Connector latch with integrated auxiliary contacts
AssigneeITT Manufacturing Enterprises, Inc.
InventorsJay Brian Betker, Rene Augusto Mosquera
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A first connector of the type that has a pair of forwardly-projecting latch arms for locking into a cavity of a second connector, where the latch arms of the first connector have outer sides with slots that hold first auxiliary contacts, and the second connector has slots at opposite sides of its cavity for holding corresponding second auxiliary contacts. Each slot is aligned with a bore in the connector frame, with the bore being of rectangular configuration. Each auxiliary contact includes a plate portion lying in the bore in interference fit with the opposite sides of the bore, a strip portion that extends forward of the plate portion, and a 90.degree. bend that connects one side of the plate portion to an edge of the strip portion.
Claims12
A connector that has a dielectric frame with a main frame portion having laterally spaced sides, vertically spaced top and bottom, and longitudinally-spaced front and rear ends, said frame having a pair of latch arms that project forwardly from said main frame portion and that have laterally-spaced forward ends that can be resiliently deflected closer together, and a locking mechanism that can be manually operated to prevent the arms from deflecting closer together to thereby lock the arm forward ends to a mating connector device, with said latch arms each having an inner side closest to the other latch arm and an outer side furthest from the other latch arm, wherein:
- said connector has a pair of auxiliary contact-holding passages that each include a bore projecting longitudinally through said frame main portion and including:
- a pair of auxiliary contacts each having a mating end lying at the outer side of one of said latch arms and a rear portion lying at least partially in one of said bores.
A connector system comprising:
- a first connector that has a dielectric frame with a main frame portion having laterally spaced sides and longitudinally-spaced front and rear ends, said frame having latch arms projecting forwardly from said main part, with said latch arms being laterally spaced and resiliently deflectable inwardly toward each other;
- with said latch arms having front ends with lug portions that each projects outwardly away from the other latch arm, said first connector also having a manually-operable mechanism that prevents said latch arm front ends from moving together;
- a second connector which has a second frame with a rearwardly-opening cavity for receiving said latch arms, with said cavity having rear and front cavity portions with said front cavity portion having a rear end forming a pair of shoulders for abutting said lugs, said cavity having laterally-spaced cavity side walls that form said shoulders;
- said latch arms have laterally outer sides with at least one of them having a first groove therein, and at least one of said cavity side walls has a second groove that faces said first groove in said latch arm;
- a first auxiliary contact mounted in said first connector frame and having a mating end lying at least partially in said first groove, and a second auxiliary contact mounted in said second frame and having a mating end lying at least partially in said second groove.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.