Latch for electrical connector

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2016336685-A1
Application number	US-201514712998-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	May 15, 2015
Priority date	May 15, 2015
Publication date	Nov 17, 2016
Grant date	—

Abstract

A latch for latching a connector to a device includes a body comprising a hub, an actuator extending from the hub, a latch pin extending from the hub and a return spring extending from the hub, the actuator and/or the latch pin. The latch pin is movable between a latched position and an unlatched position, wherein the latch pin is configured to latch the connector to the device when the latch pin is in the latched position. The actuator is configured such that movement of the actuator moves the latch pin between the latched position and the unlatched position. The return spring is configured to bias the latch pin to the latched position. The actuator, the latch pin and the return spring are integrally integrally formed as a single, unitary body.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 . A latch for latching a connector to a device, the latch comprising:
a body comprising a hub, an actuator extending from the hub, a latch pin extending from the hub and a return spring extending from at least one of the hub, the actuator and the latch pin, the latch pin being movable between a latched position and an unlatched position, wherein the latch pin is configured to latch the connector to the device when the latch pin is in the latched position, the actuator being configured such that movement of the actuator moves the latch pin between the latched position and the unlatched position, the return spring being configured to bias the latch pin to the latched position; and wherein the actuator, the latch pin and the return spring are integrally formed as a single, unitary body.

2 . The latch of claim 1 , wherein the body is stamped and formed from a sheet of metal material.

3 . The latch of claim 1 , wherein the return spring extends from the actuator generally parallel to and spaced apart from the latch pin.

4 . The latch of claim 1 , wherein the return spring is resiliently deformed as the actuator is actuated causing the latch pin to move from the latched position to the unlatched position, the return spring causing the latch pin to return to the latched position when the actuator is released.

5 . The latch of claim 1 , wherein the body is configured to pivot about the hub.

6 . The latch of claim 1 , wherein the hub comprises a pivot member, and wherein an actuating force on the actuator causes the hub to rotate on the pivot member to move the latch pin between the latched position and the unlatched position.

7 . The latch of claim 1 , wherein the hub is a first hub and the latch pin is a first latch pin, the body further comprising a second hub and a second latch pin extending from the second hub, the actuator extending from the second hub.

8 . The latch of claim 7 , wherein the return spring is a first return spring, the body further comprising a second return spring extending from at least one of the second hub, the actuator and the second latch pin.

9 . The latch of claim 7 , wherein the actuator comprises first and second actuator levers extending from the first and second hubs, respectively, and wherein the actuator comprises an actuator tab that extends between the first and second actuator levers, the actuator tab being configured to receive an actuating force to rotate the body about the first and second hubs.

10 . The latch of claim 1 , wherein the actuator extends from a first side of the hub and the latch pin extends from a second side of the hub generally opposite the first side.

11 . The latch of claim 1 , wherein the latch pin includes a latch arm and a latch member at a distal end of the latch arm, the hub extending below the latch arm to define a pivot member of the body.

12 . An electrical connector comprising:
a housing having a sidewall having a pocket; an electrical contact assembly held by the housing; and a latch received in the pocket in the sidewall of the housing for latching the electrical connector to a device, the latch comprising: a body comprising a hub, an actuator extending from the hub, a latch pin extending from the hub and a return spring extending from at least one of the hub, the actuator and the latch pin, the actuator being exposed at an exterior of the housing for actuation of the latch, the latch pin being movable between a latched position and an unlatched position, wherein the latch pin is exposed at the exterior of the housing to latch the connector to the device when the latch pin is in the latched position, the actuator being configured such that movement of the actuator moves the latch pin between the latched position and the unlatched position, the return spring being configured to bias the latch pin to the latched position, wherein the actuator, the latch pin and the return spring are integrally formed as a single, unitary body.

13 . The electrical connector of claim 12 , wherein the housing comprises an upper shell and a lower shell, the body of the latch being captured between the upper shell and the lower shell, the upper shell having stop surfaces that stop movement of the latch in the latched position and stop surfaces that stop movement of the latch in the unlatched position.

14 . The electrical connector of claim 12 , wherein the return spring extends from the actuator generally parallel to and spaced apart from the latch pin.

15 . The electrical connector of claim 12 , wherein the return spring is resiliently deformed as the actuator is actuated causing the latch pin to move from the latched position to the unlatched position, the return spring causing the latch pin to return to the latched position when the actuator is released.

16 . The electrical connector of claim 12 , wherein the hub comprises a pivot member engaging and pivoting about the housing, and wherein an actuating force on the actuator causes the hub to rotate on the pivot member to move the latch pin between the latched position and the unlatched position.

17 . The electrical connector of claim 12 , wherein the hub is a first hub and the latch pin is a first latch pin, the body further comprising a second hub and a second latch pin extending from the second hub, the actuator extending from the second hub, the second hub and the second latch pin being received in a pocket in a second sidewall of the housing.

18 . The electrical connector of claim 17 , wherein the return spring is a first return spring, the body further comprising a second return spring extending from at least one of the second hub, the actuator and the second latch pin.

19 . The electrical connector of claim 17 , wherein the actuator comprises first and second actuator levers extending from the first and second hubs, respectively, and wherein the actuator comprises an actuator tab that extends between the first and second actuator levers, the actuator tab being configured to receive an actuating force to rotate the body about the first and second hubs.

20 . The electrical connector of claim 12 , wherein the latch pin includes a latch arm and a latch member at a distal end of the latch arm, the hub extending below the latch arm to define a pivot member of the body.

Assignees

• Tyco Electronics Corp

Inventors

• Phillips Michael John
• Henry Randall Robert

Classifications

• H01R13/6335

  comprising a handle · CPC title

• H01R13/6275 Primary

  Latching arms not integral with the housing (H01R13/6276, H01R13/6277, H01R13/6278 take precedence) · CPC title

• H01R13/6278 Primary

  comprising a pin snapping into a recess · CPC title