Inline connector housing assemblies with removable TPA

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9935389-B1
Application number	US-201715440310-A
Country	US
Kind code	B1
Filing date	Feb 23, 2017
Priority date	Feb 23, 2017
Publication date	Apr 3, 2018
Grant date	Apr 3, 2018

Abstract

An inline connector housing assembly having a terminal positioning assurance configured to be released from the inline connector housing assembly so as to allow for the replacement of either a male or female electric connector is provided. The inline connector housing assembly includes a male housing, a female housing and at least one terminal positioning assurance. The male housing has a first elongated body with a first through-bore. A first finger lock is disposed within the first elongated body, and a locking plate is disposed within the first elongated body opposite the first finger lock. The locking plate includes a receiving aperture defining a first lip. The female housing includes a second elongated body with a second through-bore configured to receive the male housing. The terminal positioning assurance is removably engaged within the male housing and configured to engage the first finger lock.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. An inline connector housing assembly comprising:
a male housing for housing a male electric connector;
a female housing for housing a female electric connector, the female housing configured to receive the male housing so as to connect the male electric connector with the female electric connector, wherein the male housing includes a first through-bore extending along an axis of the male housing and a first a first finger lock disposed within the first through-bore, the first finger lock being a resilient member; and
a male terminal positioning assurance removably engaged within the first through-bore of the male housing so as to allow for the replacement of the male electric connector, the male terminal positioning assurance having a first ramp shape surface configured to urge the first finger lock into an engaged position.

2. The inline connector housing assembly of claim 1 , wherein the male terminal positioning assurance includes a locking mechanism configured to engage the male housing in a first locking condition and a second locking condition, wherein the first locking condition secures the male terminal positioning assurance to the male housing and wherein the male terminal positioning assurance is disengaged from the first finger lock and wherein the second locking condition the first ramp shape surface engages the first finger lock.

3. The inline connector housing assembly of claim 2 , wherein the locking mechanism is a locking plate having a first engagement feature offset from a second engagement feature, the male housing includes a receiving aperture and a first lip, the first lip engaged by the first engagement feature and the second engagement feature so as to place the male terminal positioning assurance in the first locking condition and the first engagement feature and the second engagement feature are both disposed in the receiving aperture so as to place the male terminal positioning assurance in the second locking condition.

4. The inline connector housing assembly of claim 1 , further including a female terminal positioning assurance removably coupled to the female housing, the female terminal positioning assurance having a second body bounding a passage, the passage configured to receive a second finger lock and a retainer, the second finger lock and the retainer being resilient members disposed on the female housing.

5. The inline connector housing assembly of claim 4 , wherein the female terminal positioning assurance further includes a ramp shape surface and a second tab.

6. The inline connector housing assembly of claim 5 , wherein the retainer is an elongated member with a pair of notches, the second tab configured to engage a respective one of the pair of notches so as to position the female terminal positioning assurance into a preload condition and a locked condition.

7. An inline connector housing assembly comprising:
a male housing, the male housing having a first elongated body with a first through-bore extending through the first elongated body, a first finger lock is disposed within the first elongated body, a locking plate is disposed within the first elongated body opposite the first finger lock, the locking plate having a receiving aperture defining a first lip;
a female housing for housing the male housing, the female housing having a second elongated body with a second through-bore configured to receive the male housing;
a male terminal positioning assurance removably engaged within the first through-bore of the male housing and configured to engage the first finger lock.

8. The inline connector housing assembly as set form in claim 7 , wherein the first finger lock is a resilient member, the male terminal positioning assurance having a ramp shape surface configured to urge the first finger lock into an engaged position.

9. The inline connector housing assembly of claim 8 , wherein the male terminal positioning assurance includes a locking mechanism configured to engage the male housing in a first locking condition and a second locking condition, wherein the first locking condition secures the male terminal positioning assurance to the male housing and wherein the male terminal positioning assurance is disengaged from the first finger lock and wherein in the second locking condition, the ramp shape surface engages the first finger lock.

10. The inline connector housing assembly of claim 9 , wherein the locking mechanism is a support plate having a first engagement feature offset from a second engagement feature, the first lip engaged by the first engagement feature and the second engagement feature so as to place the male terminal positioning assurance in the first locking condition and the first engagement feature and the second engagement feature are disposed in the receiving aperture of the locking plate so as to place the male terminal positioning assurance in the second locking condition.

11. The inline connector housing assembly of claim 10 , wherein the first engagement feature and the second engagement feature are generally block members having an angled wall opposite a planar back wall, the planar back walls configured to engage the first lip so as to prevent the male terminal positioning assurance from backing out of the male housing.

12. The inline connector housing assembly of claim 7 , further including a female terminal assurance, the female terminal positioning assurance removably coupled within the female housing.

13. The inline connector housing assembly of claim 12 , wherein the female terminal positioning assurance includes a second body bounding a passage, the passage configured to receive a second finger lock and a retainer, the second finger lock and the retainer being resilient members disposed on the female housing.

14. The inline connector housing assembly of claim 13 , wherein the female terminal positioning assurance further includes a ramp shaped surface and a tab.

15. The inline connector housing assembly of claim 14 , wherein the retainer is an elongated member with a pair of notches, the tab configured to engage a respective one of the pair of notches so as to position the female terminal positioning assurance into a preload condition and a locked condition.

16. The inline connector housing assembly of claim 7 , wherein the male terminal positioning assurance includes a plurality of walls spaced apart from each other, the ramp shape surface disposed on each of the plurality of walls.

Assignees

• Sumitomo Wiring Systems

Inventors

• Irish Danielle

Classifications

• H01R13/4223 Primary

  comprising integral flexible contact retaining fingers · CPC title

• H01R13/4365

  comprising a temporary and a final locking position · CPC title