US 12,308,568 B2
Connector assembly with flexible lock and event driven wedge
Rangarajan Sundarakrishnamachari, Chennai (IN); Velmurugan Kandasamy, Salem (IN); Dineshkumar Manoharan, Chennai (IN); and John R. Morello, Warren, OH (US)
Assigned to Aptiv Technologies AG, Schaffhausen (CH)
Filed by Aptiv Technologies AG, Schaffhausen (CH)
Filed on Jan. 4, 2023, as Appl. No. 18/092,989.
Prior Publication US 2024/0222907 A1, Jul. 4, 2024
Int. Cl. H01R 13/62 (2006.01); H01R 13/516 (2006.01); H01R 13/627 (2006.01); H01R 13/629 (2006.01); H01R 13/639 (2006.01)
CPC H01R 13/62933 (2013.01) [H01R 13/516 (2013.01); H01R 13/6271 (2013.01); H01R 13/639 (2013.01)] 15 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. An electrical connector assembly, comprising:
a plurality of terminal modules, each configured to contain one or more electrical terminals connected to one or more electrical cables;
an inner module frame in which the plurality of terminal modules is secured; and
a female outer housing having a plurality of cantilevered locking arms with primary surfaces and secondary surfaces on inner sides of the locking arms configured to secure the inner module frame to the female outer housing, wherein latch surfaces of the inner module frame engage the primary surfaces when the inner module frame is inserted within the female outer housing, wherein the female outer housing is configured to receive a header having side walls surrounding a plurality of mating electrical terminals, wherein the locking arms define ramp features on outer sides of the locking arms configured to push the locking arms inwardly when the side walls contact the ramp features of the locking arms as the header is inserted within the outer housing, thereby engaging the secondary surfaces with the latch surfaces.