CN221862059U - Power connectors and connector and socket combinations - Google Patents

Abstract

A power connector and receptacle combination comprising a housing (11) for electrical terminals (15), each for engagement with a respective receiving terminal of an electrical receptacle, and wherein the housing comprises two oppositely located side wall portions (20) and two spacer wall portions holding the side wall portions spaced apart, each of the side wall portions (21, 22) and at least one of the spacer wall portions comprising a locking member (25) resiliently biased to lie in a first position spaced apart from adjacent regions of the respective housing wall portions and deflectable to a second position, each of the locking members comprising a first region and a second region (34), the first region being provided with an abutment face, the second region facilitating deflection and abutment of the locking member from the first position to the second position, and each abutment face (31) being positioned closer to an end (16) of the connector housing than the second region, the end facing the electrical receptacle in use, the terminals of the connector being received at the electrical receptacle.

Description

Power connectors and connector and socket combinations

Technical Field

The utility model relates to a power connector, which comprises a device for interlocking with a socket, thereby preventing or inhibiting the connector and the socket from being separated.

The utility model particularly but not limited to relates to a type of power connector comprising a housing, the housing extending around a plurality of connector terminals, a portion of the housing extending around a portion of a socket in use, the socket being in electrical contact with the connector. Therefore, the utility model can be used for a power connector that complies with the international standard IEC60320 and the power connector comprises a ground terminal.

Background Art

Suggestions for inhibiting accidental separation of the power connector from the socket include the use of a locking blade that engages and locks with the pin as described in EP 1459412. While this locking blade type design is very effective in inhibiting accidental separation, it is difficult to modify the known design to significantly reduce manufacturing and assembly costs.

Utility Model Content

The utility model aims to provide an improved power connector, which comprises a locking device for interlocking with a socket.

According to the utility model, there is provided a power connector, which comprises an insulating housing, the insulating housing supports and accommodates a plurality of electrical terminals, each electrical terminal is used to engage with a corresponding receiving terminal of an electrical socket, and wherein:

The housing comprises two oppositely positioned side wall portions and two spacer wall portions, the spacer wall portions keeping the side wall portions spaced apart,

each of the side wall portions and at least one of the partition wall portions includes a locking member that is resiliently biased to be in a first position and deflectable to a second position,

Each of the locking members comprises a first region provided with an abutment surface and a second region facilitating deflection and abutment of the locking member from the first position to the second position,

Each of said locking member abutment faces is located closer to an end of the connector housing which, in use, faces an electrical socket at which a terminal of the connector is received than said second region, and

Each of the locking member abutment surfaces is spaced from an adjacent region of a respective housing wall portion when the locking member is in the first position and is closer to the adjacent wall portion when the locking member is in the second position.

The utility model also provides a combination of a power connector and a socket, wherein the connector is of the type according to the utility model. A manufacturing method of the connector according to the utility model is also provided.

The electrical connector of the utility model is particularly suitable for use with a socket of a type in which the socket comprises a shell, an end region of the connector shell extends into the shell when the terminals of the connector are moved to engage with the receiving terminals of the socket, and wherein the socket shell defines at least one abutment surface which faces the abutment surface of the locking member of the inserted connector when the locking member is in the first position.

It is not necessary for the electrical socket to define three or more abutment faces. The electrical connector of the present invention can be used with a socket having, for example, only one or two abutment faces for engaging and locking with the abutment faces of an inserted connector, or can be used with a socket without any abutment faces, although the abutment faces of the electrical connector will not then be able to lock the connector relative to the socket. Compared with the case of a socket having only one or two abutment faces for engagement by the electrical connector, a socket having at least three abutment faces for engaging with the abutment faces of an inserted connector will help to achieve interlocking strength and prevent accidental removal of the connector.

Each or at least one locking member may be a component formed separately from the housing and fixed to the housing.

Alternatively, each or at least one locking member may be integrally formed with the housing. The locking member may be integrally moulded with the housing. The locking member and housing may be integrally formed of moulded plastic material. The locking member may be formed by moulding the housing and then cutting or otherwise removing material from the housing, for example to create a slit, thereby forming and defining part of the shape of the locking member. After cutting or otherwise removing material from the housing, the locking member may be subjected to a deformation action, for example by being subjected to heat, whereby the locking member is then inherently located in the first position in the absence of an applied force.

Typically, each or at least one locking member will have an elongated shape. The locking member may have one end that is integral with or fixed to the housing. Due to the properties of the material from which the locking member is formed, the locking member may be inherently resiliently biased to be located in the first position.

Alternatively, separate biasing means may be provided to act on the locking member and inherently bias it to the first position.

A suitable material for forming the housing with the integrally formed locking member is nylon.

When the locking member is in the second position, the abutment surface of the first region of the locking member may be located within the thickness of the wall of the housing. That is, the abutment surface is then located below the outer surface of the adjacent region of the housing wall portion.

Preferably, the abutment face is substantially entirely within the thickness of the housing wall when fully deflected from the first position.

The abutment face may be equidistantly spaced from the end of the connector so that the end of the connector, in use, faces an electrical socket at which the terminals of the connector are received. Preferably, the two locking members of the housing side wall portion are equidistantly spaced from said end of the housing. The locking member of the third wall portion may have a spacing from said housing end which may be different from the spacing of one or each of the locking members of the two side wall portions.

The abutment face preferably lies in a plane perpendicular to the length of the elongated locking member. The abutment face preferably lies at right angles to the length of the elongated locking member when the locking member is fully deflected to the second position, or the abutment face preferably lies at an angle less than right angle to the length of the elongated locking member when in the deflected position, such that an outer edge of the abutment face is further from the end of the housing than an area of the abutment face located inwardly of the outer edge.

The elongated locking member may have a distal end that is spaced further from an end face of the connector housing than the other end of the locking member (ie, the end that is integrally formed with or fixed to the connector housing).

Alternatively, the elongated-shaped locking member may have a distal end that is closer to the end face of the connector housing than the other end that is formed integrally with or fixed to the connector housing.

The connector may be of a type conforming to international standard EC 60320, such as a C13EC connector.

The connector may include two power terminals (which may be referred to as a live terminal and a neutral terminal, for example) and a ground terminal.

If only one of the two partition walls is provided with a locking member, it is preferred that the ground terminal be positioned closer to the partition wall without the locking member than the interval between the ground terminal and the partition wall provided with the locking member.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

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

FIG1 is a perspective view of a connector according to the present invention viewed from a first direction;

FIG2 is a perspective view of the connector of FIG1 viewed from a second direction;

FIG3 is a plan view of the connector of FIG1 ;

FIG4 is a side view of the connector of FIG1 ;

FIG5 is a perspective view of the connector of FIG1 viewed from a third direction;

Fig. 6a is a perspective view of the rear portion of a socket for receiving the connector of Fig. 1;

Fig. 6b is a front view of the socket of Fig. 6a;

FIG. 7 is a perspective view of the connector of FIG. 1 and the socket of FIG. 6 combined, and

8 is a longitudinal sectional view of the connector of FIG. 1 in a cross section parallel to the plane of FIG. 4 .

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

The power connector 10 compliant with international standard IEC 60320 comprises a housing 11 made of a moulded plastic material such as nylon.

One end region 12 of the housing is molded integrally with a cable entry guide 13 for a cable 14 .

The housing 11 contains and supports three brass terminal pins 15', 15". One terminal 15" is a ground terminal and the other two terminals 15' are a live power terminal and a neutral power terminal. The housing extends longitudinally beyond the ends of the terminal pins 15 so that the ends of the terminal pins are located inside the end 16 of the housing opposite to the end 12.

The housing has a substantially rectangular shape, comprising two side wall portions 20 and two partition wall portions (now referred to as upper wall 21 and lower wall 22).

Each of the side and lower walls 22 includes a locking arm 25 integrally molded with the housing.

Each locking arm 25 has an elongated rectangular shape and is inherently located in a first position (see Figure 3) in which the locking arms 25 are angled outwardly to increase the spacing from the surrounding area of the corresponding wall portion as seen in a direction away from the housing end 16 to the cable entry end 12.

Referring again to Figure 3, each locking arm 25 includes a locking projection 30 defining an abutment surface 31 and a cam surface 32. The projection 30 is formed proximate to but spaced from an end 33 of the locking arm that is integrally formed with the housing.

The other distal end 34 of the locking arm is formed with a textured tab 35 which facilitates manual application of pressure to counteract the inherent resilience of the locking arm and move it inwardly toward the housing so that it is substantially completely located within a recess 36 of the housing and the locking projection is closer to an adjacent area of the housing wall.

The abutment face 31 lies in a plane that is perpendicular or less than 90 degrees relative to the outer surface of the housing so that an outer edge 37 of the abutment face is no further from the tab 35 than an adjacent area of the abutment face.

In this embodiment, the abutment faces 31 of the three locking members are equidistantly spaced from the end 16 of the housing.

