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US 5,842,884 AGranted
Male connector
AssigneeSumitomo Wiring Systems, Ltd.
InventorsAkihito Maegawa, Nobuyoshi Tanaka, Yukinori Saka, Kiyofumi Ichida
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AssigneeSumitomo Wiring Systems, Ltd.
InventorsAkihito Maegawa, Nobuyoshi Tanaka, Yukinori Saka, Kiyofumi Ichida
Estimating the term…
An electrical connector has a retainer attached from the front side of a terminal fitting insertion chamber. A straightening projection, formed on the upper face of a stopping plate, that effects double-stopping, makes contact with a male terminal from a side opposite to the direction of bending thereof, and bends the male terminal member to thereby straighten it. Easy connection with another connector is thus assured.
A male connector comprising a housing having a first chamber extending through the housing and a second chamber adjacent said first chamber and communicating therewith via an opening, said second chamber having a support surface opposite said opening, a terminal insertable into said first chamber from one end thereof and in use protruding from the other end thereof, and an alignment member engageable with the housing adjacent the other end of the chamber, said alignment member including an aperture for receiving the terminal therethrough and a projection receivable into said second chamber, said projection having an inclined surface adjacent the aperture, said inclined surface extending through said opening and into said first chamber to engage one side of said terminal protruding from said first chamber and urge the other side of the terminal against a side wall of the first chamber as said projection is moved into said second chamber so that the terminal is straightened and held in a substantially straight position between the inclined face of the projection supported by said support face and said side wall of the first chamber.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.
Drawings are temporarily unavailable. Open the PDF at USPTO
No related US applications are recorded in the indexed filing history.
Securing a plurality of contact members by one locking piece or operation: insertion of locking piece from the front
Electrically-conductive connections
Term ended 16 May 2016 (estimated)
USPTO file history isn’t available for this patent, so only indexed dates are shown.
The present invention relates to a male connector containing a male electrical terminal.
A conventional male electrical connector is shown in the schematic representation of FIG. 5 hereof. Such a connector comprises a tubular housing 1 having a terminal fitting insertion chamber 4 that allows the insertion of a male terminal 3 having a male terminal member 2 whose leading end is plate-shaped. The insertion of the terminal 3 is effected from the rear opening of the housing 1. A taper 4a is formed on the front opening of the terminal fitting insertion chamber 4 for guiding the insertion of the male terminal member 2. Moreover, at the front end of the housing 1, a hood 5 is formed that surrounds the male terminal member 2. A resilient lance 6 is formed on the lower face of the terminal fitting insertion chamber 4 and serves to support and retain the male terminal 3.
When the male terminal 3 is inserted from the rear opening of the terminal fitting insertion chamber 4, its front end projects into the hood 5. As shown in FIG. 6, during manufacture the male terminal 3 has a tendency to bend up (as illustrated), and during insertion it makes contact with the periphery of the front opening but gets guided to the center by means of the tapered face 4a.
One feature of the invention will be apparent from the following description of the preferred embodiment illustrated by way of example only in the accompanying drawings, in which:
FIG. 1 is an exploded diagonal view of a male connector relating to an embodiment of the present invention;
FIG. 2 is a longitudinal cross-section through the male connector before assembly;
FIGS. 1 and 2 show a waterproof male connector 10 comprising a housing 20 having terminal fitting insertion chambers 21 into which are inserted male terminal fittings 40 from the rear, and a retainer 30 that is attached onto the front of the housing 20 and doubly stops male terminal fittings 40 which have been engaged in the terminal fitting insertion chambers 21.
At the rear of the male terminal fittings 40 are provided rubber seals 50 and electrical wires 60 connected by crimping. The male terminal fittings 40 have flat plate-shaped male terminal members 41. Located towards the middle of each chamber 21 is the usual resilient resin lance 22 extending in an axial direction. A projection formed on the upper front end of the resin lance 22 engages the rear end of a box-shaped stopping member 42 formed at the root of the male terminal member 41. This serves to prevent removal and is conventional.
Flat plate-shaped openings 23 are formed at the front ends of the chambers 21 through which the male terminal members 41 can pass. An opening 24 is also formed adjacent the front end of the resin lance 22. A connection 23a passes from the lower face (as viewed) of the peripheral portion of the opening 23 to the opening 24 (Fig.4). A hood 25 is formed so as to surround the front end of the housing 20.