Claims
- 1. A connector assembly, comprising:
at least one first connector housing; at least one second connector housing slidably engaging within said first connector housing, said second connector housing comprising a multi-surface first cam projection; and a lever pivotally supported on said first connector housing by at least one pivot element extending through a wall of said first connector housing, said pivot element comprising a first region that comprises a multi-surface second cam projection, said first and second cam projections being structured and arranged so that (a) at least a first surface area of said first cam projection will engage at least a first surface area of said second cam projection, when said first and second connector housings are in a misalignment mode thereby preventing pivoting of said lever in an engagement direction, (b) at least a second surface area of said first cam projection will mate with at least a second surface area of said second cam projection when said first and second connector housings are in a first stage of an alignment mode thereby permitting pivoting of said lever in said engagement direction, and (c) at least a third surface area of said first cam projection will mate with said first surface area of said second cam projection when said lever is pivoted in an engagement direction or in an opposite disengagement direction, respectively, in a second stage of said alignment mode, to urge said first and second connector housings towards or away from each other, respectively.
- 2. The connector assembly of claim 1 wherein said first, second and third surface areas of said first cam projection comprise a stop surface, a first partial gear tooth and a first full gear tooth, respectively, and further wherein said first and second surface areas of said second cam projection comprise a second full gear tooth and a second partial gear tooth, respectively, said first partial gear tooth and said first full gear tooth being structured and arranged to mate with said second partial gear tooth and said second full gear tooth, respectively, in said alignment mode.
- 3. The connector assembly of claim 2 wherein each first and second full gear tooth has a first width, and each first and second partial gear tooth has a second width, said second width being equal to about one half of said first width.
- 4. The connector housing of claim 1 wherein said first connector housing comprises opposing first and second sidewalls, said second connector housing comprises opposing third and fourth sidewalls, said third and fourth sidewalls slidably engaging within said first and second sidewalls, said third and fourth sidewalls each comprising a first cam projection, said lever pivotally supported on said first and second sidewalls by respective first and second pivot elements extending through said first and second sidewalls, respectively, said first and second sidewalls each comprises an aperture extending therethrough, said aperture comprising a circular portion intersected by a linear portion that extends to an edge of said sidewall, and further wherein said first and second pivot elements each comprise a second region that comprises opposing flat segments connected by opposing circular segments, said opposing flat segments structured and arranged to mate with said linear portion for attaching said lever to said first connector, and said opposing circular segment structured and arranged to mate with said circular portion for pivoting said lever relative to said first connector.
- 5. The connector housing of claim 4 wherein said third and fourth sidewalls each comprise a third cam projection, and further wherein said lever comprises first and second lever portions adapted (a) to engage said opposing first and second sidewalls, respectively, in a first lever position to prevent pivotal movement of said lever, and (b) to be disengaged from said opposing first and second sidewalls by a respective of said third cam projections in a second lever position to permit pivotal movement of said lever in said second stage of said aligned mode.
- 6. The connector assembly of claim 4 wherein said lever comprises opposing resilient first and second arms joined by an bridge segment, said first and second arms and said bridge segment being positioned outside of said first connector housing, and said first and second pivot elements projecting from said first and second arms, respectively.
- 7. The connector assembly of claim 6 wherein said first arm extends from said bridge segment to a first distal end, and said second arm extends from said bridge segment to a second distal end, said first and second distal ends comprising said first and second lever portions.
- 8. The connector assembly of claim 6 wherein said bridge segment comprises a first latch member, and said second connector housing comprises a mating second latch member, said first latch member being structured and arranged to fully engage said mating second latch member when said first and second connector housings are fully engaged.
- 9. The connector assembly of claim 8 further comprising first and second beams extending from said bridge segment, said first latch member being positioned between said first and second beams, said first and second beams being structured and arranged to engage a top surface of said second connector housing when said first and second connector housings are fully engaged.
- 10. The connector assembly of claim 6 wherein each first region is positioned within said first connector housing between said first and second sidewalls, and each second region is positioned within a respective of said apertures.
- 11. The connector assembly of claim I further comprising a mounting plate, said at least one second connector housing extending from said mounting plate.
- 12. A connector assembly, comprising:
a first connector housing comprising opposing first and second sidewalls; a second connector housing comprising opposing third and fourth sidewalls, said third and fourth sidewalls slidably engaging within respective first and second sidewalls of said first connector housing, said third and fourth sidewalls each comprising a first cam projection comprising a first segment and a second segment; and a lever pivotally supported on said first and second sidewalls by respective first and second pivot elements extending through said first and second sidewalls, respectively, said first and second pivot elements each comprising a first region that includes a second cam projection comprising a third segment adapted to mate with said first segment but not with said second segment, and a fourth segment adapted to mate with said second segment, said segments being structured and arranged so that (a) each third segment will engage a respective of said second segments when said first and second connector housings are in a misalignment mode thereby preventing pivoting of said lever in an engagement direction, (b) each fourth segment will mate with a respective of said second segments in an alignment mode to permit pivoting of said lever in said engagement direction; and (c) subsequent to said alignment mode each third segment will mate with a respective of said first segments in an engagement and disengagement mode when said lever is pivoted in an engagement direction or in an opposite disengagement direction, respectively, to urge said first and second connector housings towards or away from each other, respectively.
- 13. The connector assembly of claim 12 wherein said first and second sidewalls each comprise an aperture extending therethrough, said
aperture comprising a circular portion intersected by a linear portion that extends to an edge of the sidewall, and further wherein said first and second pivotal elements each comprise a second region that comprises opposing flat segments connected by opposing circular segments, said opposing flat segments structured and arranged to mate with said linear portion for attaching said lever to said first connector, and said opposing circular segments structured and arranged to mate with said circular portion for pivoting said lever relative to said first connector.
- 14. The connector assembly of claim 12 wherein said third and fourth sidewalls each comprise a third cam projection, further wherein said lever comprises first and second lever portions adapted (a) to engage a respective of said opposing first and second sidewalls of said first connector housing, in one lever position to prevent pivotal movement of said lever, and (b) to be disengaged from a respective of said first and second opposing sidewalls by a respective of said third cam projections in another lever position to permit pivotal movement of said lever in said alignment mode.
- 15. The connector assembly of claim 14 wherein said lever comprises opposing resilient first and second arms joined by a bridge segment, said first and second arms and said bridge segment being positioned outside of said first connector housing, and said first and second pivotal elements projecting from said first and second arms, respectively.
- 16. The connector assembly of claim 15 wherein each first region is positioned within said first connector housing between said first and second sidewalls, and each second region is positioned within a respective of said apertures.
- 17. The connector assembly of claim 16 wherein said first arm extends from said bridge segment to a first distal end, and said second arm extends from said bridge segment to a second distal end, said first and second distal ends comprising said first and second lever portions.
- 18. The connector assembly of claim 12 further comprising a mounting plate, said second connector housing extending from said mounting plate.
Parent Case Info
[0001] This application is a continuation-in-part of commonly assigned, co-pending application Ser. No. 09/313,875, filed May 18, 1999, for “Connector With Lever”.
Continuations (1)
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Number |
Date |
Country |
Parent |
09617404 |
Jul 2000 |
US |
Child |
09990173 |
Nov 2001 |
US |
Continuation in Parts (1)
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Number |
Date |
Country |
Parent |
09313875 |
May 1999 |
US |
Child |
09617404 |
Jul 2000 |
US |