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EP-4742462-A1 - CONNECTOR POSITION ASSURANCE, POSITION-LIMIT MECHANISM THEREOF, AND CONNECTOR ASSEMBLY

EP4742462A1EP 4742462 A1EP4742462 A1EP 4742462A1EP-4742462-A1

Abstract

Disclosed is a CPA, a position-limit mechanism and a connector assembly. The CPA includes a base fixed on a connector, a flexible locking arm connected to the base, and a position-limit mechanism. A receiving space for receiving a locking part of a mated connector is formed between the position-limit mechanism and the base, and the locking arm is located within the receiving space and configured to be engaged with the locking part when the connector is inserted into the mated connector. The position-limit mechanism includes a limiting base slidably connected with the base in an insertion direction, the position-limit mechanism has a locking and an unlocking positions, and the limiting base is formed with a pressing portion configured to press downward the locking arm when the position-limit mechanism is in the unlocking position, so as to release an engagement between the locking arm and the locking part.

Inventors

  • Tan, Shiyang
  • ZHOU, Zhaowen
  • LI, JIANXIONG
  • XU, Leilei

Assignees

  • Tyco Electronics (Shanghai) Co., Ltd.

Dates

Publication Date
20260513
Application Date
20251104

Claims (15)

  1. A connector position assurance (300), wherein the connector position assurance (300) comprises a base (310) fixed on a connector (100), a flexible locking arm (320) connected to the base (310), and a position-limit mechanism (330), a receiving space for receiving a locking part (201) of a mated connector (200) that mates with the connector (100) being formed between the position-limit mechanism (330) and the base (310), and the flexible locking arm (320) being located within the receiving space and configured to be engaged with the locking part (201) of the mated connector (200) when the connector (100) is inserted into the mated connector (200), so as to lock the connector (100) and the mated connector (200), wherein the position-limit mechanism (330) comprises a limiting base (331) slidably connected with the base (310) in an insertion direction (X) of the connector (100), the position-limit mechanism (330) has a locking position and an unlocking position, and the limiting base (331) is formed with a pressing portion (332) configured to press downward the flexible locking arm (320) when the position-limit mechanism (330) is in the unlocking position, so as to release an engagement between the flexible locking arm (320) and the locking part (2) of the mated connector (200).
  2. The connector position assurance according to claim 1, wherein the flexible locking arm (320) comprises a locking arm body (321) and a locking protrusion (322) protruding from a middle of the locking arm body (321) in the insertion direction (X) of the connector (100), the locking part (201) of the mated connector (200) is formed with a locking hole (202) configured to be clamped into a locking hole (202) of the locking part (201) of the mated connector (200) so as to lock the connector (100) and the mated connector (200).
  3. The connector position assurance according to claim 2, wherein a first end of the flexible locking arm (320) close to the mated connector (200) is fixed on the base (310), the pressing portion (332) is configured to press a portion of the flexible locking arm (320) close to the locking protrusion (322) when the position-limit mechanism (330) is in the unlocking position.
  4. The connector position assurance according to claim 3, wherein the position-limit mechanism (330) further comprises a support portion (334) connected to the limiting base (331) and configured to support a second end of the flexible locking arm (320) opposite to the first end when the position-limit mechanism (330) is in the locking position.
  5. The connector position assurance according to claim 4, wherein the flexible locking arm (320) further comprises an extension portion (323) extended from the second end of the flexible locking arm (320) in a plane where the locking arm body (321) is located and perpendicular to the insertion direction (X), and the support portion (334) is configured to support the extension portion (323) of the flexible locking arm (320) when the position-limit mechanism (330) is in the locking position.
  6. The connector position assurance according to claim 1, wherein the pressing portion (332) is connected to one end of the limiting base (331) away from the mated connector (200) via a connecting portion (335), and opposite sides of the pressing portion (332) and the connecting portion (335) in a direction (Z) perpendicular to the insertion direction (X) and one side of the pressing portion (332) away from the connecting portion (335) are separated from the limiting base (331) by a recess (336).
  7. The connector position assurance according to claim 1, wherein the position-limit mechanism (330) is integrally formed, and an opening (338) is formed in one end of the limiting base (331) away from the mated connector (220); the position-limit mechanism (330) is formed with a blocking portion (339) at the opening (338), the blocking portion (339) being configured to prevent a tool from entering the receiving space to release the engagement between the flexible locking arm (320) and the locking part (201) of the mated connector (200).
  8. The connector position assurance according to claim 1, wherein the pressing portion (332) comprises a pressing body (332a) protruding into the receiving space and an operating portion (332b) protruding from the pressing body (332a) beyond a top of the limiting base (331).
  9. A position-limit mechanism (330) for a connector position assurance (300), comprising a base (310) fixed on a connector (100) and a flexible locking arm (320), a first end of the flexible locking arm (320) being connected to the base (310), the flexible locking arm (320) being configured to be engaged with a locking part (201) of a mated connector (200) when the connector (100) is inserted into the mated connector (200), so as to lock the connector (100) and the mated connector (200); wherein the position-limit mechanism (330) comprises a limiting base (331) slidably connected with the base (310) in an insertion direction (X) of the connector (100), the position-limit mechanism (330) has a locking position and an unlocking position, and the limiting base (331) is formed with a pressing portion (332) configured to press downward the flexible locking arm (320) when the position-limit mechanism (330) is in the unlocking position, so as to release an engagement between the flexible locking arm (320) and the locking part (201) of the mated connector (200).
  10. The position-limit mechanism according to claim 9, wherein the pressing portion (332) is configured to press a portion of the flexible locking arm (320) close to the locking protrusion (322) when the position-limit mechanism is in the unlocking position.
  11. The position-limit mechanism according to claim 9, wherein the position-limit mechanism (330) further comprises a support portion (334) connected to the limiting base (331), and the flexible locking arm (320) further comprises an extension portion (323) extended from a second end of the flexible locking arm (320) opposite to the first end in a plane where the locking arm body (321) is located and perpendicular to the insertion direction (X), and the support portion (334) is configured to support the extension portion (323) of the flexible locking arm (320) when the position-limit mechanism (330) is in the locking position.
  12. The position-limit mechanism according to claim 9, wherein the pressing portion (332) is connected to one end of the limiting base (331) away from the mated connector (200) via a connecting portion (335), and opposite sides of the pressing portion (332) and the connecting portion (335) in a direction (Z) perpendicular to the insertion direction (X) and one side of the pressing portion (332) away from the connecting portion (335) are separated from the limiting base (331) by a recess (336).
  13. The position-limit mechanism according to claim 9, wherein the position-limit mechanism (330) is integrally formed, and an opening (338) is formed in one end of the limiting base (331) away from the mated connector (220); and a blocking portion (339) is formed at the opening (338) and is configured to prevent a tool from entering the receiving space to release the disengagement between the flexible locking arm (320) and the locking part (201) of the mated connector (200).
  14. The position-limit mechanism according to claim 9, wherein the pressing portion (332) comprises a pressing body (332a) protruding into the receiving space and an operating portion (332b) protruding from the pressing body (332a) beyond a top of the limiting base (331).
  15. A connector assembly comprising a connector (100) and a mated connector (200) mated with the connector (100), wherein the connector assembly further comprises the connector position assurance (300) according to claim 1.

