Connector assembly with secondary lock structure

Abstract

The utility model discloses a connector assembly with a secondary lock structure, which comprises a TPA assembly, a sheath and a terminal assembly arranged in the sheath, and is characterized in that a terminal fixing part is additionally arranged between two clamping parts on the basis of the existing TPA assembly consisting of a main body part and the clamping parts positioned on the two sides of the main body part, so that the TPA assembly can be firmly fixed on the TPA assembly; when the TPA assembly is located at the locking position, the terminal fixing part and the two clamping parts are matched with the positioning grooves in the terminal assembly to achieve secondary locking of the terminal assembly, compared with a conventional secondary locking device which only has two sides serving as force application surfaces, the TPA assembly can provide larger holding force for the terminal assembly, and the TPA assembly can be locked more stably. Therefore, the failure risk caused by misoperation can be avoided; moreover, a reinforcing part used for reinforcing the clamping part is formed at least in the area, matched with the positioning groove, of the clamping part, so that the structural strength of the TPA assembly is improved, and the holding force provided by the TPA assembly to the terminal assembly can be further improved.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The utility model relates to the technical field of connectors, in particular to a connector assembly with a secondary lock structure. Background Art

[0002] The common secondary locking devices used for data transmission connectors often have the problem of insufficient holding force, because conventional secondary locking devices usually have only two sides as force application surfaces, and for the parallel structure of two pairs of signal transmission, only one side is protected. In the actual loading process, under the force applied by the operator and improper operation by personnel, the secondary lock structure is subject to a great risk of failure and damage under the influence of abnormal pulling force, which has caused customer complaints. In order to further increase the safety margin of the secondary locking holding force, in view of the above defects, it is necessary to innovate a new type of secondary locking structure design to solve the failure and damage risks caused by improper operation. Utility Model Content

[0003] In view of this, an object of the present invention is to provide a connector assembly with a secondary lock structure to enhance the safety margin of the holding force of the secondary lock structure, thereby avoiding the risk of failure and damage due to improper operation.

[0004] In order to achieve the above-mentioned purpose, the technical solution adopted by the utility model is: a connector assembly with a secondary lock structure, including a TPA assembly, a sleeve and a terminal assembly installed in the sleeve, the sleeve is provided with an insertion port connected to the terminal cavity of the sleeve, the TPA assembly includes a main body and clamping parts located on both sides of the main body, after the TPA assembly enters the terminal cavity through the insertion port, it is clamped and matched with the inner wall of the terminal cavity through the clamping parts to realize the positioning of the TPA assembly in the pre-installed position or the locked position, the terminal assembly has a positioning groove recessed inwardly, the main body is provided with a terminal fixing part between the two clamping parts, when the TPA assembly is in the locked position, the terminal fixing part and the two clamping parts cooperate with the positioning groove to realize the secondary locking of the terminal assembly; the clamping part is formed with a reinforcing part for reinforcing the clamping part at least in the area cooperating with the positioning groove.

[0005] In some embodiments, the terminal assembly includes a terminal body and a cable conductively connected to the terminal body, the terminal body includes a conductive segment, a connecting segment and a crimping segment for connecting the cable arranged in sequence, the positioning groove is formed on the connecting segment, and when the TPA assembly is in a locked position, the terminal fixing portion and the two clamping portions are at least partially accommodated in the positioning groove and cooperate with the side wall stop of the positioning groove to prevent the terminal assembly from withdrawing from the sheath.

[0006] In some embodiments, the reinforcement portion is formed on an inner wall of the clamping portion on one side close to the conductive segment.

[0007] In some embodiments, the reinforcement portion is a multi-step step structure or a slope structure that can avoid the connecting section and the crimping section.

[0008] In some embodiments, a primary lock cantilever is extended on the inner wall of the sleeve along the direction in which the terminal assembly is installed into the sleeve, the free end of the primary lock cantilever is clamped into the positioning groove, and an escape area for avoiding the primary lock cantilever is provided between the clamping portion and the terminal fixing portion.

[0009] In some embodiments, a first inclined surface is formed on the inner side of one end of the clamping portion away from the main body, and the first inclined surface is arranged along the direction in which the terminal assembly is inserted into the sleeve. When the TPA assembly is in the locked position, the first inclined surface is pressed against the outer side of the terminal assembly.

[0010] In some embodiments, a card block is protruding from the outer side of one end of the card-connecting portion away from the main body, and a pre-installed card slot and a locking card slot are arranged at intervals on the inner wall of the terminal cavity. When the card block is connected to the pre-installed card slot, the TPA assembly is in the pre-installed position, and when the card block is connected to the locking card slot, the TPA assembly is in the locked position.

