Release tab for an electrical connector and electrical connector comprising said release tab

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9761998-B2
Application number	US-201213984446-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Feb 7, 2012
Priority date	Feb 8, 2011
Publication date	Sep 12, 2017
Grant date	Sep 12, 2017

Abstract

The present invention relates to a release tab ( 37 ) for an electrical connector ( 1 ), comprising a body ( 38 ) and an unlocking nose ( 42 ) for unlatching a latch ( 13 ) securing the electrical connector ( 1 ) connected with a mating connector ( 2 ), as well as to an electrical connector ( 1 ) comprising a housing ( 4 ), a latch ( 13 ) for securing the housing ( 4 ) to a mating connector ( 2 ), the latch ( 13 ) extending from the housing ( 4 ), having an opening ( 19 ), as well as being transferable to an unlatched position, and a release tab ( 37 ) being arranged movable between a released position and an actuated position, and having an unlocking nose ( 42 ) extending into the opening ( 19 ) to transfer the latch ( 13 ) to the unlatched position when moving the release tab ( 37 ) from the released position to the actuated position. For providing an improved release tab and an improved electrical connector of a simple and compact design, allowing the connector to be unplugged in high density applications, the unlocking nose ( 42 ) is arranged at a cantilever ( 41 ) projecting from the body ( 38 ), and the release tab ( 37 ) of the present invention is arranged at the electrical connector.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A connector comprising:
a housing having a first surface and an opposite second surface, at least a portion of the second surface being positioned on a first plane;
a latch for securing the housing to a mating connector, the latch having a fixed end extending from the first surface and a distal end defining an opening through the latch, wherein the distal end moves in a depression direction toward the housing between a latched position and an unlatched position, wherein the first plane is normal to the depression direction;
a slidable member movable relative to the housing between a released position and an actuated position, and having an unlocking nose extending into the opening to transfer the latch to the unlatched position when the slidable member is moved from the released position to the actuated position, wherein the slidable member includes a pulling end having a grip, and wherein the distance between the grip and the first plane is less than the distance between the distal end of the latch and the first plane when the latch is in the latched position;
the slidable member having a mating end that defines a window; and
the unlocking nose extending from a top of the window downward into the opening in the distal end of the latch.

2. The connector of claim 1 , wherein the unlocking nose includes a ramp slanted with respect to the grip, the ramp engaging the latch when the slidable member slides from the released position to the actuated position.

3. The connector of claim 1 , wherein the connector includes a boot having a concave outer contour.

4. The connector of claim 3 , wherein the boot has a cable-receiving end having a rectangular shape and defining a circular-shaped opening for receiving a cable.

5. The connector of claim 4 , wherein the boot includes a plurality of ribs.

6. The connector of claim 3 , wherein the boot is separate from the grip.

7. The connector of claim 1 , further including a cantilevered hood that extends over the distal end of the latch.

8. The connector of claim 1 , wherein the connector is an electrical connector, and wherein the housing at least partially surrounds at least one electrical contact.

9. The connector of claim 1 , wherein the connector includes a stop that limits movement of the slidable member relative to the housing.

10. The connector of claim 9 , wherein the stop is on the slidable member.

11. The connector of claim 1 , wherein the slidable member further comprises a base portion and a retaining end extending from the base portion via a slant portion, the slant portion being elevated against the depression direction, and the unlocking nose extending from the retaining end towards the first plane of the housing.

12. The connector of claim 1 , wherein the distal end of the latch extends through the window when the latch is in the latched position.

13. The connector of claim 1 , wherein the distal end of the latch extends at least to the window when the latch is in the latched position.

14. A connector comprising:
a housing having a first surface and an opposite second surface, at least a portion of the second surface being positioned on a first plane;
a latch for securing the housing to a mating connector, the latch having a fixed end extending from the first surface and a distal end defining an opening through the latch, wherein the distal end moves in a depression direction toward the housing between a latched position and an unlatched position, wherein the first plane is normal to the depression direction;
a slidable member movable relative to the housing between a released position and an actuated position, and having an unlocking nose extending into the opening to transfer the latch to the unlatched position when the slidable member is moved from the released position to the actuated position, wherein the slidable member includes a first end having a grip and a second end having an actuating member engaging the latch, wherein the actuating member includes the unlocking nose that extends toward the first plane from a portion of the actuating member that is spaced from the first plane a distance greater than the distance that the grip is spaced from the first plane;
the second end of the slidable member defining a window; and
the unlocking nose extending from a top of the window downward into the opening in the distal end of the latch.

15. The connector of claim 14 , wherein the actuating member is a cantilever.

16. The connector of claim 14 , wherein the grip is positioned closer to the housing than the distal end of the latch when the latch is in the latched position.

17. The connector of claim 14 , wherein the housing includes a first guiding member and the slidable member includes a second guide member that engages the first guiding member to guide the slidable member as it moves between the released position and the actuated position.

18. The connector of claim 14 , wherein the slidable member further comprises a base portion and a retaining end extending from the base portion via a slant portion, the slant portion being elevated against the depression direction, and the unlocking nose extending from the retaining end towards the first plane of the housing.

19. The connector of claim 14 , wherein the distal end of the latch extends through the window when the latch is in the latched position.

20. The connector of claim 14 , wherein the distal end of the latch extends at least to the window when the latch is in the latched position.

21. A connector comprising:
a housing having a first surface and an opposite second surface, at least a portion of the second surface being positioned on a first plane;
a latch for securing the housing to a mating connector, the latch having a fixed end extending from the first surface and a free end having an opening, wherein the free end moves in a depression direction toward the housing between a latched position and an unlatched position, wherein the first plane is normal to the depression direction;
a slidable member movable relative to the housing between a released position and an actuated position, and having an unlocking nose extending into the opening to transfer the latch to the unlatched position when the slidable member is moved from the released position to the actuated position, wherein the slidable member has a first end having a grip and a second end having cantilever that extends toward the latch, wherein the distance between the grip and the first plane is less than the distance between the free end of the latch and the first plane when the latch is in the latched position, and wherein the nose is arranged at the cantilever and extends downward from a surface of the cantilever;
the cantilever defining a window; and
the unlocking nose extending from a top of the window downward into the opening in the distal end of the latch.

22. The connector of claim 21 , further including a cantilevered hood that extends over the free end of the latch.

23. The connector of claim 22 , further including a boot, wherein the hood extends from the boot.

24. The connector of claim 21 , wherein the housing includes a first guiding member and the slidable member includes a second guide member that engages the first guiding member to guide the slidable member as it moves between the released position and the actuated position.

25. The connector of claim 21 , wherein the slidable member further comprise

Assignees

• De Dios Martin Longinos
• Blazejczak Els
• Pepe Paul John
• Commscope Technologies Llc
• Commscope Connectivity Spain Sl
• CommScope Connectivity Belgium BVBA

Inventors

• De Dios Martin Longinos
• Blazejczak Els
• Pepe Paul John

Classifications

• H01R13/6335 Primary

  comprising a handle · CPC title

• H01R13/627

  Snap or like fastening · CPC title

• H01R13/6272

  comprising a single latching arm · CPC title

• H01R24/64

  for high frequency, e.g. RJ 45 · CPC title