Classifications

• • H—ELECTRICITY
  • H01—ELECTRIC ELEMENTS
  • H01R—ELECTRICALLY-CONDUCTIVE CONNECTIONS; STRUCTURAL ASSOCIATIONS OF A PLURALITY OF MUTUALLY-INSULATED ELECTRICAL CONNECTING ELEMENTS; COUPLING DEVICES; CURRENT COLLECTORS
  • H01R13/00—Details of coupling devices of the kinds covered by groups H01R12/70 or H01R24/00 - H01R33/00
  • H01R13/40—Securing contact members in or to a base or case; Insulating of contact members
  • H01R13/42—Securing in a demountable manner
  • H01R13/436—Securing a plurality of contact members by one locking piece or operation
  • H01R13/4361—Insertion of locking piece perpendicular to direction of contact insertion
  • H01R13/4362—Insertion of locking piece perpendicular to direction of contact insertion comprising a temporary and a final locking position

Definitions

• the present invention relates to a finger operated position assurance (PA) member, in particular a terminal position assurance (TPA) member or a connector position assurance (CPA) member having a hybrid locking arm.
• PA finger operated position assurance
• TPA terminal position assurance
• CPA connector position assurance
• the present invention further relates to an electrical connector assembly comprising such a finger operated PA member.
• Electrical connectors and electrical connector assemblies are commonly used to connect various cables, such as for example telecommunication cables, common networking cables, signaling cables or in general any electrical wiring.
• electrical connectors are particularly used for joining electrical circuits, wherein a male ended plug of an electrical connector may be adapted to be connected to a respective female ended jack of a corresponding counter connector.
• TPA terminal position assurance
• An electrical connector is typically assembled by inserting one or more electrical terminals connected to electrical wires into a housing of the electrical connector. Then the TPA is assembled or moved to a locking position to hold or secure electrical terminals within an electrical connector. After the TPA is assembled or brought into its locking position, the electrical terminal is fixed within the housing of the electrical connector such that the electrical connector can be used.
• a TPA member is often utilized for electrical connectors to detect incomplete insertion of contact terminals into a connector housing. They also assist in assuring that the contact terminals are properly positioned in the respective housing. A TPA member may thereby be mounted movably to the connector housing and may secure the terminal within the connector housing when being fully inserted.
• CPA connector position assurance
• a CPA member is a feature or mechanism designed to ensure that a connector is properly and securely mated or engaged, preventing it from unintentional disconnection or loosening due to vibration, shock, or other external forces.
• CPA members can take various forms, but their primary purpose is to provide mechanical locking or latching to maintain the connection's integrity.
• TPA members and also CPA members have various different ways of locking with the housing.
• a position assurance member e.g., a TPA and/or a CPA
• a position assurance member for an electrical connector assembly which overcomes the above outlined disadvantages at least partially.
• a position assurance member for an electrical connector assembly, which facilitates that it can be easily operated by a user.
• TPA and CPA functionality should be easy to be performed by a user without requiring much effort or personnel. It is also an object to provide a respective electrical connector assembly.
• the present disclosure provides an improved PA member, such as a TPA member or a CPA member.
• the PA member has improved position assurance functionality.
• the PA member facilitates that it can be easily operated by a user, e.g., by way of one or more fingers. TPA and CPA functionality is thus provided for a user without requiring much effort or personnel.
• the PA member can be easily accessed without the need of extensive labor or the like.
• the PA member proposed according to this invention overcomes issues associated with conventional TPA and CPA members, which, although providing various different ways of locking with the housing, are cumbersome to handle.
• many conventional electrical connectors are difficult to be operated with just a single hand, one or more fingers or the like.
• the PA member is adapted to be mounted to the connector housing and which is movable relative to the connector housing between a pre-lock position and a final-lock position when the PA member is in a mounted condition with the connector housing.
• the PA member may be pre-mounted to the connector housing.
• the PA member may facilitate securing and/or locking the positioning of one or more electrical terminals within the connector housing when the PA member is in the final-lock position.
