Electrical connector for a vehicle
AssigneeDeere & Company
InventorsDarin E. Bartholomew, Christopher L. Bradshaw
Life of this patent
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Abstract
An electrical connector comprises a dielectric body having a socket. A plurality of pivotable arms are hinged to the dielectric body. A releasable locking mechanism holds the pivotable arms in a locked position that releases with an outward pulling force exceeding a threshold force. The releasable locking mechanism comprises two or more latch members that are biased by corresponding springs against the corresponding pivotable arms. Each pivotable arm has a protrusion that divides a first region from a second region of the pivotable arm.
Claims22
An electrical connector comprising:
- a dielectric body having a socket;
- a plurality of pivotabie arms hinged to the dielectric body to pivot about a pivot point or axis;
- a releasable locking mechanism to hold the pivotable arms in a locked position of a closed state that releases with an outward pulling force exceeding a threshold force;
- wherein the releasable locking mechanism comprises two or more latch members that are biased by corresponding springs against the corresponding pivotable arms, each pivotable arm having a curved sloped protrusion that extends above a surface of each pivotable arm with a slope and height of the curved sloped protrusion establishing the threshold force of a transition between the Closed state and an open state and that where the curved sloped protrusion divides a first region from a second region of the pivotable arm;
- and
- each of the pivotabie arms comprising a bore at the axis, each bore associated with a raised annular protrusion or spacer about the bore to prevent axial movement of the pivotabie arms.
An electrical connector comprising:
- a dielectric body having a socket;
- a plurality of pivotable arms hinged to the dielectric body to pivot about a pivot point or axis;
- a releasable locking mechanism to hold the pivotable arms in a locked position of a closed state that release with an outward pulling force exceeding a threshold force;
- wherein the releasable locking mechanism comprises two or more latch members that are biased by corresponding springs against the corresponding pivotable arms, each pivotable arm having a curved sloped protrusion that extends above a surface of each pivotable arm with a slope and height of the curved sloped protrusion establishing the threshold force of a transition between the closed state and an open state, the curved sloped protrusion dividing a first region from a second region of the pivotable arm;
- and
- each of the pivotable arms comprising a bore at the axis, each bore having, or associated with, a raised annular protrusion or spacer about the bore to prevent axial movement of the pivotable arms.
An electrical connector for connecting to a connector plug, the electrical connector comprising:
- a dielectric body having a socket;
- a plurality of pivotable arms hinged to the dielectric body to pivot about a pivot point or axis;
- a releasable locking mechanism hinged about the pivot point on the dielectric body to hold a connector plug in an inserted position of a closed state and that releases when the connector plug is pulled from the socket with a force exceeding a threshold force;
- wherein the releasable locking mechanism comprises two or more latch members that are biased by corresponding springs against corresponding pivotable arms, each pivotable arm having a curved sloped protrusion that extends above a surface of each pivotable arm with a slope and height of the curved sloped protrusion establishing the threshold force of a transition between the closed state and an open state, the curved sloped protrusion dividing a first region from a second region of the pivotable arm;
- and
- each of the pivotable arms comprising a bore at the axis, each bore having, or associated with, a raised annular protrusion or spacer about the bore to prevent axial movement of the pivotable arms.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.