Latching Device

Abstract

The invention includes a closed loop of a plastic material which has a projection molded integrally therewith to act as a detent. The detent is released by squeezing the loop together. The loop is resilient and springs back for engagement of the detent. The plastic material has a low-friction, corrosion-resistant surface for trouble-free detent operation. The loop and projection may be molded integrally. Thus, the device may be made and assembled easily and quickly at low cost.

Description

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

This invention relates to means for latching two detachable members together, and more particularly to a simple, inexpensive detent.

The invention will have a great many applications other than those disclosed herein. The invention is therefore not to be limited to uses to be shown and described. However, the invention has been found to possess exceptional utility in latching the plug and socket of a detachable electrical connector together.

In the past it has been the practice to employ small detent means which include several intricate component parts that are expensive and require considerable assembly time.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

In accordance with the device of the present invention, the above-described and other disadvantages of the prior art are overcome by providing a detent biased by leaf spring means.

It is an outstanding feature of the invention that the detent is constructed in the form of a projection on a resilient closed loop. Both projection and loop are fabricated integrally with one another. One side of the loop acts as the leaf spring means. The detent is disengaged by squeezing the loop together.

The projection and loop may thus be constructed in one piece by stamping, extruding, molding, or other simple steps. The one piece construction thus is inexpensive and requires little assembly time.

The above-described and other advantages of the invention will be better understood from the following description when considered in connection with the accompanying drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING

In the drawing, which is to be regarded as merely illustrative:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the latching device of the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a longitudinal sectional view of the device located between the plug and socket of an electrical connector;

FIG. 3 is a similar longitudinal sectional view with the latching device disengaged; and

FIG 4 is a longitudinal section view of the device with the members separated.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

In FIG. 1 of the drawing, the latching device of the present invention is indicated at 10. Latching device 10 includes a closed loop of plastic 11 which has been molded to shape. Loop 11 has an upper member 12 with projections 13 and 14 molded integrally therewith. Loop 11 also has a lower member 15 molded integrally therewith. Lower member 15 acts as leaf spring means to bias projection 13 upwardly. Loop 11 is thus resilient. Projection 14 is serrated at 16 for manual operation thereof. Loop 11 is located inside a vertical or radial slot 17 in an insulator 18 of a detachable electrical connector. Insulator 18 is substantially cylindrical. The connector also has a cylindrical barrel 19 fixed to insulator 18.

Loop 11 has flat parallel slides. That is, it has a uniform thickness throughout. Slot 17 likewise, has parallel sidewalls contiguous to loop 11. Member 12 is thus movable vertically in slot 17. The use of plastic loop 11 permits substantially friction-free movement of loop 11 in slot 17.

As shown in FIG. 2, barrel 19 projects over one end of slot 17 to retain loop 11 therein. The same is true of an L-shaped ring 20 fixed to insulator 18. The other mateable half of the connector includes a cylindrical insulator 21 fixed to a cylindrical barrel 22. The barrel 22 has a recess 23 therein to receive projection 13.

Barrel 22 is slideable over ring 20 and projection 13 to mate the connector. Projection 13 has an inclined surface 24 to facilitate mating when projection 13 is engaged by the left end of barrel 22.

If desired, barrel 19 may have a slot 25, the sides of which may be contiguous to projection 14. Alternatively, barrel 22 may have such a slot. Further, any such slot may be omitted, if desired.

As shown in FIG. 3, the connector may be unmated by placing one's finger on serrated surface 16 and squeezing loop 11 together downwardly in slot 17. Projection 13 will then be removed from recess 23, and barrel 22 with insulator 21 may be removed from the remainder of the other half of the connector by pulling it to the right, as viewed in FIGS. 2 and 3.

The manner in which projection 14 and member 12 may be depressed is shown in FIG. 3.

In accordance with the foregoing, it will be appreciated that the latching device of the present invention is relatively uncomplicated and may be fabricated at low cost and assembled in a short time. In one way, these advantages are achieved by making loop 11 and all the connections therewith shown in FIG. 1 integral with one another. That is, all the structure shown in FIG. 1 may be made of a single piece of plastic. Loop 11 must be resilient. However, loop 11 may be made of any plastic or metal or any other material. However, it is a special feature of the invention that a plastic having a low-friction and/or corrosion-resistant surface is employed. Alternatively, loop 11 may be made of any resilient material coated with such a plastic or any other material. In either case, the plastic may be a fluorocarbon or acetal resin or polyamide such as that sold under the trade name "Delrin" by the Dupont Company.

It is also a feature of the invention that device 10 includes a closed loop 11. This makes it possible to make device 10 small. It will, nevertheless, have sufficient strength and resilience and operational stability to perform its function in slot 17.

Note will be taken that device 10 may be located in a slot either in the plug or in the socket of an electrical connector. Further a projection may be provided on barrel 22 and a corresponding recess in member 12. In other words, such a transposition of parts for projection 13 and recess 23 is to be considered within the scope of the present invention.

Although device 10 is made of "Delrin" plastic, it may be made of vinyl or other plastics. Device 10 may be stamped, extruded, molded, or fabricated in any other convenient manner.

Note will be taken that device 10 may be employed in an electrical connector. Alternatively, two or three or more such devices may be employed around the periphery of a connector.

When a plurality of such devices is employed, they may or may not be equally spaced as desired.

Although it is a special feature of the invention that the parts of device 10 are molded integrally with one another, according to a broader concept of the invention, some of the parts may be made individually and fixed together.

Still further, although it is a feature of the invention that device 10 includes loop 11 which is closed, in accordance with a broader concept, loop 11 may be open.

The invention is applicable to devices other than electrical connectors, and need not be limited to detachable parts cylindrical in cross section. It is also another feature of the invention that anyone or more of the embodiments or alternatives shown or described hereinbefore may be used separately or in any combination.

Many other changes and modifications will suggest themselves to those skilled in the art. The invention is, therefore, not limited to the single embodiment described and illustrated, or to the few alternatives described, the true scope of the invention being defined only in the appended claims.

Claims

What is claimed is:

1. In a latching arrangement, the combination comprising: first and second bodies for releasable connection to each other; one of said bodies having a slot therein, the other of said bodies having a barrellike portion including an internal recess on an interior wall of said barrellike portion; and detent means for releasably interconnecting said bodies, said detent means having a first projection to releasably fit in said recess, said detent means being positioned in said slot, said detent means including a member having leaf spring means fixed in a position to extend under said projection and urge it into said slot, said member and said leaf spring means being integrally formed of a closed loop of "Delrin" plastic having flat, parallel sides, said member and said leaf spring means thereby being made integrally with one another of the same material, said first body having longitudinal projections at opposite ends of said detent means to extend partially over the ends of said member to retain said detent means inside said slot, said slot having flat, parallel sidewalls spaced apart to permit vertical movement of said detent means therein, said first projection being an integral portion of said member located on the upper side of said loop and projecting outwardly thereof, said member also having a second integral projection on the upper side thereof spaced from said first projection, the plane of said loop lying substantially along the longitudinal axis of said bodies said bodies being constructed to allow said second projection to extend outwardly thereof for manual operation, said second projection having a transversely serrated upper surface said first body being movable into said second body and separably connected therein by engagement of said projection with said recess.