• the PA member When the PA member is in the pre-lock position, the PA member may facilitate insertion or removal of one or more electrical terminals.
• the direction of movement of the PA member may be along a lateral direction relative to the connector housing. The skilled person may be aware of determining the lateral direction when looking at the connector housing.
• the connector housing may comprise at least one opening to receive one or more electrical terminals.
• the housing may form the main housing of the connector and may in general have any shape adapted to be connected to a corresponding counter connector. It is not precluded according to the present disclosure that the connector housing includes means for locking the housing to the corresponding counter connector.
• the PA member comprises a main locking arm having an assisting locking arm. Both arms may be formed substantially unitary or as separate pieces that are attached to one another. Both arms may act as a compressible loaded latch. This may facilitate operating the PA member with fingers/nails by a user, which is convenient.
• the assisting locking arm may form one part of the main locking arm. In one example, the main locking arm has a free end pointing in an opposite direction as the free end of the assisting locking arm.
• the first protrusion provides a resistive force against movement from the pre-lock to the final-lock position.
• the resistive force may be easily overcome by way of a force of the user.
• the second protrusion provides a resistive force against movement from the final-lock to the pre-lock position.
• this resistive force may be greater compared to the resistive force of the first protrusion against movement from the pre-lock to the final-lock position.
• the second protrusion may hold the PA member securely in place, such that it can provide its position assurance functionality.
• the PA member is adapted to be moved, e.g., along the PA movement direction, from the final-lock to the pre-lock position by providing a force to the main locking arm in a lateral direction.
• the lateral direction is substantially perpendicular to the PA movement direction.
• the second protrusion is configured to disengage with the housing of the electrical connector assembly.
• the main locking arm may substantially pivot about a projection (as described elsewhere herein) of the housing such that the second protrusion is moved in a substantially lateral direction towards the outside of the housing.
• the projection may act as a fulcrum point.
• to disengage may mean that the PA member may be easily moved substantially without a resistive force provided by way of the second protrusion. Thus, the user can easily remove the PA member.
• the PA member is adapted to be moved from the pre-lock position to an unmounted position by providing a force to the assisting locking arm in a lateral direction, the lateral direction being substantially perpendicular to the PA movement direction.
• Movement of the PA member from the pre-lock position to an unmounted position may be along the PA movement direction (as understood various unmounted positions may pertain). This may facilitate that the user can trigger two different parts of the PA member for two different purposes: (i) providing a force to the main locking arm for movement from final to pre-lock and (ii) providing a force to the assisting locking arm for movement from the pre-lock to an unmounted position. This may serve the purpose to provide a fail-safe arrangement. In particular, the user may not unintentionally remove the PA member from the final-lock position.
• the second protrusion upon providing the force to the assisting locking arm, is configured to be moved in a direction substantially opposite to the direction of the force.
• the unmounted position referred to herein may be the position adopted by the PA member immediately after removal from the housing.
• the second protrusion being moved in a direction substantially opposite to the direction of the force may lead to disengagement of the second protrusion with the housing (in particular with a projection of the housing) as described elsewhere herein.
• the assisting locking arm upon providing the force to the assisting locking arm, is configured to be supported by a second projection of the housing, the second projection projecting in a lateral direction, opposite to the force.
• the second projection may act as a fulcrum or pivot point. It may provide a rigid element such that movement can be done repeatedly in substantially the same fashion independent of how many assembly steps have been performed.
• the second protrusion upon providing the force to the main locking arm, is configured to be moved in a direction substantially opposite to the direction of the force.
• the main locking arm and / or the assisting locking arm is configured to be supported by a first projection of the housing, the first projection projecting in a lateral direction, opposite to the force.
• the first projection may act as a fulcrum or pivot point. It may provide a rigid element such that movement can be done repeatedly in substantially the same fashion independent of how many assembly steps have been performed.
• Both projections may lead to a bending of the PA member an in particular of the main locking arm and/or the assisting locking arm. This bending may facilitate disengagement of the first protrusion and the second protrusion.
