US5112243A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Latching device for an electrical connector
Assignee: CHIAN CHYUN ENTERPRISE Co Ltd NO 22 ALLEY 15 LANE 151 SEC 2 CHUNG-SHAN ROAD SHU-LIN CHEN TAIPEI HSIEN TAIWAN
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Filing: 1991-02-20
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Granted: 1992-05-12
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Expires: 2011-02-20
Abstract
Abstract An electrical connector includes a housing having a plurality of contacts therein adapted to mate with contacts of another, mateable connecting device and a latching member for mechanically interlocking with the other connecting device. The latching member includes an elongate latching member having two opposite ends which is captively supported by a pivot on said housing. The pivot is located generally intermediate the two ends of the latching member such that its ends may move generally transversely of the longitudinal direction of the latching member toward and away from the housing to permit interlocking with the other connecting device. The latching member also includes a movable locking member, captively supported on said latching member, for slidable movement thereon in the longitudinal direction of the latching member between a first position and a second position. The locking member has an exposed gripping portion to permit a manual change of its position and a sliding portion, attached to the gripping portion, which is operative, when the locking member is in the first position, to prevent both ends of the latching member from being pivoted toward the housing, and operative, when the locking member is in the second position, to prevent only one end from pivoting toward the housing.
Inventors
- 👤 Hsiu-Shen Chow
- 👤 Leonard Ellentuch
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-01 04:07
CPC Classifications
H; H01; H01R; H01R13/00; H01R13/62; H01R13/627; H01R13/6275
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 14
Claim 1
Independent Claim
238 words
An electrical connector comprising: (a) a housing having a plurality of contacts therein adapted to mate with contacts of another, mateable connecting device; and (b) latching means comprising: (1) an elongate latching member having two opposite ends and a longitudinal axis therebetween, said latching member being captively supported by a pivot on said housing, said pivot being located generally intermediate said two ends of said latching member such that said ends may move generally transversely of said longitudinal axis toward and away from said housing, one end of said latching member including a latch for mechanically interlocking with a cooperating latch of said mateable connecting device; and (2) a movable locking member, captively supported on said latching member, for slidable movement thereon in the direction of said longitudinal axis between a first position and a second position, said locking member including: (i) an exposed gripping portion to permit a manual change of its position, and (ii) a sliding portion, attached to said gripping portion, which is operative, when said locking member is in said first position, to prevent said one end of said latching member from being pivoted toward said housing; wherein said gripping portion and said sliding portion are both integral portions of the same member; wherein said sliding portion is attached to the side of said gripping portion which faces said latching member; and wherein said sliding portion extends through an opening in said latching member.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
238 words
An electrical connector comprising: (a) a housing having a plurality of contacts therein adapted to mate with contacts of another, mateable connecting device; and (b) latching means comprising: (1) an elongate latching member having two opposite ends and a longitudinal axis therebetween, said latching member being captively supported by a pivot on said housing, said pivot being located generally intermediate said two ends of said latching member such that said ends may move generally transversely of said longitudinal axis toward and away from said housing, one end of said latching member including a latch for mechanically interlocking with a cooperating latch of said mateable connecting device; and (2) a movable locking member, captively supported on said latching member, for slidable movement thereon in the direction of said longitudinal axis between a first position and a second position, said locking member including: (i) an exposed gripping portion to permit a manual change of its position, and (ii) a sliding portion, attached to said gripping portion, which is operative, when said locking member is in said first position, to prevent said one end of said latching member from being pivoted toward said housing; wherein said gripping portion and said sliding portion are both integral portions of the same member; wherein said sliding portion is attached to the side of said gripping portion which faces said latching member; and wherein said sliding portion extends through an opening in said latching member.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
39 words
The electrical connector defined in claim 1, wherein said gripping portion is disposed on the side of said latching member facing away from said housing and wherein said sliding portion is disposed between said latching member and said housing.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
14 words
The electrical connector defined in claim 1, wherein said gripping portion is plate shaped.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
42 words
The electrical connector defined in claim 1, wherein said sliding portion is "L" shaped in profile, with a shorter leg and a longer leg connected in substantially perpendicular relationship, and wherein the longer leg extends in the direction of said longitudinal axis.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
24 words
The electrical connector defined in claim 4, wherein said longer leg is disposed on the surface of said housing that faces said latching member.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
63 words
The electrical connector defined in claim 5, wherein said latching member includes a locking projection on the surface thereof that faces said housing, said longer leg of said sliding portion being disposed between said projection and said housing when said sliding portion is in said first position and being displaced away from said projection when said sliding portion is in said second position.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
27 words
The electrical connector defined in claim 4, wherein said latching member further includes an opening therein through which the shorter leg of said L-shaped sliding portion extends.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
30 words
The electrical connector defined in claim 1, wherein said latching member further includes detent means, cooperating with said locking member, for releasably holding said locking member in said first position.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
28 words
The electrical connector defined in claim 1, wherein said sliding portion extends in said direction of said longitudinal axis from one side of said pivot to the other.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
29 words
The electrical connector defined in claim 1, wherein said gripping portion has at least one ridge thereon to non-slidably engage a persons finger during a manual change of position.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
26 words
The electrical connector defined in claim 10, wherein said gripping portion has a plurality of ridges on the side thereof facing away from said latching member.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
36 words
The electrical connector defined in claim 1, wherein said sliding portion is operative, when said locking member is in said first position, to prevent both ends of said latching member from being pivoted toward said housing.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
37 words
The electrical connector defined in claim 1, wherein said sliding portion is operative, when said locking member is in said second position, to prevent only one end of said latching member from being pivoted toward said housing.
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USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1995-05-12 | 1995-11-11 | 1996-05-12 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1999-05-12 | 1999-11-11 | 2000-05-12 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 2003-05-12 | 2003-11-11 | 2004-05-12 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |