IP Library › Granted Patent US 12706408
Granted Patent B2
US 12706408 · App. 17/974,031 · Granted Aug 11, 2026

Connector having a terminal locking structure

Inventors: Yongjia (Winter) Wang (Shanghai, CN); Liang Zhang (Shanghai, CN); Subhash Maheshbabu (Bangalore, IN); Federico Lupo (Turin, IT); Hongbo (Daniel) Zhang (Shanghai, CN)
Assignees: Tyco Electronics (Shanghai) Co., Ltd.; TE Connectivity Solutions GmbH; TE Connectivity Italia Distribution S.R.L.
H01R13/4223
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 12706408
App. No.
17/974,031
Granted
Aug 11, 2026
Kind
B2
Abstract

A connector includes a housing having a latch and a terminal mounted in the housing. The terminal has a locking hole with a locking hole front portion in a terminal insertion direction along which the terminal is inserted into the housing and a locking hole rear portion in the terminal insertion direction. A size of the locking hole front portion is larger than a size of the locking hole rear portion. The latch elastically protrudes into the locking hole to lock the terminal in the housing. The latch has a latch front portion in the terminal insertion direction and a latch rear portion in the terminal insertion direction. A size of the latch front portion is larger than a size of the latch rear portion. The size of the latch rear portion is smaller than the size of the locking hole front portion.

Claims (22)

1 . A connector, comprising:

a housing having a latch; and

a terminal mounted in the housing, the terminal having a locking hole extending through a portion of the terminal and surrounded by a material of the terminal, the locking hole has a locking hole front portion in a terminal insertion direction along which the terminal is inserted into the housing and a locking hole rear portion in the terminal insertion direction, a size of the locking hole front portion is larger than a size of the locking hole rear portion, the locking hole front portion is an end of the locking hole and the locking hole rear portion is another end of the locking hole, the locking hole tapers from the locking hole front portion to the locking hole rear portion, the latch elastically protrudes into the locking hole to lock the terminal in the housing, the latch has a latch front portion in the terminal insertion direction and a latch rear portion in the terminal insertion direction, a size of the latch front portion is larger than a size of the latch rear portion, the size of the latch rear portion is smaller than the size of the locking hole front portion.

2 . The connector of claim 1 , wherein a size of the locking hole increases from the locking hole rear portion to the locking hole front portion in the terminal insertion direction.

3 . The connector of claim 1 , wherein a size of the latch increases from the latch rear portion to the latch front portion in the terminal insertion direction.

4 . The connector of claim 1 , wherein the housing has an elastic arm on an inner wall.

5 . The connector of claim 4 , wherein the latch is formed on the elastic arm.

6 . The connector of claim 5 , wherein the latch protrudes into the locking hole by an elastic force of the elastic arm.

7 . The connector of claim 6 , wherein the housing has an accommodating portion receiving the terminal.

8 . The connector of claim 7 , wherein the elastic arm is formed on the inner wall of the accommodating portion.

9 . The connector of claim 1 , wherein the locking hole has a same shape as the latch.

10 . The connector of claim 9 , wherein the locking hole and the latch each have a trapezoidal shape.

11 . The connector of claim 1 , wherein the terminal is one of a plurality of terminals mounted in the housing.

12 . The connector of claim 1 , wherein the locking hole continuously tapers from the locking hole front portion to the locking hole rear portion.

13 . The connector of claim 1 , wherein the locking hole front portion is opposite the locking hole rear portion.

14 . The connector of claim 1 , wherein the locking hole front portion is set apart from the locking hole rear portion.

15 . The connector of claim 1 , wherein the locking hole tapers along an entire length of the locking hole from the locking hole front portion to the locking hole rear portion.

16 . The connector of claim 1 , wherein the material of the terminal surrounding the locking hole defines the locking hole.

17 . A connector, comprising:

a housing having a latch; and

a terminal mounted in the housing, the terminal having a locking hole with a locking hole front portion in a terminal insertion direction along which the terminal is inserted into the housing and a locking hole rear portion in the terminal insertion direction, a size of the locking hole front portion is larger than a size of the locking hole rear portion, the locking hole front portion is an end of the locking hole and the locking hole rear portion is another end of the locking hole, the locking hole tapers from the locking hole front portion to the locking hole rear portion, the latch elastically protrudes into the locking hole to lock the terminal in the housing, the latch has a latch front portion in the terminal insertion direction and a latch rear portion in the terminal insertion direction, a size of the latch front portion is larger than a size of the latch rear portion, the size of the latch rear portion is smaller than the size of the locking hole front portion.

18 . The connector of claim 16 , wherein an outside portion of the material of the terminal surrounding the locking hole is on an outside of the terminal, a pair of sides of the outside portion is between the locking hole front portion and the locking hole rear portion, each side tapers from the locking hole front portion to the locking hole rear portion.