• the first protrusion has one inclined surface, preferably two inclined surfaces arranged opposite to one another, the inclination being with respect to the movement direction of the PA member from the pre-lock to the final-lock position, so as to slidingly engage with a respective second projection of the housing of the electrical connector assembly.
• Having one inclined surface may facilitate movement in one direction, having two inclined surfaces arranged opposite to one another may facilitate movement in two directions.
• the respective surfaces may be inclined with respect to the movement direction of the PA member from the pre-lock to the final-lock position by a respective angle of inclination.
• the angle of inclination may influence the movement of the PA member.
• the angle of inclination may be at least 10°, preferably at least 20°, preferably at least 30°, preferably at least 45°, or even at least 50°, or at least 60°.
• the angle of inclination may be at most 80°, preferably at most 70°, preferably at most 60°, preferably at most 50°, preferably at most 40°. This may allow finetuning the movement of the PA member.
• the first protrusion may in some instances have a slightly rounded shape, which could enhance finetuning of movement.
• the second protrusion has an inclined surface with respect to the movement direction of the PA member from the pre-lock to the final-lock position, so as to slidingly engage with a respective second projection of the housing of the electrical connector assembly, wherein the second protrusion preferably has an abutting surface, substantially perpendicular with respect to the movement direction of the PA member, so as to abut the second projection of the housing, preferably when moved from the final-lock position to the pre-lock position.
• the inclined surface may aid in moving the PA member between the pre-lock to the final-lock by employing only minor forces by way of one or more fingers of a hand of a user.
• the abutting surface may substantially prevent movement from the final-lock position to the pre-lock position.
• the second protrusion can be disengaged by a respective force to the main locking arm conveniently by fingers of a user.
• first protrusion and the second protrusion extend in the same direction.
• the PA member has a U-shape, wherein the main locking arm and the assisting locking arm define a first arm of the U-shape, wherein the PA member comprises a further main locking arm and a further assisting locking arm defining a second arm of the U-shape, wherein the two arms of the U-shape are connected by a connection arm.
• the U-shape has the advantage that the PA member can encompass/surround an internal portion of the housing, thereby holding together parts of the housing substantially firmly, when in the final-lock position. Deviations from a U-shape are encompassed in the present disclosure. For instance, the PA member may be bent or the like, which could lead to such deviations.
• the second set of arms i.e., the further main locking arm and the further assisting locking arm may aid in assuring positioning of one or more terminals (TPA) and a connector (CPA).
• external forces on the PA member may be substantially symmetrical, bearing the potential to increase lifetime thereof.
• the PA member may be substantially mirror-symmetrically with respect to a plane passing substantially perpendicularly through the connection arm. In this manner, the PA member could be used in two different orientations, without the need for the operator to check whether the right orientation is used for mounting the PA member to the connector housing.
• a further aspect is related to an electrical connector assembly
• a connector housing preferably adapted to receive one or more electrical terminals
• a position assurance, PA, member as described elsewhere herein, the PA member configured to be mounted to the connector housing and being movable relative to the connector housing between a pre-lock position and a final-lock position along a PA movement direction when mounted; wherein the PA movement direction is preferably essentially perpendicular to the receiving direction of the one or more electrical terminals, and essentially perpendicular to the force provided to the main locking arm in the lateral direction.
• the electrical connector assembly comprises the PA member as described elsewhere herein, it is understood that the features and/or advantages described with reference to the PA member may also apply for the electrical connector assembly and vice versa.
• the connector housing comprises a first projection, a second projection, and a third projection, projecting in a lateral direction opposite to the force.
• the third projection of the housing may be arranged such that it contacts on an outer periphery of the main locking arm.
• the third projection may be arranged such that it does not contact the assisting locking arm and/or that it does not contact the second protrusion (i.e., the protrusion of the assisting locking arm).
• the third projection of the housing may be arranged such that it contacts the first protrusion of the main locking arm when in final-lock position.
