Connector with stacked sub-housings

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10498068-B2
Application number	US-201816133752-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Sep 18, 2018
Priority date	Sep 29, 2017
Publication date	Dec 3, 2019
Grant date	Dec 3, 2019

Abstract

A connector ( 10 ) includes a stacked housing ( 11 ) configured by vertically stacking sub-housings (S) capable of accommodating terminals (T) in three or more stages. The stacked housing ( 11 ) includes, as the sub-housings (S), an upper sub-housing (S 1 ) disposed in an uppermost stage, a middle sub-housing (S 2 ) disposed to face the upper sub-housing (S 1 ) and a lower sub-housing (S 3 ) disposed in a lowermost stage. The upper sub-housing (S 1 ) includes a retainer ( 35 ) for retaining the terminals (T) accommodated inside the middle sub-housing (S 2 ) and the middle sub-housing (S 2 ) includes at least two retainers ( 35 ) for retaining the terminals (T) accommodated in the upper sub-housing (S 1 ) and the terminals (T) accommodated in the lower sub-housing (S 3 ).

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A connector with a stacked housing configured by vertically stacking sub-housings in three or more stages, each of the sub-housings being configured for accommodating terminals, wherein:
each of the sub-housings include upper and lower surfaces spaced apart in a stacking direction of the sub-housings and cavities extending through the sub-housing in a front to back direction normal to the stacking direction, and the sub-housings include:
the upper sub-housing disposed in an uppermost stage, the upper sub-housing including retention receiving portions penetrating into the lower surface of the upper-sub-housing and communicating with the cavities of the upper-sub-housing, and retainers projecting from the lower surface, the retention receiving portions and retainers arranged side-by-side in a laterally alternating arrangement normal to the front to back direction and aligned with each other in a direction normal to the front to back direction;
a middle sub-housing disposed with the upper surface of the middle sub-housing facing the lower of the upper sub-housing, the middle sub-housing having retention receiving portions penetrating into the upper surface thereof and communicating with the cavities, and retainers projecting from the upper and lower surface thereof, the retention receiving portions and the retainers of the upper surface arranged side-by-side in the laterally alternating arrangement and aligned with each other in the direction normal to the front to back direction with the retention receiving portions configured to receive the retainers of the upper-sub housing, and
a lower sub-housing disposed in a lowermost stage with the upper surface of the lower sub-housing facing the lower surface of the middle sub-housing, retention receiving portions formed on the upper surface of the lower sub-housing and configured to receive the retainers of the lower surface of the middle sub-housing; wherein

the retainers of each of the sub-housing penetrate through the retention receiving portions of an adjacent on of the sub-housing to retain the terminals therein.

2. The connector claim 1 , wherein the retainers on the upper sub-housing and the retainers on the middle sub-housing are disposed at the same position in a front-rear direction with the upper sub-housing and the middle sub-housing stacked.

3. The connector of claim 1 , wherein:
the middle sub-housing includes a second sub-housing disposed to face the upper sub-housing and capable of accommodating the terminals and at least one additional sub-housing disposed between the second sub-housing and the lower sub-housing and capable of accommodating the terminals;
the retainers for retaining the terminals accommodated in each of the sub-housings are configured the same.

4. The connector of claim 1 , comprising a first connector and a second connector in each of which side walls for laterally covering the terminals are provided and that are laterally arrangeable side by side with each other, wherein:
error connection preventing portions are embedded at mutually different positions in a front-rear direction on the side walls of the first connector and the side walls of the second connector; and
the error connection preventing portions are provided for each sub-housing and respectively shaped to be fittable to each other in a predetermined stacking order.

5. A connector, comprising:
a middle housing and first and second outer housings, each of the housings having opposite front and rear ends, opposite first and second surfaces extending between the front and rear ends and cavities extending through the respective housings between the front and rear ends, the cavities being configured to accommodate terminals therein, wherein:
first retention openings are formed in the first surface of the first outer housing and communicate with the cavities of the first outer housing and first retainers project from the first surface of the first outer housing at positions laterally between the first retention openings and aligned laterally with the first retention openings;
middle retention openings are formed in the first surface of the middle housing and communicate with the cavities of the middle housing, first middle retainers project from the first surface of the middle housing at positions laterally between the middle retention openings and aligned laterally with the middle retention openings, and second middle retainers project from the second surface of the middle housing;
second retention openings are formed in the second surface of the second outer housing and communicate with the cavities of the second outer housing;
the first surface of the first outer housing is mounted on the first surface of the middle housing so that the first retainers project into the middle retention openings and retain the terminals in the cavities of the middle housing, and so that the first middle retainers project into the first retention openings and retain the terminals in the cavities of the first outer housing; and
the second surface of the middle housing is mounted on the second surface of the second outer housing so that the second retainers project into the second retention openings and retain the terminals in the cavities of the second outer housing.

6. A connector, consisting of:
a middle housing and first and second outer housings, each of the housings having opposite front and rear ends, opposite first and second surfaces extending between the front and rear ends and cavities extending through the respective housings between the front and rear ends, the cavities being configured to accommodate terminals therein, wherein:
first retention openings are formed in the first surface of the first outer housing and communicate with the cavities of the first outer housing and first retainers project from the first surface of the first outer housing at positions laterally between the first retention openings and aligned laterally with the first retention openings;
middle retention openings are formed in the first surface of the middle housing and communicate with the cavities of the middle housing, first middle retainers project from the first surface of the middle housing at positions laterally between the middle retention openings and aligned laterally with the middle retention openings, and second middle retainers project from the second surface of the middle housing;
second retention openings are formed in the second surface of the second outer housing and communicate with the cavities of the second outer housing;
the first surface of the first outer housing is mounted on the first surface of the middle housing so that the first retainers project into the middle retention openings and retain the terminals in the cavities of the middle housing, and so that the first middle retainers project into the first retention openings and retain the terminals in the cavities of the first outer housing; and
the second surface of the middle housing is mounted on the second surface of the second outer housing so that the second retainers project into the second retention openings and retain the terminals in the cavities of the second outer housing.

Assignees

• Sumitomo Wiring Systems

Inventors

• Takagi Kohei

Classifications

• H01R13/516

  Means for holding or embracing insulating body, e.g. casing {, hoods} · CPC title

• H01R13/502

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

• H01R13/4361

  Insertion of locking piece perpendicular to direction of contact insertion · CPC title

• H01R13/514 Primary

  composed as a modular blocks or assembly, i.e. composed of co-operating parts provided with contact members or holding contact members between them · CPC title

• H01R13/518

  for holding or embracing several coupling parts, e.g. frames · CPC title