Patent US5179265A successfully refreshed from Google Patents.
Patent US5320555A successfully refreshed from Google Patents.
US5320555A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Module type connector assembly
Assignee: Yazaki Corp
•
Filing: 1993-02-02
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Granted: 1994-06-14
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Expires: 2013-02-02
Abstract
Abstract Disclosed is a connector assembly, which includes a plurality of male housing modules which are separable from each other and attached together to form a male housing unit; and a female housing adapted to receive the male housing unit to be inserted into the female housing. Each of the male housing modules has at least one male housing module's terminal, and the female housing has female housing's terminals each of which is to be electrically connected with one of the male housing module's terminals of the male housing modules. The connector assembly has a locking mechanism for releasably locking the male housing unit with respect to the female housing, and the locking means is mounted on an outermost one of the male housing modules. Moreover, the connector assembly comprises a holding mechanism for tightly holding the outermost one of the male housing modules with respect to another one of the male housing modules attached adjacent to the outermost one of the male housing modules. The holding mechanism holds a portion of the outermost one of the male housing modules at which the locking mechanism is mounted on the outermost one of the male housing modules, and reinforces the mounted portion of the outermost housing module against a force applied through the locking mechanism.
Inventors
- 👤 Toshiaki Okabe
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-04 03:55
CPC Classifications
H; H01; H01R; H01R13/00; H01R13/62; H01R13/627; H01R13/6271; H01R13/6272; H01R13/46; H01R13/514; H01R13/502; H01R13/506
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 17
Claim 1
Independent Claim
198 words
A connector assembly, comprising: a plurality of male housing modules which are separable from each other and attached together to form a male housing unit, each of the male housing modules having at least one male housing module terminal; a female housing adapted to receive the male housing unit to be inserted into the female housing, the female housing having female housing terminals to be electrically connected with at least one male housing module terminal of each of the male housing modules; locking means for releasably locking the male housing unit with respect to the female housing, the locking means being mounted on an outermost one of the male housing modules; and holding means for tightly holding the outermost male housing module with respect to another one of the male housing modules attached adjacent to the outermost male housing module in a direction transverse to an inserting direction into the female housing; wherein the outermost male housing module includes a mounting portion to which the locking means is mounted, the holding means holding the mounting portion to another one of the male housing modules to prevent separation of the male housing modules during operation of the locking means.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
198 words
A connector assembly, comprising: a plurality of male housing modules which are separable from each other and attached together to form a male housing unit, each of the male housing modules having at least one male housing module terminal; a female housing adapted to receive the male housing unit to be inserted into the female housing, the female housing having female housing terminals to be electrically connected with at least one male housing module terminal of each of the male housing modules; locking means for releasably locking the male housing unit with respect to the female housing, the locking means being mounted on an outermost one of the male housing modules; and holding means for tightly holding the outermost male housing module with respect to another one of the male housing modules attached adjacent to the outermost male housing module in a direction transverse to an inserting direction into the female housing; wherein the outermost male housing module includes a mounting portion to which the locking means is mounted, the holding means holding the mounting portion to another one of the male housing modules to prevent separation of the male housing modules during operation of the locking means.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
67 words
The connector assembly of claim 1, wherein the holding means includes a couple of interengaging devices to be engaged with one another, one of the interengaging device is provided on said outermost one of the male housing modules, and the other of the interengaging device is provided on said another one of the male housing modules attached adjacent to the outermost one of the male housing modules.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
34 words
The connector assembly of claim 2, wherein said one of the interengaging devices is a projection, and the other of the interengaging devices is a coupling piece having a hole to receive the projection.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
116 words
The connector assembly of claim 1, wherein the locking means comprises an elongated locking arm and a couple of locking engagement devices, the locking arm having a mounting end portion at which the locking arm is elastically mounted on the outermost one of the male housing modules in such a manner that the locking arm can be elastically operated, one of the locking engagement devices being provided on the locking arm and the other of the locking engagement devices being provided on the female housing so that the locking engagement devices are engaged with and disengaged from each other by elastically operating the locking arm when the male housing unit is inserted in the female housing.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
45 words
The connector assembly of claim 4, wherein the locking arm has another end portion opposite to the mounting end portion and movable relative to the male housing unit, and the locking arm is elastically operated by pressing said another end portion of the locking arm.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
40 words
The connector assembly of claim 5, wherein the locking arm extends from the mounting end portion to said another end in a direction reverse to an insertion direction along which the male housing unit is inserted into the female housing.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
53 words
The connector assembly of claim 1, wherein the male housing unit is inserted into the female housing along a longitudinal direction, each of the male housing modules includes a laminar housing, and the laminar housings of the male housing modules are superposed and aligned with each other in parallel to the longitudinal direction.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
