Tyco Electronics Corporation

Te Connectivity Corporation

Bradley Scott Buchter

Keith Richard Foltz

John Raymond Shuey

John Wesley Hall

Matthew Bryan Hitchcock

An electrical connector is provided for mating with a mating connector and includes a housing and a fulcrum latch mechanism having a latch arm extending from a latching end to an actuation end. The latch arm is configured to rotate about a fulcrum that is located along the length of the latch arm between the latching and actuation ends such that the latching end is configured to move between a latched position and an unlatched position. A connector position assurance (CPA) device is movably held by the housing such that the CPA device is configured to move relative to the housing between a mated position and an unmated position. The CPA device is movably held by the housing independently of the latch arm.

Electrical connector with connector position assurance device

A connection system is shown where a lever-assist member may be added to assist in the mating between two connector housings as is needed depending upon a number of connector terminals loaded and the mating force between them. The lever-assist member is also locked in place by the interaction of the pivot-assist member and the corresponding latching structure of the connectors. The lever-assist member, when moved into the disconnection condition, has a projection which holds the cantilever beam arm of the latch in a position allowing the two connectors to be disconnected, which does not require the user to continue depressing the latch at the same time as rotating the pivot-assist member.

Electrical connector and electrical connector assembly having selectively includable lever assist

Electrical connector and electrical connector assembly having lever assist with latch hold down mechanism

A connector assembly including a housing and a TPA device. The housing is configured to receive a first terminal in a first direction, and includes a first slot, a second slot, and a first latch that is movable between a flexed position wherein the first latch is disengaged from the first terminal and an unflexed position wherein the first latch is engaged with the first terminal to inhibit movement of the first terminal in a second direction that is opposite the first direction. The TPA device is configured to be coupled to the housing for movement between a mated position and a pre-latched position, and includes a first retention block that is received by the first slot, the first retention block inhibiting the first latch from moving from the unflexed position to the flexed position when the TPA device is in the mated position, and a second retention block that is received by the second slot, the second retention block inhibiting movement of the first terminal in the second direction.

Connector assembly with terminal position assurance device

Apparatus, methods and articles of manufacture for terminal position assurance are shown, comprised of a housing with pin contact and terminal position assurance means. The terminal position assurance means, as it is installed within the housing, provides a tab that engages a finger within the housing, thereby driving the finger into a recess within the pin contact, and so seating the pin contact within the housing. If more than one pin contact is within the housing, more than one tab and finger are provided. The terminal position assurance means further contains a recess for retrieval so it may be retrieved in the event of maintenance, disassembly, etc. on the connector.

Growing community of inventors

East Berlin, PA, United States of America

Bradley Scott Buchter