← Back to Patent Explorer
US5651693A Expired / Lapsed US ⏱️ 0.0 years remaining

Connection sensor and short-circuiting contact for connector

Assignee: Yazaki Corp
•
Filing: 1995-12-13
•
Granted: 1997-07-29
•
Expires: 2015-12-13
📄 Original PDF 🌐 Google Patents 🔄 Sync Now

Abstract

Abstract A connector includesvone connector housing having a flexible lock arm, other connector housing having an engagement portion corresponding to the flexible lock arm, a short-circuiting contact member having resilient contact pieces, the short-circuiting contact member arranged on a displacement allowing space side of the flexible lock arm in the one connector housing, the resilient contact pieces being displaced in accordance with displacement of the flexible lock arm; and a pair of connection sensing pin-type terminal fittings arranged so as to confront the short-circuiting contact member in the other connector housing, wherein when the pair of connector housings are connected incompletely, the flexible lock arm is displaced to displace the resilient contact pieces so as to break contact of the resilient contact pieces with the connection sensing pin-type terminal fittings.

Inventors

  • 👤 Masaru Fukuda
  • 👤 Eiji Fukuda

Bibliographic Details

Application Number —
Jurisdiction US
Data Source google_patents
Last Synchronized 2026-11-01 18:49
CPC Classifications
H; H01; H01R; H01R13/00; H01R13/64; H01R13/641; H01R13/66; H01R13/70; H01R13/703; H01R13/7031; H01R13/7032; H01R12/00; H01R12/70; H01R12/71; H01R12/72; H01R12/722; H01R12/724; H01R13/62; H01R13/627; H01R13/6271; H01R13/6272

Claims Analysis

Total Claims: 8
Claim 1
Independent Claim 203 words
A short-circuit contact member receivable in a first connector for electrically detecting when said first connector has been completely connected to a second connector having first and second contact terminals therein, said first connector including a flexible locking arm extending therefrom for engaging said second connector, said short circuit contact member comprising: a base plate secured to said first connector by retaining means; a resilient plate portion extending from said base plate; and first and second cantilevered contact members extending rearwardly of said resilient plate portion and defining a space between said first and second contact members, said first and second contact members respectively including: first and second arcuate contact portions for electrically contacting said first and second contact terminals, respectively; and first and second driven portions respectively extending upwardly from said first and second arcuate contact portions and contacted by the flexible locking arm when deflected, wherein when said locking arm is deflected, said first and second arcuate contact portions are displaced from said first and second contact terminals and when said locking arm is undeflected said first and second arcuate contact portions electrically contact said first and second contact terminals thereby sensing the complete connection of said first and second connectors.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim 203 words
A short-circuit contact member receivable in a first connector for electrically detecting when said first connector has been completely connected to a second connector having first and second contact terminals therein, said first connector including a flexible locking arm extending therefrom for engaging said second connector, said short circuit contact member comprising: a base plate secured to said first connector by retaining means; a resilient plate portion extending from said base plate; and first and second cantilevered contact members extending rearwardly of said resilient plate portion and defining a space between said first and second contact members, said first and second contact members respectively including: first and second arcuate contact portions for electrically contacting said first and second contact terminals, respectively; and first and second driven portions respectively extending upwardly from said first and second arcuate contact portions and contacted by the flexible locking arm when deflected, wherein when said locking arm is deflected, said first and second arcuate contact portions are displaced from said first and second contact terminals and when said locking arm is undeflected said first and second arcuate contact portions electrically contact said first and second contact terminals thereby sensing the complete connection of said first and second connectors.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim 28 words
The short-circuit contact member of claim 1, wherein said first and second contact portions are disposed on a different plane from said first and second driven portions, respectively.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim 28 words
The short-circuit contact member of claim 1, wherein said first and second driven portions are located at the end of said first and second cantilevered contact members, respectively.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim 40 words
The short-circuit contact member according to claim 3, further comprising first and second collision plate portions extending downwardly from said first and second driven portions, respectively, said collision plate portions abutting against each other when said locking arm is deflected.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim 20 words
The short-circuit contact member of claim 1, further comprising first and second cover plates which cover said resilient plate portion.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim 19 words
The short-circuit member of claim 1, wherein each of said first and second driven portions includes a planar surface.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim 21 words
The short-circuit contact member of claim 1, wherein said first and second cantilevered contact members are bendable independently of each other.

References Cited (Backward Citations)

US4904196A Cited
US4900267A Cited
US5131865A Cited
DE4311767A1 Cited
US5370543A Cited
US5263872A Cited

USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows

Annuity Stage Window Opens Payment Deadline Surcharge Period Until Estimated Fee Status
3.5 Years (Year 4) 2000-07-28 2001-01-27 2001-07-29 $2000.00 Window Closed / Lapsed
7.5 Years (Year 8) 2004-07-28 2005-01-27 2005-07-29 $3760.00 Window Closed / Lapsed
11.5 Years (Year 12) 2008-07-28 2009-01-27 2009-07-29 $7700.00 Window Closed / Lapsed

Assigned Categories & Tags

No categories assigned to this patent yet.

Assign Category Tag