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US5246380A Expired / Lapsed US ⏱️ 0.0 years remaining

Connector

Assignee: Yazaki Corp
•
Filing: 1992-05-07
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Granted: 1993-09-21
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Expires: 2012-05-07
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Abstract

Abstract A connector comprising a female-type connector and a male-type connector which is inserted into and fitted in said female-type connector is disclosed. The connector includes a flexible locking arm provided on said male-type connector, a locking portion provided on the flexible locking arm, a lock-engaging portion formed in the female-type connector so as to be engaged with the locking portion, and a holding means for maintaining a state in which the locking arm is bent when in a lock-disengaging state in which the locking portion is disengaged from the lock-engaging portion.

Inventors

  • 👤 Shinji Kodama

Bibliographic Details

Application Number —
Jurisdiction US
Data Source google_patents
Last Synchronized 2026-11-05 11:37
CPC Classifications
H; H01; H01R; H01R13/00; H01R13/62; H01R13/627; H01R13/6271; H01R13/6272; Y; Y10; Y10S; Y10S285/00; Y10S285/921; Y10T; Y10T24/00; Y10T24/45; Y10T24/45225; Y10T24/45471; Y10T24/45524; Y10T24/45529; Y10T24/45534

Claims Analysis

Total Claims: 7
Claim 1
Independent Claim 105 words
A connector comprising: a female-type connector; a male-type connector being inserted into and fitted in said female-type connector; a flexible locking arm provided on said male-type connector; a locking portion provided on the flexible locking arm; a lock-engaging portion formed in the female-type connector so as to be engaged with the locking portion; and means for holding the locking arm in a bent state without sliding contact between the locking portion and the female-type connector when the male-type connector is separated from the female-type connector during disengagement of the locking portion from the lock-engaging portion, said means including a finger affixed to said female-type connector.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim 105 words
A connector comprising: a female-type connector; a male-type connector being inserted into and fitted in said female-type connector; a flexible locking arm provided on said male-type connector; a locking portion provided on the flexible locking arm; a lock-engaging portion formed in the female-type connector so as to be engaged with the locking portion; and means for holding the locking arm in a bent state without sliding contact between the locking portion and the female-type connector when the male-type connector is separated from the female-type connector during disengagement of the locking portion from the lock-engaging portion, said means including a finger affixed to said female-type connector.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim 48 words
A connector according to claim 1, wherein said holding means comprises a first engaging projection provided on the female-type connector and a second engaging projection provided on the flexible locking arm of the male-type connector so that the second engaging projection is engaged with the first engaging projection.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim 58 words
A connector according to claim 2, wherein said female-type connector is provided with a top wall having said lock-engaging portion, and a flexible engaging wall which extends from said top wall toward and inside the female-type connector at a substantially right angle to said top wall; and wherein the first engaging projection is provided on said engaging wall.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim 28 words
A connector according to claim 3, wherein the second engaging projection is provided on a side of the flexible locking arm so as to confront said engaging wall.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim 250 words
A connector comprising: a female-type connector; a male-type connector being inserted into and fitted in said female-type connector; a flexible locking arm provided on said male-type connector; a locking portion provided on the flexible locking arm; a lock-engaging portion formed in the female-type connector so as to be engaged with the locking portion; and means for holding the locking arm in a bent state so that the locking portion is disengaged from the lock-engaging portion, said holding means including a first engaging projection provided on the female-type connector and a second engaging projection provided on the flexible locking arm of the male-type connector so that the second engaging projection is engaged with the first engaging projection, the female-type connector provided with a top wall having said lock-engaging portion, and a flexible engaging wall which extends from said top wall toward and inside the female-type connector at a substantially right angle to said top wall wherein the first engaging projection is provided on said engaging wall, wherein the first engaging projection has a right-triangle-like cross section so as to have a first face extending substantially perpendicular to the engaging wall and a second face sloping upwards, and wherein the second engaging projection has a right-triangle-like cross-section so as to have a first face extending in a direction in which said first face of the first engaging projection extends and a second face sloping downwards, whereby the second engaging projection easily passes the first engaging projection and is then securely engaged therewith.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim 250 words
A connector comprising: a female-type connector; a male-type connector being inserted into and fitted in said female-type connector; a flexible locking arm provided on said male-type connector; a locking portion provided on the flexible locking arm; a lock-engaging portion formed in the female-type connector so as to be engaged with the locking portion; and means for holding the locking arm in a bent state so that the locking portion is disengaged from the lock-engaging portion, said holding means including a first engaging projection provided on the female-type connector and a second engaging projection provided on the flexible locking arm of the male-type connector so that the second engaging projection is engaged with the first engaging projection, the female-type connector provided with a top wall having said lock-engaging portion, and a flexible engaging wall which extends from said top wall toward and inside the female-type connector at a substantially right angle to said top wall wherein the first engaging projection is provided on said engaging wall, wherein the first engaging projection has a right-triangle-like cross section so as to have a first face extending substantially perpendicular to the engaging wall and a second face sloping upwards, and wherein the second engaging projection has a right-triangle-like cross-section so as to have a first face extending in a direction in which said first face of the first engaging projection extends and a second face sloping downwards, whereby the second engaging projection easily passes the first engaging projection and is then securely engaged therewith.

References Cited (Backward Citations)

US3409858A Cited
JPS6225480A Cited
JPS6225580A Cited
JPS6417281A Cited
US4884978A Cited
US4946404A Cited

USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows

Annuity Stage Window Opens Payment Deadline Surcharge Period Until Estimated Fee Status
3.5 Years (Year 4) 1996-09-20 1997-03-22 1997-09-21 $2000.00 Window Closed / Lapsed
7.5 Years (Year 8) 2000-09-20 2001-03-22 2001-09-21 $3760.00 Window Closed / Lapsed
11.5 Years (Year 12) 2004-09-20 2005-03-22 2005-09-21 $7700.00 Window Closed / Lapsed

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