GB2024537A

GB2024537A - Electrical Connectors

Info

Publication number: GB2024537A
Application number: GB7920870A
Authority: GB
Original assignee: Labinal SA; Precision Mecanique Labinal SA
Current assignee: Safran Electrical and Power SAS; Precision Mecanique Labinal SA
Priority date: 1978-06-28
Filing date: 1979-06-15
Publication date: 1980-01-09
Also published as: GB2024537B; DE2924596A1; ES243989Y; IT7968246A0; DE7917511U1; FR2430106A1; ES243989U; ES243990U; FR2430106B1; IT1118768B; ES243990Y

Abstract

An electrical connector housing for receiving electrical female contacts 11 of the type described in G.B. Specification 2010602 is of moulded synthetic plastics material and has conduits 8 with lateral openings which can be concealed by an articulated cover 10. Each conduit 8 has, on that surface intended to cooperate with the base plate 17 of the contact 11, a groove 24 to receive the hook 18 on the resilient holding tongue 15 of the contact 11. One edge 25 of the groove 24 is vertical, while the other edge 26 has an inclined surface 27 to enable the resilient holding tongue 15 to be disengaged from the male contact when the housing is moved in the direction f. The cover has stop members 23 to engage in the conduits 8 and wedge the contacts 11. <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION Housing Member for Electrical Connections The present invention relates to a housing member suitable for receiving female electrical contact elements.

Such housing members are known, which are geneRally formed by a body comprising a series of conduits which are each suitable for receiving a female contact element and which is adapted to be assembled with another member supporting male contact elements capable of co-operating with the female elements.

Generally, the conduits comprise shoulders for holding the contact elements, which themselves are provided with corresponding projections or ledges.

In their British Patent Application No.

46491/78 Serial No. 2010602, the Applicants proposed a novel female electrical contact element formed from an electrically conducting metallic sheet which is suitably cut out and folded so as to provide, at one end, means for connection to an electrical conductor and, at its other end, a seating. The transverse section of said seating being substantially of U-shape, with a base plate and two side walls, and adapted to receive a male contact element of flat section, the female element having a resilient holding tongue with a lug or tab, adapted, in use, to co-operate with a cavity at a point along the length of the male element, one of the side walls of the female element comprising an extension which is bent or folded in such a way as to extend above the base plate, and the resilient holding tongue being formed by an arm of the extension extending from the side of the free end of the seating and folded over inside the latter in the direction of the end comprising the connecting means. The base plate suitably has formed therein an opening in the vicinity of the connection means and the resilient holding tongue ends in a hook which is engaged in the opening.

Such an element is very advantageous, because it ensures a very efficient electrical connection with a corresponding male contact element, but it still cannot be used with the known housing members or units. In practice, the positioning of the contact elements in the housing is effected by means of an elastic deformation of the lugs which, by bearing against the shoulders provided in the conduits, ensure the fixing thereof.

It is understood that as the tab is fast with the resilient tongue which ensures the support of the male element and the electrical connection, any considerable bearing action on the said tab causes a deformation of the tongue which is thus damaged and no longer fulfils its purpose.

The present invention seeks to provide a housing member which is of simple construction and which is suitable for permitting female electrical contact elements of the aforementioned type to be received without any danger of them being damaged at the time of assembly.

The member according to the invention is of the type which is formed by a body made of moulded plastics material and which has a series of aligned conduits with a lateral opening adapted to be concealed by a cover hinged on the body, each conduit being suitable for receiving a contact element of the type formed from an electrically conducting metalic sheet and which is suitably cut and folded so as to provide, at one end, means for connection to an electric conductor and, at its other end, a seating of which the transverse section is substantially of U-shape with a base plate and two side walls, and suitable for receiving a male contact element of flat section which has, at a point along its length, a cavity suitable for co-operating with a tab of a resilient holding tongue of the said fcmale element, one of the side walls comprising an extension which is folded in such a way as to extend above the base plate, the resilient holding tongue being formed by one branch of the extension extending from the side of the free end of the seating and folded towards the interior of the latter in the direction of the end comprising the connection means, the bottom surface having formed therein an opening in the vicinity of the connection means and the resilient holding tongue being terminated by a tab hook or lug engaged in the opening, and wherein each conduit is provided, on its surface intended for co-operating with the base plate of the contact member, with a groove adapted to receive the tab hook or lug while the cover comprises, on its internal surface, stop members which are adapted to be engaged in the conduits for wedging the contact elements, the edge or rim of the groove adjacent the end of the conduit designed for receiving the connection means of the contact element being a sharp or shear surface, while the other rim of the groove is connected to an inclined surface.