6a and 6b show a socket 40 for receiving the connector 10. The socket is a nylon moulding and is formed with an annular recess (not shown) in which the end of the housing 11 is received when the terminal pins 15 contact the terminals (not shown) in the socket.

When the housing is inserted into the socket 40, the cam surfaces 32 of the locking arms are initially urged inwardly to lie substantially coplanar with the respective housing wall portions 20, 22, and when the housing is fully inserted, the locking projections are inherently free to move outwardly and locate in the three recesses 41 defined by the socket walls. In this position, the abutment faces 31 of the locking arms face the abutment faces 43 of the socket recesses 41, thereby inhibiting extraction of the connector until each locking arm moves inwardly toward the housing.

In view of the foregoing, it should be appreciated that the three locking arms are intended to act together to provide enhanced resistance to inadvertent removal of the connector from the receptacle.

Claims (17)

1. A power connector, characterized in that the power connector includes an insulating housing, the housing supporting and containing a plurality of electrical terminals, each electrical terminal being adapted to engage with a corresponding receiving terminal of an electrical socket, and wherein: The housing comprises two oppositely positioned side wall portions and two spacer wall portions, the spacer wall portions keeping the side wall portions spaced apart, each of the side wall portions and at least one of the partition wall portions includes a locking member that is resiliently biased to be in a first position and deflectable to a second position, Each of the locking members comprises a first region provided with an abutment surface and a second region facilitating deflection and abutment of the locking member from the first position to the second position, Each of the locking member abutment faces is located closer to an end of the connector housing than the second region, the end of the connector housing facing the electrical socket at which the terminals of the connector are accommodated in use, and Each of the locking member abutment surfaces is spaced from an adjacent region of a respective housing wall portion when the locking member is in the first position and is closer to the adjacent wall portion when the locking member is in the second position. 2 . The power connector according to claim 1 , wherein the locking member or at least one locking member is formed integrally with the housing. 3 . The power connector according to claim 2 , wherein the locking member is integrally molded with the housing. 4. The power connector according to any one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that each locking member or at least one locking member has an elongated shape, one end of which is integrally formed with the housing or fixed to the housing. 5. The power connector according to claim 4, characterized in that each locking member or at least one locking member includes a distal end, which is farther away from the end face of the connector housing than the other end of the locking member formed integrally with the connector housing or fixed to the connector housing. 6. The power connector according to claim 4 is characterized in that each locking member or at least one locking member includes a distal end, and the distal end is closer to the end face of the connector housing than the other end of the locking member formed integrally with the connector housing or fixed to the connector housing. 7 . The power connector according to claim 1 , wherein the power connector complies with the requirements of the international standard IEC 60320. 8. A power connector according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein each locking member or at least one locking member is inherently resiliently biased to be in the first position under the influence of the material forming it. 9. A power connector according to any one of claims 1 to 3, characterised in that the power connector comprises biasing means acting on at least one locking member and inherently biasing the locking member to the first position. 10. A power connector according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein when the locking member is fully deflected away from the first position, an abutment surface of at least one locking member is located completely within the thickness of the wall of the housing. 11. A power connector according to any one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that when the locking member is fully deflected to the second position, the abutment surface is at right angles to the length of the elongated locking member, or when the locking member is in the deflected position, the abutment surface is at an angle less than right angle to the length of the elongated locking member, so that the outer edge of the abutment surface is farther away from the end of the housing than the area of the abutment surface located inward of the outer edge. 12 . The power connector according to claim 1 , wherein the connector comprises two power terminals and a ground terminal. 13. A power connector according to any one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that only one of the two partition walls is provided with a locking member, and the grounding terminal is positioned closer to the partition wall without the locking member than the interval between the grounding terminal and the partition wall provided with the locking member. 14. A combination of a connector and a socket, characterized in that the combination of a connector and a socket comprises a power connector according to any one of the preceding claims. 15. The connector and socket combination of claim 14, wherein the socket includes a housing into which an end region of the connector housing extends when the terminals of the connector are moved into engagement with the receiving terminals of the socket. 16. A connector and socket combination according to claim 14 or claim 15, characterized in that the socket includes a housing, the housing defining at least one abutment surface, and when the locking member is in the first position, the at least one abutment surface faces the abutment surface of the locking member of the inserted connector. 17. A connector and socket combination according to claim 14 or claim 15, wherein the electrical socket defines at least three abutment faces, each abutment face being adapted to engage with an abutment face of a corresponding locking member of the connector.