WO1998044594A1

WO1998044594A1 - Connector housing with a cover

Info

Publication number: WO1998044594A1
Application number: PCT/IB1998/000410
Authority: WO
Inventors: Markus Gimbel
Original assignee: The Whitaker Corporation
Priority date: 1997-03-27
Filing date: 1998-03-20
Publication date: 1998-10-08
Also published as: AU6306098A; DE19713151A1

Abstract

An electrical connector comprising: a connector housing for accommodating a plurality of electrical contacts that has a mating face and a cable connection side; a cover is attached by movement adjacent to the cable connection side; the connector housing has a latch for retaining the cover on the connector housing; the connector housing has guides for the cover; the cover has complementary latching structure and complementary guiding structure, characterized in that the guides and complementary guiding structure interact so that the cover carries out, relative to the connector housing, a sliding movement transverse to the plug-in direction and a rotary movement into a latched position.

Description

CONNECTOR HOUSING WITH A COVER

The invention relates to a connector housing with a cover and particularly to attaching the cover to the housing.

An electrical connector housing may be provided with a cover for various reasons. The cover protects the connector housing against unintentional access and, especially in automotive applications, against fouling of the interconnections therein. The cover can also reinforce the structure of the connector housing.

IT 12 47 282-A discloses a connector housing having a cover on a cable connection side of the connector housing. The cover interacts with a secondary contact securing arrangement in such a way that contacts within the connector housing are secured twice when the cover is latched into place. The cover is guided into place along two rails through motion perpendicular to the mating direction and is secured to the housing by a latch on a side wall that is situated between the rails. The insertion of the cover onto the rail presupposes a freely accessible space next to the connector housing in the extension direction of the rails. With multi-pole connector housings this required space can be fairly substantial and it is also necessary to ensure that individual cables do not get tangled with the cover during the sliding movement of the cover.

The object of the invention is to specify a connector housing with a cover in which the cover can be mounted and demounted in a simple manner even when the space conditions are restricted and the connector housing is in a location that affords poor visibility.

This object is achieved by means of a connector housing with a cover, having the following features: a connector housing for accommodating a plurality of electrical contacts that has a mating face and a cable connection side; a cover is attached by movement adjacent to the cable connection side; the connector housing has a latch for retaining the cover on the connector housing; the connector housing has guides for the cover; the cover has complementary latching structure and complementary guiding structure; characterized in that the guides and complementary guiding structure interact so that the cover carries out, relative to the connector housing, a sliding movement transverse to the plug-in direction and a rotary movement into a latched position.

It is advantageous that the latching device takes up as little space as possible. This is achieved by having the latch arranged on an end of the connector housing and the complementary latching structure on a corresponding end of the cover.

It is also advantageous that the guidance device takes up as little space as possible. This is achieved by the complementary guiding structure on the cover, here designed as semicircular discs on inner and outer surfaces at a free corner of the cover side walls, and on the connector housing, the guides are designed as a chamber which is partially open on two sides, in a corner of the plug connector housing for receiving the discs.

An exemplary embodiment is explained with reference to the figures, in which:

Figure 1 shows a partially exploded front perspective view of a multi-pole connector housing with a cover;

Figure 2 shows a further partially exploded rear perspective view of the arrangement of Figure 1;

Figure 3 shows a front perspective view of the partially closed cover on the connector housing; and Figure 4 shows a front perspective view of the completely closed cover on the connector housing.

Figure 1 shows a perspective illustration of an electrical connector housing 1 having a plurality of contact chambers 2. The electrical connector housing 1 has a cable connection side 3. The contact chambers 2 extend through the electrical connector housing from the cable connection side 3 up to a mating face 4. A mating and withdrawal aid or camming slide 5 is included as part of the connector housing 1 along two long sides 6. A cover 7 is arranged at the cable connection side 3 of the connector housing 1. The cover 7 is essentially a shell which is closed on four sides, an end side 8, two side walls 9 and a top part 10. The cover 7 is constructed to fit over the contact chambers 2 on the cable connection side 3 of the connector housing 1. The cover 7 has an open cable inlet 11. In the assembled state, the individual conductors or wires will enter the contact chambers 2 through this cable inlet 11. The plug connector housing 1 has latches 13 for latching the cover 7 at a first end wall 12 which adjoins the cable connection side 3. The first end wall 12 having the latches 13 is situated on that side of the connector housing 1 which will be opposite to the end where the cable inlet 11 is positioned. This spatial separation of the latches 13 and the cable inlet 11 prevents strain on the cable 11 from adversely affecting the function of the latches 13. The connector housing 1 has guides 14 for guiding the cover 7 disposed on two further side walls 6 which each adjoin the first end side wall 12.