• the assisting locking arm may be arranged within the periphery of the main locking arm. This has the advantage that the third projection does not contact the second protrusion of the housing and does not restrict movement.
• the first protrusion when in the final-lock position, is accommodated in a first recess of the housing, the first recess preferably being formed between a first projection and a third projection of the housing.
• the first projection and the third projection may be the respective projections already described elsewhere herein.
• the recess facilitates holding the PA member in place in the respective position.
• the second protrusion when in the final-lock position, is accommodated in a second recess of the housing, the second recess preferably being formed between a first projection and a second projection of the housing.
• the main locking arm comprises a substantially flat first contact surface being parallel to the PA movement direction, the first contact surface being configured to receive the force to the main locking arm, the first contact surface preferably being arranged at a free end of the main locking arm, wherein the assisting locking arm comprises a substantially flat second contact surface being inclined with respect to the PA movement direction, the second contact surface being configured to receive the force to the assisting locking arm, the second contact surface preferably being arranged at a free end of the assisting locking arm, wherein the first contact surface and / or the second contact surface are preferably provided with a structure, preferably a plurality of cuts, slits, or grooves extending in a direction substantially opposite to the PA movement direction, wherein the assisting locking arm preferably comprises a third protrusion projecting in a direction opposite to the second protrusion, the third protrusion comprising an abutting surface substantially perpendicular with respect to the movement direction of the PA member, so as to abut a fourth projection of the housing, preferably when
• the beneficial effect of the structure is that a finger of a user does not slip off. This is appreciated as it makes handling and operation of the PA member easier.
• Fig. 1 and Fig. 6 illustrate a PA member according to an embodiment of the present invention.
• the PA member 20 comprises a main locking arm 21 having an assisting locking arm 22.
• the PA member 20 is adapted to be mounted to a connector housing 10 of an electrical connector assembly 1 and being movable relative to the connector housing 10 between a pre-lock position (e.g., Fig. 4 ) and a final-lock position (e.g., Fig. 2 ) along a PA movement direction (indicated as MD in Fig. 1 ), when mounted.
• the main locking arm 21 comprises a first protrusion 23 for providing a resistive force against movement of the PA member 20 from the pre-lock to the final-lock position.
• the assisting locking arm 22 comprises a second protrusion 24 for providing a resistive force against movement of the PA member 20 from the final-lock to the pre-lock position.
• the PA member 20 is adapted to be moved from the final-lock to the pre-lock position by providing a force to the main locking arm 21 in a lateral direction, the lateral direction being substantially perpendicular to the movement direction MD of the PA member 20.
• the lateral direction may be from the top to the bottom of Fig. 1 .
• the second protrusion 24 is configured to disengage with the housing 10 of the electrical connector assembly 1 .
• the first protrusion 23 and the second protrusion 24 may extend in the same direction, as can be seen from Fig. 1 .
• the PA member 20 has a U-shape.
• the main locking arm 21 and the assisting locking arm 22 define a first arm of the U-shape.
• the PA member 20 comprises a further main locking arm 21a and a further assisting locking arm 22a defining a second arm of the U-shape.
• the two arms (21, 22 and 21a, 22a) of the U-shape are connected by a connection arm 28.
• the further main locking arm 21a and the further assisting locking arm 22a may be substantially similar to the main locking arm 21 and the assisting locking arm 22 described elsewhere herein (e.g., they may comprise a further first protrusion 23a, a further second protrusion 24a, just to name two examples) and the description thereof is not repeated for brevity and conciseness only.
• the PA member 20 and/or the connector housing 10 may be of any kind of suitable material.
• the PA member 20 and/or the connector housing 10 may be made of a polymer and may preferably be injection-molded polymer parts.
• the assisting locking arm is arranged within a periphery of the main locking arm 21, i.e., it may be encompassed by the outer boundary of the main locking arm 21 (as seen in the direction into the image plane of Fig. 1 ).
• the first protrusion 23 may be implemented by two first protrusions 23 on opposing sides of the main locking arm 21.
