Connector position assurance with identification feature

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9748693-B1
Application number	US-201615040716-A
Country	US
Kind code	B1
Filing date	Feb 10, 2016
Priority date	Feb 10, 2016
Publication date	Aug 29, 2017
Grant date	Aug 29, 2017

Abstract

A connector assembly comprises a first housing, a second housing, a machine readable identifier coupled to the second housing, and a position assurance lock disposed proximate to the second housing. The position assurance lock is configured to secure the first housing to the second housing and place the machine readable identifier in a first state or a second state, depending on whether the first housing is secured to the second housing.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A connector assembly comprising:
a first housing;
a second housing;
a machine readable identifier coupled to the second housing; and
a position assurance lock disposed proximate to the second housing, the position assurance lock having an engaged position and a disengaged position, the position assurance lock configured to:
secure the first housing to the second housing when the position assurance lock is in the engaged position; and
place the machine readable identifier in a first state comprising an inaccessible state or a second state comprising an accessible state, depending on whether the first housing is secured to the second housing.

2. The connector assembly of claim 1 , wherein the position assurance lock is configured to place the machine readable identifier in the first state or the second state responsive to the position assurance lock moving between the disengaged position and the engaged position.

3. The connector assembly of claim 2 , wherein the position assurance lock is configured to place the machine readable identifier in the first state or the second state in response to a lever component, wherein the lever component is configured to interact with a raised portion of the first housing to actuate the position assurance lock between the disengaged position and the engaged position, and wherein the lever component is coupled to at least one of the first housing or the second housing.

4. The connector assembly of claim 1 , wherein the second housing further comprises a plurality of pivoting protrusions extending from the second housing, and wherein the lever component is coupled, via the plurality of pivoting protrusions, to the second housing, the lever component defining a plurality of protrusion receiving cavities configured to be operable about the plurality of pivoting protrusions.

5. The connector assembly of claim 4 , wherein the lever component is configured to mate the first housing and the second housing in response to a pivoting motion about the plurality of pivoting protrusions.

6. The connector assembly of claim 1 , further comprising a latch coupled to the second housing, the latch configured to at least one of retain the lever component in the second position or release the lever component to return to the first position, the lever component operable between the first position and the second position.

7. The connector assembly of claim 1 , wherein the machine readable identifier comprises at least one of a barcode or tag.

8. The connector assembly of claim 1 , wherein the first housing comprises a first inner housing comprising at least one of one or more circuits, one or more terminals, sockets, or electrical components.

9. The connector assembly of claim 8 , wherein the second housing comprises a second inner housing comprising at least one of one or more fuses or one or more shunts.

10. The connector assembly of claim 9 , wherein the first housing is structured to define a receiving cavity configured to facilitate the mating of the second inner housing with the first inner housing.

11. A method of conveying a secure connection status corresponding to a connector assembly, the method comprising:
connecting, by a lever component moving from a first position to a second position, a first housing to a second housing;
securing, by a position assurance lock configured to move from a disengaged position to an engaged position, the first housing to the second housing;
switching the machine readable identifier from an inaccessible state to an accessible state responsive to the position assurance lock moving from the disengaged position to the engaged position; and
conveying a secure connection status corresponding to the first housing and the second housing in response to an electronic contact applied to the machine readable identifier.

12. The method of claim 11 , wherein the electronic contact applied to the machine readable identifier is applied via at least one of an identifier device, an operator, sensor, or telematics.

13. The method of claim 11 , wherein in the accessible state corresponding to the machine readable identifier the secure connection status corresponding to the first housing and the second housing is configured to be secure.

14. The method of claim 11 , wherein the secure connection status is determined to be secure in response to an electronic contact applied to the machine readable identifier.

15. The method of claim 11 , wherein in the inaccessible state corresponding to the machine readable identifier, the secure connection status corresponding to the first housing and the second housing is conveyed to be unsecure.

16. The method of claim 11 , wherein the electronic contact comprises at least one of an optical scan or an electronic read.

17. The method of claim 11 , wherein the machine readable identifier comprises at least one of a barcode or tag.

18. The method of claim 11 , wherein the lever component is coupled to at least one of the first housing or the second housing.

19. A connector assembly comprising:
a first housing comprising a first inner housing, the first housing configured to surround at least a portion of a second housing comprising a second inner housing, wherein the first housing is structured to define a receiving cavity configured to facilitate the mating of the second inner housing with the first inner housing;
a lever component coupled to the second housing, the lever component configured to:
move in a pivoting motion; and
move from a first position to a second position in response to the pivoting motion;

a machine readable identifier coupled to the second housing; and
a position assurance lock coupled to the second housing, the position assurance lock configured to:
secure the first housing to the second housing in response to the lever component moving from the first position to the second position; and
move the machine readable identifier between an inaccessible state and an accessible state in response to the securing of the first housing to the second housing.

20. The connector assembly of claim 19 , wherein in the accessible state corresponding to the machine readable identifier the first housing and the second housing is configured to be secure.

Assignees

• Yazaki North America Inc

Inventors

• Exenberger Richard Joseph
• Wagner Brian L

Classifications

• H01R13/62977 Primary

  Pivoting levers actuating linearly camming means · CPC title

• H01R13/465

  Identification means, e.g. labels, tags, markings (H01R9/2475, H01R9/2683 take precedence) · CPC title

• G06K19/06009

  with optically detectable marking (G06K19/063, G06K19/08 take precedence) · CPC title

• H01R13/62955

  Pivoting lever comprising supplementary/additional locking means · CPC title

• H01R13/639

  Additional means for holding or locking coupling parts together, after engagement, {e.g. separate keylock, retainer strap} · CPC title