Modern vehicles, such as passenger cars, include a number of electric devices, which are comprised in the door assembly, such as electrical window openers, side airbags, loud speakers, switches for the electrical adjustment of passenger seats, sensors to activate the interior lights of the vehicle upon opening the door, actuating devices, means to adjust the rear view mirrors, etc. All or most of the electrical systems incorporated in the door assembly are controlled and powered by control systems which are accommodated somewhere in for example the engine compartment of the vehicle. Therefore, it is necessary to connect the electric devices of the door assembly with the control means and power supply located somewhere in the main body of the vehicle.
Since the door assembly is moveable with regard to the body of the vehicle, the connection has to be flexible and is usually realized in the form of a cable bundle. For manufacturing reasons this cable bundle usually extends through a panel of the door assembly and is provided on its free end with an electrical connector. The counter-connector is provided with another cable bundle which connects the counter-connector with the control system and power system of the vehicle. During assembly of the vehicle, the counter-connector is mounted through an opening in the panel of an A-pillar or B-pillar of the vehicle such that the connector can be coupled with the counter-connector through this opening in the panel. The assembly of the counter-connector to the pillar is usually done from inside the pillar. Due to vibrations occurring during the operation of the vehicle, the counter-connector has to be fixed to the pass through hole and the pillar. Additionally, the work environment of the connectors requires that the pillar connector is sufficiently sealed against moisture and/or dust and similar. It is therefore necessary to secure fixation of the counter-connector to the pass-through hole in the pillar.
Particular requirements have to be considered for heavy duty applications. Connections between different parts of commercial vehicles, such as e.g. trucks, require an especially robust design to provide a connection despite the heavy loads to which the connections are disposed. In such applications inline male connectors have to be securely fixed typically to sheet metal holes for providing connection between, for example, different truck harnesses, such as between the body harness and front end harness.
Traditional fixation systems make use of screws to fix the counter-connector, or pillar connector, to the pass-through mounting hole. However, the assembly of such systems is more complicated due to the use of screws and since more parts need to be handled during the assembly operation. In addition, the use of screws makes additional holes in the pillar necessary, which is also disadvantageous.
Other connector systems make use of locking slides, which are usually delivered as a loose piece and are attached to the counter-connector, or male connector, when the connector is mounted through the pass-through hole in the pillar. The provision of the locking slide thereby prevents removal of the male connector from the pillar. In order to lock the locking slide to the male connector, small locks are usually provided on these slides which permanently secure the locking slide to the male connector during assembly. However, these small locks are easily damaged during maintenance, transport and/or usage.
Further on, the prior art locking sliders described above have to be delivered separately, in order to not unintentionally lock the locking slide permanently to the male connector if the locking slides were pre-mounted to the male connectors. Since the locking slides are hence not provided on the male connectors during transport, a seal which may be provided on a male connector is exposed and hence easily displaced or detached during transport. Similarly, also secondary locks provided on the connectors are not protected since the locking slides are not provided thereon during transport, so that the secondary locks can unintentionally be closed during transport and/or maintenance.
Further on, the prior art locking slider, and in particular the small locks provided thereon, can easily be destroyed or at least partly damaged during maintenance if the connector system has to be dissembled.
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.