초록 ▼

The present invention relates to a method for unmating an electrical connector assembly wherein the movement for unmating the first and second connectors is temporarily blocked after interlocking contacts are disconnected and before the power contacts are disconnected. The invention also relates to

The present invention relates to a method for unmating an electrical connector assembly wherein the movement for unmating the first and second connectors is temporarily blocked after interlocking contacts are disconnected and before the power contacts are disconnected. The invention also relates to a connector system and a connector assembly offering such functions.

대표청구항 ▼

1. A method for unmating an electrical connector assembly comprising a first connector accommodating a first power contact, a second connector accommodating a second power contact, a first interlocking contact and a second interlocking contact accommodated in the first connector or in the second con

1. A method for unmating an electrical connector assembly comprising a first connector accommodating a first power contact, a second connector accommodating a second power contact, a first interlocking contact and a second interlocking contact accommodated in the first connector or in the second connector, connection of the interlocking contacts to each other being intended to close a power switch and disconnection of the interlocking contacts to each other being intended to open a power switch, for respectively connecting or disconnecting an electrical power source to the power contacts, the method comprising: a step wherein the first and second connectors are unmated along a mating axis, anda step wherein movement for unmating the first and second connectors is temporarily blocked after the interlocking contacts are disconnected and before the power contacts are disconnected. 2. The method according to claim 1, wherein unblocking means are actuated for unblocking the unmating movement so as to disconnect the power contacts after the first and second connectors has been temporarily blocked during the unmating movement and after interlocking contacts are disconnected. 3. The method according to claim 2, wherein the unblocking means unblocks a slider having a tubular shape along the mating axis and the unblocking means comprises a button hinged to the slider and adapted to be pushed along a direction perpendicular to the mating axis. 4. The method according to claim 3, wherein the slider is blocked in the mated position of the first and second connectors by blocking means which are located on the slider at a different location from the unblocking means. 5. The method according to claim 1, wherein the first and second connectors are mated through a unique plugging movement along a mating axis (XX′) and unmated along the same mating axis, this unique plugging movement comprising a first and second plugging movement portions,and wherein,on the first plugging movement portion, the first and second power contacts are in an electrical connection state chosen amongst an electrically connected state and an electrically disconnected state, while the first and second interlocking contacts are not electrically connected,on the second plugging movement portion, the first and second power contacts are electrically connected, while the first and second interlocking contacts are also electrically connected. 6. The method according to claim 5, wherein a third plugging movement portion is intercalated between the first and second plugging portions, the first, second and third plugging movement portions forming the unique plugging movement along the mating axis (XX′), and wherein safety means ensures that the first and second power contacts are electrically connected, while the first and second interlocking contacts are not electrically connected. 7. An electrical connector assembly comprising a first connector accommodating a first power contact, and a second connector accommodating a second power contact, the first and second connectors being able to mate and unmate along a mating axis (XX′), in order to connect and disconnect the first and second power contacts, a first interlocking contact and a second interlocking contact accommodated in the first connector or in the second connector, connection of the interlocking contacts to each other being designed to close a power switch and disconnection of the interlocking contacts to each other being intended to open a power switch, for respectively connecting or disconnecting an electrical power source to the power contacts,blocking means so as to temporarily block unmating after interlocking contacts are disconnected and before the power contacts are disconnected during the unmating movement of the first and second connectors. 8. The electrical connector assembly according to claim 7, comprising unblocking means that can be actuated for unblocking the unmating movement so as to disconnect the power contacts after the first and second connectors has been temporarily blocked during the unmating movement and after interlocking contacts are disconnected. 9. The electrical connector assembly according to claim 8, wherein the unblocking means comprises an unblocking element actionable by an operator with a movement that is different from a translation along the mating axis (XX′) away from the first connector. 10. The electrical connector assembly according to claim 7, comprising a slider having a tubular shape along the mating axis and the unblocking means comprises a button hinged to the slider and adapted to be pushed along a direction perpendicular to the mating axis for unblocking the slider. 11. The electrical connector assembly according to claim 10, wherein the slider is blocked in the mated position of the first and second connectors by blocking means which are located on the slider at a different location from the unblocking means, so that the unblocking means is actionable by an operator with a movement that is different from a translation along the mating axis (XX′) away from the first connector. 12. The electrical connector assembly according to claim 7, wherein the first connector comprises a first stop, and the second connector comprises a second stop, the first and second stops being aligned along the mating axis (XX′) so as to prevent unmating of the first and second connectors. 13. The electrical connector assembly according to claim 12, wherein the second connector comprises shifting means for shifting the second stop with respect to the first stop, transversally with respect to the mating axis (XX′), and blocking means for blocking the shifting means in a blocked position in which the first and second stops are aligned. 14. The electrical connector assembly according to claim 13, wherein the second connector comprises a body delimitating an accommodating chamber for the second power contact, and a slider intended to slide along the mating axis (XX′) with respect to the body away from the first connector, the slider comprising a third stop,wherein the shifting means comprise the slider and the blocking means comprise the third stop and a fourth stop, the third and fourth stops being aligned with each other along the mating axis (XX′) so as to block, in the blocked position, the sliding of the slider,wherein the unblocking means are intended to shift the third and fourth stops with respect to each other transversally with respect to the mating axis (XX′). 