Because of this arrangement, a very simple element is obtained which is capable of being moulded in one piece and which permits the female contact elements to be placed in position without any danger of the resilient members of these latter being damaged. In addition, the disconnection of the male element is simplified.

In accordance with one particuiar ccnstructive feature, the grooves are formed on the internal walls adjacent the hinge of the cover on the body.

According to a modified embodiment, the grooves are formed on the internal walls opposite to the hinge of the cover on the body.

So astro be able to construct a housing member capable of containing a large number of connecting element, and which is not too long, preferably the side or rim comprises first conduits which comprise a lateral opening adapted to be concealed by a cover and second conduits which open on to a face of the body which is opposite to that of the said opening and suitable for being concealed by a second cover.

Finally, the body or housing preferably consists of two identical parts with hinges between them along one of their two sides and provided with combined means for the locking thereof with respect to one another.

The invention will now be described in greater detail by reference to particular constructional forms, which are given simply by way of example, and which are shown in the accompanying drawings, wherein: Figure 1 is a perspective view of a housing according to the invention; Figure 2 is a longitudinal and vertical section of the housing shown in Figure 1; Figure 3 is a view of a part of the housing similar to Figure 2, the cover being assumed to be closed; Figure 4 is a front elevation of a modified form of the housing as shown in Figure 1; Figure 5 is a plan view of another constructional form of the housing according to the invention; Figure 6 is a sectional view along the line VI VI of Figure 5; Figure 7 is a front elevation of the housing as shown in Figure 5; and Figure 8 is a perspecive view of a third constructional form of the invention.

Figures 1, 2 and 3 show a first constructional form of the invention. The housing member which is shown in these different figures is more particularly suitable for receiving female contact elements of the type described in Patent Application No. 46491/78 in the name of the Applicants.

The housing member is formed by a body 1, made in one piece with its cover 10 of moulded synthetic plastics material, the said cover being hinged on the body 1 by means of a thinning down of the material at the position corresponding to the hinge.

The body 1 comprises a side wall 4, a top wall 2 and a bottom wall 3, the internal volume being divided by partitions 5 so as to form conduits 8, each conduit being adapted to receive one female contact element 11.

The female contact elements 11 are made from an electrically conducting metallic sheet which is suitably cut and folded so as to provide, at one end lugs 1 2 for gripping the sheath of the electrical conductor and lugs 13 for gripping the said conductor. At its end opposite to the lugs 12 and 13, the said element comprises a seating 14 suitable for receiving a flat-section male contact element. Extending into the seating 14 is a resilient tongue for holding the male element, said tongue being formed by an extension of the side wall of the element 11. This tongue, which bears the reference 15, comprises, at a point along its length, a tab 1 6 turned out from the side of a base plate 17 and is extended by a hook 18 which passes through a hole 1 9 in the said base plate,.

The cover 10 comprises resilient lugs 20 suitable for co-operating with projections 21 of the body 1 so as to ensure the locking of the said cover in the ciosure position.

The cover 10 is provided on its internal surface with abutments 23 which are intended to project into the interior of the conduits 8 so as to ensure the holding of the contact elements 11 once they are placed in position.

The partitions 5 and the wall 3 are each provided with a transverse groove 24, of which one of the lips 25 is sharp, while the other lip 26 is connected to the upper face of the said partition by a sloping surface 27.

As will be seen from the different Figures 1,2 and 3, the contact elements 11 are each engaged in a conduit 8 so that the hook 1 8 is adapted to be seated in the groove 24. The positioning of the elements 11 is very simple, since each conduit has a sloping portion 29 adjoining its insertion end of the partitions 5 and on the bottom wall 3, the deformation imposed on the tongue 1 5 being slight.

When the different elements 11 are placed in position, the cover 10 is shut, this cover being held in the closed position by means of the lugs 20, which are locked resiliently on the projections 21, and the stops or projections 23 come into a position bearing against the elements 11 for holding them in position.

The housing member 1 is normally intended to be engaged in a complementary housing member by its end opposite to that comprising the projections 21, the complementary housing being provided with flat male contact elements which are each adapted to be engaged between a holding tongue 1 5 and the base plate 1 7 of a corresponding female contact element, the said male element being provided with an opening at a point along its length, in which the tab 1 6 is engaged.

It is understood that when the male elements are placed in position, they are no longer able to be improperly pulled out; nevertheless, when it is necessary for them to be disengaged, is is sufficient to pull on the housing member 1 in the direction of the arrow F (Figure 2), so that the female elements 11, being slightly displaced, the free ends of the hooks 1 8 co-operate with the sloping surfaces or ramps 27 so as to space the said tongue 1 5 from the base plate 17, so that the said male elements can be disengaged.

A modified constructional form of the invention is shown in Figure 4, in which the housing member is formed by a body 1 a which comprises two series of conduits 8a and 8b, these latter being disposed back to back.

Each conduit 8a and 8b is arranged in the same manner as the conduits 8 of Figure 1, and each series of conduits 8a is open laterally and its opening is concealed by a cover 1 Oa, identical with the cover 10. The series of conduits 8b is likewise open laterally and its opening is concealed by a cover 1 Ob.

Such a modification makes possible the formation of a relatively large number of conduits capable of containing a large number of electrical connections.

Figures 5, 6 and 7 show a modified constructional form, in which the housing member is formed by a body 30 of moulded synthetic plastics material, comprising three conduits 31 which are each suitable for receiving a female contact element 11, identical to that already described in respect of the earlier constructional forms. The body 30 has a bottom 32 in which are formed grooves 33, of which one of the edges is a shear edge 34, while the other is connected to the said bottom by an inclined surface 35.

As will be seen from the different figures illustrating this constructional form, the body is symmetrical relatively to a plane passing through the bottom 32 and thus there are provided three other conduits 31 a identical with the conduits 31 and each suitable for receiving a contact element 11.

At a point along their length, the conduits 31 a comprise a groove 33a with a shear edge 34a and a slope 35a.

The conduits 31 are partly open and the opening is intended to be concealed by a cover 37 pivoted on the body 30 and comprising lugs 39 intended for co-operating with the projections 40 for ensuring the locking thereof.

Provided on the inside face of the cover 37 are stops or projections 42 which, when the cover is in the closure position, come into a position bearing against the elements 11 so as to ensure that they are held in the seatings 31.

The seatings 31a are also partly open and a cover 37a is provided which is hinged on the body and is intended for concealing the said opening, the said cover 37a comprising projections 42a and resilient lugs 39a, these latter having to cooperate with projections of the body 30.

In this last constructional form, the contact elements 11 fitted into the conduits 31 are placed side by side and those positioned in the conduits 31 a are fatso placed side by side, but in an opposite position as compared with that occupied by those in the conduits 31.

As in the earlier different constructional forms, the hooks 18, by co-operating with the ramps 35 or 35a, are designed for facilitating the withdrawal of the male contact elements.

Illustrated in Figure 8 is a further modified constructional form of the invention, which is more particularly intended for use with automatic machines for the positioning of the elements 11 in the housing members.

The housing member shown in Figures 5, 6 and 7 has the disadvantage that it is not possible simultaneously to fit the conduits 31 and 31 a. Actually, it is necessary first of all to fit out the conduits 31, close the cover 37, turn the housing body around, place the elements 11 in the conduits 31 a and close the cover 37a. The constructional form shown in Figure 8 is designed for obviating these last procedures, which would complicate the development of an automatic machine enormously.

In the embodiment shown in Figure 8, the housing member comprises two identical bodies 50 and 51, which are hinged relatively to one another along a strip of reduced section 52.

The body 50 is designed for receiving three elements 11 and has three conduits 54, of which the bottoms comprise grooves 55 for receiving the hooks or tabs 1 8 of the elements 11, these grooves being identical with the grooves 33, The body 50 is provided with a cover 56 with stops or projections 57 for locking the elements 11 in the conduits 54 when the said cover is closed, this latter being provided with resilient lugs 58 suitable for co-operating with projections 59 on the body, such elements forming the locking means for the cover.

The body 51 is identical with the body 50 and will not be described in detail. So as to designate the corresponding members of the body 51, the same reference symbols as those used in respect of the body 50 are employed, but followed by the letter a.

The body 50 comprises a supplementary projection 61 on one side wall 62, while the body 51 is provided on its side wall 63 with a resilient lug 60 designed to co-operate with the projection 61 for permitting the bodies 50 and 51 to be assembled back-to-back, after they have been fitted with the elements 11.

For positioning the elements 11, the bodies 50 and 51 are disposed side by side, with the covers 56 and 56a open, and then the covers are closed and finally the bodies are caused to pivot along the strip 52, the said bodies being locked by the engagement of the projection 61 in the seating of the lug 60.

It is obvious that the invention is not limited to the constructional forms which have just been described and which have been illustrated, it being possible for numerous modifications as regards details to be introduced without thereby departing from the scope of the invention.

Claims

1. I Housing members for electrical connections, comprising a body made of moulded synthetic plastics material and having a series of aligned conduits with a lateral opening adapted to be concealed by a cover articulated on the body, each conduit being suitable for receiving a contact element of the type made from an electrically conducting metallic sheet which is suitably cut and folded so as to provide connection means with an electrical conductor at one end and a seating of which the transverse section is substantially of U-shape with a base plate and two side walls at the other end, and suitable for receiving a male contact element of flat section having, at a point along its length a cavity suitable for co-operating with a tab of a resilient holding tongue of the said female element, one of the side walls comprising an extension which is folded in such a way as to extend above the base plate, the resilient holding tongue being formed by one arm of the extension extending from the free end of the seating and folded towards the interior of this latter in the direction of the end comprising the connection means, the base plate having formed therein an opening in the vicinity of the connection means and the resilient holding tongue being terminated by a hook or lug engaged in the opening, and wherein each conduit is provided, on its surface intended for cooperating with the base plate of the conact element, with a groove suitable for receiving the hook or lug, while the cover comprises, on its internal face, stop members suitable for engaging in the conduits for wedging the contact elements, that edge of the groove adjacent the end of the conduit intended for receiving the connection means of the contact element being sharp, while the other edge of rim of the groove is connected to an inclined surface or ramp.

2. Housing member for electrical connections according to claim 1, wherein the grooves are formed on the internal walls adjacent to the hinge or articulation point of the cover on the body.

3. Housing member for electrical connections according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the grooves are formed on the internal walls opposite to the articulation of the cover on the body.

4. Housing member for electrical connections according to claim 1,2 or 3, wherein the body comprises first conduits which have a lateral opening designed to be concealed by a cover and second conduit means which are open on an opposite face of the body to that of the said opening and adapted to be concealed by a second cover.

5. Housing member for electrical connections according to any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein the body is in two identical parts articulated to one another along one of their rims and provided with combined means for locking them to one another.

6. A housing member for electrical connections according to claim 1 substantially as described herein.

7. A housing member for electrical connection substantially as shown in Figures 1 to 3, Figure 4, Figures 5 to 7 or Figure 8 of the accompanying drawings and described herein with reference thereto.

8. A housing member according to any one of the preceding claims when fitted with a plurality of electrical contact members.