[0011] In some embodiments, a reinforcing rib is formed on at least one end surface of the terminal fixing portion.

[0012] In some embodiments, at least one positioning block is provided on the outer edge of the main body, and the sheath is provided with a lap groove matching the positioning block on the outer side of the insertion port, and when the TPA assembly is in the locked position, the positioning block is embedded in the lap groove.

[0013] In some embodiments, a second inclined surface and a third inclined surface that cooperate with each other are provided between the positioning block and the overlapping groove, and a gap is formed between the second inclined surface and the third inclined surface to facilitate the disassembly of the TPA assembly.

[0014] Compared with the prior art, the beneficial effects of the present invention are as follows: based on the existing TPA assembly consisting of a main body and clamping parts located on both sides of the main body, the present invention further adds a terminal fixing part between the two clamping parts. When the TPA assembly is in the locked position, the terminal fixing part and the two clamping parts cooperate with the positioning grooves on the terminal assembly to achieve secondary locking of the terminal assembly. Compared with the conventional secondary locking device which usually has only two sides as force application surfaces, the TPA assembly of the present invention can provide a greater holding force for the terminal assembly, thereby avoiding the risk of failure due to improper operation; moreover, in the present invention, the clamping part is formed with a reinforcing part for reinforcing the clamping part at least in the area cooperating with the positioning groove, so as to improve the structural strength of the TPA assembly, thereby further improving the holding force that the TPA assembly can provide for the terminal assembly. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0015] The accompanying drawings, which are incorporated in and constitute a part of the specification, illustrate embodiments of the present invention and, together with the description, serve to explain the principles of the present invention.

[0016] Figure 1 A schematic diagram of the structure of a connector assembly with a secondary lock structure provided by the utility model;

[0017] Figure 2 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of the connector assembly after the TPA assembly is removed;

[0018] Figure 3 for Figure 1 A schematic diagram of the structure of the TPA component in the connector assembly shown;

[0019] Figure 4 It is a schematic diagram of the coordination between the TPA component and the terminal component;

[0020] Figure 5 When the TPA assembly is in the pre-installed position, Figure 1 a cross-sectional view of the connector assembly shown;

[0021] Figure 6 When the TPA assembly is in the locked position, Figure 1 a cross-sectional view of the connector assembly shown;

[0022] Figure 7 This is a schematic diagram of the coordination between the TPA assembly and the terminal assembly when the reinforcement portion of the TPA assembly is a multi-step step structure.

[0023] The following are marked in the figure:

[0024] 10. TPA assembly; 101. main body; 102. clamping part; 103. terminal fixing part; 104. avoidance area; 105. first inclined surface; 106. reinforcement part; 107. clamping block; 108. reinforcement rib; 109. positioning block; 110. second inclined surface;

[0025] 20, sheath; 201, terminal cavity; 202, insertion port; 203, one-time lock cantilever; 204, pre-installed card slot; 205, locking card slot; 206, lap groove; 207, third inclined surface;

[0026] 30. Terminal assembly; 301. Positioning groove; 302. Conductive section; 303. Connecting section; 304. Crimping section; 305. Cable;

[0027] 40. Gap. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0028] Various exemplary embodiments of the present invention will now be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings. It should be noted that unless otherwise specifically stated, the relative arrangements of components and steps, numerical expressions and numerical values ​​set forth in these embodiments do not limit the scope of the present invention.

[0029] The following description of at least one exemplary embodiment is merely illustrative in nature and is in no way intended to limit the present invention, its application, or uses.

[0030] Technologies, methods, and equipment known to ordinary technicians in the relevant art may not be discussed in detail, but where appropriate, the technologies, methods, and equipment should be considered as part of the specification.

[0031] In all examples shown and discussed herein, any specific values ​​should be interpreted as merely exemplary and not limiting. Therefore, other examples of the exemplary embodiments may have different values.

[0032] A connector assembly with a secondary lock structure, such as Figure 1-Figure 7 As shown, it includes a TPA component 10, a sheath 20 and a terminal component 30 installed in the sheath 20, the terminal component 30 includes a terminal body and a cable 305 conductively connected to the terminal body, the terminal body includes a conductive segment 302, a connecting segment 303 and a crimping segment 304 for connecting the cable arranged in sequence; the sheath 20 is provided with an insertion port 202 connected to the terminal cavity 201 of the sheath 20, the TPA component 10 includes a main body 101 and a clamping portion 102 located on both sides of the main body, after the TPA component 10 enters the terminal cavity 201 through the insertion port 202, it is clamped with the inner wall of the terminal cavity 201 through the clamping portion 102 to realize the positioning of the TPA component in the pre-installed position or the locked position, after the TPA component 10 is installed in the sheath 20, the top of the main body 101 is 0.10mm lower than the upper surface of the sheath 20 to prevent the risk of the TPA component 10 being damaged due to being higher than the surface of the sheath 20 under the action of force.