In order to guide and fasten the cover 7 to latches 13, the cover 7 has complementary latching structure 15 for latching the cover 7 and housing 1 together. Additionally, the cover 7 has complementary guiding structure 16 for cooperating with the guides 14 for fitting the cover 7 to the housing 1. The complementary guiding structure 16 is arranged, on the covering cap 7, on the side walls 9 in a free corner adjacent to the cable inlet 11.

Figure 2 shows the connector of Figure 1 from the other end. The cover 7 and the camming slide 5 are shown properly oriented with respect to the connector housing 1 for assembly therewith. Figure 2 reveals complementary guides 16 are formed as two semicircular discs in a free corner of the side walls 9 of the cover 7. The guides 14 on the housing 1 are two rectangular hollow bodies having an insertion opening 17, an insertion funnel 18 and a guiding slot 19. Situated on the guides 14, opposite to the insertion opening 17, is a further opening 20, used for ease of manufacturing.

When the cover 7 is assembled with the plug connector housing 1, the side walls 7,9 are inserted into the insertion opening 17 of the guides 14 transversly to the mating direction. In the process, the side walls 7,9 are received by the insertion funnel 18 and the insertion slot 19. The complementary guiding structure 16 or the two semicircular discs are arranged on both sides of the side walls 7,9, slide between the side walls 21 of the guides 14. For this purpose, the side walls 21 are configured as two rail parts. The effect achieved by the cooperating guides 14 and the complementary guides 16 is that the cover 7 can execute both a sliding movement and a rotary movement when engaged. This freedom of movement is advantageous for the handling of the cover 7 during assembly with the plug connector housing 1 when arranged in a location which is difficult to access and see, for example in an automobile. Figure 3 and Figure 4 illustrate the electrical plug connector housing 1 in the latched position after arcuate movement along path A. The camming slide 5 is in a pre- latched position in Figure 3, and in the end position in Figure 4. Figure 4 and, to a better extent, Figure 3 reveal the engaged latching device 13,15 at the end 8 of the cover 7 and the end wall 12 of the connector housing 1. The latches 13 on the connector housing 1 are designed as two latching hooks 22 with latching cams 23. The latching hooks 22 are arranged in a V-shape. The complementary latch structure 15 on the end 8 of the cover 7 are likewise of V-shaped design. The two arms of the V form resilient latching fingers 24, which engage behind the latching cams 23 of the housing 1 during the latching operation.

The assembly of the plug connector housing 1 proceeds as follows: after the contacts which are connected to the conductors have been inserted into the connector housing 1, the complementary guides of cover 7 are inserted with sliding movement into the opening 17 of guides 14 and slide transversly into place. Then, with complementary guides 16 in the end position, the cover 7 is latched into place by a rotary movement. The interaction of latches 13 with complementary latching structure 15 assures the cover 7 and connector housing 1 are secured together against unintentional access and the entire structure is provided with greater robustness. As a final step, the plug-in and withdrawal aid 5 will be utilized in order to connect and secure the connector housing 1 to a mating connector (not illustrated) .

Claims

1. An electrical connector comprising: a connector housing for accommodating a plurality of electrical contacts that has a mating face and a cable connection side; a cover is attached by movement adjacent to the cable connection side; the connector housing has a latch for retaining the cover on the connector housing; the connector housing has guides for the cover; the cover has complementary latching structure and complementary guiding structure; characterized in that the guides and complementary guiding structure interact so that the cover carries out, relative to the connector housing, a sliding movement transverse to the plug-in direction and a rotary movement into a latched position.

2. The electrical connector according to claim 1, characterized in that the complementary guides are semicircular discs on the inner and outer surfaces of a free corner of opposing side walls (9) of the cover (7) .

3. The electrical connector according to claim 2, characterized in that the guides on the connector housing (1) are partially open chambers having an insertion opening (17) for receiving the semicircular discs, an insertion funnel (18) and an insertion slot (19) which receives the side walls (9) of the cover (7) .

4. The electrical connector according to one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that the latch is arranged on an end wall (12) of the connector housing (1) that is opposite to the guides.

5. The electrical connector according to one of claims 1 to 4, characterized in that the complementary latching structure is arranged on an end side (8) of the cover (7) that is opposite to the complementary guiding structure.

6. The electrical connector according to one of claims 1 to 5, characterized in that the latches and complementary latching structure (13, 15) have a V-shape.

7. The electrical connector according to one of Claims 1 to 6, characterized in that the latches (15) has resilient latching cams (23) at ends of the V-shape structure.