15. The electrical connector assembly according to claim 14, wherein the unblocking means comprise a flexible arm, on which the fourth stop is fixed,wherein the button is intended to push the flexible arm so as to shift the fourth stop with respect to the third stop. 16. The electrical connector assembly according to claim 7, wherein the first and second connectors are designed to be mated through a unique plugging movement along a mating axis (XX′) and unmated along the same mating axis, this unique plugging movement comprising a first and second plugging movement portions,and wherein,on the first plugging movement portion, the first and second power contacts are in an electrical connection state chosen amongst an electrically connected state and an electrically disconnected state, while the first and second interlocking contacts are not electrically connected,on the second plugging movement portion, the first and second power contacts are electrically connected, while the first and second interlocking contacts are also electrically connected. 17. The electrical connector assembly according to claim 16, comprising connecting means for connecting the two interlock contacts with each other on the third plugging movement portion. 18. The electrical connector assembly according to claim 17, wherein the connecting means comprises, in the second connector, a first resilient arm intended to come into contact with the first interlock contact, wherein the first interlock contact comprises a front end towards the second connector, andwherein the first connector comprises first separating means for moving the first resilient arm away from the first interlock contact on the third plugging movement portion. 19. The electrical connector according to claim 18, wherein the first separating means comprises a first lug located along the front end. 20. The electrical connector assembly according to claim 17, wherein the first connector comprises the second interlock contact, andwherein the connecting means comprise, in the second connector, a shorting element for connecting the two interlock contacts with each other. 21. The electrical connector assembly according to claim 17, wherein connecting means comprises a shorting element with a central portion connecting two resilient arms, andwherein the central portion and the two resilient arms are integral and made in one single piece. 22. The electrical connector assembly according to claim 7, comprising a connector, a corresponding counter connector and locking means to lock connector and counter-connector with each other, which locking means comprises an actuating means for the release of the locking of connector and counter-connector, wherein the locking means further comprises:first and second locking members designed to engage locking means assigned to the actuating means, whereby the first locking member is designed to interact with the locking means to lock connector and counter-connector in a first locking position and the second locking member is designed to interact with the locking means to lock connector and counter-connector in a second position, wherein upon actuating of the actuating means the locking between connector and counter-connector can be released to move connector and counter-connector from the first to the second locking position and from the second to an unlocked position, and in that the locking means is released from the second position to the unlocked position upon further actuation of the actuating means. 23. The electrical connector assembly according to claim 22, wherein said further actuation of the actuating means corresponds to the release of the actuating means. 24. The electrical connector assembly according to claim 22, comprising guiding means designed to move the actuating means into its initial position upon movement of the connector out of the first locking position, so that the second locking member interacts with said locking means assigned to the actuating means to lock connector and counter-connector in said second position. 25. The electrical connector assembly according to claim 24, wherein upon movement of the connector out of the first locking position, the guiding means engages a part of the actuating means and forces it into its non-actuated position, so that upon reaching the second locking position the locking element assigned to the actuating means interacts with the second locking member to prevent a further movement of connector and counter-connector into a fully un-mated condition. 26. The electrical connector assembly according to claim 22, wherein the first locking position is spaced from the second position in the mating direction of connector and counter-connector. 27. The electrical connector assembly according to claim 26, wherein the actuating means is an actuating arm being attached to one of connector or counter-connector and the locking members are protrusions provided on the respective other of connector or counter-connector. 28. The electrical connector assembly according to claim 27, wherein the actuating arm is attached to the connector so that it can be moved from an actuated position in which the first, respectively the second, locking members and the locking means are released and an initial position in which the first, respectively the second, locking members and the locking means are engaged and lock connector and counter-connector with each other. 29. The electrical connector assembly according to claim 22, wherein the connector and counter-connector are provided with latching means. 30. The electrical connector assembly according to claim 29, wherein upon movement of the connector and counter-connector from the first to the second locking position the latching means are released. 31. The electrical connector assembly according to claim 22, wherein power contacts are designed to be in contact with each other in the first and the second locking position of connector and counter-connector. 32. The electrical connector assembly according to claim 22, wherein the interlock contacts are adapted to detect the movement of the connector out of the first locking position into the second locking position. 33. The electrical connector assembly according to claim 22, wherein the connector is a service plug for an electrical power circuit of a passenger vehicle, comprising a housing and two electrical contact terminals being arranged inside a housing and electrically coupled with each other inside of the housing, and the counter-connector is a corresponding service socket comprising two electrical power lines which in the coupled condition of service plug and socket are electrically connected by means of the service plug and which are electrically disconnected in the un-coupled condition of the service plug.