U.S. patent number 3,605,070 [Application Number 04/821,852] was granted by the patent office on 1971-09-14 for electrical connector.
This patent grant is currently assigned to Molex Incorporated. Invention is credited to Kerry M. Krafthefer.
United States Patent |
3,605,070 |
Krafthefer |
September 14, 1971 |
ELECTRICAL CONNECTOR
Abstract
A plug and socket electrical connector comprising mating plastic
housings and metal terminals housed therein. The housings are
provided with interengaging latch members including an apertured
tongue on one of the housings. Handle members are provided on the
same housing for gripping by the thumb and middle finger while the
latch is retracted by the index finger to separate the
connectors.
Inventors: |
Krafthefer; Kerry M. (Downers
Grove, IL) |
Assignee: |
Molex Incorporated (Downers
Grove, IL)
|
Family
ID: |
25234457 |
Appl.
No.: |
04/821,852 |
Filed: |
May 5, 1969 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
439/357 |
Current CPC
Class: |
H01R
13/6272 (20130101) |
Current International
Class: |
H01R
13/627 (20060101); H01r 013/54 () |
Field of
Search: |
;339/46,91,108,110 |
References Cited
[Referenced By]
U.S. Patent Documents
Primary Examiner: McGlynn; Joseph H.
Claims
The invention is claimed as follows:
1. An electrical connector comprising a plug element and a socket
element telescopically engageable therewith, said socket element
including an insulating housing and a plurality of terminals, said
plug element including an insulating housing and a plurality of
terminals cooperable with said socket element terminals when said
plug and socket elements are telescopically engaged together, one
of said element housings having a latching shoulder and the other
thereof having a cooperating flexible latch member cooperable with
the latching shoulder to retain said elements in plugged-in
relation with the terminals in cooperating engagement, said
flexible latch member comprising an elongated tongue having one end
integral with a first side of said housing and having an aperture
therein receiving said shoulder, the free end of said tongue
extending relatively in the direction of said one housing element
and angling out diagonally therefrom for ready manual engagement,
as by a finger tip, said other element housing having a pair of
oppositely facing protuberances including a plurality of
longitudinal ribs for maintaining said protuberances substantially
rigid whereby said protuberances are respectively retractably
engageable by the thumb and a spaced finger while said flexible
latch element is simultaneously movable from said latching shoulder
by an intermediate finger for separation of said plug and socket
elements.
2. An electrical connector as set forth in claim 1 wherein said one
of said element housings includes a pair of ears resiliently and
integrally formed therewith for mounting said electrical connector
to a mounting panel.
3. An electrical connector as set forth in claim 1 wherein said
first side of said other element's housing includes an opening for
receiving said latching shoulder when said plug and socket elements
are telescopically engaged together.
Description
Prior separable electrical connectors of the multiple circuit type
having molded plastic housings and cooperating conductive terminals
are well known in the art. For example, reference is made to John
H. Krehbiel, U.S. Pat. No. 3,178,673 for "Wire Connector," and to
John H. Krehbiel application, Ser. No. 666,299 for "Miniature Pin
Terminal Connector," now allowed. A similar type of connector but
using blade-type terminals rather than pin terminals is shown in
John H. Krehbiel, U.S. Pat. No. 3,196,380 for "Electrical
Connector."
Such connectors have been quite useful in the past, but
occasionally have presented some difficulties in separation. The
molded housings, typically of nylon, are quite smooth, and if one's
fingers are slightly damp, as from perspiration, etc., it is
difficult to grip the housings adequately in order to pull them
apart, bearing in mind that particularly with male and female pin
terminals there may be a considerable tension force required to
separate the terminals.
Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide a
separable connector of the pin terminal type having improved means
for latching the two housings together, particularly in combination
with finger-gripping means for separating the two housings.
Other objects and advantages of the present invention will be
understood with reference to the accompanying drawings wherein:
FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing the two halves of an
electrical connector constructed in accordance with the principles
of the present invention;
FIG. 2 is a plan view of the connector in separated position;
FIG. 3 is a plan view showing the connector with the two portions
thereof in connected relation;
FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view taken substantially along the line
4--4 in FIG. 3; and
FIG. 5 is a fragmentary sectional view taken substantially along
the line 5--5 in FIG. 3.
