Connector assembly for seat belts

Abstract

This invention relates to a connector assembly for seat belts, comprising a wire-end connector and a board-end connector. Both the wire-end connector and the board-end connector are designed with multiple stops and hooks to integrally form the housing with internal components. When the wire-end connector and the board-end connector are assembled along a mating direction, they engage with each other to restrict relative movement between the wire-end connector and the board-end connector in that mating direction. The connector also incorporates a multi-layer waterproof design to prevent moisture from entering the connector assembly or even the circuit board from the wire-end connector.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to a connector assembly, and more particularly to a connector assembly for a seat belt. Background Technology

[0002] With the evolution and development of vehicle technology, automotive electronics are being developed and applied more and more widely. Among them, the electronic connector for vehicle seat belts is a key component. Unlike traditional seat belts that only focus on structural design, current seat belt electronic connectors connect the seat belt to the vehicle's electronic system to provide passengers and drivers with greater safety and a better riding experience.

[0003] For example, the vehicle's electronic seatbelt connector can connect to a driver monitoring system. If it detects that the driver or passenger is not wearing a seatbelt, it will issue an alarm or even restrict the vehicle's operation. Another application scenario is its connection to the airbag system. The electronic connector of the vehicle's seatbelt can connect to the seatbelt tension sensor and the airbag system. When a collision occurs, the seatbelt tension sensor will detect the tension in the seatbelt and decide whether to activate the airbag system to protect passenger safety, or determine that it is only a minor collision and choose not to activate the airbag system to avoid false activation.

[0004] In addition to transmitting electronic signals, the electronic connectors for vehicle seat belts must still comply with basic vehicle safety design specifications. Therefore, modern seat belt electronic connectors must be able to withstand high tensile forces while preventing external moisture from entering and damaging the electronic components. Summary of the Invention

[0005] The main objective of this invention is to provide a connector assembly for seat belts. In both the line-end connector and the board-end connector, each is designed with multiple stops and hooks to integrally fix the housing and internal core body. When the line-end connector and the board-end connector are assembled along a mating direction, they engage to restrict relative movement in that direction and withstand high tensile forces. Furthermore, the connector incorporates multiple rubber rings and components to form a multi-layered waterproof structure, ensuring that moisture cannot enter from the line-end connector or further diffuse to the board-end connector or even the circuit board.

[0006] To achieve the above objectives, the present invention provides a connector assembly for a seat belt, comprising a wire-end connector and a board-end connector. The wire-end connector includes a first housing, a first body, and a plurality of first terminals; the first housing has a plurality of first latching portions; the first body is fixedly disposed within the first housing and includes a mating extension end, a wire through-end, a first accommodating space, and a spacer, wherein the wire through-end is opposite to the mating extension end, the first accommodating space is formed between the mating extension end and the wire through-end, and the spacer is disposed at the wire through-end; the first terminals are disposed in the first accommodating space and connect to the plurality of wires, the wires passing through the spacer and extending out of the first housing. The board-end connector can be assembled with the wire-end connector. The board-end connector includes a second housing, a second body, and a plurality of second terminals. The second housing has a plurality of second latching portions. The second body is fixed in the second housing and includes a mating opening end, a terminal insertion end, and a second receiving space. The terminal insertion end is opposite to the mating opening end, and the second receiving space is formed between the mating opening end and the terminal insertion end. The second terminal is disposed in the second receiving space and partially extends out of the second housing through the terminal insertion end to connect to a circuit board. When the wire-end connector is assembled with the board-end connector in a mating direction, the mating extension end is inserted into the second receiving space through the mating opening end. The first terminal and the second terminal are electrically connected, and the first latching portion engages with the second latching portion to restrict the relative movement of the wire-end connector and the board-end connector in the mating direction.

[0007] The first housing further includes a plurality of first stop portions and a plurality of second stop portions. The first body has a plurality of stop surfaces and a plurality of slots. The first stop portions abut against the stop surfaces, and the second stop portions pass through the slots to restrict the first body in the opposite direction of the assembly, so that the first body is fixed in the first housing.

