Electrical connector with locking connector position assurance member

US5775930A · kind A · utility

Assignees

• General Motors LLC · US
• Delphi Automotive Systems Deutschland GmbH · DE

Inventors

• Michael J. Model · Sachse, US
• Edward M. Bungo · Cortland, US
• John M. Chupak · Hermitage, US
• Thomas Borsuck · Hagen, DE
• Andreas Sikora · Hagen, DE
• Paul Gerhard Halbach · Wuppertal, DE
• Shao C. Hsieh · Lebanon, US

Key dates

• Filing date: Dec 13, 1996
• Grant date: Jul 7, 1998
• Expiry date: Dec 13, 2016

Classification

• Technology area (CPC H): Electricity
• CPC primary: H01R13/6272
• WIPO field: Electrical machinery, apparatus, energy
• WIPO sector: Electrical engineering

Abstract

The invention includes first and second electrical connectors and a connector position assurance member that is lockable in a pre-staged position. A first connector includes a pivotally connected pump handle lock arm positioned to lock on to a nub on the second connector. A connector position assurance member (CPA) is constructed for slidable movement on the first connector and includes two forward reaching arms each having a stop on a lower edge that engage a shoulder positioned on the first connector when the CPA is in a pre-staged position. In this pre-staged position, a lock arm of the CPA grabs into the pump handle on the first connector. The stop, shoulder and lock arm prevent forward or backward slidable movement of the CPA from this locked pre-staged position. As the first and second connectors are mated, a ridge on the second connector engages an angled portion of the forward reaching arms causing the arms to be lifted to raise the stop above the shoulder on the first connector and allowing the connector position assurance member to be moved forward to a final assembled position. Locking nubs on the CPA and the first connector may be positioned to keep the CPA in the final…