Gm Global Technolgoy Operations, Inc.

Delphi Technologies, Inc.

William George Flask

John H Bakker

Jay Harold Garretson

Vickey E Reed

Greg S Reese

John George Kountz

Donald John Mizner

Gregory S Reese

Matthew K Monden

William Keith Clupper

Brian R Nagy

A connection assurance bracket system (,) which is interfaced between mutually interconnectable first and second connectors (,) to provide assurance of the connection therebetween and eliminate relative motion therebetween. A connection assurance bracket (,) has a flattened horseshoe-shaped base (,) defining a rectangular cut-out (,), wherein a cantilever beam (,) projects normally therefrom. The first connector includes a pump-handle lock (,) for engaging a ramped boss (,) of the second connector. The pump-handle lock features a beam seat (,) for receiving a distal end portion (,) of the cantilever beam, wherein the distal end (,) thereof has a lip (,). The first connector further includes left and right rear guide tabs (,) which abut opposing left and right end walls (,) of the cut-out, as well as left and right forward guide tabs (,) for respectively engaging left and right tab collets (,) of the second connector. In operation, the first connector is mounted onto the connection assurance bracket so as to be at a prestaged position, wherein the left and right rear guide tabs abut the left and right end walls and the distal end portion of the cantilever beam is fully seated in the beam seat of the pump-handle lock. As the second connector approaches the first connector, the left and right forward guide tabs guidably enter into the left and right tab collets. Thereafter, as engagement force is further applied the pump-handle lock is forced to surmount the ramped boss with a snap action, whereupon the lip immediately projects forward, and free from, the pump-handle lock, whereat the first and second connectors are mutually fully engaged and are slidable in unison with respect to the connection assurance bracket.

Connection assurance bracket system

An edge clip which uses precoated sheet metal stock, is stamped in a high speed progressive die, and has a robustly configured triangularly shaped body. A solid blank of the sheet stock is die cut into a patterned blank including a base, a projection forward of the base, and first and second wings located at either side of the base. Each of the first and second wings has an outboard member and an inboard member, wherein the outboard member includes a barb. A pointed flange projects from the rear edge of the patterned blank at each of the first and second wings. The projection is stamped to form a standard attachment appendage, and the first and second wings are folded, wherein a spring arm is formed at an apex thereof and provided by an overlap of the outboard members. A tab of the outboard member of the second wing secures the overlap of the outboard members. The folding also provides first and second rails, wherein each is radiused to provide a basal corner of the triangular configuration. Each of the first and second rails project in parallel with the overlapped spring arm, are separated therefrom, respectively, by radiused first and second upper slots, and are separated from the platform, respectively, by first and second lower slots. Finally, each of the pointed flanges are folded into mutual abutment rearwardly of the first and second upper slots, in spaced relation to the base.

Edge clip

A bilaterally split retainer pin which is structurally robust, having a head easily insertable into an aperture yet highly resistant to backing out through the aperture. The bilaterally split retainer pin includes a post base having a periphery and a pair of legs integrally connected thereto which are mutually separated by a bilateral slot. Each of the legs is composed of a post segment integrally connected with the post base and a head integrally connected with the respective post segment. Each head is characterized by a tapered surface and an abutment surface, wherein a barb radially projects outwardly relative to the periphery a radial length defined by an abutment surface. The tapered surface includes the barb and converges radially toward a respective tip. Each leg has a transverse cut originating at the post base and extending to the tip, wherein the transverse cut slopes from the periphery toward a midsection of the bilaterally split pin. The transverse cut is located at diametrically opposite sides of each of the legs in transverse relation to the slot. Each head is characterized by a flat opposite, and parallel, to the slot, whereby the barb of each respective leg is located diametrically opposite its respective transverse cut. When the bilaterally split retainer pin is pressed through an aperture about the size of the perimeter, the barbs engage the aperture wall and cause the legs to laterally flex parallel to the slot, allowing the heads to pass through the aperture. Upon passage through the aperture, the legs freely flex laterally back to their original configuration, and the abutment surfaces now serve to prevent the head from backing out through the aperture.

Bilaterally split retaining pin

The present invention includes an electrical connector system utilizing a single piece slide lever system which is lockable in a pre-staged and in a final fully seated position. The slide lever is used to provide assurance of proper mating position of connector halves and to mechanically assist the mating of male and female connectors. The slide lever may also be received inside of a flexible grommet to provide a mechanical assist in making a seal between the grommet and a panel. The locking features and the slide lever may be selectively released to move the slide lever from a pre-staged position (open position) to a final seated position (closed position) locking the two connector pieces together. Likewise, the locking features on the slide lever may be released to move the slide lever from a final fully seated (closed) position back to a pre-staged (open) position to disconnect the connector pieces all while the slide lever is contained within the flexible grommet.

Slide lock position assurance and release lever

The present invention includes an electrical connector system utilizing a single piece slide lever system which is lockable in a pre-staged and in a final fully seated position. The slide lever is used to mechanically assist the mating of male and female connectors. The slide lever may also be received inside of a flexible grommet to provide a mechanical assist in making a seal between the grommet and a panel. The locking features and the slide lever may be selectively released to move the slide lever from a pre-staged position (open position) to a final seated position (closed position) locking the two connector pieces together. Likewise, the locking features on the slide lever may be released to move the slide lever from a final fully seated (closed) position back to a pre-staged (open) position to disconnect the connector pieces all while the slide lever is contained within the flexible grommet.

Slide assisted grommet assembly

An electrical connector comprising: a connector housing having first and second opposing sides; on each of the first and second sides, a flex arm having a first end, a second end and a central portion between the first and second ends wherein a flexible member connects the central portion of the flex arm to the side; a cam lock lever comprising first and second lever arms and a handle connecting the first and second lever arms wherein the first lever arm is pivotably mounted to the first side and the second lever arm is pivotably mounted to the second side, wherein the cam lock lever is pivotable between a first state in which it is open and a second state in which it is closed; on each of the first and second arms, first and second cam lock seats; and on each of the first ends of the first and second flex arms, first and second locks wherein when the cam lock lever is in the first state, each first lock engages one of the first seats and when the cam lock lever is in the second state, each second lock engages one of the second seats.

Electrical connector with cam lock lever

A sealed connector-to-body interface comprising: a substantially planar body surface; an electrical connector including a housing having a shoulder proximate to one end thereof, wherein the electrical connector is affixed to the planar body surface and the shoulder is aligned substantially parallel to the planar body surface and spaced apart therefrom, wherein the shoulder includes a first shoulder surface facing the planar body surface; and a grommet mounted to the connector extending away from the planar body surface, wherein the grommet includes an annular radially extending wall abutting the first shoulder surface and an annular lip seal compressed between the shoulder and a first side of the planar body surface facing the shoulder.

Growing community of inventors

Youngstown, OH, United States of America

William George Flask