Turning now more particularly to the drawings, the invention will
be seen to comprise an electrical connector designated generally by
the numeral 10 and comprising a plug 12 and a socket 14. The socket
includes a generally rectangular housing of molded thermoplastic
construction, such as nylon, including a body 16 and a forwardly
projecting insertable end portion 18. The end portion has two
chamfered corners 20 for keying with the plug 12. The socket is
provided with a plurality of cylinders having bores 22 in which
female terminals are received, and these preferably are terminals
such as disclosed in the previously mentioned Krehbiel U.S. Pat.
No. 3,178,673 and Krehbiel application, Ser. No. 666,299.
The forward projecting portion 18 of the socket is provided with a
cam-ramp 24 having at its trailing edge a right-angle shoulder 26
serving as a part of a latch cooperable with latch means on the
plug 12, hereinafter to be described. The socket 14 is completed by
mounting ears or wings 28 extending out at right angles. These ears
or wings are the same as those described and claimed in Krehbiel,
U.S. Pat. No. 3,196,380 and are provided with transverse channels
30. As set forth in the last-mentioned Krehbiel patent, these ears
are capable of being folded back parallel to the adjacent walls of
the socket, and thereby to receive the adjacent edges of a mounting
panel in the channels 30. It will be apparent that the ears or
wings 28 are on sides of the plug that are at right angles to the
side on which the latch 24, 26 is disposed. As further will be
apparent, wires 32 extend rearwardly of the housing, being
connected to the female terminals.
The plug also is of generally rectangular construction, including a
body 34, having a slightly enlarged forward portion 36 with a
cavity 38 therein shaped to receive the forward projection 18 of
the socket. The cavity is provided with two chamfered corners 40
complimentary to the chamfered corners 20 for proper keying
together of the two connector portions. Male pin terminals 42 are
mounted in the plug and extending into the cavity 38, in accordance
with the construction disclosed in Krehbiel U.S. Pat. No. 3,178,673
and Krehbiel application, Ser. No. 666,299. Wires 44 extend
rearwardly of the plug, respectively being connected to the pin
terminals 42.
A latch member is provided in the form of an integral, resilient
tongue 46 separated from the forward portion 36 of the plug by
longitudinal, edge-opening slots 48. The front or free end of the
tongue is tipped up at 50 to cam-over the ramp 24 upon assembly of
the two connector portions, namely the plug and socket. A recess 52
is provided behind the tipped-up portion 50, in order that the
tongue might snap down over the cam-ramp 24 with the rear edge 54
of the tipped-up front portion locking behind the shoulder 26.
As will be apparent, the tipped-up end portion 50 of the tongue is
readily engaged by a finger to pry it up for separation of the plug
and socket. However, as noted heretofore, the molded plastic of
which both housings is made is inclined to be a bit slippery. Thus,
in accordance with the present invention, fins 56 are provided
which extend out in opposite directions from one another from the
sidewalls 58 which are arranged at right angles to the sidewall in
which the tongue 46 is formed. The walls 58 are provided with
central thickened portions 60 forwardly of the fins 56, and with a
pair of spaced longitudinal ribs 62 rearwardly thereof for
reenforcement. The fins in face view, as seen in the right portion
of FIG. 1 are tapered somewhat, being narrower at their outer
extremities than at their attachment extremities. Furthermore,
fillets 64 are formed at the roots of the fins along the front
faces thereof for additional reenforcement.
As will be seen, and considering the connector in the position
shown in the drawings, when it is desired to separate the plug from
the socket, the socket is grasped in the left hand, with the thumb
and the index finger respectively engaging the wings 28. The thumb
and middle finger of the right hand then engage the fins 56, and
the index finger engages the tipped-up end 50 of the tongue,
whereby the tongue can be flexed up away from the shoulder 26 while
the plug is at the same time gripped by the thumb and middle finger
for longitudinal separation of the plug and socket. The flexed
position of the tongue is shown in FIG. 5 in broken lines, the
latch position being shown in solid lines.
Although the present invention has its greatest use with pin-type
terminals wherein considerable axial separation force may be
needed, it is considered that it would also be useful with
blade-type terminals such as shown in Krehbiel U.S. Pat. No.
3,196,380.
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