• Fig. 2 illustrates the embodiment of Fig. 1 with a connector housing 10 upon operation by fingers of a user (i.e., when a user is about to provide a force to the PA member 20 in order to move the PA member 20).
• the PA member 20 is depicted in the final-lock position.
• Fig. 3 illustrates three different steps (A, B, C) for moving the PA member from the final to the pre-lock position.
• the second protrusion 24 i.e., the protrusion of the assisting locking arm 22
• the second protrusion 24 is configured to be moved in a direction substantially opposite to the direction of the force.
• This can be derived from the steps A, B, and C on the left-hand side of Fig. 3 (showing main locking arm 21', main locking arm 21", and main locking arm 21′′′, respectively).
• These main locking arms 21', 21", and 21′′′ indicate different steps upon moving the PA member 20 from the final-lock to the pre-lock position.
• the right-hand side of Fig. 3 indicates a portion of the main locking arm 21 where force F can be provided by fingers.
• the main locking arm 21 and / or the assisting locking arm 22 is/are configured to be supported by a first projection 11 of the housing 10, the first projection 11 projecting in a lateral direction, opposite to the force F.
• the first projection 11 may be implemented as a bump or a rib.
• the first projection 11 only acts as a fulcrum for the assisting locking arm 22 (this is indicated by the dashed box 27 on the assisting locking arm 22 in Fig. 3 ). This has the advantage that the second protrusion 24 is moved outwardly as seen when comparing steps A, B, and C on the left-hand side in Fig. 3 .
• the shape of the first projection 11 may be specifically designed to provide a resistive force. This may avoid a false-trigger to the final-lock position.
• the housing 10 may be provided with an inclined surface 17 (indicated merely in step C of Fig. 3 for brevity).
• This has the advantage that the PA member 20 may be automatically ejected from the final-lock position to the pre-lock position upon providing the force to the main locking arm 21. This may be the case, because the free end of the main locking arm 21 touches said inclined surface 17 as a result of providing the force F. In turn, when the free end of the main locking arm 21 is moved inwardly due to the force F, the assisting locking arm 22 is moved outwardly. Thereby, the PA member unlocks from the final-position and is moved to the pre-lock position.
• the first protrusion 23 of the PA member 20 has one inclined surface, preferably two inclined surfaces arranged opposite to one another (as seen to the left-hand side and right-hand side of protrusion 23 in Fig. 2 ). This allows the first protrusion 23 to slidingly engage with the second projection 12 of the housing 10 of the electrical connector assembly 1 .
• the second protrusion 24 has an inclined surface (the surface on the left-hand side of protrusion 24 in Fig. 2 ) with respect to the movement direction MD of the PA member 20 from the pre-lock to the final-lock position, to slidingly engage with a respective second projection 12 of the housing 10.
• the second protrusion 24 preferably has an abutting surface (the surface on the right-hand side of protrusion 24 in Fig. 2 ), substantially perpendicular with respect to the movement direction MD, to abut the second projection 12 of the housing 10, when moved from the final-lock position to the pre-lock position. This allows to prevent movement of the PA member 20 from the final-lock position to the pre-lock position.
• Fig. 2 also shows an embodiment of the connector assembly 1 described elsewhere herein according to a further aspect.
• the assembly 1 comprises a connector housing 10 adapted to receive one or more electrical terminals (these could be received in the opening 80 indicated exemplarily in Fig. 2 ).
• the assembly 1 comprises the PA member 20 as described elsewhere herein.
• the PA movement direction MD is essentially perpendicular to the receiving direction of one or more electrical terminals, and essentially perpendicular to the force provided to the main locking arm 21 in the lateral direction.
• the connector housing 10 comprises a first projection 11, a second projection 12, and a third projection 13 (shown only in Fig. 7 ), projecting in a lateral direction opposite to the force.
• Fig. 4 illustrates the embodiment of Fig. 2 upon operation by fingers of a user.
• the PA member 20 is in the pre-lock position.
• Fig. 5 illustrates two different steps for moving the PA member 20 from the pre-lock position to the unmounted position.
