US3392363A - Housing member for electrical connector members - Google Patents

Description

y 9, 1968 J. H. GEIS, JR.. ETAL 3,39

HOUSING MEMBER FOR ELECTRICAL CONNECTOR MEMBERS Filed June 10, 1965 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 I INVENTOR. 4mm HAMMQMD Gil, J. R s! LA-RUI \Jlumninu y 9 1968 'J. H. GEIS, JR.. ETAL 3,392,363

HOUSING MEMBER FOR ELECTRICAL CONNECTOR MEMBERS 2 Shee ts-Sheet 2 7 Filed June 10, 1965 ZAP/l United States Patent 3,392,363 HOUSING MEMBER FOR ELECTRICAL CONNECTOR MEMBERS John Hammond Geis, Jr., and Robert La Rue Williamson, Harrisburg, Pa., assignors to AMP Incorporated,

Harrisburg, Pa.

Filed June 10, 1965, Ser. No. 462,950 4 Claims. (Cl. 339-91) ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLDSURE A housing member comprises hollow mateable parts of insulating material, one of the parts having a circumferential rim extending outwardly from an exterior surface, and integral stifiiy-flexible leg means extending outwardly and longitudinally from an end of the other of the parts and including groove means for engagement with the rim upon the parts being mated to latch the parts together.

This invention relates to a housing, and more particularly to a housing having mateable members to house electrical connectors and the like.

An object of the invention is to provide a housing having mateable members which completely insulate the electrical connectors therein.

Another object of the invention is to provide a housing having members that are readily mateable.

A further object of the invention is to provide a housing having mateable members that are removably secured together.

An additional object of the invention is the provision of a housing having mateable members that are readily disengageable.

Still a further object of the invention is to provide a housing having mateable members that are engageable without the use of any polarizing means.

Other objects and attainments of the present invention will become apparent to those skilled in the art upon a reading of the following detailed description when taken in conjunction with the drawings in which there is shown and described an illustrative embodiment of the invention; it is to be understood, however, that this embodiment is not intended to be exhaustive nor limiting of the invention but is given for purposes of illustration in order that others skilled in the art may fully understand the invention and the principles thereof and the manner of applying it in practical use so that they may modify it in various forms, each as may be best suited to the conditions of a particular use.

The foregoing objects are achieved in the present invention through the provision of a housing having mateable members, one of the members completely housing a socket member and having a circumferential rim, the other of the members completely housing a plug member and having flexible legs provided with grooves for engaging the circumferential rim on the one member. Lugs may be provided on one of the members to removably mount the member and housing within the aperture of a mounting member.

In the drawings:

FIGURE 1 is a perspective view of the housing showing the mateable members thereof in a mated condition;

3,392,363 Patented July 9, 1968 FIGURE 2 is an exploded perspective view of the housing of FIGURE 1;

FIGURE 3 is a longitudinal, cross-sectional view of the housing of FIGURE 1 showing the electrical connectors in mated engagement;

FIGURE 4 is a partial, cross-sectional view of the leg members of one of the housing members; and

FIGURE 5 is a view similar to that of FIGURE 4 showing an embodiment of the leg members of one of the housing members.

Turning now to the drawings, there is illustrated a housing H having mateable members 1 and 2, which are made from a suitable plastic material such as, for example, nylon, polypropylene, etc. Mateable member 1 has a circumferential rim 3 extending outwardly from the exterior surface thereof. The leading surface of rim 3 is beveled from the base of the rim in a direction away from the front end of member 1, while the trailing surface of rim 3 is beveled in a direction parallel to that of the leading surface, as illustrated in FIGURE 3. The diameter of exterior surface of mateable member 1 is the same throughout its length, except for the area in which circumferential rim 3 is located. The interior of mateable member 1 contains a first bore 4 and a second bore 5, both bores being separated by an annular wall 6 having an aperture 7 extending therethrough allowing bores 4 and 5 to communicate with one another.

Mateable member 2 has a first section 8 and a second section 9. Section 8 includes a bore 10 which extends to annular wall 11 having an opening 12 extending therethrough. Another bore 14 is located on the other side of wall 11 and is disposed in sections 8 and 9. A further bore 15 is located in section 9 and has a diameter slightly larger than the external diameter of mateable member 1 in order to accommodate same as illustrated in FIGURE 3. The diameters of bores 5 and 14 are about equal, as illustrated in FIGURE 3. Surface 16, which is a junction between bores 14 and 15, serves as a stop means to limit the inner movement of mateable member 1 within bore 15 of section 9.

