GB2075769A

GB2075769A - Electrical connectors

Info

Publication number: GB2075769A
Application number: GB8113409A
Authority: GB
Original assignee: Lucas Industries Ltd
Current assignee: ZF International UK Ltd
Priority date: 1980-05-07
Filing date: 1981-04-30
Publication date: 1981-11-18
Also published as: GB2075769B

Abstract

A connector, which may be for connecting a petrol injector to a power supply, comprises an insulating holder 10 which houses contacts 12, 14, a cord-protecting sleeve 24 mounted on the holder, and a metal clip 32 which serves both to secure the sleeve on the holder and to provide a spring clip arrangement, comprising opposed abutments 42, for securement of the connector to an appliance. The clip comprises an annular clamping plate 34, which clamps an annular flange 28 of the sleeve to the holder, and arms 32 which project forwardly from the clamping plate to provide the abutments 42. Lugs 38 of the arms project rearwardly to engage steps 40 of the holder, so that the sleeve flange and the holder are clamped between the clamping plate 34 and the lugs 38. <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION Electrical connectors Electrical connectors for separably connecting flexible cords to appliances, for supply of electric power to the appliances, are well known. A connector of this kind usually comprises an insulating holder which houses electrical contacts to which, in use of the connector, the leads of a flexible cord (leading from a power supply) are connected. To connect an appliance to the power supply, the connector is pushed on to, or into, a power inlet of the appliance, so that conductor pins of the appliance make contact with the contacts of the connector. It is known to provide a spring clip in the form of a wire catch for releasably retaining the connector secured to the appliance. To guard the cord against damage where it enters the holder, a flexible cord-protecting sleeve may be provided which extends from the holder a short distance along the cord.

It is an object of thins invention to provide an improved construction of electrical connector and according to the invention a connector comprises an insulating holder housing electrical contacts, a sleeve mounted on the holder and adapted to protect a flexible cord in which use of the connector extends through the sleeve to said contacts, and a clip which serves both to secure the sleeve to the holder and to provide opposed resiliently displaceable abutments providing a spring clip arrangement for securement of the connector to an appliance.

It is to be understood that the term "appliance" is used herein simply to denote a device to which electric power is to be supplied. The invention arose in development of a connector for securement to a petrol injector for an internal combustion engine, but may find application in other contexts.

Preferably the clip comprises a clamping portion which clamps a flange of the sleeve, and retaining means whereby the clamping portion is held in its clamping position. In a preferred arrangement the clamping portion is in the form of a generally annular clamping plate which engages a generally annular flange of the sleeve.

Preferably the clip comprises two arms which extend in a forwards direction away from the clamping portion and provide the opposed abutments for securement of the connector to an appliance. Each arm comprises at least one lug of the retaining means which projects rearwardly to engage the holder, the holder and the sleeve flange being clamped between the lugs and the clamping portion of the clip. Each arm may comprise a lug depending from a central portion of the arm. Alternatively each arm may comprise two lugs which depend from edge portions of the arm. In the later arrangement the lugs of each arm may engage spaced-apart portions of the holder, there being a gap between said spaced-apart portions for passage of the abutment of that arm in assembly of the holder with the clip.

There now follows a description, to be read with reference to the accompanying drawings, of two connectors which illustrate the invention by way of example.

In the accompanying drawings: Figure 1 is a view in longitudinal cross-section through a first connector, with the outline of an inlet portion of an appliance, to which the connector is adapted to be secured, shown in borken lines; Figure 2 is a view of the connector in the direction of arrow A of Figure 1; Figure 3 is a view of the connector in the direction of arrow B of Figure 1; Figure 4 is a view of the connector in the direction of arrow C of Figure 1; Figure 5 is a view similar to Figure 4 but of the second connector; and Figure 6 shows a holder of the second connector.

The first connector comprises a holder 10, moulded of an electrically insulating plastics material, housing electrical terminations providing contacts 12 and 14. The holder 10 comprises a generally tubular inner portion 16, in which the contacts 12 and 14 are mounted, and a tubular outer portion 18 which provides a wall around the inner portion. A generally annular well 20 is defined between the inner and outer portions and an annular resilient cushion 22 is positioned at the bottom of the well.

A cord-protecting sleeve 24, of a rubbery material, is mounted on an entry portion 26 of the holder 10.

The sleeve comprises an external, generally annular, end flange 28 which abuts a back face 30 of the holder and is clamped against the face 30 by means of a clip 32 mounted on the holder 10. In use of the connector the sleeve 24 protects a flexible cord of which the leads are connected to the contacts 12 and 14, the cord extending through the sleeve.

The clip of the first connector 32 is a metal pressing, and comprises a clamping portion in the form of a generally annular clamping late 34 which has a central aperture having a cross-section substantially the same as the external cross-section of the sleeve 24 adjacent the end flange 28. As seen in Figure 1, the sleeve passes through the clamping plate 34 and the plate abuts the flange 28. Two arms 36 of the clip extend forwardly (i.e. from left to right as seen in Figures 1 and 4) from opposite edges of the generally rectangular clamping plate 34. Each arm 36 comprises a rearwardly-projecting lug 38 of retaining means of the clip, each lug projecting inwardly from a central portion of the arm to the holder 10 and the tip of each lug being engaged in a recess 39 at the base of an outwardly-projecting step 40 of the holder.