[0033] like Figure 2 , Figure 4 , Figure 5 and Figure 7As shown, the terminal assembly 30 has a positioning groove 301 recessed inward, and a primary lock cantilever 203 is extended on the inner wall of the sheath 20 along the direction in which the terminal assembly 30 is inserted into the sheath 20. The free end of the primary lock cantilever 203 is clamped to the positioning groove 301, and an escape area 104 for avoiding the primary lock cantilever 203 is provided between the clamping portion 102 and the terminal fixing portion 103. After the terminal assembly 30 is inserted into the sheath 20, the primary locking of the terminal assembly 30 is achieved by the primary lock cantilever 203; the main body 101 is provided with a terminal fixing portion 103 between the two clamping portions 102. When the TPA assembly 10 is in the locked position, the terminal fixing portion 103 and the two clamping portions 102 cooperate with the positioning groove 301 to achieve secondary locking of the terminal assembly 30. Specifically, the positioning groove 301 is formed in the connecting section 303. When the TPA assembly 10 is in the locked position, the terminal fixing portion 103 and the two clamping portions 102 are at least partially received in the positioning groove 301 and are blocked by the conductive section 302, specifically, by the side wall of the positioning groove 301, so as to prevent the terminal assembly 30 from withdrawing from the sheath 20. For details, please refer to Figure 4 and Figure 6 Compared with conventional secondary locking devices which usually have only two sides as force application surfaces, the TPA assembly provided by the utility model can provide a greater holding force to the terminal assembly, thereby avoiding the risk of failure due to improper operation.

[0034] In one embodiment, if Figure 3 As shown, a first slope 105 is formed on the inner side of one end of the clamping portion 102 away from the main body 101, and the first slope 105 is arranged along the direction in which the terminal assembly 30 is inserted into the sleeve 20. When the TPA assembly 10 is in the locked position, the first slope 105 is pressed against the outer side of the terminal assembly 30, thereby improving the stability of the TPA assembly 10 after being inserted into the sleeve 20.

[0035] In one embodiment, a reinforcing portion 106 for reinforcing the clamping portion 102 is formed on the inner wall of one side of the clamping portion 102 close to the conductive segment 302. The reinforcing portion 106 is a multi-step terrace structure or a slope structure that can avoid the connecting segment 303 and the crimping segment 304. In this embodiment, a multi-step terrace structure is adopted. For details, please refer to Figure 7 The multi-stage step structure can improve the strength of the TPA assembly 10, thereby providing a greater holding force for the terminal assembly. On the other hand, the multi-stage step structure can avoid the connection section 303 and the crimping section 304 to improve the compactness of the connector assembly of the utility model, reduce its volume, and improve its competitiveness. Furthermore, a reinforcing rib 108 is formed on at least one end surface of the terminal fixing portion 103, thereby improving the strength of the terminal fixing portion 103 and preventing the terminal fixing portion 103 from being damaged due to insufficient strength when the TPA assembly 10 is subjected to external tension.

[0036] In one embodiment, a card block 107 is protruded from the outer side of one end of the card connection portion 102 away from the main body portion 101, and a pre-installed card slot 204 and a locking card slot 205 are arranged on the inner wall of the terminal cavity 201 at intervals. When the card block 107 is connected to the pre-installed card slot 204, the TPA component 10 is in the pre-installed position, and when the card block 107 is connected to the locking card slot 205, the TPA component 10 is in the locked position. For details, please refer to Figure 4 and Figure 5 , respectively, are schematic diagrams of the structure of the connector assembly when the TPA assembly is in the pre-installed position and the locked position. Further, as Figure 3 As shown, the clamping portion 102 is cantilevered and the free end of the clamping block 107 is hooked, which facilitates the smooth installation of the TPA assembly 10 into the sheath 20 on the one hand, and also provides good holding force when the clamping block 107 enters the pre-installed slot 204 or the locking slot 205 on the other hand.

