Molex Corporation

Christopher Dillon

Michael Gonzalez

Matthew Bailey

Scott P Marceau

Bradley M Dick

Matt Bailey

The present disclosure is directed to TPA connectors. The TPA connectors of the present disclosure can have a connector body that can include a plurality of cavities for receiving terminals. The TPA connectors can also include a retainer for locking the terminals in their seated position and for locking to the connector body to prevent unwanted removal thereof. The connector body can include posts with stop surfaces which can prevent the retainer from moving from a pre-lock position to a fully locked position by engaging contact surfaces on the locking arms of the retainer. The locking arms can be cantilevered and have outwardly directed projections to engage the posts for locking the retainer to the connector body. The locking arms can be deflected inwardly with a squeezing or pinching motion to disengage the contact surfaces from the stop surfaces of the posts and permitting the retainer to move to the fully locked position by pushing retainer towards the connector body. Once the projects pass the post, locking arms can be release to allow the projections to engage the posts to lock the retainer to the connector body.

Electrical connector having finger-actuated retainer

Interconnecting modular connectors or headers have flexible tongue and groove structures for forming a variety of header assembly configurations. The interconnecting modular headers can have locking structures in addition to the tongue and groove mating structures for permanently interlocking the modular headers together. The sidewalls of each modular connector can be parallel to each other and disposed at supplementary angles with respect to the rear wall of the housing. The top wall of each modular connector can have a portion wall extending inwardly from each sidewall at an angle of greater than ninety degrees and each portion wall can have an upwardly extending wall that joins the portion walls to a ceiling. The portion walls can join with the upwardly extending walls to form a T-shape corner. The upwardly extending walls can join with the ceiling equally at an angle of greater than ninety degrees.

Interconnecting modular headers and header assemblies thereof

Interlocking modular connectors or headers Have flexible tongue and groove structures for forming a variety of header assembly configurations. The interlocking modular headers can have locking structures in addition to the tongue and groove mating structures for permanently interlocking the modular headers together. The locking structures can include opposing ramps having locking surfaces that engage each other and prevent sliding disengagement of the modular headers in one direction and the grooves can include stop members to prevent sliding disengagement in the opposite direction. The tongues and grooves can have a dovetail shaped cross-section to allow some freedom of lateral movement between the interlocking modular headers in order for ramps to slide over each other and cause locking surfaces to engage and also to provide some independent flexibility to facilitate placement onto a mounting component and to withstand elevated temperatures.

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Springfield Township, MI, United States of America

Christopher Dillon