Mounting assembly for an electrical connector

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2024291203-A1
Application number	US-202418441211-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Feb 14, 2024
Priority date	Feb 23, 2023
Publication date	Aug 29, 2024
Grant date	—

Abstract

An electrical connector includes a housing extending between a mating end and a mounting end configured to be mounted to a panel. A base of the housing is received in an opening in the panel and a flange of the housing is mounted to a first side of the panel. The electrical connector includes a contact assembly received in a cavity of the housing having a contact. The electrical connector includes a securing element extending from the housing located at a second side of the panel. The electrical connector includes a locking mechanism coupled to the securing element having a slide configured to interface with the second side of the panel to secure the housing to the panel and move in a sliding locking direction parallel to the second side from an unlocked position to a locked position. The locking mechanism interfaces with the securing element in the locked position to secure the housing to the panel.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 . An electrical connector comprising:
a housing extending between a mating end and a mounting end, the mating end configured to be mated with a mating electrical connector, the mounting end configured to be mounted to a panel, the mounting end including a base and a flange extending from the base, the base of the housing being received in an opening in the panel, the flange of the housing being mounted to a first side of the panel, the housing having a cavity; a contact assembly received in the cavity of the housing, the contact assembly including at least one contact configured to be mated to the mating electrical connector; a securing element extending from the housing and located at a second side of the panel; and a locking mechanism coupled to the securing element, the locking mechanism including a slide configured to interface with the second side of the panel to secure the housing to the panel and move in a sliding locking direction parallel to the second side from an unlocked position to a locked position, the locking mechanism interfacing with the securing element in the locked position to secure the housing to the panel.

2 . The electrical connector of claim 1 , wherein the housing includes a housing locking element, the locking mechanism including a header position assurance device coupled to the slide, the header position assurance device configured to be lockingly secured to the housing locking element only when the locking mechanism is in the locked position.

3 . The electrical connector of claim 2 , wherein the header position assurance device is slidably coupled to the locking mechanism and movable between an unlocked position and a locked position, the header position assurance device lockingly securing the locking mechanism to the housing when the header position assurance device is in the locked position.

4 . The electrical connector of claim 2 , wherein the header position assurance device includes an actuator and a latch extending from the actuator, the latch engaging a stop to hold the header position assurance device in an unlocked position, the housing locking element releasing the latch from the stop when the locking mechanism is in the locked position allowing the header position assurance device to move from the unlocked position to a locked position, the header position assurance device lockingly secured to the housing locking element in the locked position.

5 . The electrical connector of claim 2 , wherein the housing locking element includes a locking finger, the header position assurance device including a locking element having a pocket, the locking finger received in the pocket to lockingly secure the header position assurance device to the housing locking element.

6 . The electrical connector of claim 1 , wherein the base of the housing includes a locking leg having a housing locking tab, the locking leg located at the second side of the panel, the locking mechanism including a slide locking tab extending from the slide, the slide locking tab engaging the housing locking tab when the slide is in the locked position to prevent liftoff of the flange of the housing from the first side of the panel.

7 . The electrical connector of claim 6 , wherein the locking leg and the housing locking tab form a pocket, the slide locking tab received in the pocket when the locking mechanism is in the locked position.

8 . The electrical connector of claim 6 , wherein the slide locking tab is located between the second side of the panel and the housing locking tab, the slide locking tab preventing movement of the housing locking tab toward the second side of the panel.

9 . The electrical connector of claim 1 , wherein the slide includes a ramp engaging the securing element as the slide is moved from the unlocked position to the locked position, the ramp forcing the housing to move in a securing direction perpendicular to the sliding locking direction.

10 . The electrical connector of claim 1 , wherein the slide includes an opening receiving the securing element, the slide positioned between the securing element and the panel to drive the housing in a securing direction perpendicular to the sliding locking direction.

11 . The electrical connector of claim 1 , wherein the slide includes a handle and a slide arm extending from the handle, the slide arm engaging the securing element to secure the housing to the panel.

12 . The electrical connector of claim 1 , wherein the securing element includes a shaft and a head, the shaft passing through an opening in the panel, the slide positioned between the head and the panel to lock the housing to the panel.

13 . The electrical connector of claim 1 , wherein the securing element is a first securing element, the electrical connector further comprising a second securing element, the first and second securing elements being located on opposite sides of the housing, the slide including a first slide arm engaging the first securing element and a second slide arm engaging the second securing element.

14 . The electrical connector of claim 1 , wherein the slide includes a planar slide interface facing the second side of the panel and sliding along the second side of the panel between the unlocked position and the locked position.

15 . The electrical connector of claim 1 , further comprising a seal coupled to the flange and surrounding the base, the seal configured to interface with the mounting surface of the panel, the locking mechanism forcing the housing in a securing direction perpendicular to the sliding locking direction to compress the seal as the locking mechanism is moved from the unlocked position to the locked position.

16 . The electrical connector of claim 1 , wherein the locking mechanism secures the housing to the panel without the use of fasteners.

17 . The electrical connector of claim 1 , wherein the locking mechanism is slidably coupled to the housing.

18 . An electrical connector comprising:
a housing extending between a mating end and a mounting end, the mating end configured to be mated with a mating electrical connector, the mounting end configured to be mounted to a panel, the mounting end including a base and a flange extending from the base, the base of the housing being received in an opening in the panel, the flange of the housing being mounted to a first side of the panel, the housing having a cavity, the housing including a housing locking element; a contact assembly received in the cavity of the housing, the contact assembly including at least one contact configured to be mated to the mating electrical connector; a securing element extending from the housing and located at a second side of the panel; and a locking mechanism coupled to the securing element, the locking mechanism including a slide configured to interface with the second side of the panel to secure the housing to the panel and move in a sliding locking direction parallel to the second side from an unlocked position to a locked position, the locking mechanism interfacing with the securing element in the locked position to secure the housing to the panel, the locking mechanism including a header position assurance device coupled to the slide, the header position assurance device configured to be lockingly secured to the housing locking element only when the locking mechanism is in the locked position.

19 . The electrical connector of claim 18 , wherein the header position assurance device is slidably coupled to the locking mechanism and movable betwee

Assignees

• Te Connectivity Brasil Ind De Electronicos Ltda
• Te Connectivity Solutions Gmbh

Inventors

• Dos Santos Natanael Marcondes
• Hemnani Dinesh Loku
• Brown Michael Dale
• Rhein David James
• Leme Rafael Kazuo Sato T
• Bonucci Gustavo

Classifications

• H01R13/745

  separate from the housing · CPC title

• H01R13/5202

  Sealing means between parts of housing or between housing part and a wall, e.g. sealing rings · CPC title

• H01R13/62955 Primary

  Pivoting lever comprising supplementary/additional locking means · CPC title

• H01R13/502

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

• H01R13/6335

  comprising a handle · CPC title