Panel mount electrical connector

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12413028-B2
Application number	US-202217867583-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jul 18, 2022
Priority date	Oct 8, 2021
Publication date	Sep 9, 2025
Grant date	Sep 9, 2025

Abstract

An electrical connector includes a connector housing having a base, a flange, and a plug. The connector housing has a contact channel holding a contact. The electrical connector includes a latch member integral with the connector housing and located within the flange. The latch member includes a deflectable latch arm and a latching finger extending from the latch arm. The plug is configured to be inserted into a panel opening of the panel in a loading direction. The connector housing is movable laterally relative to the panel in a latching direction to a latched position. The plug is movable in the panel opening in the latching direction. The latching finger engages an inner edge of the panel opening when the housing is in the latched position to hold the connector housing in the latched position.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. An electrical connector for mounting to a panel, the electrical connector comprising:
a connector housing having a base at a rear of the connector housing, a flange extending from the base, and a plug extending forward of the base and the flange at a front of the connector housing for mating with a mating electrical connector, the connector housing having a contact channel through the base and the plug;
a contact received in the contact channel, the contact having a mating end and a cable end, the cable end of the contact configured to be terminated to a cable;
a latch member integral with the connector housing and located within the flange for latchably coupling to the panel, the latch member including a latch arm located within the flange being deflectable relative to the connector housing, the latch member including a latching finger extending forward from the latch arm to be received in a latch pocket of the panel to latchably couple the latch member with the panel;
wherein the plug of the connector housing is configured to be inserted into a panel opening of the panel in a loading direction, the connector housing being movable laterally relative to the panel in a latching direction to a latched position, the latching direction differing from the loading direction, the plug movable in the panel opening in the latching direction, the latching finger engages an inner edge of the panel opening when the housing is in the latched position to hold the connector housing in the latched position.

2. The electrical connector of claim 1 , wherein the flange surrounds the latch member.

3. The electrical connector of claim 1 , wherein the flange includes an opening, the latch arm located in the opening and movable relative to the flange in the opening.

4. The electrical connector of claim 1 , wherein the latch member includes a top, a bottom, a fixed end, and a distal end opposite the fixed end, the fixed end positioned closer to the base than the distal end, the fixed end extending from the flange, the flange surrounding the top, the bottom, and the distal end.

5. The electrical connector of claim 1 , wherein the latching finger extends forward of the flange for reception in the panel opening of the panel.

6. The electrical connector of claim 1 , wherein the latching finger includes a latching surface configured to engage the inner edge of the panel opening in the latched position, the latching finger including at least one anti-rotation surface different than the latching surface configured to engage the inner edge of the panel opening in the latched position, the at least one anti-rotation surface preventing rotation of the connector housing relative to the panel.

7. The electrical connector of claim 1 , wherein the flange is provided at a first side and a second side of the connector housing, the latch member provided at the first side, the electrical connector further comprising a second latch member at the second side.

8. The electrical connector of claim 7 , wherein the second latch member includes a second latch arm being deflectable relative to the connector housing.

9. The electrical connector of claim 1 , wherein the connector housing includes a front tab configured to pass through the panel opening to engage a front surface of the panel, the flange configured to engage a rear surface of the panel, the connector housing being configured to capture the panel between the front tab and the flange.

10. The electrical connector of claim 9 , wherein the front tab is an upper front tab at a top of the connector housing, the connector housing further comprising a lower front tab at a bottom of the connector housing.

11. The electrical connector of claim 1 , wherein the connector housing is manufactured from a dielectric material, the latch member being manufactured from the same dielectric material as the connector housing.

12. The electrical connector of claim 11 , wherein the connector housing and the latch member are co-molded using the dielectric material.

13. The electrical connector of claim 1 , wherein the plug includes a slot configured to receive a bus bar.

14. An electrical connector system comprising:
a panel having an inner edge defining a panel opening, the panel opening including a main pocket and a latch pocket extending from the main pocket; and
an electrical connector mounted to the panel, the electrical connector including a connector housing having a base at a rear of the connector housing, a flange extending from the base, and a plug extending forward of the base and the flange at a front of the connector housing for mating with a mating electrical connector, the connector housing having a contact channel through the base and the plug, the electrical connector including a contact received in the contact channel having a mating end and a cable end configured to be terminated to a cable, the electrical connector including a latch member integral with the connector housing and located within the flange for latchably coupling to the panel, the latch member including a latch arm located within the flange being deflectable relative to the connector housing, the latch member including a latching finger extending forward from the latch arm to be received in a latch pocket of the panel to latchably couple the latch member with the panel;
wherein the plug of the connector housing is inserted into the main pocket of the panel opening in a loading direction, the connector housing being movable laterally relative to the panel in a latching direction to a latched position, the latching direction differing from the loading direction, the plug movable in the main pocket in the latching direction, the latching finger being received in the latch pocket in the latched position and engaging the inner edge of the panel opening in the latched position to hold the connector housing in the latched position.

15. The electrical connector system of claim 14 , wherein
the latching finger slides along a rear surface of the panel as the connector housing is moved from the loaded position to the latched position, the latching finger moving forwardly into the latch pocket when in the latched position.

16. The electrical connector system of claim 14 , wherein the latch pocket is at a first side of the main pocket, the panel opening including a second latch pocket at a second side of the main pocket, the electrical connector including a second latch member received in the second latch pocket.

17. The electrical connector system of claim 14 , wherein the flange surrounds the latch member, the flange engaging a rear surface of the panel around the inner edge defining the latch pocket.

18. The electrical connector system of claim 14 , wherein the flange includes an opening, the latch arm located in the opening and movable relative to the flange in the opening.

19. The electrical connector system of claim 14 , wherein the latch member includes a top, a bottom, a fixed end, and a distal end opposite the fixed end, the fixed end positioned closer to the base than the distal end, the fixed end extending from the flange, the flange surrounding the top, the bottom, and the distal end.

20. The electrical connector system of claim 14 , wherein the latching finger extends forward of the flange for reception in the latch pocket of the panel opening.

Assignees

• Te Connectivity Solutions Gmbh

Inventors

• Horning Michael James
• Costello Brian Patrick

Classifications

• H01R13/504

  different pieces being moulded, cemented, welded, e.g. ultrasonic welding, or swaged together · CPC title

• H01R13/26

  Pin or blade contacts for sliding co-operation on one side only {(for modular jack type connectors H01R24/62)} · CPC title

• H01R13/187

  with spring member in the socket · CPC title

• H01R24/60

  Contacts spaced along planar side wall transverse to longitudinal axis of engagement · CPC title

• H01R13/743 Primary

  integral with the housing · CPC title