Forwardly of the lug 38, each arm is shaped to present a rounded elbow 42 which projects towards the elbow of the other arm; owing to resilience in the arm 36, the elbows 42 provide opposed resiliently displaceable abutments.

The clip 32 is arranged both to secure the sleeve 42 to the holder 10 and to provide a spring clip arrangement for securement of the connector to an appliance. In assembly of the connector, the sleeve 24 is passed through the aperture in the clamping plate 34 of the clip until the end flange 28 of the sleeve abuts the clamping plate. The holder 10 is then introduced between the arms 36 into the clip, and the entry portion 26 of the holder into the sleeve, the lugs 38 being resiliently deflected outwards to allow the steps 40 of the holder to pass.By compression ofthe end flange 28 ofthe rubbery sleeve against the clamping plate 34 of the clip, the holder can be moved to a position in which the steps 40 have passed the lugs 38, freeing the lugs to spring inwardly so that upon release of the holder they assume retaining positions in which their tips are engaged in the recesses at the bases of the steps 40 with the flange slightly compressed. By means of the lug 38 in their retaining positions, the flange 28 of the sleeve 24 is clamped against the back face 30 of the holder by the clamping plate 34 of the clip, and the holder is retained in the clip. An oval rib 43 of the back face 30 of the holder serves to ensure a good seal between the flange 28 and the holder.

A power inlet portion 44 of an appliance to which the connector is to be secured is indicated in broken outline in Figure 1. The appliance comprises outwardly and oppositely projecting beads 46. Upon insertion of the inlet portion 44 between the arms 36 of the clip 32 of the connector, the rounded elbows 42 of the arms of the clip ride over the beads 46 and spring back to positions, in front of the beads, in which they resist separation of the connector from the appliance. The appliance can be a petrol injector for an internal combustion engine.

The connector is a non-reversible connector comprising engagement means comprising a longitudinally extending channel 48 (Figure 3), in an inside surface of the outer wall portion 18 of the holder, and a longitudinally extending channel 50 in an outside surface of the inner portion 16. The channels 48 and 50 are arranged to receive corresponding ribs on the appliance, and determine that th-e connector and the appliance can only be secured together in one relative orientation.

The second connector is shown in Figure 5, with a holder of the connector shown in Figure 6. This connector is of a similar construction to the first connector and will only be described in so far as its construction differs. In the drawings (Figures 5 and 6) parts have been given the same reference numerals as for the corresponding parts of the first connector through with the prefix '1'.

The holder 110 of the second connector is shown in Figure 6 and two differences from the holder of the first connector can be seen. Firstly, instead of a step extending continuosuly across the width of the holder, there is a gap 141 between two spaced-apart step portions 140. The gaps 141 are of slightly greater width than are the arms 136 at the elbows 142 of the clip 132. The provision of the arm 141 eases assembly of the connector, as the arms do not have to be displaced to allow passage of the elbows 142 over a step as the holder is inserted into the clip.

As also seen in Figure 6, guard walls 145 are provided on the holder 110, as continuations of the step portions 140 along the length of the outer portion 118 of the holder. These guard walls can help to prevent an operator's fingers, gripping the sides of the holder, from interfering with movement of the arms 136 of the clip during application and removal of the connector.

In view of the gap 141 between thestep portions 140 of the holder, a modified form of clip is required for the second connector, as a single central lug in each arm of the clip would be inappropriate. As seen in Figure 5, each arm 136 comprises two lugs 138 depending from edge portions of the arm to engage the two step portions 140.

Claims

1. An electrical connector comprising an insulating holder housing electrical contacts, a sleeve mounted on the holder and adapted to protect a flexible cord which in use of the connector extends through the sleeve to said contacts, and a clip which serves both to secure the sleeve to the holder andwto provide opposed resiliently displaceable abutments providing a spring clip arrangement for securement of the connector to an appliance.

2. A connector according to Claim 1 in which the clip comprises a clamping portion which clamps a flange of the sleeve, and retaining means whereby said clamping portion is held in its clamping position.

3. A connector according to Claim 2 in which the clamping portion is in the form of a generally annular clamping plate which clamps a generally annular flange of the sleeve.

4. A connector according to either of Claims 2 and 3 in which the clip comprises two arms which extend in a forwards direction away from the clamping portion and provide said abutments for securement of the connector to an appliance, each arm comprising at least one lug of the retaining means which projects rearwardly to engage the holder, the holder and the flange of the sleeve being clamped between the lugs and the clamping portion of the clip.

5. Aconnector according to Claim 4 in which each arm comprises a lug depending from a central portion of the arm.

6. A connector according to Claim 4 in which each arm comprises two lugs depending from edge portions of the arm.

7. A connector according to Claim 6 in which the lugs of each arm engage spaced-apart portions of the holder, there being a gap between said spaces apart portions for passage of the abutment of that arm in assembly of the holder with the clip.

8. An electrical connector constructed and arranged substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to Figures 1 to 4 of the accompanying drawings.

9. An electrical connector constructed and arranged substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to Figures 5 and 6 of the accompanying drawings.

10. An electrical connector according to any one of Claims 1 to 9 in association with a petrol injector suitable for use in an internal combustion engine, the connector being adapted to be secured to a power inlet portion of the injector by means of said spring clip arrangement.