EP0125786A2
Expired / Lapsed
EP
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Electrical connector assembly
Assignee: Molex LLC
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Filing: 1984-04-11
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Granted: —
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Expires: 2004-04-11
Abstract
Abstract A pair of mateable connector parts having terminals (22, 26) mounted in housings (18, 20) includes means (64, 66) for preventing the mating of the connector parts if any one terminal is not fully inserted into its cavity (22). Thus, projections (64) are provided on each housing which are normally received within corresponding recesses (66) formed adjacent each terminal receiving cavity (22) in the opposite housing. A flexible wall is disposed between each recess (66) and the adjacentterminal receiving cavity (22). Theflexible wall (44) is movable towards the interior of the recess (66) when the terminal in the adjacent cavity is not fully inserted therein in order to prevent the receipt of the corresponding projection (64) in the recess.
Inventors
- 👤 Frank L. Smith, Jr.
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
EP
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-04 19:56
CPC Classifications
H; H01; H01R; H01R13/00; H01R13/40; H01R13/42; H01R13/422; H01R24/00; H01R24/76; H01R13/02; H01R13/10; H01R13/11; H01R13/115; H01R13/62; H01R13/621; H01R13/6215; H01R13/73; H01R13/74; H01R2107/00
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 8
Claim 1
Independent Claim
300 words
An electrical connector assembly including a pair of mateable connector parts (14, 16), each connector part having a housing (18, 20) with a plurality of terminal receiving cavities (22) formed therein facing opposing cavities formed in the housing of the other connector part, each cavity having a wall (44), a group of terminals (24 or 26) mounted in said cavities alongside said walls (44), the terminals mounted in said opposing cavities being in alignment with one another to define mateable terminal pairs (24, 26), and terminal locking means (52, 4o and 58, 46) co-operating between each terminal and the wall (44) of its respective cavity to lock said terminal therein, said locking means having means interengaging between said cavity wall and the terminal only when said terminal is fully inserted within its cavity, whereby the terminal pairs are mated when the connector parts are moved together, characterised by said connector assembly including means (64, 66) for preventing the mating of the connector parts if any one terminal is not fully inserted into its corresponding cavity, said mating prevention means comprising a plurality of relatively rigid projections (64) integrally formed with and extending from at least one housing between at least some of said cavities, said projections being adapted to be received within corresponding recesses (66) formed adjacent each terminal receiving cavity in the opposite housing when said connector parts are fully mated, each recess having a flexible wall (44) that is common with the adjacent cavity, said flexible wall being moved towards the interior of the recess (66) when the terminal in the adjacent cavity is not fully inserted therein to prevent the receipt of the corresponding projection (64) in said recess, whereby the connector Darts cannot be mated if any one projection cannot be received in its corresponding recess.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
300 words
An electrical connector assembly including a pair of mateable connector parts (14, 16), each connector part having a housing (18, 20) with a plurality of terminal receiving cavities (22) formed therein facing opposing cavities formed in the housing of the other connector part, each cavity having a wall (44), a group of terminals (24 or 26) mounted in said cavities alongside said walls (44), the terminals mounted in said opposing cavities being in alignment with one another to define mateable terminal pairs (24, 26), and terminal locking means (52, 4o and 58, 46) co-operating between each terminal and the wall (44) of its respective cavity to lock said terminal therein, said locking means having means interengaging between said cavity wall and the terminal only when said terminal is fully inserted within its cavity, whereby the terminal pairs are mated when the connector parts are moved together, characterised by said connector assembly including means (64, 66) for preventing the mating of the connector parts if any one terminal is not fully inserted into its corresponding cavity, said mating prevention means comprising a plurality of relatively rigid projections (64) integrally formed with and extending from at least one housing between at least some of said cavities, said projections being adapted to be received within corresponding recesses (66) formed adjacent each terminal receiving cavity in the opposite housing when said connector parts are fully mated, each recess having a flexible wall (44) that is common with the adjacent cavity, said flexible wall being moved towards the interior of the recess (66) when the terminal in the adjacent cavity is not fully inserted therein to prevent the receipt of the corresponding projection (64) in said recess, whereby the connector Darts cannot be mated if any one projection cannot be received in its corresponding recess.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
165 words
The connector assembly of claim I wherein said locking means includes a protrusion (46) on the flexible wall (44) near the forward end therefor generally protruding towards the interior of the terminal receiving cavity (22), the protrusion being adapted to be received within an aperture (52 or 58) formed in the terminal in an interengaging fashion, the relative location of said protrusion and aperture being such that interengagement cannot occur unless the terminal is fully inserted into its cavity, said flexible wall being resiliently movable between a first position before the terminal is inserted which is generally parallel to the axis of the terminal, a second position during insertion of the terminal so that the protrusion is biased against the terminal forcing the forward end of the flexible wall towards the interior of the adjacent recess (66), and a third position when the terminal is fully inserted so that the locking means is interengaged allowing the flexible wall (44) to return to its first position.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
124 words
The connector assembly of claim 2 including means (34, 42) to mechanically lock one connector part to the other connector part only when all of the terminals are fully inserted, said locking means including bolt means (34) having a shank portion (36) receivable through both connector parts with a free end extending out of said assembly, a nut (42) adapted to be screwed onto the free end of the shank portion after the connector parts are fully mounted to one another and the terminals mated, the shank being of such a length so that the free end thereof will not extend through the connector assembly a sufficient distance to allow the nut to be mounted thereon if any one terminal is not fully inserted.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
60 words
The connector assembly of any preceding claim wherein each recess (66) is formed between two flexible walls (44) of two adjacent terminal receiving cavities (22) on either side of said recess (66) and wherein said corresponding projection (64) cannot be received in the recess when one of said flexible walls (44) is slanted toward the other of said flexible walls.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
28 words
The connector assembly of claim 4 wherein the projections (64) extend between adjacent terminal receiving cavities (22) from the housing (18 or 20) opposite the corresponding recess (66).
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
58 words
The connector assembly of any preceding claim including an environmental seal (30) interfacing between said connector parts, said seal comprising a thin resilient gasket having an area generally congruent with the connector parts and a plurality of slits (70) formed therein through which the projections (64) and terminals (24) are received for mating with the other connector part.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
23 words
The connector assembly of any preceding claim including means (76, 80) on one housing (20) for mounting said assembly on a panel (12).
References Cited (Backward Citations)
No citation records indexed.
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