Stiffly-fiexible legs 17 extend outwardly from section 9 of mateable member 2. As can be discerned, these legs extend in a direction parallel to the longitudinal axis of mateable member 2, and these legs have an arcuate configuration in cross-section. An arcuate groove 18 is disposed on the inner surface of each leg 17. The inner sides of grooves 18 are beveled so as to mate with the leading surface of circumferential rim 3; the outer sides of grooves 18 are beveled in a slight manner in a direction opposite to that of the inner sides, as illustrated in the embodiment of FIGURE 4.

Thus, when grooves 18 of legs 17 are in engagement with circumferential rim 3 with mateable members 1 and 2 in a mateable position, as illustrated in FIGURE 3, members 1 and 2 are readily disengaged, because the outer sides of grooves 18 cause legs 17 to be cammed out of engagement with circumferential rim 3 upon pull-out forces being applied to mateable members 1 and 2. A tapered surface 19 is located on the inner surface of the outer end of each leg 17 in order to facilitate the engagement of grooves 18 with circumferential rim 3, because tapered surfaces 19 engage rim 3 upon members 1 and 2 being moved into a mating position causing legs 17 to be moved in an outward direction until grooves 18 engage 3 circumferential rim 3 and then legs 17 more inwardly.

FIGURE illustrates an embodiment of the invention wherein arcuate grooves 18 are located on the inside surfaces of legs 17'. The outer sides of grooves 18 are mateable with the trailing surface of circumferential rim 3 in order to main legs 17 in permanent engagement with circumferential rim 3 when members 1 and 2 are in mated position. In fact, when axial forces are applied to separate the members, this causes the outer sides of grooves 18 and the trailing surface of rim 3 to engage each other more intimately by virtue of the inclined mateable surfaces. In order to separate members 1 and 2, legs 17' have to be moved outwardly until grooves 18 are moved free of rim 3, then members 1 and 2 can be separated from one another. Tapered surfaces 19' are provided on the inner surfaces of the outer ends of legs 17, and the tapered surfaces facilitate the engagement of grooves 18 with circumferential rim 3 in the same manner as tapered surfaces 19 of FIGURE 4. While only two legs have been disclosed, one or more than two legs may be provided.

Lugs 20 extend outwardly from the exterior surface of section 8 of member 2 and have long tapered surfaces 21 and short tapered surfaces 22. The inner ends of short tapered surfaces 22 are slightly spaced from junction 23 between sections 8 and 9. A desirable number of lugs 20 can be disposed on the exterior surface of section 8 and some of lugs 20 may have their short tapered surfaces 22 disposed closer to junction 23 than the other lugs so as to accommodate various thicknesses of mounting panels. Thus, lugs 20 :and junction 23 define mounting means to mount member 2 within an aperture in a mounting member, with long tapered surfaces 21 facilitating insertion of member 2 within the aperture of the mounting member and the area of the mounting member surrounding the aperture being disposed between short tapered surfaces 22 and junction 23 to hold member 2 in position on the mounting member. :If desired, lugs 20 can be eliminated during the formation of member 2 and a locking nut of spring metal may be moved along section to engage one side of a mounting member while the other side of the mounting member engages junction 23, thereby maintaining member 2 in position. This concept also accommodates any thickness of a mounting member.

A socket member SM is disposed in member 1 and a plug member PM is disposed in member 2, as illustrated in FIGURE 3. The socket member and plug member are of the type disclosed in US. patent application, Ser. No. 352,600, filed Mar. 17, 1964, now US. Patent 3,311,866 and assigned to the present assignee. Socket member SM comprises a socket portion 24 having a large part thereof disposed in bore 5; the remainder is disposed in aperture 7 and bore 4. Spring latch means 25 and projection 26 on socket portion 24 engage respactive sides of wall 6 so as to removably latch socket member SM within mateable member 1. Socket member SM and plug member PM include ferrule members 27 that are crimped onto the conductive portion and insulation portion of conductor members CM. Ferrule members 27 are completely disposed within bores 4 and 10, respectively.

