§
Luxuse
Patent Intelligence
Sign In
← Back to Patent Explorer
EP0345934A2 Expired / Lapsed EP ⏱️ 0.0 years remaining

Floating panel mount for electrical connector

Assignee: Molex LLC
•
Filing: 1989-04-27
•
Granted: —
•
Expires: 2009-04-27
📄 Original PDF 🌐 Google Patents 🔄 Sync Now

Abstract

Abstract A floating panel mount (24) for an electrical connector (10) comprises opposed pairs of multiple cantilevered latch structures (26, 28). Each latch structure comprises a lower arm (30; 60) cantilevered from a mounting flange (14). An upper arm (36) is cantilevered from the end of the lower arm (30) remote from the mounting flange (14), and is angularly aligned thereto. A locking arm (46) is cantilevered from the end of the upper arm (36) remote from the lower arm (30) such that the lower arm (30) and the locking arm (46) extend angularly from opposed ends of the upper arm (36) and from opposite sides thereof. The maximum cross-sectional dimension defined by the upper and locking arms (36, 46) exceeds the maximum cross-­sectional dimension of a mounting aperture (35) in a panel (34). However, the cross-sectional dimensions defined by the upper arms (36, 66) is substantially less than the cross-sectional dimensions of the mounting aperture (35). The arms can be deflected to enable the latch structures (26, 28) to pass through the mounting aperture (35). Thereafter, the latch struc­tures (26, 28) will return to their unbiased, undeflected condition such that the panel (34) is engaged intermediate the locking arms (46, 76) and the mounting flange (14). However, the smaller cross-­sectional dimensions of the upper arms (36, 66) enables float relative to the panel (34).

Inventors

  • 👤 Rene August Mosquera
  • 👤 Wayne Arnold Zahlit

Bibliographic Details

Application Number —
Jurisdiction EP
Data Source google_patents
Last Synchronized 2026-11-04 04:43
CPC Classifications
H; H01; H01R; H01R24/00; H01R24/58; H01R13/00; H01R13/62; H01R13/629; H01R13/631; H01R13/6315; H01R13/73; H01R13/74; H01R13/741; H01R13/743

Claims Analysis

Total Claims: 9
Claim 1
Independent Claim 296 words
An electrical connector assembly for mounting in a panel which includes a mounting aperture having a width defined between two opposing edges, said connector assembly including a housing with floating panel mount means formed thereon comprising: a generally planar mounting flange having a forward surface adapted to face and be generally para­llel to said panel when mounted thereon; and a pair of spaced-apart, generally parallel resilient double cantilevered latch members formed on said forward surface of the mounting flange and extending outwardly therefrom adapted to be inserted through said aperture, each latch member including a first arm extending from said mounting flange and a second arm joined to the first arm and bent angularly toward said mounting flange with a free end generally opposing and spaced from the forward surface of the mounting flange and having an outwardly facing cam surface, each latch member having a normal position wherein the distance between the forward surface of the mounting flange and the free end of the second arm is slightly greater than the thickness of the panel and the distance between the free end of the cam surface on the second arm and the first arm is greater than the width of the aperture, whereupon insertion of each latch member into the aperture, the cam surface engages an aperture edge causing the latch member to move from the normal position to a deflected position wherein said second arm is moved relative to said first arm allowing said latch member to be inserted through the aperture after which said latch member resiliently reassumes said normal position, whereby the portions of the panel adjacent the edges are captured and retained between the free end of the second arm and the forward surface of the mounting flange in floating manner.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim 296 words
An electrical connector assembly for mounting in a panel which includes a mounting aperture having a width defined between two opposing edges, said connector assembly including a housing with floating panel mount means formed thereon comprising: a generally planar mounting flange having a forward surface adapted to face and be generally para­llel to said panel when mounted thereon; and a pair of spaced-apart, generally parallel resilient double cantilevered latch members formed on said forward surface of the mounting flange and extending outwardly therefrom adapted to be inserted through said aperture, each latch member including a first arm extending from said mounting flange and a second arm joined to the first arm and bent angularly toward said mounting flange with a free end generally opposing and spaced from the forward surface of the mounting flange and having an outwardly facing cam surface, each latch member having a normal position wherein the distance between the forward surface of the mounting flange and the free end of the second arm is slightly greater than the thickness of the panel and the distance between the free end of the cam surface on the second arm and the first arm is greater than the width of the aperture, whereupon insertion of each latch member into the aperture, the cam surface engages an aperture edge causing the latch member to move from the normal position to a deflected position wherein said second arm is moved relative to said first arm allowing said latch member to be inserted through the aperture after which said latch member resiliently reassumes said normal position, whereby the portions of the panel adjacent the edges are captured and retained between the free end of the second arm and the forward surface of the mounting flange in floating manner.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim 49 words
The connector assembly of claim 1, wherein the panel includes one mounting aperture, and said pair of latch members are disposed adjacent each other such that their first arms extend parallel to and adja­cent one another and said second arms of each said latch member extend in opposed directions.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim 31 words
The connector assembly of claim 2, wherein the panel includes a pair of spaced apart mounting apertures and the housing includes a second pair of latch members spaced from one another.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim 51 words
The connector assembly of any preceding claim wherein said second arm includes an upper portion joined to the first arm and a lower locking portion extending from the upper portion and bent downwardly with respect to the upper portion, the lower locking portion defining the free end of the second arm.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim 22 words
The connector assembly of claim 4, wherein in each latch member, the locking portion is deflectable with respect to the upper portion.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim 22 words
The connector assembly of claim 5, wherein in each latch member, the first and second arms are deflectable relative to one another.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim 18 words
The connector assembly of any preceding claim wherein the first arm is deflectable relative to the mounting flange.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim 32 words
The connector assembly of any preceding claim wherein each latch member lies generally in a single plane, and wherein the planes of the multiple latch members are generally parallel to one another.

References Cited (Backward Citations)

No citation records indexed.

USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows

Maintenance schedule is calculated for granted US utility patents.

Assigned Categories & Tags

No categories assigned to this patent yet.

Assign Category Tag