Electrical connector assembly having improved latching means

Claim 2

An electrical connector assembly comprising first and second connector parts, said parts being matable with each other thereby to engage contact terminals in said parts with each other, said first part having a hood extending from the mating face thereof, said second part being received within said hood when said parts are mated, each of said parts having panel mounting means on two opposite sides thereof whereby either of said parts can be mounted in a panel opening, latching means for said parts comprising: a first pair of latch arms on opposite sides of said first part, each of said latch arms of said first pair having a rearward end which is integral with said first part adjacent to the rearward end thereof and extending forwardly on said part alongside said hood, each of said first pair of latch arms being flexible inwardly towards said first part; a second pair of latch arms on said second connector part, eAch latch arm of said second pair being pivotally connected intermediate its ends to said second part and having engaging means in its forward end for interengagement with the forward end of a latch arm on said first part; and interengaging means on the ends of said arms, said interengaging means being disengageable upon depressing either the intermediate portions of said first pair of latch arms or the rearward ends of said second pair whereby said parts can be disengaged regardless of which part is mounted in a panel opening.

Claim 3

A connector assembly as set forth in claim 1 wherein said second pair of latch arms comprise platelike members, said first pair of latch arms being adapted to move between said second pair of latch arms and surface portions of said second part upon engagement of said parts with each other.

Claim 4

A connector assembly as set forth in claim 1 wherein said hood on said first part has slot means extending inwardly from the leading edge thereof in alignment with said first pair of latch arms, said slot means permitting inward movement of said first pair of latch arms beyond the external surface of said hood.

Claim 5

A connector assembly as set forth in claim 1 wherein said second pair of latch arms comprise platelike members, said first pair of latch arms being adapted to move between said second pair of latch arms and surface portions of said second part upon engagement of said parts with each other, said hood on said first part having slot means extending inwardly from the leading edge thereof in alignment with said first pair of latch arms, said slot means permitting inward movement of said first pair of latch arms beyond the external surface of said hood.

Claim 6

A connector assembly as set forth in claim 4 wherein said engaging means comprises barbed ends on said first pair of latch arms, said barbed ends defining first rearwardly facing shoulder means, said second pair of latch arms having grooves on their undersides, said grooves defining second rearwardly facing shoulder means on said second pair, said barbed ends on said first pair being adapted to enter said grooves and said first and second shoulder means being adapted to abut each other to latch said parts to each other.

Claim 7

An electrical connector assembly comprising first and second connector parts, said parts being matable with each other thereby to engage contact terminals in said parts with each other, each of said parts having panel mounting means thereon to permit mounting of either of said parts in a panel, said connector assembly having latching means for holding said parts in mated relationship comprising: a first pair of latch arms on opposite sides of the first one of said parts, each of said first pair of latch arms having a rearward end which is integral with said first one of said parts proximate to the rearward end thereof, each of said first pair of latch arms extending forwardly beside, and spaced from, said first part and being flexible towards said first part; a second pair of latch arms on the second one of said connector parts each latch arm of said second pair being pivotally connected intermediate its ends to said second part, each of said second pair of latch arms being movable outwardly away from said second part by depressing the rearward ends of said second pair of latch arms; and interengaging means on the forward portions of said first and second pairs of latch arms, said first pair of latch arms being disengageable from said second pair of latch arms upon inward movement of the forward portions of said first pair of latch arms towards said first part, said second pair of latch arms being disengageable from said first pair of latch arms upon outward movement of the forward portions of said second pair of latch arms away from said second part, whereby either of said parts can be mounted in a panel and the unmounted part can be disengaged from the mounted part.

Claim 8

An electrical connector assembly comprising first and second connector parts, said parts being matable with each other thereby to engage contact terminals in said parts with each other, each of said parts having panel mounting means thereon to permit mounting of either of said parts in a panel, said connector assembly having latching means for holding said parts in mated relationship comprising: a first pair of latch arms on opposite sides of the first one of said parts, each of said first pair of latch arms having a rearward end which is integral with said first one of said parts proximate to the rearward end thereof, each of said first pair of latch arms extending forwardly beside, and spaced from, said first part and being flexible towards said first part; a second pair of latch arms on the second one of said connector parts each latch arm of said second pair being pivotally connected intermediate its ends to said second part, each of said second pair of latch arms being movable outwardly away from said second part by depressing the rearward ends of said second pair of latch arms; and interengaging means on the forward portions of said first and second pairs of latch arms, said first pair of latch arms being disengageable from said second pair of latch arms upon inward movement of the forward portions of said first pair of latch arms towards said first part, said second pair of latch arms being disengageable from said first pair of latch arms upon outward movement of the forward portions of said second pair of latch arms away from said second part, whereby either of said parts can be mounted in a panel and the unmounted part can be disengaged from the mounted part.

Claim 9

An electrical connector assembly as set forth in claim 6 including hood means on said first connector part, said hood means being adapted to receive said second connector part when said parts are mated, and slot means in said hood means permitting inward flexure of said first pair of arms.