Quick connect power connector system

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10122117-B2
Application number	US-201615095323-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Apr 11, 2016
Priority date	Apr 14, 2015
Publication date	Nov 6, 2018
Grant date	Nov 6, 2018

Abstract

An electrical connector and system for connecting to a terminal post. The electrical connector includes a housing body, a contact and a locking release member. The housing body includes a post receiving passage for receiving the terminal post therein. The contact is provided in the post receiving passage and is positioned about the circumference of the post receiving passage. The contact will make an electrical engagement with a terminal post inserted into the post receiving passage regardless of the orientation of the terminal post with respect to the contact. The electrical connector which prevents the improper mating of the connector to the post, prevents unwanted rotation of the connector, provides a visual indication that the proper connection is secured and provides a secondary lock to ensure that unwanted unmating of the connector does not occur.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. An electrical connector system for connecting an electrical connector to a terminal post, the electrical connector system comprising:
the electrical connector having a housing body with a post receiving passage for receiving the terminal post therein;
a contact provided in the post receiving passage, the contact positioned about the circumference of the post receiving passage wherein the contact will make an electrical engagement with the terminal post inserted into the post receiving passage regardless of the orientation of the terminal post with respect to the contact;
a locking release member moveably mounted to the housing body, the locking release member being moveable between a locking release member first position and a locking release member second position, the locking release member cooperating with a locking spring member, the locking spring member having a locking section which cooperates with a first recess of the terminal post when the locking release member is in the locking release member first position; and
a secondary lock member positioned above the locking spring member, the secondary lock member being movable between a secondary lock member open position and a secondary lock member locked position, the secondary lock member having a post locking member which cooperates with a second recess of the terminal post to prevent the unwanted disengagement of the connector from the terminal post when the second lock member is in the secondary lock member locked position.

2. The electrical connector system as recited in claim 1 , wherein the secondary locking member has an upper portion with the post locking member and an engagement member, the secondary locking member has a lower portion with a securing member.

3. The electrical connector system as recited in claim 2 , wherein the lower portion of the secondary locking member extends below a top end of the housing body and the upper portion extends above a top end of the housing body.

4. The electrical connector system as recited in claim 3 , wherein a reduced portion of the secondary locking member extends between the upper portion and the lower portion, the reduced portion is positioned in a slot provided in the top end of the housing body proximate an opening, the slot is dimensioned to receive the reduced portion while allowing the reduced portion and the secondary locking member to move in a direction parallel to a longitudinal axis of the top end of the connector body.

5. The electrical connector system as recited in claim 2 , wherein the upper portion and the lower portion are positioned on either side of a top end of the housing body, thereby preventing the movement of the secondary locking member in a direction perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the top end.

6. The electrical connector system as recited in claim 1 , wherein an anti-rotation device is provided to minimize or eliminate the effects of movement of the connector relative to the terminal post.

7. The electrical connector system as recited in claim 6 , wherein the anti-rotation device includes radial ribs positioned on a post receiving end of the housing body, the ribs extend outward from the circumferences of the post receiving passage, circular key receiving recesses intersect the ribs.

8. The electrical connector system as recited in claim 1 , wherein the terminal post includes a mating projection which extends from a top surface of the terminal post, a mating indicator is positioned on the mating projection, wherein when the terminal post is fully inserted into the housing body, a top portion of the mating indicator is positioned in an opening of a top end of the housing body to provide a visual indication that the connector is fully mated to the terminal post.

9. The electrical connector system as recited in claim 8 , wherein the mating projection has a shoulder which extends between a neck portion and a head portion, the shoulder cooperates with a projection of the mating indicator to retain the mating indicator in position relative to the terminal post.

10. The electrical connector system as recited in claim 8 , wherein the mating indicator is made from nonconductive material.

11. An in-line electrical connector for connecting to a terminal post, the in-line electrical connector comprising:
a housing body having a post receiving passage for receiving the terminal post therein;
a contact provided in the post receiving passage, the contact positioned about the circumference of the post receiving passage wherein the contact will make an electrical engagement with terminal posts inserted into the post; and
a locking release member moveably mounted to the housing body, the locking release member being moveable between a first position and a second position, the locking release member cooperating with a locking spring member, the locking spring member having a locking section which cooperates with a recess of the terminal post when the locking release member is in the first position;
a secondary locking element is positioned on the terminal post, the secondary locking member has a post locking member and an engagement member, the secondary locking member is positioned in a slot provided in a mating indicator at a top end of the terminal post, wherein when the terminal post is fully inserted into the housing body, the engagement member of the secondary locking member is moved toward the longitudinal center of the post, causing the secondary locking member to move to the second position, in which the post locking member engages or is positioned proximate to a top end of the housing body of the connector to prevent, the removal of the terminal post from the connector.

12. The in-line electrical connector as recited in claim 11 , wherein the locking release member includes a locking spring member housed in a cavity, the locking spring member has a pair of mounting sections, locking sections positioned proximate the mounting sections have a radiused locking surface which cooperates with the terminal post.

13. The in-line electrical connector as recited in claim 11 , wherein an anti-rotation device is provided to minimize or eliminate the effects of movement of the connector relative to the terminal post.

14. The in-line electrical connector as recited in claim 13 , wherein the anti-rotation device includes radial ribs positioned on a post receiving end of the housing body, the ribs extend outward from the circumferences of the post receiving passage, circular key receiving recesses intersect the ribs.

15. The in-line electrical connector as recited in claim 11 , wherein the terminal post includes a mating projection which extends from a top surface of the terminal post, a mating indicator is positioned on the mating projection, wherein when the terminal post is fully inserted into the housing body, a top portion of the mating indicator is positioned in an opening of a top end of the housing body to provide a visual indication that the connector is fully mated to the terminal post.

16. An electrical connector system for connecting an electrical connector to a terminal post, the electrical connector system comprising:
the electrical connector having a housing body with a post receiving passage for receiving the terminal post therein;
a contact provided in the post receiving passage, the contact positioned about the circumference of the post receiving passage wherein the contact will make an electrical engagement with the terminal post inserted into the post receiving passage regardless of the orientation of the terminal post with respect to the co

Assignees

• Tyco Electronics Corp
• Te Connectivity Corp

Inventors

• Miller Keith Edwin
• Fulponi John Anthony
• Oh Lawrence Se-Jun
• Mckibben John Louis
• Belack Dustin Carson
• Sipe Lynn Robert
• Mulfinger Robert

Classifications

• H01R2101/00

  One pole · CPC title

• H01R11/282

  comprising means for facilitating engagement or disengagement, e.g. quick release terminal · CPC title

• H01R13/20 Primary

  Pins, blades, or sockets shaped, or provided with separate member, to retain co-operating parts together · CPC title

• H01R13/6271 Primary

  Latching means integral with the housing (H01R13/6276, H01R13/6277, H01R13/6278 take precedence) · CPC title

• H01R13/6277

  comprising annular latching means, e.g. ring snapping in an annular groove · CPC title