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:
Oct. 06, 1998
Filed:
Jan. 03, 1997
Shashidhar M Kamath, Belleville, MI (US);
Seiji Kozono, Shizuoka, JP;
Yazaki Corporation, Tokyo, JP;
Abstract
A spacer for an electrical connector which detects the presence of electrical terminals inserted into terminal accommodating chambers in the connector and which locks the terminals in the chambers only when the terminals are fully inserted. The spacer preferably has a lock arm for each chamber. Each lock arm has a stop which holds the spacer in a pre-set position by abutting against the chamber. As the terminal is inserted into the chamber, the terminal contacts the lock arm and deflects it to a position where the stop no longer engages the chamber. The spacer can only be moved to a full-lock position when all terminals are completely inserted into the chambers. Each lock arm preferably includes a terminal-detecting projection which rides along a surface of the terminal until it reaches an engagement aperture in the surface of the terminal. The projection is then securely received by the engagement aperture as the lock arm returns to an at rest position.