In certain industrial applications, electrical connectors are required to be securely connected to each other. These electrical connectors are typically provided with a primary latch and a primary striker to lock the connector housings to each other. In addition, a connector position assurance (CPA) device is provided to lock the locking members as an additional locking assurance. Before the connector is engaged with a corresponding mating connector, the CPA device is in initial position that allows the primary latch and striker to move relative to each other. When a connector housing of a first connector is connected to a counterpart connector housing of a second connector and the primary latch and striker are engaged to each other, the CPA device may then be moved within the connector housing to a final position to prevent the primary latch and striker from disengaging, so as to secure the locking status of the first and second connectors.
Ideally, the CPA device will remain in the initial position and movement of the CPA device to the final locking position will be inhibited until the two mating connectors are fully mated together. This provides assurance to the operator connecting the first and second connectors that they in a fully mated position. However, as illustrated in FIG. 1, under certain conditions, the CPA device 1 may be pushed from the initial position before the mating connectors are fully mated if the secondary latch 2 of the CPA device 1 can be forced under the primary latch 3. This may cause difficulties in connecting the two connectors correctly. An example of a connector assembly in which this condition can occur may be found in International Publication Number WO 2010/032088, the entire disclosure of which is hereby incorporated by reference herein. Therefore, a CPA device that cannot be moved from the initial position before the two mating connectors are fully mated may still be desired.
The subject matter discussed in the background section should not be assumed to be prior art merely as a result of its mention in the background section. Similarly, a problem mentioned in the background section or associated with the subject matter of the background section should not be assumed to have been previously recognized in the prior art. The subject matter in the background section merely represents different approaches, which in and of themselves may also be inventions.
USPTO Backgrounds
USPTO Backgrounds