US6319043B1
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Connector with locking arm having groove on surface facing connector housing
Assignee: Sumitomo Wiring Systems Ltd
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Filing: 2000-08-28
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Granted: 2001-11-20
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Expires: 2020-08-28
Abstract
Abstract A connector (A) has a connector housing ( 10 ) with an outer surface ( 10 A). A locking arm ( 11 ) extends from the outer surface ( 10 A). A groove ( 16 ) is formed on a base part ( 12 ) of the locking arm ( 11 ) along a direction in which the base part ( 12 ) is erected. A groove ( 18 ) is formed on an arm part ( 13 ) of the locking arm ( 11 ) along a direction in which the arm part ( 13 ) extends. The sectional configuration of the grooves ( 16, 18 ) include concave quadrantal curved surface ( 16 R, 18 R) that are smoothly continuous with each other. The formation of the grooves ( 16 ), ( 18 ) allow a stress to be dispersed to the entire locking arm ( 11 ). Thus, it is possible to reduce the strain to be applied to the base part ( 12 ) and prevent breakage of the base part ( 12 ).
Inventors
- 👤 Kozue Takatsuki
- 👤 Masahiko Aoyama
- 👤 Masahide Hio
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-03 21:47
CPC Classifications
H; H01; H01R; H01R13/00; H01R13/62; H01R13/627; H01R13/6271; H01R13/6272
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 14
Claim 1
Independent Claim
310 words
A connector (A) having a connector housing ( 10 ) and a locking arm ( 11 ) formed integrally with an outer surface ( 10 A) of said connector housing ( 10 ), said locking arm ( 11 ) including a base part ( 12 ) erected from said outer surface ( 10 A) of said connector housing ( 10 ); an arm part ( 13 ) cantilevered and extended from said base part ( 12 ) substantially parallel with said outer surface ( 10 A) of said connector housing ( 10 ); and a flexure space ( 15 ) provided between said outer surface ( 10 A) of said connector housing ( 10 ) and an inner surface ( 13 B) of said arm part ( 13 ), to enable elastic flexing of said arm part ( 13 ) when said connector (A) and a mating connector are locked to each other, wherein a groove ( 16 ) is formed on a surface ( 12 R) of said base part ( 12 ) facing said flexure space ( 15 ) and a groove ( 18 ) is formed on a surface ( 13 B) of said arm part ( 13 ) facing said flexure space ( 15 ) such that said groove ( 16 ) formed on said base part ( 12 ) extends along a direction in which said base part ( 12 ) is erected and said groove ( 18 ) formed on the arm part ( 13 ) extends along a direction in which said arm part ( 13 ) is extended; and a sectional configuration of said groove ( 16 ) formed on said base part ( 12 ) and that of said groove ( 18 ) formed on said arm part ( 13 ) include a curve and are smoothly continuous with each other.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
310 words
A connector (A) having a connector housing ( 10 ) and a locking arm ( 11 ) formed integrally with an outer surface ( 10 A) of said connector housing ( 10 ), said locking arm ( 11 ) including a base part ( 12 ) erected from said outer surface ( 10 A) of said connector housing ( 10 ); an arm part ( 13 ) cantilevered and extended from said base part ( 12 ) substantially parallel with said outer surface ( 10 A) of said connector housing ( 10 ); and a flexure space ( 15 ) provided between said outer surface ( 10 A) of said connector housing ( 10 ) and an inner surface ( 13 B) of said arm part ( 13 ), to enable elastic flexing of said arm part ( 13 ) when said connector (A) and a mating connector are locked to each other, wherein a groove ( 16 ) is formed on a surface ( 12 R) of said base part ( 12 ) facing said flexure space ( 15 ) and a groove ( 18 ) is formed on a surface ( 13 B) of said arm part ( 13 ) facing said flexure space ( 15 ) such that said groove ( 16 ) formed on said base part ( 12 ) extends along a direction in which said base part ( 12 ) is erected and said groove ( 18 ) formed on the arm part ( 13 ) extends along a direction in which said arm part ( 13 ) is extended; and a sectional configuration of said groove ( 16 ) formed on said base part ( 12 ) and that of said groove ( 18 ) formed on said arm part ( 13 ) include a curve and are smoothly continuous with each other.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
47 words
The connector (A) of claim 1 , wherein a portion of the base part ( 12 ) where said groove ( 16 ) is formed defines a thickness of about one half the thickness of the base part ( 12 ) adjacent said groove ( 16 ).
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
47 words
The connector (A) of claim 2 , wherein a portion of the arm part ( 13 ) where said groove ( 18 ) is formed defines a thickness of about one half the thickness of the arm part ( 13 ) adjacent the groove ( 18 ).
