Patent EP0895312A2 successfully refreshed from Google Patents.
EP0895312A2
Expired / Lapsed
EP
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
An electrical connector having a terminal position assurance device
Assignee: Whitaker LLC
•
Filing: 1998-06-25
•
Granted: —
•
Expires: 2018-06-25
Abstract
Abstract An electrical connector (10) having a housing body (12) with a contact receiving passage (14) therein. The contact receiving passage (14) has a contact retention arm (30) for securing a contact within the passage (14). A terminal position assurance member (50) has an outer wall (52') with an inner shoulder (54) and a locking surface (56). The outer wall (52') is received around the arm (30). The terminal position assurance member (50) has a first position in which it forms a space (58) behind the arm (30) and a second position wherein the locking surface (56) is received behind the arm (30) thereby preventing deflection of the arm (30). An improperly positioned contact deflecting the arm (30) into the space (58) causes the shoulder (54) to abut the arm (30) and prevent the terminal position assurance member (50) progressing to its second position.
Inventors
- 👤 John M. Myer
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
EP
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-02 23:36
CPC Classifications
H; H01; H01R; H01R13/00; H01R13/40; H01R13/42; H01R13/436; H01R13/4364; H01R13/4365; H01R13/422; H01R13/4223; H01R13/62; H01R13/627; H01R13/6271; H01R13/6272; H01R13/4226; H01R13/46; H01R13/52; H01R13/5219
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 8
Claim 1
Independent Claim
143 words
An electrical connector (10) comprising: a housing body (12) having at least one contact
receiving passageway (14) having at least one contact
retention member (30) aligned with each contact
receiving passageway (14); characterized by a terminal position assurance
member (50) movable between
a prelatch position and a latch position, the terminal
position assurance member (50) having a prelatch surface
(52) and a locking surface (56), such that when the
terminal position assurance member (50) is in the
prelatch position, the prelatch surface (52) is located
adjacent the contact retention member (30) but distanced
from the contact retention member (30) by a recess (58)
so as to accommodate deflection thereof, and when the
terminal position assurance member (50) is in the latch
position, the locking surface (56) is located adjacent
to and in contact with the contact retention member (30)
thereby preventing deflection thereof.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
63 words
The electrical connector (10) of claim 1, characterized in that the locking surface (56) and the
prelatch surface (52) define a shoulder therebetween,
such that the shoulder (54) stubs on the contact
retention member (30)when the contact retention member
(30)is deflected into the recess (58), thereby
precluding the terminal position assurance member (50)
from moving from the prelatch position to the latch
position.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
32 words
The electrical connector (10) of claim 1 or 2
characterized in that the prelatch surface (52) is
adjacent the locking surface (56), the prelatch surface
(52) being offset from the locking surface(56).
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
97 words
The electrical connector (10) of claim 1,2 or 3
characterized in that the contact retention member (30)
has a projection (32) extending into the contact
receiving passageway (14) for engaging the contacts
(70), such that when the contact (70) is improperly
received within the contact receiving passageway (14),
the projection (32) is engaged by the contact (70),
thereby deflecting the contact retention member (30)
into the recess (58), and when the contact (70) is
properly received in the contact receiving passageway
(14), the projection (32) engages and retains the
contact (70) within the contact receiving passageway
(14).
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
21 words
The electrical connector (10) of any preceding
claim characterized in that the housing body (12) has a
shroud (20) extending therearound.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
21 words
The electrical connector (10) of claim 5,
characterized in that the shroud (20) is integrally
formed with the housing body (12).
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
69 words
The electrical connector (10) of claim 5 or 6
characterized in that the shroud (20) has a mating
projection (24) extending inwardly toward the housing
body (12) for engaging a complementary projection (110)
of a mating connector (100) such that when the
electrical connector (10) is mated with a complementary
connector (100), the mating projection (24) engages the
complementary projection (110) to retain the connectors
(10,100) in mating engagement.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
26 words
The electrical connector (10) of any preceding
claim characterized in that the housing body (12) has a
seal (26) annularly disposed about the housing body (12).
References Cited (Backward Citations)
No citation records indexed.
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
Maintenance schedule is calculated for granted US utility patents.