[0008] In one embodiment, the connector assembly further includes a positioning mechanism that is slidably fitted onto the first housing. When the positioning mechanism slides to a locked position, it partially extends between the first latching portion and the first body to limit the travel of the first latching portion.

[0009] The first housing further includes a plurality of first hooks and a plurality of first inward folds, which conversely restrict the first body, with the first hooks abutting against the spacer and the first inward folds abutting against the first body.

[0010] The second housing further includes a plurality of second hooks and a plurality of second inward folds, which conversely restrict the second body, with the second hooks abutting the terminal insertion end and the second inward folds abutting the second body.

[0011] The second body further includes a plurality of protrusions, and the second housing further includes a plurality of grooves, wherein when the second body is disposed in the second housing, the protrusions abut against the grooves.

[0012] The partition includes a central plate and two side arms, the side arms being used to hook onto the first body so that the central plate closes the wire insertion end.

[0013] The center plate has multiple through holes for the wires to pass through.

[0014] In one embodiment, the wire connector further includes a mating rubber ring and a wire end rubber ring. The mating rubber ring is sleeved on the mating extension end for tight engagement with the second body, and the wire end rubber ring is disposed on the spacer and covers the wire, and is tight engaged with the first body.

[0015] The board-end connector further includes a plurality of waterproof adhesive components disposed at the terminal penetration end and covering the second terminal.

[0016] Other objects of the present invention, as well as the technical means and embodiments thereof, will be understood by those skilled in the art upon referring to the accompanying drawings and the detailed description thereof. Attached Figure Description

[0017] Figure 1 This is a perspective view of a connector assembly according to an embodiment of the present invention;

[0018] Figure 2 This is an exploded perspective view of a connector assembly according to an embodiment of the present invention;

[0019] Figure 3 This is an exploded view of a wire connector;

[0020] Figure 4 An exploded view of the wire connector from another perspective;

[0021] Figure 5 This is an exploded view of the board-end connector;

[0022] Figure 6 This is a cross-sectional view of the connector assembly of the present invention;

[0023] Figure 7 This is a perspective view of a connector assembly according to another embodiment of the present invention;

[0024] Figure 8 This is an exploded view of a connector assembly according to another embodiment of the present invention;

[0025] Figure 9 This is a cross-sectional view of a connector assembly according to another embodiment of the present invention;

[0026] Figure 10This is a perspective view of a connector assembly according to another embodiment of the present invention;

[0027] Figure 11 A partial 3D view of the positioning mechanism in the locked position; and

[0028] Figure 12 This is an exploded view of the wire connector and positioning mechanism.

[0029] Explanation of reference numerals in the attached figures:

