Connector assembly having a latching mechanism
US6561834B2 · kind B2 · utility
Assignee
Inventor
Key dates
| Filing date | Feb 20, 2002 |
| Grant date | May 13, 2003 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Feb 20, 2022 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC H)Electricity
- CPC primaryH01R13/6272
- WIPO fieldElectrical machinery, apparatus, energy
- WIPO sectorElectrical engineering
Abstract
A connector assembly has a male connector (1) engaging with a female connector (2), and a latching mechanism is composed of a lockable lug (23) formed on a female housing (4) and a lock arm (10) formed on a male housing (3). Elastically deforming hinge-shaped feet (13) have each one end integral with the male housing and the other end continuing from the lock arm, whose pawl (11) corresponds to the lug (23), so that the lock arm (10) rocks about the feet to engage the pawl with the lug. A push lever (12) has lateral ends integral with the lock arm's rear end disposed in rear of the feet (13). A supplementary resilient arm (14) continues from the rear end to be inclined down and forwards. Its fore end is fixed on the outer surface of male housing (3), such that the housings are firmly locked together to give a stronger ‘click’ feeling for detection of engagement, with wire ends from any foreign harness never catching the push lever.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.