Electrical connector
AssigneeAmphenol-Tuchel Electronics GmbH
InventorClaus Dullin
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
The invention refers to an electrical connector, particularly for use between a generator and an electrical control unit, for inflatable restraint systems in motor vehicles, having a sleeve being displacable on the shell of the connector as locking means with regard to the receptacle.
Claims11
An electrical connector for use in connecting a control cable of a control unit to contact pins of a receptacle for an inflatable restraint system of a motor vehicle, comprising;
- a shell which houses contact springs engageable with said contact pins of the receptacle, said contact springs being for establishing an electrical connection between wires of the cable and said contact pins;
- wherein the shell includes an upper shell portion having a longitudinal axis, and a lower shell portion including an opening, the lower shell portion being arranged to be engaged with the receptacle and including a catch means for insertion into the receptacle lock the shell in the receptacle, and wherein the electrical connector further comprises:
- a locking member formed as a sleeve and including preventing means extending from the sleeve, said sleeve being supported by said upper shell portion and displaceable relative to the shell in a direction of said longitudinal axis from a first position in which the locking is supported by the upper shell portion but not engaged with the catch means, and a second position in which the locking member has been moved toward the receptacle and in which said preventing means bas been inserted through the opening in the lower shell portion to prevent disengagement of the catch means from the receptacle and therefore prevent the connector from being accidentally disconnected from the receptacle,
- wherein the catch means comprises at least two catch arms extending from said lower shell portion, the locking member is supported on the upper shell portion in said first position by engagement between a projection and a first recess, and the locking member is held in said second position by engagement between said projection and a second recess, said projection being disposed on one of an inner surface of the sleeve and an outer surface of the upper shell portion, and said first and second recesses being disposed in the other of the inner surface of the sleeve and the outer surface of the upper shell portion.
An electrical connector for use in connecting a control cable to contact pins of a receptacle for an inflatable restraint system of a motor vehicle, said receptacle including a shorting bar initially disposed between the contact pins in a short circuit position electrically connecting the contact pins, comprising;
- a shell which houses contact springs engageable with said contact pins of the receptacle, said contact springs being for establishing an electrical connection between wires of the cable and said contact pins;
- wherein the shell includes an upper portion having an axis, and a catch portion including an opening, the catch portion being arranged to be inserted into the receptacle and including a catch means for engaging the receptacle to lock the shell in the receptacle, and wherein the electrical connector further comprises:
- a locking member formed as a sleeve and including preventing means extending from the sleeve, said sleeve being supported by said upper shell portion but not engaged with the catch means, and a second position in which the locking member has been moved toward the receptacle and in which said preventing means has been inserted through the opening in the lower shell portion to prevent disengagement of the catch means from the receptacle and therefore prevent the connector from being accidentally disconnected from the receptacle,
- wherein said preventing means which prevents disengagement of the catch means include a leg portion which moves said shorting bar from between the contact pins so as to prevent the shorting bar from shorting the contact pins when the sleeve is in said second position.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.