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US 6,783,380 B1Granted
Low insertion force connector system
AssigneeYazaki North America, Inc.
InventorsShashidhar M. Kamath, Bryan D. Cole, David Kwang
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AssigneeYazaki North America, Inc.
InventorsShashidhar M. Kamath, Bryan D. Cole, David Kwang
Estimating the term…
An insertion-force reducing connector assembly and method for mating multi-terminal male and female connectors of the type used in automotive wiring harnesses. The female connector is movably retained in a frame-like holder by a self-actuating force reducing link that automatically couples a male connector inserted into the holder to the female connector with an insertion/withdrawal ratio in which the female connector moves away from the male connector in the terminal-mating direction more slowly than the male connector is inserted, thus allowing the connectors to be coupled over a longer than normal terminal-mating distance and reducing the insertion force needed to mate the terminals. The method includes the steps of coupling the female connector to the holder and subsequently mating the male connector to the female connector in the holder.
An electrical connector set for automotive wire harnesses, having a male connector and a female connector, the female connector being movably retained in a female connector holder for limited axial movement in a terminal-mating direction, the male connector being mateable with the female connector in the terminal-mating direction within the female connector holder, the male connector and female connector having mating terminals capable of being fully mated over a first terminal-mating distance in the terminal-mating direction, the female connector being axially enclosed by the female connector holder when in a forward, ready-to-mate position, the female connector being activated by insertion of the male connector into the female connector within the holder in the terminal-mating direction to move away from the male connector in the terminal-mating direction at a withdrawal rate less than an insertion rate of the male connector, such that the terminals of the male and female connectors are fully mated over a second terminal-mating distance greater than the first terminal-mating distance, thereby reducing insertion force.
An electrical connector set for automotive wire harnesses, having a male connector and a female connector, the female connector being movably retained in a female connector holder for limited axial movement in a terminal-mating direction, the male connector being mateable with the female connector in the terminal-mating direction within the female connector holder, the male connector and female connector having mating terminals capable of being fully mated over a first terminal-mating distance in the terminal-mating direction, the female connector being activated by insertion of the male connector into the female connector within the holder in the terminal-mating direction to move away from the male connector in the terminal-mating direction at a withdrawal rate less than an insertion rate of the male connector, such that the terminals of the male and female connectors are fully mated over a second terminal-mating distance greater than the first terminal-mating distance, thereby reducing insertion force, the female connector being movably retained in the female connector holder by a self-actuating force reducing link, the force-reducing link being retained in a recess in an outer surface of the female connector holder, the force reducing link positioned to be engaged by the male connector when the male connector is initially mated with the female connector within the holder.
In a multi-terminal connector set having a male connector and a female connector mateable in an axial terminal-mating direction to electrically mate their respective terminals over a first terminal-mating distance, an insertion-force reducing structure comprising:
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.