FR2803111A1 - Open position protection electrical connection unit having male/female section with intermediate grid solidifying during attachment and decoupling/freeing. - Google Patents

Abstract

The electrical connector has a female element unit (1) with channels for electrical contacts each terminated by a tongue section protruding into the outer skirt (12). A male element (2) engages the unit. The male unit and grid (90) having conjugate elements soldifying the unit during attachment and decoupling freeing the male and female units from the grid whilst the grid is open.

Description

The present invention relates to an electrical connector. The invention relates to electrical connectors of the type comprising a female housing element comprising a series of electrical contact tabs erecting from its bottom and a male housing element intended to be inserted into the j of ' female housing element and comprising a series of female electrical contact members corresponding to the tongues and intended to cooperate with them.

There is a tendency to produce more and more miniaturized connectors so that the electrical contact members are becoming smaller and, consequently, more and more fragile. As many connectors include many channels, the number of tabs is large and these must imperatively be perfectly aligned with the female organs.

It has been thought to produce connectors in which a grid is provided which is engaged in the skirt of the female housing element and which has slots corresponding to the tongues, the grid being arranged at a height such in the skirt, that the free ends of said tabs, engaged in the slots, pass through these on the side of the grid facing towards the bottom and are flush with the other face of said grid.

Thanks to such an arrangement, the tongues are protected and when the male housing element is put in place, the latter pushes the grid back.

Such a technique is very effective, but it has the drawback that the male casing element is removed, the grid remains against the bottom and the tongues are no longer protected.

An embodiment is known which has attempted to remedy this drawback and in which the tongues are held in channels by elastic retaining bars, the latter being locked by an element engaged in the skirt and comprising fingers blocking the retaining bars. , said element comprising a slide on which the grid is guided, on said element being formed a projecting blade constituting a spring and tending to separate the grid from the element.

Such an embodiment has several drawbacks. It is first of all complex and requires the manufacture of expensive injection molds and moreover, taking into account the small size of all the organs, the blade has a small thickness and is not very elastic and, when the male casing element been put in place, it no longer fulfills its function, the grid remaining pressed against the bottom.

One of the aims of the present invention is to produce a connector of this type in which it is ensured that, when the female housing element is put in place, the grid will occupy the correct protective position and that, when separation of the housing elements, the grid will automatically return to said protection position.

The connector, object of the invention, is of the type comprising a female housing element comprising a certain number of channels in which are housed electrical contact members, each by tongue projecting in a skirt of said female housing element, male housing intended to engage in said skirt and comprising a number of channels corresponding to that of the female housing element and in which are housed female electrical contact members intended to receive the tongues and, a protective grid for the tongues housed in the skirt and having a series of holes corresponding to the number of tabs, the grid being arranged in the skirt in a waiting position in which the tabs are engaged in the holes and are flush with the face of said grid turned towards the side of the opening of the skirt, the grid being pushed by the insertion of the male housing element d in the female housing element, said electrical connector being characterized in that the male housing element and the grid comprise combined means for securing during the insertion of said male housing element in the skirt and means, during uncoupling of the male and female housing elements, to separate the grid from the male housing element when said grid is in the standby position.

Thanks to such an arrangement, it is ensured that the tongues will always be protected when the male housing element is not engaged in the skirt.

According to a constructive characteristic, the grid comprises, laterally, on the one hand, a series of hooks cooperating in the waiting position with shoulders of the internal lateral walls of the skirt and, on the other hand, a series of legs bearing against stops of the internal side walls of the skirt in said grid standby position, the shoulders being turned towards the side of the opening of the skirt, while the stops are turned towards the opposite side and the legs each having a bump , while the male housing element is provided with steps intended to cooperate with the bumps. This provides a simple arrangement and safe operation.

According to a particular embodiment, the male housing element comprises a locking lever articulated on axes and comprising two toothed sectors driving toothed sectors articulated on said male housing element, said toothed sectors comprising cams intended to cooperate with pins of the female housing element, means being provided for locking the lever in a position in which two housing elements are coupled.

According to a particular characteristic, the female housing element is divided, on the side opposite the skirt, into a number of compartments, the electrical contact members, each terminated by a tab, being housed in modules intended to be inserted in the compartments.

Each module comprises, for each channel, two elastic tabs provided with projections intended to cooperate with notches of the electrical contact members provided with tongues, behind each elastic tab being formed a housing, and the female housing element comprises a veil separating the skirt compartments, said web having, on the one hand, holes for the passage of the tongues and, on the other hand, protrusions intended to be inserted in the housings. Thus, the elastic tabs are wedged when the electrical contact members are 'in place.

Preferably, the modules compartments comprise combined means for fixing said modules in two positions, a first position in which the housings are spaced from the protrusions to allow the establishment of the electrical contact members and a second position in which the protrusions are inserted into the housings, the elastic tabs thus being locked.

The connector includes means opposing the insertion of the male housing element in the skirt in the position in which the protrusions of the web are not inserted in the module housings. Thus, it is ensured, during the assembly of the two housing elements, that the modules are suitably inserted in the female housing element.

According to a constructive characteristic, each module comprises a hoop passing through the passage of the female box element, while the latter comprises, at the right of each passage, an elastic bar provided with a boss in the vicinity of its free end, the element male housing having protruding projections intended to abut against the bosses of the elastic bars, these being able to be elastically erased if the modules occupy the second position in which the protrusions are inserted in the housings, said arches blocking elastic bars if the modules occupy the first position in which the protrusions are distant from the housings In order to ensure locking of the female electrical contact members in the tracks of the male box element, the latter comprises, in each track, elastic tabs provided with pins intended to cooperate with cuts in the fem organs they for electrical contact, housings being provided behind said elastic tabs, a locking member for said elastic tabs being provided and comprising protuberances intended to be inserted in the housings and holes for the passage of the tongues.

Finally, the housing element and the locking member are arranged in such a way that the latter can occupy two positions, a first position in which the protrusions are distant from the housings, the female members electrical contact being able to be placed in the tracks and a second position in which the protrusions are inserted in the housings to ensure the blocking of the elastic tabs. The invention will now be described in more detail with reference to a particular embodiment given by way of example only shown in the accompanying drawings, in which Figure 1 shows in elevation a connector, according to the invention, the housing elements male and female being separated Figure 2 shows in elevation connector mounted. Figure 3 is an exploded perspective view with cutaway of the connector of Figures 1 and 2.

Figure 4 is an exploded perspective view of the male housing member.

Figure 5 is a longitudinal sectional view of the male and female housing elements.

Figure 6 is a sectional view along line 6-6 of Figure 5.

Figure 7 is a sectional view along line 7-7 of Figure 5.

Figure 8 is a sectional view similar to Figure 7, the grid being assumed in the protective position. Figure 9 and Figure 10 are sectional views showing the locking of the female electrical contact members in the male housing member. Figure 11 is a partial enlarged perspective view with cutaway of the female boltier element.

Figures 12, 13, 14 and 15 are schematic views showing the operation of the protective grid.

The connector shown in the figures comprises a female housing element 1, a male housing element 2 on which is articulated, on an axis 3, locking lever 4 having two toothed sectors 5 cooperating with toothed sectors 6 articulated on axes 7.

The toothed sectors 5 and 6 comprise cams 8 and 9 respectively and intended to cooperate with fingers 10 of the female housing element 1.

The lever 4 can occupy an open position (Figures 1 and 3) in which the fingers 10 can be inserted into the cams 8 and 9 when the male casing element 2 is engaged in the skirt 12 of the female element and a locking position (FIG. 2) in which locking members 15 of the free end of the lever cooperate with complementary members 16 of the male housing element 2, the cams 8 and 9, cooperating with the fingers 10 control the engagement of the male housing element in the female housing element.

The female housing element 1 is constituted by a parallelepiped body with two long sides 17 and two short sides 18, a transverse web 19 having come from molding and having holes 20. On the end 22, opposite the skirt 12 , the web 19 is extended by protuberances 21.

In the embodiment shown, the female housing element is divided into three compartments 24, 25 and 26, compartments 24 and 25 being intended to each receive a module 27, while compartment 26 receives a module 28. The modules 27 are identical, while the module 28 being intended to receive electrical power contact members has a lower number of channels compared to the other modules taking into account the larger dimension of these members.

Each module 27, 28 consists of a parallelepipedic body with two long sides 30 two short sides and 32, the body is divided into a number of channels 33 each intended to receive a male electrical contact member 35 comprising, at a end, lugs 36 for crimping a conductor and, at the other end, a tongue 37 and at an intermediate point of its length being provided notches 38 (see Figures 6, 7, 8) Each channel 33 has two elastic tabs 40 with lugs 44 intended to cooperate with notches 38 to hold the members 35. Behind each elastic tab 40 is provided a housing 45 intended to receive a corresponding protuberance 21.

Each module 27, 28 comprises, on its two opposite sides 30, a handle 41 intended to cooperate selectively with projections 42 and 43 of the internal surfaces of the corresponding compartments.

When the handles 41 cooperate with the projections, the modules are in the standby position and the members can be inserted in the tracks 33. In fact, elastic tabs 40 can play elastically freely and allow the insertion of the members 35 until the lugs 44 are inserted into the notches 38.

When all the members 35 are in place, the modules are pushed until the handles 41 come to cooperate with the projections 43. In this position, the protrusions 21 are inserted in the housings 45 and the elastic tabs 40 are thus blocked.

it is understood that, if the members 35 are not properly inserted in the tracks 33, that is to say that if the lugs 44 are not engaged in the notches, the elastic tabs 40 close the housings 45 and, consequently, the modules cannot be pushed so that the handles 41 cooperate with the projections 43.

Each module 27, 28, on a small side 32, comprises a hoop 50 having a wide opening 51, while the female housing element comprises, for each compartment, a passage 52, an elastic bar 53 being provided at the right of each passage and comprising, at its free end, a boss 54. The height of the arches 50 is such that, in the standby position of the modules 27, 28, the end of the elastic bars 53 bears against arches 50, while in the module locking position, the elastic bars 53 are located to the right of the openings 51 (see FIG. 3). The male housing element 2 (see FIGS. 5, 9 and 10) comprises a series of channels 60 intended to each receive a female electrical contact member 61 comprising, at one end, crimping lugs 62 for fixing 'an electrical conductor and, at the other end, an elastic clamp 63 intended to enclose the corresponding male tongue 37.

In each channel are cut elastic tabs 65 provided with lugs 66 intended to cooperate with notches 68 of the female electrical contact members 61.

Behind each elastic tab 65 is formed a housing 67.

The elastic tabs are blocked by a locking member 70 (see FIG. 4) having two handles 71 on two opposite sides 7 series of protrusions 74 intended to be inserted in the housings 67 and holes 75 for the passage of the tongues 37.

The side walls of the male housing element 2 include projections with which the handles 71 cooperate in a waiting position in which the members 61 can be in place, the protrusions 74 being distant from the housings 67. When the female members 61 are put in place, the locking member 70 is pushed so that the handles 71 cooperate with the projections 73. In this position, the elastic tabs 65 are blocked by the protrusions 74 inserted in the housings It will be appreciated that, if the female organs 61 are not suitably introduced into the tracks 60, the locking member 70 cannot be placed in the blocking position of the elastic tabs 65 since the housings 67 are obstructed by said tabs 65.

The short sides 70b of the locking member 70 are provided with a projection 77 and, as can be seen in FIG. 5, the various projections 77, when the male casing element is engaged in the skirt 12 , are located projecting from the bosses 54 so that the male box element 2 can only be introduced into the skirt 12 if the modules 27, 28 are in the position in which the handles 41 cooperate with the projections 43. In fact, the arches 50, when the handles 41 cooperate with the projections 42, oppose the erasure of the elastic bars 53, so that the projections 77 abut against the bosses 54.

On the internal face of the skirt 12, in long sides 17, thinnings 80 are made which are, on one side, delimited by a flange 81 terminated by a shoulder 82, said flanges 81 extending from the free edge of the skirt 12.

The thinnings 80, on the side opposite the rim 81, are delimited by a groove 83 extending from the web 19 and terminated by a stop 84 (see FIG. 11).

In the skirt 12 is inserted a grid 90 pierced with holes for the passage of the tongues 37, the grid 90, along its two longitudinal sides comprising, on the one hand, a series of elastic hooks 92 intended to cooperate with the grooves 81 and , on the other hand, a series of legs 93 intended to cooperate with the grooves 83 comprising, on the side opposite their face facing the j 12, a hump 94, while the locking members 70, on their face 70a, are fitted with a step 96.

The grid 90 occupies a position in which the tongues 37 pass through the holes 91 but are flush with the face of the latter opposite that facing the veil 19, this position being delimited by the hooks 92 which abut on the shoulders 82 and the free ends legs 93 which bear against the stops 84 (see Figure 8 and Figure 11).

When the female housing element 1 has been suitably packed with the modules 27 and 28, those having previously received the male electrical contact members 35, and that in each channel 60 of the male housing element 2 has been inserted a member female electrical contact 61, these having been blocked by the tabs 65 and the latter locked by the protrusions 74 of the locking member 70, said male box element 2 can be engaged in the skirt 12.

When the male box 2 is placed in the skirt 12, the steps 96 meet the bumps 94 of the legs 93, but the grid 90 cannot be pushed because it is retained by the hooks 92 which bear against shoulders 82 (see figure 12) thus, with slight elastic deformation of the legs 93, the steps 96 pass over the bumps 94 (see FIG. 13). The locking members 70 then come to bear against the grid 90 and hooks 92 escape the shoulders 82 so that the grid 90 is pushed until it comes to bear against the web 19 (see FIG. 14).

The male housing element is placed in the skirt 12, using the lever 4 toothed sectors 5 and 6 and cams 8 and 9 which cooperate with the pins 10 which constitutes a reduction system, so that the passage of the bumps 94 and the release of the hooks 92 from the shoulders 82 are not sensitive when the male housing element 2 is locked on the female housing element 1.

If you want to uncouple the housing elements 1 and 2, you operate the lever 4 in the unlocking direction so that the male housing element 2 is released from the skirt 12. During the sliding of the male element 2, the steps 96, cooperating with the bumps 94, drive the grid 90 until the free ends of the legs 93 meet the stops 84, position in which the hooks 92 come to bear against the shoulders 82 and in which the grid 90 is located blocked so that the steps 96 escape the bumps 94 (see FIGS. 15 and 12) Thus, when the male box element 2 is not engaged in the skirt 12, the tongues 37 are always protected by the grid 90.

Of course, the invention is not limited to the embodiment which has just been described and shown. We can make many modifications of detail without departing from the scope of the invention.

Claims (10)

1. Electrical connector of the type comprising a female box element (1) comprising a certain number of channels (33) in which are housed electrical contact members (35) terminated, each by a tongue (37) projecting into a skirt (12) of said female housing element (1), a male housing element (2) intended to engage in said skirt (12) and comprising a number of channels (60) corresponding to that of the female housing element ( 1) and in which are housed female electrical contact members (61) intended to receive the tongues (37), and a grid (90) for protecting the tongues (37) housed in the skirt (12) and having a series of holes (91) corresponding to the number of tongues), the grid (90) being disposed in the skirt (12) in the waiting position in which the tongues (37) are engaged in the holes (91) and are flush with the face of said grid (90) turned towards the opening side of said skirt (12), the grid (90) being pushed by the insertion of the male housing element (2) into the female housing element (1), said electrical connector being characterized in that the element male housing (2) and the grid (90) comprise conjugated means (94, 96) for joining them during the insertion of said male housing element (2) into the skirt (12) and means, during uncoupling of the elements male and female housing 2) to separate the grid (90) from the male housing element (2), when said grid (90) is in the standby position. 2. Electrical connector according to claim 1, characterized in that the grid (90) comprises, laterally, on the one hand, a series of hooks (92) cooperating in the waiting position with shoulders (82) of the walls internal lateral sides of the skirt (12) and, on the other hand, a series of legs (93) bearing against the stops (84) internal lateral walls of the skirt (12) in said grid waiting position (90 ), the shoulders being turned to the side of the opening of the skirt 12), while the stops (84) are turned to the opposite side and the legs (93) each have a bump (94), while the male housing element (2) is provided with steps (96) intended to cooperate with the bumps (94). 3. Electrical connector according to claim 1, characterized in that the male housing element (2) comprises a locking lever (4) articulated on axes (3) and comprising two toothed sectors (5) driving toothed sectors (6) articulated on axes (7) of said male housing element (2), said toothed sectors comprising cams (8 and 9) intended to cooperate with pins (10) of the female housing element (1), means 16) being provided for locking the lever (4) in a position in which the two housing elements (1, 2) are coupled. 4. Electrical connector, according to claim characterized in that the female housing element (1) divided on the side opposite the skirt (12) in a number of compartments (24, 25, 26), the electrical contact members ( 35) terminated, each by a tongue (37) being housed in modules (27, 28) intended to be inserted in said compartments (24, 25, 26). 5 electrical connector according to claim 4, characterized in that each module (27, 28) comprises, for each channel (33) two elastic tabs (40) provided with projections (44) intended to cooperate with notches (38) of the electrical contact members (35) provided with tongues (37), behind each elastic tab (40) being formed housing (45), and the female housing element (1) comprises a veil (19) separating the skirt (12) compartments (24, 25, 26), said web having, on the one hand, holes (20) for the passage of the tongues (37) and, on the other hand, protrusions (21) intended to be inserted in the housings (45). 6. Electrical connector, according to claims and 5, characterized in that the compartments (24, 25, 26 and the modules (27, 28) comprise combined means for fixing said modules in two positions, first position in which the housings (45) are separated from the protrusions (21) to allow the establishment of the electrical contact members (35) and a second position in which the protrusions (21) are inserted in the housings (45), the elastic tabs (40) being thus locked. 7. Electrical connector, according to claims and 6, characterized in that it comprises means opposing the insertion of the male housing element) in the skirt (12) in the position in which protuberances (21) of the web (19) are not inserted in the housings (45) of the modules (27, 28). 8 electrical connector, according to claims 6 and 7, characterized in that each module (27, 28) comprises a hoop (50) passing through a passage (52) of the female housing element (1), while the latter comprises, at the right each passage, an elastic bar (53) provided with a boss (54) in the vicinity of its free end, the male housing element (2) having projections (77) projecting and intended to abut against the bosses (54) elastic bars (53), these can be elastically erased if the modules occupy the second position in which the protrusions (21) are inserted in the housings (45), said arches (50) blocking the elastic bars (53) if the modules (27, 28) occupy the first position in which the protrusions (21) are remote from the housings (45). 9 electrical connector according to claim 1, characterized in that the male housing element comprises, in each channel (60), elastic tabs provided with pins (66) intended to cooperate with notches (68), organs electrical contact sockets (61), housings (67) being provided behind said elastic tabs (65), a locking member (70) of said elastic tabs (65) being provided and comprising protuberances (74) intended to be inserted in the housings (67). 10. An electrical connector according to claim 9, characterized in that the housing element (2) and the locking member (70) are arranged so that the latter can occupy two positions, a first position in which the protrusions (74) are distant from the housings (67), the female electrical contact members being able to be in place in the tracks (60) and a second position in which the protrusions (74) are inserted in housings (67) to ensure the blocking of the elastic tabs (65).