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US 2019/0199034 A1Published application
Method of operating a connector latch for a housing
AssigneeJ.S.T. Corporation
InventorVikas AZAD
Life of this patent
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Abstract
Method of operating a connector latch used to securely hold together a connector apparatus, wherein the connector apparatus has at least a first housing and a second housing which can be mated together. Initially, after the connector latch is manufactured, the connector latch is in an undeflected position. After manufacture, the connector latch is subjected to a pre-mating deflection process, in order to deflect the connector latch into a preloaded position. After the pre-mating deflection process has been completed, the connector latch is locked in the preloaded position. The preloaded connector latch provides a number of desirable characteristics, including at least an extra loud “click” sound when the connecting latch is operated to mate the first housing with the second housing.
Claims20
1:
- A method of operating a connector latch for a housing, comprising:
- moving a button of a connector latch from a first position on a first housing to a second position on said first housing, wherein
- said first housing has at least a first surface and an upper surface,
- said button has at least a first surface and an upper surface,
- a first latch beam is disposed between said button and said first housing,
- said first surface of said button does not engage with said first surface of said first housing when said connector latch is in said first position,
- said first surface of said button engages with said first surface of said first housing when said connector latch is in said second position, and
- said upper surface of said button is below said upper surface of said first housing when said connector latch is in said second position.
5 more elements
2:
- The method of claim 1, wherein
- when said moving of said button is performed, at least a first section of said first latch beam changes from being not curved to being curved.
3:
- The method of claim 1, wherein
- said first housing has at least a second surface,
- said button has at least a second surface,
- said second surface of said button does not engage with said second surface of said first housing when said connector latch is in said first position, and
- said second surface of said button engages with said second surface of said first housing when said connector latch is in said second position.
2 more elements
4:
- The method of claim 1, wherein said first housing has a first frame, and said first surface of said first housing is on said first frame, and said first housing has a second frame, and said second surface of said first housing is on said second frame.
5:
- The method of claim 1, wherein a second latch beam is disposed between said button and said first housing, and a latch surface is on said first and second latch beams.
6:
- The method of claim 5, wherein said button, said first latch beam, said second latch beam, and said latch surface form at least one aperture.
7:
- The method of claim 1, wherein at least a first section of said first latch beam is spaced apart from at least a first section of said second latch beam.
8:
- The method of claim 1, further comprising:
- moving said first housing into an aperture of a second housing, wherein said connector latch emits an audible sound when said first housing is moved into the aperture of said second housing.
9:
- The method of claim 1, further comprising:
- mating said first housing with a second housing, wherein said connector latch emits an audible sound when said mating is performed.
10:
- The method of claim 9, wherein said second housing forms a protrusion, and said connector latch emits the audible sound when said protrusion disengages from said latch surface during said mating.
11:
- The method of claim 1, further comprising:
- receiving a first housing into an aperture of a second housing, wherein said second housing forms a protrusion, wherein said protrusion engages with said latch surface and disengages with said latch surface during said receiving, and said connector latch emits an audible sound when said protrusion disengages from said latch surface during said receiving.
12:
- A method of operating a connector latch, comprising:
- coupling a first housing with a second housing,
- wherein said first housing includes a first surface and an upper surface, a button having at least a first surface and an upper surface, at least one latch beam in communication with said button, and a latch surface disposed on said at least one latch beam,
- wherein said second housing forms an aperture and a protrusion,
- wherein said first surface of said button engages with said first surface of said first housing when said button is in a preloaded position,
- wherein said upper surface of said button is below said upper surface of said first housing when said button is in said preloaded position, and
- wherein said protrusion engages with said latch surface and disengages from said latch surface when said coupling is performed.
4 more elements
13:
- The method of claim 12, wherein said first surface of said button does not engage with said first surface of said first housing when said button is in an undeflected position.
14:
- The method of claim 12, wherein said first housing has a first frame, and said first surface of said first housing is on said first frame.
15:
- The method of claim 12, wherein said button, said at least one latch beam, and said latch surface form an aperture.
16:
- The method of claim 12, further comprising emitting an audible sound when said coupling is performed.
17:
- The method of claim 16, wherein said emitting is performed when said protrusion disengages from said latch surface.
18:
- A method of operating a connector latch, comprising:
- pushing a button on a first housing from an undeflected position to a preloaded position, and emitting a first audible sound;
- inserting a connector position assurance unit into a first aperture of said first housing to place said connector position assurance unit in a pre-lock position, and emitting a second audible sound;
- moving said first housing into a second aperture of a second housing, and emitting a third audible sound;
- and
- pressing said connector position assurance unit further into said first aperture of said first housing to place said connector position assurance unit in a full-lock position, and emitting a fourth audible sound,
- wherein
- said first housing has a first surface, an upper surface, a first latch beam, and a latch surface, said second housing has a protrusion, said button has a first surface and an upper surface, said connector position assurance unit has a first tooth and an upper region,
- said first surface of said button engages with said first surface of said first housing when said first audible sound is emitted,
- said first tooth of said connector position assurance unit engages with said latch surface when said second audible sound is emitted,
- said protrusion of said second housing engages with said latch surface when said third audible sound is emitted,
- said upper region of said connector position assurance unit engages with said latch surface when said fourth audible sound is emitted, and
- said upper surface of said button is below said upper surface of said first housing when said button is in said preloaded position.
10 more elements
19:
- The method of claim 18, wherein a first section of said first latch beam is not curved when said first latch beam is in said undeflected position, and said first section of said first latch beam is curved when said first latch beam is in said preloaded position.
20:
- The method of claim 18, further comprising a second latch beam on said first housing, wherein said latch surface is disposed on said first latch beam and said second latch beam, said latch surface has an upper section extending from an outer side of said first latch beam to an outer side of said second latch beam, and said latch surface has an lower section extending from an inner side of said first latch beam to an inner side of said second latch beam.