[0030] 1000 Connector Assembly

[0031] 1. Wire connector

[0032] 11 First Shell

[0033] 111 First buckle part

[0034] 112 positioning holes

[0035] 1121 First positioning hole

[0036] 1122 Second positioning hole

[0037] 113 First stop section

[0038] 115 Second stop section

[0039] 116 Pressing section

[0040] 117 First Hook

[0041] 119 First Inner Fold

[0042] 12 First Subject

[0043] 120 First Accommodation Space

[0044] 121 Connecting Extension Terminal

[0045] 122 Wire threading end

[0046] 123 Stop surface

[0047] 124 spacers

[0048] 1241 Center Plate

[0049] 12410 Through Hole

[0050] 1242 Side Arm

[0051] 1245 convex platform

[0052] 125 slot

[0053] 128 Limiting section

[0054] 129 Stop surface

[0055] 13 First terminal

[0056] 14. Connecting rubber rings

[0057] 15-wire end rubber ring

[0058] 2. Board-end connectors

[0059] 21 Second shell

[0060] 211 Second buckle part

[0061] 217 Second Hook

[0062] 218 Groove

[0063] 219 Second Inner Fold

[0064] 22 Second Subject

[0065] 221 Dating Open End

[0066] 222 Terminal insertion end

[0067] 223 Second Accommodation Space

[0068] 228 bumps

[0069] 229 Stop surface

[0070] 23 Second terminal

[0071] 24 Waterproof fittings

[0072] 3. Positioning mechanism

[0073] 31 Front Extension Plate

[0074] 32 Positioning convex part

[0075] 36 Top and bottom

[0076] 38 Front windshield

[0077] 2000 wires

[0078] 3000 circuit board

[0079] D. Assembly direction. Detailed Implementation

[0080] The following embodiments will explain the content of this invention. These embodiments are not intended to limit the implementation of this invention to any specific environment, application, or special method described in the embodiments. Therefore, the descriptions of the embodiments are merely illustrative of the invention and not intended to limit it. It should be noted that in the following embodiments and drawings, elements not directly related to this invention have been omitted and are not shown, and the dimensional relationships between the elements in the drawings are for ease of understanding only and are not intended to limit the actual scale.

[0081] Please refer to Figure 1 and Figure 2 , Figure 1 The figure shown is a perspective view of the connector assembly 1000 of the present invention. Figure 2 This is an exploded view of the connector assembly 1000. The connector assembly 1000 of the present invention mainly includes a wire-end connector 1 and a board-end connector 2. The wire-end connector 1 connects to a plurality of wires 2000, and the board-end connector 2 connects to a circuit board 3000. The wire-end connector 1 and the board-end connector 2 can be assembled along a mating direction D.

[0082] Next, we will explain connector 1 at the wire end. Please refer to the following: Figure 3 and Figure 4 The image shows exploded views of the wire connector 1 from different perspectives. The wire connector 1 includes a first housing 11, a first body 12, and a plurality of first terminals 13. The first body 12 is fixed in the first housing 11 and includes a mating extension end 121, a wire passing end 122, a first accommodating space 120, and a spacer 124. The wire passing end 122 is opposite to the mating extension end 121, and the first accommodating space 120 is formed between the mating extension end 121 and the wire passing end 122.

[0083] Please refer to it again. Figure 1 and Figure 2 The spacer 124 is disposed at the wire insertion end 122. The spacer 124 includes a central plate 1241 and two side arms 1242. The central plate 1241 has multiple through holes 12410 for the wire 2000 to pass through, allowing the wire 2000 to extend out of the first housing 11 through the through holes 12410 of the spacer 124. The side arms 1242 are used to hook onto the side wall of the first main body 12, so that the central plate 1241 is configured to close the wire insertion end 122. Figure 3 As shown, the first terminal 13 is disposed in the first accommodating space 120 and is used to connect to the wire 2000.

[0084] The wire connector 1 is structurally designed such that the first housing 11 and the first body 12 can be assembled and fixed together to form a single unit. Preferably, the first housing 11 is made of metal, while the wire insertion end 122 to the mating extension end 121 is a plastic core structure. Figure 4 As shown in this embodiment, the first housing 11 has a first latching part 111, a first stop part 113, and two second stop parts 115 (i.e., the bent ear structure in the figure) on its upper and lower parts respectively. The first body 12 has a stop surface 123 and two slots 125 on its upper and lower parts respectively. When the first housing 11 and the first body 12 are assembled along the assembly direction D, the first stop part 113 abuts against the stop surface 123, and the second stop parts 115 are respectively inserted into the slots 125. More specifically, the aforementioned stop relationship restricts the first body 12 in the opposite direction of the assembly direction D, so that the first body 12 is fixed in the first housing 11.