32 words
The connector assembly of claim 7, wherein each of the laminar housing has an opening for installing said at least one male housing module's terminal in said each of the laminar housing.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
55 words
The connector assembly of claim 8, wherein the opening is formed on an upper rear portion of each of the laminar housings in such a manner that the opening of one of the laminar housings can be covered with another one of the laminar housings which is superposed on said one of the laminar housings.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
31 words
The connector assembly of claim 9, further comprising a cover plate for covering the opening of the uppermost one of the laminar male housings superposed to form the male housing unit.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
34 words
The connector assembly of claim 7, wherein the male housing modules have a number of coupling means each for tightly coupling a pair of the laminar male housings which are adjacently aligned each another.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
63 words
The connector assembly of claim 11, wherein each of the coupling means includes a couple of a coupling projection and a coupling plate with a hole to receive the coupling projection, the coupling projection is formed on one of said pair of the laminar male housings, and the coupling plate is formed on the other of said pair of the laminar male housings.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
198 words
A connector assembly, comprising: a plurality of male housing modules which are separable from each other and attached together to form a male housing unit, each of the male housing modules having at least one male housing module terminal; a female housing adapted to receive the male housing unit to be inserted into the female housing, the female housing having female housing terminals to be electrically connected with at least one male housing module terminal of each of the male housing modules; locking means for releasably locking the male housing unit with respect to the female housing, the locking means being mounted on an outermost one of the male housing modules; and holding means for tightly holding the outermost one of the male housing modules with respect to another one of the male housing modules attached adjacent to the outermost one of the male housing modules; wherein the holding means holds a portion of the outermost one of the male housing modules at which the locking means is mounted on the outermost one of the male housing modules, said portion being located at a substantially central and front portion of the outermost one of the male housing modules.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
198 words
A connector assembly, comprising: a plurality of male housing modules which are separable from each other and attached together to form a male housing unit, each of the male housing modules having at least one male housing module terminal; a female housing adapted to receive the male housing unit to be inserted into the female housing, the female housing having female housing terminals to be electrically connected with at least one male housing module terminal of each of the male housing modules; locking means for releasably locking the male housing unit with respect to the female housing, the locking means being mounted on an outermost one of the male housing modules; and holding means for tightly holding the outermost one of the male housing modules with respect to another one of the male housing modules attached adjacent to the outermost one of the male housing modules; wherein the holding means holds a portion of the outermost one of the male housing modules at which the locking means is mounted on the outermost one of the male housing modules, said portion being located at a substantially central and front portion of the outermost one of the male housing modules.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
214 words
A connector assembly, comprising: a plurality of male housing modules which are separable from each other and attached together to form a male housing unit, each of the male housing modules having at least one male housing module terminal; a female housing adapted to receive the male housing unit to be inserted into the female housing, the female housing having female housing terminals to be electrically connected with at least one male housing module terminal of each of the male housing modules; locking means for releasably locking the male housing unit with respect to the female housing, the locking means being mounted on an outermost one of the male housing modules; and holding means for tightly holding the outermost male housing module with respect to another one of the male housing modules attached adjacent to the outermost male housing module; wherein the holding means includes a couple of interengaging devices to be engaged with one another, one of the interengaging devices being provided on said outermost male housing module, and the other interengaging device being provided on another male housing module adjacent to the outermost male housing module; and wherein one of said interengaging devices is a projection and the other interengaging device is a coupling piece having a hole to receive the projection.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
214 words
A connector assembly, comprising: a plurality of male housing modules which are separable from each other and attached together to form a male housing unit, each of the male housing modules having at least one male housing module terminal; a female housing adapted to receive the male housing unit to be inserted into the female housing, the female housing having female housing terminals to be electrically connected with at least one male housing module terminal of each of the male housing modules; locking means for releasably locking the male housing unit with respect to the female housing, the locking means being mounted on an outermost one of the male housing modules; and holding means for tightly holding the outermost male housing module with respect to another one of the male housing modules attached adjacent to the outermost male housing module; wherein the holding means includes a couple of interengaging devices to be engaged with one another, one of the interengaging devices being provided on said outermost male housing module, and the other interengaging device being provided on another male housing module adjacent to the outermost male housing module; and wherein one of said interengaging devices is a projection and the other interengaging device is a coupling piece having a hole to receive the projection.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1997-06-13 | 1997-12-13 | 1998-06-14 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 2001-06-13 | 2001-12-13 | 2002-06-14 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 2005-06-13 | 2005-12-13 | 2006-06-14 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |