EP0251515A2
Expired / Lapsed
EP
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Hingeable electrical connector assembly
Assignee: Molex LLC
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Filing: 1987-06-05
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Granted: —
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Expires: 2007-06-05
Abstract
Abstract A hingeable connector assembly (2,3) includes at least one female terminal (6) mounted in a terminal mounting space (5) formed in a female connector housing (2) and at least one male terminal member (15) mounted in a male connector housing (3). The female terminal (6) has a projection (9) which engages with a hole (18) in the male terminal member (15) when the latter is pushed into engagement with the female terminal to form the hinge. The connectors (2,3) are capable of being connected together at a variety of angles and thereafter rotated with respect to one another to position a component such as a printed circuit board (13) carrying one of the connectors at a desired orientation within a housing (23) carrying the other connector.
Inventors
- 👤 Masahiro Enomoto
- 👤 Sinsuke Kunishi
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
EP
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-03 07:20
CPC Classifications
H; H01; H01R; H01R35/00; H01R35/04; H01R12/00; H01R12/70; H01R12/71; H01R12/72; H01R12/722
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 3
Claim 1
Independent Claim
234 words
A hingeable connector assembly including: a female connector including a housing having a terminal receiving recess and at least one female terminal mounted in said terminal receiving recess; a male connector including a housing with at least one male terminal mounted therein adapted to rotatably mate with said female terminal; characterized in that said female terminal including a pair of opposing terminal pieces with a holding space formed therebetween, said terminal pieces having contact portions on their opposing surfaces, respectively, one of said terminal pieces extending forwardly of the other and having an engaging projection on its opposing surface at the forward end thereof; said male terminal including a forward end portion of substantially circular shape, having an engaging hole, said forward end portion adapted to be received in said terminal mounting space so that the engaging projection of the female terminal is received within said engaging hole; said terminal receiving recess having a bottom wall of arcuate shape corresponding to the forward end portion of substantially circular shape to support said forward end portion should an external force be applied to the assembly; whereby the male terminal and said female terminal may be rotated relative to each other about the point where said engaging projection is held in engagement with said engaging hole, while the contact portions of the female terminal member are constantly held in electrical contact with the male terminal member.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
234 words
A hingeable connector assembly including: a female connector including a housing having a terminal receiving recess and at least one female terminal mounted in said terminal receiving recess; a male connector including a housing with at least one male terminal mounted therein adapted to rotatably mate with said female terminal; characterized in that said female terminal including a pair of opposing terminal pieces with a holding space formed therebetween, said terminal pieces having contact portions on their opposing surfaces, respectively, one of said terminal pieces extending forwardly of the other and having an engaging projection on its opposing surface at the forward end thereof; said male terminal including a forward end portion of substantially circular shape, having an engaging hole, said forward end portion adapted to be received in said terminal mounting space so that the engaging projection of the female terminal is received within said engaging hole; said terminal receiving recess having a bottom wall of arcuate shape corresponding to the forward end portion of substantially circular shape to support said forward end portion should an external force be applied to the assembly; whereby the male terminal and said female terminal may be rotated relative to each other about the point where said engaging projection is held in engagement with said engaging hole, while the contact portions of the female terminal member are constantly held in electrical contact with the male terminal member.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
53 words
The hingeable connector assembly of claim 1, in which a plurality of female terminals are mounted in the female connector housing at a predetermined pitch in electrically insulated relation from each other and a plurality of male terminals are mounted in the male connector housing at the same pitch as the female terminals.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
No citation records indexed.
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