[0085] In this embodiment, the first housing 11 further includes a plurality of first hook portions 117 and a plurality of first inward fold portions 119, such as Figure 3 and Figure 4 As shown, the first housing 11 has two first hooks 117 arranged vertically opposite each other, while there are two first inward folds 119 on the left and right sides respectively. After assembly, the first hooks 117 abut against the spacer 124 (e.g., Figure 1 and Figure 2 As shown), the first inward fold 119 abuts against the stop surfaces 129 on both sides of the first body 12. Thus, the first hook 117 and the first inward fold 119 also achieve the effect of restricting the first body 12 in the opposite direction in the assembly direction D, and also make the first body 12 fixed in the first housing 11.

[0086] It should be noted that the aforementioned stop structure design involves mutual abutment between the metal structure of the first housing 11 and the rubber core structure of the first body 12, so that the first housing 11 and the first body 12 can form a whole after assembly.

[0087] The following describes connector 2 at the board end. Please refer to [link / reference]. Figure 5 The board-end connector 2 includes a second housing 21, a second body 22, and a plurality of second terminals 23; the second housing 21 has a second latching portion 211 at the top and bottom; the second body 22 is fixedly disposed in the second housing 21, and the second body 22 includes a mating opening end 221, a terminal through end 222, and a second receiving space 223 (e.g., Figure 2As shown), the terminal through end 222 is opposite to the mating opening end 221, and the second accommodating space 223 is formed between the mating opening end 221 and the terminal through end 222; the second terminal 23 is disposed in the second accommodating space 223 and partially extends out of the second housing 21 through the terminal through end 222 to connect to the circuit board 3000 (e.g., Figure 1 (As shown).

[0088] In detail, the second housing 21 also includes a plurality of second hooks 217 and a plurality of second inward folds 219. For example... Figure 5 As shown, the second housing 21 of this embodiment has two second hooks 217 arranged opposite each other on the left and right sides. The second hooks 217 abut against the terminal through end 222, and there are two second inward folds 219 on the upper and lower sides respectively. After assembly, they can abut against the corresponding stop surfaces 229 on the top and bottom of the second body 22. Thus, the second hooks 217 and the second inward folds 219 are configured to restrict the second body 22 in opposite directions, so that the second body 22 can be fixed in the second housing 21.

[0089] In addition, the second housing 21 also includes a plurality of grooves 218, and the second body 22 also includes a plurality of protrusions 228. When the second body 22 is disposed in the second housing 21, the protrusions 228 abut against the grooves 218, and together with the aforementioned second hook 217 and second inward fold 219, further ensure that the second body 22 is fixed in the second housing 21.

[0090] It should be noted that the second housing 21 is preferably made of metal, while the second body 22 is preferably made of plastic core. Therefore, the stop structure in the aforementioned board end connector 2 is designed to abut against each other between the metal structure and the plastic core structure, so that the second housing 21 and the second body 22 can be fixedly connected to form an integral unit after assembly.

[0091] Please refer to this as well. Figure 6 The assembly cross-sectional view shows that after the wire connector 1 and the board connector 2 are assembled together along the assembly direction D, the mating extension end 121 is inserted into the second receiving space 223 through the mating opening end 221. The first terminal 13 and the second terminal 23 are electrically connected. The first latching part 111 and the second latching part 211 engage to restrict the relative movement of the wire connector 1 and the board connector 2 in the assembly direction D. Since both the first latching part 111 and the second latching part 211 are made of metal, they can withstand high tensile forces. It should be noted that in this embodiment, the first latching part 111 and the second latching part 211 are symmetrically arranged on the upper and lower sides of the connector assembly 1000. When unlocking is required, the first latching part 111 and the second latching part 211 can be disengaged by pressing the upper and lower surfaces of the first housing 11.

[0092] In another embodiment, the connector assembly 1000 further incorporates a waterproof structure, for example... Figure 7 As shown, the components and structures essentially include those of the aforementioned embodiments, and will not be repeated here. Further reference... Figure 8 and Figure 9 , Figure 8 This is an exploded view of this embodiment. Figure 9 This is a cross-sectional view of this embodiment. Specifically, the wire-end connector 1 of this embodiment further includes a mating rubber ring 14 and a wire-end rubber ring 15. The mating rubber ring 14 is sleeved on the mating extension end 121. When the wire-end connector 1 is mated and inserted into the board-end connector 2, the mating rubber ring 14 is tightly fitted with the second body 22. The wire-end rubber ring 15 is disposed on the spacer 124 and covers the wire 2000. The spacer 124 also has a boss 1245. When the spacer 124 is snapped onto the first body 12, the boss 1245 forces the wire-end rubber ring 15 to be tightly disposed between the spacer 124 and the wire insertion end 122, thereby achieving a tight fit with the first body 12.

[0093] The board-end connector 2 also includes a plurality of waterproof adhesive parts 24 disposed at the terminal through end 222 and covering the second terminal 23.

[0094] Therefore, external moisture will not easily pass through the wire end rubber ring 15, the mating rubber ring 14 and the waterproof rubber part 24 to the circuit board 3000, thus preventing the electronic components on the circuit board 3000 side from getting damp.

[0095] In yet another embodiment, the connector assembly 1000 of the present invention may further include a connector positioning asssurance (CPA), which serves as a secondary locking structure for the connector assembly. See also... Figures 10 to 12 , Figure 10 To illustrate the perspective view of the connector assembly 1000 of this embodiment in the unlocked state, the positioning mechanism 3 is shown. Figure 11 To illustrate a partial schematic diagram of the positioning mechanism 3 in the locked state, Figure 12 This is an exploded view of the wire connector 1 and the positioning mechanism 3.

[0096] In this embodiment, the positioning mechanism 3 is slidably fitted onto the first housing 11 and can switch between an unlocked position and a locked position. The positioning mechanism 3 includes a front extension plate 31, a top abutment portion 36, and a front stop portion 38. Figure 10 The image shows the positioning mechanism 3 in the unlocked position. At this time, if the pressing part 116 of the first housing 11 is pressed, the first latching part 111 can be disengaged from the second latching part 211.

[0097] Please refer to further information. Figure 11 This is a schematic diagram illustrating the positioning mechanism 3 sliding to the locked position from another perspective. When the user pushes the positioning mechanism 3 forward, the front stop 38 will abut against the limiting part 128 of the first main body 12, at which point the positioning mechanism 3 will remain in the locked position. With the positioning mechanism 3 in the locked position, the front extension plate 31 will be located below the first latching part 111. In other words, the positioning mechanism 3 is partially inserted between the first latching part 111 and the first main body 12. This restricts the travel of the first latching part 111 when the pressing part 116 of the first housing 11 is pressed. Furthermore, the top abutment 36 is located precisely below the pressing part 116, further preventing the user from easily pressing down the pressing part 116.

[0098] Preferably, the positioning mechanism 3 further includes a positioning protrusion 32, and the first housing 11 further includes a plurality of positioning holes 112, such as Figure 12 As shown, this embodiment has a first positioning hole 1121 and a second positioning hole 1122. When the positioning mechanism 3 is in the unlocked position, the positioning protrusion 32 engages with the first positioning hole 1121, and when the positioning mechanism 3 is in the locked position, the positioning protrusion 32 engages with the second positioning hole 1122. In this way, the user will have a clear tactile feedback when operating the positioning mechanism 3, and the positioning mechanism 3 is less likely to change position arbitrarily when in the unlocked or locked position.

[0099] In summary, after the line connector 1 and the board connector 2 are assembled, the positioning mechanism 3 can be further operated to abut against the first latching part 111 to limit its stroke. Even if the pressing part 116 (including the upper and lower surfaces) of the first housing 11 is pressed, the first latching part 111 and the second latching part 211 cannot easily disengage because the stroke of the first latching part 111 is limited. This ensures that the connector assembly 1000 will not be unlocked by accident and also allows the connector assembly 1000 to withstand greater tension in the assembled state.

