Latching System for Electrical Connectors

This invention relates to latching systems for holding electrical connectors together, and especially to such systems for releasably clamping together connectors of different sizes.

It is sometimes desirable to hold the two halves of an electrical connector releasably to each other in their mated conditions, by means over and beyond the friction of pin against socket which is often relied upon, so that there is no chance of their accidental dislodgement, complete or partial, or relative motion due to vibration, gravity pull, accidental contact, or the like. This is particularly important where a first connector is mounted on a panel and mated with a second connector which has one or more other connectors mounted on its rear side, so that there is a distinct tendency for the second connector to loosen and perhaps ultimately fall out.

Mechanisms are known in which the pins of spring-mounted jaws, one on each side of one connector, can be manually pinched open and then allowed to close about a retaining catch on another connector of the same size, once the two connectors are fully mated. However, in some instances a pair of connectors are to be mated with each other which are of different sizes, e.g. a 68-position to 50-position adapter mated with a 50-position connector. Despite the difference in connector size, it is desirable to be able to assure that such connectors are securely and releasably held together by an appropriate mechanism. It is also sometimes desirable to secure one or more other connectors to the rear of one of the pair of connectors, while still retaining the ability to secure the original pair of connectors to each other. It has been found difficult to provide an appropriate latching system for assuring that the connectors will then remain mated as desired, and which is convenient and easy to use.

It is therefore a principal object of this invention to provide a new and advantageous mechanism for releasably latching together a pair of electrical connectors.

In accordance with the invention, there is provided a releasable latching mechanism for holding together at least a pair of connectors, comprising a pair of pivotable latching members, one on each side of a first of said connectors, and a pair of catches spaced apart along the mating face of the other of said connectors and positioned so as to be captured by a corresponding one of said latching members when the latching member is pivoted in one direction, and to be free of the latching member when the latching member is pivoted in the opposite direction. A pair of threaded latch-control shafts are provided, one on each side of said first connector and each manually rotatable in either direction by turning its free end, thereby to control the pivotal position of its associated latching member, so as to clamp said first connector to said second connector or to release the connectors from other, as desired.

Preferably the first connector is mounted in a case and the two threaded shafts supported on the case, outboard of the second connector. Preferably also, each threaded shaft is positioned to operate a jack-screw arrangement containing a spring which biases the corresponding latching member in the direction to engage its corresponding catch. The jack-screw arrangement serves to retract the latching member pivotally in response to turning of the threaded shaft in one direction, so as to release the latching member from its corresponding catch; it also serves to force the latching member into clamping engagement with the catch upon continued turning of the threaded shaft in the other direction. In a preferred form, each shaft is provided with a threaded axial opening at its free end, in which a corresponding additional threaded shaft, mounted on a third mated connector, can be secured to permit manual rotation of the threaded shafts of the first connector by rotation of the free end of the additional threaded shafts.

These and other objects and features of the invention will be more readily understood from a consideration of the following detailed description, taken with the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 is a top plan view of an adapter which, according to a preferred embodiment of the invention, is enclosed in a case and is releasably latched to a mating connector, the adaptor providing at its free face a greater number of connector positions than are available in the mated connector;

FIG. 2 is an end view of the system of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a top plan view of the system of FIG. 1 with the cover of the case removed;

FIG. 4 is an enlarged fragmentary view showing the lower right-hand portion of FIG. 3;

FIG. 5 is a perspective view of a portion of a latching member according to a preferred embodiment of the invention;

FIG. 6 is a side elevational view of the threaded operating shaft for the pivoted latch member;

FIGS. 7, 8, 9 and 10 are, respectively, a top plan view of the top of the case, a bottom plan view of the top of the case, a side view of the case taken along lines 9--9 of FIG. 8, and a side view of the case taken along lines 10--10 of FIG. 8;

FIGS. 11, 12, 13 and 14 are, respectively, a bottom plan view of the bottom of the case, a top plan view of the bottom of the case, a side view of the case taken along lines 13--13 of FIG. 11, and a side view taken along lines 14--14 of FIG. 11; and

FIG. 15 is a top plan view showing the connector system of FIG. 3, with the top of the case removed, with a third connector mated to the rear of one of the connectors of FIG. 3, and with additional shafts which and are engaged with the free ends of the two threaded shafts of FIG. 3 to permit operation of the latching members by the additional shafts.

Referring to the preferred embodiments of the invention shown the drawings, FIGS. 1-3 show an adapter 10 electrically connecting a standard 68-position, series 50 connector 11 to a standard 50-position, series 0.050 connector 12 by 50 insulated wires such as 13, (FIG. 3), one set of 25 above this other. Plugged into the front of connector 12 is a standard mated connector 14, in this case of a type in which two sets of 25 leads each are bent at right angles, as shown in FIG. 2. The rear side of the connector 11 is adapted to receive a 68-wire cable, or to mate with a 68-position, series 0.050 connector (as shown in FIG. 15).

