Electrical connector assembly with staged release

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10340632-B1
Application number	US-201816001528-A
Country	US
Kind code	B1
Filing date	Jun 6, 2018
Priority date	Jun 6, 2018
Publication date	Jul 2, 2019
Grant date	Jul 2, 2019

Abstract

An electrical connector assembly includes a first connector including a first electrical terminal and a second connector including a second electrical terminal. The first connector and the second connector are movable from a mated position toward an unmated position. The second connector includes a first block, a second block, and a third block. The electrical connector assembly also includes a connector position assurance that is movable between an assurance position and a pre-lock position. The connector position assurance includes a stop tab. The first block is positioned to engage the stop tab when the connector position assurance is located in the pre-lock position. The second block is positioned to engage the stop tab when the first connector is located a first distance from the second connector. The third block is positioned to engage the stop tab when the first connector is located a second distance from the second connector.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. An electrical connector assembly comprising:
a first connector including a first electrical terminal;
a second connector including a second electrical terminal, the first connector and the second connector being movable from a mated position toward an unmated position, the second connector including a first block, a second block, and a third block; and
a connector position assurance that is movable between an assurance position and a pre-lock position, the connector position assurance including a stop tab, wherein:
the first block is positioned to engage the stop tab when the connector position assurance is located in the pre-lock position;
the second block is positioned to engage the stop tab when the first connector is located a first distance from the second connector; and
the third block is positioned to engage the stop tab when the first connector is located a second distance from the second connector.

2. The electrical connector assembly of claim 1 further including a latch on the first connector that is movable between a closed position, wherein the latch engages the second connector to retain the first connector and the second connector in the mated position, and an open position, wherein the latch does not engage the second connector to retain the first connector and the second connector in the mated position.

3. The electrical connector assembly of claim 2 wherein movement of the latch to the open position causes movement of the stop tab out of engagement with the first block.

4. The electrical connector assembly of claim 2 wherein movement of the latch to the closed position causes movement of the stop tab out of engagement with the second block.

5. The electrical connector assembly of claim 2 wherein movement of the latch to the open position causes movement of the stop tab out of engagement with the third block.

6. The electrical connector assembly of claim 2 wherein movement of the latch to the open position causes movement of the stop tab out of engagement with the first block, and wherein movement of the latch to the closed position causes movement of the stop tab out of engagement with the second block.

7. The electrical connector assembly of claim 2 wherein movement of the latch to the open position causes movement of the stop tab out of engagement with the first block, movement of the latch to the closed position causes movement of the stop tab out of engagement with the second block, and movement of the latch to the open position causes movement of the stop tab out of engagement with the third block.

8. An electrical connector assembly comprising:
a first connector including a first electrical terminal;
a second connector including a second electrical terminal, the first connector and the second connector being movable from a mated position, wherein the first and second electrical terminals are connected, toward an unmated position, wherein the first and second electrical terminals are not connected, the second connector including a first block, a second block, and a third block; and
a connector position assurance that is movable between an assurance position, wherein the first connector and the second connector are locked in the mated position, and a pre-lock position, wherein the first connector and the second connector are not locked in the mated position, the connector position assurance including a stop tab, wherein:
the first block is positioned to engage the stop tab and thereby prevent movement of the first connector relative to the second connector;
the second block is positioned to engage the stop tab when the first connector is located a first distance from the second connector and thereby prevent further movement of the first connector relative to the second connector from the mated position toward the unmated position; and
the third block is positioned to engage the stop tab when the first connector is located a second distance from the second connector and thereby prevent further movement of the first connector relative to the second connector from the mated position toward the unmated position.

9. The electrical connector assembly of claim 8 further including a latch on the first connector that is movable between a closed position, wherein the latch engages the second connector to retain the first connector and the second connector in the mated position, and an open position, wherein the latch does not engage the second connector to retain the first connector and the second connector in the mated position.

10. The electrical connector assembly of claim 9 wherein movement of the latch to the open position causes movement of the stop tab out of engagement with the first block.

11. The electrical connector assembly of claim 9 wherein movement of the latch to the closed position causes movement of the stop tab out of engagement with the second block.

12. The electrical connector assembly of claim 9 wherein movement of the latch to the open position causes movement of the stop tab out of engagement with the third block.

13. The electrical connector assembly of claim 9 wherein movement of the latch to the open position causes movement of the stop tab out of engagement with the first block, and wherein movement of the latch to the closed position causes movement of the stop tab out of engagement with the second block.

14. The electrical connector assembly of claim 9 wherein movement of the latch to the open position causes movement of the stop tab out of engagement with the first block, movement of the latch to the closed position causes movement of the stop tab out of engagement with the second block, and movement of the latch to the open position causes movement of the stop tab out of engagement with the third block.

15. An electrical connector assembly comprising:
a first connector including a first primary electrical terminal and a first secondary electrical terminal;
a second connector including a second primary electrical terminal and a second secondary electrical terminal, the first connector and the second connector being movable from a mated position, wherein the first and second primary electrical terminals are connected in a high voltage circuit and the first and second secondary electrical terminals are connected in a high voltage interlock loop, toward an unmated position, wherein the first and second primary electrical terminals are not connected and the first and second secondary electrical terminals are not connected, the second connector including a first block, a second block, and a third block; and
a connector position assurance that is movable between an assurance position and a pre-lock position, the connector position assurance including a stop tab, wherein:
the first block is positioned to engage the stop tab when the connector position assurance is located in the pre-lock position, wherein the first and second primary electrical terminals are connected and the first and second secondary electrical terminals are connected;
the second block is positioned to engage the stop tab when the first connector is located a first distance from the second connector, wherein the first and second primary electrical terminals are connected and the first and second secondary electrical terminals are not connected; and
the third block is positioned to engage the stop tab when the first connector is located a second distance from the second connector, wherein the first and second primary electrical terminals are connected and the first and second secondary electrical terminals are not connected.

16. The electrical connector

Assignees

• Lear Corp

Inventors

• Rangi Bhupinder
• Menzies David

Classifications

• H01R31/02

  Intermediate parts for distributing energy to two or more circuits in parallel, e.g. splitter (with a holder adapted for supporting apparatus to which its counterpart is attached H01R33/92) · CPC title

• H01R13/629

  Additional means for facilitating engagement or disengagement of coupling parts, e.g. aligning or guiding means, levers, gas pressure {electrical locking indicators, manufacturing tolerances (separate tools or apparatus H01R43/26)} · CPC title

• H01R13/627

  Snap or like fastening · CPC title

• H01R13/502

  composed of different pieces (H01R13/514 takes precedence) · CPC title

• H01R13/405

  Securing in non-demountable manner, e.g. moulding, riveting · CPC title