The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Jul. 28, 1998
Filed:
Oct. 23, 1997
Jurgen Meyer, Pfaffenhofen, DE;
Hans-Joachim Zander, Schifferstadt, DE;
Dirk Duenkel, Bensheim, DE;
Franz-Josef Thiel, Weiterstadt, DE;
The Whitaker Corporation, Wilmington, DE (US);
Abstract
A connector assembly comprises a housing and a secondary locking member for coupling to a complementary connector assembly comprising a housing and a secondary locking member. The housing comprises a central coding cavity that allows insertion therethrough of prismatic coding bars that extend from the secondary locking member. The complementary connector housing similarly comprises a through cavity to allow passage therein of a coding bar of the secondary locking member that is complementary to the coding bar. The secondary locking member can be assembled to the connector housing within a shroud in a preassembled position and then shifted in the direction D to the fully assembled locked position. Similarly, the secondary locking member of the complementary connector can be inserted in the shroud in a preassembled position and then shifted in the direction of arrow D to the fully locked position. When both secondary locking members are fully locked to their respective housings, the connector assemblies can then be mated whereby the coding bars are inserted into the coding cavity of the mating connector housing thereby interleaving with the complementary coding bar. The coding bars thus perform the functions of coding and of preventing coupling of connector assemblies if the secondary locking members are not fully locked. Furthermore, integral moulding of the coding bars to the secondary locking mechanism provides a sturdy and reliable coding system with many possibilities.