[0037] In one embodiment, if Figure 1 and Figure 2 As shown, at least one positioning block 109 is provided at the outer edge of the main body 101, and the sheath 20 is provided with a lap groove 206 matched with the positioning block 109 on the outer side of the insertion port 202. When the TPA component 10 is in the locked position, the positioning block 109 is embedded in the lap groove 206. The matching arrangement of the positioning block 109 and the lap groove 206 can position and prevent errors in the installation of the TPA component 10, thereby preventing the operator from inserting the TPA component 10 by mistake and causing damage to the TPA component 10. Further, as shown Figure 1 As shown, a second inclined surface 110 and a third inclined surface 207 that cooperate with each other are provided between the positioning block 109 and the overlapping groove 206, and a gap 40 is formed between the second inclined surface 110 and the third inclined surface 207 for easy disassembly of the TPA component 10. When the TPA component 10 is disassembled, a sheet or sharp object is inserted into the gap 40, and the TPA component 10 is lifted up with force to achieve convenient disassembly of the TPA component 10.

[0038] Although some specific embodiments of the present invention have been described in detail by way of examples, it should be understood by those skilled in the art that the above examples are for illustration only and are not intended to limit the scope of the present invention. It should be understood by those skilled in the art that the above embodiments may be modified without departing from the scope and spirit of the present invention. The scope of the present invention is defined by the appended claims.

Claims

1. A connector assembly with a secondary lock structure, comprising a TPA assembly, a sheath and a terminal assembly installed in the sheath, wherein the sheath is provided with an insertion port communicating with a terminal cavity of the sheath, the TPA assembly comprises a main body and clamping portions located on both sides of the main body, after the TPA assembly enters the terminal cavity through the insertion port, the clamping portions are clamped with the inner wall of the terminal cavity to realize the positioning of the TPA assembly in a pre-installed position or a locked position, and the terminal assembly has a positioning groove recessed inwardly, characterized in that: The main body is provided with a terminal fixing portion between the two clamping portions. When the TPA assembly is in the locked position, the terminal fixing portion and the two clamping portions cooperate with the positioning groove to achieve secondary locking of the terminal assembly. The clamping portion is formed with a reinforcing portion for reinforcing the clamping portion at least in the area cooperating with the positioning groove.

2. A connector assembly with a secondary lock structure according to claim 1, characterized in that: The terminal assembly includes a terminal body and a cable conductively connected to the terminal body, the terminal body includes a conductive section, a connecting section and a crimping section for connecting the cable arranged in sequence, the positioning groove is formed on the connecting section, and when the TPA assembly is in a locked position, the terminal fixing portion and the two clamping portions are at least partially accommodated in the positioning groove and cooperate with the side wall stop of the positioning groove to prevent the terminal assembly from withdrawing from the sheath.

3. A connector assembly with a secondary lock structure according to claim 2, characterized in that: The reinforcing portion is formed on an inner wall of one side of the clamping portion close to the conductive segment.

4. A connector assembly with a secondary lock structure according to claim 3, characterized in that: The reinforcement portion is a multi-step terrace structure or a slope structure that can avoid the connecting section and the crimping section.

5. The connector assembly with a secondary lock structure according to claim 1, characterized in that: A primary lock cantilever is extended on the inner wall of the sleeve along the direction in which the terminal assembly is installed into the sleeve, the free end of the primary lock cantilever is clamped into the positioning groove, and an escape area for avoiding the primary lock cantilever is provided between the clamping portion and the terminal fixing portion.

6. A connector assembly with a secondary lock structure according to claim 1, characterized in that: A first inclined surface is formed on the inner side of one end of the clamping portion away from the main body, and the first inclined surface is arranged along the direction in which the terminal assembly is inserted into the sleeve. When the TPA assembly is in the locked position, the first inclined surface is pressed against the outer side of the terminal assembly.

7. The connector assembly with a secondary lock structure according to claim 1, characterized in that: A card block is protruding from the outer side of one end of the card connection portion away from the main body portion, and a pre-installed card slot and a locking card slot are arranged on the inner wall of the terminal cavity at intervals. When the card block is connected to the pre-installed card slot, the TPA assembly is in the pre-installed position, and when the card block is connected to the locking card slot, the TPA assembly is in the locked position.

8. The connector assembly with a secondary lock structure according to claim 1, characterized in that: A reinforcing rib is formed on at least one end surface of the terminal fixing portion.

9. The connector assembly with a secondary lock structure according to claim 1, characterized in that: The outer edge of the main body is provided with at least one positioning block, and the outer side of the insertion port of the sheath is provided with a lap groove matched with the positioning block. When the TPA assembly is in the locked position, the positioning block is embedded in the lap groove.

10. A connector assembly with a secondary lock structure according to claim 9, characterized in that: A second inclined surface and a third inclined surface that cooperate with each other are arranged between the positioning block and the overlapping groove, and a gap is formed between the second inclined surface and the third inclined surface to facilitate the disassembly of the TPA assembly.

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