Patent EP0654862A2 successfully refreshed from Google Patents.
EP0654862A2
Expired / Lapsed
EP
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Method and apparatus for engaging hinged terminal housings
Assignee: Sumitomo Wiring Systems Ltd
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Filing: 1994-11-11
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Granted: —
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Expires: 2014-11-11
Abstract
Abstract An engagement type connector assembly in which the arrangement of terminals is miniaturized. The connector assembly includes male and female connectors in which the female connector swings about a pair of supporting shafts provided at its end so as to be engaged with the male connector. The female connector includes a female housing and an outer frame. A pair of rotating shafts protrudes from the female housing in such a manner that the rotating shafts are in parallel with the supporting shafts so that the female housing is swingably coupled to the outer frame through the rotating shafts. That is, the female housing is supported through the rotating shaft 18 on the outer frame. Hence, in engaging the female connector with the male connector by swinging the female connector, the female housing is allowed to swing independently of the outer frame, thus being correctly aligned with the male housing. Therefore, the inlets of the female terminals into which the male terminals are inserted may be made more compact. Additionally, the electrode spacing interval can be reduced commensurately because the female terminals engage the male terminals in a non-oblique or substantially straight manner.
Inventors
- 👤 Shigekazu C/O Sumitomo Wiring Syst. Ltd. Wakata
- 👤 Takatoshi C/O Sumitomo Wiring Syst. Ltd Katsuma
- 👤 Hideki C/O Sumitomo Wiring Syst. Ltd. Matsunaga
- 👤 Eiji C/O Sumitomo Wiring Syst. Ltd. Saijo
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
EP
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-08 08:58
CPC Classifications
H; H01; H01R; H01R13/00; H01R13/62; H01R13/629; H01R13/62933
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 21
Claim 1
Independent Claim
111 words
An engagement type connector assembly comprising a male connector and a female connector that are engageable with each other, a first of the male and female connectors having a supporting shaft at an end portion of the first connector, a second of the male and female connectors having a recess in which the supporting shaft is engaged so that the first connector is swingable about the supporting shaft to engage the second connector; wherein the first connector comprises an outer frame on which the supporting shaft is mounted, and a housing that is swingably supported on the outer frame by a rotating shaft that is substantially parallel with the supporting shaft.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
34 words
The connector assembly of claim 1, wherein the rotating shaft is mounted on the housing of the first connector, and the outer frame includes a coupling groove into which the rotating shaft is inserted.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
17 words
The connector assembly of claim 2 wherein the coupling groove is widened at an open end thereof.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
44 words
The connector assembly of claim 1, wherein the outer frame includes a first portion and a second portion that is angled with respect to the first portion such that the outer frame does not interfere with engagement between the housing and the second connector.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
43 words
The connector assembly of claim 1, wherein the housing includes a guide wall mounted on each of two opposite sides of the housing, wherein the housing and each said guide wall form an insertion groove for receiving upstanding walls of said second connector.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
30 words
The connector assembly of claim 1, wherein the outer frame includes a locking protrusion and a corresponding locking piece that cooperate with an engaging piece mounted on the second connector.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
49 words
The connector assembly of claim 6, wherein the engaging piece is mounted to the second connector through a connecting piece, and the locking protrusion and locking piece are disposed between the engaging piece and upstanding walls of the second connector when the locking piece and the engaging piece engage.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
26 words
The connector assembly of claim 6, wherein the outer frame includes a disengaging part that is depressable to separate the locking piece from the engaging piece.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
72 words
A connector assembly comprising: a first connector housing including a plurality of first terminals and an articulation recess; a second connector including a supporting shaft is mounted in said articulation recess, and a plurality of second terminals cooperating with said plurality of first terminals; and means for maintaining the plurality of first and second terminals substantially parallel while the second connector is articulated about the supporting shaft relative to the first connector.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
69 words
The connector assembly of claim 9, wherein the second connector includes an outer frame and a housing supported by the outer frame, and said means comprises a coupling groove on one of the outer frame and housing and a rotating shaft on the other of the outer frame and housing, the rotating shaft being received within the coupling groove for rotatably supporting the housing relative to the outer frame.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
59 words
The connector assembly of claim 10, wherein said supporting shaft is mounted on said outer frame, and said outer frame and said housing articulate about said articulation recess until the plurality of first and second terminals initially contact, whereby the outer frame continues to articulate while relative movement between the plurality of first and second terminals is substantially linear.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
16 words
The connector assembly of claim 10, wherein said housing and said outer frame are independently articulated.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
38 words
The connector assembly of claim 10, wherein the outer frame includes a locking mechanism that cooperates with an engagement mounted on said first connector, and the housing includes guide walls that abut upstanding walls of the first connector.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
32 words
The connector of claim 10, wherein the rotating shaft includes a flange mounted at an end of the rotating shaft to prevent relative lateral movement between the housing and the outer frame.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
30 words
The connector assembly of claim 9, further comprising a locking mechanism for coupling the first and second connectors, and guide walls for facilitating engagement between the first and second connectors.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
17 words
The connector assembly of claim 15, wherein the locking mechanism and the guide walls are independently rotatable.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
57 words
A connector assembly comprising: a first connector having a plurality of first terminals; a second connector having a plurality of second terminals, said second connector being rotatively coupled to said first connector; and means for engaging the first and second terminals in a substantially simultaneous manner when the first connector rotates with respect to the second connector.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
78 words
The connector assembly of claim 17, wherein the first connector includes a housing supported by an outer frame that is rotatively mounted to said second connector, and said means comprises coupling grooves formed on opposite side walls of one of the outer frame and the housing and rotating shafts on the other of the outer frame and the housing, said rotating shafts being received with said coupling grooves for rotatably supporting the housing relative to the outer frame.
Claim 19
Independent Claim
56 words
A method of connecting first and second connectors that are connected in a hinge type fashion, comprising the steps of: providing each of the first and second connector with cooperating terminals; rotating the first connector with respect to the second connector about a first axis; and maintaining parallelism between the cooperating terminals during said rotating step.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
70 words
The method of claim 19, wherein the step of maintaining parallelism includes the step of pivotally supporting the housing on the first connector for pivotal movement relative to the first connector along a second axis parallel to the first axis; and pivotally moving the housing about the second axis while rotating the first connector about the first axis to align terminals in the housing with terminals in the second connector.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
28 words
The method of claim 19, wherein the step of maintaining parallelism includes the step of substantially simultaneously engaging terminals in the housing with terminals in the second connector.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
No citation records indexed.
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