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
28 words
The connector (A) of claim 1 , wherein the base part ( 12 ) has a rear surface ( 12 R) formed as a substantially cylindrically generated arc.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
43 words
The connector (A) of claim 4 , wherein the cylindrically generated arc defining the rear surface ( 12 R) of the base part ( 12 ) is substantially tangent with an inner surface ( 13 B) of the arm part ( 13 ).
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
70 words
The connector (A) of claim 1 , wherein the groove ( 16 ) in the base part ( 12 ) includes a pair of concave quadrantal curved surfaces ( 16 R) on opposite lateral sides of said base part ( 12 ) and said quadrantal curved surfaces ( 16 R) being generated about axes extending upwardly from said outer surface ( 10 A) of the connector housing ( 10 ).
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
128 words
The connector (A) of claim 6 , wherein the groove ( 18 ) in the arm part ( 13 ) includes a pair of concave quadrantal curved surfaces ( 18 R) formed at opposite respective sides of said groove ( 18 ) in said arm part ( 13 ) and said quadrantal curved surfaces ( 18 R) of said arm part ( 13 ) being generated about axes extending substantially parallel to the arm part ( 13 ), the quadrantal curved surfaces ( 18 R) in the groove ( 18 ) of the arm part ( 13 ) extending continuously into the quadrantal curved surfaces ( 16 R) in the grooves ( 16 ) of the base part ( 12 ) to define substantially spherically generated concave surfaces.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
227 words
A connector (A) having a connector housing ( 10 ) with opposed front and rear ends, an outer surface ( 10 A) extending between the front and rear ends of the connector housing ( 10 ), a locking arm ( 11 ) including a base part ( 12 ) erected from said outer surface ( 10 A) adjacent the front end of said connector housing ( 10 ), an arm part ( 13 ) cantilevered from said base part ( 12 ) and extending toward the rear end of said connector housing ( 10 ) substantially parallel with the outer surface ( 10 A) such that a flexure space ( 15 ) is defined between said outer surface ( 10 A) of said connector housing ( 10 ) and said arm part ( 13 ) to enable elastic flexing of said arm part ( 13 ), a groove ( 16 ) being formed in a face ( 12 R) of said base part ( 12 ) facing said flexure space ( 15 ) and a groove ( 18 ) being formed in the face ( 13 B) of said arm part ( 13 ) facing said flexure space ( 15 ), the grooves ( 16 , 18 ) extending through a continuous curve from the base part ( 12 ) to the arm part ( 13 ).
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
227 words
A connector (A) having a connector housing ( 10 ) with opposed front and rear ends, an outer surface ( 10 A) extending between the front and rear ends of the connector housing ( 10 ), a locking arm ( 11 ) including a base part ( 12 ) erected from said outer surface ( 10 A) adjacent the front end of said connector housing ( 10 ), an arm part ( 13 ) cantilevered from said base part ( 12 ) and extending toward the rear end of said connector housing ( 10 ) substantially parallel with the outer surface ( 10 A) such that a flexure space ( 15 ) is defined between said outer surface ( 10 A) of said connector housing ( 10 ) and said arm part ( 13 ) to enable elastic flexing of said arm part ( 13 ), a groove ( 16 ) being formed in a face ( 12 R) of said base part ( 12 ) facing said flexure space ( 15 ) and a groove ( 18 ) being formed in the face ( 13 B) of said arm part ( 13 ) facing said flexure space ( 15 ), the grooves ( 16 , 18 ) extending through a continuous curve from the base part ( 12 ) to the arm part ( 13 ).
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
43 words
The connector (A) of claim 8 , wherein faces ( 12 R, 13 B) of said base part ( 12 ) and said arm part ( 13 ) facing said flexure space ( 15 ) intersect at a continuous concave cylindrically generated surface.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
62 words
The connector (A) of claim 9 , wherein the grooves ( 16 , 18 ) each have concave quadrantal curved surfaces ( 16 R, 18 R) along lateral sides of said grooves ( 16 , 18 ), said quadrantal curved surfaces ( 16 R, 18 R) being generated about axes extending substantially parallel to said respective grooves ( 16 , 18 ).
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
52 words
The connector (A) of claim 8 , wherein portions of the base part ( 12 ) having the groove ( 16 ) define a thickness measured along a front to rear direction approximately one-half the thickness of the base part ( 12 ) at locations spaced from the groove ( 16 ).
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
57 words
The connector (A) of claim 11 , wherein portions of the arm part ( 13 ) having the groove ( 18 ) define a thickness measured perpendicular to the outer surface ( 10 A) that is approximately one-half the thickness defined by said arm part ( 13 ) at locations adjacent to said groove ( 18 ).
References Cited (Backward Citations)
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Cited
US5775932A
Cited
US6129593A
Cited
US5980297A
Cited
US6132233A
Cited
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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) | 2004-11-19 | 2005-05-21 | 2005-11-20 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 2008-11-19 | 2009-05-21 | 2009-11-20 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 2012-11-19 | 2013-05-21 | 2013-11-20 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |