ELECTRICAL CONNECTOR WITH TERMINAL CENTERING SYSTEM

Abstract

An electrical connector configured to be mated with a corresponding counter connector to establish an electrical connection is presented. The connector includes a connector housing having at least one terminal cavity for receiving at least one female contact terminal. The cavity defines a first cavity portion and a second cavity portion. A step is arranged between the first and the second cavity portion. A female contact terminal likewise comprises a step arranged between first and second terminal portions such that, in a mounted condition, the respective steps of terminal cavity and female contact terminal engage each other.

Claims

1. An electrical connector, configured to be mated with a corresponding counter connector to establish an electrical connection, said electrical connector comprising: a connector housing having a terminal cavity for receiving a female contact terminal, wherein the terminal cavity defines a first cavity portion and a second cavity portion both extending coaxially and in a mating direction, and wherein a first step is arranged between the first and the second cavity portion; and a female contact terminal having a first terminal portion configured to fit within the first cavity portion and a second terminal portion, wherein a second step is arranged between the first and second terminal portions such that the respective steps of terminal cavity and the female contact terminal engage each other in a mounted condition.

2. The electrical connector according to claim 1, wherein the first and second cavity portions are essentially cylindrical having a circular cross section.

3. The electrical connector according to claim 1, wherein the first and second terminal portions are essentially cylindrical.

4. The electrical connector according to claim 1, wherein the first terminal portion is arranged in the first cavity portion and the first and second steps prevent a movement of the female contact terminal in the mating direction.

5. The electrical connector according to claim 1, wherein inner walls of the terminal cavity comprise a protruding rib extending parallel to the mating direction.

6. The electrical connector according to claim 5, wherein the inner walls of the terminal cavity comprise at least two protruding ribs extending parallel to the mating direction and the at least two protruding ribs have the same distance to their respective neighboring ribs along a circumference of an inner surface of the first cavity portion.

7. The electrical connector according to claim 5, wherein the inner walls of the terminal cavity comprise at least protruding three ribs extending parallel to the mating direction.

8. The electrical connector according to claim 5, wherein the protruding rib is integrally formed with the inner walls of the terminal cavity.

9. The electrical connector according to claim 5, wherein the protruding rib extends for at least 50% of a length of the first terminal portion in the mating direction.

10. The electrical connector according to claim 5, wherein the protruding rib is formed such that the protruding rib clamps the first terminal portion in the first cavity portion in the mounted condition.

11. The electrical connector according claim 1, wherein a length of the first cavity portion in the mating direction is less than 100% of a length of the second cavity portion in the mating direction.

12. The electrical connector according claim 1, wherein a length of the first terminal portion in the mating direction is less than 100% of a length of the second terminal portion in the mating direction.

13. The electrical connector according claim 1, wherein the second terminal portion comprises two spring arms extending in the mating direction, wherein proximal ends of the two spring arms merge with the second step of the female contact terminal.

14. The electrical connector according claim 13, wherein the two spring arms comprise a tulip shape at a distal end.

15. The electrical connector according claim 1, wherein the female contact terminal is designed to mate with a male pin having a diameter of 0.2 to 3 mm.

16. The electrical connector according claim 1, wherein the electrical connector is a, supplemental restraint system connector.

17. The electrical connector according claim 1, wherein the first and second terminal cavity portions are cylindrical with a circular cross section and a diameter of the first cavity portion is larger than a diameter of the second cavity portion and wherein the first step is provided at a position where the two cylindrical portions merge with each other.

18. The electrical connector according claim 1, wherein the first terminal portion is cylindrical with a circular cross section, and the second terminal portion comprises two spring arms extending in the mating direction for engagement with a corresponding male terminal and wherein the second step is provided at a position where the first and second terminal portions merge with each other.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWING

[0026] The present invention will now be described, by way of example with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:

[0027] FIG. 1 illustrates an exemplary prior art SRS connector in a sectional view comprising all parts mounted in a “ready-to-be-mated” state according to one embodiment of the invention;

[0028] FIG. 2 illustrates a detail of the housing in a sectional view, showing the invented cavity in an un-mounted condition according to one embodiment of the invention;

[0029] FIG. 3 illustrates the corresponding female contact terminal in a side view according to one embodiment of the invention;

[0030] FIG. 4 illustrates the detail of the housing as already shown in FIG. 2 with a female contact terminal, as shown in FIG. 3, mounted inside the cavity according to one embodiment of the invention; and

[0031] FIG. 5 illustrates a top view of the female bottom housing in mounted and un-mounted conditions according to one embodiment of the invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0032] In the following the present invention will now be described in more detail hereinafter with reference to the accompanying figures, in which non-limiting examples of the invention are illustrated. However, the present invention may be embodied in different forms and should not be construed as limited to the embodiments set forth herein. Rather, these examples are provided so that this disclosure will be thorough and will convey the scope of the invention to persons skilled in the art.

[0033] FIG. 1 illustrates a plug connector 100 that represents a typical SRS connector design with a top housing 110 and a bottom housing 120 that are mounted upon each other to form the connector housing 130. Both top housing 110 and the bottom housing 120, are usually composed of an electrically insulative material, such as plastic. The connector housing 130 protects the electrical conducting components inside the connector housing 130 from environmental influences such as moisture or physical damage and allows a mechanical and electrical connection to a corresponding counter connector, i.e. a socket.

[0034] The bottom housing 120 comprises bottom housing latches 122 at the mounting end 160. When the plug connector 100 is mated with a counter connector 150 at the mounting end 160, the provided bottom housing latches 122 flexible engage corresponding latches or grooves of the counter connector 150, thereby locking the two connectors with each other. A connector position assurance (CPA) member 140, respectively a secondary locking device, is located on the upper side of the connector housing 130.

[0035] The CPA member 140 comprises two CPA arms 142 that are interconnected by an integral web 144. After full mating of the plug connector 100 with the counter connector 150, the CPA member 140 can be pushed downwardly in FIG. 1, so that the CPA arms 142 slide downwards along the mating direction 600. This has the effect that the CPA arms 142 block a further movement of the bottom housing latches 122 and hence lock them. This prevents from any unwanted decoupling of the bottom housing latches 122 and the and hence a decoupling of the plug connector 100 from the counter connector 150.

[0036] The bottom housing 120 also comprises cavities 124. Those cavities 124 often comprise a cylindrical shape with a circular cross section as shown, and are divided along mating direction 600 into a top or first cavity portion 126 and a bottom or second cavity portion 128, as seen towards the mounting end 160. Two female terminals 132 are fitted into the cavities 124, which are composed from an electrically conducting material. The female terminals 132 are designed to engage with a male counterpart (e.g. a pin 152) of the counter connector 150 and thus establish an electrical connection. The female terminals 132 can also be distinguished, similarly to the cavities, into a top or first terminal portion 134, which fits in the first cavity portion 126 and a bottom or second terminal portion 136 which fits in the second cavity portion 128. Notably, the quality of fixation of the female terminal 132 is dependent on the “guiding length”, which is the length where the outer surface of the first terminal portion 134 is in contact with the inner surface of the first cavity portion 126. The second terminal portion 136 comprises spring arms 138 for grabbing a corresponding male pin 152, which enters the second cavity portion 128 during the mating process, at the mounting end 160, against the mating direction 600, and for guiding it inside the cavity. The second terminal portion 136 is not in contact with the inner walls of the second cavity portion 128. A mechanical fixation of the female terminals 132 is thus only effected by the respective first terminal portions 134 inside the first cavity portion 126.

[0037] In FIG. 1, the cavities 124 have a cylindrical shape with the same circular cross-section along the lengths of the cavities. The position of the female terminals 132 along mating direction 600 may thus vary since no other means for safeguarding the terminal's position are provided when the female terminals 132 are brought inside the cavities 124 during the assembly of the plug connector 100. Also no additional stabilization in mating direction 600 is granted when pulling forces occur in mating direction 600, for example during unmating of the plug connector 100 from the counter connector 150.

[0038] As depicted in FIG. 1, the “guiding length” of the first terminal portion 134 exhibits around the same length as the spring arms 138 of the second terminal portion 136. A sufficient “guiding length” is needed to ensure a proper stabilization of the female terminals 132 inside the cavities 124 in this prior art design. Therefore, the overall size of the plug connector 100 is relatively large.

[0039] FIG. 2 depicts in a preferred embodiment of the invention a sectional view of a bottom housing 200 in un-mounted condition. The bottom housing 200 can be identical to the bottom housing 120 of FIG. 1 except for the shape of the cavities. Thus, also the bottom housing 200 may comprise locking arms and it can be mounted with the same top housing 110 as shown in FIG. 1. Naturally, the connector housing 130 may also be a single piece or it can be composed of more than two parts. The cavity 210 inside the housing is designed in a way to house a fitting female terminal 300 (as it is shown in FIG. 3). The cavity 210 can be designed in a cylindrical manner, in particular with a circular cross section. As can be seen in FIG. 2, the cavity 210 divides into two portions: a first cavity portion 212 and a second cavity portion 214 which are adjacent to each other. A cavity step 218 is provided between the first 212 and second cavity portions 214 at the position where the two portions merge with each other. At the mounting end 220 an opening is provided, where the male terminal counterpart (e.g. a pin 232) of a corresponding counter connector 230 can enter the cavity 210. For the purpose of pre-alignment of the pins 232, corresponding means 240 are located at the mounting end 220 to pre-determine the angles under which a male pin 232 is able to enter the second cavity portion 214. The design of the terminal allows grabbing and aligning a corresponding male pin 232 of a counter connector 230.

[0040] At the inner walls of the first cavity portion 212, protruding ribs 216 are provided. Those ribs are integrally formed with the inner walls of the cavity 210 and extend coaxially from the top of the first cavity portion 212 to the cavity step 218, provided at the bottom of the first cavity portion 212, where the first cavity portion 212 merges with the second cavity portion 214. Thus, the ribs extend for about 100% of the length of the first cavity portion 212 in mating direction 600. In FIG. 2, the diameter D1 of the first cavity portion 212 is larger than the diameter D2 of the second cavity portion 214 and the cavity step 218 is provided where the two cylindrical portions merge with each other. The cavity step 218 serves as a stop member for the female terminal 132 as one can take from e.g. FIG. 4.

[0041] Accordingly, the protruding ribs 216 do not extend into the second cavity portion 214 since they would possibly interfere with any parts of a corresponding female terminal 300 that is housed in the cavity 210. A circular cross section may be of advantage for a facilitated production (molding) process. Since the bottom housing 200 is usually produced in a one-piece design using the same material, comparable material parameters (e.g. rigidity, resistivity) apply for all locations along the inner surface of the cavity, allowing a facilitated estimation of the behavior of the connector.

[0042] FIG. 3 depicts the corresponding female terminal 300, designed to fit in the cavity 210. It comprises a first terminal portion 310 and a second terminal portion 320. Both terminal portions are aligned along the mating direction 600 and a terminal step 330 is provided or formed at the position where the two portions merge with each other. The first terminal portion 310 has a cylindrical cross section and a length along mating direction 600 that is small compared to the length of the second terminal portion 320. The second terminal portion 136 comprises two spring arms 322 extending in mating direction 600 for engagement with a corresponding male terminal. Additionally, locations 312 are marked, where the protruding ribs 216 engage the female terminal 300 in mounted condition (see FIG. 4). Hence, the lengths of the protruding ribs 216 and the first cavity portion 212 correspond to the “guiding length”, that is the length of the first terminal portion 310 which is in contact with the inner walls of the first cavity portion 212. The two spring arms 322 narrow from the terminal step 330 towards their distal ends, i.e. towards the mounting end 220. Further, each of the two spring arms 322 is flexibly attached to the terminal step 330, so that it is able to bend outwards up to a certain degree in a reversible manner. At the distal end, the two spring arms 322 comprise a tulip-shaped mating end 324, which allow to grab and align entering pins 152 even under bad conditions, e.g. in a very inclined way. Opposite to the tulip-shaped mating end 324, there is an electrical collector 340 attached on the top of the first terminal portion 310. The electrical collector 340 serves for electrical connection of the female terminal 132 with a signal wire.

[0043] FIG. 4 depicts a sectional view of the bottom housing 200 comprising the cavity 210 in mounted condition. The female terminal 300 is located inside the cavity 210, such that the cavity step 218 and terminal step 330 of the cavity 210 and the female terminal 300 engage each other. Protruding ribs 216 are depicted which extend from the cavity step 218 parallel to the mating direction 600 to the top side of the first cavity portion 212. The ribs are designed in a way that they do not come into contact with the edge of the terminal step 330 during the assembly of the female terminal 300 within the cavity 210. Since the female terminal 300 is inserted from the top side (as seen from the orientation shown in FIG. 4), the edge of the terminal step 330 could possibly damage the protruding ribs 216 when brought downwards in mating direction 600. Accordingly, the protruding ribs 216 have to be dimensioned and located in a way that they are not damaged during assembly.

[0044] The first terminal portion 310 is located in the first cavity portion 212 and comprises a cylindrical shape with a circular cross section. The respective dimensions of first terminal portion 310 and first cavity portion 126 are chosen such that the first terminal portion 310 is snugly held in the first cavity portion 212. The length of the first terminal portion 310 corresponds to a “guiding length” that is smaller, compared the length of the second terminal portion 320. The reduction of guiding length is possible due to the increased stability, caused by the engagement of the steps of the female terminal 300 and cavity 210 and the additional clamping of the female terminal 300 by the protruding ribs 216. The two spring arms 322 of the second terminal portion 320 are housed in the second cavity portion 214, which comprises a smaller diameter D2 than the first cavity portion 126.

[0045] On top of the first terminal portion 310, an electrical collector 340 is attached for tapping the electric current from the female terminal 300, and for transferring it by means of a wire or cable further through and out of the connector. As can be seen in FIG. 4, the electrical collector 340 is mechanically stabilized by guiding means, which are integrally formed on the upper side of the bottom housing 200. This leads to additional mechanical stabilization of the female terminal 300 preventing the terminal from any unwanted movements during cable pull or during the mating/unmating of the connector.

[0046] FIG. 5 depicts a top view of the bottom housing 200. One can see the two cavities 210, whereby on the left-hand side no terminal is yet mounted and on the right-hand side a female terminal 300 is mounted. The two cavities 210 are cylindrical and reveal a circular cross section. In the un-mounted condition, the first cavity portion 212 is depicted with a total of four protruding ribs 216, integrally formed with the inner walls of the first cavity portion 212. All protruding ribs 216 are equally distributed along the circumference of the inner wall of the first cavity portion 212. In mounted condition the protruding ribs 216 additionally clamp and thus fix the female terminal 300 inside the cavity 210, as indicated on the right-hand side. Due to the equal distribution, the ribs at the same time provide an accurate centering of the terminal inside the cavity. As can be seen in this top view, also the first terminal portion 310 comprises circular cross section.

[0047] While this invention has been described in terms of the preferred embodiments thereof, it is not intended to be so limited, but rather only to the extent set forth in the claims that follow. Moreover, the use of the terms first, second, primary secondary, etc. does not denote any order of importance, but rather the terms first, second, etc. are used to distinguish one element from another. Furthermore, the use of the terms a, an, etc. do not denote a limitation of quantity, but rather denote the presence of at least one of the referenced items.