• the PA member 20 is adapted to be moved from the pre-lock position to an unmounted position by providing a force to the assisting locking arm 22 in a lateral direction, the lateral direction being substantially perpendicular to the PA movement direction MD.
• the force may be provided on the portion 26 indicated by the dashed box 26 in Fig. 5 on the right-hand side. However, the force may additionally or alternatively be provided at a different portion of the assisting locking arm 22.
• the force can be easily provided by one or more fingers of a user, as indicated in Fig. 4 .
• the second protrusion 24 is configured to be moved in a direction substantially opposite to the direction of the force. This is indicated by way of the main locking arm 21' and the main locking arm 21" in steps A and B shown on the left-hand side of Fig. 5 . These main locking arms 21', 21" indicate different steps upon moving the PA member 20 from the pre-lock to the unmounted position.
• the assisting locking arm 22 is configured to be supported by a second projection 12 of the housing 10, the second projection 12 projecting in a lateral direction, opposite to the force.
• the second projection 12 of the housing 10 acts as a fulcrum for bending the assisting locking arm 22.
• the PA member 20 can be easily removed as shown when comparing steps A and B in Fig. 5 .
• Fig. 7 illustrates a PA member 20 with a connector housing 10 in a different cross-sectional cut compared to Figs. 2 , 3 , 4 , and 5 .
• the cross-sectional cut of Fig. 7 runs through a plane that passes through the first protrusion 23 along the longitudinal extension of the main locking arm 21 (e.g., parallel to the movement direction MD).
• the third projection 13 of the housing 10 becomes visible.
• This third projection 13 of the housing 10 is be arranged such that it contacts on an outer periphery of the main locking arm 21 (i.e., not an inner part, e.g., the assisting locking arm 22). Thus, it does not contact the second protrusion 24 (i.e., the protrusion 24 of the assisting locking arm 22), but merely the first protrusion 23.
• the first protrusion 23 is accommodated in a first recess 15 (see Fig. 7 ) of the housing 10.
• the first recess 15 is formed between the first projection 11 and the third projection 13 of the housing 10.
• the second protrusion 24 is accommodated in a second recess 16 (see Fig. 2 ) of the housing 10.
• the second recess 16 is formed between the first projection 11 and the second projection 12 of the housing 10.
• the main locking arm 21 comprises a substantially flat first contact surface (including the portion where the force F is indicated in Fig. 3 ) being parallel to the movement direction MD.
• the first contact surface is configured to receive the force F to the main locking arm 21.
• the first contact surface is arranged at a free end of the main locking arm 21.
• the assisting locking arm 22 comprises a substantially flat second contact surface being inclined (including the portion where the box 26 is indicated in Fig. 5 ) with respect to the movement direction MD.
• the second contact surface is configured to receive the force to the assisting locking arm 22.
• the second contact surface is arranged at a free end of the assisting locking arm 22, opposite to the free end of the main locking arm 21.
• the assisting locking arm 22 comprises a third protrusion 25 (as seen in Fig. 1 ) projecting in a direction opposite to the second protrusion 24.
• the third protrusion 25 comprises an abutting surface substantially perpendicular with respect to the movement direction MD, to abut a fourth projection 14 (indicated in step A of Fig. 5 ) of the housing 10, when moved from the pre-lock position to an unmounted position.
• This third protrusion 25 may prevent removal of the PA member 20 without providing a force to the assisting locking am 22.
• the PA member described in here may refer to a device, component, and/or mechanism that may ensure the correct and secure alignment and engagement of connectors, terminals, or contacts, in particular as used in the context of electrical vehicles. These PA members help prevent unintended disconnection or misalignment of electrical connections, which is crucial for maintaining reliability and safety in various applications.
• a terminal position assurance (TPA) and a connector position assurance (CPA) member may be mentioned. These facilitate to keep connectors and terminals securely mated and in their intended positions.

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Citations (4)

• 2024
  • 2024-02-05 EP EP24155696.8A patent/EP4597761A1/de active Pending

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