Connector apparatus having male and female connector assemblies and a connector position assurance device, a male connector assembly, a female connector assembly, and a method for assembling the connector apparatus

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10135189-B2
Application number	US-201615243023-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Aug 22, 2016
Priority date	Sep 2, 2015
Publication date	Nov 20, 2018
Grant date	Nov 20, 2018

Abstract

Connector apparatus having a male connector assembly, a female connector assembly, and a connector position assurance (CPA) device. The connector position assurance (CPA) device is inserted into one of the connector assemblies to lock the male connector assembly and female connector assembly together as an additional locking assurance.

First claim

We claim:

1. A connector apparatus, comprising:
a male connector assembly including at least a male connector opening;
a female connector assembly including at least a first end, a second end, a female connector opening at the second end, and at least one terminal aperture; and
a connector position assurance (CPA) device,
wherein the first end of the female connector assembly is accommodated in the male connector opening, the CPA device is accommodated in the female connector opening, the CPA device includes at least an upper component and a lower component, the upper component is aligned directly above the lower component, and the lower component forms at least one tooth extending upwards.

2. The connector apparatus as in claim 1 , further comprising:
a locking component included on the female connector assembly,
wherein the locking component engages with the CPA device at a pre-lock position to hold the CPA device to the female connector assembly, and the locking component engages with the CPA device at a full-lock position to hold the female connector assembly to the male connector assembly.

3. The connector apparatus as in claim 2 , further comprising:
a first curved upper region included on the CPA device, wherein the at least one tooth engages with the locking component at the pre-lock position to hold the CPA device to the female connector assembly, and the first curved upper region engages with the locking component at the full-lock position to hold the female connector assembly to the male connector assembly.

4. A female connector assembly, comprising:
a housing forming a female connector opening;
a top side having a locking component; and
at least one terminal aperture,
wherein the female connector opening accommodates a connector position assurance (CPA) device, the CPA device includes at least an upper component and a lower component, the upper component is aligned directly above the lower component, the upper component extends substantially parallel to the lower component, and the lower component forms at least one tooth extending upwards.

5. The female connector assembly as in claim 4 , wherein the lower component has at least one side edge curved upwards.

6. The female connector assembly as in claim 5 , wherein the locking component engages with the CPA device at a pre-lock position to hold the CPA device to the female connector assembly.

7. The female connector assembly as in claim 6 , wherein the housing is accommodated in a male connector assembly.

8. The female connector assembly as in claim 7 , wherein the locking component engages with the CPA device at a full-lock position to hold the male connector assembly to the female connector assembly.

9. A male connector assembly, comprising:
a housing forming a male connector opening; and
a latch formed on an interior of the housing to hold the male connector assembly to a second assembly, wherein the second assembly accommodates a connector position assurance (CPA) device having at least an upper component and a lower component, the lower component extending forward from a back of the CPA device and forming at least one tooth extending upwards, wherein the at least one tooth is formed at an edge of the lower component and forward of a distal end of the upper component.

10. The male connector assembly as in claim 9 , wherein the second assembly corresponds to a female connector assembly having a locking component.

11. The male connector assembly as in claim 10 , wherein the male connector opening accommodates the female connector assembly.

12. The male connector assembly as in claim 11 , wherein the CPA device is accommodated by a female connector opening formed by the female connector assembly.

13. The male connector assembly as in claim 12 , wherein the locking component engages with the CPA device at a pre-lock position to hold the CPA device to the female connector assembly.

14. The male connector assembly as in claim 13 , wherein the latch and the locking component engage with the CPA device at a full-lock position to hold the male connector assembly to the female connector assembly.

15. A method of assembling a connector apparatus,
comprising the steps of:
providing a female connector assembly having a housing forming a female connector opening, a locking component, and at least one terminal aperture;
accommodating a connector position assurance (CPA) device in the female connector opening of the female connector assembly, wherein the CPA device includes at least an upper component and a lower component, a back, at least one tooth, a first curved upper region, and a pair of
arms, wherein the lower component extends forward from the back and forms the at least one tooth extending upwards, wherein the at least one tooth is formed at an edge of the lower component and forward of a distal end of the upper component;
providing a male connector assembly having a housing forming a male connector opening and at least one latch; and
accommodating the female connector assembly into the male connector opening of the male connector assembly.

16. The method of assembling the connector apparatus as in claim 15 , further comprising a step of engaging the first curved upper region of the CPA device with the locking component of the female connector assembly.

17. The method of assembling the connector apparatus as in claim 15 , wherein the step of accommodating the CPA device in the female connector opening of the female connector assembly further comprises a step of engaging the at least one tooth of the CPA device with the locking component of the female connector assembly.

18. The method of assembling the connector apparatus as in claim 17 , further comprising a step of engaging the first curved upper region of the CPA device with the locking component of the female connector assembly.

19. The method of assembling the connector apparatus as in claim 18 , wherein the step of accommodating the female connector assembly into the male connector opening of the male connector assembly further comprises a step of engaging the at least one latch of the male connector assembly with the locking component of the female connector assembly.

20. The method of assembling the connector apparatus as in claim 19 , wherein the step of accommodating the CPA device in the female connector opening of the female connector assembly further comprises a step of sliding the pair of arms into the female connector opening of the female connector assembly.

21. The connector apparatus as in claim 1 , wherein the upper component extends substantially parallel to the lower component, the upper component has a front edge, the lower component has a front edge extending beyond the front edge of the upper component, and the at least one tooth is formed at the front edge of the lower component.

Assignees

• J S T Corp

Inventors

• Holub Franklin A
• Azad Vikas
• George Darrell

Classifications

• H01R13/639 Primary

  Additional means for holding or locking coupling parts together, after engagement, {e.g. separate keylock, retainer strap} · CPC title

• H01R13/641

  by indicating incorrect coupling; by indicating correct or full engagement · CPC title

• H01R13/631

  for engagement only · CPC title

• H01R13/6272

  comprising a single latching arm · CPC title

• H01R13/6271

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