Poke-in connector

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9543682-B2
Application number	US-201414779233-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Mar 31, 2014
Priority date	Mar 29, 2013
Publication date	Jan 10, 2017
Grant date	Jan 10, 2017

Abstract

The Present Disclosure relates to a poke-in connector configured so that a wire can be contacted at the same time it is locked to a terminal, solely by the action of pushing the wire into the terminal. More specifically, it relates to a poke-in connector that facilitates locking and unlocking of a wire. The poke-in connector of the Present Disclosure comprises a terminal where a wire is inserted and locked while making contact, and a housing that covers the terminal and is formed as one piece with a locking release lever that releases the wire from the locked state. The locking release lever comprises a flexible extension part that has elasticity and extends from the housing, and a pressing part that is formed on the terminus of the flexible extension part and enables the removal of the wire by spreading the locking part of the terminal to either side when pressed.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A poke-in connector, the poke-in connector comprising:
a terminal which is configured to have a wire pushed therein and locked into position; and
a housing, the housing covering the terminal and formed as one piece, the housing having a side surface, a top surface, and a locking release lever that releases the wire when it is locked in position in the terminal, the locking release lever includes a flexible extension part and a pressing part, the flexible extension part having elasticity, the flexible extension part includes first and second extension sections and a bending section, the first extension section extending inwardly and horizontally from the top surface of the housing, the bending section extending inwardly from the first extension section to the second extension section, the bending section first bending downwardly from the first extension section and then bending upwardly to the second extension section, the second extension section extending inwardly and horizontally from the bending section, the pressing part extending inwardly from the second extension section and being configured to enable the detachment of the wire by being configured to unlock the terminal when pressed.

2. The poke-in connector of claim 1 , wherein the flexible extension part is formed as a bending structure.

3. The poke-in connector of claim 1 , wherein a terminal exposure hole is formed on the top surface of the housing, the terminal exposure hole exposing the terminal from above, the locking release lever being located above the terminal.

4. The poke-in connector of claim 3 , wherein level stopper parts are provided on a top of either side wall of the terminal exposure hole, the stopper parts taking the form of grooves to limit the degree to which the locking release lever can be pressed.

5. The poke-in connector of claim 1 , wherein a guide part is provided on an upper inside of the housing, the guide part configured to guide the wire inserted into the terminal so that the wire can be inserted sloping downward diagonally.

6. The poke-in connector of claim 5 , wherein the guide part has a guide surface which slopes downward in a direction of insertion of the wire.

7. The poke-in connector of claim 1 , wherein the terminal further includes: a panel-shaped soldering part, the panel-shaped soldering part having first and second opposite ends and being configured to be soldered to a PCB; a pair of covering parts, each covering part being bent upward from either side of the soldering part proximate to the first end thereof in order to surround the wire; a pair of locking parts, each locking part extending from the respective covering part toward the second end of the soldering part, the locking parts defining a gap therebetween which gap narrows in width as the locking parts extend from proximate the first end of the soldering part toward the second end of the soldering part such that the wire is configured to be locked when pushed in between the locking parts; and locking release parts, each locking release part extending from a top end of the respective locking part, wherein when a bottom part of the pressing part is inserted between the locking release parts, the gap between the locking parts is widened so that the wire can be released from the locked state.

8. The poke-in connector of claim 7 , wherein, on the terminus of each locking part is formed an insertion groove, the insertion groove having a rounded shape, the insertion groove increasing the clamping force on the wire and expands the contact area by surrounding each side of the wire that is pushed in.

9. The poke-in connector of claim 8 , wherein the locking parts include: first extension sections, each first extension section extending from the covering part toward the second end of the soldering part, opposite another first extension section; second extension sections, each second extension section extending from the first extension sections toward the second end of the soldering part, parallel to another second extension section; and third extension sections, each third extension section extending from the second extension sections toward the second end of the soldering part, and tilting and extending to face another third extension section, the wire being pushed in between their termini.

10. The poke-in connector of claim 9 , wherein each locking part has a bent section provided between the covering part and the first extension section, and wherein, in order to reinforce the strength of the bent section, a bead is formed protruding toward the inside on the bent section.

11. The poke-in connector of claim 7 , wherein the locking parts include: first extension sections, each first extension section extending from the covering part toward the second end of the soldering part, opposite another first extension section; second extension sections, each second extension section extending from the first extension sections toward the second end of the soldering part, parallel to another second extension section; and third extension sections, each third extension section extending from the second extension sections toward the second end of the soldering part, and tilting and extending to face another third extension section, the wire being pushed in between their termini.

12. The poke-in connector of claim 11 , wherein each locking part has a bent section provided between the covering part and the first extension section, and wherein, in order to reinforce the strength of the bent section, a bead is formed protruding toward the inside on the bent section.

13. The poke-in connector of claim 7 , wherein each locking release part includes a vertical section, a horizontal section, and a tilted section, each vertical section extending vertically upward from the top of the locking part, each horizontal section extending horizontally inward toward one another from the top of the vertical section, each tilted section extending downward from the termini of the horizontal sections and tilting outward as they descend.

14. The poke-in connector of claim 13 , wherein each locking release part has a bent part provided between the horizontal section and the tilted section, and wherein a side of the pressing part of the locking release lever catches on the bent part of the locking release parts to limit the degree of insertion.

15. The poke-in connector of claim 1 , wherein, on either side of the soldering part, wedge-shaped wedge coupling parts extend upward to strengthen the coupling between terminal and housing, and catch lips are formed on an exterior of each covering part, protruding outward, so that an inside of the side surface of the housing will catch on the catch lips.

16. The poke-in connector of claim 1 , wherein, when the wire is fully pushed in, the terminus of the wire and the soldering part are spaced apart from one another, and the soldering part is formed entirely in the shape of a panel.

17. A poke-in connector, the poke-in connector comprising:
a terminal which is configured to have a wire pushed therein and locked into position, the terminal including a panel-shaped soldering part, a pair of covering parts, a pair of locking parts, and locking release parts, the panel-shaped soldering part having first and second opposite ends and being configured to be soldered to a PCB, each covering part being bent upward from either side of the soldering part proximate to the first end thereof in order to surround the wire, each locking part extending from the respective covering part toward the second end of the soldering part, the locking parts

Assignees

• Molex Inc
• Jin Jang-Bum
• Shin Ji-Soo
• Molex Llc

Inventors

• Jin Jang-Bum
• Shin Ji-Soo

Classifications

• H01R13/422 Primary

  Securing in resilient one-piece base or case, {e.g. by friction}; One-piece base or case formed with resilient locking means · CPC title

• H01R4/4836

  Electricity · mapped topic

• H01R12/75

  connecting to cables except for flat or ribbon cables · CPC title

• H01R12/515 Primary

  Terminal blocks providing connections to wires or cables · CPC title

• H01R4/483

  Pivoting arrangements, e.g. lever pushing on the spring · CPC title