Patent · US Expired

Low inserting force fitting mechanism for electrical connector

US5376016A · kind A · utility

51Cited by
5References
6Claims
0Family size

Assignee

Inventors

Key dates

Filing dateJul 9, 1993
Grant dateDec 27, 1994
Priority date
Expiry dateJul 9, 2013

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC H)Electricity
  • CPC primaryH01R43/26
  • WIPO fieldElectrical machinery, apparatus, energy
  • WIPO sectorElectrical engineering

Abstract

A connector which includes a male connector housing (1), a female connector housing (2), and a rotary shaft (3) for camming the male connector housing (1) into engagement with the female connector housing. The male connector housing 1 includes flexible arms (6) having engagement claws (8) for alternatively engaging holes (19) and (20) provided in the female connector housing so as to retain the connector housings in a provisionally engaged position or a completely engaged position. The flexible arms also include a constrictive portion (7) for flexing the arms outwardly when the shaft is inserted into the connector housings. As a result, the engagement claws (8) are disengaged from the provisional engagement holes (19) so that the connector housings can be moved to the completely engaged position. After the connector housings have been moved to the completely engaged position as a result of rotation of the shaft, the shaft can than be removed from the connector housings so that the claws (8) engage holes (20).

Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.