additional tabs (48) for retention during assembling, longer than the resilient tabs (46) and arranged to retain said grid in a forward position where it enables said detents to lift.
3. Connector according to claim 1 or 3, characterized in that the body includes, between adjacent rows of passages, a separating partition in which pairs of detents (32a) are cut out whereby each terminal is retained by two detents (32, 32a).
4. Connector according to claim 3, characterized in that the or each partition has a middle groove (54) between the pairs of detents and the grid (16) has a projection for engaging into each groove (54) and preventing the detents (32) of a same pair from moving towards each other.
5. Connector according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the terminals (13) have a cage-shaped rear section with two windows for receiving a detent (32) and said strip-shaped front section which projects through aligned holes in the retaining plate and the grid.
6. Connector according to claim 5, characterized in that said grid is arranged for guiding said terminals during insertion of the latter, when in forward position.

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