The Whitaker Corporation

Michael Albert Viselli

Timothy Lee Kocher

Navin Kanjibhai Patel

Earl William McCleerey

Michael Chung-Ta Chiang

An electrical connector (20) having a cover (70) pivotally secured thereto includes a housing (22) having a base (42), opposed side walls (26), and end walls (32), together defining a terminal receiving cavity (68) and a plurality of terminals (90) disposed in at least two rows therein. The cover (70) includes a hinge receiving slot (76) extending along a common one of its elongate sides (72) and inwardly from each end thereof. The cover (70) is secured to the housing (22) by a pair of hinges (78) with a base (80) of each hinge retained within in a respective one of the cover slots (76) and the leading end (84) of a leg (82) of each hinge (78) pivotally mounted proximate a middle position of a respective one of the housing end walls (32) adjacent an entrance to the cavity (68). When the cover (70) is in its open position, the cover 70 can be rotated about the hinge bases (80) so that it is adjacent either one of the housing side walls (26) as desired thereby allowing access to a row of terminals (90) proximate the other side wall (26).

Electrical connector and cover assembly

A latching system for latching first and second connectors (120,20) together along a mating axis includes a pair of latch arms (126) spaced a selected distance apart along a common side (124) of a first housing (122) and extending to free ends (127) proximate the mating face (133) thereof, and a pair of embossments (50) spaced along a common side (24) of a second housing (22) includes beams (52) extending outwardly therefrom a second selected distance beyond a mating face (46) to free ends (53). Upon mating the connectors (120, 20), the free ends (53) of the embossments (50) stabilize axial alignment and orientation of the connectors (120, 20) relative to each other during final stages of mating. The embossments (50) pass freely beside the latch arms (126) during initial stages of mating until the connectors (120, 20) are axially aligned whereupon the latch arms (126) latch during final stages of mating.

Growing community of inventors

Vancouver, WA, United States of America

Michael Albert Viselli