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US 7,114,983 B2Granted
Connector
AssigneeSumitomo Wiring Systems, Ltd.
InventorsYukihiro Fukatsu, Kiyofumi Ichida, Yukihiro Toyoda, Yasushi Okayasu
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A female housing (20) has a resiliently deformable lock arm (38), whereas a male housing (10) is provided with an interlocking portion (13). During the connection of the two housings (10, 20), the lock arm (38) is temporarily deformed while being held in sliding contact with the interlocking portion (13). When the two housings (10, 20) are properly connected, the lock arm (38) is restored resiliently to engage the interlocking portion (13). A front surface (14) of the interlocking portion (13) to face the lock arm (38) during a connecting process is arcuate. Thus, only a widthwise middle (14a) of the interlocking portion (13) slides in contact with the lock arm (38) during a connecting operation.
Claims17
A connector, comprising:
- first and second housings connectable with each other along a connecting direction;
- an interlocking portion provided on the first housing;
- a resiliently deformed lock arm provided on the second housing, the lock arm being configured to be deformed in a deformation direction by sliding contact with the interlocking portion during connection of the housing, the deforming direction and the connecting direction being angularly aligned to one another and defining a plane, the lock arm being restored resiliently to engage the interlocking portion when the housings are connected properly;
- and
- a substantially linear partial sliding contact area provided on at least one of the lock arm and the interlocking portion for substantially sliding line contact with a mating facing surface on the other of the lock arm and the interlocking portion during connection, the substantially linear partial sliding contact area being in the plane defined by the connecting direction and the deformation direction whereby frictional resistance between facing surfaces of the lock arm and the interlocking portion during the connecting process is reduced.
2 more elements
A connector;
- a first housing and a second housing configured so that the first housing is fittable into the second housing along a connecting direction, the second housing having two substantially opposed guide grooves with surfaces aligned substantially along the connecting direction, the first housing having guide ribs with surfaces aligned substantially along the connecting direction, at least one loose movement preventing portion on surfaces of at least one of the guide grooves and the guide ribs at a rear end of a connection area of the housings, the loose movement preventing portion being dimensioned for contacting an opposed surface when the housings are connected for preventing the housings from making loose movements in directions intersecting the connecting direction of the housings;
- an interlocking portion provided on the first housing;
- a resiliently deformable lock arm provided on the second housing, the lock arm being configured to be deformed by sliding contact with the interlocking portion during connection of the housings, the lock arm being restored resiliently to engage the interlocking portion when the housings are connected properly;
- and
- a partial sliding contact surface provided on at least one of the lock arm and the interlocking portion for sliding contact with a mating facing surface on the other of the lock arm and the interlocking portion during connection.
2 more elements
A connector, comprising:
- a first component having an engageable portion formed thereon;
- a second component interengageable with the first component along a connecting direction, the second component having resiliently deformable lock configured for contact with the engageable portion of the first component as the first and second components are being interengaged, such that the resiliently deformable lock is deformed in a deforming direction by the contact with the engageable portion as the first and second components are being interengaged and resiliently returns to lock the first component when the first and second components are interengaged properly, the connecting direction and the deforming direction being aligned to intersect one another for defining a plane, wherein at least one of the engageable portion and the lock has a substantially linear partial sliding contact area disposed substantially in the plane defined by the connecting direction and the deforming direction and configured to achieve a substantially sliding line contact with the other of the engageable portion and the lock for generating the deflection of the lock as the first and second components are being interengaged whereby friction resistance between facing surfaces of the lock arm and the interlocking portion during the connecting process is reduced.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.