# US 5,346,412 A · Break away key and latch assembly

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- Number: US 5,346,412 A
- Document ID: US5346412A
- Status: Granted
- Kind: A
- Application number: 08/098,486
- Filed: 1993-07-27
- Granted: 1994-09-13
- Earliest claimed: 1993-07-27
- Assignees: The Whitaker Corporation
- Inventors: James L. Fedder; John R. Shuey
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US5346412A

## CPC

- H01R 13/6272: {comprising a single latching arm}
- H01R 13/645: by exchangeable elements on case or base
- H01R 13/6275: {Latching arms not integral with the housing (H01R13/6276, H01R13/6277, H01R13/6278 take precedence)}
- H01R: ELECTRICALLY-CONDUCTIVE CONNECTIONS; STRUCTURAL ASSOCIATIONS OF A PLURALITY OF MUTUALLY-INSULATED ELECTRICAL CONNECTING ELEMENTS; COUPLING DEVICES; CURRENT COLLECTORS

## Abstract

An electrical connector comprises, an insulative housing block (2), electrical contacts (4) held by the housing block (2), spring fingers (11) on each of the contacts (4) for gripping onto a conductive pin, cavities (6) in an insulating housing (5) for receiving the fingers (11), mouths (19) opening into the cavities (6) for receiving conductive pins to be gripped by the spring fingers (11), and a break way key and latch assembly (30) for connecting together the housing block (2) and the housing (5) .

## Claims

### Claim 1

An electrical connector comprising: an insulating housing block, electrical contacts in the housing block, an insulating housing, a break away key and latch assembly comprising, an in line latch and key joined together, the latch being constructed to connect to the housing, the key being constructed to be removed from the latch, the latch being constructed to connect to the housing without the key being joined to the latch, a hook on the latch removably connected to the housing block, and a keyway in the housing through which the latch passes to engage and connect with the housing block.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

An electrical connector as recited in claim 1, and further comprising: a knob projecting from the latch and constructed for registration on an exterior of the housing.

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

An electrical connector as recited in claim 1, and further comprising: a window through the housing aligned with hook on the latch.

### Claim 4 (depends on 1)

An electrical connector as recited in claim 1, and further comprising: a passage in the housing, the passage being aligned with the keyway receiving the latch.

### Claim 5 (depends on 4)

An electrical connector as recited in claim 4, and further comprising: a window through the housing communicating with the passage, the window being aligned with the hook.

### Claim 6

An electrical connector comprising: an insulating housing block, electrical contacts in the housing block, a break away key and latch assembly comprising, an in line latch and key joined together, a hook on the latch removably connected to the housing block and a keyway in the housing through which the latch passes to engage and connect with the housing block, multiple, additional keys in parallel with one another and joined to multiple, additional latches, a knob bridging across the additional latches, multiple, additional housing blocks to which the additional latches are connected, and multiple, additional housings having additional keyways through which the additional latches pass to engage and connect with the additional housing blocks.

### Claim 7 (depends on 6)

An electrical connector as recited in claim 6, and further comprising: said knob projecting from the additional latches and being constructed for registration on an exterior of the additional housings.

### Claim 8 (depends on 7)

An electrical connector as recited in claim 7, and further comprising: the additional keys being removably joined with the additional latches.

### Claim 9 (depends on 8)

An electrical connector as recited in claim 8, and further comprising: windows through the additional housings aligned with hooks on the additional latches.

### Claim 10 (depends on 8)

An electrical connector as recited in claim 8, and further comprising: passages in the additional housings, the passages being aligned with the additional keyways receiving the additional latches.

### Claim 11 (depends on 10)

An electrical connector as recited in claim 10, and further comprising: additional windows through the additional housings communicating with the additional passages, the additional windows being aligned with the hooks on the additional latches.