Plug member PM includes a plug portion 28 which is mateable within socket portion 24 and is disposed primarily in bore 14 with a part being disposed in opening 12 and bore of mateable member 2. Spring latch means 25 and projections 29 are located on plug portion 28 and engage respective sides of wall 11 to removably secure plug member PM within mateable member 2. Spring latch means 25 on the socket member and plug member are preferably of the type disclosed in US. patent application, Ser. No. 319,020, filed Oct. 25, 1963, now US. Patent 3,292,137 and assigned to the present assignee. While the present invention has been disclosed in conjunction with certain connector members,

it is obvious that other connector member may be used.

Thus, socket member SM is inserted in place within mateable member 1 and plug member PM is inserted in position in mateable member 2; and, upon members 1 and 2 being brought into mating engagement as illustrated in FIGURES 1 and 3, socket portion 24 and plug portion 23 are also brought into electrical :and mechanical engagement as illustdated in FIGURE 3.

An important feature of the present invention is the fact that mateable members 1 and 2 can be mated in any axial direction without the use of any polarizing means to assure the proper engagement of the connector members therein. Another important feature of the present invention is the fact that mateable members 1 and 2 can be disengageable or secured to one another, depending upon the configuration of grooves 18 and 18'. A further important feature of the present invention is the fact that lugs are provided on one of the mateable members in order to mount the housing within an aperture of a mounting panel, if desired. An additional feature of the present invention is the fact that the electrical connector in each mateable member is completely insulated thereby and no portion of the electrical connector extends outwardly from the confines of its respective mateable member. Members 1 and 2 are rotatable relative to one another when in a mated condition which allows the conductor members freedom of movement and does not place a strain thereon. Also, each member is rotatable relative to its respective connector.

As can be discerned from the foregoing, there has been disclosed a unique housing including mateable members that are mateable in an axial direction in any angular disposition, and the electrical connectors in the housing are completely insulated even when the mateable members are not in their mated condition.

It will, therefore, be appreciated that the aforementioned and other desirable objects have been achieved; however, it should be emphasized that the particular embodiment of the invention, which is shown and described herein, is intended as merely illustrative and not as restrictive of the invention.

What is claimed is:

1. A dielectric housing for carrying mateable electrical connectors comprising a first member and a second member, said first member having a generally tubular configuration and completely encompassing an electrical connector when secured therein, a circumferential rim on an exterior surface of said first member, said rim being located inwardly from a front end of said first member and dividing said first member into a leading section and a trailing section, said second member completely encompassing another electrical connector when secured therein and defining a first section and a second section, said first section having a generally tubular configuration so as to receive said leading section of said first member therein so that mateable parts of the electrical connectors can be electrically engaged, and integral stitfly-flexible latching leg members extending outwardly from a front end of said first section of said second member and having groove means therein for engagement with said circumferential rim at any angular disposition therearound thereby latching said members together and maintaining said mateable parts of the electrical connectors in electrical engagement. 7

2. A dielectric housing according to claim 1 wherein said circumferential rim has a leading surface and a trailing surface which are parallel with respect to one another and which are beveled in a direction away from a front end of said first member, said groove means having outer and inner sides with said inner sides being mateable with said leading surface and said outer sides being directed in a direction opposite to that of said inner sides.

3. A dielectric housing according to claim 1 wherein said circumferential rim has a leading surface and a trailing surface which are parallel with respect to one another and which are beveled in a direction away from a front end of said first member, said groove means having outer and inner sides which are beveled in a direction away from a front end of said leg members and which are paral- 5 lel with respect to one another so as to be mateable with respective ones of said leading and trailing surfaces of said circumferential rim.

4. A dielectric housing according to claim 1 wherein holding means are disposed on said housing for holding said housing in an aperture of a mounting member.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,386,177 10/1945 Andersen 339-91 X Francis et al 339-61 X Aquillon et al. 339-211 Swengel 339-91 Jackson 339-91 Braun et al 339-221 X DeLyon.

Marasco 339-211 X Rose 339-91 FOREIGN PATENTS Italy.

MARVIN A. CHAMPION, Primary Examiner.

P. TEITELBAUM, Assistant Examiner.

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