[0100] In summary, the connector assembly of the present invention, by designing multiple stop portions and hook portions on both the line-end connector and the board-end connector, forms an integral structure between the housing and the internal components. When the line-end connector and the board-end connector are assembled along a mating direction, they engage with each other to restrict relative movement in that direction and can withstand high tensile forces. Furthermore, the connector is equipped with multiple rubber rings and components to form a multi-layered waterproof structure, ensuring that moisture cannot enter from the line-end connector, nor can it further diffuse to the board-end connector or even the circuit board.

[0101] The above embodiments are merely illustrative of the present invention and illustrate its technical features, and are not intended to limit the scope of protection of the present invention. Any changes or equivalent arrangements that can be easily made by those skilled in the art are within the scope of the present invention, and the scope of protection of the present invention should be determined by the claims.

Claims

1. A connector assembly for a seat belt, characterized by Comprising: a wire end connector, comprising: a first housing having a plurality of first snap portions, a plurality of first stop portions and a plurality of second stop portions; a first body fixedly arranged in the first housing, the first body comprising a mating extension end, a wire passing end, a first accommodating space, a partition, a plurality of stop surfaces and a plurality of slots, the wire passing end opposite to the mating extension end, the first accommodating space formed between the mating extension end and the wire passing end, the partition arranged at the wire passing end, the first stop portions abutting against the stop surfaces, the second stop portions passing through the slots to reversely limit the first body in the assembling direction so as to fix the first body in the first housing; a plurality of first terminals arranged in the first accommodating space and connected to a plurality of wires passing through the partition and extending out of the first housing; a board end connector capable of being assembled with the wire end connector, the board end connector comprising: a second housing having a plurality of second snap portions; a second body fixedly arranged in the second housing, the second body comprising a mating opening end, a terminal passing end and a second accommodating space, the terminal passing end opposite to the mating opening end, the second accommodating space formed between the mating opening end and the terminal passing end; a plurality of second terminals arranged in the second accommodating space and partially extending out of the second housing through the terminal passing end to connect a circuit board; wherein, when the wire end connector is assembled with the board end connector in an assembling direction, the mating extension end is inserted into the second accommodating space through the mating opening end, the first terminals are electrically connected to the second terminals, and the first snap portions are engaged with the second snap portions to limit the relative movement of the wire end connector and the board end connector in the assembling direction.

2. The connector assembly for a seat belt of claim 1, wherein, further comprising a positioning mechanism slidably sleeved on the first housing, when the positioning mechanism slides to a locking position, the positioning mechanism partially extends between the first snap portions and the first body to limit the stroke of the first snap portions.

3. A connector assembly for a seat belt according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the first housing further comprises a plurality of first hook portions and a plurality of first inner folding portions reversely limiting the first body, the first hook portions abutting against the partition, and the first inner folding portions abutting against the first body.

4. The connector assembly for a seat belt of claim 3, wherein, the second housing further comprises a plurality of second hook portions and a plurality of second inner folding portions reversely limiting the second body, the second hook portions abutting against the terminal passing end, and the second inner folding portions abutting against the second body.

5. The connector assembly for a seat belt of claim 4, wherein, the second body further comprises a plurality of protrusions, and the second housing further comprises a plurality of recesses, when the second body is arranged in the second housing, the protrusions abut against the recesses.

6. The connector assembly for a seat belt of claim 4, wherein, the partition comprises a central plate and two side arms, the side arms are used to hook the first body so that the central plate closes the wire passing end.

7. The connector assembly for a seat belt of claim 6, wherein, the central plate has a plurality of through holes for the wires to pass through.

8. The connector assembly for a seat belt of claim 4, wherein, the wire end connector further comprises a mating rubber ring and a wire end rubber ring, the mating rubber ring is sleeved on the mating extension end to tightly fit the second body, and the wire end rubber ring is arranged on the partition and covers the wires and tightly fits the first body.

9. The connector assembly for a seat belt of claim 8, wherein, The board end connector further includes a plurality of waterproofing gaskets disposed at the terminal penetrating end and covering the second terminals.

Images