The adapter 10 nests in a case 15 having a top 16 and a bottom 17 (FIG. 2) held together by screws 18 (FIG. 1), which threadingly engage a corresponding pair of posts 21 and 22 rising up from the bottom of the case (FIGS. 3, 4 and 12). FIGS. 7-14 show the compartments in the top and bottom of the case, in which the adapter 10 nests itself. Connector 14 is here assumed to be secured to a computer panel (not shown) by appropriate fasteners extending through holes 23, 24.

To secure the adapter 10 releasably to the panel-mounted connector 14, there is employed the latching system of the invention now to be described. Since the two parts of the latching system on opposite sides of the adapter are identical in this example, only one will be described in detail, the other being indicated by corresponding numerals with the suffix A.

A pivotable latching member 25 is provided with a bore 26 (FIG. 5), into which pivot post 27 extends; post 27 is molded integrally with the bottom of case 15, and extends upwardly from the bottom of the case. The latching member 25 is provided at its distal end with a hook-like latching tip 30 (FIG. 4) which is capable of engaging the tip of a corresponding catch 32 on the front of the connector 14; it is understood that an identical but oppositely facing catch 32A is provided on the connector 14, to operate similarly with corresponding latching member 25A.

Latching member 25 is provided with integral parallel flanges 34 and 36 (FIG. 4), by means of which latching member 25 is pivoted controllably, in response to axial motion of threaded shaft 40. Shaft 40 is supported near its rearward end by a cut-out 42 in case 15, and nearer its forward end it extends through a pair of respective clearance bores 48 and 50 in flanges 34 and 36. Shaft 40 has a threaded portion 54 which is threaded into a traveller nut 56 trapped between flanges 34 and 36, and prevented from rotating by abutment against the bottom of the case 15. A knurled head 60 is provided at the rearward end of shaft 40 to enable its easy manual turning by the user. Threaded shaft 40 is also provided with an integral radial flange 61, which is held against axial motion by walls 62 (FIGS. 4 and 8) extending from the top and bottom of the case 15.

Threaded screw shaft portion 54 preferably has a left-hand thread, so that as it is turned clockwise by the user (as viewed from beyond the knurled head) it causes nut 56 to screw itself forwardly along shaft 40 until it contacts flange 36, tending to push that flange forwardly and thereby pivot latching member 25 clockwise as viewed in FIG. 4, to clamp latching tip 30 firmly behind and against catch 32. As the threaded shaft 40 is rotated in the opposite direction, nut 56 begins to screw itself rearwardly along the threaded shaft toward flange 34. However, latching member 25 is biased toward catch 32 by a spiral compression spring 68, and when nut 56 is in its intermediate position between flanges 34 and 36, latching member 25 can be pushed back counterclockwise against the spring bias and when released will spring back to its original position. Accordingly, when connectors 12 and 14 are not yet mated, and latching member 25 is in a position to interfere with the advance of catch 32 as connectors 12 and 14 approach each other, the bevel 70 (FIG. 4) on latching tip 30 will cause latching number 25 to pivot counterclockwise as it is pushed aside by the advancing connector catch 32 during mating, until catch 32 snaps past the latching tip 30 and is loosely secured by the latching member. To release the latching member fully from the catch, threaded screw member 40 is turned to move nut 56 beyond its intermediate position and against flange 34, so as to pivot latching member 25 entirely free of catch 32 and thus release the mated connectors 12 and 14 for disconnection.

The other screw-threaded shaft 40A is operated the same as is shaft 40, with the same results.

In some known circumstances it is desirable to connect another connector 80 (FIG. 15), rather than just a cable, to the exposed side of connector 11. In such cases it is often still desirable to be able to clamp the connectors 12 and 14 securely but releasably to each other. Accordingly, as shown, the screw shafts 40, 40A are provided at their exposed ends with respective threaded bores 82, 82A in which a pair of correspondingly-threaded extension shafts 85, 85A are threadingly engaged; to secure the extension shafts in these positions, their threads may be coated with an adhesive before screwing them in place. The extension shafts are supported rotatably in appropriate circular openings and/or bores in case 88 of connector 80, and in this example are provided with knurled free ends 90, 90A so they can conveniently be turned manually to turn shafts 40, 40A respectively. In this way release and latching of the front two connectors 12 and 14 can be controlled from beyond the other added connector. If desired, additional extension shafts may be provided for still further additional connectors, in the same manner.

There has therefore been provided a simple but effective latching mechanism suitable for clamping and releasing a pair of connectors, especially connectors of different widths, by means of jack-screw actuated latches, operable by simple manual turning of a pair of threaded shafts.

In the example illustrated, the nut is captured in a recess or passage between the two flanges 34 and 36, but the recess or passage may be formed by a bore or slot of any shape in the latching member, between the walls of which the nut is located.

While the invention has been described with particular reference to specific embodiments in the interest of complete definiteness, it will be understood that it may be embodied in a variety of forms diverse from those specifically shown and described, without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention.