Wire mount electrical connector

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9948026-B2
Application number	US-201314364473-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Feb 5, 2013
Priority date	Feb 7, 2012
Publication date	Apr 17, 2018
Grant date	Apr 17, 2018

Abstract

An electrical connector includes an insulative connector housing including a longitudinal body portion and first and second pairs of opposing end portions. The body portion has a plurality of contact openings extending therein in an insertion direction for supporting a plurality of electrical contact terminals. The first and second pairs of opposing end portions extend from opposing ends of the body portion in the insertion direction. At least one end portion in each pair of opposing end portions includes a ridge extending in the insertion direction for guiding a cover latch along a side surface of the ridge and guiding a strain relief latch along an opposing side surface of the ridge. The ridge has an inclined top surface for resiliently deflecting a cover latch and an inclined side surface for resiliently deflecting a strain relief latch. The ridge has an end portion for latching onto a cover latch and a strain relief latch.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. An electrical connector comprising:
an insulative connector housing including a longitudinal body portion having a plurality of contact openings extending therein in an insertion direction for supporting a plurality of electrical contact terminals, first and second pairs of opposing end portions extending from opposing ends of the body portion in the insertion direction, at least one end portion in each pair of opposing end portions comprising a ridge extending in the insertion direction for guiding a cover latch along a side surface of the ridge and guiding a strain relief latch along an opposing side surface of the ridge, the ridge having an inclined top surface for resiliently deflecting a cover latch and an inclined side surface for resiliently deflecting a strain relief latch, the ridge having an end portion for latching onto a cover latch and a strain relief latch.

2. The electrical connector of claim 1 , wherein each contact opening includes a contact pin receiving portion extending through the body portion and configured to receive an electrical contact pin of a mating connector, and a contact retention portion adjacent to the contact pin receiving portion and configured to retain an electrical contact terminal.

3. The electrical connector of claim 2 , wherein the contact retention portion includes a shelf portion configured to retain an electrical contact terminal.

4. The electrical connector of claim 1 , wherein the end portions extend beyond a top surface of the body portion.

5. The electrical connector of claim 1 , wherein the end portions each include a flange extending laterally therefrom at an end thereof.

6. The electrical connector of claim 5 , wherein the flanges include conductor insertion guide surfaces configured to accommodate engagement of an electrical conductor.

7. The electrical connector of claim 1 , wherein the pairs of end portions include opposing conductor support surfaces configured to support an electrical conductor.

8. The electrical connector of claim 1 , wherein the inclined top surface is configured to accommodate positioning of a cover in an open position.

9. The electrical connector of claim 1 , wherein the end portion is configured to accommodate retention of a cover in a closed position.

10. The electrical connector of claim 1 , wherein the end portion is configured to accommodate retention of a strain relief.

11. The electrical connector of claim 1 , wherein at least one end portion in each pair of opposing end portions includes a catch portion for resiliently deflecting and latching onto a cover latch.

12. The electrical connector of claim 11 , wherein the catch portion is configured to accommodate retention of a cover in an open position.

13. The electrical connector of claim 1 , wherein the body portion further includes a plurality of conductor grooves extending in a transverse direction perpendicular to the insertion direction in a top surface thereof and configured to accommodate electrical conductors.

14. The electrical connector of claim 1 , wherein the body portion further includes a polarization element disposed on a side thereof and configured to engage with a polarization opening of a mating connector, the polarization element including a taller ridge extending in the insertion direction and configured to be disposed within the polarization opening.

15. The electrical connector of claim 14 , wherein the polarization element further includes a shorter ridge extending in the insertion direction and configured to frictionally engage a surface of the mating connector.

16. The electrical connector of claim 1 further comprising a plurality of electrical contact terminals supported in the contact openings.

17. The electrical connector of claim 1 , wherein the body portion has a length that is less than about 35 mm and includes at least 50 contact openings.

18. The electrical connector of claim 1 , wherein the body portion has a height that is less than about 3 mm.

19. A cover for an electrical connector, comprising:
a longitudinal body portion extending along a first direction and first and second cover latches extending from opposing longitudinal ends thereof in a second direction different than the first direction, each cover latch including:
at least one ridge disposed on a side surface thereof and extending in the second direction for guiding the cover latch along a ridge of a connector housing; and
at least one first catch portion disposed on the side surface at an end distant from the body portion for being deflected by and engaging the ridge of the connector housing to secure the cover with respect to the connector housing.

20. The cover of claim 19 , wherein the ridge of the connector housing includes an inclined top surface for resiliently deflecting the cover latch, and wherein when the first catch portion engages the inclined top surface, the cover is positioned in an open position.

21. The cover of claim 19 , wherein the ridge of the connector housing includes an end portion for latching onto the cover latch, and wherein when the first catch portion engages the end portion, the cover is retained in a closed position.

22. The cover of claim 19 , wherein the ridge includes a second catch portion disposed on a top surface thereof at an end distant from the body portion for being deflected by and engaging a catch portion of the connector housing to secure the cover latch with respect to the connector housing.

23. The cover of claim 22 , wherein when the second catch portion engages the catch portion of the connector housing, the cover is retained in an open position.

24. The cover of claim 19 , wherein each cover latch further includes a base portion attached to the body portion and a pair of opposing latch arms extending from the base portion in the second direction.

25. The cover of claim 19 , wherein the cover latches include opposing conductor support surfaces configured to support an electrical conductor.

26. The cover of claim 19 , wherein the body portion further includes a plurality of conductor grooves extending in a transverse direction perpendicular to the second direction in a bottom surface thereof and configured to accommodate electrical conductors.

27. The cover of claim 19 , wherein the body portion further includes a plurality of contact openings extending therein in the second direction and configured to receive portions of electrical contact terminals.

28. The electrical connector of claim 1 further comprising a cover including a longitudinal body portion and first and second cover latches extending from opposing longitudinal ends thereof in the insertion direction.

29. The electrical connector of claim 28 , wherein each cover latch includes at least one first catch portion distant from the body portion, and wherein when the first catch portion engages the inclined top surface of the ridge of the connector housing, the cover is positioned in an open position.

30. The electrical connector of claim 28 , wherein each cover latch includes at least one first catch portion distant from the body portion, and wherein when the first catch portion engages the end portion of the ridge of the connector housing, the cover is retained in a closed position.

31. The electrical connector of claim 28 further comprising at least

Assignees

• 3M Innovative Properties Co

Inventors

• Mathews Alexander R
• Neu Steven A
• Feldman Steven

Classifications

• H01R12/675 Primary

  with contacts having at least a slotted plate for penetration of cable insulation, e.g. insulation displacement contacts for round conductor flat cables · CPC title

• H01R13/5804 Primary

  comprising a separate cable clamping part (H01R13/5841 takes precedence) · CPC title

• H01R12/774

  Retainers · CPC title

• H01R13/6275

  Latching arms not integral with the housing (H01R13/6276, H01R13/6277, H01R13/6278 take precedence) · CPC title

• H01R12/772

  Strain relieving means · CPC title