Description

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION This application claims the benefit of Chinese Patent Application No. CN 202422720115.X filed on November 7, 2024 in the China National Intellectual Property Administration, the whole disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference. TECHNICAL FIELD Embodiments of the present disclosure relate to a connector position assurance, and also to a position-limit mechanism for the connector position assurance and a connector assembly including the connector position assurance. BACKGROUND In the related art, a connector assembly typically includes a connector and a mated connector that are connected together, and a connector position assurance (CPA) that prevents separation between the connector and the mated connector. The connector position assurance usually includes a flexible locking arm, which is configured to be engaged with a locking part of the mated connector when the connector is inserted into the mated connector, so as to lock the connector and the mated connector. When unlocking, it is usually necessary to press the flexible locking arm with a finger to separate it from the locking part of the mated connector. However, since the finger directly contacts the flexible locking arm, it is easy for the finger to be cut by the flexible locking arm. Moreover, the flexible locking arm usually deforms after multiple presses, making it difficult to lock and unlock again. In addition, the space required for pressing the flexible locking arm is relatively large, which is not conducive to the miniaturization of the connector position assurance. SUMMARY An object of the present disclosure is to solve at least one of the above-mentioned problems and disadvantages existing in the related art. According to an aspect of the present disclosure, there is provided a connector position assurance. The connector position assurance includes a base fixed on a connector, a flexible locking arm connected to the base, and a position-limit mechanism, a receiving space for receiving a locking part of a mated connector that mates with the connector being formed between the position-limit mechanism and the base, and the flexible locking arm being located within the receiving space and configured to be engaged with the locking part of the mated connector when the connector is inserted into the mated connector, so as to lock the connector and the mated connector. The position-limit mechanism comprises a limiting base slidably connected with the base in an insertion direction of the connector, the position-limit mechanism has a locking position and an unlocking position, and the limiting base is formed with a pressing portion configured to press downward the flexible locking arm when the position-limit mechanism is in the unlocking position, so as to release an engagement between the flexible locking arm and the locking part of the mated connector. According to an exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure, the flexible locking arm comprises a locking arm body and a locking protrusion protruding from a middle of the locking arm body in the insertion direction of the connector, the locking part of the mated connector is formed with a locking hole configured to be clamped into a locking hole of the locking part of the mated connector so as to lock the connector and the mated connector. According to an exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure, a first end of the flexible locking arm close to the mated connector is fixed on the base, the pressing portion is configured to press a portion of the flexible locking arm close to the locking protrusion when the position-limit mechanism is in the unlocking position. According to an exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure, the position-limit mechanism further comprises a support portion connected to the limiting base and configured to support a second end of the flexible locking arm opposite to the first end when the position-limit mechanism is in the locking position. According to an exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure, the flexible locking arm further comprises an extension portion extended from the second end of the flexible locking arm in a plane where the locking arm body is located and perpendicular to the insertion direction, and the support portion is configured to support the extension portion of the flexible locking arm when the position-limit mechanism is in the locking position. According to an exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure, the pressing portion is connected to one end of the limiting base away from the mated connector via a connecting portion, and opposite sides of the pressing portion and the connecting portion in a direction perpendicular to the insertion direction and one side of the pressing portion away from the connecting portion are separated from the limiting base by a recess. According to an exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure, the position-limit mechanism is integrally formed, a